Duane Simpson is Head of Ag Affairs and License to Operate, North America, Australia, and New Zealand for Bayer Crop Science. For more detail on his career history, check out Episode 82, where we spoke with him about advocating for science-based, farmer-positive ag policy. In our latest conversation, Duane describes the herbicide registration process, discusses how farmers can share their thoughts during EPA public comment periods, and previews what we can expect from the 2024...

Have you ever wondered why some strawberries from the grocery store or farmer’s market taste wonderful while others are relatively flavorless? Do you struggle to produce strawberries in your home garden? We learn about these topics and much more in our latest episode. Dr. Marvin Pritts is a professor and the director of undergraduate studies, School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section at Cornell. Dr. Pritts has spent four decades studying berry crops, with a recent focus on...

Ambassador Kip Tom served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture from 2019-2020. As a seventh generation farmer, Kip has worked tirelessly as a voice for farmers in the U.S. and around the globe and is a strong advocate for technological advances in agriculture. In this episode we discuss Kip’s journey from farm boy to becoming an active influencer of ag policy in the U.S. and abroad. Listen in to hear his take on the threats facing...

Congressman Brad Finstad was elected to Congress in a special election on August 9, 2022, and was sworn in three days later with his family by his side as he took the Oath of Office to proudly represent Minnesota’s First District. Brad is a fourth-generation farmer and resident of the New Ulm area. He and his wife, Jackie, met on the school bus in second grade and they are now the proud parents of seven children. A graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in Agriculture...

Dr. Donald Ort is is the Robert Emerson Professor in Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois and Deputy Director of the RIPE (Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency) project.  His research seeks to understand and improve plant growth and photosynthetic performance in changing environmental conditions, such as increasing CO2 temperature and drought.  Don earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Wake Forest University and his doctorate in plant biochemistry from...

Stu Ellis has been a well-known agricultural communicator in Illinois for 50 years.  He began as the farm broadcaster at WSOY in Decatur and expanded his service to corn belt farmers through radio, television, newspapers, newsletters, and the Internet.  Listen to hear Stu's story - from growing up on the farm, attending college, and through a long, distinguished, and impactful career "helping farmers make money and stay out of jail." Although he has reached the point in his career at which...

Joni Stepanov's long career in agriculture has culminated in her current role as horticulture consultant at AmplifiedAg.  In this position, she conducts research to determine how to best manage crops in a completely controlled environment.  Listen in to learn about her research.  For a visualization of the concepts discussed in this podcast, check out the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAhefhLAolQ.  To learn more about this topic, listen to our previous episode with Don...

The mission of AmplifiedAg is to provide global access to safe food, by growing the indoor agriculture category through innovation, experience, and partnership.  In this episode, we speak with CEO Don Taylor about how the company is achieving this mission.  Listen to learn how a unit of land can produce over 100X the amount of food compared to traditional outdoor methods by taking advantage of a controlled environment.  Don explains how this approach can partner with and complement...

Each year farmers are faced with a unique set of challenges, and 2022 was no exception.  In this episode, Preston and Jason recap the 2022 growing season and discuss the future of farming.  For added context to the discussion, check out the following episodes: Episode 42: Julie Borlaug - Dr. Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution Episode 56: Matt Helm - New Tools in the Battle Against Tar Spot of Corn Episode 64: Megan Dwyer - Managing Fertilizer Costs with Nutrient Loss Reduction...

Dr. Jayson Lusk is an ag economist at Purdue University, where he is a distinguished professor and head of the Department of Agricultural Economics.  Dr. Lusk studies what we eat and why we eat it.  He is the author of several books, including his latest, Unnaturally Delicious: How Science and Technology are Serving up Super Foods to Save the World.  In this episode, we discuss his book, which discusses the role of innovation in modern food production in the context of history. You can learn...

Duane Simpson is Vice President, Head of North America Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability at Bayer Crop Science.  He leads the company's Policy & Advocacy and Industry Affairs teams to bring farmer and value chain perspective to agricultural policy making in North America and around the globe.  Duane is passionate about helping farmers and agribusinesses share their voices in the current political landscape. In this episode, we discuss the role of lobbyists in the public policy...

Bringing a new pesticide to market involves years of research and huge capital investments.  As environmental toxicologists with Bayer Crop Science, Dr. Tim Fredricks and Dr. Dan Schmehl study the effects of these products on the environment to ensure that adverse effects are minimized.  In this episode we discuss the process of evaluating new crop protection products with greater specificity to control target pests while minimizing harm to other organisms. You can learn more about Bayer for...

Tara Bohnert is a business development manager with Nedap Livestock Management, a Netherlands-based company that provides monitoring equipment for pigs and dairy cattle.  In this episode we learn about the data that is collected and how it is used to improve farmer profitability as well as animal welfare.  We also discuss the evolution of the dairy industry over the past century and what the future holds. To learn more about this topic, you can visit Nedap's website:...

Sri Lanka has been in the news recently due to an economic crisis leading to political instability.  One of the factors behind the civil unrest is spiking food prices caused in part by governmental policy eliminating the use of synthetic fertilizers and crop protection products.  In this episode, we once again chat with Dr. Stuart Smith, professor in ag and resource economics at the University of Saskatchewan about the situation in Sri Lanka and other topics related to modern agriculture. As...

Diseases attacking agricultural crops cause millions of bushels of yield loss for farmers across the United States each year.  Farmers battle these diseases in several ways including the use of resistant varieties and hybrids, crop rotation, and fungicides.  To complicate things, new diseases arise from time to time.  One example is Tar Spot, which has become a major yield robber in Midwestern corn fields over the past several years.  In this episode, Dr. Randy Myers from Bayer Crop Science...

Dr. Jayson Lusk is an ag economist at Purdue University, where he is a distinguished professor and head of the Department of Agricultural Economics.  Dr. Lusk studies what we eat and why we eat it.  He is the author of several books, including his latest, Unnaturally Delicious: How Science and Technology are Serving up Super Foods to Save the World.  In this episode, we discuss the results of consumer surveys about food, and how farmers can positively impact consumer perceptions. You can...

Today we wrap up our series on ag tech with a conversation with Dr. German Bollero.  Dr. Bollero is currently Interim Dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer, & Environmental Sciences and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Illinois.  In this discussion, he describes exciting new opportunities for students to combine their passions for computer science and agriculture. Learn more about the University of Illinois College of ACES at aces.illinois.edu...

Our Podcast series on the Past, Present, and Future of Ag Tech continues with returning guest Jack Marck, who is managing director of the Illinois Agtech Accelerator.  Located at the University of Illinois Research Park, this program provides mentoring, funding, and office space for Agtech startups.  In today's conversation, we discuss the opportunities for new technologies to improve farmers' operations and strengthen the food supply chain.  You can contact Jack through email at...

Scott Spal is a scientist with The Climate Corporation.  In his current role, he investigates how enhancements to Climate FieldView can improve farmer profitability, as well as transparency and sustainability in agriculture.  Listen to this episode to learn how farmers benefit from the massive amounts of data that they collect in their fields. To learn more about The Climate Corporation, please visit www.climate.com.

Happy 3rd anniversary to the Focus on Agriculture Podcast.  In this brief update, we discuss the 5 most downloaded episodes from the past year.  Be sure to rate and review us on your favorite podcast app.

Dr. Mike Canady is a scientist with a background in plant breeding who is currently director of agronomy for specialty crops at Verdesian Life Sciences.  In this conversation, we learn about how farmers can help plants use nutrients more efficiently.  We also discuss the use of biostimulants to enhance plant production. To learn more about these types of products, you can visit the Verdesian Life Sciences website at http://vlsci.com/ or contact Mike directly: [email protected].

Dr. Sarah Klopatek is a sustainability and cattle systems scientist at UC Davis.  As a scientist, she explains why it is often difficult to reduce complex questions to a simple answer, leading to her statement, "myopia is the death of sustainability."  Her most recent publication explores the differences in nutritional profiles in beef from cattle raised in a variety of grain- and grass-fed systems.  In our fascinating conversation she explains these differences, as well as the environmental...

"Before John Deere, Ford, and International Harvester became icons of American business, they were competitors in a forgotten battle for the farm.  From 1908 to 1928, against the backdrop of a world war and economic depression, these brands were engaged in a race to introduce the tractor and revolutionize farming." Neil Dahlstrom is the author of The John Deere Story: A Biography of Plowmakers John and Charles Deere, and Lincoln’s Wrath: Fierce Mobs, Brilliant Scoundrels, and a President’s...

Bret Sill grows diverse crops including alfalfa, corn, wheat, garlic, carrots, walnuts and almonds with his family on their farm which is over 100 years old.  In this episode we discuss the similarities and differences between raising almonds and other crops.  Bret also explains the incorporation of cover crops into his operation and we discuss the annual migration of thousands of honey bee hives into California almond orchards during bloom. You can learn more about Bret's farm at...