72. Soil Health is Key for Sustainable Success Champion Rob DeFreese in Indiana

72. Soil Health is Key for Sustainable Success Champion Rob DeFreese in Indiana

In Tippecanoe County, Indiana, six generations of Rob DeFreese's family have worked the dirt as farmers. But when it came time for Rob to take over, he knew in his heart it wouldn't be enough to keep going as before. He wasn't the biggest farmer in the area, so he aspired to be the most innovative. 16 crops later, he's seeing rewarding results from the investments he's made over the years in his soil health. From cover crops to soil sampling—and everything in between—he's worked closely with his crop consultant Melody Clouser to ensure that Mother Nature is contributing just as much to his success. In this episode, we meet Rob and Melody and learn how his soil health journey has resulted in better yields and lowered input costs. And we learn more about how Rob stays on the cutting edge of regenerative ag best practices.

71. Two Unique Industry Partnerships That Are Driving Sustainable Ag Success Stories

North American growers have been stewards of their land for generations, working hard to leave it better than they found it. But up until recently, that's been a pretty solitary path. Now though, new allies from within and outside the agriculture industry are stepping up to help drive sustainable success, forging new partnerships and creating new revenue streams to reward growers' stewardship practices. In this episode, we take a closer look at two of those unique partnerships. First, we'll talk to Fernando Candia and Justin McAllister from Bunge, the world leader in oilseed processing. They've been working with Nutrien Ag Solutions for several years now to roll out a program for farmers to reward sustainable ag practices. And then, we'll meet Agriculture Support Director Scott Manley from Ducks Unlimited, where they're championing rice growers' nutrient management efforts in order to support more and better habitat for North American waterfowl.

70. How to Leverage Your Agrible Data to Cut Costs and Boost Crop Yields

For farmers who want to make agricultural practice changes, sometimes it can feel like there's just not enough information to work with. Want to try something new? Give it a go, and in half a year you'll know whether it worked out. But there's a better way! For growers who utilize our Agrible data management system, this is the time of year when they start receiving their personalized Nutrien Ag Solutions sustainability reports. These grower-focused informational resources allow you to compare and contrast yields across different fields and crops, see how various practices affected your performance, and compare your data with other anonymous participants throughout your area. So in this episode, we're talking to Senior Sustainability Project Manager Eric Moon about how producers can leverage these reports to improve their yields, boost their margins and build upon sustainable successes in their operations.

69. A Celebration of Growers: Three Stories of Leaving It Better Than You Found It

It’s that time of year when things are slowing down, and we make time to be grateful. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are a great opportunity to remind everyone that every dish we enjoy is there because of someone’s hard work. So in that spirit, we wanted to use this episode of the FARMSMART Podcast as a “Celebration of Growers” by looking back on some of the conversations we’ve had with farmers who spend every day working to leave the world in better shape than they found it. Justin Place tells us about finding new ways to improve his operation in Idaho by staying engaged with his local and national commodity groups. Janette Veazey-Post is putting some cool technology to work on 13,000 acres in New York and Ohio. And Iowa's Bill Northey went to work for the USDA as undersecretary for farm production and conservation, but recently passed away. We'll look back at his career and his advice for growers. Each of our guests has a story that you can learn from. And this season, as always, we’re grateful to them... and everyone else who makes a living with their hands in the dirt.

68. Beyond the Echo Chamber: Fostering Real Conversations About Sustainability in the Agriculture Industry

When you listen to the FARMSMART Podcast, you’re getting more than actionable insights about conservation practices that can foster sustainability and improve your margins. You’re getting frank discussions about the future of agriculture and perspectives from all different corners of the industry. And sometimes the folks we have on the show find a way to surprise us. So in this episode, we’re looking back at two conversations where we really learned something unique from our guests. We’ll hear from Dave Sender, Regional Sales Manager at Environmental Tillage Systems—the company that manufactures the Soil Warrior line of strip till implements. And John Maman, Nutrien Financial’s Sales and Marketing Director, will fill us in on how the company is working to make agriculture more financially sustainable.