Working in Ag

Andrew is a regional sales lead at Keystone Cooperative based out of Michigan. He gives great insight as to what some key characteristics are within a sales position as well as explains his process for recruiting and hiring great people. We talk specifically about his interview process, and how he tries to focus more on having a conversation with the candidate rather than asking specific interview...

Check out this interview with Callie Curley, the Executive Director of Marketing at the Indiana Farm Bureau. Through this conversation, Callie tells us about her experiences growing up in the ag industry, and what led her to have an interest in marketing and communication. We learn about several positions that Callie has held, and how she made the decisions to transition from one position to the n...

Check out this great episode with Dylan and Rane from Sorbello and Sons Farms! They explain what a year of onion production looks like, and we learn about several different aspects of the process from planting to harvest and storage. We also dive into the complexities of working with family and some of the challenges we commonly face within family businesses.  We discuss some of the challenges of...

Check out this week's episode where we chat with Matt Davis, who acts as a Capital Markets. We dive into Matt's career with Ag Credit and talk about the types of customers he works with as well as the education and career path he had to get into this position.  We discuss some of the factors that go into ag lending and some of the risks and rewards that are involved in the industry. Matt also tell...

Check out this episode, as we talk with Bob Morgan, the Pennsylvania State Director of Rural Development for the USDA. Bob walks us through the educational and career paths that led him to this career and gives an excellent overview of the USDA.  We learn about the rural development program and how it supports rural communities all over Pennsylvania and around the nation. By providing new opportun...

Join me for this great episode with Zachary Gihorski, the Director of Government Affairs and Sustainability for the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives in Washington D.C.! Zach has a background in production agriculture that gives him great perspective in his career where he advocates for producers from across the industry.  We discuss some of the unique challenges of working in agricultural p...

Join me for this weeks interview with Stefan McDaniel from Kalmbach Feeds. As Chief Financial Officer for Kalmbach, Stefan gives us a great overview of the company, the products they produce, and what their mission is. We focus our conversation on finance and accounting in agriculture and discuss the different types of accounting careers that Kalmbach offers. Through listening to Stefen talk about...

Check out this week's episode with Logan Scott, a crop consultant for Nutrien Ag Solutions in Central New York. Logan tells us about the different components of his job, as well as what he is working on throughout various parts of the year. We also discuss the generational gap in ag labor and how we can best recruit young people to work in the industry. Logan provides great insight on how we can b...

Check out this interview with Arthur Graves, the lead agronomist for T&S Crop Services out of Western New York. With a history in seed sales and teaching, Arthur talks with us about his experiences in the industry and how they led to his current position. We discuss how it is important to consider what you are good at and interested in when looking for a career. Arthur also provides unique ins...

Join me for a quick episode about some recent changes in my life as well as some little changes that are coming to the podcast. We also highlight a few recent episodes that have some great advice for people working in the agriculture industry.

Join me for this great interview with Mellisa Harrop, who operates Meadow Creek Livestock with her family and works as the markets editor for Lancaster Farming! Mellisa brings a great perspective to the table, as she is not someone who grew up in agriculture, but has been able to become a crucial voice in the industry. She also provides a unique perspective as someone who served in the military an...

Join me for this great interview with Brenden Winsor of Proactive Feedlot Management Services! Brenden has over 30 years of experience in the feedlot industry and gives great insight into the different components of the industry. We discuss some of the day-to-day operations and careers at feedlots, some of the specific challenges faced, and what his business is doing to tackle some of these issues...

In this episode, we talk with Janet Hanehan, a Territory Field Manager for SeedWay, serving Eastern New York and Connecticut. Janet grew up on a dairy farm and has many connections and experiences that allow her to provide great insight for anyone in the ag industry.  Throughout this interview, we discuss some of the internships Janet completed in college and what led her to her current career. We...

Join me for this great interview with Peggy Coffeen from the Uplevel Dairy podcast. Peggy spent her career in the dairy media and publication industry, helping share stories about dairy farms nationwide. Her podcast, Uplevel Dairy, is for dairy farm owners, managers, and advisors who are committed to profitability, sustainability, and excellence.  In this episode, we discuss some challenges that f...

Join me for this great episode with Kacee Bohle where we discuss how to apply The Working Genius framework within agriculture. Kacee operates a coaching business for people working in agriculture to help them grow both personally and professionally. Through her Agriminds Program , she teaches those in agriculture how to tap into their talents, feel confident in their decisions, and level up in wor...

Join me for this great conversation with Katie Dotterer of AgvoKate! We discuss the Spanish-speaking labor force in American Agriculture, dive into Katie's business, and learn how she is bridging the gap between English and Spanish speakers in agriculture. With a background in dairy farming and teaching, Katie has combined two things she is passionate about and is working to solve a huge problem t...

Sometimes when we think about bringing new people onto the team it can be daunting because it means we will have to teach them how and why we do things a certain way, but it is also important to consider the opportunity that comes with having a fresh set of eyes and a new way of thinking being present within your operation. Join me for this episode as we talk about some different concepts to consi...

In this episode, we talk with Paige Stevenson who is currently working as a Product Manager for Bunge. She explains the ins and outs of the grain trading industry and the logistics of how grain makes its way from the farm to large food production companies. With experience working for many different companies, Paige gives us a unique perspective as to what it is like to work for a non-profit, star...

In this episode, we talk with Katie Flanagan who works as a marketing associate for SUNY Cobleskill and has her own photography and graphic design business called East Meets West Creative. Growing up surrounded by agriculture, Katie was looking for a way to use her creative skills within the industry and found graphic design to be a good fit. Throughout this conversation, we talked about the impor...

In this interview, we talk with the Executive Director of the Northeast Dairy Producers Association, Tonya Van Slyke. Tonya explains how NEDPA supports dairy farms and what some of the most pressing current issues are within the industry. Tonya touches on how important it is to continuously focus on environmental stewardship by providing a unique perspective on how we can support and guide farms i...

In this episode, we talk with Ezra Swope from Huvepharma about the products they offer and how they support the industry. Ezra gives great input on how the industry is always changing and we need to stay flexible and adapt. We discuss how we can make the next generation independent thinkers, rather than just information regurgitators. 

Join me for an individual episode as we discuss county fairs, and how we can best utilize our time educating the public about agriculture and supporting youth in the ag community. I also highlight three previous episodes that I would recommend checking out if you haven't already! 

On this episode, we talk with Kathryn Bosley about her experience growing up working and showing in the dairy industry. Kathryn advocates for the dairy industry on her social media pages as The Cow Nerd and encourages people to focus on what they are most passionate about. She is currently a graduate student and research assistant at the University of Minnesota focusing her research on milk fatty...

Join me for this quick episode discussing the concept of a business board meeting to stay in touch with your team! If you would like us to discuss a specific topic, or have an idea for an interview, reach out to workinginag@gmail.com . 

Join us for a great conversation with Dr. Ashley Marshall, a professor of dairy science at SUNY Morrisville in Central New York. We dive into Dr. Marshall's experiences and how she gained her passion for the dairy industry and teaching. We discuss the importance of adapting to new methods and technologies while remembering that the animals' health should be at the core of everything we do. As a pr...