The National Land Podcast

Soybeans are all over the headlines right now but you might not realize they drive American ag—and North Carolina is a prime case study. Charles Hall, Executive Director of the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association, returns to break down what’s actually moving the market this year: tight farm margins, a potential price rally that hasn’t materialized, and a flood of supply with limited in-st...

Wayne Cawley turned a neglected high‑density apple orchard into Redemption Farms—a thriving U‑pick and farm‑stand business—by grafting apple varieties, adding strawberries, peaches, pumpkins, and using social media to mobilize customers. With Sue Hudson (NLR), we dig into financing, location strategy, strawberries, and what it actually takes to make a small farm cash‑flow. Recorded in Maryland’s E...

The Midwest row‑crop math is ugly: cash prices are ~$4 corn and ~$10 soybeans against break‑evens near $4.50 (corn) and $11.50 (soybeans). University of Illinois agricultural economist Dr. Gary Schnitkey breaks down what’s driving it and what landowners, operators, and lenders should expect. What we cover Tariffs & trade: No Chinese soybean bookings so far this season; China is favoring Brazil...

Policy is slamming the countryside. Chris Clayton (DTN/Progressive Farmer) explains how tariffs, China’s pivot to Brazilian soybeans, and a USDA shutdown are colliding with harvest to pressure basis, storage, and cash flow—and to derail rural land sales. We dig into why China (historically 25–33% of U.S. soybean demand) is buying from Brazil (COFCO/ports, crush), how that drives basis widening and...

Farm margins are tight and the headlines aren’t lying—tariffs, fertilizer and machinery costs, and labor constraints are hitting producers. Jackson Takach (Farmer Mac) breaks down what’s signal vs. noise. What we cover: Tariffs 101: Section 301 (unfair trade), 232 (national security), and IEEPA actions (the biggest bucket and under legal challenge). Why these hit steel/aluminum and fertilizer comp...

Are you a landowner or developer weighing an auction vs. traditional listing—or a land agent who needs a faster, cleaner path to price discovery? In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Joel King—a 42-year real estate veteran (licensed across the South/Midwest)—to explain when auctions win, how to run them right, and when to walk away. What You’ll Learn When...

Are you a landowner who wants your ranch to pass cleanly to the next generation—or a land agent tired of deals dying over cloudy title? In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Tiffany Dowell Lashmet (Ag Law Professor & Extension Specialist, Texas A&M) and Wayne Dunson (Managing Broker, National Land Realty—West Texas) to demystify probate—the legal p...

Are you a landowner buying or selling ag ground, or a land agent who wants a real, defensible way to put money back in your client’s pocket? In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian talks with Alec Bean and Karly Pavlinac of The Soil Tax Guys about a powerful, underused tool: IRS Section 180. In plain English, you can deduct the excess soil fertility you acquire with a farm...

Are you a landowner who wants to keep your place working, without watching it get carved into subdivisions? Or a land agent who needs a straight, defensible path to long-term land protection and tax advantages? In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Sara Johnson (Conservation Biologist, North American Land Trust) and Doug Bruggeman (National Land Realty age...

2025’s ag laws, no spin. American Farm Burueau Federation Economist, Daniel Munch, breaks down what the American Relief Act and HR1 (“One Big Beautiful Bill”) actually changed for farmers, ranchers, and timberland owners: disaster aid, tax relief, ARC/PLC extensions, conservation through 2031, disease‑readiness funding—and what Washington still hasn’t fixed. Why these passed: must‑pass funding + r...

Buying land? Skip the septic due diligence and you could light $30,000–$40,000 on fire. In this episode, host Mac Christian sits down with Tyler Sgro, President & CEO of Davis Horizons (licensed professional soil classifier), and Robert Waddell of National Land Realty to lay out—in plain English—how septic systems make or break raw land purchases. We cut through the hype on septic vs. sewer, c...

Are you a landowner preparing to sell your property—or a land agent looking to offer clients smarter exit strategies? In this episode of The National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Chad Ettmueller, Senior Vice President at JCR Settlements, to break down a powerful—but often overlooked—tool for land sellers: Structured Installment Sales under IRS Section 453. Whether you're retirin...

Wildfire seasons are no longer seasonal; they’re year-round. In this episode of the National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian is joined by wildfire operations expert Terry Severson to dissect the catastrophic wildfire crisis gripping the West Coast. From California’s explosive wildfires to Oregon’s yearly burn cycles, they expose the uncomfortable truths behind fire mismanagement, fire exclusion p...

In this episode of the National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Samuel Seeton, founder and CEO of Infinite Outdoors, to talk about a game-changing platform for rural landowners and DIY hunters alike. We dive into how Samuel’s experience growing up on Colorado ranchland and navigating bad outfitter leases inspired a tech-forward solution to a very old problem: how to monetize rural...

In this episode of the National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Richard Cook and Madison Durkin of Ag Lending Group, a Phoenix-based agricultural lending firm with deep roots in farming and finance. From surviving debt during the Carter-era interest rate hikes to advising distressed ranchers across the country, Richard shares the hard-earned wisdom behind the group's mission: flexi...

In this episode, Mac Christian sits down with Erik Gillam, CPA and Agriculture Practice Leader at Aldrich Advisors, to unpack the complex (and often overlooked) financial and accounting challenges facing modern agricultural operations. Whether you're running a family farm, overseeing a multi-million-dollar ag enterprise, or advising landowners on succession planning, this episode is packed with ac...

In this episode of the National Land Podcast, Mac Christian sits down with Chris Clayton, Ag Policy Editor for Progressive Farmer (DTN), to dig deep into the policy issues shaking up American agriculture. From USDA loan oversight to immigration raids on farms, and the trade standoff with China, this is a must-listen for anyone in land real estate, farming, or ag policy. TOPICS COVERED: USDA &...

In this urgent and insight-packed episode of the National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), to talk about everything from cattle markets and advocacy to an emerging threat few saw coming: the resurgence of the New World screwworm. Colin outlines NCBA’s deep-rooted history dating back to 1898 and how it remains th...

In this episode of the National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Dr. Scott Baier, Professor of Economics and Associate Dean of Research at Clemson University, to unpack the economic realities behind tariffs, global trade, and the growing U.S. national debt. We delve into how U.S.-China trade tensions, tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and the evolution of trade agreements like NAFTA to...

In this episode, Mac Christian hosts Jackson Takach, Chief Economist and Director of Strategy, Research, & Analytics at Farmer Mac, for a frank discussion on the real economic challenges facing American agriculture. Tackling everything from rising tariffs and interest rates to farmland values and global trade tensions, Jackson breaks down the complexity of today's economic landscape. You’ll le...

Today, we are talking about insurance! Exciting and insurance are two words we wouldn’t normally associate with each other, but this is a fascinating topic. We recently encountered SRA 831(b) Admin. Yes, that is the name of the company. A company that is making maximum use of SEO, which of course, we love. SRA 831(b) Admin is owned by fellow Idahoan (Mac lives in Idaho), Van Carlson, and is built...

In this episode of the National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Christian Berg, Editor-in-Chief of Bowhunter Magazine, and Aaron Sutton, a land broker with National Land Realty and president of NLR's hunting lease division. Christian shares his journey to becoming one of bowhunting's most influential media voices, while Aaron recounts how he built a career centered around land &amp...

Carbon credits have been a hot topic since the inception of carbon credit markets. This is an often discussed topic that can be difficult to get an understand of. Today, we are talking to National Land Realty agent, Keith Morris.  Keith Morris is a land real estate with a unique specialty background in minerals and devices such as carbon credits.  We are also talking with Will Clayton, CEO of Sky...

If you’ve ever searched for land for sale, chances are you have come across Land.com. Land.com is owned by Costar Group, the owner of brands such as Apartments.com, Loopnet and Homes.com. Today is a conversation with Tom Alexander. He is a fellow traditional bow enthusiast and the Publisher of Land Magazine. We discuss what goes on behind the scenes at Land.com, how it works, and what is in store...

If you want to buy land and don’t have cash on hand, the process is challenging and complex. Land financing can be difficult if you are not aware of all of the resources available to you. Today, we are talking with Matthew Manuel, Robby Frantzis, and Tim Jett of the agricultural lending institution Conterra. Our discussion covers land loans, alternative financing, equipment loans, interest rates,...