Patio Pondering
Clear Thinking for Complex Agriculture.
Hosted by Jim Smith, Ph.D., the Patio Pondering Podcast features thoughtful conversations with the people shaping agriculture. Together, we explore the experiences, ideas, and values that influence our industry and the lives behind it.
From researchers and farmers to entrepreneurs, educators, and industry leaders, each episode goes beyond the headlines to uncover the stories, decisions, and perspectives shaping agriculture today.
Patio Pondering
Episode 51 - Feed: The Unsexy 70 Percent
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Every business has a “70%” — the single biggest cost or effort that quietly drives success or failure. In pig production, that 70% is feed. It’s not flashy, it’s not exciting, but it makes or breaks profitability.
In this solo episode, Jim Smith shares why focusing on the fundamentals often delivers bigger results than chasing the newest, shiniest ideas. Drawing on decades of swine nutrition experience and a recent cost analysis, he shows how small improvements in the largest expense category — whether it’s feed in agriculture or something else in your own business — can lead to major gains.
From feed budgets and efficiency to broader lessons about avoiding distractions, Jim asks the question: What’s your 70%, and are you giving it the attention it deserves?