XtremeAg: Cutting The Curve Podcast

Farming Podcast | Plant Health Strategies to Reduce Crop Inputs | XtremeAg

Agronomist Jared Cook of Calibrated Agronomy discusses why profitable crop production [https://www.xtremeag.farm/podcasts/plant-health-reduce-crop-inputs] starts with healthy plants rather than reactive crop treatments. He explains that strong soil biology, balanced fertility, and proper water management allow crops to resist stress and disease naturally, reducing the need for costly inputs. Cook emphasizes that farmers should move beyond symptom-based agronomy and instead use a complete agronomic toolbox focused on plant health from the soil up. He shares an example from an Idaho dairy farm that spent heavily trying to correct crop problems with inputs before discovering that improving plant health fundamentals provided a far more cost-effective solution.

Farming Podcast | Managing Root-Knot Nematodes | XtremeAg

Soybean nematodes remain a major and often underdiagnosed source of yield loss, especially in fields with heavy Root-Knot Nematode pressure [https://www.xtremeag.farm/podcasts/soybean-nematode-yield-loss]. In this episode, Matt Miles discusses the scale of the problem in Arkansas, the limits and costs of traditional nematicides, and why he is now applying Averland FC in-furrow on all at-risk soybean acres after using it on corn and soybeans the past two years. Speaking with Damian Mason and Vive Crop Protection’s George Huckabee, Miles explains that even with mitigation, severe infestations can still cost 5 to 7 bushels per acre, while unmanaged pressure can cut yields dramatically.

Farming Podcast | Crop Planning Mistakes to Avoid In 2026 | XtremeAg

This episode of Cutting the Curve examines how farmers are approaching 2026 planting decisions [https://www.xtremeag.farm/podcasts/crop-planning-2026-farm-profit-strategy] amid shifting acreage trends highlighted in the USDA Prospective Plantings report. Damian Mason, Iowa farmer Adam Ullrich, and consultant Jarod Creed discuss five key decision areas: labor availability, machinery investment, grain marketing strategy, overall farm management, and financial discipline. Rather than making drastic operational changes, the conversation emphasizes improving profitability through better planning, smarter marketing decisions, effective use of FSA programs, and disciplined financial management in a tight-margin environment.

Farming Podcast | Is Ag Suffering From Knowledge Extinction? | XtremeAg

In this episode, Damian Mason talks with Jared Cook of Calibrated Agronomy about “knowledge extinction” in agriculture: the idea that farmers are receiving less meaningful agronomic guidance [https://www.xtremeag.farm/podcasts/agronomy-knowledge-that-pays-off] as input decisions become more price-driven. They discuss how retail consolidation, sales-focused advisory models, and resistance to continued learning can reduce the quality of agronomic decision-making. The conversation emphasizes that modern farming is increasingly knowledge-intensive, and that farmers may need to separate product purchasing from professional agronomic advice while holding advisers to a higher standard of education, accountability, and problem-solving.

Farming Podcast | What Your Water Is, Your Soil Becomes | XtremeAg

In this episode of XtremeAg’s Cutting the Curve podcast, Damian Mason talks with Jared Cook of Calibrated Agronomy about why water quality matters [https://www.xtremeag.farm/podcasts/what-your-water-is-your-soil-becomes]far beyond simple H2O. The discussion explains how irrigation water, spray water, and even rainwater can carry mineral and biological “baggage” that affects soil balance, nutrient availability, herbicide performance, and crop management decisions. Jared outlines how calcium, bicarbonates, nitrate, sulfur, and other constituents in water can act like hidden fertilizer inputs or create antagonism that ties up nutrients and reduces product efficacy. The episode emphasizes testing each water source, understanding application volume and frequency, and using water amendments or adjuvants when needed to improve agronomic outcomes.