How’s this year’s harvest? Jamie is checking in with farmers across the Midwest for an update on the harvest season — what’s going well, what’s been challenging, and how weather patterns, market shifts, and community efforts are shaping the season. From early planting to the impact of heavy rainfall on yield projections, you’ll hear an honest, down-to-earth conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in our region. 

Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to the Water Table Podcast
01:54 - Introducing Al Giese
02:48 - Commodity prices and current down cycle 
03:32 - Ethanol’s strong demand 
05:24 - The impact of weather and disease on crop yields
09:20 - How was this year’s harvest?
11:57 - Checking in with Dylan Erickson
13:57 - Harvest update from Western Minnesota 
18:52 - Chippewa County and soybean expectations
22:25 - Effect of changing weather patterns   
22:42 - Touching base with Karl Guetter
25:48 - Dry fall weather and early finish   
33:22 - Update wrap-up

Related Content:

• #134 | Beyond the Squeeze Test: How Unseen Variables Cost Farmers
• #121 | Navigation the Challenges & Opportunities of Being a Farmer
• #55 | How Changing Weather Patterns Impact the Stability of Your Farm
• #52 | An Ag Economist Tells All: Critical Topics Impacting the Future of Ag

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When it comes to water quality, what do people really think? Host Jamie Duininck took The Water Table podcast on the road to the Minnesota State Fair to interview fairgoers and hear their concerns. You'll hear genuine, on-the-spot answers, covering everything from local lake health to field runoff to worries about nitrates and other materials reaching the water table.

Jamie and Prinsco Application Engineer, Trey Allis, unpack these conversations to address concerns and discuss how water management practices, such as control structures, offer solutions for improved water quality.

Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to the Water Table Podcast
00:28 - Today’s guest Trey Allis
01:40 - Discussing water quality at the State Fair 
03:00 - Importance of water quality
03:35 - The effect of runoff, impervious soils and algae
04:46 - Concerns about the impact of agriculture   
07:35 - Water management practices and implementation
12:16 - Sub-irrigation, drainage recycling and other opportunities
17:55 - Let’s talk about research
18:45 - Nitrate issues and control drainage
22:42 - New contractors and the use of technology 
25:49 - Adopt a storm drain
29:10 - Wrap-up

Related Content

• #129: The Tipping Point: Accelerating Agricultural Water Quality & Soil Retention
• #116: A Unified Voice & Vision for Ag Water Management 
• #103: Rapping About Drainage– A Water Table First!
• Best Practice: Controlled Drainage 

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Jamie takes a trip to the Great Minnesota Get-Together to talk with people and hear their thoughts on recycling, water quality, and products made from post-consumer plastics. He had some great conversations, including a chat with Lauren from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. They discussed how HDPE plastics can be recycled to make products like picnic tables and birdhouses--as well as drainage pipe, which uses a large volume of post-consumer plastic.

Jamie also talked with Ann and Jennifer from the University of Minnesota Extension about the opportunities that exist to educate young people about local water quality, the role that plastic pipe manufacturing plays in recycling efforts, and potential careers in the water management industry.

The last conversation in this episode is with Jacob from By the Yard, a Minnesota-based company that manufactures and sells lawn furniture made from recycled plastic. He and Jamie discuss their shared goal of keeping plastic out of landfills and how rewarding it is to do something good with recycled plastics.

Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to the Water Table Podcast
00:35 - Visiting the Minnesota State Fair
01:47 - Recycling plastics into new products
03:07 - From milk jugs to drainage pipe
06:30 - Why water matters locally
08:20 - Opportunities for educating young people
09:45 - Doing something good with recycled plastics
13:16 - Closing remarks

Related content:

• #67 | Sustainability and Resilience - How the Plastic Pipe Industry is on the Forefront
• #05.1 | The Science Behind Making Pipe: Part 01
• #05.2 | The Science Behind Making Pipe: Part 02
• Water Quality resources from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 
• University of Minnesota Extension
• By the Yard Outdoor Furniture

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Some of the biggest risks in quality are the ones you can’t see. Pipe might look fine or feel strong in your hands, but hidden issues like uneven wall thickness, poor resin blends, or the wrong corrugation profile could cause pipe to fail in the field years after installation.

In part two of our Perspectives on Pipe Quality series, Jamie Duininck sits down with Paul Schrupp, Director of Quality and Continuous Improvement at Prinsco, to unpack these unseen factors and explain why quality depends on science, testing, and design. They talk about resin properties, thickness distribution, cold-weather brittleness, UV protection using carbon black, and the role of ASTM standards in protecting farmers.

True quality is not obvious at first glance. It is built into every step of the process so that pipe in the ground will perform for decades and create long-term value for farm families and communities.

Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome Back
01:00 - Paul’s Role in Quality
02:20 - What Quality Really Means
04:10 - Beyond ASTM Minimums
05:45 - The Squeeze Test Problem
07:30 - Corrugation Profiles & Temperature
09:10 - The Plastic Chair Example
10:30 - Longevity and Service Life
12:00 - Carbon Black and Sun Exposure
14:00 - Industry Standards
16:00 - Longevity Builds Wealth
17:30 - Risks of Cutting Corners
19:30 - Final Thoughts

Related content:

• #133 | Perspectives on Pipe Quality: Delivering Generations of Yield with Tony Kime
• #129 | The Tipping Point: Accelerating Agricultural Water Quality & Soil Retention
• #07 | Engineering Water Quality: Bioreactors, Saturated Buffers & More
• “Perspectives on Pipe Quality” Playlist on YouTube
  
  

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This first episode of Perspectives on Pipe Quality opens a critical conversation about building drainage systems that truly last. Host Jamie Duininck sits down with industry veteran Tony Kime, Senior Advisor to Soleno, whose 40+ years in the corrugated pipe business have shown him what it takes to deliver a 50-year service life and what happens when quality falls short.

Tony draws on a lifetime in the industry, including a story of pipe installed in 1971 that is still performing today. He explains how resin selection, manufacturing practices, and rigorous testing protect farmers’ long-term investments and the reputation of the entire industry. From the “Wild West” days of untested products to the importance of third-party certification, this episode dives beneath the surface to show why getting it right the first time matters for generations.

Chapters:

00:00 - Welcome & Series Introduction
02:07 - Tony’s Background & Industry Experience
04:02 - How the Industry Expands, Contracts & Learns
07:10 - Why Testing Matters in Pipe Manufacturing
14:22 - The Cost of Cutting Corners
20:30 - Standards & Third-Party Certification
28:06 - A 1971 Pipe Still Performing Today
32:05 - Drainage as a Conservation Practice
35:00 - What’s Ahead in the Series

Related content:

• #132 | Ducks Unlimited: Balancing Wetland Conservation & Agricultural Production
• #122 | Drainage in Ontario: Balancing Ag & the Environment
• #54 | Building Wealth Through Tiling: Insights from Canada’s OG Installer 
• Land Improvement Contractors of Ontario (LICO) 

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And the winner of the Polaris 570 Sportsman Edition ATV is... Prinsco Ag Segment Lead Karl Guetter joins us on The Water Table podcast to reveal the highly anticipated winner of the Prinsco "Save & Ride" Summer Sale! This program was a massive success thanks to our incredible partners, with 364 customers participating and an impressive 642 loads of pipe shipped in June. We'll also cover a mid-summer ag update, from commodity prices and crop conditions to the outlook for fall tiling.

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to the Water Table Podcast
00:46 Prinsco Ag Summer Sale - Buy & Ride 
01:36 Contest Success & Customer Partnerships
03:32 How Many Customers Participated?? 
05:32 Announcing the ATV Winner!
06:02 Spotlight on Basin Construction
09:48 Mid-Summer Crop Report
14:24 Outlook for the Rest of the Season
18:28 Thank You to Our Customers

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How do we find the balance between productive agriculture and wetland conservation? Guest host Trey Allis sits down with Samantha Ewald of Ducks Unlimited to learn how their engineering expertise goes beyond conservation to actively restoring wetlands to filter water, capture sediment, and remove nutrients. From tackling failing drain tile systems to transforming farmland into thriving wetlands, learn how they’re finding solutions and why wetlands are considered the kidneys of the Earth.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro & Wetlands 
00:29 Welcome Sam Ewald 
01:33 About Ducks Unlimited 
02:23 Regional Engineer Role 
03:29 Project Discovery 
05:01 Wetland Restoration Process 
07:49 Wetlands & Water Quality 
09:11 Balance in Landscapes 
11:46 Where to Restore? 
13:24 Ducks Like Friends 
14:11 Favorite Duck Hunt 
15:42 DU's Impact: 1 Million Acres 
17:16 More Than Digging Holes 
17:35 Favorite Projects: Tile 
19:46 Shallow Lake Restoration 
21:29 Make Wet Spots Wetter 
22:59 Career Advice & Learnings 
27:37 Wish I Knew Earlier 
29:45 DU's Broader Reach 
31:28 More Duck Talk 
33:05 Wrap Up

Related content:

• #15 | A Look at Watershed Districts - Balancing Water Quality and Water Quantity
• #18 | The Intersection of Pheasants Forever and Conservation on the Farm
• #125 | A 30-year Career in Conservation & Innovation: From NRCS to Family Farms
• Ducks Unlimited - Conservation Projects 

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John Schwartz of Schwartz Farms shares his remarkable journey from a dairy farm upbringing to building a highly successful agricultural enterprise with 500 employees across multiple states. 

John discusses how they've navigated the industry's volatile cycles. From the "Go-Go days" of the 1970s inflation to current biosecurity challenges like the PRRS virus to the future potential of gene-edited pigs. He offers invaluable lessons on leadership, embracing change, and the profound impact a business can have on rural communities.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:14 1970s Inflation & Early Days
00:30 Welcome John Schwartz, Schwartz Farm
01:05 Farm Origins & Growth
02:03 Pig Business Evolution
03:10 Company Expansion
03:44 Biosecurity Challenges
05:47 Gene-Edited Pigs & Future
07:03 Airborne Viruses & Industry Hubs
08:44 Minnesota's Agri-Powerhouse
10:20 Weathering Cycles & Culture
11:36 The Power of Culture
12:30 Leadership, Humility & Appreciation
14:40 Growth & Culture Preservation
17:07 Employee Investment: 401K
18:28 Rural Impact
19:12 Legacy & Community
21:14 Valuing Relationships
23:53 Humility & Connection
25:09 Family Farm History
26:37 Ag Interdependence & Drainage
28:37 Rewarding Rural Impact
31:16 Sustaining Culture Amid Change
34:19 Embracing Industry Uncertainty
37:53 Final Thoughts: Opportunity & Attitude

Related content:

• #40 | Family Business Series: Insight and Advice From a Family Business Coach
• #39 | Family Business Series: Relationships and the General Transfer of Knowledge
• #38 | Building a Strong Business Culture

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We're diving deeper with Ruth McCabe, Heartland Co-Op Conservation Manager, to explore how Heartland Co-Op is tackling gaps in federal funding for ag conservation. Learn about their sustainability-linked loans and a new non-profit fund designed to empower tenant farmers and fund local conservation projects. We'll also discuss the growing demand for state-led alternatives to programs like CRP, and which practices are making farms more resilient to extreme weather.

Chapters:
00:00 Introducing the Heartland Conservation Fund
00:22 Resilient Soil: A Conservation Benefit
01:04 Heartland Co-op's Expanding Team & New Loan
02:08 Funding Tenant Farmers Through the Non-Profit
03:32 Partnership-Based Funding Model
04:26 Private Solutions Amidst Federal Shifts
05:22 Alternative to CRP: A Local Approach
06:42 The Power of Local Community & Engagement
08:19 Farmer Perspectives: Seeing Conservation Results
09:26 Weather Patterns and Insurance Impact
11:18 Conservation for Resilience, Not Just Yield
14:13 Tailored Solutions for Every Farm
15:17 Heartland's Micro-Level Innovations
16:33 Iowa's Macro-Level Conservation Leadership
18:19 Collaborative Federal Agency Support
19:06 Iowa's Unexpected Conservation Success
20:32 Overcoming Obstacles: Pushing Past "No"
22:10 Public Land Access vs. Private Land Opportunity
23:51 Hunting Leases and Landowner Benefits
25:19 Building Relationships Through Access
26:06 The Nuance of Conservation and Dialogue

Related content:

• #129 | The Tipping Point: Accelerating Agricultural Water Quality and Soil Retention
• #128 | Bridging the Divide: Tenant Farmers, Landowners and Conservation Decisions
• #127 | Cover Crops and No-Till: A Conservationist’s Perspective
• Heartland Co-op

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Why is there an urgent need to address soil loss and explore solutions like saturated buffers, bioreactors, and advanced wetlands? Ruth McCabe, Conservation Expert, shares her optimism about reaching a tipping point in water quality and soil retention thanks to batch and build and edge-of-field practices. Hear why farmers are experiencing the positive impact firsthand, and why a new wave of passionate individuals is poised to transform agricultural landscapes for cleaner water and richer soil.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:35 Welcome

00:43 Getting excited about water quality

01:30 The tipping point

02:20 Unsustainable soil loss

03:40 Developing infrastructure

05:20 Give us another ten years…

06:20 Is it making a difference?

07:00 Getting the farmers excited

07:26 Small impact to production acres

08:20 Batch and build

09:20 Spreading the model beyond Iowa

10:27 Thanks for joining us!

Related content:

• #128 | Bridging the Divide: Tenant Owners, Landowners & Conservation Decisions
• #127 | Cover Crops and No-Till: A Conservationist’s Perspective
• Ag Drainage Management Coalition
• Heartland Co-op

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