Outstanding in Your Field

In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field , Pioneer agronomists Crystal Williams and Carl Joern break down the agronomic challenges many growers are facing as the 2026 growing season reaches its midpoint. As warmer, more humid conditions settle across the Corn Belt, Crystal and Carl discuss increasing disease pressure, including tar spot, white mold, crown rot, Phytophthora, and other moisture-...

In this special crossover episode, Outstanding in Your Field host Carl Joern welcomes Kick'n Dirt co-host and Nebraska Product Agronomist Mike Wardyn for a boots-on-the-ground discussion about what farmers are seeing across corn country. From drought-stressed dryland acres in Nebraska to flooded fields in Indiana and Illinois, this conversation covers the challenges, opportunities, and management...

What are agronomists seeing across the Corn Belt as June begins? In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field, hosts Bryan Schrader, Carl Jordan, and Crystal Williams discuss the wide range of field conditions shaping the 2026 growing season.  From fields nearing layby to acres still being planted, the team covers key agronomic topics including:  🌱 Managing herbicides as corn reaches critical gro...

In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field , Carl Joern, Brian Schrader, Crystal Williams, and Pioneer agronomists from across Illinois and Indiana share a boots-on-the-ground update on the 2026 growing season. From early planting windows and rapid heat unit accumulation to frost damage, variable emergence, herbicide injury, and weed management concerns, this regional roundtable covers the bigge...

What really happens after you send a plant sample to the lab, and how does it impact what happens back in the field? In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field , the team sits down with Corteva Plant Pathology Technology Lead Krystel Navarro to pull back the curtain on the diagnostic lab and the critical role it plays in modern agriculture. From identifying crop diseases with molecular precision...

Planting into less-than-ideal conditions is part of the game, but today’s seed treatments are changing how much risk farmers have to take. In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field, Brad Van Kooten talks about how modern seed treatments extend the “life” of seed in the soil, improve emergence, and protect against early-season stress. Listen for: How seed treatments help seed survive longer befo...

In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field , the team sits down with Ryan White, Regional Production Director, to pull back the curtain on the full journey of seed from the field all the way to the bag. With nearly three decades in the industry, Ryan shares how seed production has evolved, the technologies that have truly changed the game (hello, rootworm traits and Pro Boxes), and why today’s q...

In this special anniversary episode of Outstanding in Your Field , the team celebrates 100 years of Pioneer reflecting on the people, progress, and purpose that shaped a century of agriculture. From early innovation in hybrid seed corn to today’s cutting-edge advancements, the conversation traces how far the industry has come and where it’s headed next. Bryan, Carl, and Crystal share personal stor...

In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field , the Pioneer agronomy team breaks down what really impacts yield before the crop ever emerges. From dialing in planting depth to understanding soil moisture vs. temperature, they unpack the decisions that separate a good stand from a great one. Listen for why shallow planting can cost you more than going too deep, how to confidently decide when conditi...

In this episode of Outstanding in Your Field , hosts Bryan Schrader, Carl Joern, and Crystal Williams sit down with planter technology specialists from Indiana and Illinois about the must-check maintenance items growers should tackle before the first pass across the field. Guests Matt Risley of Petersen Ag Service and brothers Jake and Connor Finley of Finley Farms bring both shop wisdom and field...

In this episode, the team welcomes Pioneer Field Agronomist Scott Eversgerd. He's spent 23 years serving southern Illinois along the I-64 corridor—home to nearly half of Illinois’ soft red winter wheat acres. Scott shares deep expertise on high-management wheat systems, including: Setting up strong fall establishment and even emergence Target seeding rates for high-yield wheat Spring nitrogen stra...

Outstanding in Your Field is the podcast created for farmers and powered by Pioneer Agronomy bringing you trusted insights and proven solutions to fuel forward-thinking farming. In this kickoff minisode, meet your hosts: Brian Schrader , Eastern Indiana agronomist with nearly 25 years at Pioneer Carl Joern , covering Northwest Indiana and Northeast Illinois Crystal Williams , serving Northern Illi...