Patio Ponderings
Exploring the Expected and the Obscure in Agriculture
From a lifetime in agriculture to deep dives into leadership, rural life, and the evolving food system, Patio Pondering is a podcast where thoughtful conversations meet the open air. Hosted by Jim Smith, Ph.D., a seasoned Swine Nutritionist, agricultural thinker, and storyteller, this podcast explores the connections between our agricultural roots and the broader world.
What started as daily reflections—scribbled with a morning coffee in hand—has grown into a podcast that uncovers the insights, challenges, and sometimes-forgotten history of the industry that feeds us all. Whether solo pondering or engaging in candid discussions with guests, this show digs into everything from livestock production to food trends, rural business shifts, and the personal stories that shape agricultural life.
Now available in both audio and video formats, Patio Pondering brings these discussions to life on YouTube and podcast platforms alike. Whether you prefer to listen on the go or watch the conversation unfold, you’ll find fresh perspectives, candid storytelling, and the kind of conversations that make you think twice.
Subscribe and join the conversation—because agriculture is more than just dirt and livestock. It’s a story worth telling.
Patio Ponderings
Episode 63: Justin Fix — From Southeast Iowa Roots to Modern Swine Genetics
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In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, Jim Smith is joined by Justin Fix, Ph.D., a swine geneticist with AcuFast, joining the conversation from Muscatine, Iowa.
This is a wide-ranging discussion about how agricultural roots shape perspective as careers evolve — especially in an industry that has shifted from family-run operations to large, integrated systems.
Justin shares his journey growing up in Southeast Iowa, his early exposure to agriculture through family farms, FFA, and livestock judging, and how those experiences carried him through Iowa State, graduate work at North Carolina State, and roles with the National Swine Registry, Smithfield, and The Maschhoffs before returning home to Iowa.
Together, Jim and Justin explore:
- What it means to grow up around “traditional” agriculture in the Midwest
- How working with small, family-run producers builds empathy that carries into large systems
- The transition from purebred and youth-focused genetics to integrated commercial pork production
- Why genetics, nutrition, health, and management can never be viewed in isolation
- How consolidation has changed decision-making, communication, and leadership in the pork industry
- The importance of listening, respect, and understanding context when working across silos
This episode is less about equations and data — and more about people, perspective, and problem-solving in modern agriculture.
Whether you work in pork production, animal genetics, nutrition, or simply care about how food systems evolve, this conversation offers thoughtful insight into where the industry has been — and where it may be headed next.