The FARMSMART Podcast, presented by Nutrien Ag Solutions

In Tippecanoe County, Indiana, six generations of Rob DeFreese's family have worked the dirt as farmers. But when it came time for Rob to take over, he knew in his heart it wouldn't be enough to keep going as before. He wasn't the biggest farmer in the area, so he aspired to be the most innovative. 16 crops later, he's seeing rewarding results from the investments he's made over the years in his s...

North American growers have been stewards of their land for generations, working hard to leave it better than they found it. But up until recently, that's been a pretty solitary path. Now though, new allies from within and outside the agriculture industry are stepping up to help drive sustainable success, forging new partnerships and creating new revenue streams to reward growers' stewardship prac...

For farmers who want to make agricultural practice changes, sometimes it can feel like there's just not enough information to work with. Want to try something new? Give it a go, and in half a year you'll know whether it worked out. But there's a better way! For growers who utilize our Agrible data management system, this is the time of year when they start receiving their personalized Nutrien Ag S...

It’s that time of year when things are slowing down, and we make time to be grateful. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are a great opportunity to remind everyone that every dish we enjoy is there because of someone’s hard work. So in that spirit, we wanted to use this episode of the FARMSMART Podcast as a “Celebration of Growers” by looking back on some of the conversations we’ve had with farmer...

When you listen to the FARMSMART Podcast, you’re getting more than actionable insights about conservation practices that can foster sustainability and improve your margins. You’re getting frank discussions about the future of agriculture and perspectives from all different corners of the industry. And sometimes the folks we have on the show find a way to surprise us. So in this episode, we’re look...

Doing more with less is nothing new for North American growers. But the tools and practices that allow us to do it are always evolving. And Brent Rogers from Double R Farms in Hoxie, Kansas lives on the cutting edge of putting those tools and practices through their paces. Whether it's advanced nutrient management, soil testing, tissue sampling, autonomous pivot units, no-till, cover crops or even...

A years-long drought, followed by an entire year's rainfall in a week. With these conditions, succeeding as a farmer in North Texas takes more than just luck. It takes a solid plan, an openness to new ideas, a reliable pool of data and an expert team. John and Amilia Cato have all these and more. Managing more than 10,000 acres just south of the Red River, they have had to adapt to get ahead. And...

When we talk about sustainability, very often we’re talking about how a grower’s actions or practices can help the environment. But it works both ways! Sustainable improvements to the environment can help the grower out in the field as well. When we invest in promoting soil health through practices like cover crops, we're laying the groundwork for better yields, lower input costs and even potentia...

Sustainability buzzwords won't move the needle... and they sure aren't helping anyone. Growers need to be front and center in any conversation about the future of agriculture. Because, without growers, agriculture has no future. So in this episode, we're looking back at three conversations that really cut through the noise and surfaced some actionable sustainable agriculture insights. We'll talk w...

Managing insects, weeds and disease on crops is an ever-evolving battle. Spray too late, and you'll have lost your crop. Spray too soon, you'll have wasted a lot of money and time. Spray too much, and you'll be increasing pest resistance and causing other problems. And none of those options is sustainable OR practical. So in this episode, we're learning about one of agriculture's oldest practices—...

Agriculture can mean a lot of different things in the Northeast U.S. From row crops to specialties, from broccoli to potatoes, from dairy to turf production, every ag operation has unique needs. And every operation is looking for a competitive edge to boost production and create new revenue streams. So in this episode, we're visiting the New York Farm Show in Syracuse to pop in on Nutrien Ag Solut...

Sustainable agriculture in the Corn Belt means something different from sustainable agriculture in the American South. And sustainable agriculture in California is its own kind of animal. But one of the best things about making the FARMSMART Podcast is that we go to all those places and more, sharing field-level insights that make it possible to improve your sustainability footprint and your margi...

Good sustainable ag practices and carefully-collected data won’t make it rain more. But they will help you make the most out of every drop. And in Northwest Texas, they know a thing or two about making due with limited rainfall. So on this episode, we’re talking to Precision Ag Lead Ky Houchin from the Nutrien Ag Solutions South Plains Division about how growers in the Lubbock area are tracking th...

Christine Bielski's ability to leverage data and science with integrity and transparency is a big part of the reason why she has been named "Trusted Adviser of the Year" by Field to Market. And it's also a big part of the reason why the Northern High Plains Division, where she works as Nutrien Ag Solutions' research and sustainability manager, has seen 10x enrollment in certain sustainability prog...

Artificial intelligence has been a hot topic in the business world over the last year. Some of it has been really interesting, and some has been just hype. But in the field of sustainable agriculture, where we already work with massive volumes of data, there are some A.I. applications that could provide real value to growers. So in this episode, we meet Dr. Nathan Boyd, the Associate Director of t...

Center pivot irrigation is so prevalent in Southern Idaho, you can see it from space. With only 12 inches of annual rainfall, Justin Place says his 1,250-acre operation is heavily reliant on pumping water from the Upper Snake River aquifer to grow wheat, barley, alfalfa and mustard. But, faced with a mandate to cut water use by 15 percent, he's spent the last decade incorporating no-till and minim...

When the U.S. Congress missed a key deadline to extend or renew the Farm Bill last month, it was not without precedent. But it is concerning, nonetheless, for growers who count on this massive piece of agriculture policy to lay the groundwork for everything from crop insurance to food stamps to sustainable ag incentives. So in this episode of the FARMSMART Podcast, we're talking to Renee Munasifi,...

It's that time of year when growers are trying to plan for next year, while also trying to bring in this year's crop. And we know that it can be easy to fall into the trap of rushing through that process without exploring some of the new products, practices or incentive programs that are available to help you improve your sustainability footprint and your bottom line. So in this episode, we're loo...

When you have an impressive industry footprint, you've got a big opportunity to make sustainable change. And as the world leader in oil seed processing, Bunge sets the standard in the world of agriculture. So we're excited to announce that our sustainability initiative with Nutrien Ag Solutions and Bunge, which we just launched a year ago, is expanding from two sites in the American Midwest to fiv...

Pest control has always been at the top of a farmer's mind throughout the growing season. But new biocontrol technologies are opening up innovative ways to leverage pests' natural enemies to the grower's advantage and boost crop yields while improving sustainability footprints and operating margins. Nutrien Ag Solutions just announced its acquisition of Suncor Energy’s AgroScience assets, which co...

Hunting and farming are two beloved traditions steeped in generations of rural American culture. And a new partnership between Nutrien Ag Solutions and Ducks Unlimited/USA Rice looks to secure the future of both traditions for generations to come. So in this episode, Sally and Dusty are off to visit Ducks Unlimited world headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee for a chat with Agriculture Support Direct...

Farm data drives your ability to leverage sustainability insights. And farm equipment drives your ability to collect data. So it's fortunate, then, that the agriculture equipment manufacturing industry is embracing the challenge, pioneering new technologies and advocating for policies that support sustainable ag in North America and around the world. In this episode, we'll meet an important leader...

The global spotlight on agriculture has never been brighter than it is today. Farmers have spent decades producing food, fuel and fiber for the world, all while serving as stewards for the land and the next generation. But increased global attention to the ongoing climate crisis means that every agricultural practice is under the microscope. And if growers aren't telling their sustainability story...

Let's start with the good news about the North American climate outlook for the 2024 growing season: drought conditions are significantly better than they were last year. However, maybe it's force-of-habit, but growers seem to have more anxiety than usual about weather in the coming growing season, according to Nutrien Ag Solutions science fellow and principal atmospheric scientist Eric Snodgrass....

Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium. Every grower knows that these three nutrients are at the heart of every successful cropping plan. But in 2024, the tools to manage those nutrients are so much more potent and complex than they used to be. And cutting back on fertilizer inputs—discerningly and purposefully—can be a powerful opportunity to reduce costs and improve an operation's sustainability fo...