Farm4Profit Podcast

For over 125 years, Farmers Mutual Telephone Company (FMTC) has helped connect rural Iowa—first with telephones, then cable television, cellular service, broadband internet, and now preparing for what may become agriculture's next major infrastructure investment: AI computing. In this episode, Kevin shares how a small rural telephone company evolved into a modern broadband provider and why Iowa's independent telecommunications companies have been uniquely positioned to bring fiber internet to rural communities long before much of the country caught up. He explains how fiber optic networks work, why broadband is becoming just as essential as electricity, and why ne...

In this episode, Tanner and Dave sit down with Stacy Anthony, CEO and co-founder of Ag Revolution, to discuss how his company is reshaping equipment sales and service across the Midwest. After spending 27 years with John Deere rebuilding dealerships and later creating one of the nation's largest agricultural equipment export businesses, Stacy set out to build something entirely different. He shares the story behind launching Ag Revolution, why the company invested in a fleet of more than 60 mobile service trucks instead of additional brick-and-mortar dealerships, and how servicing equipment directly on the farm is helping producers reduce...

Farm4Profit sat down with Carl, one of Performance Livestock Analytics' earliest customers, to hear how the platform has evolved from a simple recordkeeping tool into a critical management system for his custom feeding business. Carl explains how switching from paper records eliminated hours of office work, improved billing accuracy, simplified relief feeding, and gave nutritionists, veterinarians, and cattle owners real-time access to important production data. The conversation also explores how digital records improve decision-making, why accurate data builds stronger customer relationships, and how emerging AI tools could shape the future of feedlot management. <...

Today's farms rely on technology more than ever. From grain dryers and irrigation pivots to livestock systems, security cameras, accounting software, and smartphones, nearly every part of a modern farming operation is connected. That also makes agriculture one of the fastest-growing targets for cybercriminals. Chris from Tech Support Farm returns to Farm4Profit to discuss how farms can better protect themselves from ransomware, phishing scams, compromised credit cards, malware, and attacks on connected equipment. The conversation covers real-world examples—including Tanner's own experience with fraudulent credit card charges—and explains how remo...

Every season farmers face the same expensive questions: Should I spray fungicide? Does this field really need more nitrogen? Which fields deserve my attention first? How do I know the recommendation is actually right? At Tech Hub LIVE, Farm4Profit sits down with Kristine White, CEO of Spornado, and Jackson Stansell, CEO of Sentinel Ag, to explore two innovative technologies designed to answer those questions with data. Kristine explains how Spornado captures airborne fungal spores before disease symptoms ever appear, allowing growers to make preventative fungicide decisions weeks earlier than traditional scouting. The conversation also...

Nematodes may be hidden underground, but they can have a major impact on the long-term productivity of orchards, vineyards, and specialty crops. In this What's Working in Ag segment, Daniel Abruzzini of Corteva joins Farm4Profit to discuss Salibro, an innovative nematicide that's changing how growers manage root-knot, lesion, and ring nematodes in perennial cropping systems. Unlike traditional fumigation practices performed before planting, Salibro offers growers the flexibility to make in-season chemigation applications through existing irrigation systems, helping protect valuable orchards throughout their productive lifespan. Daniel also shares insights into California specialty crop...

https://agxplore.com/assessment/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=us_branding_search&utm_content=us_branding_search&utm_creative=&utm_term=nitrogen%20fertilizer%E2%80%A8&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19647814938&gbraid=0AAAAABcjE32bUOUfaJpssNXD_ZsSRg9jE Dr. John Murphy, Director of Agronomy at AgXplore, joins the Farm4Profit crew to cut through the confusion and explain the science behind one of agriculture's fastest-growing product categories. From seaweed extracts and amino acids to nutrient efficiency and stress reduction, Dr. Murphy explains how biostimulants influence plant biology, why they're different from biologicals and fertilizers, and how...

Alex Fulton joins Farm4Profit to share his journey from horse racing and landscaping to building a thriving first-generation livestock farm in Maryland. Today, Alex raises registered Berkshire hogs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, and laying hens while selling premium meat directly to consumers through multiple weekly farmers markets. Along the way, he explains how direct marketing, quality genetics, customer education, and diversification have allowed his family to create a profitable business in one of the country's most competitive regions. The conversation also dives into Berkshire genetics, premium pork production, direct-to-consumer marketing, grinding your own feed, Maryland...

What makes Ag PhD Field Day one of the premier educational events in agriculture every year? In this What's Working in Ag segment, Darren Hefty joins Farm4Profit to preview everything coming to the 2026 Ag PhD Field Day, including brand-new equipment launches, recently approved herbicides, AI discussions, fertility management, and practical agronomic advice for the season ahead. The conversation covers why farmers from across the country attend the event, how innovation continues to reshape agriculture, and why networking with fellow producers can be just as valuable as the latest technology demonstrations. Darren also...

In this episode, Farm4Profit welcomes John Deere Combine Specialist Tim Ford along with Millennial Farmer Zach Johnson for an in-depth conversation about harvest automation. You'll learn how predictive ground speed automation uses cameras, satellite imagery, and onboard sensors to maintain optimal combine performance throughout the day while reducing operator fatigue. Topics include: Predictive Ground Speed Automation Harvest Settings Automation Camera-based crop detection Satellite imagery integration Green crop detection Down crop detection Machine learning in combines Fuel efficiency improvements Harvest productivity gains Operator fatigue reduction Future autonomous harvesting Return on investment for automation ...

The conversation explores the history behind the Albert City Threshermen Show, now celebrating its 55th year, and why thousands of visitors continue traveling from across the United States—and even internationally—to experience farming as it once was. You'll hear about: Live wheat harvesting demonstrations Antique combines and threshing machines Steam engines and prairie tractors Horse-powered farming equipment Blacksmith and woodworking demonstrations Corn shelling and sawmill operations The famous 60 Minutes of Farming demonstration Family activities for all ages The annual Wheat Run and Old Power Roundup Why preserving agricultural history matters for future generations The epis...

In this episode of What’s Working in Ag, Tanner, Corey, and David sit down with Drew Grundmeyer, founder of Harvest Ready, to discuss a practical solution to one of farming’s most persistent problems: labor. Drew shares how his background in education and farming inspired him to create a training program that helps prepare people for real-world farm work before they ever climb into a tractor or grain cart. Harvest Ready combines classroom instruction, safety training, equipment familiarization, and hands-on experience to help participants develop the foundational skills needed to support farm operations during harvest. The goal...

The discussion covers everything from almonds, vineyards, tomatoes, melons, cucurbits, tobacco, cotton, sweet potatoes, peanuts, peaches, apples, and leafy vegetables while comparing production practices to the corn and soybean systems familiar to much of the Farm4Profit audience. Topics include: Specialty crop production across the United States California almonds, walnuts, pistachios, vineyards and vegetables North Carolina sweet potatoes, tobacco and cotton Why long-term planning matters in permanent crops Water management and irrigation challenges Labor costs versus traditional row crop production Weed management strategies and residual herbicides New Corteva herbicides including Hulk CA Managing nematodes with Celebro ...

Nearly twenty years later, DOSE Manufacturing has grown into a 45-person manufacturing company producing premium agricultural equipment, including Headhunter head trailers, Freedom all-wheel-steer trailers, sprayer accessories, rock boxes, fertilizer equipment, and large LED display trailers used across the country. In this episode, Brett walks through that incredible journey and shares the lessons learned along the way. The conversation includes: How DOSE Manufacturing got its start Why Brett stopped repairing equipment and began manufacturing products Building the first Headhunter trailer Growing from Perry to Bouton and eventually transforming the Story City outlet mall into a...

After touring the Hagie Manufacturing facility in Clarion, Iowa, Corey Hillebo and his father, Scott Hillebo, reflect on their family's long history with Hagie sprayers and how technology has transformed their farming operation. Scott shares the story of purchasing his first Hagie STS10 in 2009, using a detasseling cutter to help justify the investment, and eventually progressing through multiple Hagie models as the farm's needs evolved. The conversation highlights how the farm transitioned from using a sprayer primarily for crop protection to utilizing it as a critical management tool for fertility, nitrogen applications, fungicides, foliar feeding, and late-season...

Joining the show are Raymond Chung, founder and CEO of AcreHedge, Chief Technology Officer Todd Larson, and Chief Media Officer (and returning guest) Zoe Kent. Together they explain how prediction markets work, why they're gaining popularity, and how they could eventually become another valuable tool alongside crop insurance and traditional marketing strategies. Ray shares how his background on Wall Street combined with years operating one of the nation's largest edamame processing businesses led him to create AcreHedge. Todd explains how modern AI accelerated development of the platform while maintaining enterprise-level quality, and Zoe discusses using her own...

In this Farm4Fun episode, Zach Hefty and multi-time Farm4Profit favorite Tony Reed return to the show to preview the upcoming Ag PhD Field Day while sharing honest updates on one of the most challenging growing seasons many farmers have experienced. The conversation begins with spring planting struggles, including Tony's incredible 15-plus inches of rainfall, multiple rounds of replanting, and fields ranging from freshly planted corn to chest-high corn—all within the same operation. Meanwhile, Zach discusses the opposite challenge in South Dakota: dry conditions and hoping for timely rains before Field Day. The di...

In this What's Working in Ag segment, Tanner and Mikaya Spires from Spray Drone Network join Farm4Profit to explain how their platform is helping connect growers with qualified, licensed drone applicators across the country. What started as a simple question—"How do I find a reliable spray drone operator?"—has quickly grown into a nationwide network serving farmers, applicators, dealers, and industry professionals. The discussion covers: How Spray Drone Network was created The rapid growth of spray drone applications across agriculture Why licensing and professionalism matter What farmers should ask before hiring a drone applicator The...

The conversation explores the often-unseen world of product testing, field validation, software development, and farmer feedback that goes into launching new technology. Jared shares his unique role as a product tester, explaining how Ag Leader evaluates new products before they ever reach a customer's farm and how real-world farmer feedback helps shape final product decisions. The group discusses: What ZRow is and how it improves corn head guidance during harvest Why row guidance still matters in a world of RTK and precision GPS How Ag Leader integrates with existing row sensing systems The product testing process...

In this Farm4Fun episode, the crew is joined by North Dakota farmer and social media creator Beet Farmin’ Mitch, along with Arts Way's Jim Cronk, for a deep dive into the world of sugar beet production. Mitch shares the story of his family's six-generation farming operation in the Red River Valley, where they grow sugar beets, wheat, corn, soybeans, sunflowers, and edible beans. He explains how sugar beets are planted, managed, harvested, stored, and ultimately processed into the table sugar Americans use every day. The conversation covers: The history of Mitch's family farm da...