Crop Cast by BW Fusion

Residue either works for you. Or it costs you. Left alone, tough stalks bend, hairpin, and cost you stand. Broken down, they cut clean, the trench closes, and you're in the field earlier next spring. Sean Nettleton and Devin Baker teamed up for a Crop Cast Live webinar on Meltdown, BW Fusion's residue degrader, to break down what it actually takes to get a clean planter pass. Plus what sta...

Crop Cast Host Sean Nettleton reunites with his grad school mentor, Purdue Botany & Plant Pathology professor Dr. Bryan Young, to talk shifting resistance, mythbusting water quality, and why a new soybean trait tech could backfire on corn.

 In this episode of  The Crop Cast , Sean Nettleton and BW Fusion agronomist Logan Maurer challenge the idea that ROI can only be proven at harvest. They break down leading indicators—stem diameter, tissue and soil tests, root development—versus the lagging indicator of yield, using real trial work to show why in-season measurement matters as much as the final yield number.

Spending more isn't a strategy. Knowing more is. Every fertility decision starts with one critical question: What can your soil actually supply? Most fertility plans skip straight to what the crop needs next without first understanding what the soil is already contributing. In this episode of Crop Cast, Sean Nettleton and Josh Messer break down how to accurately evaluate your soil's nutrie...

The decisions you make from now until harvest can either protect your return on investment or quietly erode it. In this episode of Crop Cast, Sean Nettleton, Jaren Schley, and Mason Claude break down the science behind late-season fertility, exploring nutrient availability, nutrient mobility, and how to interpret the data that matters most. They discuss practical strategies for making targeted in-...

In this episode of The Crop Cast , the agronomy team explores how in-season soil and tissue sampling can provide actionable insights—not just more information. They break down the BW Fusion SET Test, Leaf Link, and Plant Complete Max, explaining how understanding nutrient movement, nitrogen conversion, and plant balance leads to smarter fertility decisions and improved crop performance.

What if everything you've been told about residue breakdown is missing the biggest piece of the puzzle? In Episode #76, Sean Nettleton is joined by Mason Claude and Dr. Cassidy Million for a deep dive into the science of residue decomposition. They break down the biology behind decomposition, explain why microbes—not nitrogen—do the heavy lifting, and challenge common practices like tillage an...

This episode starts by breaking down the yield equation and answering a fundamental question: how much of yield is really in Mother Nature's hands, and what can growers still influence? The answer lies in kernel weight—the one yield component that can still be impacted from R1 through R6. The key is understanding the physiology of the finish and managing crop stress during the grain-fill perio...

In Episode 75 of Crop Cast , Sean Nettleton sits down with Dustin Hoffmann , Supervising Editor and Lead Farm Broadcaster for the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network , to discuss the evolving landscape of agricultural media. The conversation explores the relationship between podcasts and local radio, the importance of journalistic integrity, the challenges facing modern agriculture, and why building t...

In this follow-up nitrogen discussion, the Crop Cast team dives into real-world observations from across the Corn Belt and Northern Plains, examining how weather, soil conditions, nitrogen forms, and application timing impact crop performance. The conversation highlights why nitrogen should be managed as a season-long strategy rather than a one-time application, with a strong focus on sulfur, carb...

 In this episode of Crop Cast, host Sean Nettleton with Mason Claude and Jaren Schley take a deep dive into nitrogen management during side-dress season and challenge some long-held agronomic assumptions. The conversation covers timing versus total nitrogen rates, why placement and weather matter more than ever, and how growers can potentially reduce nitrogen use while maintaining or improving yie...

In this episode of Crop Cast , host Sean sits down with Florida farmer and Marshal Sewell to discuss the mental health challenges facing the agricultural community. Marshall shares the deeply personal story that inspired the creation of the Mind Your Melon Foundation and explains why breaking the stigma around mental health in farming is more important than ever. The conversation dives into resili...

In this solo episode, host Sean Nettleton breaks down the rollercoaster of spring conditions—from near drought to excessive rain—and what it means for crop management decisions. He dives into deeper agronomic thinking around soil biology, nutrient availability, and the real drivers of yield beyond traditional fertility programs. It’s a candid, boots-on-the-ground perspective on staying adaptable,...

This episode dives into one of the most overlooked—but critical—drivers of crop performance: soil structure. The team breaks down how a newly developed soil structure rating is outperforming traditional metrics in predicting yield, and why factors like compaction, biology, and pore space may matter more than fertility alone. If you’re chasing higher yields, this conversation challenges everything...

In this episode, the team sits down with Texas Panhandle growers farming in one of the toughest environments in North America—right in the heart of the Dust Bowl. They dig into water limitations, soil health strategies, and how managing stress—not just nutrients—is becoming the key to staying profitable. It’s a real-world look at how innovative thinking and carbon-driven systems are helping farmer...

In this episode of Crop Cast, Josh Linville ( StoneX ) breaks down the real drivers behind today’s volatile fertilizer market—from global supply disruptions to shifting demand and geopolitical risk. The conversation highlights the difference between availability and affordability, and why farmers should expect continued uncertainty. Most importantly, it reinforces a critical mindset shift: focus o...

This episode dives into the real drivers behind soil health and crop performance, emphasizing that long-term success comes from consistent agronomic practices—not quick fixes or single products. Through real farm experiences, the group breaks down how water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC), soil structure, and data-driven decisions can transform even the toughest ground. The conversation highligh...

This episode dives into the parallels between human health and soil health, challenging the “all-or-nothing” mindset in both agriculture and life. The conversation explores how better data, intentional decision-making, and incremental changes can improve farm performance while reducing unnecessary inputs. Ultimately, it’s about moving beyond traditional systems to build healthier soils, better cro...

In this episode of Crop Cast, the BW Fusion team breaks down why the future of crop protection and efficiency starts in the planter box. They discuss how biological seed technologies can trigger season-long plant defense, improve nutrient efficiency, and reduce reliance on repeated chemical applications. The conversation connects agronomy, economics, and biology to show how farmers can produce mor...

Recorded live at Commodity Classic 2026, this episode of The Crop Cast features Parker Christian from UpTerra discussing emerging technologies designed to improve irrigation water efficiency in agriculture. The conversation explores how structuring and energizing irrigation water may enhance soil health, increase nutrient availability, and improve crop productivity—helping farmers produce more wit...

In this episode, Sean Nettleton is joined by Josh Messer to break down canola as an emerging and profitable alternative crop for growers outside its traditional regions. They dive into what makes canola unique agronomically—especially its non-mycorrhizal nature, early phosphorus demand, and heavy sulfur and potassium needs—and how those traits change fertility, rotation, and management decisions....

In this second part of the WEOX series, the BW Fusion agronomy team dives deeper into water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC)—framed as the  “currency of the soil” —and why it may be one of the most important soil metrics growers aren’t paying enough attention to. The conversation explores how management decisions, such as excess nitrogen, crop rotation (especially soybeans), tillage intensity, an...

In this episode of  The Crop Cast , Sean sits down in person with Jason, Brandon and John from AgriVision Solutions in northwest Missouri for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about the evolution—and current challenges—of precision agronomy. The discussion traces the journey from early GPS yield monitors and grid sampling to today’s cloud-based data systems, highlighting a critical truth: collec...

In this episode of The Crop Cast, Sean Nettleton sits down with Jason Schley and Bodie Kitchel to unpack one of the most misunderstood but important concepts in modern agronomy: WEOC (Water-Extractable Organic Carbon) — the true “currency” that fuels soil health, nutrient release, and long-term productivity. The conversation dives into why WEOC isn’t a buzzword or sales term, but a metric that und...

This episode of Crop Cast is a high-energy roundtable with the BW Fusion agronomy team focused on what farmers really need moving into the 2026 crop year. The conversation centers on BW Fusion’s upcoming  Agronomy Road Shows  (details below) and, more importantly, the philosophy behind them: moving beyond product pitches and outdated fertility dogma toward efficiency collaboration, and stress mana...