When you’re in a downward cycle, how’d we get here, how long’s it going to last, and how do we get out?  To provide her insight on this topic, Jacqui Fatka joins solo host Sal Sama in the podcast room for today’s episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Jacqui is the Lead Industry Analyst for CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange division covering the Farm Supply and Biofuels segments.

Jacqui shares about her career development from her start growing up on the farm to a career as an agriculture journalist to her current role with CoBank. You’ll learn about how her current role helps her spot industry trends and what she’s seeing in current markets overall.  She’ll dig into overall industry trends including debt to asset ratios, why it’s important to know your cost of production numbers, and why we are in a bit of a downward cycle.  She’ll also share how labor costs and the number of available workers has affected interest rates, and she’ll dig into how electric vehicles and the Renewable Fuel Standard have impacted growers.  “There’s new opportunities coming and… if designed well, it can be a new opportunity to really take ag to a new level and get to a new cycle.”

What does the Indiana State Department of Agriculture actually do?  To answer that question, special guest Don Lamb joins host Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies.  In addition to being a farmer, Don is the Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.  

Today, you’ll hear about Don and his career path including the history of his family farm which his father started from scratch.  He’ll share more about the various happenings in the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, how it’s helped him better appreciate farmers, and the various functions within the department.  Don will also share about how Indiana differs from other states in both budget and regulatory functions, what we should be aware of in the current farm bill, and how Indiana Grain Buyers functions and helps protect farmers.  “If I’m not gonna be a farmer, I can’t think of a better job I could have than to just be an advocate for agriculture.” 

“I walked on the farm for the first time, and I showed up to the darn thing in heels!” Hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest are joined by returning and special guest, Leah Anderson, for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Leah is the Senior Vice President of Land O’ Lakes, and she’s also the President of WinField United which is a change from the last time we spoke with her!  

Leah shares her story around how her role at Land O’ Lakes and WinField has changed over the last year and how she fought imposter syndrome throughout the course of her career path.  She also shares how a mentor who invested in her helped transform her career and inspired her to invest in the development of others.  She’s inspiring, funny, and insightful.  If you’re considering a career in agriculture, particularly if you’re a woman, you are not going to want to miss this episode!

What should growers be thinking about as they look to prepare for the 2024 planting season?  To answer that question, returning guest Glenn Longabaugh is back in the podcast room with hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama on this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Glenn is no stranger to the podcast, and he’s the Agronomist for Premier Companies.  

In addition to sharing about a recent hunting trip to hunt red stag in Argentina, you’ll hear about the types of things growers should be doing to prepare for the 2024 planting season.  He’ll share his thoughts about glyphosate usage and the challenges of using and not using pre-emergent herbicides.  If you’ve ever wondered how the herbicide group charts can help you in your planning, this episode is for you!

Looking for some information on the recent planting report and what it did to the markets?  You’re in the right place. To address the report, returning guest Aaron Bledsoe joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. If you’ve been around this podcast for any time at all, you already know Aaron is the Grain Merchandiser for Premier Companies.  

Aaron will share some insight into what is going on with the unanswered acres that showed up on the planting report in addition to why he thinks this report is providing a bottom of what the corn acreage may look like. You’ll also hear his thoughts on how current on-farm storage may impact the markets and why he doesn’t think this planting report is bad news.  “If you feel overwhelmed, undersold, don’t hesitate to get a hold of us… We’ll try to help you out on at least alleviating some of that so you’re not by yourself…  ‘cause there are still opportunities out there.” 

Which of the agrifood trends will be the most transformative for 2024? Dr. Allen Gray returns for another round with hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for another episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  As you may remember, in addition to being the Land O’Lakes Chair in Food and Agribusiness, Dr. Gray is the Professor of Agriculture Economics at Purdue University.

On today’s episode, Dr. Gray will share some thoughts from his recent article, How Will Tech Enable Agrifood Trends of 2024?  Dr. Gray, Sal, and Ryan will cover a variety of heavy-hitting topics such as sustainability, digital transformations, labor trends, food traceability and financing, and agribusiness trends.  You’ll hear about how technology enables us to share how growers steward their resources and how they’re able to prove it through data, information, and technology.  “I think we are a really sustainable industry, but maybe we don’t tell that story very well, and one of the reasons for that is that we haven’t been as capable as we could be at talking about that, and that’s where digital comes in.”  You can view the full article here: https://agribusiness.purdue.edu/how-will-tech-enable-agrifood-trendsof2024/#:~:text=Technology%20is%20pivotal%20in%20this,of%20soil%20and%20crop%20health. 

Have you heard the story about the business that was started because an intern grabbed some dirt from a ditch for soil sampling? You’ll hear it today! On this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies, hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama are joined by special guest Steven Roswarski.  Steven is the VP of Sales and Marketing for Rogo Ag, and in addition to telling us the story of Rogo Ag, he joins us today to talk about technology and how Rogo Ag is working to move the industry forward.

On today’s episode, you’ll learn about the course of Steven’s career including the business he owned called Ag Printers which produced a lot of the seed catalogs for independent companies.  He’ll also share about the history of Rogo Ag, which is based out of Indiana and has a fleet of 24 robots dedicated to provable, accurate soil sampling.  Why is accurate soil sampling so vital?  “Until you know where you’re starting from, you can’t really make an educated application of crop nutrients for the crop.” 

Why would someone consider a career as an account manager for a co-op?  Jeff Davis is here with the answer to that question as he joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest in the podcast room for today’s episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Jeff is the Senior Account Manager for Premier Companies, and he’s the reason the phrase “shoot and poop” has now been on The High Ground.

On this episode, you’ll hear a bit about Jeff’s career path and how he and his family ended up in Seymour, Indiana.  Jeff will also share about the types of things he sells including crop protection products, services and application, and how he’s able to assist Premier’s customers in a variety of ways.  He’ll share some of the best parts and worst parts of his career, and you’ll learn about the most important skills an account manager needs to succeed.  “If helping people is not in your heart, you won’t enjoy this job.”

How’d our market prices get here? To answer that question, returning and special guest, Aaron Bledsoe, joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  If you’ve been around for any amount of time, you already know that Aaron is the Grain Merchandiser for Premier Companies, and he’s joining us today to shed some light onto what’s been happening in the grain markets.

Aaron will tell us where the corn and soybean markets stand and why March is a big month for agriculture reports. Aaron will share how and why our markets look the way they have and how the geopolitical and global weather events have impacted prices in the midwest.  Aaron will also share how on-farm storage has impacted the market and give a glimpse into the overall outlook for the future.  “We’re kinda back to hoping for a supply issue to do anything, and that’s a very tricky card to be playing with.”

“People forget that farmers aren’t just farmers.  They’re small businesses!”  Eric Pfieffer joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Eric is the Vice President of Hoosier Ag Today, and they’ve been a wonderful partner for Premier over the years and a source of education not just for farmers, but for the general public as well.

You’ll hear about Eric’s “radio love story,” the Indiana agriculture community, California’s Prop 12 and the implications, and Hoosier Ag Today.  If you’ve heard of Hoosier Ag Today, you likely know they cover farm news and the weather, but did you know they are on 70+ radio stations and have their own meteorologist?  You’ll also learn more about the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB), Gary Truitt, and how their programming has been able to educate growers and the general public every day.  “First and foremost, that’s why we’re here.  We want to educate farmers and let them know all of the important things that are gonna impact their operation.”

Glenn’s got his farmer hat on!  Fan favorite guest, Glenn Longabaugh, is back in the studio today, alongside hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  As an agronomist at Premier and a farmer himself, Glenn is able to speak to both the agronomics and economics of farming!

Sal, Ryan, and Glenn will cover a variety of topics including the risk and reward of farming, why growers shudder when you say, “2012,” and a bit about how crop insurance works.  You’ll learn more about what you’ll want to consider when you’re looking at crop insurance and how input costs impact what you may need to purchase.  Glenn will also dig into a study out of Iowa State that seeks to explain what percentage of genetic gain has come from the genetics and how much has come from management.  Considering the newest tech?  Trying to figure out whether to purchase grain bins?  What do we do with input costs?  Whether you’re just getting into farming or you’re a seasoned grower, this episode is for you!

With growers making up such a small percentage of the population, our Farm Legacy Series has become a special part of how we can get their stories out into the world.  Special guests, Charlie Sanders and Ed Sanders, join hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest in the podcast room for this episode of The Farm Legacy Series on The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Charlie and Ed are owners of Sanders Farm and Sanders Farm Service.

You’ll hear about Charlie and Ed’s history with the business and learn about both Sanders Farm and Sanders Farm Service.  The service component involves fertilizer, chemical, and seed, and has been around since the ‘60s!  In addition to learning about some of the challenges the brothers are facing, you’ll hear about Ed and Charlie’s involvement in Premier Companies and why being a member of the co-op has been helpful to them.  “The one thing I’ll say about Premier that we have really grown to love is the fact that no matter what, I feel like I’ve always had this ace in my back pocket to take care of us if we need it.”

Have you wondered why movie theater popcorn is so much different from the popcorn you put in your microwave?  Bryan Churchill joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the studio for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies, and he’s the National Account Manager for Preferred Popcorn, located in Palmyra, Indiana.  He’s full of all sorts of popcorn knowledge!   

In addition to learning about Preferred Popcorn and how they’ve grown over the years, you’ll hear about the various experiences Bryan has had throughout the course of his career and how he ended up in the popcorn industry.  You’ll learn about the Metric Weight Volume Tester (MWVT) and how movie theater popcorn differs from the popcorn you pop in the microwave.  If you’ve ever wondered how growing popcorn differs from growing field corn, why you can’t pop all types of corn, or why some popcorn looks like a butterfly and some of it looks like a mushroom, this is the episode for you!

Are you considering a career in agriculture, but are you unsure whether or not school is right for you?  Consider an apprenticeship with Premier, and make use of their paid on-the-job training!  Hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama are on their own for today’s podcast!  In case you’ve missed it, Ryan is the Chief Operating Officer for Premier Companies, and Sal is the Vice President of Agronomy Sales and Marketing.  They’re talking all things employment at Premier for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.

You may know about Premier’s excellent benefits that include 401(k), PTO, bonuses, and advancement opportunities, but that’s not all Premier offers.  For those interested in getting into the agriculture industry, Premier has partnered with Ivy Tech to build a curriculum centered around becoming a professional applicator.  On this episode, Ryan will also share how they have been able to develop an apprenticeship that allows individuals joining the team to take advantage of a program that allows them to become employed and not have to worry about the cost of their education and licensure.  Looking for more information?  Visit our website, and listen to the end of this episode for more information on what it's like to work for Premier!

“If we agree that food is the only economy that touches every person on the planet, then it’s people at the center of this thing.”  So how do we grow the agbioscience economy in the state of Indiana in a way that is smart, durable, and draws innovators to Indiana? Mitch Frazier joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest in front of our first live, studio audience for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Mitch Frazier is the President and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana which is a non-profit that’s dedicated to moving the agbiosciences sector forward.

Mitch will explain how value-added food nutrition, animal health and nutrition, plant science and crop protection, agriculture tech, and production agriculture fit into the mission of AgriNovus.  You’ll also hear about how the need for AgriNovus was discovered and how they’re working to connect startups to capital and other companies.  He’ll also share how agriculture is dominating at the Consumer Electronics Show and why and how the powerful players in the agbioscience realm are being drawn to Indiana.  As Ryan says, Mitch is powerfully persuasive, and if you don’t live in Indiana already, you just might have to pack up and move there.

How do we stay current on the ever-evolving science in agriculture?  Answer Plot can help!  On this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies, Steve Anthofer joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest all the way from Carroll, Iowa.  Steve has a Master of Science in Agronomy.  Steve handles Winfield United’s operations over Answer Plot and is the Director of Research and Development Support.

You’ll hear more about Answer Plot, how they choose their locations, and how their data can provide valuable insights to help you choose the correct products for your soil type.  Steve will also share about SureTech Laboratories located in Indianapolis, Indiana and the types of feed and soil analysis they’re able to provide.  Curious about what happens to a soil sample when it goes to the lab?  Do you understand the Least Significant Difference (LSD)?  You’ll learn about that and more on this episode of The High Ground!

Have you been considering adding a propane tank to your property?  Returning guest, Bill Houze, and brand new guest, Bryan Lonsberry, join hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Bryan is Premier Energy’s Routing and Scheduling Coordinator, and Bill handles liquid fuel and propane sales for Premier Energy.

Bill and Bryan will share propane safety tips with us including what to do when you smell propane, why that might be happening, and how Premier can help solve the problem and keep everyone safe in those instances.  You’ll hear a bit about what goes into setting up a propane tank and the options for delivery, and they’ll also share about the new propane tank monitor technology they’re trialing and the benefits those can provide.  If you’re looking into propane options, this episode is for you!

“Having that reassurance through the co-op supply chain is very comforting.”  As part of the Farm Legacy Series, Donald Schnitcker joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  In addition to being a Regional Council Representative for Ag Region Four for Land O’Lakes, he’s a grower and farm owner who has been a member of the co-op family since the 1970s!

Donald will share about the history of Schnitcker farms and how being a member of a co-op has benefited him over the years.  You’ll hear a funny story about what it’s like to work with family members, and hear his thoughts regarding the largest obstacle facing farmers today, responsible land usage in light of the booming solar panel industry.  Donald will also share why he’s practiced responsible land management for the last 40-some years. 

“There are about 258 million people in over 50 countries in the world who are at crisis level of hunger.  …Two thirds of those people are farmers themselves.”  What is the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and why does it exist?  To answer that, two very special guests are joining us for today’s episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Harold Cooper joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the podcast room, and Beth Bechdol joins us virtually all the way from Rome, Italy.  If you’ve tuned in for a while, you may recall that Harold is the CEO of Premier Companies, and Beth is the Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

You’ll hear from Harold regarding some of Beth’s successes in the agriculture industry within the state of Indiana and the United States, and Beth will explain what the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is, and some of what her role involves.  You’ll also hear about why the organization was founded and how the FAO works to eliminate hunger and food insecurity across the globe.  “There’s something that connects us as a part of agriculture, and I think that really is something that, on a human level, really needs to be prioritized and something that we don’t lose sight of.” 

Glenn is back!  Glenn Longabaugh is our resident agronomist at Premier Companies, and he joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies to discuss all things agronomy.

Sal, Ryan, and Glenn will discuss our latest pathogen, tar spot, including what it is, how it got here, and how we treat corn crops with fungicide.  You’ll also learn about how our treatment of southern rust has helped farmers in Southern Indiana mitigate the spread of tar spot.  He’ll dig into how the recommendations of treatment have changed over the course of time as we learn more about pathogens and how they mature and spread.  For those listeners who are not growers, he’ll also share some insight on the amount of money that a farmer has invested per acre.  If you’re concerned about tar spot, grab your pen and paper, because this is an episode you’re not going to want to miss!

“The food and ag business industry was ranked 22nd out of 22 industries with respect to its digital footprint.”  What can be done about that?  An industry leader, Dr. Allen Gray, joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for today’s episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Dr. Gray is not only the Professor of Agriculture Economics at Purdue University but is also the Land O’Lakes Chair in Food and Agribusiness!

Dr. Gray is a wealth of knowledge, and shares information about his background, learning about the agriculture economics and financial activities in farmer-owned cooperatives and the implications of that.  He’ll explain what DIAL Ventures is and their partnership with High Alpha Innovation to create 12 startup companies to help digitize the agriculture industry.  You’ll learn how those startups are devoted to making strides with regard to land, labor, and capital, and how the H-2A program, Croft, is improving the labor situation in the agriculture industry.  If you’ve been longing for technology to help you improve in your hiring, operations, and communication, this is an episode you’re not going to want to miss!

If you find yourself scratching your head over terms like “topsoil” and options, this episode is for you!  Our fan favorites, Glenn Longabaugh and Aaron Bledsoe, join hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama for this special episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Glenn is our resident Agronomist, and Aaron is the Grain Merchandiser, and they’re here to break the agriculture code for you.

On this episode, you’ll learn learn about types of resistance in the agronomy world and what that means in the grain world with regard to trading.  You’ll also learn about hedging risk, topsoil, the impacts of glaciers on our soils, and options in the grain market.  Have you been wondering what Aaron means when he’s talking about a basis?  Are you puzzled when Glenn talks about macro and micronutrients?  Get ready to be schooled by Glenn and Aaron!

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The High Ground - powered by Premier Companies will discuss everything from agriculture to energy. Hosted by Ryan Priest (COO of Premier Companies) and Sal Sama (VP of Agronomy Sales & Marketing).

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Special guest Amanda Bahn-Ziegler joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Amanda grew up as a farm kid in Wisconsin, and she is now an account manager for Truterra.  Truterra is the sustainability division of Land O’Lakes and has a program designed to help farmers steward their fields well.  

Amanda will share what makes Truterra and Land O'Lakes unique, how they’re connected to Premier Companies, and how their programs benefit local farmers.  She’ll also explain the carbon market, the evolution of Truterra, and how participation in the carbon market can benefit the farmers.  “We want to help you make a plan to adopt practices that make sense for your operation and then connect you to programs that might incentivize you to do that.”

“It’s another glorious day at Premier Ag!”  Bryan Fischer joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for another conversation as part of our Farm Legacy Series on this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Bryan is the owner of Fischer Farms which includes Fischer Seeds and Fischer Food Grade.

You’ll hear about the history of Fischer Farms from the time it was purchased in 1933 and learn how it grew from a 60-acre farm to today’s facility with three processing plants at Fischer Seeds.  You’ll hear about the family’s challenges throughout the history of the farm and the ways they’ve managed to overcome those challenges.  You’ll hear about the packaging and shipping of their seeds overseas, and how Fischer Farms accidentally ended up exporting their grain to Japan.  Are you curious about the differences between food grade seed stock and feed grade stock?  You’ll learn that and much more on today’s episode!

It’s swine time with the hog guy!  New guest, Dan Vague, joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies.  Dan is the VP of LIvestock Production for Swinelink, which is a division of Premier Companies.

Dan will give us a glimpse into his career with Premier and his transition into his current role for Swinelink.  He’ll also share what the entire process looks like to take their hogs from start to finish including the types of feed the hogs eat, the care they receive, and what goes into disinfecting and maintaining the barns.  Dan will also provide insight into the technology in the barn which monitors and controls everything from temperature to feed and how swine care is changing due to Prop 12.  “We’re the most productive and most cost effective when we’re taking good care of the animals.”