Kick'N Dirt with Mike and The Kevins

With tighter margins and increasing disease pressure, every management decision matters. When is the best time to spray fungicide? In this episode of Kick'N Dirt, the team sits down with Corteva research scientist Layton Peddicord to discuss how fungicide timing models are helping growers make more informed, profitable decisions in corn production. Learn how Pioneer and Corteva are using agronomic...

Is the much-hyped "Super El Niño" really going to shape the 2026 growing season? In this episode, Nebraska Pioneer agronomists sit down with meteorologist Don Day to discuss the weather patterns that could impact crops across the Corn Belt and beyond. Day forecasts a hotter, wetter-than-normal late summer, followed by a cooler October than farmers have experienced in recent years. He also explains...

From drought-stressed dryland acres in Nebraska to flooded fields in Indiana and Illinois, this conversation covers the challenges, opportunities, and management decisions shaping this year's crop. Listen for discussion on: 🌽 Corn emergence and stand establishment under difficult planting conditions ☀️ Drought, irrigation management, and water availability in Nebraska 🌧️ Excessive rainfall and fl...

As post-emergence herbicide season ramps up across Nebraska, Mike and the Kevins sit down with Corteva Crop Protection Territory Manager Trevor Spath and Territory Manager Valerie Bohuslavsky to discuss the critical decisions facing growers right now. The team covers ideal corn growth stages for post applications, balancing weed control with crop safety, overlapping residuals, managing Palmer amar...

What if your best input for ROI this season is as simple as turning on the pivot? One of the driest starts in decades has growers facing tough calls before the planter even rolls. In this episode, the Kick'N Dirt team breaks down how to manage through it. From better emergence and stronger herbicide performance to more uniform stands, they explore how a small investment in moisture could deliver b...

In this episode of Kick'N Dirt , the hosts welcome agricultural economist, speaker, and podcast host Damian Mason of the The Business of Agriculture Show to unpack the big forces shaping the future of farming. From fertilizer prices and energy volatility to the role of government programs and the future of global trade, Damian offers an unfiltered perspective on the economic realities facing moder...

Pioneer agronomists sit down with meteorologist Don Day of DayWeather Inc., to break down the 2026 crop weather outlook, from winter snowpack and irrigation concerns to spring planting conditions, summer heat, and fall finish. The conversation unpacks La Niña, El Niño, and neutral patterns in plain language, explores why recent seasons have felt anything but “normal,” and examines the lingering gl...

Listen for:  The 2025 Weather Whiplash One of the driest planting seasons on record, followed by heavy rains, humidity, and flooding. Disease Pressure Across Nebraska Southern rust outbreaks and why 2025 was so severe Tar spot expansion, especially in eastern Nebraska Ear rots driven by late-season humidity and fog Why southern rust is more aggressive than tar spot Fungicide Strategy R1 vs. R3 tim...

In this episode, Pioneer field agronomists discuss harvest conditions, ear mold trends and what growers should be watching for in both grain and silage. Forage veterinarian Dr. Adam Kroll joins the conversation to unpack how different ear molds develop, when they become toxic, and what that means for feed quality, animal health, and storage management. From field scouting tips to safe feed strateg...

From western fields facing water shutoffs and hail streaks, to central regions battling spider mites and southern rust, to the eastern counties seeing record-setting dryland yields, the group digs into the realities of this “fourth quarter” of the season. Listen for:  🌽 Kernel counts, tip back, and the push to maximize kernel weight 🌱 Soybean pod fill, sudden death syndrome pressure, and weed co...

The team digs into disease dynamics in Nebraska cornfields during a year of high humidity and timely rains. Pioneer Field Agronomists Mike Wardyn and Kevin Keller are joined by Dr. Tamra Jackson-Ziems, Extension Plant Pathologist with the University of Nebraska, for a critical conversation on fungal and bacterial disease trends, with a focus on southern rust , tar spot , gray leaf spot , and bacte...

With Nebraska fields entering the R1 stage and weather conditions aligning for risk, the team covers everything from identifying the early signs of white mold to spraying strategies, drone applications, and the right timing for fungicides. Dylan also shares updates on emerging threats like gall midge and Dectes stem borer, talks about sudden death syndrome and how spring weather may have already s...

 The panel, featuring Patrick Howard, Kevin Keller, Chase Sauder and Kevin Kowalski, shares insights on regional growth stages, challenges with residue management, nutrient deficiencies, and herbicide application timing. LISTEN FOR:  Corn Growth Stages : The agronomists report corn at V3 to V8 across Nebraska, with variability due to diverse planting dates and weather conditions. Residue Managemen...

Brad Arens from GroVantage (@GroVantageLLC) in Ainsworth, NE and Ryan Overleese (@AgTechRyan) from Acre Insights in Minden, NE, join the conversation covering everything from soil moisture probe strategy and pivot maintenance tips to late-season water management and cover crop impacts. With insights on barometers (aka soil probes), evaporation efficiency, and irrigation tech advancements, this epi...

🌾 Topics Covered: ✅ Pre- vs. post-plant irrigation strategies ✅ How to avoid ammonia burn and manage strip-till fertilizer risks ✅ Best practices for in-furrow applications and planter adjustments ✅ Sulfur applications ahead of soybeans—what the research says ✅ Cup tests & pivot uniformity: Is your irrigation doing what you think it is? ✅ Data-driven decision-making: Testing products, pract...

From adjusting populations based on soil type and planting date, to the latest research on planting green and navigating white mold pressure, Shawn shares insights that are both practical and backed by data. The crew also discusses nitrogen management, allelopathy concerns, herbicide strategies, and how to make economical decisions in a tight margin year. Plus, they wrap things up with a light-hea...

Tubbs and Schaa talk about new technology that is helping farmers plan, including water reporter, and some of the new corn and soybean traits debuting in 2025.  More about water reporter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5jiKHuxgrk Sign up for Water Reporter (Granular Insights): https://sso.granular.ag/login Meet Alex Harrell, a world record holder for soybean yield: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

“This is a huge trade deal for the corn industry… we can’t let this thing fall apart,” says Andy Jobman, who is President of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association.“We’re hopeful that cooler heads prevail.”  We also hear an update on demand around E-15, how DOGE Is affecting corn growers and what we mean when we talk about biologicals.  Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S.  T...

"There's less water in the air coming off the ocean, and that causes storm systems to be less productive with rain, especially along that 40 degree latitude line," says Wyoming based meteorologist Don Day.   Although La Nina might mean a drier year, La Nina weather cycles are known for bringing more extreme weather events including droughts and tornadoes, and there's a high chance of tornadoes acr...

The biggest takeaway from this episode according to Kevin Kowalaski -- try to use stabilizers. If you aren't using them, think twice, and do some trials. It's got an upfront cost, but it will pay dividends in yield.  He also urges farmers using dry nitrogen products like urea to make sure those treatments actually get incorporated into the soil, and don't just sit on top of it.  A special thank yo...

Troy Deutmeyer, Field Agronomist, and Russell French, Certified Crop Advisor join the conversation alongside hosts Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller and Kevin Kowalaski.  Find the Pioneer Yield Pyramid discussed during this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/mr39u9wb  Learn more about the crop protection offerings from Corteva: https://tinyurl.com/wm9b4y3t  Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the...

Pioneer Agronomy publishes a research book each year, and the 2025 version is available now! During this episode of Kick'N Dirt, listen in for a conversation about key insights provided by the 2025 edition, which has 21 people with PhD's who contributed to the articles. Mike Jeschke, agronomy manager for Pioneer, says the book has been published in some form since the 1950's. It showcases the find...

Mike and the Kevins are Kick' N It this episode with Adam Banks, Pioneer Field Agronomist in Kearney, Nebraska, and talking about finishing strong late in the season. With modern hybrids grain filling later and later, that late component of water appears more important than it was even a decade ago. The group talks about what can be done this late in the game to influence yield and what that might...

Mike and the Kevins are Kick' N It this episode, providing a Nebraska August history session, including touching on Midwest football. Dan Uppena, Corteva Area Leader for Biologicals, joins the team to talk about Corteva Agriscience biologicals, including biostimulants and biocontrol. Dan and the group discuss ways Corteva is always working to bring farmers the latest options for achieving higher y...

Mike and the Kevins are Kick' N It this episode, talking about what they are seeing in corn and soybean fields. Diseases have been pretty minor so far, but insects have been prevalent with lots of adult beetles to keep an eye on. As tassel approaches, it’s time to start thinking about fungicide applications. Leaves may be clean now, but with the humid mornings, those plants may not be healthy as t...