Agronomy and Farm Management

Reports of off-color soybeans have emerged across Ohio during this harvest season, raising questions about potential causes, grain quality impacts, and what producers should do next. In this episode we welcome Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora , Ohio State Extension Soybean Pathologist, and Taylor Dill , Director or Research for Ohio Soybean Council to discuss what is being observed in fields and grain sam...

In this episode, from Ask the Expert at the 2026 Farm Science Review, Bruce sits down with Barry Ward to discuss the outlook on grain inputs for 2027. Barry Ward is the leader for Production Business Management. His primary focus includes crop economics and budgets, land economics, farmland values, cash rental rates, farmland lease issues, machinery economics, and federal & state tax issues.

Harvest is just around the corner, but what does the weather have in store? Dr. Aaron Wilson joins us to break down current conditions and what farmers may expect as we move into the fall harvest season. We talk about the weather patterns shaping the end of the growing season, what they could mean for crop maturity and field conditions, and the factors producers should keep an eye on as harvest ge...

This episode brings listeners to the 2026 Farm Science Review, one of the premier agricultural education and outreach events in the Midwest. Farm Science Review features the latest research, technologies, and management strategies impacting crop production and farm profitability. On this episode we explore offerings across the show on current agronomic challenges, emerging innovations in precision...

In this episode, Bruce and Josh talk with Curtis Mahnken and Mariah Beverly who are both Economist with the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota. This episode discusses the importance of those “dirty jobs” of financial management and the tools that are out there to help farmers of all shapes and sizes. Links to various tools below: Center for Farm Financial Managemen...

We ran out of time last week with guest Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora so we doubled up our releases to cover soybean red crown rot, an emerging and increasingly concerning disease in Midwest production systems. He explains how the pathogen develops, the environmental conditions that favor infection, and why red crown rot can be difficult to distinguish from other soybean wilts and root diseases in the...

In this episode, guest Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora joins us to unpack the evolving landscape of soybean foliar diseases and what growers need to know for effective management. Dr. Lopez-Nicora discusses the most prevalent foliar issues in soybean production, including the environmental conditions that drive disease development and the challenges of timely diagnosis in the field. He also explores inte...

After everything our crops have been through this growing season, we are checking in to discuss what impacts weather, delayed planting and other forces have had on crop development. Dr. Stephanie Karhoff joins us to provide a perspective from across Ohio. Access the Crop Risk Tool here: https://connect.doit.wisc.edu/cpn-risk-tool/ . Remember to subscribe to the CORN Newsletter for weekly updates a...

Our last weather update at the beginning of March had us talking about lingering drought across the state. Well we can say that has been taken care of and then some. This spring has left some lingering impacts and, in some areas, multiple replants. With crops struggling through emergence and the first few growth stages, we are looking ahead to see what the summer will bring. How much impact will t...

Planting season are never normal and 2026 is no exception. With the southern half of Ohio nearing completion and the northern half struggling to make headway, there was a lot of crop variability as below freezing temperatures hit the state. Expected prolonged cold and wet weather as another wrinkle. Dr. Jason Hartschuh , Field Specialist with OSU Extension, joins us as we talk about the potential...

In this episode, Bruce and Josh talk to Dr. Brent Sohngen, a Distinguished Professor of environmental and natural resource economics at The Ohio State University, in the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Sohngen talks about the history of conservation of resources in the United States and the economic impact that nature can have on the economy.

Slug pressure has become an increasingly common and frustrating challenge in crop fields in recent years, driven by wetter springs, heavy residue, and changing production systems. In this episode, we dig into why these slippery pests seem harder to manage than ever. With Kelley Tilmon joining us, discuss the limitations of traditional control options and what growers should realistically expect fr...

Join Bruce and Josh as they talk with Greg LaBarge is a field specialist in agronomic systems and a professor at Ohio State University Extension, Columbus, Ohio. Greg discusses the Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator and how farmers can use this research based tool to help make decisions on their operation. The tool can be found here: https://www.cornnratecalc.org/

After a grueling winter, spring is arriving across Ohio and we are itching to get the planters rolling. After looking at where this past winter landed in the books, we talk with Dr. Aaron Wilson about what we can expect for this season. With drought conditions lingering in some parts of the state and heavy rains across others, we have our fingers crossed for a good growing season. Will Mother Natu...

Amanda Douridas is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Madison County. Her on-farm research has focused on nutrient management and adapting to changing weather patterns within cropping systems. In this episode, Bruce and Josh talk to Amanda about a research project for target spray for pre and post application.

Two farmers, Fred and Josh Yoder, discuss one conservation focused research project developed by a group of farmers in Ohio. They are part of a multi-state, four-university effort to discover how to increase conservation adoption on farms. Our farmer-led team is working to improve real-world, on-farm performance of conservation practices to ensure they better generate the outcomes – e.g. profitabi...

On this episode, Bruce and Josh have Clint Schroeder, Program Manager for the OSU Farm Business Analysis program, and Justin Baum, Clinton County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator for OSU Extension. Clint and Justin discuss how farm managers can determine their cost of production and use the Crop Cost tool from the University of Minnesota in their decision-making process. https://farmprof...

After a brief weather outlook/lookback we get into discussing weather myths and conspiracy theories. Dr. Aaron Wilson takes us through a few common ones. What are chemtrails? Are we seeing weather modification in Ohio? These are a couple of the big ones we talk about. Listen in and see what you think. For more on weather modification, you can utilize noaa.gov . You can also connect with the State...

On today’s episode, Bruce and Josh talk with Dr. Logan Minter, Associate Professor in the OSU Department of Extension and associated faculty with the Department of Horticultural and Crop Sciences, statewide Field Specialist for Specialty Crops, and the Ohio Integrated Pest Management Program Coordinator. Dr. Minter discusses the opportunities farms may have in diversifying their portfolio with spe...

We continue our discussion with Eric Richer , OSUE Field Specialist, by digging into more hurdles of organic grain production. From nitrogen sources to paperwork, we take a realistic look what farmers can expect in an organic system compared to conventional. To dive deeper into this topic, we recommend attending the 2026 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference January 7-8. For more details, visit: ht...

Transitioning to organic production is not a consideration farmers can take lightly. The intensive management, restrictions on inputs and changes in marketing must be well understood. To help us wrap our heads around that process, Eric Richer , OSUE Farm Management Field Specialist, joins us to dive into the opportunities and challenges organic production presents in Ohio. To dive deeper into this...

To renovate or not to renovate? That is the question many pasture managers face, especially after two dry summers. With a large commitment of time and money, it is a question that should be carefully considered. To help us do so, Dr. Emma Matcham , State Specialist for Integrated Forage Systems, walks us through the process from start to finish. We consider stand evaluation, timing, seeding method...

This episode comes to you from the 2025 Farm Science Review at Ask the Expert, where Bruce sits down with Barry Ward, Leader, Production Business Management & Director, Income Tax Schools at The Ohio State University, to discuss his thoughts on Crop Inputs, Farmland Values/Rents, Tax Law – 2025 & Looking Ahead.

We continue our discussion with Dr. John Fulton on how to increase the reliability of harvest data. This time we focus on the in-field practices. With bigger machines, it is getting more difficult to collect high res data. Tune in for recommendations on things such as how long passes should be and more to increase the quality of your yield data. For more resources on harvest data, visit: https://d...

Join Josh at Ask the Expert at the 2025 Farm Science Review with Garth Ruff, Beef Specialist for OSU Extension. In this episode, Garth discusses the current state of the beef markets.