The Business of Agriculture Podcast

The number of farming operations in the U.S. has dipped below 2 million for the first time since we became a developed nation. Peak farm — meaning the year we had the most operations — occurred in 1935 when we had 6.8 million farms with a farming population of 32 million. Of a national population of approximately 128 million, that means one in four Americans farmed. Today, a few more than 3 millio...

Netafim, a subsurface drip irrigation maker, is teaming up with corporations eager to offset their water consumption. Through their Corporate Partnership Program, Netafim secures commitments from outside corporations to fund 50% or more of the cost of new irrigation installation on farms. Similar to carbon offset programs you may have heard about, in this arrangement farm owners agree to put in wa...

What happens if Robert F. Kennedy, the self-described "extreme environmentalist" who rails against "factory farms," is in charge of the Department of Agriculture? The trust fund heir turned environmental lawyer turned politician led the first lawsuits against Monsanto, and he's on the record as saying we can end diabetes with organic food. Those are just a few of the alarm bells Damian Mason and h...

Will we get a new Farm Bill and if so, what will it look like? Damian Mason asks those questions and plenty more of his guest, Roger Cryan, Chief Economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation. Dr. Cryan and Damian provide a brief history of farm legislation (it dates back to the 1930's) as well as a look ahead at what a future farm bill might include. Based on current administrative sentiment,...

The International Longshoremen's Association announced that they had reached an agreement to end their strike on the evening of October 3rd. This episode of The Business of Agriculture was already recorded and set for release on October 7. Given the tenuous state of affairs between the ports, shippers, and the union — along with the fact the agreement is temporary — I believe this topic and my tak...

Explore the rise of corn ethanol in the United States in this insightful episode of  The Business of Agriculture . Prior to the Renewable Fuels Standard of 2004, corn ethanol was a niche market. Fast forward to today, and nearly 40% of U.S. corn production is dedicated to ethanol. Join host Damian Mason as he interviews Geoff Cooper, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, to discuss the impact of...

The Business of Agriculture is all about producing food, fuel, and fiber. We're damn good at it. What we're not so good at is promoting our products. In a marketplace that's oversupplied on just about every Agricultural commodity, differentiation, promotion, branding, and marketing are more important than ever. Maureen Ballatori, CEO of Agency 29 — an Agriculture focused advertising firm — agrees...

Are livestock producers unfairly targeted by climate activists for their environmental impact? Do consumers face unjust guilt trips over their meat, milk, and egg choices? In this episode of  The Business of Agriculture,  we dive into the debate surrounding livestock and greenhouse gas emissions. Join host Damian Mason and UC-Davis animal scientist Frank Mitloehner as they separate fact from ficti...

Two areas of increasing concern for production Agriculture: Water utilization and labor availability. Farmblox is a farm automation company connecting equipment and in-field sensors to a producer's phone. Imagine a future with less time spent monitoring or guessing, and more time adjusting, based on real time information. Sustainability, labor saving, and improved yields through technology using a...

In this episode, we dive into the world of pulses—edible seeds from the legume family, including lentils, dry beans, and chickpeas (also known as Garbanzo beans). Discover why pulses are becoming a crucial part of the food industry, driven by rising consumer demand for plant-based protein, increasing protein needs in developing economies, longer shelf life, and impressive drought resistance. Join...

You've probably heard about Regenerative Agriculture, now there's Regenified Certified. This innovative certification designates products produced using advanced regenerative farming practices. In this episode of The Business of Agriculture, host Damian Mason is joined by Heidi Diestel from Diestel Ranch, a pioneering California-based turkey producer. Heidi Diestel discusses how her family's verti...

The subject of solar development on farm ground generates a lot of impassioned opinions. But do you know the all the facts? Listen to Damian's discussion with Illinois farmer John Carroll, who has eight on-farm solar developments powering livestock and farm facilities. He is also exploring community solar projects, where a municipality leases farm land for solar power development. John explains th...

Imagine a future with more environmental regulation, a fusion of regenerative and conventional farming practices, tastier food that's still affordable, fewer farmland acres — especially of corn and soy — with more acres of oddball crops like sorghum. These are just a few of Damian Mason's BIG thoughts on the future of farming, food prices, and what'll be growing on America's farms. The Business of...

41.9% of Americans are obese. Most of these people are not on obesity drugs. Yet. But that day is coming according to Damian Mason, and when it does Agriculture is going to — for the first time ever — face a marketplace of declining per-person caloric consumption. Todd Thurman joins Damian in this forward - looking discussion. What will the impact of obesity drugs, big Pharma, insurance companies,...

The United States' Agricultural projected 2024 trade imbalance isn't due to a lack of sales. In fact, American Ag is on track to sell more corn, soy, pork, and other farm products than ever before. The imbalance — meaning we're buying more dollars worth of Agricultural goods than we're selling — is due to deglobalizaion, a strong dollar, and consumers' appetite for pricey imported food items. Rola...

Bee populations are declining, as you've likely heard. Is the decline a problem for Agriculture? Yes, says Itai Kanot, co-founder of  BeeHero . With 75% of food crops requiring pollination, humanity needs bees. We need both wild honeybees — and perhaps more importantly — the kind kept by professional beekeepers. Professional beekeepers are hired by farmers to pollinate specialty crops. Bee keepers...

The global Agriculture drone market is predicted to grow by 31.5% annually over the next four years. That's good for Ag innovation but bad for American national security. Why? Because the dominant global manufacturer of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's) for Agriculture, is directly linked to the Chinese Communist Party. That company — DJI — currently controls about 3/4 of the Ag drone market, inclu...

Historically, investment in Africa has been extractive, as in, spend money to build mines or infrastructure to extract resources from the continent. Jeff Bordes with Acres Club says his company is changing that by deploying capital investment into Africa to build farms to nourish the local population. Developing farms in other countries is nothing new (see Brazil for example), but why Africa and w...

Recycled freight containers turned into backyard hydroponic farms for suburbanites? Space farming to combat the perils of Earth-bound climate crisis? These are just two of the multitude of Agriculture-themed business ventures being pitched by their founders, investors and public relations consultants. The problem with these ventures: They seek to solve a problem that isn't really a problem, while...

The U.S. is staring down its largest Agricultural trade deficit in history. One factor in that is the amount of off-shore produce and specialty crop imports from nations with significantly lower labor costs. Jamie Clover Adams, Executive Director of Michigan Asparagus joins Damian Mason to explain why American farmers are losing out to other countries. The benefit of low prices is good for the con...

The demographics are actually quite staggering — we are getting old, fast. Which means our customer's dietary choices and demands are changing. Is Agriculture changing with its customers? What about the food inflation situation, with grocery prices up 25% since 2020? Todd Thurman, of Swine Insights International joins Damian to discuss economics, demographics, and opportunities shaping up amid an...

For six decades, American Agriculture ran a trade surplus — meaning, we sold more dollars worth of Ag products to other countries than we bought. That's changed. American Ag has run a trade deficit (bought more than we sold) four of the last six years. A record trade imbalance of $32 Billion is projected for 2024. Why is American Agriculture at a trade imbalance? Hint: Low corn and soybean prices...

Farming is a business. Complete with a lot of moving parts, huge capital investment, and low margins. Adding in the trend toward farm consolidation, those larger farms that remain are left feeling a bit isolated. What's a forward-looking farmer to do? Join a professional peer group where you get business advice, information, and feedback from other farming operations similar to yours. Chris Barron...

Agriculture has been consolidating for almost a century. There were 6.8 million American farms in 1935, today, less than 2 million. About 160,000 of those two million American farms do the bulk of the heavy lifting, production wise, with more than 90% of farm revenue. Consolidation has been the norm in not only production Agriculture but also on the business side. From farm machinery, to genetics,...

Big companies have gotten bigger in Agriculture, generally by acquiring, or merging with, other companies. Consolidation in the Business of Agriculture has been going on for decades and it's likely to continue. The question is: Who benefits from consolidation in the Agriculture industry? Damian Mason asks Corteva's Jim Davis that question, amid many other frank inquiries in this very interesting d...