Unscripted podcast with Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths

Southern Farmers Face ‘Brutal’ Losses as Rice and Cotton Lead Commodity Collapse

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:49:56 GMT

Arkansas farmer Nathan Reed says the financial pressure facing farmers in the South this year is unlike anything he has seen in his career — and it is hitting rice and cotton producers especially hard.

After several years of elevated input costs combined with an extended stretch of weak commodity prices, Reed says many Southern operations are now reaching a breaking point. While farmers across the country are feeling margin pressure, he says producers in the Delta face a uniquely severe financial squeeze that leaves little room for error.

“We are in a very difficult situation in the South, in Arkansas,” Reed says. “I grow five crops: cotton, corn, soybeans and rice, with wheat and milo every once in a while. My corn and soybeans don’t pencil out, but the losses are nowhere near what the rice and cotton losses are. It is just brutal, the losses that we’re sustaining.”

Reed says the scale of the losses is hard to overstate, particularly for rice and cotton.

“Rice and cotton right now are by far the biggest losers in commodities,” he says. “It’s just staggering losses per acre.”

Southern Farms Face Unique Financial Exposure

Reed says the financial stress facing Southern farmers goes beyond commodity prices alone. Structural differences in how farms operate in the region create a very different risk profile than what many Midwest producers face.

“Being in the South, we farm improved land, and we’re mostly irrigated,” Reed explains. “Compared to the Midwest, I would say we [have] farm larger operations, but we’ve been forced toward that just to maintain the same standard of living.”

That expansion, he says, has not necessarily improved profitability — and in many cases, it has increased exposure.

“We’ve been forced to expand quite a bit, but we don’t have as workable of an insurance program,” Reed says. “Because we’re always going to make 80% of a crop through irrigation and land improvements, we can’t really rely on insurance. We’re always going to make the crop.”

That reality, Reed says, leaves Southern producers vulnerable when prices collapse.

“We can have some pretty severe losses without any real way to recoup those losses,” he says. “That’s the risk we live with.”

Rice and Cotton Losses Deepen

USDA was expected to roll out the exact Farmer Bridge Program payment rates this week, but the agency says that will now happen before the end of next week with payments expected to roll out early next year. Ahead of USDA’s official release, early estimates point to cotton and rice seeing the biggest payment rates , and that’s understandably so considering cotton and rice are experiencing the steepest losses this year.

As price pressure intensifies, Reed says earlier loss projections are quickly becoming outdated, particularly for rice.

According to University of Arkansas projections released earlier this fall, losses were estimated at roughly $85 per acre for soybeans, nearly $353 per acre for cotton and about $259 per acre for rice.

Reed says rice losses are now significantly worse.

“The rice price is over 50¢ less than when that projection was made,” he says. “Rice losses are closer to over $300 an acre now, and yes, that’s very close to reality.”

He says those figures already include equipment payments, land rent and operating expenses — and that makes the situation even more precarious for producers carrying heavier debt loads.

“They take every number into account, equipment payments, land, rent, all of that,” Reed says. “If you’ve got a heavy debt load on equipment, rent and land at 20% to 25% market share, that’s absolutely the kind of loss you’re looking at.”

Watch the full “Unscripted” episode here:

‘You Can’t Just Walk Away From Cotton’

Despite those losses, Reed says cotton isn’t a crop farmers can simply abandon. Years of investment and infrastructure lock producers into the crop, even during downturns.

“The problem with cotton is you kind of have everything else we farm, and then you have cotton,” Reed says. “It takes a lot of specialized equipment. I’ve got three cotton pickers. I don’t have enough combine capacity to harvest all my land if I walked away from cotton.”

Beyond the equipment, Reed says entire regional systems depend on cotton production.

“You’ve got gins, warehouses, seed crushing facilities — this whole infrastructure that’s built just for cotton,” he says. “If you’re not careful, you can lose that in two to three years.”

Reed says most cotton farmers understand what’s at stake.

“I think most cotton farmers recognize that and are willing to try to stay in the cotton business as long as we can,” he says. “I’ve severely curtailed my acres, not because I wanted to, but out of economic necessity. I had to cut back to a level I can afford to lose.”

Global Competition and a ‘Non-Level Playing Field’

Reed says the financial strain is compounded by what he sees as unfair global competition. While U.S. farmers operate under strict regulations and higher costs, competitors abroad do not face the same constraints.

“I used to feel like the American farmer could compete against anybody in the world,” Reed says. “Now, I feel like we can produce the highest-quality crops under the best environmental and worker safety standards, but we are having difficulty competing on price.”

He points to cotton as a clear example.

“When you have South America making money on cotton in the low 60¢ range and the American cotton farmer hemorrhaging money, something’s not right,” Reed says. “How do you rebalance that? I don’t know.”

Higher labor costs and equipment expenses only widen the gap, he adds.

“I pay more for my labor per hour than most of our competition pays per day,” Reed says. “They’re buying the same tractors we are, but for 20% less because they don’t have to deal with emissions systems and the problems that go with them.”

Financing Pressure Builds Heading Into 2026

As producers look ahead to 2026, Reed says decision-making has shifted from profitability to survival.

“Right now, what we’re really looking at is what we can lose the least on,” he says. “That’s what my decision-making is.”

Even with expected USDA bridge payments, Reed says financing pressure is mounting and many producers may not make it through another year.

“Oh absolutely, there will be farmers who can’t get financed,” Reed says. “It’s been quiet because people were waiting to see what would happen. But my banker is getting calls every day from people trying to refinance or who’ve been cut off.”

He says once temporary relief measures are accounted for, the true impact will surface.

“I think that’s when the pain really comes,” Reed says.

The Stakes for Rural America

Reed says the consequences of sustained losses extend far beyond individual farms, especially in rural Southern communities where agriculture is the primary economic driver.

“In our little community, it’s just ag,” he says. “We don’t have factories. The whole middle class works for ag-related businesses.”

If farming isn’t viable, Reed says the ripple effects are devastating.

“If agriculture is not sustainable, I can’t stay,” he says. “And it drains out the tax base, the schools, everything. If ag is not viable, we might as well shut the door on every small town across the South.”

Reed says American farmers have upheld their end of the bargain.

“The American farmer has done their job,” he says. “We’ve provided the cheapest food per capita anywhere else in the world.”

But without change, he warns, the system will continue to erode.

“Twenty years ago, you could farm 2,000 acres, raise a family and be solidly middle class,” Reed says. “Now you’ve got to farm five times that just to maintain the same lifestyle. That tells you how bad this has gotten.”

$280,000? 18-Year-Old Semi Sells for Record Price, Signaling Pre-DEF Equipment Demand Is Surging

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:56:02 GMT

An 18-year-old semi just set a record at auction, offering one of the clearest signals yet of where demand is flowing in today’s machinery market — and where it isn’t.

A 2007 Peterbilt 379, built before diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems were required, sold for $280,000 during a late-year consignment auction in North Dakota. The truck was a rare example: one owner, always shedded, and showing just 20,817 miles. Still, the price stunned even seasoned auction watchers.

Greg Peterson — better known as Machinery Pete — says the sale eclipses every previous result he has tracked for the iconic model.

“I’ve seen about 2,800 Pete 379s over the last 25 years,” Peterson says. “The previous high was $262,000, and that was back in July 2022 when the whole market was absolutely on fire. To come along now and just smoke that number, with an 18-year-old truck, that tells you something.”

That “something,” Peterson says, is demand not just for trucks, but for pre-emissions equipment across agriculture and transportation. Auctions, he notes, are brutally honest. They don’t care about model-year labels or marketing cycles. They simply reflect what buyers want — and what they are willing to pay for.

“That Peterbilt is an 18-year-old truck,” Peterson says. “And it brings $280,000. Auctions don’t lie. They tell you exactly what people want — and right now, that’s used, pre-DEF equipment.”

‘07 Peterbilt 379 w/ only 20,817 miles, 1 owner, always shedded, sold $280,000 today on @UlmerAuction sale. I’ve compiled 2800+ auction sale prices on 379’s past 25 Yrs. $280,000 is new record high auction price. Was $262K on 7/28/22 Villa Grove, IL salehttps://t.co/S6yC5PLDvR pic.twitter.com/TxdTN67GIH
— Greg Peterson (@MachineryPete) December 17, 2025

Used Equipment Values Gain Momentum

The Peterbilt sale is not an isolated case. Peterson says used equipment values, broadly speaking, have been strengthening for much of the year — a trend that runs counter to what the machinery market has historically done during periods of soft farm income.

“Used values started to solidify in the third week of February,” Peterson says. “They held, held, held. Then we got into November and December and it was like, ‘Katie, bar the door.’ I’ve never seen this in my 36 years.”

What makes the current cycle unusual, he says, is not just that used values are strong — it’s that they’re strengthening at a time when new equipment sales are clearly contracting.

“In the past, when I’ve seen auction prices take off like this, it’s always been equivalent to optimal conditions for new equipment sales,” Peterson says. “That ain’t the case this time.”

Recent auction data reinforces the point. A 2011 Case IH 6088 combine, pre-DEF and with low hours, sold for $178,000, the highest auction price for that model in nearly 11 years. A 2009 John Deere 8295R tractor with just over 1,000 hours brought $230,000, the strongest result in more than 30 months.

“I’ve never seen used values going up while new sales are going down,” Peterson says. “Never.”

Price of New Forces a Rethink

Peterson says the underlying force behind this shift is impossible to ignore: the cost of new equipment.

“I don’t know how tall the ceiling is, but that’s the price of new,” he says. “We understand why prices went up — labor, materials, everything through the pandemic — but at some point you have to ask, ‘Just because you can raise the price, should you?’”

As the grain downturn stretches on, Peterson says farmers have had time to pause and reassess their operations — and their machinery lineups.

“What it’s done is it’s given farmers time to catch their breath,” he says. “They’re saying, ‘We’ve got a lot of iron on this farm. We’ve got more equipment than my dad had and more than my grandpa had. Do we really need all this going forward?’”

That mindset shift doesn’t necessarily mean farmers will stop buying equipment forever. But Peterson says it has changed buying behavior — especially in the short term — and it’s pushed many operators toward well-kept used machines rather than six- or seven-figure new purchases.

“When the money’s not flowing, people think differently,” he says. “That’s just the reality.”

Dealers, Manufacturers Pull Back on New

At the same time farmers are stepping back, Peterson says the supply side of the market has also changed in ways that amplify used-equipment demand.

Manufacturers have dramatically reduced production, closing plants and laying off workers at levels Peterson says he has never seen before. While painful, those moves have eliminated excess new inventory sitting on dealer lots — and the interest expense that comes with it.

“What manufacturers have achieved is basically no backlog of new equipment,” Peterson says.

He says dealer consolidation over the past decade has played a major role. Larger dealer groups now carry more leverage with manufacturers, and when the slowdown hit, dealers acted quickly.

“They were paying 8% interest on all this stuff sitting on their lots,” Peterson says. “Their No. 1 mission wasn’t selling new equipment. Their No. 1 mission was, ‘We are going to move this one-, two-, three-year-old stuff.’”

Manufacturers responded with incentives to help dealers clear late-model used inventory — a level of cooperation Peterson says he has not seen in more than three decades of tracking the market.

“I’ve never seen that level of coordination before,” he says. “And the focus clearly shifted away from new.”

Pre-DEF Machines Command a Premium

Layered on top of price and supply issues is deep frustration with emissions systems. Peterson says pre-DEF equipment — whether trucks, tractors or combines — now stands out immediately to buyers.

“The good pre-emission stuff jumps forward like a neon sign,” he says.

That demand is no longer subtle. Practices that once happened quietly, such as emissions deletions, are now openly acknowledged — and reflected in sale prices.

“It used to be hush-hush,” Peterson says. “It’s not anymore. People say it right on the auction bill because it sells for more money. It just flat does.”

He says recent political discussion around environmental regulations has only amplified that sentiment, particularly among farmers who feel reliability and repair costs have been compromised.

“When he talked about it, I honestly thought it was an AI clip at first,” Peterson says. “He sounded like every farmer I’ve talked to for the last 15 years.”

New Equipment Demand Remains Weak

While used values climb, new equipment sales continue to struggle. November data show four-wheel-drive tractor sales down 19%, with self-propelled combine sales down 35% for the month and nearly 40% year-to-date. Livestock producers remain a bright spot, but on the grain side, Peterson says demand is clearly subdued.

Looking ahead, he says today’s production cuts could have major consequences when farm income eventually improves.

“When corn and beans finally move higher and stay there, we’re going to see exactly what we saw in 2021,” Peterson says. “Farmers are going to want to update, and dealers are going to say, ‘I can only sell you eight — that’s all we get.’”

Until then, he says the auction market continues to speak clearly.

Will Trump Roll Back DEF?

During a roundtable at the White House last week when the Trump administration rolled out $12 billion in farmer aid , President Trump also revealed other actions the Trump administration is working on to reduce regulations. Trump told farmers Monday his administration plans to scale back environmental requirements on tractors and other farm equipment, framing the move as a way to bring down machinery costs that have climbed in recent years.

“The other thing I’d like to add … we’re going to also give the tractor companies, John Deere and all of the companies that make the equipment, we’re going to take off a lot of the environmental restrictions that they have on machinery,” Trump said. “It’s ridiculous.”

While Trump didn’t provide specifics on how the details of that plan will come together, Trump said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin would be involved in carrying out the effort. There’s speculation on if that will be removing diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) requirements on tractors or also addressing the long-standing right-to-repair issue.

Farm Journal reached out to EPA, and the agency confirmed it was DEF to which the president was referring.

“EPA has heard loud and clear from truckers and farmers across the United States that the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system was unacceptable and cost millions of dollars in lost productivity,” Brigit Hirsch, EPA press secretary, told Farm Journal. “This summer, Administrator Zeldin issued clear guidance urging engine and equipment manufacturers to revise DEF system software in existing vehicles and equipment to prevent sudden shutdowns. It is essential manufacturers give operators more time to repair faults without impacting their livelihoods or safety. EPA will continue to evaluate ways to expand the work the agency has already done on DEF and looks forward to working across the administration to do so.”

Trump argued added systems meant to meet environmental rules have driven up price tags and made equipment harder to operate and repair.

“You buy it, it’s got so much equipment on it for the environmental, it doesn’t do anything except it makes the equipment much more expensive and much more complicated to work,” he said, adding, “it’s not as good as the old days.”

Trump said the administration’s goal is to remove what he called “nonsense” and require manufacturers to pass savings along to farmers.

Read more about what President Trump may do with DEF in the coming months.

'The System Is Failing Us:' Why Real Change is Needed in U.S. Agriculture

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:57:30 GMT

Joe Maxwell doesn’t pull punches — especially on the topic of the future of American agriculture.

“The system is failing us,” says Maxwell, co-founder of Farm Action , during a recent episode of “Unscripted.” “It’s failing the people. It’s failing family farmers and ranchers. And it’s failing consumers. We can’t keep pretending everything’s fine.”

The Missouri farmer and former lieutenant governor shares an uncomfortable truth: The economic model that has shaped U.S. agriculture no longer works for those producing America’s food.

Commodity prices remain under pressure, input costs stay stubbornly high and government payments — while keeping some farms afloat — often mask deeper structural problems.

“We’re on this hamster wheel,” Maxwell says. “Government sends out a bailout, input companies raise prices and the money flows right back up to them. We think we’re being helped, but really, we’re just passing the money through.”

From Missouri Roots to National Reform

Maxwell grew up on a family farm in Missouri and lived through the 1980s farm crisis. That experience shapes his conviction that policy, not luck, determines who survives in agriculture.

That belief lead him and Ohio farmer Angela Huffman to co-found Farm Action, a nonprofit working to “connect the dots” between policy decisions, corporate consolidation and on-farm economics.

“We see a need for a farm organization that looks up and down the entire food chain,” Maxwell explains. “Everyone’s focused on one part of the system — fertilizer here, seed prices there, meatpacking somewhere else — but no one connects them. Farm Action connects those dots and pushes for policy that works for independent producers again.”

“We Don’t Feed the World Anymore”

Maxwell challenges one of agriculture’s most familiar slogans.

“Let’s be honest — we don’t feed the world anymore,” he says. “We import 60% of our fruit, over a third of our vegetables and record amounts of beef. We have a $47 billion agricultural trade deficit. The world is starting to feed us.”

He argues that U.S. farm policy has become overly dependent on exports of feed and fuel crops, while overlooking food crops and livestock production that directly feed Americans. Maxwell calls for farm programs that reward food production rather than commodity production.

“Every year we lose up to 1.8 million acres of pasture to row crops,” he notes. “That’s a failure of policy. We make it easier and more profitable to grow corn for fuel than to raise beef or vegetables for food. That’s not national security — that’s national vulnerability.”

“Let’s quit lying to ourselves. We don’t feed the world anymore — the world is beginning to feed us.”— Joe Maxwell, Farm Action

The Growing Grip of Consolidation

Maxwell points to consolidation as the most dangerous — and least understood — threat facing independent producers. From fertilizer and seed to meatpacking and grocery shelves, he says control has concentrated into the hands of just a few corporations.

“The power dynamic in agriculture has flipped,” Maxwell explains. “Farmers used to have leverage. Now, a handful of companies control nearly every input we need to farm — and they set the prices we pay. Then they control the markets we sell into, and they set those prices, too. That’s not a free market — that’s corporate feudalism.”

He points to Farm Action’s Concentration Tracker, a public data hub that compiles market share information across the food system. It shows that:

Four companies control over 80% of beef processing.
Two companies dominate more than 75% of corn seed genetics.
Three firms hold the majority of fertilizer production capacity.
The top five grocery chains now capture nearly 65% of all food retail sales.

“When just a few players hold that kind of power, they don’t compete — they coordinate,” Maxwell says. “They can raise input costs and suppress farmgate prices, and farmers have no real alternative. That’s why our concentration tracker matters — it exposes what’s really happening behind the curtain.”

The problem, he says, isn’t just economic — it’s political.

“These corporations have so much money and influence they shape farm policy to fit their own balance sheets,” Maxwell adds. “When we go to Washington asking for help, they’re already there, writing the rules. Until we restore fair competition and transparency, every bailout, every policy tweak is just feeding the beast.”

Farm Action’s data shows concentration doesn’t just hurt farmers — it hurts consumers, too. From fertilizer to feed to food, fewer companies mean higher costs for everyone.

“You see it every time you go to the grocery store,” Maxwell says. “Beef prices are high, but cattlemen aren’t seeing that profit. Fertilizer prices spike, but farmers don’t control the market. Consumers pay more, farmers earn less, and the middle consolidates the wealth. That’s not sustainable for anybody.”

It’s a concept gaining national traction. Just this week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the soaring costs of inputs.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) also introduced legislation to address the rising costs of inputs, called the Fertilizer Research Act . But the hearing brought together the larger issue of rising costs across the board for farmers.

“This hearing is focused on competition issues. However, there is something that the Trump administration can do right now to help ease the burden for farmers: lowering the countervailing duties on phosphate from Morocco. In 2024, the Biden administration increased duties on Moroccan phosphate to 18%,” said Grassley in his opening statement. “The Biden phosphate duties have only hurt farmers by boxing out access to this important market on an essential input with no substitute. I’m calling on the Trump administration to help American farmers and get rid of the Biden phosphate duties.”

The Beef Debate: “We’re Blindsided”

For ranchers, the issue of consolidation has long been a point of contention. But recent comments by President Trump sparked a renewed push for change and a probe into who and what really controls the prices consumers are paying.

When the White House signaled it will allow more beef imports from Argentina , Maxwell says many ranchers feel blindsided.

“Our cattle herd is at a 70-year low,” he says. “Ranchers finally see light at the end of the tunnel — and then Washington steps in to import more beef. That’s not just a policy mistake, it’s a psychological one.”

He argues that the frustration isn’t only about imports; it’s about the perception that the administration doesn’t understand the complexity of the cattle market.

“Cattle producers don’t set the price they’re paid — packers do,” Maxwell explains. “So when the president talks about lowering prices for consumers without addressing packer control, he’s aiming at the wrong target.”

“We’re finally seeing the light of day. Then government puts its hand back on our backs.”— Joe Maxwell on the U.S. cattle market

“It’s Time for DOJ to Step In”: Why the Beef Industry Needs an Investigation

He says instead of the Trump administration focusing on cattle prices, Farm Action thinks what happened in the egg industry during past price spikes is exactly what needs to happen now in beef: a full federal investigation.

“Two companies control 90% of hatcheries in the U.S. egg industry,” Maxwell explains. “When egg prices exploded, Farm Action presented evidence to the Department of Justice showing that those companies were profiting at historic levels while blaming avian flu. And you know what happened? DOJ opened an investigation. That’s what accountability looks like.”

Now, he says, the same pattern is playing out in beef.

“We’ve already seen price-fixing cases in the cattle sector,” he says. “Two of the major packers admitted it back in 2019. We shouldn’t have to spend years in court to prove what every rancher already knows — that a handful of companies are manipulating the market.”

The so-called “Big Four” — Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef (controlled by Brazil-based Marfrig) — control roughly 85% of U.S. beef processing capacity. That concentration, Maxwell argues, allows them to influence both the price paid to producers and the price charged to consumers.

“It’s an abusive system,” Maxwell says. “They squeeze ranchers on one end and shoppers on the other, and everyone in between gets caught in the middle. The packers are the only ones guaranteed to make money, no matter what happens to the market.”

He calls for the Department of Justice to launch a new, comprehensive investigation into price manipulation and anti-competitive behavior within the beef industry — similar to what Farm Action pushed for with eggs.

“We need DOJ to do in beef what it finally did in eggs,” he says. “Follow the money, follow the profits, and hold these corporations accountable. Because right now, the people who produce our beef — the ranchers who’ve weathered drought, inflation, and decades of consolidation — are getting crushed while multinational packers report record margins.”

Maxwell says the Biden administration has taken small steps, but much more needs to be done.

“It’s not enough to tinker at the edges,” he warns. “We need enforcement — real enforcement — of the Packers and Stockyards Act, the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act. The laws are already on the books. What’s missing is the will to use them.”

Country-of-Origin Labeling: A “No-Brainer”

Maxwell says Farm Action is pushing hard for mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (M-COOL) as part of the upcoming USMCA review in 2026.

“Consumers deserve to know where their beef comes from,” he insists. “The president could fix this tomorrow by negotiating M-COOL into the trade deal. That one move would give American ranchers a fair shot.”

He dismisses claims that M-COOL violates WTO rules.

“WTO is dead in the water,” Maxwell argues. “There’s no functioning tribunal to even hear a case. The only people fighting this are the packers — JBS, Tyson, Cargill, Marfrig — because they profit when foreign beef gets a U.S. label.”

Structural Change, Not Another Bailout
When asked whether Farm Action supports another round of USDA bailouts for struggling producers, Maxwell doesn’t hesitate.

“We recognize farmers are in crisis,” he says. “We don’t want to see our neighbors driven off the farm. But we can’t just keep sending out checks without fixing the system. One day those bailouts won’t come, and then it’ll look just like the 1980s. We have to demand structural change.”

Those changes, he says, should include:

Capping farm subsidies to slow consolidation.
Rebalancing insurance and incentive programs toward food production.
Rebuilding local and regional processing capacity to compete with the “Big Four” packers who control 80–85% of the cattle market.
Stronger enforcement of antitrust laws like the Packers and Stockyards Act and the Sherman Act.

Rebuilding from the Ground Up

Despite his criticism, Maxwell frames his message as one of hope — if farmers and ranchers take the lead.

“We can’t sit back and wait for Washington to fix this,” he says. “We have to step up, be part of the conversation, and demand policies that keep family farms in business.”

He supports Rep. Thomas Massie’s Prime Act, which would expand small-scale meat processing and let states regulate local slaughterhouses directly.

“We’ve got the infrastructure,” Maxwell adds. “We just need to give it life again. Let’s rebuild local processing so farmers can sell directly to consumers and keep value in their communities.”

Why It Matters Now

Fresh data from the Farm Journal Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows that 76% of agricultural economists expect conditions to persist or worsen over the next year. Many see echoes of the 1980s — though they warn today’s crisis is more complex.

“It’s not the 1980s all over again,” says Unscripted host Tyne Morgan. “But the pain is real. Economists say the situation could worsen in 2026 if structural issues aren’t addressed. That’s what makes conversations like this so important.”

A Call to Action

As the conversation wraps up, Maxwell’s tone shifts from urgency to determination. His message to rural America is both a warning and an invitation.

“We have to lead,” he says, pausing before adding, “because no one else is going to do it for us.”

He says the future of U.S. agriculture depends on whether farmers choose to engage in these hard conversations — the ones about fairness, policy, and the future of independent family farms.

“Look, we can’t afford to sit on the sidelines and hope someone in Washington suddenly understands our way of life,” Maxwell says. “Every farmer, every rancher, every person who believes in feeding people instead of feeding systems has a role to play. It starts at the local level — showing up, speaking up, refusing to accept that the current model is the only way forward.”He continues:

“This isn’t about right or left, or about politics at all. It’s about survival — for the people who feed this country. We can’t keep patching the same broken system and expecting it to serve us. If we want a food system that’s fair, resilient, and rooted in our rural communities, we’ve got to build it ourselves, together. That’s the hard truth — and the hopeful one.”

Maxwell’s words linger long after the conversation ends — a challenge, but also a call for courage. Change, he insists, isn’t something that happens to farmers. It’s something that must happen through them.

Listen to the Full Conversation

Listen to the full interview: “Unscripted” with Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths featuring Joe Maxwell, a vailable on Farm Journal’s YouTube channel and anywhere you stream podcasts.

Joe Vaclavik Goes Unscripted on How to Navigate Another Trade War

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 21:18:09 GMT

If you’re trying to make sense of the topsy-turvy commodities market , you’re not alone. Looming trade wars with Canada, Mexico and China — the top three U.S. export markets — as well as on-again/off-again tariffs are causing a lot of concern.

“I don’t like these types of markets because they’re impossible to navigate,” says commodities markets analyst Joe Vaclavik on the latest episode of Farm Journal’s Unscripted podcast. “The market is as good as the next headline. It’s fear and greed and uncertainty.”

Founder and president of Standard Grain and host of the Grain Markets and Other Stuff podcast, Vaclavik adds: “It was like this in 2018 when the trade war happened. It may be like this for a while. It’s not fun.”

That said, he remains optimistic for the long-term about resolving tensions with Canada and Mexico.

“The numbers will tell you the U.S. has an advantage in a trade war,” he explains. “They need us to buy stuff from them. What they export to the U.S. is a big chunk of their respective GDPs, whereas what we export to them is not really a significant portion of our GDP. In the short term, anything is possible, but I feel like this won’t last long.”

With 40% of U.S. corn exports going to Mexico, a quick resolution would come as a relief to corn growers.

“I think Mexico is going to be our best corn customer for a long time,” Vaclavik says. “It just makes too much sense.”

The Possibility of Relief Payments

Vaclavik is optimistic about direct relief payments for producers from the government, though these payments can be a mixed blessing.

“The payments are going to result in possible input inflation and messed-up land markets, and keep the bad operators in business,” he says. “But they’re going to help make you feel a little bit better.”

At Commodity Classic in early March, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins assured the industry the government is already preparing for the possibility of trade wars impacting U.S. agriculture, as they did in 2018 and 2019. While the payments help, they can mask the hard truth about the farm economy right now.

As far as what producers should do with all the news about tariffs and trade wars, Vaclavik advises: “Wait a couple of weeks and see how this pans out. It’s going to be different from 2018. I don’t think it’s going to last as long. And I don’t think it’s going to be as deep.”

You can also watch the latest episode of Unscripted on Farm Journal TV .

How New Trade Deals with China and Other Markets Can Energize U.S. Ag

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:12:00 GMT

Since the Trump administration took office, we’ve all heard a lot of news about contentious negotiations with our largest export markets — Canada, Mexico and China. While the first two have already promised concessions to avoid high tariffs on U.S. goods, communication with Beijing has been more limited and contentious. However, President Donald Trump mentioned last week that he believes a deal with China is possible.

While many members of the ag industry were surprised, veteran trade negotiator Gregg Doud believes that a deal could be made.

“They are very transactional and we are, too, so I think there’s a deal to be had there,” Doud tells Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths on the latest episode of Farm Journal’s Unscripted podcast . Doud is currently president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, but between 2018 and 2021 he was the chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative. He led the grueling negotiations with China that resulted in the Phase One agreement in late 2019.

“That was brutal,” he says, noting that the language barrier complicates any negotiation with China. He tells the podcast hosts that reaching agreement required 33 sessions and hundreds of hours. “We got a lot of things changed,” he says of the Phase One deal. “Great progress there.”

Due to his experience with that agreement, he’s optimistic about future negotiations with Beijing. “At some point I think President Xi in China and President Trump will sit down again,” he says. “It a good thing to have the two largest economies on earth talking to each other.”

That said, he notes that China’s demand for agricultural imports from the U.S. has changed since the 2019 negotiations. Back then, he says, “Their demand for protein — beef, pork, poultry, dairy — was nearly insatiable.” Now, he says, they are less interested in importing meat. “They’d rather import the soybeans and corn and make the meal and feed it themselves and add that value there. But I still think protein is where it’s at, not just in China but around the world. That’s our advantage.”

Opening new international markets is the goal of the new administration. Doud says that agreements with the European Union, Brazil, India and some other possible partners will be challenging. “We’ve been doing this trade stuff for a long time,” he says. “All the easy stuff was done a long time ago.”

Watch the full episode of Unscripted.

Ag Economist Dan Basse Weighs in on Tariffs, Trade Wars and the Livestock Boom

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 16:39:02 GMT

As the American ag industry settles into a new year and a new political administration, every day brings surprising twists and turns. President Donald Trump’s threats of 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, our largest trade partners, will be delayed for a month as those countries act on the concessions they’ve made regarding border control, fentanyl restriction and other demands. Meanwhile, tariffs are already being placed on certain goods from China, which has responded with retaliatory tariffs of its own, suggesting that trade wars not only could loom in the near future but have already begun.

“Once tariffs are put in place, they’re very hard to come off,” says ag economist Dan Basse on the latest episode of Unscripted . President of AgResource Company, a domestic and international agricultural research firm based in Chicago, Basse has been working in the ag commodities business for 45 years. He’s been through many of the industry’s ups and downs. “I would imagine we’re going to see more countries ensnarled in this whole thing,” he says. “My big concern with tariffs is not how they’re used to help the American economy but how long lasting they may be for the American farmer.”

The Chinese tariffs might impact American exports of ag equipment but so far haven’t included exports of our key commodities. “For China to get a reduction or even a pause on tariffs, they have to go back and adhere to the 2020 Phase I trade agreement,” Basse explains. According to that agreement, China still needs to spend roughly $85 billion on American goods. “But I don’t think the Chinese are going to be buying anything from the United States. They spent the past four years diversifying their suppliers and, at least at the moment, they’re in good shape on that.”

The discussion on the podcast ranges across a number of topics, including biofuels and the currently booming cattle market. Basse predicts that the boom in cattle prices will continue, good news for American ranchers. “I don’t think this cycle is over for another two-and-a-half or three years,” he says. “This is going to keep going on. I don’t think cattle have hit their all-time highs yet.” While he notes that the market could see some short-term price volatility, he believes “cash cattle will make higher highs as we look toward the fourth quarter of this year than we’re sitting right now.”

Watch the full episode of Unscripted.

D.C. Insider Jim Weisemeyer Explains How Trump’s Return Could Shape Ag's Future

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 20:36:47 GMT

In less than a week after his inauguration, President Donald Trump has already signed executive orders by the dozens, quickly changing national policies in a multitude of areas. Even Washington reporter Jim Weisemeyer, who has been covering national ag politics for 50 years, is amazed by the new president’s productivity.

“Bill Clinton did a lot in his early years, but nothing close to this,” Jim says on the latest episode of the Unscripted podcast . Hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths, like journalists throughout the country, have been hustling this week to keep up with what Griffiths calls “the velocity of news.” On the podcast, they all pause to discuss what these changes could mean to the world of agriculture.

While the president’s threats of setting high tariffs even on our largest trade partners might be just a negotiation tool, it’s too soon to tell what will happen, says Weisemeyer. Though Trump received many votes from rural America, he’s not easy to predict. “There will be times when the ag sector won’t like what he’s done,” Weisemeyer says, noting that high tariffs and planned deportations could create trade and labor challenges for the ag sector. However, despite the flurry of policy changes in the first few days, much still needs to be settled.

Weisemeyer does feel confident about the confirmation of Brooke Rollins for the Secretary of Agriculture, another news item he covered this week. At her confirmation hearing, he says, “She was impressive. She said the right things at the right time. She’s a very professional, procedural person.” Despite lacking extensive experience in agriculture, she has the president’s ear and his trust, Weisemeyer says, adding, “And agriculture needs that.”

He’s less confident about the confirmation of Robert Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services, though he remains optimistic. “It’s just a guess but I think he’ll be approved,” Weisemeyer says. “I think he’ll get some Democratic votes.”

As for the Washington rumor mill, he’s hearing talk about organizational changes at USDA. “They’ve been reorganized more than my diet,” he says. He’s even heard talk about the organization’s headquarters moving out of Washington in the not too distant future, but while nothing has been decided yet, he notes, “I don’t think we’ve heard the last of that.”

Given his hectic week, Weisemeyer did not attend the Bipartisan Inaugural Ball: Celebrating American Agriculture, held on the night of presidential inaugurations. Commonly known as the “Farm Prom,” it’s a formal affair, requiring a tuxedo that he didn’t want to wear. Morgan, however, says she would have loved to attend and wondered why Weisemeyer didn’t get an invitation for her.

Watch the full episode of Unscripted

YOUR NEXT READ
An Ag Insider’s View on Canada’s Turmoil, from Tariffs to Trudeau
Machinery Pete Explains Why 2025 Could Be a Great Year to Buy Equipment

An Ag Insider's View on Canada's Turmoil, from Tariffs to Trudeau

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 20:16:13 GMT

As the U.S ushers in a new presidential administration, Americans have been hearing a surprising amount of news about Canada. Perhaps most surprising was the recent announcement that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will resign in the next couple of months when his political party chooses a replacement.

President-elect Donald Trump, meanwhile, has threatened Canada, one of our leading trade partners, with high tariffs. He’s even suggested that perhaps our neighbor to the north should consider becoming America’s 51^st state. For an inside view on these and other events, Shaun Haney from RealAgriculture, Canada’s leading national agriculture publication, appeared on the latest episode of Unscripted with hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths.

About Trudeau’s announcement, Haney tells the hosts, “It’s been a long time coming. This should have happened a long time ago. He had no chance to win the next election.” Haney believes that the next prime minister will probably be Pierre Poilievre, leader of the country’s conservative party.

“Since the pandemic, things have changed,” Haney says. “The world has moved toward more of a conservative position in terms of leadership. Canada, in some ways, is late to the party.” Haney feels that Poilievre would be a natural successor in the current political climate. “He comes from the reform side of the conservative party. He’s a fiscal conservative, but I wouldn’t say he’s socially to the right. He’s more in the center.”

While Haney sees clear differences between Poilievre and Trump, the similarities could lead to smoother trade negotiations. “He will mesh better [than Trudeau] because he’s a no-nonsense kind of guy,” Haney says. “He’s talked a lot about how Canada needs this trade deal, and the U.S. needs Canadian goods. So let’s figure it out. But he’s a career politician so how will Trump react to him?” The key to the trade talks, Haney says, is to finish them quickly.

An important issue for agriculture in both countries is the carbon tax, which Haney believes will be erased under a Poilievre administration. “His mantra has been ‘ax the tax,’” Haney says. “That will be number one on his list.”

As for Canada becoming the next U.S. state, he agrees that his country has become complacent about national defense due to its proximity to America, but he takes such possibilities with a big grain of salt. If it should happen, Tyne promises to send him a welcome package that includes light beer, an American flag Speedo and Buc-ee’s nuggets.

Watch the full episode of Unscripted

Machinery Pete Explains Why 2025 Could Be a Great Year to Buy Equipment

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 15:18:11 GMT

The past year has been tumultuous in the world of ag machinery, with falling sales, manufacturer layoffs, plants closing and dealerships shutting down. Meanwhile, equipment prices keep rising. No one knows this world better than Machinery Pete, who offers some surprising observations on the latest episode of the Unscripted podcast .

For instance, he thinks 2025 could be a good year to invest in late-model used equipment. He points to the amount of zero- to three-year-old equipment sold at auction this year, which is up 399% versus the first year of the most recent ag downturn in 2014.

“Dealers have been more aggressive than I’ve ever seen them,” he tells Unscripted’s co-hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths. “They hate doing it and they’re taking huge losses, but if they keep the equipment on the lot then they’re paying eight percent interest so they’re taking them out to auction.”

The key to getting a good deal, he says, is acting quickly. History might tell farmers that tough times will provide leverage to buyers, but in the current sales climate, that advantage won’t last as long as it has in the past. “The rate of turn on late model used equipment is 400% higher than it was a decade ago,” Peterson says. “While 2025 will be a good buying opportunity for people, this whole thing is going to turn faster. Timing is everything.”

The key difference in today’s marketplace from past boom-and-bust cycles is that manufacturers and dealers are now tighter in their communication, he explains on the podcast. “They want to sell new, but they’re focused on attacking problem one,” he says. “I’ve never seen this big of an emphasis before. They have a mission to smash out late model used inventory.”

That focus should work in the buyer’s favor in 2025, but, again, he believes the advantage won’t last long. When that inventory is gone, prices on new equipment will be even higher. In the 35 years that he’s been watching and reporting on the ag equipment market, Machinery Pete has seen many changes and cycles. While predicting the future is never a sure thing, he feels certain that those changes and cycles will occur more quickly than ever before.

Watch the full episode of Unscripted.

Your Next Read: Ag Tech and Machinery Trends to Track for 2025

How a Wisconsin Dairy Farmer Built a Social Media Following By Connecting Ag to Consumers

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 21:33:56 GMT

As row crop producers continue to struggle with low commodity prices and rising input costs, life in the dairy world is taking a turn for the better. As co-host Tyne Morgan states on the latest episode of the Unscripted podcast , “Dairy is back, baby!” The episode is the first live production of the podcast, which was done at this week’s MILK Business Conference at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

Newly released USDA data shows in 2023 America’s dairy consumption returned to 1950s levels at 661 lb. per person. Record-breaking cheese consumption and increases in butter, cottage cheese and yogurt sales have all helped add to domestic demand, putting smiles on the faces of dairy producers.

“Cottage cheese is having a moment,” guest Annaliese Wegner tells Morgan and co-host Clinton Griffiths on the podcast. Better known on social media as Modern Day Farm Chick, Wegner and her husband, Tom, attended the conference and made time for a special appearance on Unscripted. With 63,000 followers on Instagram and 148,000 on Facebook, Wegner is a leading social media influencer for the agriculture industry. While humor is a big part of her appeal, she was inspired more by anger to begin posting online, initially through a blog.

“More and more of my friends on Facebook were sharing things about agriculture that weren’t true and it made my blood boil,” she recalls. “When I first started, my goal was to bust myths and share facts, to talk about what modern day farming is.” She soon realized that a softer approach was a better way to achieve her goal. Shifting her focus to posts about daily life on the family farm as well as about her hobbies, interests and raising twins, she found a growing audience. “You build connections,” she says. “You build trust. So when I do talk about farming, they believe what I say.”

Bridging the gap between ag producers and consumers remains a cornerstone of her social media efforts. As for the often humorous tone of her posts, she says it comes naturally. “Life is funny,” she says. “Farming is funny. Do we want to get angry about it and let it ruin our day or do we want to laugh about it and move on?”

For ag producers interested in creating their own social media presence, Wegner advises, “Don’t overthink it. Don’t try to make it the perfect post. People just want to see you and what you do in your life and on your farm. They just want to relate to another person.”

Watch the episode of Unscripted

Navigating Trade Wars, Tariffs and More in the New Year

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 19:55:57 GMT

As the ag industry prepares to flip the calendar and head into a new year, even experts and insiders have more questions than answers. The long-delayed farm bill and 45Z biofuels tax credit guidance have kept the industry in a frustrating limbo, while high interest rates and low commodity prices push it toward recession.

Some economists are already calling the current situation a recession. Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist for StoneX, a financial services provider for global markets, is one of them.

“By definition, a recession is when you have back-to-back quarters of contraction in GDP [Gross Domestic Product],” he tells hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffith on Farm Journal’s Unscripted podcast. “We’re not growing as an industry, we’re contracting.”

However, he believes that comparisons to the 1980s, a historically bleak period for agriculture, are misguided.

“I don’t think we’re in that type of scenario,” he says. “Fortunately, as an industry, we’re not as highly leveraged as we were in the 1980s, particularly when you think of land. We have some safeguards in place.”

In fact, he tells the hosts that he’s more optimistic about the ag economy than he was just a few months ago, noting that a new tax policy and less regulation under the Trump administration could lead to renewed growth.

Suderman is also optimistic about global trade, foreseeing new agreements with major partners, such as Mexico, Canada and even China. Those countries, he says, are in weaker negotiating positions than they were during the first Trump administration. “We’re hearing from our people in China that maybe there might be some type of trade deal hopes,” he says. “That would mean more agricultural products bought from the United States in exchange for Trump easing up on tariffs on consumer goods.”

Of course, many challenges and questions will persist as the new administration takes over. How can the industry boost domestic demand for soybeans, corn and pork? Will the Trump administration show more support for biofuels than it did in its previous time in office? How can U.S. soybean exports succeed despite growing competition from countries such as Brazil and Argentina?

For Suderman, the clearest certainty is that changes will occur quickly in the new year. The president-elect knows that losing control of Congress in the mid-term elections is a possibility, so he will enact his new policies with as much speed as possible. “He has two years to get his agenda done,” Suderman says. “So we’re going to see things happen fast and furious.”

Watch the full episode of Unscripted

Unscripted: Will New Policies Reshape the Ag Industry’s Future?

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 22:58:19 GMT

As new presidential and congressional administrations prepare to grab the governmental reins, ag professionals wonder what the new leadership will mean for the industry. Will we finally get a new farm bill? Who will be the next secretary of agriculture? Will we get clarification on nagging questions about biofuels? Will producers continue to face rising input costs and low commodity prices?

Washington D.C. ag economist John Newton sees opportunities for improving the industry’s financial outlook with new leadership in place. On the latest episode of the Unscripted podcast , Newton asks, “What needs to happen to turn this around?” and answers his question with “it all starts with demand.” Noting that corn exports have been strong, he says, “All eyes are going to be on this next administration for how we proceed with agricultural exports to our top markets.”

Increasing exports can give the ag economy a much-needed boost, and he’s optimistic about that possibility. “I’m focused heavily on the opportunities we have ahead of us in U.S. agriculture,” he says. “We’re the best in the world at what we do, we have the highest quality products, we just need an opportunity to deliver those products to the global market.”

He also has a positive outlook on the long-awaited farm bill, which currently remains in the hands of the lame-duck Senate ag committee.

“I’m optimistic we can get it done, but the clock is ticking,” he says. “There’s an opportunity to do something bipartisan for ag, for rural America.” From updated crop insurance to risk management tools to funding for rural childcare and health care to ag trade promotion programs, the bill could address many persistent issues that producers face. “The list,” says Newton, “is long.”

While he recognizes the major obstacles preventing a turnaround for the ag economy, he’s also optimistic about the candidates for the next secretary of agriculture. “There are a number of highly qualified people on the list,” he says. “It’s important to have somebody in that seat who works well with agriculture and is a good ambassador for us in the Oval Office.”

Watch the full episode of Unscripted.

Which Presidential Candidate Would Have the Biggest Impact on Ag?

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 20:57:57 GMT

With early voting well underway in the presidential election, agriculture producers must decide which candidate will better serve their needs and what they want the next president to do. On the latest episode of Farm Journal’s Unscripted podcast , long-time Washington insider Jim Wiesemeyer shares what he’s hearing about who that next president could be. He tells hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths that early voting among Republicans could make a big impact.

With polls showing razor-thin margins between the candidates, it’s still too close to call, particularly in the swing states, Wiesemeyer says. At a recent event in Colorado Springs, CO, he heard David Wasserman from the Cook Political Report give Donald Trump a 60 percent chance of winning. “Republicans historically vote far more than Democrats on election day,” he says. “This year, more Republicans have voted early. They could gain some key votes in key states simply by voting earlier.”

On the podcast, Clinton offers, “It feels like there’s so much pressure at the polls to get it right. Everybody’s kind of on edge, which I’m okay with. I want it to be right.” When the counting is done, however, which candidate will be better for agriculture? Tyne reveals that surveys in this month’s Ag Economist’s Monthly Monitor and a Farm Journal survey of more than 4,000 ag producers tell different stories.

Key issues for the industry include the 45Z program for biofuels, farm policy, tariffs, crop insurance and inflation. Jim says, “When I talk to top producers, one thing is clear on differentiating the candidates — tax policy. Farmers like that 20 percent pass-through. They like less estate taxes, less capital gains taxes. When you talk to farm country, production agriculture, those are the things I’m told.”

They agree that the delay in clarification on the 45Z biofuels tax credit is, as Tyne says, “a complete disaster.” Is it going to happen next year? Soybean processing plants are slowing purchases because they’re not sure about receiving the credit. “As for why it’s taking so long, it’s up to the treasury department and the IRS, because it’s tax incentives,” Jim explains. “They just don’t know agriculture. Companies are starting to pull back their investment plans because they don’t know the rules. We have to know if corn-based ethanol is going to comply.”

It’s a spirited, illuminating discussion on a range of issues that farmers, ranchers and other ag professionals need to consider seriously as they cast their votes.

Watch the full episode of Unscripted.

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A Possible Recession Still Hangs Over the Ag Economy, But Positive Shifts Are Starting to Surface
As the Wizard of Yield, Ken Ferrie Reveals His Secrets on Unscripted

As the Wizard of Yield, Ken Ferrie Reveals His Secrets on Unscripted

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:56:53 GMT

Dry weather is enabling a smooth, productive harvest in the Midwest, but on the latest episode of Unscripted , Farm Journal agronomy expert Ken Ferrie cautions farmers about safety issues arising from the lack of rain interruptions. “Crews can get into zombie mode,” he tells podcast hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths. “Give yourself and crews time to regenerate so we don’t end up with any accidents here at the end.”

As for the size of the harvest, he remains optimistic, despite drought and “the largest infestation of corn aphids I’ve seen in my career,” he says. USDA and Pro Farmer Crop Tour forecasts predict record-breaking corn and soybean yields in some states, including his home state of Illinois. “There are some big numbers coming out of these farms,” he says. “There are a lot of field records falling for corn and soybeans.”

Ferrie and the hosts agree that this year’s main challenge is not lack of grain but where to store it and how to ship it. Record-breaking yields and too much of last year’s grain held for too long is making available bin space hard to find. Labor shortages, particularly the lack of truck drivers, could create bottlenecks as we go deeper into harvest, Ferrie says.

The Questionable Future of Dicamba

There is also concern among farmers about the potential loss of dicamba as a weed management tool. In 2023, weeds were particularly problematic, and dicamba played a crucial role in controlling tough weed populations. Farmers may need to adopt alternative strategies and herbicides if dicamba becomes unavailable, which could increase costs and require more proactive management.

“Will we survive without it? Yes. Will we have to put more herbicides on and be more proactive in different ways? Yes. But it’s a situation where I hope we don’t lose dicamba. At the same time, these guys will deal with it if it happens,” says Ferrie.

The Secret to Soybean Yields

He touches on a wide range of topics throughout the podcast, including advice on when to plant. Yields prove that planting soybeans before corn can lead to better production. “The biggest thing that moves the needle here is planting beans early,” he says. “Today we have fungicides and insecticides to protect those beans that we didn’t have 10 years ago.” He adds that waiting to plant corn has actually increased yields. “Put corn in based on the soil conditions not on the calendar and it will usually reward you,” he says.

The discussion also hits on advances in agricultural technology, such as the increasing use of drones for precision spraying and monitoring crop health. These innovations, including the potential for plants to signal stress through genetic traits, are revolutionizing crop management. Additionally, the integration of advanced technologies in corn planters has significantly enhanced planting precision, contributing to record yields.

Watch the full episode of Unscripted.

Farm Journal's PORK Editor Offers Insider Insights on Pork Industry Challenges

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 16:55:16 GMT

As we enter October — aka “Porktober” — the pork production industry faces a range of challenges, from a struggling market to biosecurity threats. For insights into that industry, Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths welcome Jennifer Shike, editor of Farm Journal’s PORK, to the latest episode of their Unscripted podcast.

Shike says biosecurity remains a top priority for pork producers and that the U.S. has become a leader in developing stringent measures for preventing and containing disease. The dairy industry, which has been battling persistent avian flu since March of this year, has looked to pork for guidance.

“Pork producers are showing everyone else how it works,” Shike says. “It’s hard to do it perfectly all the time, but they’re leading the way.” She wonders how advancements in robotics and AI might help improve biosecurity in the near future.

In North Carolina, the third-largest pork production state, life is even more difficult right now due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. “For these pig farmers, there are the normal stresses, and the stresses they face when these storms come,” Shike says. “They’re dealing with protecting their animals as well as their families.”

On a lighter note, Shike reveals that later this month she’ll move into the host’s chair for the debut of The Pork Podcast. An episode will be posted every week during October on the Farm Journal YouTube channel, as well as on audio platforms, and then shift to every other week.

“We’re really excited to start the podcast and to talk about pork in different ways,” she says. “We’re trying to tell the story behind the story. I want to give our readers and listeners a little bit more.”

While hosting a podcast is new territory for her, she’s an experienced journalist who has written award-winning stories for PORK. Asked to pick her favorite, she initially declines, saying, “I get attached to everybody I write about,” but then chooses “ By Her Own Hand: A Farm Girl’s Miraculous Journey from Death to Hope ” — a profile of a young woman battling depression and suicidal thoughts. She also points to a very recent article she wrote about how a group of veterinarians are helping save a small Iowa town.

The secret to being an effective interviewer? “Be a good listener,” she advises. And as host of The Pork Podcast, she plans to do just that.

Listen to the full episode of Unscripted.

Will 5 States Along the Pro Farmer Crop Tour Shatter Their Record Yields?

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 18:17:46 GMT

Every year, row crop farmers eagerly await news from the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, during which scouts travel thousands of miles and go into more than 2,000 fields in seven Midwestern states to gather first-hand data that is used it to predict yields. This year, however, there’s even more excitement surrounding the tour.

The latest WASDE report from the USDA forecasts record-breaking yields in five of those states —Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Illinois could see an amazing average corn yield of 225 bu. per acre.

“On Crop Tour, we want to see what’s really out there,” says Pro Farmer editor Brian Grete on the latest edition of Unscripted , a new Farm Journal podcast. “We’re the first real hands-on look across the bulk of the Midwest.” During the tour, scouts pull approximately 1,700 samples and report their observations from four days of field study.

Unscripted hosts Clinton Griffiths and Tyne Morgan won’t be getting much sleep during the tour, as they’ll be broadcasting each night from four cities along the tour’s Eastern route. With sagging commodity prices, the mood among corn and soybean growers remains low, but generally good weather in much of the Midwest this season has helped produce healthy crops.

Grete notes that the lack of drought has been a key factor, as has a good balance of rain and sun. “Crops have had very little stress this year,” he says. “Now, we know about the flooding in the northwestern Corn Belt and that’s going to take away some harvested acres, but yield-wise what’s out there is very strong.”

Because Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts are actually in the fields, the final forecasts tend to be more accurate. They’re not just relying on grower surveys and satellite images. Grete says that he does hear occasionally from ag industry people claiming that the tour’s scouts tend to cherry-pick the best-looking fields. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” he says, adding that fields are picked at random. “I don’t care what a field looks like.”

Having led the eastern leg of the tour for 17 years, Grete is keeping his emotions in check about what this tour will reveal. “We don’t want to have any preconceived notions going into crop tour,” he explains. “But with that said, it’s impossible to ignore all the data that’s out there. Two-hundred and twenty-five for a corn yield would not just beat the current record of 214, it would absolutely annihilate it.”

Listen to the full episode of Unscripted.

D.C. Insider Jim Wiesemeyer Sheds Light On the Wild Week in American Politics

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 16:33:07 GMT

At this week’s Republican National Convention, the GOP confirmed their ticket for the 2024 presidential race while calling for unity in America following the assignation attempt on candidate Donald Trump. Meanwhile, there’s growing pressure among Democrats for President Joe Biden to step away from the race.

Long-time political analyst Jim Wiesemeyer joined Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths on Farm Journal’s new Unscripted podcast this week to sort through all the breaking news.

The assassination attempt on Sunday in rural Pennsylvania reminded Wiesemeyer of the failed attempt on the life of President Ronald Reagan in 1981. “It changed Reagan and it appears to have changed Trump,” Wiesemeyer tells the hosts. He felt a new tone among Republicans at last week’s convention. “They wanted to present a sense of spreading the tent,” he says. “I think a lot of people toned down the negatives.”

In discussing Donald Trump’s 92-minute acceptance speech, Wiesemeyer notes on the podcast, “The speech was especially effective at the beginning and less so as it went on, as it became undifferentiated from a normal Trump speech.”

Wiesemeyer compared the Democrats’ situation with Joe Biden to the 1968 presidential election, when incumbent Lyndon Johnson stepped down rather than run for a second term in office. The D.C. insider believes there’s enough time still left to replace Biden but adds, “They can’t doddle. The polls are still close.” If Biden does end his campaign, Wiesemeyer says, “They’ll try to pick a candidate that galvanizes all the different factions, and that’s hard to do.”

In viewing the race as it currently stands, Wiesemeyer sees what he calls “an enthusiasm gap” but tells the podcast hosts that much can change in the next few weeks. He believes that voters, in the end, must look at the policies of the two parties. “Sure there will be some emotion, but look at the policies,” he says. “Let the best party win.”

Watch the full episode of Unscripted.

Why Isn't Flooding And Hail Now Pushing Grain Prices Higher? Eric Snodgrass Goes Unscripted

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 20:26:49 GMT

Recent severe weather has swept across the country, with hailstorms damaging the Nebraska crop and Hurricane Beryl making a significant impact on North America. Yet, the grain markets seem unfazed by the possible crop damage across the Midwest.

Eric Snodgrass, Science Fellow and Principal Atmospheric Scientist at Nutrien Ag Solutions, joined “Unscripted” hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths to explore why these weather events have seemingly had little effect on the markets. It’s something he’s admittedly baffled by, as well.“2024 will be a year we remember as being one of the most active with severe weather” declares Snodgrass.

“Here’s one of our top producing states that just took a massive punch in the mouth, and to be honest, my biggest frustration was the lack of market reaction,” Snodgrass exclaims. “We just didn’t see the expected response when prime acres were wiped out.” Snodgrass, Griffiths, and Morgan discuss multiple weather events across the country that have not gathered the anticipated market responses.

Snodgrass thinks up to 500,000 acres of crops were damaged by last weekend’s hail storm.

Following the hail damage in the Midwest, another severe weather event, Hurricane Beryl, brought much-needed rain to the eastern corn belt, alleviating potential drought concerns in key areas.

Snodgrass describes the upper Midwest as a “brown ocean,” explaining that abundant moisture in the soil and vegetation can locally evaporate and fuel storms whenever conditions are conducive, a phenomenon likely to manifest over the coming days and weeks.

Additionally, Snodgrass clarifies the current weather patterns, stating, “There are a lot of folks attributing what’s going on to La Niña, but La Niña just isn’t there yet.”

After sharing tremendous insights throughout the entire podcast, the group playfully dubs Eric their go-to “phone-a-friend” for future trivia challenges and eagerly anticipates his forthcoming 75-minute meteorology video following him watching the new Twister’s movie.

Unscripted is a show where scripts take a back seat. Tyne and Clinton put down the teleprompters and let the conversations flow naturally. Each week, they bring in fellow Farm Journal hosts and editors and friends to share behind-the-scenes insights on the stories we’ve covered, giving you a chance to meet the personalities behind the personalities.

Hosts Sound Off About Rising Food Prices, Flood Waters and Controversy on the Unscripted Podcast

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 20:29:46 GMT

After several years of debate, the carbon capture pipeline was approved this week by the Iowa Utilities Board, which also granted permission to Summit Carbon Solutions to use eminent domain when necessary. “It’s a controversial issue, and I don’t see that changing,” AgriTalk host Chip Flory said on the latest episode of Unscripted , a new Farm Journal podcast. “A majority wants this to happen, but you can’t ignore the rights and concerns of the minority.”

Flory and his AgriTalk co-host, Davis Michaelsen, joined Clinton Griffiths on the podcast, which offers a candid, behind-the-scenes review of the week’s stories that Farm Journal journalists are covering or following. Flory and Michaelsen agree that they understand why, despite possible environmental and economic benefits, some landowners are unhappy with the idea of a CO₂ pipeline running through their property. “Their ground is sacred to them,” Michaelsen said. Flory agreed, adding, “I hope they can find agreement so eminent domain doesn’t have to be used.”

If Iowans are split on approving the pipeline, they’ve come together to help their neighbors during the recent floods that have plagued the state. Flory said he tried to get a number of farmers onto his radio show to talk about the flooding but all were too busy helping other farmers battle the water to be interviewed. “They were making sure that others were safe,” he told Griffiths, who was not at all surprised. “That’s what the [farm] community does so well,” he said. “People helping people.”

On every episode of Unscripted , hosts and guests talk about the craziest stories they’ve heard about or covered in the past week, and they had plenty to choose from. Michaelsen mentioned that a bull is loose — and lost — on the streets of Boston. Apparently a resident didn’t know that having a bull within city limits is illegal. Nor does he know how the bull got away. So far, police efforts to find the bull have been unsuccessful despite the use of drones.

Griffiths brought up a story about a Missouri woman who was arrested last week after her husband accused her of spiking his Mountain Dew with Roundup® herbicide. The husband complained that his soda had been tasting funny lately and also that he’d been feeling sick. Using a security camera, he caught his wife in the act and called the local police. Griffiths explained that the husband believes his wife had designs on his $500K life insurance policy, but she claims to have done it as payback for his frequent lack of appreciation of her. Host and guests agreed that appreciating one’s spouse is always a wise idea.

Watch the full episode of Unscripted.

Washington Insider Sees The Presidential Debate As Significant For Both Candidates

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 12:49:50 GMT

As the country gets ready for the first presidential debate of the 2024 race, Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths invited Washington insider Jim Wiesemeyer to appear on Unscripted , their new podcast, to discuss what he’s hearing. “I think if Donald Trump has any chance of winning, he has to be more presidential,” Wiesemeyer says, adding the Republican candidate has recently toned down his anger and taken a more practical approach. “Independent voters will watch to see if he can contain himself.”

Wiesemeyer believes the debate is an equally important test for incumbent candidate Joe Biden, “This debate will be the barometer for him,” he says. He believes if Biden falters in the debate, Democratic delegates could try to replace him on the ticket.

Moving on to other political news, Wiesemeyer reports little progress has been made in Congress on the long-awaited farm bill. While he remains somewhat optimistic the bill will pass before the end of the year, he’s not able to say what will break through the current impasse.

“When you listen to the farm-state lawmakers, you hear their frustration,” he says. “I’m still not giving up on it because the pressure on the senate will grow if the house passes it.”

But the conversation on the latest episode of Unscripted — Farm Journal’s candid, off-the-cuff discussion of the week’s most compelling or surprising headlines and stories — wanders far from politics. Hosts and guest dive into updates about the bird flu, which a former CDC director said could become the next pandemic, as well changing food demands due to the popularity of prescription weight-loss drugs. Morgan reports producers are starting to see a decline in demand for meat because “People are drinking protein instead of eating it.”

On another note, Morgan reports farmers in Indiana and Illinois are receiving unsolicited offers — as high as $3,200 and $4,500 per acre — from solar energy companies to lease some of their land.

“All they want is 20 to 50 acres,” Griffiths says. “How do you say ‘no’ to that?” Morgan has talked to an Indiana attorney who says typical offers tend to be in the $1,000 to $2,000 per acre range. Her advice to farmers: “Step one, get a lawyer.”

Watch the full episode of Unscripted here

From California Ag Problems To The Joys Of Fatherhood - “Mr. Tyne” Rises To His Own Defense on Unscripted

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 16:37:10 GMT

On the latest edition of their popular Unscripted podcast, hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths wander off script to review some strange, recent appearances. In Yellowstone National Park, a rare white bison calf was spotted by tourists, fulfilling, apparently, a Lakota Indian prophecy. Meanwhile, in California, a donkey that had gone missing five years ago was seen grazing with a herd of wild elk that had, so it seems, adopted him.

Perhaps the most surprising appearance of the week, however, was the podcast’s special guest — Tyne’s husband, James. As a national accounts manager for Simplot Grower Solutions, James offers insights about troubling trends among California nut growers, who are struggling to survive in the current economic and political climate. But he joins the show mostly to defend himself. As regular viewers of Unscripted well know, Tyne occasionally complains about her husband, who uses this opportunity to tell his side of things. Known to some residents of their small Missouri town as “Mr. Tyne,” James provides a different take on what he characterizes as “13 blissful years of marriage.”

Sure, his hunting trips sometimes last too long and result in too little, and, yes, given all the time he spends golfing his handicap should be a lot lower than it is, but when it comes to being a first-rate father to their daughters, Kimbrel and Kinsler, no apologies are necessary. Case in point: at the girls’ recent “Dad’s Dance” recital, James stole the show. After playing a short video clip of her husband’s fancy footwork, even Tyne admits, “He was the crowd favorite. The girls were on cloud nine all the way home.”

To celebrate all dads on Father’s Day, Clinton joins James in offering a few observations about the joys fatherhood. The long-time host of AgDay has two sons, Colton and Breccan, and Clinton says, “It’s an incredible experience to be a dad.” James shares that feeling, noting that today’s parents are maybe even more acutely aware of how fast the kids grow up because we’re easily reminded by our cell phone photos. We can see how our sons and daughters change in just a year or two, reminding us that all too soon their childhoods — and their daily need for us — will end. Watch this hilarious and touching episode of Unscripted.

Unscripted: From Flying Spiders to Stolen Soybeans, the Wild but True Stories From Rural America With Chris Bennett

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 14:38:45 GMT

When Farm Journal writer Chris Bennett heard about a Missouri farmer who sold 32,000 bushels of soybeans and then stole them back, he knew he’d struck journalistic gold. “It’s a wild tale full of doglegs and curve balls,” he says on the latest episode of the Unscripted podcast . “It’s beyond fascinating.” We’ll have to wait until he’s finished writing it before we learn all the details, but he offers a behind-the-scenes peek to the podcast’s hosts, Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths.

And he doesn’t stop there. He tells them about interviewing a man who claimed to use psychic powers to increase soybean yields. Then there’s the Ohio landowner who ran ads for a farm manager. When eager candidates showed up to apply, he murdered them. Bizarre tales from the world of ag and rural America are a specialty for Bennett, but Morgan and Griffiths have a few of their own to share, and Unscripted is the perfect place to do it.

The podcast features a range of short segments, each one named using a Gen Z slang phrase. From “Talking Tea” to “What the Sigma?” to “TM-I Can’t Believe This Happened” to “My Fam-tastic Life,” the conversations can wander far and wide — and invariably they do. In the latest episode, the trio not only shares some of the wildest dramas they’ve covered, they talk about what makes a story good and how investigating it can be full of challenges.

“We all want that dogleg in the story,” Bennett says. “That twist. They make it more chewable.” While investigating recent stories about ag entrepreneurs, he says he looks for “those hinge moments” that change the story’s direction and, ultimately, its outcome.

Of course, reporting a strange tale often demands interviewing a strange person or two. When Bennett talked to the yield-increasing psychic, he determined that even if the claims were hard to believe, the man did believe them. Griffiths recalls interviewing an elderly gent in Kansas who said he knew who “really” assassinated President John Kennedy. During their conversation, Griffiths realized the story didn’t quite add up. “When you interview enough people,” he says, “you know when they’re lying.”

For a fascinating, writer’s-eye look at these stories — not to mention ones about flying spiders, a Mafia don, human remains on an Indiana farm and an airplane stink-bomb prank gone awry — check out the latest, craziest episode of the Unscripted podcast .

View More Articles From Chris Bennett Here

A 1992 John Deere 4055 Selling For $275,000? Machinery Pete Shares the Most Shocking Auction Price He's Seen This Year on Unscripted

Fri, 31 May 2024 20:30:57 GMT

The world of used farm equipment changed dramatically during the pandemic as auctions moved to online rather than in-person events. According to Greg Peterson, better known as Machinery Pete, the change was both significant and permanent.

“There was movement toward online only before then, but it wouldn’t have happened as fast,” Peterson explains on the latest episode of Unscripted , a new podcast from Farm Journal hosted by U.S. Farm Report’s Tyne Morgan and AgDay’s Clinton Griffiths. “We put a lasso around the used farm-equipment space and yanked it seven or eight years into the future,” Peterson says. “Not only did prices go up, but the logistics of auctions changed.”

On the podcast, Peterson also offers his personal story, explaining how a mild-mannered accountant and part-time sportswriter living in Rochester, Minnesota, became, over the course of nearly 35 years, the most trusted voice in the world of used farm equipment. When he was fresh out of college, he took the advice of his dad, a John Deere dealer, and bought an equipment pricing guide, which was a print-only publication back in those days. The rest, of course, is history.

When the world went digital, he did, too, eventually becoming, as Morgan calls him, “the O.G. of ag social media.” While he says he doesn’t like the term ‘influencer,’ he accepts his role within the ever-expanding world of social media. “Right or wrong, it’s our gathering place,” he tells the hosts.

Unscripted is a weekly podcast featuring Farm Journal hosts and editors who share candid, behind-the-scenes observations and insights on the stories they’re covering. It gives viewers a unique opportunity to meet the personalities behind the personalities.

The conversation, however, isn’t limited to ag news. Hosts and guests get personal, provocative and, occasionally, hilarious. In this latest episode, Peterson not only provides insider advice for equipment buyers and sellers, he also performs a bulls-eye impression of legendary baseball announcer Harry Caray.

Griffiths returns the favor by nailing an impression of Peterson — subdued and earnest, with just a hint of Minnesota Nice. Unlike Machinery Pete’s own show, the goal of Unscripted is to keep the audience guessing about where the discussion will go next.

See More of Unscriped Here!

Chip Flory Talks Farm Bill Politics, Wet Planting and Award-Winning Wings

Tue, 28 May 2024 19:36:26 GMT

Farmers who are feeling bewildered by the glacial progress of the next farm bill should know they’re not alone. “There are a lot of people who are confused about the process, including me,” AgriTalk host Chip Flory says on the latest episode of Unscripted , a new podcast produced by Farm Journal Studios. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” Part of the problem is the great political divide in Congress, he says, adding, “I remember when it was a very bipartisan effort.”

Unscripted co-hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths admit to sharing Flory’s confusion and frustration, Morgan noting that the discussions on Capitol Hill are “getting ugly. I don’t know what to believe anymore. We’re far from an agreement.”

Moving on to other topics, Flory said he’s much more sure about the best music concert he’s ever attended. Rather than a country artist, as many of his long-time listeners would expect, he chooses Phil Collins. “I’m not a big fan of country music,” he says. “But if it’s old-school country, I’m all in.”

Each week on Unscripted , Morgan and Griffiths bring in fellow Farm Journal hosts and editors to share behind-the-scenes insights on the stories they’ve covered, giving their audience a chance to meet the personalities behind the personalities. The conversations are often surprising, sometimes spicy and always spontaneous.

In the latest episode, after exploring the farm bill, they discuss the stormy spring weather that has made planting difficult in many parts of the country. Despite the weak start to the growing season, the hosts and guest remain optimistic, as Morgan sums up their take with, “Don’t bet against the American farmer.”

A strong evening storm last week interrupted Flory’s efforts to grill pork chops, but chicken wings are his true specialty. And he proved it a couple of weeks ago at Wingfest, an annual competition held in Cascade, Iowa. As part of his son’s cooking team, named Eastern Iowa Taxidermy, he helped win the judge’s choice and the people’s choice awards for best wings. On the podcast, he reveals the secrets of his wing mastery.

From the passing of an ag media icon to art thefts at Taco Bell restaurants to anticipation of strong crop yields despite a stormy spring, this week’s roundup of stories on Unscripted kicks off the holiday weekend in high style.

From Wild Pigs to Property Rights, Journalist Chris Bennett Goes Unscripted

Mon, 20 May 2024 13:37:30 GMT

Few writers covering the ag industry and rural America today can tell a story quite like Chris Bennett, a senior writer for AgWeb and Farm Journal magazine. From Ponzi schemes to “antler madness,” pig motels to suing the feds, Bennett has a nose for news you won’t find anywhere else in the media world that most of us tap into every day.

On the second episode of Unscripted , a new podcast hosted by AgDay’s Clinton Griffiths and U.S. Farm Report’s Tyne Morgan, Bennett provides a behind-the-scenes look at how he finds such amazing stories and how he tells them so well.

“Crazy draws crazy, I guess,” he says, then adds that some of his stories take years to complete. “It’s a blessing to work on all of these farm stories at one time.” With an office full of fat folders, he remains patient during his investigations, allowing stories to develop at their own pace.

Case in point: Bennett recently drew plenty of readers to his story about new research that revealed more human beings are killed every year by wild pigs than by sharks . On Unscripted, he says that researcher John J. Mayer “hollered at me a long while back” about a study he was doing on the subject. Bennett asked Mayer to let him know when the study was released to the public. He then combined a report about the study with the story of a Texas woman who was mauled to death by wild pigs in 2019.

But for a story to catch his interest, it doesn’t have to pit Hogzilla against Jaws. It’s more a matter of deciding what will interest his readers and how best to investigate — and ultimately tell — the tale. “I have to approach these stories with the mindset of a 10-year-old,” he says. “You have to approach a story with wonder and with humility.” He also says listening deeply to the people he interviews is critical to the process.

As accomplished storytellers themselves, Morgan and Griffiths share their own beliefs about the art and craft. “You can find something interesting when talking to almost anybody,” Griffiths says. “But you can’t go in with a preconceived notion. You have to be willing to hear what they say.” Morgan agrees, adding, “It’s about allowing them to tell the story and not getting in the way of it.”

Telling powerful stories about farm country is a highly specialized skill, and hearing how it’s done from three of the industry’s best is time well spent. Click here to watch the full episode .

For more articles from Chris Bennett ( cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

Corn and Cocaine: Roger Reaves and the Most Incredible Farm Story Never Told

American Gothic: Farm Couple Nailed In Massive $9M Crop Insurance Fraud

Priceless Pistol Found After Decades Lost in Farmhouse Attic

Cottonmouth Farmer: The Insane Tale of a Buck-Wild Scheme to Corner the Snake Venom Market

Tractorcade: How an Epic Convoy and Legendary Farmer Army Shook Washington, D.C.

Bizarre Mystery of Mummified Coon Dog Solved After 40 Years

While America Slept, China Stole the Farm

Washington Insider Goes Off Script to Forecast 2024 Election

Mon, 13 May 2024 13:23:56 GMT

While he says it’s still too early to get a clear picture of the upcoming elections, Capitol Hill veteran analyst Jim Wiesemeyer foresees the possibility of a Republican sweep of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives. He cites polling by his friend David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report and other sources that suggest a very close race for president but adds, “Law and order will prevail, much like it did in the 1968 election.”

Wiesemeyer provides a number of insights on Unscripted, a new Farm Journal podcast hosted by AgDay’s Clinton Griffiths and U.S. Farm Report’s Tyne Morgan. Each week, the podcast features Farm Journal hosts and editors sharing behind-the-scenes observations on the stories they’ve covered, giving viewers a unique opportunity to meet the personalities behind the personalities.

The inaugural episode of Unscripted was posted on Friday, May 10.

On that first episode, Wiesemeyer, a long-time D.C. analyst for Pro Farmer and regular guest on AgriTalk, offers informed insights on everything from the upcoming election to the importance of the next farm bill. “I think whoever wins the presidential race, that ups the odds that his party will win the House,” Wiesemeyer says, adding the races will be critical in determining extensions of the 2017 tax cuts and biofuel tax incentives.

But Unscripted is not just all about politics and gravitas. There’s a lot of levity, too. Segments are named using current Gen Z slang phrases, from “Talkin’ Tea” to “What the Sigma?”. The hosts and guests choose the craziest headline they’ve read or written during the week, and they also share what’s happening with their families. “This is where we get personal,” says Morgan. On the first episode, they discuss juggling kids’ events while meeting professional obligations and debate the best restaurant in Kansas City. In the end, Morgan christens Wiesemeyer “the O.G. of Ag reporting.”

“We’re not just going off-script,” Morgan says. “We’re throwing out the script altogether.” Look for new episodes of Unscripted every Friday on the Farm Journal YouTube channel.