The Crop Science Podcast Show

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Vince Smith, professor emeritus at Montana State University and director of the agricultural policy program at the American Enterprise Institute, examines agricultural policy, crop insurance, global commodity markets, and public research funding. He explains how agricultural R&D can influence productivity, production costs, and long-term fa...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Michael Castellano, co-founder and lead of the Iowa Nitrogen Initiative and professor at Iowa State University, explains how farmer-led field trials are transforming nitrogen management. He discusses variable-rate experiments, precision agriculture, process modeling, and the data needed to balance profitability with environmental performance. L...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Kip Tom, Chairman of Tom Farms and Chairman of Farmers and Rural America at the America First Policy Institute, explains why food security depends on resilient domestic supply chains, digital infrastructure, innovation, and profitable farms. He discusses fertilizer and crop protection dependencies, AI in agriculture, workforce and capital challenge...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Martin Lukac, Professor in Ecosystem Science at the University of Reading, explains how temperate agroforestry brings trees back into farming systems while still producing food. He discusses soil protection, nutrient cycling, biodiversity, climate regulation, tree-crop competition, machinery design, land ownership barriers, and why profitabilit...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Juan Osorno, Professor at North Dakota State University, explains how dry bean breeding addresses disease, flooding, nutrition, and market demands. He discusses the value of pulses, biological nitrogen fixation, consumer preferences, genetic diversity, and the challenge of combining multiple traits into commercially successful varieties. Listen...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Candy Hirsch, Professor at the University of Minnesota, explains why germplasm collections are essential for crop improvement. She discusses how gene banks preserve genetic diversity, protect valuable alleles, and support breeding for future environmental conditions. Dr. Hirsch also examines how sequencing and computational tools can prioritize...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Brigitte Weston, Director of Product Development at Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One), explains how crop innovations can serve smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. She discusses photosynthetic efficiency, nutrient symbiosis, seed systems, and the missing middle between research and deployment. Learn how targeted...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Rob Myers from the University of Missouri explains how cover crop breeding, soil health research, and grazing systems are advancing regenerative agriculture. He discusses cereal rye allelopathy, virtual fencing, planting green, and farmer-driven innovation that supports resilient agricultural systems. Listen now on all major platforms! "Cov...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Dean Riechers, Professor of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, discusses herbicide resistance, weed biology, and chemical weed control challenges. He explains why new modes of action are challenging to develop, how safeners protect crops, and where robotics, electrocution, and genetics may support future weed manag...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Matt Griggs of Griggs Farms LLC shares his journey into regenerative agriculture. He discusses the practical challenges of planting into heavy cover crops, the planter modifications that made it possible, and his approach to building long-term soil health. Matt explains how these practices can lower risk and improve sustainability on a fifth-genera...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Louis Longchamps from Cornell University explains how farmer-led on-farm experimentation can support better local decisions. He discusses digital agronomy, observational research, causal pathways, field-level data, and why practical tools must fit real farm operations. Listen now on all major platforms! "Farmer-led on-farm experimentation e...

In this Corn Special Series episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Matt Ruark, Professor and Extension Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains how cover crops interact with manure nitrogen in corn systems. He discusses Wisconsin dairy rotations, cereal rye biomass, manure nitrogen credits, nutrient cycling, soil health tests, and wh...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. David Braun from the University of Missouri explains how plants transport and allocate sugars to support growth, root development, and yield. He discusses carbohydrate partitioning in corn and sorghum, genetic discoveries, breeding opportunities, and future research directions that could improve crop productivity. Listen now on all major platfo...

In this special rerun episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Gary Halvorson, Executive Vice President at CHS Inc., discusses career growth in agronomy, farmer-first leadership, and the skills young professionals need to succeed. He also explains how AI, precision technology, global markets, and ag-economy cycles are reshaping careers in crop science. Listen now on all major platforms! "Agro...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Terry Hansen, VP of Sales, North America at Loam Bio, explains how measured soil carbon programs can help farmers generate and own carbon credits while strengthening long-term soil performance. He discusses soil carbon across production systems, outcome-based carbon programs, carbon credit ownership, project timelines, and how soil carbon can suppo...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Tim Nuss, CFO of Nuss Farms and co-founder of The Modern Acre and AgList, shares how a California specialty crop operation manages diversification, biological product adoption, smart spraying, irrigation infrastructure, and energy flexibility. He discusses grower trust, demand response programs, and how new ag tools move from idea to field use. Lis...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Shawn Feikema, co-owner and operator at Feikema Farms and Circle F Farms in Luverne, Minnesota, shares how a diversified family farm connects cattle feeding, manure management, crop rotation, and cover crops. He discusses farm transition, precision manure application, small grains, soil erosion control, and goal-driven cover crop decisions. Learn h...

In this Corn Special Series episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Kevin Bradley, Professor and State Extension Weed Scientist at the University of Missouri, discusses practical strategies for managing herbicide-resistant weeds in corn and soybean systems. He shares insights on waterhemp, cover crop biomass, harvest weed seed control, electrocution technology, precision spraying, and why re...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Jake Drozd, owner and partner at Drozd Family Grain in southwest Michigan, discusses managing crops under challenging conditions while pushing yields higher each season.  He shares insights on corn production, irrigation strategies, soil health, micronutrient management, sorghum production, and the importance of networking with other growers. Jake...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Brandon Gerrish from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension discusses small-grain variety testing across four agro-climatic regions of Texas. He covers dual-purpose wheat production, rust disease identification and management, fungicide decision-making, and certified seed adoption. Dr. Gerrish also explains how to use the Texas A&M variety databa...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Daniela Carrijo, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Grain Crop Production at Penn State University, discusses practical grain crop management for corn, soybeans, and oats. She explains how cover-crop biomass can affect soybean water stress, how organic oats fit into Pennsylvania systems, and why nitrogen recommendations need better...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Robbie Oppenheimer, Chief Product Officer at Loam Bio, explains how a microbial seed inoculum containing beneficial fungi can help increase stable soil carbon, improve soil structure, and support long-term crop productivity. He discusses carbon fractions, carbon markets, and practical integration into crop systems. Discover the science behind s...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Bob Stupar from the University of Minnesota explores soybean genomics, gene editing, and genomic selection in modern breeding. He explains how markers improve selection efficiency, why SCN resistance requires a multi-gene approach, and what the five-year strategic plan means for the soybean genomics community. Listen now on all major platforms!...

In this special re-run episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, we bring back our conversation with Dr. John Jones from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who explains how phosphorus and potassium recommendations are developed and why nutrient test methods vary by region. He explores nutrient behavior in soils, calibration approaches, and how agronomists can make better data-driven fert...

In this episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Rachel Vann, Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, shares how national soybean research networks deliver practical, science-based recommendations. Learn key topics including planting timing, seeding rates, fertility strategies, and multi-state trial design. Dr. Vann highlights cost-effective decisions under tight m...