Next-Generation Farmers

The Illinois Farm Family Who Inspired Lay’s ‘Last Harvest’ Super Bowl Commercial

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 22:28:26 GMT

It was a one-minute spot that captured hearts on Super Bowl Sunday. Lay’s “Last Harvest” commercial told the story of a farm family passing the torch from one generation to the next, rooted in memories, hard work and the bond between parent and child.

While the story in the Super Bowl ad was fictional, it was inspired by the real-life experiences of third-generation potato producer Tom Neumiller and his daughter Katie Floming, the fourth generation working alongside him at Neumiller Farms in Savanna, Ill.

A Story That Hits Home

Floming, operations manager at Neumiller Farms, recalls watching the commercial for the first time.

“I was so touched. It really hit home for me,” she says. “Growing up, if I wanted to see my parents, I had to go to the farm because they were always working. That’s where we spent our family time, quick meals, then back to work. I loved it. There are no complaints there. Being present at the farm was everything.”

The commercial’s depiction of a young girl chasing her parents through potato fields and learning the ropes mirrored Katie’s own childhood experiences. She laughs as she recalls one particular scene.

“When she came outside wearing white tennis shoes to work, that hit home. I remember showing up in sandals, and my dad would just shake his head. I had to go home and change,” Floming says..

For Neumiller, seeing their family’s life portrayed on such a massive stage was humbling.

“Farmers don’t usually end up in Super Bowl commercials, but this is very nice,” he says. “For that one-minute ad, they captured a farm family and our legacy all in one. It was just amazing.”

Floming adds that the story resonated with many viewers beyond their family.

“It’s very relatable. People would come up at the Super Bowl and say, ‘My grandfather was in that situation’ or ‘My family didn’t have the option to pass it on.’ It’s a story that connects with most people,” she says.

Farming in Northern Illinois: Unique Challenges

Neumiller Farms isn’t a typical potato operation. Neumiller explains growing potatoes in northern Illinois requires creativity, considering they are the lone family growing potatoes in northern Illinois.

“We’re the only ones in the area,” Neumiller says. “You need good water and light, sandy soil. Illinois has pockets of sand, so we’ve become a very mobile farm. We have one farm 150 miles away, another 30 miles south and another 15 miles north. It allows us to manage the light soils and adequate water we need.”

Floming now manages daily operations, but Neumiller remains deeply involved.

“I’m old school. I want to be involved in everything,” he says. “I talk to the managers every day. I get here early and stay around, maybe too long, but I stay involved in everything.”

The family works side by side, literally.

Floming says: “Our desks are right next to each other. We’re constantly feeding off each other, and we always know what’s going on.”

Neumiller smiles, adding: “My wife’s on the other side, and we’ve been married 54 years. She’s been involved in the business from way back.”

“He doesn’t get a break,” Floming quips.

Passing the Torch

Though Neumiller hopes for a few more harvests, Floming embraces the responsibility of continuing the family legacy.

“I’m very thankful to still be farming alongside my dad,” she says. “He’s grown the farm, but it’s my responsibility to keep it going, for our family, our employees and our community. I want to do the best I can to preserve our foundation while building for the future.”

A plaque on the wall of Neumiller Farms signifies seven decades of producing potatoes for Frito-Lay, a partnership that made their story perfect for Lay’s Super Bowl spotlight.

Neumiller reflects on the broader significance: “All of us farmers, we’re not usually in the spotlight. But it’s an honor to show the connection between soil, farming and the food we produce. Sustainability, passing on the farm, doing the job right — it all matters. Our story continues, and that’s what I hope to pass on.”

A Last Harvest That Connected Us All

As Lay’s “Last Harvest” reminded viewers on Super Bowl Sunday, the foods we enjoy come from real families working the land, generation after generation. For the Neumillers, that legacy is alive and thriving, one potato at a time, creating a story that connected us all.

If you thought the 60-second commercial was memorable, watch the full three-minute version on Lay’s YouTube page .

Moment of Truth: The Louisiana Farmer Who Captured Trump's Ear, Put Human Face on Ag Crisis

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:29:01 GMT

Rice country is hurting, badly.

Prices have collapsed to levels not seen in four decades, while production costs climb beyond $1,000 an acre. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, rice farmers are projected to lose more than $360 per acre this year. For many operations, that kind of math pushes losses deeper into the red and pushes tough decisions closer to reality.

That financial pressure was front and center at the White House last week as President Donald Trump unveiled his Farmer Bridge Payments, but what captured national attention wasn’t just policy — it was a farmer.

Her words, delivered candidly and unscripted on live television, put a human face on the crisis gripping America’s rice farms and mills.

That producer is Meryl Kennedy.

A Family Business Rooted in Rice

Kennedy is the youngest of four daughters, carrying forward a family operation that stretches back nearly six decades. Her father began farming rice in the late 1960s, and over time the family expanded beyond production into milling and value-added markets. That vertical integration gives Kennedy a front-row view of how price volatility affects not just growers, but entire supply chains.

“So I’m actually second generation,” Kennedy says. “My father started as a farmer back in the late 1960s, and we continue to take rice from the farm to a finished product today.”

After returning home from college, Kennedy helped oversee the startup of the family’s rice mill in 2012. The mill steadily grew, sourcing rice from roughly 60 farm families who relied on the operation as a stable market outlet. For those growers, the health of the mill is closely tied to the health of the farm economy.

“We actually mill rice, distribute it to many large companies throughout the U.S. and internationally,” Kennedy says. “But then my sisters and I have our own brand called Four Sisters that we launch about five years ago.”

As president and CEO of Kennedy Rice Mill and co-founder of Four Sisters Rice, Kennedy balances brand development, export logistics and farmer relationships. That role places her at the intersection of domestic agriculture and global trade, a perspective that proved pivotal when she was invited to Washington.

An Unexpected Moment in the Spotlight

Kennedy was one of eight farmers invited to participate in the White House roundtable on Dec. 8. Like many producers attending policy discussions, she expected a private conversation focused on data and feedback. What she did not know until moments before entering the room is that the discussion will be broadcast live.

“And my sisters and I, because there are four of us — I’m the youngest of four daughters — started our own rice brand a few years ago to just tell the story of American agriculture that hadn’t really been told before,” Kennedy told Trump and the White House Cabinet members who attended the farmer roundtable that day. “But I wish I was here under better terms.”

As the conversation turned to the financial outlook for rice, Kennedy did not sugarcoat the situation. Her remarks reflect what growers have been telling lenders and suppliers for months: Margins are gone, and losses are mounting.

“I know that prices right now are the lowest they’ve been in over 40 years, so we’re going to struggle,” she continued. “We’re going to max out on our payments probably, so that’s something that I know those in Congress can potentially help us with to change.”

Kennedy says the magnitude of the moment did not fully register until after the cameras are rolling. Sitting beside the president, she realized she was speaking not just for her own operation, but for growers across the country.

“In fact, it still seems like it is a dream, I’m going to be honest with you,” she says. “At the beginning of this year, I had a feeling that it was going to be a very difficult year. But it really wasn’t until midway through the year that we just saw a drastic drop in prices that has continued month after month.”

Farmers Asked Her to Speak Up

Kennedy says her decision to engage directly with the administration was driven by the growers who supply her mill. As conditions worsen, those farmers began urging her to use her industry position to push for action.

“And so it really is my farmers urging me a month ago to write a letter to the president,” she says. “To explain the situation to him, to urge him to help our farmers.”

That outreach, Kennedy says, marked a turning point. What began as a letter quickly became a national conversation.

“We wrote that letter, and look what the president does,” she says. “He responded.”

Kennedy explains the collapse in rice prices cannot be understood without looking beyond U.S. borders. Rice, she notes, is not just another commodity; it is a staple food for much of the world, making global market dynamics especially complex.

“Rice is a global commodity. It is the means of survival for most of the planet on a daily basis,” she says. “I truly mean it that rice is more of a currency than it is a commodity.”

While the U.S. ranks fifth in the world for rice exports, Kennedy says heavy subsidization and overproduction by major exporting nations distort markets and undermine U.S. competitiveness.

“And what has been happening is that really since COVID, there’s been truly an overproduction,” she says. “Then we over-subsidize in these nations and then dump rice globally across the world.”

A Candid Exchange With a Call to Action

That backdrop set the stage for one of the most striking moments of the roundtable, as Kennedy directly addressed concerns about dumping and unfair trade practices. The exchange unfolded live, capturing the attention of producers watching from home.

“And we do believe that countries are dumping rice into this country today,” Kennedy said during the roundtable at the White House. “We’ve never seen imports this great.”

When pressed for specifics, she named the countries she believes are contributing to the problem.

“India, Thailand, even China into Puerto Rico,” she said. “Puerto Rico used to be one of the largest markets for U.S. rice. We haven’t shipped rice into Puerto Rico in years.”

As Kennedy listed off the countries, Trump turned to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and asked him to write the countries down. Kennedy said the moment was monumental.

“None of it is scripted,” she says. “He really called me to action, and I responded.”

“When he turns to Secretary Bessent and asks him to write these countries down, it really is a powerful moment,” she adds. “It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

Aid Helps — But It’s Not Enough

The roundtable featuring farmers on Dec. 8 was intended to announce Farmer Bridge Assistance Payment Program, for which USDA is expected to release payment rates next week. Ahead of that official announcement, University of Arkansas economists estimate rice payments could approach $115 per acre, though statutory payment caps will limit the amount many farmers actually receive.

“You know, I’ve seen some other figures kind of siding more like $50, considering that $155,000 payment cap,” says Mollie Buckler, CEO of U.S. Rice Producers. “While I think it will help some farmers, this is not putting huge profits in their pockets.”

Buckler says the assistance might keep some producers afloat short-term, but it does not address the underlying market imbalance. Without structural changes, she warns, the industry will continue to contract.

“Absolutely,” Buckler says when asked if farmers could be forced out of business. “Possibly even up to a quarter of farmers having to make tough decisions.”

Pressing Trump to Love Rice

Despite the seriousness of the discussion, Kennedy’s exchange with Trump also included a lighter moment that resonated with viewers. The humor underscores a broader effort to build demand for U.S.-grown rice.

“And you love rice, right?” the president asked.

“I love rice,” Kennedy replied. “I’m going to get you to love rice too. The next time, you’re not going to have a button for a Coke, you’re going to have a button for rice.”

It was another moment that stole the spotlight, as Kennedy’s quick-witted response garnered laughs. Kennedy says she even surprised herself in that moment.

“It just came out,” she says. “I encourage everyone that doesn’t eat rice on a daily basis to think about making rice part of your diet.”

A Voice for Farmers

For Kennedy, the experience reinforces the importance of connecting consumers with the people behind their food. She says telling that story is now more crucial than ever as farm families navigate financial uncertainty.

“This has given me a voice to encourage people to think about where their food comes from,” she says. “To think about supporting American farmers.”

As rice producers confront one of the toughest years in decades, Kennedy’s message reflects a broader industry plea for fair trade, market transparency and a future where family farms can continue growing a crop that feeds the world.

Where Hope Takes Root: The Grit That Saved a 90-Year-Old Family Farm

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 22:21:32 GMT

In the rolling hills of Napa Valley’s Los Carneros region, the scene often looks idyllic. Morning fog drapes the vineyards, and the quiet hum of farm life feels timeless. But behind the postcard-perfect setting stands a family that has survived nearly 90 years of grit, risk and reinvention — and a fourth-generation farmer who refused to let 2024 be the end of their story.

“I am the fourth generation carrying on this family legacy,” says grape grower Jennifer Thomson, walking the same ground her great-grandmother once chose with remarkable instinct.

A Legacy Born From the Dust Bowl

Long before Napa Valley became synonymous with world-class wine, the Thomson family put down roots here in 1938. Thomson’s great-grandmother, Jenny Ophelia Barnum Thomson — a descendant of the famed Barnum circus family — had the courage to pursue opportunity when most would have turned back.

“It was the Great Dust Bowl and the Great Depression driving many families west for new opportunity,” Thomson says. “As migration was happening toward the West Coast for better economic opportunities, they moved here and were able to purchase this land.”

What she bought wasn’t just acreage. It was a vibrant Carneros hub complete with orchards, worker housing and a blacksmith shop. Women couldn’t legally own land at the time, but the deed was placed in her name for only a day, a testament to the trailblazer she was. Then, the land deed was moved into her husband’s name. But the vision, Thomson says, was her great-grandmother’s.

“For her to have that foresight to take that risk and purchase land here — you think about that today,” Thomson says. “She was doing what any family does: contributing to the family. There was water in the Carneros Creek, there were prunes, pears and apples already planted, and they had the ingenuity and engineering to successfully farm. Sometimes you just have to lead with your intuition, and I think that’s what she was doing.”

A Daughter Returns Home — and a New Fight Begins

Four generations later, that same intuition runs deep. In 2009, Thomson left her job in San Francisco and came home to take over the ranch from her father, George.

“Did I ever think Jen would be the one to take over?” George says with a small laugh. “No. I am surprised. I am thankful.”

When she arrived, the wine industry was in the middle of the 2008–2009 recession.

“When I took over in 2009, my father says to me, ‘You picked the absolute worst time to get into farming,’” Thomson recalls. “And then 2024 and 2025 happened. Farmers ask one another, ‘Is this as bad as 2008 or 2009? Is it better? Worse? Did we just forget?’ Because I took over so young, I already was prepared more than my peers.”

But today’s pressures, she says, feel heavier.

“There are not as many channels for sales, not as many stable partners to work with. If I’m a betting woman, I do think 2025 and going into 2026 will be more of a struggle than ever before for the California wine industry.”

Read More: Grape Growers Desperately Need You to Drink More Wine as They Grapple With a Glut of Uncontracted Grapes

So, why is it so challenging for grape growers today? It’s complex. Not only has demand dwindled, with a Gallup poll showing alcohol consumption is at a 90-year low, but an abundant supply the past few years has suffocated the grape growing region. As more vineyards take vines out, that will help the supply situation, but it’s coming at a cost. The other issue is the sellers, like Thomson, and buyers, as in wineries, haven’t always come to the table to find a solution. Cheap imports have flooded the market, and it’s at a much cheaper price than what it costs to grow grapes in California.

Thomson’s father agrees with her, saying the California grape and wine industry is facing one of its most challenging chapters yet.

“It is very challenging,” George says. “The market is sort of against us. Tastes are changing. There are more government regulations on what you can do with your property to make a living.”

Still, he keeps believing.

“Do I think we’ll get out of this? I have my fingers crossed. With people like Jennifer, I believe they’ll keep working at it. They won’t give in easily,” George says.

The Year the Grapes Had No Home

But nothing prepared the family for what came in 2024.

“This home ranch produces a little over 300 tons of grapes annually,” Jennifer says. “And in 2024, nearly all of those 300 tons are dropped on the ground and go unharvested.”

All of them?

“All of them,” she says quietly.

Demand had plummeted. Oversupply strangled the region. And for the first time in the ranch’s nine-decade history, not a single cluster had a home.

It was a moment when most growers would consider walking away. But Jennifer didn’t.

Refusal to Quit

But this is where the story gets good, and where you’re reminded you can’t underestimate the determination of a family farmer, especially Thomson. After all, grit is woven into this family’s DNA. And she leaned on every ounce of it.

“In 2025, I make a true farmer with good ingenuity,” she says. “I make sure I shake hands. I talk with previous clients. I source new clients. I put a lot of hustle into exploring new relationships and cultivating the ones we already have. And we are fortunate this year to sell all of our grapes.”

Her father says the same drive is what transformed the ranch the moment she took over 15 years ago.

“We were able to make a living at it, at least pay the taxes,” George says. “But the property really never makes money until Jennifer says, ‘I think I can do that.’ I hand her the keys and the checkbook.”

George says he always had an off-farm job, but for this first time in his memory, Thomson’s keen business sense and intuition turned the family vineyard into one that could finally support itself.

“Jennifer turns it around for the first time in my life that the property actually supports itself,” he says, emotion thick in his voice. “How proud am I? Extremely proud. She has the foresight, the hunger, the passion. The intelligence. She had all the parts. She has them now.”

One of the Last Family Farmers Standing

In a region rapidly shifting toward corporate ownership, Jennifer is part of a shrinking group — farmers who still drive their own tractors, repair their own equipment and deliver their own fruit.

“I feel more of a pull to the land than I ever predicted when I first took over,” she says. “I took over to help my family and retain this ranch for future generations. But working alongside our crew for 15 years, working with winery partners who value our family legacy and this 90-year-old ranch — I certainly feel much more drawn to the land than I ever think I would.”

Some estimates point to less than 25% of the growers left in the region are true family farmers, a dwindling group that is fighting to remain rooted here.

Gratitude Amid the Hardship

Despite the hardships, Thomson carries deep gratitude — especially this Thanksgiving season.

“I’m really grateful my great-grandmother has the foresight in 1938 to buy a wonderful piece of land with wonderful water availability,” she says. “I have a great-grandfather and grandfather who worked with the Federal Soil Conservation Department and built an on-stream reservoir. It allows us to irrigate our crops and keeps our vines healthier.”

She is thankful for her community, too.

“I’m thankful for that core group of family farmers. We band together. We support one another. We share our successes and we share our failures. That camaraderie can’t be duplicated.”

A Story Still Being Written

The Thomsons’ story, once born out of Dust Bowl desperation, endures because each generation chooses resilience over retreat. And in 2024 — after a year when every grape fell to the ground — it was Jennifer’s resolve that carried the legacy forward.

Every grape has a home again in 2025. And because of her, the family’s story isn’t just continuing, it’s growing stronger.

Two Unlikely Teammates: NFL Quarterback and Young Tractor Prodigy Team up to Fuel Farmers

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 21:09:32 GMT

At just 10 years old, Jackson Laux of South Whitley, Ind., already knows more about antique tractors than most adults. His TikTok clips rack up thousands of views, and last year John Deere named him the company’s first-ever Chief Tractor Kid.

“It’s always been the mower tractor … I’ve never done anything else with it,” Jackson says matter-of-factly in one of his viral videos.

A Walking Tractor Encyclopedia

Ask Jackson about the best tractor in U.S. history and he won’t hesitate to rattle off a list.

“I’ve got about three of them that I would go in between,” he says. “The John Deere 4430, the John Deere 4020, and the John Deere Model A. Those are all tied for first.”

Pressed to choose just one? He goes with the Model A.

“Probably the Model A. They made 320,000 of them, from 1934 to 1952. It was a very popular tractor. It was the row crop tractor. You could run a rear loader or a front loader on it, and you could do everything with it. The John Deere D and the Waterloo Boy were more just the plow tractor. So it was the more versatile tractor — the A.”

That encyclopedic knowledge is exactly what has made Jackson a hit with tractor enthusiasts young and old.

From Grandpa’s Tractor to His Own Acres

Jackson’s passion started with rides alongside his grandpa. Now, he’s farming his own ground.

“I’ll be harvesting my first two acres this fall, and I’ll be helping my uncles and my grandpa with their corn,” he says. “When I was riding with my grandpa, I never thought I’d be here, farming my own two acres. It’s been a very cool experience.”

Teaming Up With an NFL Quarterback

This fall, Jackson’s tractor obsession took him beyond the farm field. He teamed up with NFL quarterback Brock Purdy and John Deere to surprise farmers during harvest with field meals: hot food delivered right to the cab of the combine.

“I was shocked,” Jackson recalls of meeting Purdy. “I don’t show much emotion, but it was pretty cool because I figured at some point I was going to meet him.”

For the farmers, the surprise was unforgettable.

“When they saw Brock come around the corner, the farmers lit up. They were really excited,” Jackson says.

The two even had some fun in the kitchen while feeding farmers, calling in back-up for help. You can watch that below.

Finding Common Ground

Even though they come from different worlds, Jackson says he and Purdy share some important traits.

“He’s just a down-to-earth guy, just like me. We’re both laid-back people,” Jackson says. “That’s my middle name — competitive.”

A Kid Who Connects Generations

From antique tractor debates to sharing meals in the field with an NFL star, Jackson shows how passion and hard work can bring people together.

This harvest, the 10-year-old Chief Tractor Kid reminds us sometimes the best meals aren’t at the table, but right in the field.

Their Work Doesn’t Stop There

In the weeks ahead, John Deere isn’t just feeding farmers in the field, but the company is also donating over 250,000 meals to Feeding America . In 2024, the company donated $6.6 million to Feeding America.

“At the end of the day, this is about showing up for the ones who show up for all of us,” says Jen Hartmann, global director of corporate reputation and brand marketing at John Deere. “Donating to Feeding America and delivering home cooked meals in the middle of a long day are simple gestures, but it’s our way of recognizing the people whose hard work puts food on all of our tables.”

You can follow Purdy and Jackson’s journey, along with how John Deere is helping fuel farmers, on John Deere’s TikTok and Instagram accounts.

Why Keystone Cooperative is Investing in the Stock Show Industry

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:56:11 GMT

When it comes to hiring employees, Keystone Cooperative, Inc., looks for three core competencies: customer focus, drive for results and teamwork. The company says it is finding its next generation of employees within organizations like the National Junior Swine Association (NJSA).

“We talk a lot at Keystone about these core competencies, and you definitely must have all three if you’re going to be successful in the show ring,” says Nathan Hedden, vice president of swine and animal nutrition at Keystone. “You have to work hard at home and that will end up bringing the other three competencies along.”

Keystone is a farmer-owned cooperative with roots that go back to 1927, Hedden explains. Based in Indianapolis, Ind., the company operates in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan.

“We have 2,000 employees at Keystone across four different divisions: agronomy, energy, grain, swine and animal nutrition,” Hedden says. “It really made sense for us to partner with NJSA. When we think about talent, we want to be the employer of choice in the Midwest, not just in agriculture, but across all different industries. We see this as the next talent pool to continue to grow Keystone.”

(Legacy Livestock Imaging)

During the National Junior Summer Spectacular in Louisville, Ky., Keystone representatives were on site watching the show and meeting young people from all over the country.

More than 600 exhibitors from 28 states brought 1,324 pigs to the event, says Clay Zwilling, CEO of the National Swine Registry.

“One of the things that was the most exciting for me was asking how many of new families were in the crowd at our opening ceremonies,” Zwilling says. “Probably a third of the crowd raised their hands. It really heeds to the passion people have for this industry and the excitement of the long-term engagement and sustainability of our side of the business for young families that are coming in and getting engaged.”

(Jennifer Shike)

Molding Leaders
NJSA is focused on developing the next generation of leaders for the pork industry, Zwilling says.

“It’s been really exciting to watch this grow and blossom and be able to connect really talented young people back into the pork industry,” Zwilling says. “The number of new employees and tenured employees at Keystone that have come through the junior livestock project, and specifically NJSA, is incredible.”

The core competencies that Hedden looks for align with NJSA’s focus, he adds.

“It’s incredible to watch little kids that we’ve got to encourage to break out of their shell go on to have success in the show ring and ultimately come back to the industry as talented leaders,” Zwilling says. “I think this alignment makes a ton of sense. I’m very excited about the future and appreciate the support of people willing to help invest in these kids.”

It’s A Big Industry
The stockmanship skills youth learn raising and showing pigs is another reason Keystone was drawn to support this youth swine program.

“We have 282 sites across the Midwest where we raise pigs today, working with an independent farmer who is actually taking care of those pigs,” Hedden explains. “Well, as those farms have grown, we’ve seen a lot of those operations that haven’t had pigs or maybe haven’t had pigs for a while and haven’t kept up with the technology that’s available today, want to raise pigs again. If you can find employees with stockmanship skills that can stand in the gap and help them learn and develop that, that creates a huge competitive advantage for us.”

The pork industry is full of opportunities, Hedden adds. He’s committed to helping youth see that there is more waiting for them after they finish showing pigs.

“It doesn’t end at the end of your show career,” he says. “Find people that you can talk to, maybe even ride along with, to better understand what they do. That may help you find your passion for what you want to do next.”

There’s a Gen X Sized Hole In Agribusiness Leadership

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:11:36 GMT

In agribusiness, for every potential leader aged 35–50, two are preparing to retire. That stat was provided by Aaron Locker, Managing Director, Kincannon & Reed, during testimony in front of a Senate special committee on aging.

He says this helps illustrate the quietly unfolding crisis that is rapidly cutting across the agriculture.

“And the consequences for our food supply, our rural communities, and our national security are serious,” he said. “The 1980s farm crisis didn’t just damage balance sheets. It’s changed the interest of being involved in agriculture. That gap is being realized today in board rooms, field offices, agronomy teams and more.”

This is leaving a leadership and a talent gap for leaders, management and C-Suite roles.
Locker reflects on how when the agriculture industry is stressed—such as during the 1980s—it brought less appeal to young professionals in higher education and early career opportunities.

“While college attendance overall rose nearly 7 percent between 1980 and 1990, enrollment in land grant colleges of agriculture- like Texas A&M, the University of Nebraska, University of Minnesota, and Iowa State University and others dropped by nearly 37 percent,” he said.

Even more focused on the succession angle, Locker says of the agribusinesses his firm works with, less than one-third have a formal succession plan.

“In agriculture, where many senior leaders have been in place for decades, this creates an acute succession challenge,” he says.

From a general industry perspective, Locker points to other faster-growing industries as being more attractive. For example, while agriculture job growth is steady at 3%, other sectors such as tech and finance are growing three times faster.

“[They] are drawing top talent away from the food system. We are not just competing for attention—we are competing for leadership,” he says.

Quiet Crisis, Unfolding Rapidly: Big Questions Remain For Next Gen Farmers

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 20:14:59 GMT

Florida fresh produce grower Jim Alderman says one thing is his biggest worry.

“Who is coming behind us? That’s the part that keeps me up at night. It’s not just about growing crops, it also passing down knowledge, discipline and our way of life,” he said during a recent congressional hearing on the aging workforce in agriculture.

Earlier this year, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) spearheaded a special committee report on America’s Aging Farm Workforce.

Four drivers were highlighted:

Aging demographics
Declining farm numbers
Barriers for new farmers
Regulatory and economic pressures

As a follow up, on June 4, the senate special committee he oversees had a hearing “America’s Vanishing Family Farms.”

“Unfortunately, the farming and agricultural workforce is aging and nearing retirement, and fewer and fewer young people are looking to take over their family’s farms or enter the agriculture industry,” Sen. Scott said. “We face significant challenges to agricultural production, rural community sustainability, and U.S. food security. Here’s why this matters: U.S. food security is national security.”

Recent stats he points to include:

1/3 of farmers and ranchers are over the age of 65
This same group owns more than 40% of U.S. farmland
More than 80% of farmers work a second job
Since 2007, 200,000 farms have disappeared
The 2022 census showed the loss of over 140,000 farms in 5 years. That’s an average of 77 farms per day. 
Since 2007, more than 40 million acres of farmland is now used for commercial, residential or industrial purposes
Farmland prices have increased 7% in three years

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) is ranking member on the special committee for aging and said, “To encourage younger generation to returning to Farmer we farming, we must invest in our rural communities.”

Witnesses shared testimony highlighting the pain points, overall trends and discussed potential policy solutions.

“As I travel the country and see farms across our great country, I see a lot of gray hair, and while the wisdom of older generations is critical, we must ensure that we make a way for young and beginning farmers to fill our boots,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

What are those policy provisions that could assist with the farm labor issues?

1. The Farm Bill
In his testimony, Duvall shared a getting a farm bill passed by congress is critical to signal stability and predictability in agriculture.

“We need a modernized 5 year farm bill,” he said. “Rising interest rates, higher energy prices, supply costs that have gone unchecked, farmers will plant the most expensive crop ever planted this year, and many have faced a tough decision of whether or not to even plant that crop. This is why the farm bill and its Title One safety net is so critical.”

2. Estate tax provisions

Duvall also highlighted the importance of the estate tax exemption for farmers for transitioning the farm business from one generation to the next. He applauded the House for its consideration of in the One Big Beautiful Bill it recently passed, and encouraged the senate to follow.

3. Farm worker programs, specifically H-2A

“It’s time to modernize our outdated system, and only Congress can meaningfully do that,” Duvall said.

Alderman uses H-2A labor and says reform is a must.

“We are now dependent on H-2A labor from Mexico,” he said. “Without them, we can’t harvest our crops.”

For Alderman in Florida, whereas minimum wage is $12.50/hour, H-2A labor is compensated at $26/hour plus the expense of housing, transportation and visas.

Duvall adds the federal government needs to revisit its wage structure for H-2A labor, citing the wage rates were set by a study done 60 years ago intended to calculate on-farm employment totals, not compensation.

“We’re going to price ourselves out of farming,” he says. Duvall is advocating for an updated program and one that includes year-round provisions for dairy farmers, and other parts of the industry that need full-time labor not just seasonal help.

“How can a young farmer come back to the farm and bring his expertise that he learned in college, expand that farm without having a labor force to do that. It’s one of the biggest limiting factors we have,” Duvall says.

4. Economic stability, risk management and trade.

“The incentive to make a profit isn’t there,” Alderman says. “If the farmer isn’t going to make money, he’s not able to expand his operation.”

Aaron Locker, Managing Director, Kincannon & Reed calls this a quietly unfolding crisis that is rapidly cutting across the agriculture.

“And the consequences for our food supply, our rural communities, and our national security are serious,” he said. “The 1980s farm crisis didn’t just damage balance sheets. It’s changed the interest of being involved in agriculture. That gap is being realized today in board rooms, field office, agronomy teams and more.”

The witnesses answered questions about President Trump’s trade policy and tariffs, with Duvall saying farmers have supported the president’s long-term vision to bring a “level playing field,” but he also says this fall will be a critical time for some progress when farmers are slated to harvest and sell commodities at low prices with high input costs.

5. Regulatory considerations.

Alderman says there are areas of his fresh produce business being over-regulated, which has put extra financial pressure when competing with imported crops. As an example, he points to multiple food safety inspections which could be replaced with a one-time inspection.

And in conjunction with the regulation on his business, he has seen how a lapse in regulatory authority over imported produce inspected at the borders has negatively effected the industry.

“For example, the citrus industry with citrus greening, it’s devastated the cirtrus industry. We have gone from 240 million boxes of oranges in production to around 40 million boxes today,” he said, and added Florida produce growers are introduced with a new thirp or weevil every growing season, which takes months to contain and identify proper controls.

6. Provide mental health resources

Christopher A. Wolf, Ph.D. from Cornell University says its New York FarmNet receives 700 calls a year. Financial stress include price uncertainty, labor cost and availability, capital costs, land access, and estate and succession planning. Family-related farm stressors include health insurance, childcare, eldercare, and drug and alcohol abuse.

“Male farmers have a suicide rate 3.5 times higher than the national,” he said. “Financial stress is one of the primary contributors to the depression and suicide rate. Additionally, mental health stigma and lack of access to care are major barriers.”

The Scoop Podcast: How Ag Retailers Can Equip Their Facilities For the Future

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:46:15 GMT

From the west coast to Wisconsin and through the central corn belt, Cody Steinkamp helps ag retailers outfit their dry fertilizer warehouses to serve customers today and into the future.

Everything from tenders, spreaders, receiving equipment, in-plant equipment, rotary blender and declining weight systems, he says Doyle is focused on help retailers store and move fertilizer products.

“Everything just keeps getting bigger and faster because of the amount of fertilizer that’s going out of the doors nowadays,” he says.

One change since he joined Doyle seven years ago has been the steep increase in variable rate applications and therefore straight material vs. blended.

“That’s been a huge swing in our business, and it’s about asking questions of how much straight material a retailer will be doing vs. blended material because that’s really taken into account with what we recommend for blenders, tenders and receiving,” he says.

Other key questions include:

Does the site need to be NTEP legal?
What is the site’s plan for micronutrients?
How much impregnation of products need to be accounted for?
Will any powder products be used?

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all for everybody,” he says. “So we try to ask the right questions to make we are providing the right equipment. We try to plan out for at least 50 years.”
He says pairing the machinery and equipment with technology has brought higher capacities and efficiencies, including the ability to have loads pre-mixed and ready before tenders arrive on site.

Across the geographies he works, it’s important to note how different the service radius can be from one area to another.

“in the Midwest, there might be three or four plants in a small town,”he says. “But on the West Coast, they might have a service for radius of 40 to 50 miles plus.”

6 Facts On How Farm Families Find Economic Support Off The Farm

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:10:08 GMT

As reported by USDA data and recently highlighted by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), more than three-fourths of household income for farm families comes from off the farm.

Per USDA data, in 2023, 96% of farm households earned money from off-farm sources, making up 77% of household income. Family farms accounted for about 96% of total farms and 83% of total production in 2023.

Daniel Munch, economist at AFBF, analyzed the USDA data to discern six main takeaways in recognizing the dual reliance to support farm families economically and what policy can help ensure the long-term viability:

1. Off-Farm Income Keeps Farms Afloat.

USDA defines a farm as any operation with more than $1,000 in ag product sales.

A majority of off-farm income comes from earned income — wages, salaries, etc. — accounting for 72% of total income for farm families.

As detailed by Munch, “At the median, the point where half of households earn more and half earn less, farm-related income was a loss of $900. Over the past five years (2019 to 2023), median farm income has never exceeded just $296. In sharp contrast, median off-farm income was $79,900. Off-farm income peaked in 2021 at over $82,800 and has since declined only slightly.”

While passive income (Social Security, veterans’ benefits, pensions, dividends and interest) account for 28% of farm household income, they are seen as a stabilizing factor, particularly for retired or semi-retired farmers.

(AFBF)

2. Farms With Lower Cash Recipients Use Off-Farm Income to Bridge Financial Gaps.

Across all farm sizes when farm income varies year-to-year, diversification with off-farm income stabilizes the household finances.

However, for farms with gross annual sales less than $100,000, more than 60% of those business operators work off the farm. For farms with more than $500,000 in gross sales, only 45% of the principal operator had off-farm work.

(AFBF)

3. Younger Farmers and Beginning Farmers Are More Likely to Rely on Off-Farm Income.

While 40% of all farmers say they exclusively work on the farm, only 20% of young farmers (35 years and younger) and 24% of beginning farmers (less than 10 years experience) only work on the farm.

As Munch says, “This trend reflects the steep financial climb facing new entrants to agriculture. Without inherited land, equipment or equity, it’s difficult to rely solely on early farm earnings. Off-farm jobs help cover startup costs and personal expenses and provide access to health insurance and other benefits. Just as importantly, these roles offer opportunities to build credit, acquire valuable skills and develop professional networks that can support long-term success in farming.”

(AFBF)

4. Different Types of Farms Vary on Reliance of Off-Farm Income.

By farm type, trends emerge of what operations are more reliant on the farm sales and receipts for income.

For dairies, 81% of household income comes from farming activities.
For corn farmers, 58% of income comes from on-farm sources.
For cattle producers, 10% of household income comes from on-farm sources.
Other field crop farms, 9% of income comes from farming activities.

Munch highlights the workload by seasonality and nature of the work directs how farmers are available with time to work off-farm for income diversification.

(AFBF)

5. Off-Farm Work is Necessary for Three Reasons.

Citing 2018 USDA data, there are three common reasons for farmers citing off-farm income: more reliable/steady income, higher pay rates than farming, and access to benefits such as health insurance and retirement investments.

(AFBF)

6. Farmers Travel Farther For Off-Farm Income.

“In today’s economy, the ability to farm often depends on the ability to commute,” Munch says.

Citing nationwide statistics, Munch reports, “Between 2002 and 2022, the share of commuters leaving their county for employment rose more than 10 percentage points in both nonmetro and farm-dependent counties, with 64% of farm-dependent county residents commuting out — higher than both nonmetro (56%) and metro counties (46%).”

He says this underscores the need for farm household financial status to be viewed within a context of regional labor markets not just on-farm sales. This is a result of local manufacturing jobs or jobs within agriculture shifting more to industries such as healthcare, education and retail.

(AFBF)

Read more in Munch’s report: The Other Paycheck: How Off-Farm Income Keeps Farmers Farming

From Farm to 'Shark Tank:' One East Coast Dairy’s Eco-Friendly Pitch

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 13:58:58 GMT

In an unconventional yet charming spectacle, Amanda Freund, a Connecticut dairy farmer, packed her innovative spirit and two crucial items — a shovel and an inflatable cow costume — before heading west to make her vision a reality. Her destination: “Shark Tank,” where she aims to propel her creation, CowPots, into the mainstream.

Canaan View Dairy: The Beating Heart of Sustainability
Freund’s Farm, a diversified farm, with three farming enterprises, is not your average farm. Located on the bustling East Coast, their operation thrives on cutting-edge sustainability practices. Currently decked with 1,200 solar panels, the farm matches its own electricity needs through renewable energy. In fact, it boasts the longest continuously running methane digester in the country, turning biogas into another source of eco-friendly power.

(Amanda Freund)

Beyond merely generating power, manure from Canaan View Dairy serves multiple roles including transforming into fresh cow bedding and nutrient-rich fertilizer to sustainably grow crops. Perhaps its most innovative transformation, however, is into CowPots, biodegradable, plantable pots crafted from digested and composted manure, forming the backbone of Freund’s “Shark Tank” pitch.

A Revolution in Planting: The CowPots Story
CowPots emerged as a significant leap forward in eco-friendly innovation. These biodegradable staples are designed to turn composted manure into a planter for flowers and produce. This innovation ensures a sustainable cycle that supports the farm’s operations and enriches the community.

“We have been marketing CowPots for 18 years now, so we’re not a startup or new business like a lot of the entrepreneurs on the show,” she shares with Dairy Herd Management. “But as a small business, we have relied heavily on grassroots marketing. There have been a few exciting opportunities over the years, including features on “Dirty Jobs” with Mike Rowe and a spotlight on the “Martha Stewart Show.” As with any product and all marketing, it’s an ongoing and continuous endeavor to have our product in front of prospective customers.”

(Amanda Freund)

Not just stopping at innovation, the CowPots are employed at Freund’s family retail store, Freund’s Farm Market & Bakery, where they foster the produce and flowers enjoyed by both the family farm and surrounding community through the vibrant summer months. This synergy embodies the sustainability ethos propelling Freund’s pitch on the national stage.

All Eyes on “Shark Tank”
Freund’s journey culminates on an episode of “Shark Tank” airing Friday, April 4, at 8 p.m. on ABC. The Sharks, renowned for offering entrepreneurial hopefuls like Freund an avenue to exponential growth, wield the power to elevate CowPots into a household name.

Believing strongly in her family’s dedication to environmentally sound farming, Freund steps into the tank with an unwavering goal: to secure a deal that could transform her family’s sustainable dream into national success. Freund shares that nothing was guaranteed from initial casting to filming, and whether her pitch would make it on the air was uncertain, but the potential of getting on that stage in the “Shark Tank” was an exciting new opportunity to showcase their products.

“In the two months leading up to filming, it was very time-consuming providing all the required details, financials, graphics and pitches needed for the show,” she shares. “And so, now that I’ve done all the work, and on April 4, all I have to do is sit back and watch as everyone else gets to see whether or not I made a deal. I’m really excited about that. I’m proud to be able to showcase the ingenuity and sustainability of dairy farms on a national stage.”

(Amanda Freund)

As Freund takes center stage on “Shark Tank,” her journey underscores the transformative power of ingenuity and farming rooted in sustainability. CowPots are more than a pitch, they are a testament to what the future of farming could embody. As this Connecticut dairy farmer makes her case, viewers nationwide will bear witness to an inspiring eco-friendly narrative unfurling in front of the Sharks. And who knows, perhaps by the end of the episode, they too will become part of this sustainable story.

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Next Gen Spotlight: Indiana Farmer Overcomes Challenges to Carry On Family Legacy

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 13:06:21 GMT

In 2011, when Aaron Krueger was a high school freshman, his grandfather was beginning to transition the family farm to the next generation. Krueger’s father, the next in line, passed away and his grandfather, who was having health challenges of his own, decided to sell his equipment and transition out of farming. Six years later, Krueger returned home with a degree from Purdue University and a plan to become the family farm’s fourth generation. Despite the obstacles in his path, he now works alongside his 86-year-old grandfather, growing yellow corn, soybeans and cereal rye.

Q: What have been your biggest challenges in returning back to the farm?

A: One of the biggest challenges I faced was putting together a fleet of equipment. Luckily, Grandpa still had the land base. He still had all the farm infrastructure, but he sold all the equipment. Acquiring reliable, technologically advanced — to the point I wanted — equipment at that time was pretty tough. There were several retiring farmers in the area who were happy to see their equipment go to a good place. They gave me a lot of good deals. We’ve upgraded to a point now where the equipment we have is reliable, and it’s the technology I want to use on our farm.

Q: What has helped you implement new initiatives?

A: I’ve been a main driver on our farm with the implementation of cover cropping. I’ve been able to access cost-share programs through NRCS, and I’ve worked with America’s Conservation Ag Movement for four years. We’ve been able to host a lot of meetings and field days in our area and build a network of producers where we can all gather up and get on the same page to share ideas and learn from one another.

Q: Have you received pushback in changing the way things have always been done?

A: The younger generation is more adept to adopting newer practices, and it did help me from a capital standpoint. We still don’t own any four-wheel drive or high-horsepower tractors. We only have a beat-up old field cultivator that we pull out every couple of years to level tile runs. My grandpa now drinks the Kool-Aid very heavily, but he’s kind of taken the stance of letting me do what I want to, and then he tells me later, ‘Well, I really didn’t think that was going to work out.’ But he runs the combine, so he sees that it works. I try to be transparent with him, and now he advocates the cover cropping for me.

Q: What’s your vision moving forward?

A: My long-term goal is more diversity. Right now, we’re just corn and soybeans, and last year we started growing rye. I see an opportunity in my area, and with the increase of cover cropping, to also grow other small grains to sell as cover crop seed. We recently got a seed cleaner, too. I’d like to integrate livestock as well. My father-in-law has Red Angus, so my wife grew up with them, and it would make her very happy for me to bring livestock to our farm.

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Dalton Dilldine: Next-Generation Producer Follows in His Father's Footsteps

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 14:38:25 GMT

Fourth-generation Arkansas farmer Dalton Dilldine always dreamed of farming and following in his father’s footsteps.

“I knew I wanted to farm and really couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” he says.

But Dilldine’s dad unexpectedly passed away when he was a senior in high school with a limited succession plan in place — leaving him with the choice to take over the operation, start his own farm or go to college.

He chose all three.

“I would go to school and come home every weekend. After I graduated, I started taking over the whole operation and really tried to do things that my father would be proud of - and that I could be proud for myself. I just tried to do my best every day.”

Expanding With Innovation
Located in the Delta of Arkansas, he co-managed Half Moon Farm with his mother until 2010 when he went on his own, creating Mezza Luna Farms. Now, Dilldine grows 6,000 acres of cotton, soybeans, wheat, corn and rice. Of those acres, 2,700 are owned and the rest rented. The farm also has four full-time employees and several H-2A workers.

His strategy for the operation is continuous improvement with a focus on profitability.

“One of my big goals is to just try to be efficient, whatever can be done. We use technology and buy bigger equipment to be able to do more with less,” he says. “Just finding people who want to work on our farm and want to help and understand how a farm works has been a big help for us.”

He also pushes his yields, working with NRCS on conservation programs and quickly adapting to new technology.

“We have moisture sensors in our fields that will tell me the optimal time to start and turn off irrigation. There’s automation in most of our wells, too. I can start them with my phone and turn them off. They’ll tell me if something’s going on,” he explains. “Our equipment with GPUs are an asset to see what’s going on in the field from my office. That’s been a huge blessing.”

Dilldine also purchased a commercial grain entity during the 2022 harvest season amid a drought that was leading to significant decreases in basis due to low river levels.

“It’s about 750,000 bushel storage. Right now, we can use about 600,000 of that capability,” he says. “I can dump trucks in about six minutes, and I can load them out in about 12 - which is pretty fast for a private grain facility.”

Adversity Strikes Twice
On top of losing his father, the beginning of Dilldine’s farming career was made even more challenging when he suffered a major injury that crushed two vertebrae in his back.

“I had a long road of recovery right in the beginning of farming,” he remembers. “I had to do a whole lot of talking on the phone and teaching somebody else how to run that sprayer. It was a lot to deal with.”

But he learned a valuable lesson that has served him well on the farm.

“I taught myself to be a whole lot more patient and to not be wide open all the time,” he says.

Dilldine’s wife, Skiver, who also assists on the farm when she’s not busy as a nurse practitioner, says she couldn’t be prouder of his progress.

“He didn’t have a mentor in his younger years to kind of guide him through some of the hard farming lessons, and he’s learned those on his own with the help of others. He’s just really put in a lot of legwork, a lot of tears and blood, and just really powered through all the adversities to come out on top,” she says.

Despite these challenges, Dilldine says he’s reached many of his farming goals - and others can too.

“I want young farmers to be aware that you can do it. It’s not impossible as often as it feels like,” he adds.

An 11-Year Old's Idea Sparked An Idea That's Grown Into an Annual Toy Drive Giving Out 13,000 Toys Each Year

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:02:29 GMT

The season of giving for Reed Marcum doesn’t just happen during Christmas. For this 19-year, the season of giving is year-round.

“I came up with the idea back in 2016 when I realized that I wanted to help put another toy under someone’s tree that year,” says Marcum, who’s now a Pittsburg County, Oklahoma 4-H Ambassador.

At just 11 years-old, this 4-H member had an idea: Collect toys and give them out to children in his local community.

“He came home one day, he talked to me and his stepfather, and he said, ‘Mom, I want to help some kiddos in my class for Christmas,” remembers Angie Miller, Reed’s mother. “I said, ‘OK, what can we do?’ I told him he could do a little work, and he was like, ‘No, I want to give out toys.”

Reed Marcum at 11-Years-Old

(Angie Miller)

Started Out As a Small Idea
That first year, Reed’s small idea turned into a huge success, giving out around 5,000 toys at his stepfather’s law office. Little did this family know that was just the start of something grand.

“It was something we didn’t expect to do, especially have that much success and community reaction. They really loved it. We did not expect that,” Reed says.

J Michael Miller Toy Drive
What’s called the J Michael Miller Toy Drive has grown each year, even during COVID.

“What happened was COVID hit, and we had told Reed that it just can’t happen that year. And he said, ‘It can happen, Mom,’” Angie says.

And it did. With the help of the community, Reed moved the toy drive to Ragan’s Auto, a decision that helped this drive grow even more.

“He spoke with Mr. Ragan, and he told Reed we can do this. They moved all their cars out by noon that day. We moved in around 1:00, and we would set up all night long, and then we open the doors, they would start driving through,” Angie says.

The annual J. Michael Miller Toy Drive gave out 13,000 toys this year.

(SUNUP)

Within a couple years, they even outgrew that space. Last year, Reed moved his toy drive again, this time, to the McAlester Expo Center.

“We are orchestrating with the local Expo Center here in McAlester for people to come, and it’s just an amazing venue for what we’re doing here. And it’s an amazing process that we have to set up and do,” Reed says.

Biggest Toy Giveaway Yet
On Dec. 7,2024, Reed had his biggest giveaway yet.

“We collected a ton, but we were able to give out around 13,000 this year, that day,” Reed says.

What started as one small idea has brought generosity through toys that touched 13,000 lives this year alone.

“It’s a year-long process,” Angie says. “The entire year we’re looking for toys, collecting them and getting donations from people. But when the day gets near and close, it really starts to ramp up.”

Cars line up 3 to 4 miles long for the annual toy drive.

(Bryan Fuller)

Recipients Come From Surrounding States
Since 2016, this toy drive has given away more than 64,000 toys, an annual event that people wait in line for hours to receive. And as the event grows each year, lines of cars that now stretch three to four miles long, all with kids eager to receive toys that year.

“I was working the line this year, and we did see license plates from Texas and Arkansas. That’s normal,” says Greg Owen, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma 4-H educator. “I would ask the people in the line, ‘What was the experience like?’ And this year, I heard the comment ‘It was literally perfect.’”

Vital Volunteers
But for Reed, this wouldn’t be possible without volunteers, all 100 of them.

“They can help us move the toys from point A to point B when we’re holding them or in help, give the toys, help, walk the line, be dressed up in costumes to help entertain the kids, give out small items that go through the lines. The kids aren’t just sitting there bored,” Reed says.

Loss Turned Into Love
Reed’s toy drive has become a beloved experience attracting thousands of people from miles away. But this kid who has brought so much joy to others has also seen heartache along the way.

“He had the most difficult year of his life his junior year,” Angie says. “We were moving to Ragan’s that year, and on July 28, he lost his grandmother that he was extremely close to.”

Reed’s brother, Sergeant Miles Tarron

(SUNUP)

Not even four months later, Reed suffered another devastating loss, just weeks away from his toy drive in 2021.

“We were notified by soldiers that Reed’s brother had passed in the military,” Angie says. “I talked with Reed and I told him I didn’t think we can do the toy giveaway. And he said, ‘Mom, brother would want us to do the toy giveaway, so we’re going to do the toy giveaway.’”

And he did, with an entire community rallying around Reed as a way to give back to one of their own who had done so much.

“They helped us get it over to Ragan’s. We got it all set up. And then they just helped us all the way through it,” Angie says. “After that, Reed had already created the Hudson Strong Foundation for a little boy that had cancer. And they provided some help with the costs of the storage buildings. Then after his brother passed, Reed created the Sergeant Miles Tarron Foundation, and that supports his toy giveaway, his backpack giveaway and his silent auction. His brother always had a hand in supporting him and sending money. So, now the Sergeant Miles Tarron Foundation and the Hudson Strong Foundation support those storage buildings.”

Reed has nine storage buildings, all bursting with donated toys each year. But this success is also because of one lady Reed deeply admired: his 4-H leader, Miss Donna Curry.

“After he lost his brother, June 28, 2022, he lost Miss Donna Curry, who was like a second mother to him, who got him into 4-H, and she supported this project thoroughly,” Angie says.

Today, Reed doesn’t just give away toys. Miss Donna had another idea two years before she died: to give out pajamas, socks and undergarments to those in need.

“We named it Miss Donna’s Closet. And when they drive through the toy giveaway, they get the pajamas, they get socks, they get undergarments all through the toy line. They get snacks. And so when we lost Miss Donna, Reed promised at that point that he would carry her tradition on.”

Reed is Now Inspiring Others
Reed’s heart of service is always on display, and it’s now inspiring others.

“It’s literally the goal that we try to set for our 4-H members. We hope that they’ll develop a level of mastery in their project work, and for Reed, his project has been civic engagement,” Greg says. “And when they get to that point, we’ll hope we hope that they’ll utilize that to teach and impact others to follow in their footsteps, which is exactly what Reed has done.”

“That’s the best thing with 4-H; they always want you to strive to be the best version of yourself. And that’s something this project really does every year,” Reed says. “It’s not just staying the same or leveling out each year. It’s getting bigger and better than the last.”

True Gift of Giving
Reed’s one idea in 2016 continues to spread joy year-round, as it showcases the true gift of giving.

“Little 11-year-old Reed could never see such a thing happening, especially when I was so young and couldn’t even talk to a group of ten people, let alone do something like this. I never thought it would reach this,” Reed says.

“I always share this. That came from the idea of an 11-year-old child. That shows the impact of the 4-H program. That shows the impact of a student that wants to give, that wants to make a difference and wants to make a positive impact on their community,” Greg says.

Reed Accepts Donations Year-Round
In order to make the annual toy drive possible, Reed accepts donations year-round. If you’d like to contribute to the annual toy drive or Reed’s other service projects, you can donate here .

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How This 29-Year-Old Farmer is Calculating His Costs on Every Acre in Real-Time

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:48:56 GMT

At just 29-years-old, Illinois farmer Chase Sailer is always exploring unconventional ways to be more productive.

“This is one of the things that we can probably see the biggest return on investment,” Sailer says, pointing to the GPS Ditch Grader in his machine shed. “Spots that used to yield 20 bu. [per acre] for soybeans are now getting all the way up to 50 to 70 bu. [per acre] in those wet holes.”

Sailer, who farms near Carmi, Ill., says it’s been one of the biggest game changers on his farm.

“It’s pretty much a surface drain drainage tile, if you want to look at it that way. It’s a lot cheaper than putting drainage tile on a field. But we can go out there, take the topography of any field, and we’re overlaying that with yield maps, to see where trouble spots are,” Sailer says.

Chase Sailer

(Russ Hnatusko)

Instead of guessing why low-yielding spots are an issue in any given field, they use all that data to know exactly what the culprit is.

“And then we’re able to go out there with this ditcher and grade it; we’re able to make sure that water flows to where it needs to,” Sailer says.

It’s that attention to detail, along with Sailer’s ability to turn to technology to solve problems on the farm, that makes this southern Illinois farmer a true maverick.

“We’re going to admit when we’re wrong, and we’re always willing to learn,” he says. “So, I think that’s a huge role, and the key in trying to be better is really dive in deep each year on what you did wrong. Because if you only focus on the things you did right, you’re never going to have growth,” he adds.

The Push for Precision

Another way Sailer Farms is taking the guesswork out of farming, is by fulling grasping onto precision farming. Now, Sailer is able to drill down their decisions to the acre.

“Right now we’re using about every part of precision technology that you can possibly use, and that’s going all the way from obviously auto row guidance with AutoTrac , which is kind of the bare minimum, to section control on your planters . And now we’re going into tramlines where we’re trying to limit the compaction zones on all of our fields,” Sailer says.

Aerial of Sailer Farms, Carmi, Illinois

(Russ Hnatusko )

In this area of southern Illinois, the two biggest limiting factors to yields are either too much or too little water, as well as compaction.

“So, with the use of tramlines and AutoPath from John Deere Ops Center, we’re able to pull into the field, already have the field mapped out and the route that we want to take. And we’re taking that same 60-foot pass on every application that we do. So that’s allowing us to come in here in the fall and in-line rip only where our equipment’s ran,” Sailer says.

Data-Driven Decisions

What goes into every decision the Sailers make, well, that all comes down to data.

“We have so much data anymore, all the way from our soil tests that we do every other year, and this is where we’re working really close with our agronomist. So, we’re pairing up different seed varieties to different soil types to make sure that we’re getting the biggest bang for our buck in that aspect,” he says.

Chase Sailer, Carmi, Illinois

(Russ Hnatusko )

Getting Rid of Bad Data

Sailer admits their farm used to comb through bad data, but now, through Ops Center, they finally have good data they go through not monthly or weekly, but daily.

“Even from our See & Spray maps where we’re going out with our sprayer, we’re getting these weed pressure maps and each year we’re able to learn and build off of that and make sure in that particular field that we’re doing a better job. And it’s helping us make decisions on what type of chemicals to use for certain fields,” Sailer says.

From being better able to decide which chemicals to use, to knowing which seed variety needs to be planted on every acre, Harvest Profit is another tool Sailer Farms now relies on heavily.

“Harvest Profit is a neat tool where we’re able to put in every overhead cost that we have in our farming operation, all the way from our employees to the random bills we get from the parts stores, so you get a true number of how much does it cost to run this one acre,” Sailer says. “And then, when we’re spraying and spreading throughout the field, we have all of our chemical prices and our fertilizer prices in Harvest Profit. And it’s just continually giving you a calculator throughout the field on a per acre basis.”

Chase Sailer, Carmi, Illinois

(Russ Hnatukso )

There’s no shortage of technology and precision tools on this farm, but what may be Sailer’s biggest key to success is the people they surround themselves with.

“As a farm, it’s just like a sports team. You’re only as good as your weakest link. We have 12 different guys and all of them play a huge role, whether it’s planting, harvesting, spreading, spraying. Every row needs to be done just as good as the best guy, and I feel like we have that as a team,” Sailer says.

At not even 30-years-old yet, Sailer just may be wise beyond his years. But as he looks ahead, he has big plans for the next 30 years.

“I’m a third-generation farmer,” says Sailer. “We’re always looking towards that next generation, trying to make decisions and set up the farm to where we’re successful for years to come. I hope to be here for another 100 years.”

Your Next Read:

From Race Car Driver to Arkansas Farmer, How Travis Senter’s Obsession With Data is Paying Off

No Hands: Young Illinois Farmer is Now Taking Planting Tech to New Heights

How a Farm Journal Ad Led to Love and Legacy

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 23:12:49 GMT

Before there was eHarmony and Match.com, and before people were swiping right or left to find the love of their life, there was Farm Journal.

In August 1984, a Farm Journal story, “Finding a mate got you buffaloed?,” coupled with personal ads created a farming legacy that is still alive and well on at least one farm today.

In the aftermath of that article, a farm girl in southwest Iowa named Pat would find love all the way in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in Fort Ann, N.Y. Under a listing that began: “My worst habits are losing gloves and sunglasses and tracking dirt in the house,” Pat first learned of Douglas Fuller, a young dairyman who was also looking for love. She circled the listing and wrote “yes” above it.

Soon after, they started corresponding through letters.

“Her letters were well-written, and she started sending chocolate chip cookies with them,” he recalls.

Their cross-country courtship lasted only three dates before Pat packed up her truck for New York for good to marry Doug.

Thirty years later, the legacy of that single piece of magazine print is still alive. Though Pat passed away in 2020, Doug now works alongside their daughter, Olivia, and her partner, Tom, to continue the family’s farming tradition in now the fourth generation of Fuller Acres Farm.

“I’ve always felt a deep connection to agriculture and feel lucky to have farming families on both sides,” Olivia says. “I was lucky to grow up knowing what it meant to be a steward of the land and everything that went into raising our food.”

Though returning to Fuller Acres Farm has been far from easy, Olivia says it has been the best decision of her life.

Visit Fuller Acres Farm to learn how she is carrying on her family’s legacy and elevating conservation efforts.

Do you know someone who found love like Doug and Pat Fuller thanks to Farm Journal’s August 1984 story, “Finding a mate got you buffaloed?” and personal ads? Or maybe they connected through the Rural Singles Directory Farm Journal published in the mid-1990s. If so, we want to hear about it. Send an email to editors@farmjournal.com.

Your Next Read: Is Now The Right Time To Ditch Tradition On The Farm?

ARA Announces 2024 Rising Stars Video Contest Winners

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 19:34:30 GMT

During its annual conference & expo, The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) recognized a group of top performers and emerging leaders as part of its Rising Stars award program at the 2024 ARA Conference & Expo.

The theme of this year’s Rising Stars award program, which is sponsored by Atticus, was “Empowering Leadership through the Next Frontier.” As part of the award application process, many nominees submitted videos to Atticus, sharing their unique stories and explaining what this year’s theme meant to them.

Eric Winans, PhD, research farm manager and technical agronomist with Brandt, was named this year’s grand prize-winning Rising Star for his video.

New this year was the Atticus Fan Favorite Video Contest, which empowered our Rising Star nominees to share their application videos on social media, encouraging friends and family to vote for them. Chase Porter with Southern States Cooperative was named the 2024 Fan Favorite winner, totaling the most votes.

Read more about this year’s Rising Stars Class: ARA Announces 2024 Rising Star Award Class

ARA Announces 2024 Rising Star Award Class

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 20:33:27 GMT

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) has announced its 2024 Rising Stars , a group of top-performing emerging leaders in the agricultural retail industry.

The ARA Rising Stars award program, which is sponsored by Atticus, is a way for companies to recognize employees for their work and to explore new ways to hone leadership skills. This year’s award theme is Empowering Leadership through the Next Frontier, which guides the videos created by each Rising Star .

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View the complete list of this year’s Rising Stars

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One of these videos will be selected by a panel of ARA and Atticus reviewers to win a grand prize trip to visit the Atticus headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. This winner will be shared the 2024 ARA Conference & Expo.

New for 2024 is the Fan Favorite contest, where the Rising Stars share their message over social media and encourage others to vote for their favorite video. Voting is open now until November 1.

To give your favorite video a boost, “like” it once it is shared from the Rising Star and their company’s social media channels, ARA’s social media channels, or on Atticus LLC’s social media channels.

“ARA and the Atticus team are excited to see our Rising Stars showcase their hard work and share what empowering leadership means to them,” says Andrea Mowers, ARA director of communications and member experience.

Nominations for this award program are accepted annually from late spring until early fall and are open exclusively to ARA members. Click here to learn more about the Rising Stars award program.

Leaders in Ag: Anne Runkel Provides the Big Picture and Then Allows Her Team to Get to Work

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:30:09 GMT

Anne Runkel and her team of scientists and engineers are dedicated to developing science-based biological solutions for agriculture. Runkel received her Ph.D. in plant biology at the University of California, Berkeley, contributing to the field of plant cell and molecular biology. She has a long history of conducting research in the field of plant and microbial biology.

Q: How would you describe your leadership style?

A: I provide clear direction and the big picture, but my team is really self-directed. Especially in innovation, it’s important to have space to be creative and solve problems on their own. That’s usually where you find the best solution.

Q: From a leadership standpoint, what have you learned in your position?

A: You start with a great idea but what really what ends up differentiating it into something that makes it to market or solves a real problem is working with different people and collaborating. The execution brings the solution to success.

Q: What strategies do you employ to help bring your team together?

A: People become close as a team when they work on something hard together, so it helps to find opportunities for them to have ownership and solve things together. That’s where I made some of the best connections with my team members. You find the areas where you’re strong and where others can fill the gaps.

Q: What are two of your favorite business tools?

A: My team is from Spain to Florida to North Carolina, and then we partner with the global Mosaic business, so India and China. The ability to speak to one another on video chat is important. But then the other tools I really like are organizing systems that don’t require you necessarily to always have a conversation. You can go and check the status of a project, or update it so that everyone in the business or group that’s working on something is contributing to it.

Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

A: I had a mentor who said, “Never say yes — but.” You have to be open-minded to opportunities that might not initially seem exciting or might seem problematic in some way. It’s important to pause and think about it first. The other piece of advice I’ve gotten is to be ruthless with your time management. Especially in a leadership position, you’re going to have many different directions and opportunities to do lots of things. You need to focus that time or none of it gets finished.

Q: What advice would you give to someone just getting started in an ag career?

A: One of the things that was very impactful for me was to be out in the field. Find opportunities to shadow, to help out, to volunteer, wherever you’ll meet people who are actually in the space and spend time in the field. For innovation, the biggest breakthroughs are going to be where you’re really solving a problem a grower has or retailer has, and it’s very difficult to see that if you’re not there.

Your Next Read — Leaders in Ag: Rena Striegel Shares Her Thoughts on Leading With Intention

Next Gen Spotlight: Missouri Farmer Diversifies to 'Roll With the Punches and Grow'

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:30:03 GMT

After graduating from the University of Missouri in 2011, Lance Dobson returned to his family farming operation in Lexington, Mo. Today the farm consists of a corn and soybean rotation, but they are looking at ways to diversify. Cattle have been added into the mix following the decision to plant a cereal rye cover crop ahead of soybeans to use as forage. Dobson also started a seed dealership for Beck’s Hybrid to diversify his own income.

Q: Why did you feel a need to diversify?

A: I think it’s important. As human beings, it’s much easier to focus on just one thing. Life has a rhythm, and you know what to expect during every part of the year. However, diversification allows you to roll with the punches and grow. As we get out of our comfort zone, it usually leads to good results. Whether it’s exercising or farming, hopefully diversification in our day will yield results that improve our longevity. I think we’re seeing the need for it right now given the direction our commodity prices are going. So, maybe we need a few more cash avenues or options on the farm.

Q: Why did you become a seed dealer?

A: When I first returned to the farm, I didn’t have a lot of ownership in the operation. I was mostly just an employee helping with the daily operations. After a few years, I really wanted to take on something of my own. I wanted something I could take hold of and build. I had an opportunity sent my way to start a seed dealership, and so I took it. At that time, we were also going through a downturn in the farm economy, and so it was another way to diversify my cash flow. Since then, it’s helped me build a lot of relationships with neighbors and given me the opportunity to figure out how we can all help each other grow our operations.

Lance Dobson introduced cattle and planted cereal rye cover crop ahead of soybeans to use as forage.

(Dobson Farms)

Q: What lessons have you learned from diversifying the operation?

A: Try something new just enough to get a good experiment going so you can see how it could play out on a larger scale, but don’t get in over your head. You don’t want the test to be so big that it’s a real disaster. Right now, it’s hard to try new things when financials are already constrained, but find a way to try. It’s one of the best ways to find new successes. Yes, there will always be failures, but just go learn from them. I think once you make that jump, you’ll be happy you did in the long run. There’s so much personal growth that happens when we can try new things.

Q: What else do you hope to accomplish in the next five to 10 years?

A: A goal for our farming operation is to be more self reliant and resilient. Today, a lot of the constraints we have are based on commodity prices, which we don’t have any control over, and our input prices, which we also don’t have any control over. So, if we can build our farm to where we don’t rely as much on herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers, I think we’ll be in a better place. Similarly, I’d like to build our operation so we don’t rely as much on straight commodity prices. Maybe that means we do more direct-marketed goods, or we sell our corn as value added, somehow differentiating what we’re growing from commodity yellow corn, I think we’d create a lot more resilient and sustainable business.

Your Next Read — Next-Gen Spotlight: Arkansas Farmer Always Willing to Try Something New

Leadership Advice: Ask For Honest Feedback

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:29:44 GMT

Since receiving his Masters of Entomology from the University of Arkansas, Keith Vodrazka has served over 20 years in a number of U.S. and global agribusiness roles. Today, he’s leading Evoia, a biostimulant business that uses fire to turn waste wood chips into biochar and then extracts the plant beneficial compounds for use as a liquid seed treatment. It’s an entrepreneurial startup with big plans and different leadership challenges than he experienced during his days in big agribusiness.

Q: How would you describe your leadership style?

A: “I would call it authenticity. Talk is cheap — it must be backed with action. I think part of what goes with that is integrity, and doing what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it. I found when leaders did that, I trusted them more and the effect of that trust on the organization was very beneficial.”

Q: What’s the most challenging thing about running a ‘new’ brand or company?

A: “As a smaller company, losing focus and having complexity are two things that can really take us way off track. There’s always the temptation to chase a shiny object. There’s a lot of new, innovative, creative ideas about how to approach the market with things like biostimulants and biofertilizers. The most challenging thing is staying focused on what we need to accomplish without being distracted. Secondly, I think it’s hard to keep things simple or reduce complexity.”

Q: What are your favorite business tools?

A: “I like something I can use for good communication and collaboration and something to keep up with numbers. The ability to hop on Microsoft Teams and communicate easily with people, not just in the U.S., but even globally, is of immense value. I’m also an old Excel or spreadsheets fan.”

Q: What does success look like to you?

A: “We measure success by hitting numbers, achieving goals or reaching key milestones. But if you leave it at just numbers, you’re missing something. We all have to deliver some value to stakeholders. That’s obvious, but sometimes we miss the fact that success also has to be measured in terms of having an organization of people that are inspired, passionate and eager to come to work.”

Q: What’s your best advice for others looking to take on a leadership role?

A: “Get honest feedback. You need to ask for it, and I don’t think we do that enough. I was in a situational analysis group where they asked: “If you were in this or that situation, what would you do?” Some senior leaders in the organization were there making observations to tell you where you could improve. It had such a positive impact on me that I’ve never forgotten it.”

Q: How do you relax and de-stress?

A: “Spending time with my three grandchildren isn’t always de-stressing, but it is in the sense that you get the perspective of the world they see. Another way, when I have more time, is I like to go fly fishing.”

From Race Car Driver to Arkansas Farmer, How Travis Senter's Obsession With Data is Paying Off

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 17:10:56 GMT

If proof is in the pudding, Arkansas farmer Travis Senter’s sea of soybeans may be the sign of how paying attention to every detail can add up.

“It’s not uncommon for us to grow 70-bushel [per acre] beans, 80-bushel beans, 90-bushel beans. We can grow good soybeans here,” admits Senter, who farms in Keiser, Ark.

Senter’s soybean crop looks like a monster this year, but that’s not what his mind is focused on most days. Unlike many farmers you meet, he’s always thinking about technology and what’s next. For him, big yields start with collecting and recording as much data as possible every time a piece of equipment enters the field.

“I hate not recording data when we’re going across the field, no matter what we’re doing,” he says. “I want to make sure we’re recording and getting that information because you don’t know when you’re going to use that information.”

That’s a lot of data, considering Senter’s family, along with their local farming partner, farm more than 20,000 acres. Senter says it’s technology and data that help him manage all those acres effectively and efficiently.

“I’ve always been interested in computers, building computers,” says Senter. “Whether it’s technology or equipment, I’m always trying to be a cutting edge. When autosteer came along and when John Deere introduced all this technology with the JDLink System , my father was a little bit older, and he couldn’t really figure out some of this stuff. So that was sort of my niche to get involved in farming and to really ramp up our technology side of things.”

A Generational Shift

Finding a niche is exactly what Senter did, and he went all in. If you walk into his office today, there’s not a single piece of paper on his desk. Everything is focused on technology, including dual 49” displays for his computer.

More Screen Real Estate!…..👌🏻 #farmtech #opscenter @JohnDeere pic.twitter.com/MkeSHEwTEK
— Travis Senter (@traviss22) April 15, 2024

That view is quite the contrast from Travis’ dad’s office. Walk into his office, which is just across the hall, and there’s a clear difference in technology use.

“I have an iPhone, but no, I don’t have a computer,” says Travis Senter Sr., with a smile.

Instead, the way he keeps records is a little more old school: he uses a classic pen and paper.

“I write it down. I have one of these books for every year of my farm and career,” he says, while holding up a composition notebook. “I write down planting dates, varieties, irrigation. I run out of pages, and I write down everything, and then I go back to it.”

Travis Senter, Jr., talks to his dad Travis Senter, Sr.

(Mike Byers )

Travis Sr. may be more old school, but he finds great value—and pride—in what his son’s already done.

“When he came home out of college, he was already running and gunning. I knew I had something special,” says Travis Sr. “With my son coming on board, helping us, it has really opened up things. He brought a lot of new things to the farm that makes it easier, and I love all that stuff. It’s just I’m a little slower at it. I want him to get it, and we just keep investing in it, because we know it helps the farm.”

The Go-To-Guy for Technology

Travis Senter isn’t just the technology whisperer on the family farm, he’s everybody’s go-to guy in the Keiser area for technology. And how he learns and keeps up on the latest tech trends is by simply experimenting.

“It’s a lot of trial and error,” he admits. “You want to go all in and buy the next greatest thing, but that’s not always the best way. I’ve watched a lot of farmers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for things that they’ll not use in two years from now, because that company will go bankrupt,” he adds. “So, you’ve got to do your research and try to figure out exactly what works best for you.”

Monitoring the progress! #farmtech #opscenter @JohnDeere @GoGreenwayEquip pic.twitter.com/dzE0bFcToh
— Travis Senter (@traviss22) October 21, 2023

When Senter finds something that works, he goes all in. That was the case when he was trying to find a way to stay connected to all of the family’s machines on the farm, and it’s not just a few tractors to keep track of. They have a massive fleet. Senter says they operate 33 tractors, three cotton pickers, three combines, four sprayers, a number of excavators and 20 semi-trucks.

“We had one or two units we were swapping from this tractor to that tractor, and so it was kind of a pain. I finally worked out a deal and thought, ‘What if we just get everything connected? Get autosteer on everything, put displays in everything, do recording on everything,’ because that makes life a lot easier. You don’t have to worry about what’s recording here, what’s recording there. Just bring it all in.”

Ops Center

(Travis Senter)

How Racing Made Him a Better Farmer

Senter has a love for technology, and he also has a love for racing with rows and rows of awards and trophies to show for it.

“In what I call my previous life, I was a race car driver and not only a race car driver, I was also a race car builder,” he says.

Travis Senter Racing

(Travis Senter)

For 20 years, Senter traveled across the country, and even the world, building and driving race cars.

“Data collection in racing is probably done more so than in farming,” says Senter. “I had extreme amounts of data on my race car in 2005 to record where I go, where I’m at, all this information that I would study and try to be better. And so that exact thing is what amplified my sensors and my data collection for farming.”

Senter says the ability to collect information in racing is what helped him become an even better race car driver. Today, his ability to collect information and data is what is making him an even better farmer.

“Building race cars, racing race cars, has definitely helped me be a better farmer, which is strange to say,” says Senter.

Using ChatGPT as a Tool on the Farm

Senter’s time on the track may also be why he’s so willing to take risks today and try things that are unheard of on the farm. One example is the way he’s grabbed onto artificial intelligence (AI).

“Taking ChatGPT, for example, you can throw some of your data in there and it will spit out what you’re expected to make. And, if you can throw in enough information and give it the right prompts, I feel like we could change our decision-making,” he says.

I asked ChatGPT to describe an image I took this afternoon and then I asked it to draw that description with Dall-E3. The results are amazing. #ChatGPT pic.twitter.com/ei2sIDayIA
— Travis Senter (@traviss22) October 20, 2023

Last summer, before there was the ability with ChatGPT to add files, Senter and his own son created their own AI model. The goal was to take their 10-year yield history in every field, add in planting and harvesting dates, the varieties or hybrids they planted, and combine that information with weather data.

“Then you can compare information and say, ‘My best year of yield was when I planted this date, this was the average temperature during pollination.’ You can derive that from all this weather information,” Senter says. “So, if I planted at this particular date with this particular variety, and I know the pollination date and what temperature I’m going to have this year, maybe this will help me generate better yield information so I can market better. It opens up a whole realm of possibilities when you are able to throw in more information to this.”

Exploring Virtual Reality

Another unique idea he’s using on the farm is virtual reality.

“I’m not really a gamer, because I’m sort of too old for that. But I was a gamer, and I’ve always had VR headsets,” says Senter.

He says he really likes Apple’s new VR technology called Apple Vision Pro , but prior to that, the other VR headsets available didn’t give him any “wow” factor.

“The Apple Vision Pro is amazing with what it can do,” says Senter. “When you put it on and get it calibrated to you, it’s extremely impressive how your eyes are basically your cursor. You just look at something in it, and you click your fingers together, and it works.”

More Apple Vision Pro. Currently it isn’t great for everyday use, but as things progress this type of augmented reality will be everywhere. #AppleVisionPro @JohnDeere pic.twitter.com/kYxMDs8qUG
— Travis Senter (@traviss22) April 28, 2024

He admits that VR headsets are bulky today. But in the future, he thinks the technology will be in a pair of sunglasses.

“If you imagine 10 years from now, this is going to be smaller, and when you’re walking in the field and see a weed, you can take a picture of it. You can enter that in ChatGPT, and you can ask what that weed is and how you can kill it. And it’ll tell you,” says Senter.

He says it’s a simple way to ask a question, and it’s one that won’t be judged.

“When I ask that question to a professor or a doctor, they may look down on me and think I should probably already know this, and maybe I should or maybe I forgot it. It doesn’t matter. But I get an answer from ChatGPT, and then I can follow it up with more questions. And when you think about that, it opens up a whole realm of possibilities.

Combing Through the Data

Even with those tools, it all goes back to data and capturing as much data as possible on every acre and with every pass. That’s what helps Senter solve some of the problems on his farm.

“If I look at a field and see a problem spot, I’ll instantly pull out my phone and figure out when we sprayed that and when that spot got missed, so I can come back and fix that,” says Senter. “I then know when the applicator missed it. I know what he missed doing, for example.”

Travis Senter checks his mobile app

(Mike Byers)

He says whether it’s when he’s spraying, planting or harvesting, he looks at the data every night, no matter the time of year.

“When I get home from work, I’ll probably spend two or three hours on a computer every night going through fields, looking at maps and just making sure everything got planted right or everything was sprayed right. And that’s usually why I do it,” says Senter.

In the fall, he says it may be midnight before he gets home, but he always goes through the data to make sure everyone is on the same page.

By carefully calculating every move on his farm, he’s controlling what he can control, instead of leaving it up to chance.

“We take every single truck across one scale, just that one scale. We record that information and I’ll enter that in some spreadsheets. I’ve tried different software companies, but Excel and Google Sheets are my saving grace from some of that,” says Senter. “I’ll enter all that information every single night after we get done, so I know exactly how much grain is in the field, and then I’ll send out a report the next day showing exactly how many acres we harvested, how much grain is in this bin and what their average moisture was. There’s lots of information that we try to keep up with.”

A Valuable Tool Today: John Deere Operations Center Mobile

One thing he’s excited to use this fall is something he suggested to John Deere in the past few years. Senter relies heavily on John Deere’s Operations Center Mobile app year-round. He says it’s extremely valuable to help him see real-time information, including fuel information.

What’s new this year is when Senter pulls into a field to harvest, the app will give him an estimated time of completion.

“It gives you a percentage of how much you have left, and what time you should be done. And it’s an adjustable scale,” he says. “I kept mentioning to Deere that we really need a way to know that information, just like when you go on a trip and use GPS for your trip, you know your ETA and you’re trying to beat that time of arrival. We try to beat that time to finish harvest. The app actually keeps everybody up to date of how much is left in that field.”

With that real-time information, Senter can be more strategic about when they finish a field and move to the next, making sure to miss heavy traffic times, like when school gets out in the afternoon. He says it’s a handy feature and one he’s excited to use this fall.

From the race track to the farm field, Senter knows the race to farm effectively and efficiently isn’t slowing down.

“I’m always learning. I’m always finding ways to integrate new things,” says Senter.

Watch the full feature on Senter and how he thinks about technology on the farm differently.

Next-Gen Spotlight: Arkansas Farmer Always Willing to Try Something New

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 17:09:25 GMT

Dalton Dilldine looks at each crop as an opportunity to try something new and different and learn ways to be more efficient across his 6,000-acre multi-crop operation in northeast Arkansas.

In 2022, that meant taking on a shuttered commercial grain facility and outfitting it with grain monitoring and automation technologies.

This year, Dilldine, 31, is taking a good hard look at spray drones and how that technology can fit across his acres.

Whatever the next big innovation to hit agriculture turns out to be, you can bet he will be taking a look at that, too. It’s all part of what makes farming so fulfilling for the young producer: every day is different, and you never know what tomorrow is going to bring.

Q: What are your passions/niches on the farm?

A: As a job on the farm, I like to spray. I like to be in the crop and see it. I feel like if I wasn’t driving a sprayer, I’d miss things, such as the corner that flooded out. I enjoy that it gets you off the turn row and out in the field. What I like about farming in general is the many hats you get to wear. There’s always something new every day, and I feel grateful to not be stuck in the rut of shift work.

Q: How important is technology to your farm?

A: On our farm, technology is very important. I try to do something each year to be more efficient than the previous year. Right now, I’m researching spray drones. From a cost perspective, we’re looking at $3.50 to $4 an acre for owning the drone versus $8+ to hire an ag pilot per acre. The ability to spray when needed or when I want is a huge advantage. I don’t see drones as a full replacement, but I do see them being supplemental for fungicide or finishing up other spraying after a rain or in a hard-to-reach area.

We also have implemented GSI GrainVue digital monitoring cables in our grain bin facility. I wouldn’t want to store any grain without them. They provide cheap insurance to know how the grain is doing in real time and to prevent spoilage or any issue.

Q: As a farmer, where do you go for advice?

A: For any crop related questions, I’ve got a crop scout who gives me a weekly report. He gives advice about seed varieties or timing of insecticide or herbicide applications. He’s my go-to for assistance with critical decisions, in that respect. I also have good relationships with my seed/chemical salesmen. They provide cost-saving options and advice that might be beneficial. On the grain marketing side, I spend a lot of time watching the stock market. I do my own marketing with help from merchandisers at sell points. They do a good job keeping up with the world markets. I went to college with a guy who is an economist, and I reach out to him from time to time. I also call my friends and farming neighbors who are a good source of advice.

Q: What advice would you give to young farmers?

A: You know, I’ve had it rough in farming at times. My dad died when I was 18. My mother and I had hard decisions to make. The bankers advised us the best decision would be to sell everything, keep the land and enjoy life. But I couldn’t imagine doing anything but farming. We thankfully have great hired hands who also wanted to see this farm succeed. We are very close to becoming a century farm, and I am very proud of where we are. You might have bad days, but tomorrow you restart and try to make better decisions or fix the problems of the day before. There is always a positive, you just have to see the glass as half full. It’s never the end of the world from one mistake or problem. Take a breath and learn from it. Call on your friends and neighbors. Being a young farmer, they want to see you succeed and they will help you. Farming isn’t easy, but it is a rewarding career.

Tough Love: More Young Farmers Are Coming Home to Farm, But 58% Say There's No Transition Plan in Place

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 16:58:53 GMT

USDA’s latest Census of Agriculture shows less than 10% of all producers are under the age of 35 today, and fewer still are under the age of 30. However, those who have the opportunity to farm are jumping at the chance.

“I think deep down I always knew I wanted to come back and be involved somehow,” says Lindsay Baneck, a farmer in Helenville, Wis. “I think little by little I realized there’s a huge opportunity here for me to take over this operation.”

USDA data shows that farmers under the age of 40 may be a rare breed, but new research shows that trend might be changing.

NextGen Farm Journal farmer survey

(Lindsey Pound )

Farm Journal surveyed Next Gen farmers, and found more are taking charge of their families’ farm operations, despite not having formal succession plans in place.

The survey uncovered:

80% of younger farmers identify as the owner/operator, even though a legal transition of ownership hasn’t occurred.
58% of younger farmers surveyed said they don’t have a formal succession plan in place.

Farm CPA Paul Neiffer says retirement is playing a role in the younger generation’s decision to come back to the farm.

“We Baby Boomers were more willing to retire than the generation before us, because we want to have our free time,” says Neiffer. “Now, we still want to drive the tractor and drive the combine, but we want to retire. So, I definitely see a lot more Millennials and even some of the older Gen Zs, they are taking over a lot of the buying decisions. And Mom and Dad are fine with that.”

Terry Griffin is a professor in the department of agricultural economics at Kansas State University. He says the generational shift in agriculture is something he’s been studying closely.

“We’re seeing a decline in the proportion of the oldest generation, the Silent Generation is decreasing every year. And those are been replaced largely by Millennial and Gen Z farmers. Plus, we have several multi-generational farms as well,” says Griffin.

As younger farmers desire to use more technology on the farm, Griffin points out they don’t always have the financial footing to do so.

“What we’re seeing with multi-generation farms is that if you have an older generation and a younger generation, they tend to have more technology than either of those farms on their own, or what we call sole proprietors,” says Griffin. “A Gen Z farm, on their own, may not have the technology due to a lack of resources. And a Silent Generation farm may have a lack of technology due to disinterest. But put those two together with the financial resources and the interest, and they typically have more technology than other farms.”

Tech trends among Next Gen farmers

(Lindsey Pound )

The Farm Journal farmer survey also asked younger farmers, “When thinking about technology, which of the following best describes you?” More than half responded they adopt new technologies when it’s practical. And 28% say they let others try them first, but they are next in line.

“We’ve all seen some of the older farm operators who would stay with the same ag retailer, the same co-op or the same bank lender, maybe for longer than they should have. I’m observing the younger generation doesn’t do that so much. They’re looking for the lowest cost because of limited resources,” Griffin adds.

Griffin points out the other biggest difference between younger and older generations is their expectation on how technology works.

“It’s been said that, for Baby Boomers, technology needs to be as simple as one, two, three. But for Gen Z, it needs to be as simple as one, meaning you don’t get a second and third chance if it doesn’t work immediately out of the gate,” he says.

Younger Farmers Taking Over the Buying Decisions

More Next Gen farmers are making operational decisions on the farm.

(Lindsey Pound)

Farm Journal research found that of the younger producers coming back to the farm, they’re taking the biggest lead on managing finances and budgeting, as well as making equipment purchasing decisions, as well as decisions about conservation practices on the farm.

Griffin says whether it’s technology or other purchases on the farm, Next Gen farmers are often looking for the best deal and aren’t necessarily brand loyal.

“One of the things I’ve also noticed in ag retail is instead of selling a single product, they may sell a bundle of products and not just crop protection, or just chemicals. For the younger generation, who may not be wanting to be as detail oriented, they may have the option of buying inputs by the acre instead of by the jug,” he says.

Finding Ways to Make the Farm More Efficient

Finding cost savings on the farm, while being very efficient in what they do, Neiffer says Next Gen farmers are finding ways to work smarter not harder.

“They are willing to work hard, but they’re also willing to step back and say, ‘What can we do to make this job easier, more efficient?’ That’s versus maybe us in the older generation who are just going to muddle through and get it done or do it one way, because we’ve always done it that way,” says Neiffer. “I think this newer generation is finding ways to do some things differently and make their operations more efficient.”

From wanting instant feedback, to prioritizing family and watching their kids play sports, versus working around the clock, Neiffer says Next Gen farmers are hungry for information, and information that’s real-time. Whether it’s exactly how many bushels are going through their combine at any minute, the information and insights they get must be precise.

“These days, when you’re dealing with marketing a crop that’s, you know, $5 million or $10 million or more, having real-time accounting information at your fingertips is very important in order to make those informed decisions,” says Neiffer.

How To Translate Generational Misunderstandings

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 16:24:36 GMT

The week of June 10, Farm Journal is celebrating the next generation of American agriculture. Our goal is to encourage you to plan for the future and cultivate multigenerational success through the transfer of skills and knowledge. Think tomorrow, act today to align your asset, resource and financial legacy.

Communication between one generation to another can seem like talking a different language.

“I suggest you approach looking at another generation with curiosity rather than judgment,” says Kim Lear of Inlay Insights.

In her work, Lear shares generational theory insights and highlights how these are trends, not traits, but can inform better teamwork.

Why It Matters Now

Taking a refreshed approach to understanding on-farm team members from other generations is top of mind as today there are four generations actively employed across our economy.

When bringing more than one generation into leadership roles on the farm, it’s helpful to understand how to communicate.

“Dates given for generations are just a starting point. Generational theory is taking formative events from our growing years and seeing how they shape the people who lived through it,” she explains

A typical generation spans 15 to 18 years, and while general trends can be highlighted, Lear also notes there are exceptions.

“There are individuals who sit between two generations, and those people can serve important roles communicating between the generations. They are generationally bilingual,” Lear says.

3 Steps for Generations To Work Together
“We are in a unique time where we have four generations in the workforce,” says Kim Lear. She suggests three steps to bring together a productive team. 1. Prioritize clarity over brevity in communication. 2. Instill respect as the foundation. 3. Deliver feedback in a way that motivates to improve rather than paralyze with fear. Give a clear path for the road to improvement with the tools to get where they need to be.

3 Steps for Generations To Work Together

“We are in a unique time where we have four generations in the workforce,” says Kim Lear. She suggests three steps to bring together a productive team.

1. Prioritize clarity over brevity in communication.

2. Instill respect as the foundation.

3. Deliver feedback in a way that motivates to improve rather than paralyze with fear. Give a clear path for the road to improvement with the tools to get where they
need to be.

We Are Getting Older

The scales are tilting toward an older society, and there are fewer members of the younger generations.

“The story of aging is changing in America,” she says. “We have cliff diving birth rates and low immigration. Also, we are an ageist society.”

Today 62 million adults ages 65 and older are living in the U.S., which is 18% of the population, according to the U.S. Census. In 30 years, 84 million adults ages 65 and older will make up an estimated 23% of the population.

With the recognition of how our population is structured, and how your on-farm team members reflect their generational trends, you can evaluate your communication.

Next Gen Insights

Lear shares trends about Generation X (birth years: 1965 to 1979), millennials (birth years: 1980 to 1994), and Generation Z (birth years: 1995 to 2012).

Members of Generation X can exhibit fierce independence. For example, they can have an aversion to traditional sales tactics.

“If a brand crosses them, they are hard to earn back as a customer,” she says. “It’s telling — the divorce rate doubled during the Gen X birth years.”

As another data point, 55% of startup founders are Gen X.

As for millennials, the rise of double income households really took off as millennials grew up.

“Millennials are collaborative, empowered, networked, risk averse and in search of meaning,” she says. “But America has more single parent households than anywhere else in the world. It’s one way to understand why work-life balance is at the forefront of recruitment and retention.”

For Generation Z, our present serves as the backdrop of their formative years. Already, Lear has seen how Gen X parents and Gen Z children have relationships rooted in friendship.

“They are highly influential over each other’s decision-making. For example, Gen Z will bring job offers to their parents to vet,” she says.

Lear continues with an example of how Generation Z makes decisions.

“They are showing how they can abandon any obsession of convenience with an obsession of optimization,” she says. “For example, a regular stationary bike is convenient versus a Peloton is synched with stats and analytics. It’s the expectation of personalization and customization.”

Lear gives an exercise to test your transgenerational communication.

“Look at processes, procedures and norms. What are you holding on that is a sacred cow? And then ask your team to think about where can we focus on that’s more useful and more productive for us?” Lear outlines. “You’ll identify priorities and open up how our team talks to one another.”

Key Drivers: Trends To Watch in Ag Retail's Next Generation

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:00:00 GMT

Dial Ventures at Purdue University recently explored what is shaping the future of ag retail, which is highlighted by 5 key trends:

1. efficiency
2. relevance
3. omnichannel
4. sustainability
5. innovation beyond company boundaries

Efficiency Drives Consolidation
Dial Ventures executive director Allan Gray believes the force behind the significant consolidation going on within ag retail is the need for efficiency.

This rings true for the leaders of Keystone Cooperative – which was formed earlier this year by a Co-Alliance and Ceres Solution merger . Following the shareholder vote to merge, Keystone executive vice president Jeff Troike said the decision would ultimately allow the company to better serve its owners.

“Our members expect us to be able to deliver technology to help them be more productive, more efficient and more profitable. An organization of this size will allow us to continue to do what we’ve been doing in the future,” Troike says.

At the same time, Gray says a merger isn’t always the answer to enhanced company efficiency. He suggests partnering with another company on a product or service, utilizing precision ag technologies to reduce labor needs, or using data to track product performance and forecast demand to cut down on excess inventory.

Trusted Advisors Will Remain Relevant
Many farmers have probably experienced walking into a hardware store and realizing they know more than the employee that’s supposed to be helping them choose a product. Gray shares staying up to date on new products, services and tools will be vital to help ag retailers remain relevant and position themselves as the trusted advisor to their customers.

One way to build that trust is by keeping employees up to date and trained on new products and technology so they are able to help customers navigate the endless sea of options that are out there.

Gray also suggests figuring out what you can offer to set yourself apart from the competition – it could be anything from thorough after-sales support and advising to flexible pricing models or subscriptions.

Make the Most of Data
In Farm Journal’s 2023 study on online purchasing behaviors , many farmer respondents shared an important factor they consider during an online purchase is their adviser or consultant’s availability for questions. As sales become increasingly digital, retailers can use a combination of data and consulting to keep digital and physical sales from competing with each other.

Gray says a key component to this will be using data to offer customers a personalized experience. For example, a customer relationship management (CRM) system could help the retailer manage their customer’s data and use it to provide more relevant recommendations.

Another way to personalize the experience is by giving customers the ability to choose their preferences. Delivery of products was ranked as an important deciding factor for how the respondents in Farm Journal’s study purchase their products. Some farmers may want to purchase a product online but have the option of picking the product up in the store instead of having it delivered.

It all comes back to user experience, which is something ag retail platforms will need to make a priority moving forward. The company’s digital tools have to be easy to use in both mobile and web versions with product information and inventory kept up to date.

Sustainability Initiatives Aren’t Going Away
Regenerative ag programs are growing at a rapid pace, giving retailers the opportunity to help their farmer customers navigate this new territory. Gray advises using the customers’ data to figure out which programs and practices will work for them and then providing support in measuring, tracking, reporting and verifying those practices.

Regenerative Ag: How Ag Retailers Can Help Programs Find Scale

Another way to support customers in this area is by trialing products that will help them reach their sustainability goals. For example, soil sensors could promote less water usage while some precision ag equipment could lead to fewer herbicides sprayed.

Innovation Beyond Company Boundaries
Organizations can easily be consumed by their efforts to reach set metrics and goals, which can leave little time for additional innovation – especially when an ag retailer’s chaotic spring and fall schedule is thrown into the mix. Gray warns that when companies cannot disrupt the marketplace with new ideas, they risk being disrupted themselves as the marketplace evolves.

He suggests staying ahead of the curve by partnering with tech companies and universities to discover new technologies and ways of doing business. Another great way to find practical, innovative ideas is by simply asking your customers. They’ll be able to share what could be beneficial to their operation but isn’t currently on the market.

The Scoop Podcast: Have The Right Question, Not The Answer

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 19:00:46 GMT

Erin Mies and Kristen Ireland of People Spark Consulting offer insights on how to create process and equip people. The duo shares some takeaways for managing a multi-generational workforce. And they share how to prepare high performing individuals to take over legacy roles.

“A lot of times, leaders and managers feel like we need to have the answer. We feel we need to have this job structure because when somebody asks me, ‘What’s next?’” Ireland says. “You don’t need to have the answer; you need to have the question.”

Hear more in The Scoop Podcast:

She highlights how conversations with team members reveal their intent in a more helpful and beneficial way.

For example, asking to have an employee help the manager understand their interest areas for additional development. She says this is particularly insightful in managing a multigenerational team.

“The biggest thing that somebody can do is ask questions and listen to those responses,” she says. “In many cases, we’ll make some assumptions about what that means, or somebody’s intention, motivation or an action. Let’s not assume what’s important to somebody. Let’s ask what’s important to somebody.”

What To Expect With The Next Gen

In their consulting, Ireland and Mies say there are two big takeaways about the next generation of leaders in ag business: energy and passion.

When team members are approaching retirement and managers are able to use their experience in training newer team members, set clear expectations for how the time is spent together in their training.

“We expect a lot of times that just by osmosis of riding in a spreader truck with somebody that it’s going to just magically happen,” Mies says. “The more tactical kind of guidance that I would give is around not being afraid to expect some clear expectations around what it is. Share with them what it is that you want them to be learning and listening for and picking up and why it’s important to the business. Unless we get pretty explicit on it, we may completely miss that person nearing retirement did really did and was known for without being clear about it.”

More resources on preparing for the next generation, including two executive summaries on succession planning and retaining key employees, as well as links to People Spark succession planning blogs.

Set Up Leaders For Success

Time is not the most important measurement in getting someone ready for a new or expanded role.

Ireland shares an example in working with a co-op manager who identified an emerging leader but said they needed three more years until the role would be offered to them.

“I understood he needed about three years to be ready, but you have to identify the specific skills, experience and background training needed in that time frame. Because otherwise, three years later, they may not be there if you haven’t defined what success looks like.”

Learn more in Mies and Ireland’s recent book.

A team or role transition may also open the opportunity to examine the future needs for the business.

“I was working with a co-op who had somebody as their go to person. He could fix everything. His job was if something goes down, you fix it. And the general manager was concerned of when he retires in three or four years, he needed somebody who can do what he did,” Ireland says.

She shares the value in looking at the bigger picture, and stepping back asking ‘what does success look like for this role?’ And in this example, investing in more preventative maintenance to reduce downtime provided a better fit.

“Sometimes it’s not about how a person does the job, or the steps they took, but it’s about looking at the opportunity to redefine what success looks like for the role,” Ireland says.

Make The Meaning of Work Apparent

Mies references a nationwide study across multiple industries showing that 44% of workers don’t know how the work they do every day impacts the business.

“Managers should be able to say these are the accomplishments and the impact for our co-op/our ag retail business. And they should be able to connect those dots for somebody to show that impact. It is a great way to continue motivating someone when they want to know that the work they’re doing is meaningful.”

Hear more in The Scoop Podcast

Georgia Farmer Reaps Bigger Yields By Focusing On Better Acres

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 18:01:46 GMT

The week of June 10, Farm Journal is celebrating the next generation of American agriculture. Our goal is to encourage you to plan for the future and cultivate multigenerational success through the transfer of skills and knowledge. Think tomorrow, act today to align your asset, resource and financial legacy.

Bigger ain’t always better. When does a farmer drop almost 3,000 acres and not look back? Ask Alex Harrell.

In 2023, Harrell got skinny-fat — as in less ground but booming yields. Cold turkey, he slashed his row-crop operation in half and went in hot pursuit of high management and yield per acre, searching for the sweet spot with rent, equipment, labor, time and insurance.

Sign or Walk
After the 2022 season farming in a partnership alongside his father, Rodney, in Lee County, Ga., Harrell faced a fork in the road when a landlord approached with a higher lease on a 2,800-acre farm that typically produced middling yields. Harrell was under no illusions about the rent rate: Someone would grab the acres; someone would pay the ask. However, it wouldn’t be him. Rent on irrigated ground in his area runs $260 to 330 per acre.

Adios to 2,800 acres, leaving him with 3,000 acres of predominantly red loam to grow corn, soybeans, watermelons and wheat. He immediately sold some equipment, but the basic structure of his operation stayed the same.

“Certainly, variable costs went down with fertilizer, seed and fuel, but my fixed costs — equipment, labor and insurance — when divided by acreage, suddenly almost doubled,” he explains.

Overall, fewer acres mandated higher profit and yield per acre.

“For us, 6,000 acres was too much, and I was determined to find the ideal amount of ground,” Harrell explains. “There’s a fine line between too much and too little. You’ve got to have enough land to stretch your payments and costs, but if you overextend, you ruin the balance the other way, and yields go down. Yield instantly became even more crucial when we cut acres.”

Without coincidence, Harrell was about to grow the highest yielding soybeans in agriculture history.

Bull’s-Eye of Efficiency
On Aug. 23, 2023, Harrell watched 206.79 bu. per acre flash across his yield monitor in the Georgia Soybean Production Contest.

Although the 206 bu. contest soybeans were on a tiny fraction of acreage, they were indicative of Harrell’s overall high-management approach.

“In the next two to three years, we want to average 300 bu. on irrigated corn, 100 bu. on full-season soybeans, 80 bu. on double-crop beans, and 100 bu. on wheat,” he says.

In 2024, Harrell’s operation climbed to 4,500 acres — the bull’s-eye of efficiency, he says, with assistance from his father, Rodney, two local hands and five workers from South Africa.

“For us, we’ve got so much spraying, watering and land prep that 4,500 acres is just right to keep our intense yield focus,” he explains.

This year, Harrell has 250 acres of watermelons, with the remaining ground in two-thirds corn, a third in wheat and double-crop soybeans and 300 acres of full-season soybeans.

“Another goal is I’d like to get to a point where I’m 90% corn,” he says.

Tech to the Rescue
At 4,500 acres, Harrell’s management has a major new boost: drones.

“I got rid of our ground sprayer and bought an older one to do nitrogen applications in corn when the crop is taller, but last year I used all drones and had no ground rig,” he says.

With two drones, Harrell covers 400 acres per day.

“We’ve almost eliminated our airplane bill. I’m the Southeast drone dealer for AgriSpray, and we mix and spray everything ourselves,” he says.

Timeliness is supreme when it comes to high-yield corn and soybeans, Harrell emphasizes. Mother Nature never reveals her calendar.

“Take away timeliness and it doesn’t matter how you spray or what fertilizer, products or snake oils you use because they will not work right,” he adds.

What advice does Harrell offer when considering an acreage shift?

“Go gradual to the sweet spot to avoid the problems I had with fixed costs per acre going up. Again, you might not have the choice to go slow. If that happens, focus on the acres you keep and stay extremely timely because when it’s time to go, it’s time to go.”

Want more insights to plan for the future and be a leader in your field? Sign up to receive Farm Journal newsletters.

Nutrien Ag Solutions Sees Transformation Afoot For Ag Retail

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 11:00:00 GMT

What does the next generation of ag retailers look like? According to Rob Clayton, Senior Vice President of Retail North America at Nutrien Ag Solutions, he says the professionals in this industry will uphold a trifecta of characteristics: be tech savvy, passionate about the role, and keep the farmer’s best interest first.

“You can’t be an agronomist today that isn’t digitally enabled,” Clayton says. “Think about drones, selective spraying, and predictive weather forecasting. You have to be someone collecting data and then using the data to feed back to the grower for the best outcomes on a risk adjustment point of view.”

Clayton says his own career beginning as an agronomist was completely analog. Knowledge sharing was limited to phone calls, however, today, with its network of more than 4,000 agronomists on three continents, the Nutrien Ag Solutions network can leverage its scale in ways impossible even a few years ago.

“We have to have a different agronomist today than we did back then. Our teams are thinking about a holistic cropping cycle: taking in the productivity, the fertilizer and inputs applied along with the data points to predict the future. It’s a night and day difference,” he says.

He points to the developments in soil science, artificial intelligence, and biologicals as leading examples of how innovation is central to unlocking new possibilities.

Recruiting the Next Generation of Ag Talent

When Clayton thinks about the future, he says one of the biggest challenges forthcoming is having the professional talent required to help move the industry forward.

As the world’s largest agriculture inputs company, Nutrien Ag Solutions hires around 1,500 people each year- adding to its total corporate team of more than 25,000 global employees.

“The workforce dynamics in agriculture is rapidly evolving as technology and innovation drive the industry forward,” says Clayton. “Today, many of the professional and technical roles that we hire for at Nutrien Ag Solutions didn’t exist 30 years ago—data scientists, computer engineers, finance analysts, and marketing—these are new roles to the business,” he says.

In five years, NAS went from not employing any data scientists to now having 50 on their team.

“And there are still many roles we haven’t thought of yet,” Clayton says.

As such, it’s opened the agriculture industry to be competitive with a broad set of employers seeking employees from the same talent pools. But Clayton sees agriculture as having a unique advantage.

“I hear from the young professionals, the new generation that say they want to work for an organization that makes a difference. We are primed for that in the ag industry. We answer the questions of how to feed a growing planet and we solve the environmental issues in doing so,” Clayton says.

A supporter of youth programs that deepen the connection between science and agriculture, Nutrien Ag Solutions’ multi-year commitment of nearly $850,000 to the National FFA Organization underscores the company’s dedication to ag education and the development of future industry leaders.

“This is a role for all of us to be better linked as an industry– delivering the message that agriculture is a great place to be,” he says. “It’s a noble industry. It’s a meaningful industry. And it’s a great fit for those who want to do something of meaning and be successful at it.”