Mike and Maggie bring the latest Ag news from around Alabama. Also, we introduce a new segment to the AgCast. Mac Higgenbotham brings us the first Field Staff Report. This is what's going on the frontline of agriculture for last week.

Visit Alabama Farmers Federation for more on the headlines covered here. Also, subscribe to the Cultivator to get more Ag news from around the state and in our nation.

You can also visit Sweet Grown Alabama for information from Mac's report.

Blake Thaxton, executive director of Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, joins us to talk about their annual conference in February of next year and several awards of interest.

To nominate or apply, visit the AFVGA website.

Mitt Walker, director of Governmental And Agricultural programs, brings important information about looming deadlines for Federal program payments that Alabama farmers need to be aware of.

Additional information can be found here.

Maggie speaks with Chris Prevatt and Alabama farmers from the Beef Tour who attended this annual event. 

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Mike and Maggie review the latest news from around Alabama.

To find the links referenced in this episode, visit The Cultivator page on our website.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We speak with Scott Graham, Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist in Entomology & Plant Pathology, about a new pest, the cotton jassid, that has been discovered in Alabama.

Read more about the jassid here.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We speak with Alabama Farmers Federation External Affairs Department Assistant Director and legal council, Preston Roberts, about what landowners should know about allowing hunting on their land.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Blake Thaxton speaks with Chad Smith, of Smith Tomato, LLC in Steele, Alabama and Destiny Allman Gladden of Almond Farms and Orchards in Oneonta, about the U.S./Mexico Tomato Suspension Agreement. Joining Destiny, and contributing occasionally, is her baby, Lawson.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Forrest Anders is young farmer who is embracing Artificial Intelligence on his operation. We explore AI with him.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We spend a few minutes with our own, Sen. Katie Britt, to discuss successes and efforts she has made for the families of Alabama.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Mitt Walker, director of Governmental and Agriculture Programs and the Federation's national lobbyist, explains how the American Relief Plan and the Big Beautiful Bill impacts farmers in Alabama.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We visit with Monica Carroll, Alabama's new Farm Service Agency (FSA) director, and Kathy Patterson, program specialist, on what the FSA is and how it benefits farmers in Alabama.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

So how are the planting season doing this year? We sit down with Carla Hornady, commodity directory, to find out.

Also, several members of the Wetumpka FFA visited our office. We chat with two of them to get their perspective.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We have an informative conversation with Alabama Farmers Federation District 6 Director, Phillip Hunter. Phillip and his bother, Will, own Hunter Trees, LLC in Alpine. The operation uses guest workers through the H-2A legal labor program. Phillip also represents Alabama, nationally, as the chairman of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Agricultural Labor Issue Advisory Committee.

John Allen Nichols, agriculture council for the Farmers Federation, wraps up with information about tax incentives for poultry farmers.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We speak with the Nic De Castro, the owner of LandTrust. Like Airbnb, LandTrust partners with landowners to bring parties looking for hunting, fishing, camping, etc. to your land. They handle the vetting, booking, and fees and you make money. Visit the landowner page of the site for additional info. or call (406) 709-8450 to see if it is a good fit for your property. 

Marlee Jackson wraps up by our latest culinary contest, Alabama's Best Surf-n-Turf.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We catch up with Alabama's Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026, Katie Collins, after her presentation at the annual Ag In The Classroom Summer Institute.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We travel to Auburn University to discuss the Farm Survey and producer interviews called, "Farmer in the Middle" with Dr. Mykel Taylor and Dr. Kelli Russell.

Marlee Jackson wraps up by our latest culinary contest, Alabama's Best Surf-n-Turf.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

A parasite from the past is making its way up Mexico and could be headed for the US. We discuss this emerging issue with Chris Prevatt.

Marlee Jackson wraps up by our latest culinary contest, Alabama's Best Surf-n-Turf.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We get a full report on all the legislation worked on by our External Affairs team during the latest session of the Alabama Legislature.

Marlee Jackson wraps up by introducing our latest culinary contest, Alabama's Best Surf-n-Turf.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We sit down with Assistant Director Aisling Walden and Anna Grace Thompkins, intern, of Sweet Grown Alabama to hear how the state's agriculture branding program is going and what's coming up.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

We speak with Mitt Walker, director of Governmental and Agriculture Programs about the latest news for farmers from DC and also about two important award program deadlines coming.

Alabama farmers are encouraged to nominate research and Extension personnel whose work tangibly impacted their farms for two awards from the Alabama Farmers Federation. Nominations close June 6.

The Rittenour Award for Production Agriculture & Forestry Research recognizes Auburn University faculty for creative and original research. The winner receives up to $10,000 in program support, which can fund graduate students or research operations.

The Duncan Award for Excellence in Production Agriculture & Forestry Extension honors Alabama Extension staff developing or implementing solutions for stakeholder-identified problems. The winner receives up to $5,000 for programming costs.

Winners will be recognized in August during the Federation’s Farm & Land Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Morgan Desselle brings a special legislative report about passage of the Alfa Health Plan legalization and Maggie Edwards visits the cut-flower operation on the McLeod Family Farm.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Maggie Edwards gathers organizers and participants from the conference held Auburn to get their take on the conference.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Want to support Alfa Health Plans legislation? Contact members of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. 

We visit with Carla Hornady on the USDA's Prospective Plantings report, released on March 31, 2025.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Maggie Edwards sits down with Sidney and Sheryl McKathan. The McKathans live in Andalusia, Ala. and sell honey and strawberries on their U-pick operation.

Find out more about our sponsor, Alabama Ag Credit, and also about Alabama Farmers Federation.

Want to support Alfa Health Plans legislation? Contact members of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.