Shaping the Story of Agriculture — A Conversation with Shaun Haney

What Has the Modern Swine Industry Gained… and What Has It Quietly Lost? | Dr. Doug Newcom

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2429369/fan_mail/new] What Has the Modern Swine Industry Gained… and What Has It Quietly Lost? | Dr. Doug Newcom The modern swine industry has never been more productive. Weaning rates are higher, pigs grow faster, feed efficiency continues to improve, and genetic tools are more powerful than ever. But progress comes with tradeoffs. In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, Jim Smith sits down with Dr. Doug Newcom, Vice President of Genetics and Technology at the National Swine Registry, to explore how the pork industry has evolved over the past four decades—and what may have been left behind along the way. The conversation moves from genetic selection and reproductive efficiency to pork quality, resilience, stockmanship, youth development, and the future of the industry. Doug shares perspectives from a career that spans seedstock production, genetic evaluation, international swine genetics, and leadership within the National Swine Registry.  Topics include: • How the industry increased pigs born alive from 10 to 14–16 pigs per litter  • Why pork quality and eating experience still matter  • What great breeders recognized before the data proved it  • Efficiency versus resilience in modern production systems  • The decline of independent seedstock producers and the impact of industry consolidation  • Why youth livestock programs remain critical to agriculture's future  • Lessons from promoting U.S. swine genetics around the world, including China, Vietnam, South Africa, and beyond  • What gives Doug optimism about the future of the pork industry  If you've ever wondered whether agriculture can become more efficient without losing the qualities that made it successful in the first place, this conversation is worth your time. Guest: Dr. Doug Newcom Vice President, Genetics & Technology

Lori Stevermer: Why Agriculture Works Best When Choice, Trade, and Trust Work Together

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2429369/fan_mail/new] What happens when a hog farmer, feed industry veteran, and former National Pork Producers Council president looks across the entire pork supply chain? In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, I sit down with Lori Stevermer to explore the connections between production, nutrition, policy, trade, and consumer confidence. Drawing from decades in the feed industry with Wayne Feeds, Hubbard Feeds, and Alltech, along with her leadership at NPPC, Lori shares a perspective that spans from the slat level to Washington, D.C. We discuss: • Why consumers need confidence in the food system  • The growing role of choice in pork production and marketing  • What COVID revealed about our food supply chain  • Why trade matters far beyond pork chops and bacon  • The importance of Canada, Mexico, and international markets to U.S. pork producers  • Labor challenges facing agriculture over the next decade  • How ASF, global disease pressure, and biosecurity shape industry decisions  • Why agriculture sometimes struggles to slow down and think Along the way, Lori reflects on leadership, running, balancing industry service with farm life, and the importance of meeting consumers where they are. Whether you're involved in pork production, agriculture policy, animal nutrition, or simply interested in how complex systems actually work, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at the people and decisions behind modern agriculture.

The Lost Kids in the Middle - A Conversation with Dr. Tom Kingery

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2429369/fan_mail/new] Tom Kingery grew up in agriculture, judged livestock at Purdue University, taught middle and high school ag education for 15 years, and now helps prepare the next generation of agriculture teachers at Western Kentucky University. In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, Jim and Tom reconnect decades after traveling together on Purdue’s 1992 livestock judging team to discuss how agricultural education has changed — and what today’s students still need from teachers, parents, and the industry itself. The conversation explores: *  Why many students today lack the confidence and hands-on experiences previous generations developed naturally  *  The growing disconnect between “college-for-all” messaging and the reality of skilled trades demand  *  Why agriculture programs risk overlooking the “lost middle” students who are neither struggling nor standout academic stars  *  The value of FFA, livestock judging, shop classes, and career-focused education  *  Why skilled trades like welding, HVAC, electrical work, and equipment technology may offer stronger opportunities than many traditional four-year degrees  *  The challenge of balancing STEM-focused education with practical career preparation  *  How social media and technology are reshaping communication, learning, and student engagement  *  Why relationships, relevance, and rigor still matter in the classroom  Tom also shares how Western Kentucky University emphasizes hands-on agricultural experiences — from cutting hay and fixing fence to developing real-world teaching labs — to prepare students for careers in agriculture education, animal science, agronomy, and beyond. This episode is not just about education. It is a broader conversation about workforce development, agriculture’s future, rural culture, and what happens when society loses respect for skilled labor and practical knowledge. If you care about agriculture, education, workforce development, FFA, skilled trades, or the future of rural America, this conversation will challenge you to think deeper about how we prepare the next generation.

The Hard Part Isn’t the Cooking - Lee Stanish

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2429369/fan_mail/new] In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, Jim sits down with fellow Purdue FarmHouse brother Lee Stanish — proprietor and pitmaster of Eddie Joe’s Icehouse near Lafayette, Indiana — for a conversation about leadership, responsibility, and the changing realities of managing people. Lee shares perspectives shaped by agriculture, Purdue, FarmHouse leadership, and nearly a decade of restaurant ownership. The discussion explores employee expectations, resiliency, staffing challenges, personality differences, leadership without authority, and what it was like helping lead the effort to tear down and rebuild the Purdue FarmHouse chapter house. This is not a conversation about barbecue recipes or résumé highlights. It is a thoughtful discussion about people — how they work, what motivates them, and how leadership changes when the outcome ultimately rests on your shoulders. Topics include: * Managing employees in today’s labor environment * Leadership lessons from FarmHouse and the Purdue chapter house project * Building teams in restaurants and volunteer organizations * Resiliency, work ethic, and changing expectations * Personality testing and understanding team dynamics * The difference between operating a business and owning one If you enjoy conversations about leadership, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and human nature, this episode will make you think.

Dr. Trey Kellner on Swine Nutrition, Pork Industry Challenges, and Leadership

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2429369/fan_mail/new] What does the future of the U.S. pork industry really look like? In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, swine nutritionists Jim Smith and Dr. Trey Kellner from AMVC discuss the biggest challenges facing modern pork production—and surprisingly, very little of the conversation centers on actual pig diets.  Instead, this conversation explores the larger forces shaping the future of the swine industry, including: *  Swine nutrition and feed strategy  *  Pork industry labor shortages  *  Capital requirements for modern sow farms and finishing barns  *  Agricultural leadership development  *  Training the next generation of swine nutritionists  *  Communication inside pork production systems  *  Feed mill operations and execution  *  Graduate education and soft skills in agriculture  *  Mental health and pressure in agriculture  *  The future of pork production in the United States  Dr. Kellner shares insight from working across multiple pork production systems, feed mills, ingredient programs, and business units while balancing formulation strategy, manufacturing logistics, labor challenges, economics, and team leadership.  Jim and Trey also discuss: *  Why capital access may become one of the defining issues in pork production  *  How labor shortages are reshaping swine operations  *  Why execution matters more than perfect feed formulations  *  The growing importance of leadership and communication skills for animal science graduates  *  How modern swine nutritionists must balance economics, logistics, people management, and production realities—not just amino acid levels  The conversation also takes a deeper turn into mentorship, pressure, work-life balance, and the emotional weight often carried by leaders in agriculture.  Whether you work in swine nutrition, pork production, feed manufacturing, animal agriculture, agribusiness, or agricultural leadership, this episode offers a thoughtful look at where the pork industry may be headed over the next 10 to 30 years.