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
Lori Stevermer: Why Agriculture Works Best When Choice, Trade, and Trust Work Together
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What happens when a hog farmer, feed industry veteran, and former National Pork Producers Council president looks across the entire pork supply chain?
In this episode of the Patio Pondering Podcast, I sit down with Lori Stevermer to explore the connections between production, nutrition, policy, trade, and consumer confidence.
Drawing from decades in the feed industry with Wayne Feeds, Hubbard Feeds, and Alltech, along with her leadership at NPPC, Lori shares a perspective that spans from the slat level to Washington, D.C.
We discuss:
• Why consumers need confidence in the food system
• The growing role of choice in pork production and marketing
• What COVID revealed about our food supply chain
• Why trade matters far beyond pork chops and bacon
• The importance of Canada, Mexico, and international markets to U.S. pork producers
• Labor challenges facing agriculture over the next decade
• How ASF, global disease pressure, and biosecurity shape industry decisions
• Why agriculture sometimes struggles to slow down and think
Along the way, Lori reflects on leadership, running, balancing industry service with farm life, and the importance of meeting consumers where they are.
Whether you're involved in pork production, agriculture policy, animal nutrition, or simply interested in how complex systems actually work, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at the people and decisions behind modern agriculture.