Renk Seeds of Innovation

For more than a century, the Johanek family has owned and operated a dairy near Green Bay, Wisconsin. They have grown from a small 50-cow dairy into a 500-cow operation managing nearly 2,000 acres, all while building a trusted reputation as longtime Renk Seed dealers and continuing a family legacy largely passed down through the women of the family. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation podc...

Drone technology is quickly becoming a bigger part of agriculture, but its real value comes down to how it performs in the field. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, Max sits down with farmers and drone users Ryan and Matt, along with drone application business owner and operator Michelle, to discuss what drone application looks like in practice. From getting started and navigating the le...

Winter can take a toll on alfalfa, and early spring is when the damage starts to show. In this episode of the Renk Seeds of Innovation podcast, Max is joined by Alex Renk and Bob Wilms to talk through the difference between winter kill and winter injury; what causes each, and what growers should watch for as fields begin to green up. They cover the role of snow cover, dormancy, ice sheeting, and h...

Precision technology in agriculture is rapidly changing how growers manage inputs, labor, and efficiency on every acre. In this episode, Max Renk sits down with Matt Greenough and Holden Cauffman, two farmers in the Midwest, to discuss their experience with adding precision tools to their own operations. Matt brings us along as he recaps his first full season using John Deere’s See & Spray™ te...

Drone technology is an innovative, powerful management tool in modern agriculture, but its value goes far beyond spraying. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, Max Renk sits down with Karl Bobholz and Tucker Johansen to explore how scouting drones are changing the way fields are evaluated, managed, and understood. Their conversation explores how our team at Renk Seed uses scouting drones t...

Before our seed reaches your planter, it passes through an intensive process designed to protect its integrity, consistency, and performance. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, Max and Brett Renk sit down to bring listeners into the seed processing plant, walking through what happens between harvest and planting season. From cleaning, sizing, and grading, to seed treatments, Brett explai...

These farmers saw it all: from tornado damage and heavy rains to top yields, hail recovery, and stories of how communities rally together at harvest. Max sits down with five growers across the Midwest to capture their real, raw stories from the 2025 growing season. Join us and Marty, Robbie, Kyle, Tom, and Joe for conversations centered around what this year taught us, how it challenged us, and wh...

The 2025 growing season is wrapping up, but the learning never stops here at Renk Seed. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, Max Renk is joined by Karl Bobholz, Alex Renk, and Jeff Renk to share what they saw across the Corn Belt this year. As Alex mentioned, “this year was all about top-end yield,” while last year was all about stress. And together, they tell the story of what stable gene...

Producing seed that our farmers rely on is more than just planting. It’s a craft built on precision and care. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, Max Renk sits down with Brett Renk to share how we ensure every seed you plant meets the highest quality standards. As Brett shares, “almost right” isn’t good enough in seed production. From planting rows with precision to managing pollination a...

Harvest brings more than just bushels and waiting for the grain cart—it brings data. In this episode, Max Renk is joined by familiar voices Karl Bobholz and Alex Renk, as well as Renk Seed’s corn breeder, Bruce Nagel, to explore how we use plot results and breeding trials to shape the products that make it into your fields. The Renk team breaks down the reasons why a single plot isn’t enough, how...

Not all seed is created equal. In this episode, Max Renk, Karl Bobholz, and Alex Renk unpack what sets Renk Seed apart; from proprietary genetics and trait access to regional product selection and hands-on testing in the heart of the Midwest. The team explains the difference between traits and germplasm, how Renk leverages transparent, real-world plot data for growers, and why seed handling, proce...

This episode brings a timely field-level update from across the Corn Belt as the crop enters its reproductive stages. Max Renk is joined by Renk team members Jim Torkelson and Karl Bobholz to break down what’s being seen in real-time across the Renk territory. From Tar Spot and Goss’s Wilt to Soybean Cyst Nematodes and Japanese Beetles, tune in to hear how early-season weather has influenced disea...

How do you protect your silage investment from the moment it’s chopped to the day it’s fed? In this episode, Max sits down with Alex Renk and Jesse Thompson of Arm & Hammer to dig into the science and strategy behind using inoculants. From the history of microbial preservation to today’s cutting-edge strain technologies, they explore how inoculants boost digestibility, reduce spoilage, and max...

What’s holding your soybeans back? In this episode, we sit down with Alex Renk, head of soybean selection and research at Renk Seed, to explore the full range of strategies to boost your yield. If you’re looking to push your crop to its full potential, this one’s for you.

In this inaugural episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, host Max Renk sits down with Brett, Jeff, and Alex Renk for a candid conversation about the rich family history behind Renk Seed. Discover how seven generations overcame challenges, embraced innovation from corn hybridization to the most current biotechnology, and turned hard-earned lessons into the foundation of a modern seed business. Whethe...

Welcome to Renk Seeds of Innovation. In these episodes, we share current insights to help you farm stronger and make the most of every acre.  Join us as we explore real-world farming solutions and cutting-edge seed technology. Innovating agriculture, one seed at a time