Rush Hour Ag

What happens when a family farm finds itself in a nearly decade-long legal battle with the state over water rights? The Fode family joins Louie Zumbach and Elliott Henderson on Rush Hour Ag to share their story of fighting the Washington Department of Ecology over water access, a dispute that has resulted in $618,000 in fines and years of legal expenses. What started as a disagreement over water r...

Everyone is talking about 45Z, but what does it actually mean for the American farmer? Brent Hoops, board member of Renewable Fuels Nebraska, joins Rush Hour Ag to break down the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, its potential impact on ethanol, renewable fuels, and the opportunities it could create for corn growers across the Midwest. This week, Elliott Henderson is joined by special guest host L...

Sometimes the most important conversations happen around the kitchen table. Congresswoman and U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Hinson sits down with Rush Hour Ag hosts Louie Zumbach and Elliott Henderson for a simple, kitchen-table-style conversation about what's truly at stake this November 3rd. As farmers themselves, Louie and Elliott know firsthand how decisions made in Washington impact everyday l...

With the average age of American farmers continuing to rise, one of agriculture's biggest questions is becoming more urgent: What happens to the farm when it's time for the next generation to take over? Kristine Tidgren from Iowa State University joins Louie and Elliott at the Farm Progress Show to discuss farm succession planning, passing down land, and why these conversations need to happen long...

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is BACK on Rush Hour Ag, and with one of the most anticipated political races of the fall heating up, this is a conversation Iowa farmers won't want to miss! 🌽 From the future of Iowa's water quality efforts to the policies shaping agriculture, Mike sits down with Louie and Elliott in the @JohnDeere booth to discuss his priorities, his vision for the depart...

What does the Farm Service Agency actually do for your farm, and are there programs or opportunities you could be missing? Starlyn Perdue, Iowa State Executive Director for the USDA Farm Service Agency, joins Louie and Elliott on Rush Hour Ag to pull back the curtain on FSA and what farmers need to know. From farm programs and loans to the role FSA plays in supporting producers and rural communiti...

Zach Lahn is back on Rush Hour Ag! Recorded LIVE from the Sukup booth at Farm Progress Show, Zach catches up with the guys about his campaign for Iowa governor, what he’s hearing from Iowans across the state, agriculture’s role in the conversation, and the issues shaping his run for office. From rural Iowa and farming to the direction of the state, Louie and Elliott ask Zach where the race stands...

What does Iowa State University Extension and Outreach actually do for rural Iowans...and why does it matter? On this episode of Rush Hour Ag, Elliott and Louie sit down with Jason Henderson, Vice President for Extension and Outreach at Iowa State University, to talk about the role Extension plays across the state. From agriculture and rural communities to education, research, youth development an...

What happens when one state’s livestock regulations begin impacting pork producers across the entire country? On this episode of Rush Hour Ag, Louie and Elliott sit down with Katie Hall of the National Pork Producers Council to break down some of the biggest policy, trade, and animal health issues facing U.S. pork producers. The conversation starts with California’s Proposition 12 and the bigger q...

Grain marketing is not about hitting the top of the market. It is about building a repeatable process that helps your farm make better decisions over time. At the Farm Progress Show, Louie and Elliott sat down with the AgrisAcademy team to talk grain merchandising, pricing, risk management, and where farmers may be leaving money on the table. If you want to better understand how professional grain...

What does Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture actually do? Spoiler: it’s about a whole lot more than water quality. At the Iowa State Fair, Louie sat down with Secretary Mike Naig to unpack the many responsibilities that come with the job...from supporting farmers and strengthening rural communities to protecting animal health, expanding markets, responding to emergencies and helping shape the future...

Congressman Zach Nunn joined Louie and Corey LIVE from the Iowa State Fair for a conversation about what’s happening in Washington...and what it actually means back home. 🇺🇸🌽 From the Farm Bill and the future of American agriculture to the issues hitting farmers and rural communities right now, Congressman Nunn breaks down what’s happening in D.C. and what producers should be paying attention to....

David Muhlbauer joined Louie and David from Farm4Profit during Farmfluencers at the Fair to talk about his run for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa and what’s driving him to step into the race. From agriculture and rural communities to the future of the state, they covered what his campaign could mean for Iowans. #FarmfluencersattheFair #IowaStateFair #RushHourAg #Farm4Profit #IowaAgriculture #IowaPoli...

Election season is heating up, and knowing the people on your ballot matters. In this episode of Rush Hour Ag, Elliott and Louie sit down with Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird for a conversation that goes far beyond campaign headlines. What does an Attorney General actually do? How does the office impact Iowa farmers, landowners, businesses, and rural communities? Brenna breaks down the responsib...

Everyone has an opinion about data centers, but how much do you actually know about what happens before the first shovel hits the ground? In this episode of Rush Hour Ag, Elliott sits down with Linn County Supervisor Brandy Meisheid to answer the biggest questions surrounding data center growth in rural America. From behind-the-scenes negotiations and local government decision-making to property r...

How do the decisions made at the Iowa Capitol impact your everyday life? Representative Megan Jones joins Rush Hour Ag for a wide-ranging conversation about some of Iowa's most debated legislative issues. From the controversy surrounding flock cameras and balancing public safety with personal privacy to discussions on taxation without representation and other key policy topics, this episode dives...

For generations, farming has been viewed as the American dream, but what happens when families are land rich and cash poor? This week on Rush Hour Ag, we sit down with author Brian Reisinger to discuss his book Land Rich, Cash Poor and the untold story of the disappearing American farmer. We dive into the financial realities facing farm families, why owning land doesn't always mean financial secur...

Could something you can't see be affecting your farm? This week on Rush Hour Ag, we sit down with Dan Stachofsky of Essential Energy Solutions to discuss one of agriculture's most talked-about, and debated, topics: electromagnetic fields (EMFs). From power lines and cell towers to data centers and modern technology, we explore what EMFs are, why some producers are paying closer attention to them,...

Some episodes stick to the outline... this wasn't one of them. With Elliott's longtime friend from Georgia back in the studio and Corey from Farm4Profit joining the conversation, things quickly went from talking crops to swapping stories, debating farm life, and laughing harder than they probably should have. Sure, you'll hear about cotton, corn, peanuts, and the realities of farming in different...

Before next week's episode, we're taking a moment to celebrate what makes this country so special. This week, we're recognizing America's 250th birthday and celebrating the Fourth of July with family, friends, and the communities that make rural America strong. We're also incredibly proud to celebrate our own Elliott Henderson as he is honored with a Quilt of Valor in recognition of his military s...

He’s back on Rush Hour Ag! Elliott’s friend from Georgia returns to the podcast for another conversation about what agriculture looks like in the South. From cotton and peanuts to corn, we compare farming practices, market challenges, and the realities producers face across different regions of the country. Whether you're farming in Iowa, Georgia, or anywhere in between, you'll find plenty of simi...

Emily Schmitt returns to Rush Hour Ag this week to tackle the conversations agriculture needs to be having right now. From industry challenges to opportunities ahead, this episode delivers the insight, perspective, and straight talk you've been waiting for. Whether you're a farmer, agribusiness professional, or just passionate about the future of agriculture, this is one episode you won't want to...

Land is often a farmer's most valuable asset, but are there opportunities hiding in plain sight that could create additional income without sacrificing productivity? On this episode of Rush Hour Ag, Louie and Elliott sit down with Eric Dinger, founder of Landoption, to discuss how farmers and landowners can navigate the growing world of conservation programs, carbon markets, renewable energy oppor...

Finding conservation funding shouldn't feel like solving a puzzle. In this episode of Rush Hour Ag, Jeff Lucas and Rebekah Jones from the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance break down Iowa's water quality challenges, farmer-led conservation efforts, and the launch of the new Conservation Compass—a one-stop resource designed to help farmers find, compare, and access conservation cost-share programs. T...

Zach Lahn joins Rush Hour Ag for one of the most fired-up conversations yet, tackling the issues he believes are reshaping the future of Iowa. From farmers getting squeezed by the system, to outside investors buying up Iowa land, to the growing influence of Big Ag and Big Pharma, Zach doesn’t hold back. Louie and Elliott sit down with Zach to discuss his four core priorities: 🌽 Free Iowa’s Farmer...