FOCUS on Agriculture
96 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 19 ratingsJoin Preston Schrader and Jason Carr, scientists in the ag industry, as they interview guests about a wide range of agricultural topics. From digital ag, pests, and sustainability to increasing yield, they cover all aspects of ag to help growers succeed and open a dialogue with consumers.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Episode 91: Marvin Pritts - Strawberry Production and Factors that Affect Flavor
April 25, 2024 15:00 - 39 minutes - 27.3 MBHave you ever wondered why some strawberries from the grocery store or farmer’s market taste wonderful while others are relatively flavorless? Do you struggle to produce strawberries in your home garden? We learn about these topics and much more in our latest episode. Dr. Marvin Pritts is a professor and the director of undergraduate studies, School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section at Cornell. Dr. Pritts has spent four decades studying berry crops, with a recent focus on s...
Episode 90: Ambassador Kip Tom - Threats and Opportunities in Modern Ag
April 05, 2024 15:00 - 49 minutes - 34.1 MBAmbassador Kip Tom served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture from 2019-2020. As a seventh generation farmer, Kip has worked tirelessly as a voice for farmers in the U.S. and around the globe and is a strong advocate for technological advances in agriculture. In this episode we discuss Kip’s journey from farm boy to becoming an active influencer of ag policy in the U.S. and abroad. Listen in to hear his take on the threats facing agricultu...
Episode 89: Congressman Brad Finstad - Upcoming Policy and How Farmers Can Impact It
May 11, 2023 15:07 - 18 minutes - 6.33 MBCongressman Brad Finstad was elected to Congress in a special election on August 9, 2022, and was sworn in three days later with his family by his side as he took the Oath of Office to proudly represent Minnesota’s First District. Brad is a fourth-generation farmer and resident of the New Ulm area. He and his wife, Jackie, met on the school bus in second grade and they are now the proud parents of seven children. A graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in Agriculture Educati...
Episode 88: Don Ort - Improving Crop Yields by Increasing Photosynthetic Efficiency
January 23, 2023 16:00 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBDr. Donald Ort is is the Robert Emerson Professor in Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois and Deputy Director of the RIPE (Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency) project. His research seeks to understand and improve plant growth and photosynthetic performance in changing environmental conditions, such as increasing CO2 temperature and drought. Don earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Wake Forest University and his doctorate in plant biochemistry fro...
Episode 87: Stu Ellis - Half a Century of Changes in Agriculture
December 12, 2022 16:00 - 49 minutes - 91.1 MBStu Ellis has been a well-known agricultural communicator in Illinois for 50 years. He began as the farm broadcaster at WSOY in Decatur and expanded his service to corn belt farmers through radio, television, newspapers, newsletters, and the Internet. Listen to hear Stu's story - from growing up on the farm, attending college, and through a long, distinguished, and impactful career "helping farmers make money and stay out of jail." Although he has reached the point in his career at which ...
Episode 86: Joni Stepanov - Controlled Environment Agriculture Part II
November 28, 2022 23:26 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBJoni Stepanov's long career in agriculture has culminated in her current role as horticulture consultant at AmplifiedAg. In this position, she conducts research to determine how to best manage crops in a completely controlled environment. Listen in to learn about her research. For a visualization of the concepts discussed in this podcast, check out the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAhefhLAolQ. To learn more about this topic, listen to our previous episode with Don Tay...
Episode 85: Don Taylor - Controlled Environment Agriculture
November 14, 2022 15:57 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBThe mission of AmplifiedAg is to provide global access to safe food, by growing the indoor agriculture category through innovation, experience, and partnership. In this episode, we speak with CEO Don Taylor about how the company is achieving this mission. Listen to learn how a unit of land can produce over 100X the amount of food compared to traditional outdoor methods by taking advantage of a controlled environment. Don explains how this approach can partner with and complement tradition...
Episode 85: Don Taylor - Controlled Environment Agriculture Part I
November 14, 2022 15:00 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBThe mission of AmplifiedAg is to provide global access to safe food, by growing the indoor agriculture category through innovation, experience, and partnership. In this episode, we speak with CEO Don Taylor about how the company is achieving this mission. Listen to learn how a unit of land can produce over 100X the amount of food compared to traditional outdoor methods by taking advantage of a controlled environment. Don explains how this approach can partner with and complement tradition...
Episode 84: Harvest Recap 2022 and the Challenges Farmers Face
October 31, 2022 15:00 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBEach year farmers are faced with a unique set of challenges, and 2022 was no exception. In this episode, Preston and Jason recap the 2022 growing season and discuss the future of farming. For added context to the discussion, check out the following episodes: Episode 42: Julie Borlaug - Dr. Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution Episode 56: Matt Helm - New Tools in the Battle Against Tar Spot of Corn Episode 64: Megan Dwyer - Managing Fertilizer Costs with Nutrient Loss Reduction Strate...
Episode 83: Jayson Lusk - Unnaturally Delicious: How Science and Technology are Serving up Super Foods to Save the World
October 17, 2022 15:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MBDr. Jayson Lusk is an ag economist at Purdue University, where he is a distinguished professor and head of the Department of Agricultural Economics. Dr. Lusk studies what we eat and why we eat it. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Unnaturally Delicious: How Science and Technology are Serving up Super Foods to Save the World. In this episode, we discuss his book, which discusses the role of innovation in modern food production in the context of history. You can lear...
Episode 82: Duane Simpson - Advocating for Science-Based, Farmer-Positive Agricultural Policy
October 03, 2022 15:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBDuane Simpson is Vice President, Head of North America Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability at Bayer Crop Science. He leads the company's Policy & Advocacy and Industry Affairs teams to bring farmer and value chain perspective to agricultural policy making in North America and around the globe. Duane is passionate about helping farmers and agribusinesses share their voices in the current political landscape. In this episode, we discuss the role of lobbyists in the public policy develo...
Episode 82: Duane Simpson - Influencing the Development and Implementation of Sound Agricultural Policy
October 03, 2022 15:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBDuane Simpson is Vice President, Head of North America Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability at Bayer Crop Science. He leads the company's Policy & Advocacy and Industry Affairs teams to develop and implement agricultural policy in North America and shape policy around the globe. Duane is passionate about helping farmers and agribusinesses share their voices in the current political landscape. In this episode, we discuss the role of lobbyists in developing public policy, the inner work...
Episode 81: Tim Fredricks & Dan Schmehl - Evaluating the Effects of Pesticides on Beneficial Insects and the Environment
September 19, 2022 15:00 - 35 minutes - 32.1 MBBringing a new pesticide to market involves years of research and huge capital investments. As environmental toxicologists with Bayer Crop Science, Dr. Tim Fredricks and Dr. Dan Schmehl study the effects of these products on the environment to ensure that adverse effects are minimized. In this episode we discuss the process of evaluating new crop protection products with greater specificity to control target pests while minimizing harm to other organisms. You can learn more about Bayer fo...
Episode 80: Tara Bohnert - Dairy Farming in the 21st Century and Beyond
September 05, 2022 15:00 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBTara Bohnert is a business development manager with Nedap Livestock Management, a Netherlands-based company that provides monitoring equipment for pigs and dairy cattle. In this episode we learn about the data that is collected and how it is used to improve farmer profitability as well as animal welfare. We also discuss the evolution of the dairy industry over the past century and what the future holds. To learn more about this topic, you can visit Nedap's website: https://www.nedap-lives...
Episode 79: Stuart Smyth - The Effect of Governmental Ag Policy on Global Food Insecurity
August 22, 2022 15:00 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBSri Lanka has been in the news recently due to an economic crisis leading to political instability. One of the factors behind the civil unrest is spiking food prices caused in part by governmental policy eliminating the use of synthetic fertilizers and crop protection products. In this episode, we once again chat with Dr. Stuart Smith, professor in ag and resource economics at the University of Saskatchewan about the situation in Sri Lanka and other topics related to modern agriculture. A...
Episode 78: Randy Myers - Developing New Tools to Battle Emerging Crop Diseases
August 04, 2022 17:00 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBDiseases attacking agricultural crops cause millions of bushels of yield loss for farmers across the United States each year. Farmers battle these diseases in several ways including the use of resistant varieties and hybrids, crop rotation, and fungicides. To complicate things, new diseases arise from time to time. One example is Tar Spot, which has become a major yield robber in Midwestern corn fields over the past several years. In this episode, Dr. Randy Myers from Bayer Crop Science ...
Episode 77: Jayson Lusk - Exploring Consumer Food Insights
July 25, 2022 15:00 - 46 minutes - 42.7 MBDr. Jayson Lusk is an ag economist at Purdue University, where he is a distinguished professor and head of the Department of Agricultural Economics. Dr. Lusk studies what we eat and why we eat it. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Unnaturally Delicious: How Science and Technology are Serving up Super Foods to Save the World. In this episode, we discuss the results of consumer surveys about food, and how farmers can positively impact consumer perceptions. You can le...
Episode 76: German Bollero - The Past, Present, and Future of Ag Tech Part III: Training the Next Generation of Ag Scientists
July 11, 2022 19:50 - 29 minutes - 27 MBToday we wrap up our series on ag tech with a conversation with Dr. German Bollero. Dr. Bollero is currently Interim Dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer, & Environmental Sciences and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Illinois. In this discussion, he describes exciting new opportunities for students to combine their passions for computer science and agriculture. Learn more about the University of Illinois College of ACES at aces.illinois.edu or ...
Episode 75: Jack Marck - The Past, Present, and Future of Ag Tech Part II: How Innovative Ag Tech Startups Learn from Farmers
June 27, 2022 15:00 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBOur Podcast series on the Past, Present, and Future of Ag Tech continues with returning guest Jack Marck, who is managing director of the Illinois Agtech Accelerator. Located at the University of Illinois Research Park, this program provides mentoring, funding, and office space for Agtech startups. In today's conversation, we discuss the opportunities for new technologies to improve farmers' operations and strengthen the food supply chain. You can contact Jack through email at jack@gener8...
Episode 74: Scott Spal - The Past Present and Future of Ag Tech, Part I: How Farmers and Their Partners Utilize Data to Maximize Farm Productivity
June 13, 2022 15:00 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBScott Spal is a scientist with The Climate Corporation. In his current role, he investigates how enhancements to Climate FieldView can improve farmer profitability, as well as transparency and sustainability in agriculture. Listen to this episode to learn how farmers benefit from the massive amounts of data that they collect in their fields. To learn more about The Climate Corporation, please visit www.climate.com.
Episode 73: Third Anniversary - A description of the top episodes of the 2021-2022 season
May 30, 2022 15:00 - 9 minutes - 8.55 MBHappy 3rd anniversary to the Focus on Agriculture Podcast. In this brief update, we discuss the 5 most downloaded episodes from the past year. Be sure to rate and review us on your favorite podcast app.
Episode 72: Mike Canady - Improving Nutrient Use Efficiency in Field Crops
May 16, 2022 15:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBDr. Mike Canady is a scientist with a background in plant breeding who is currently director of agronomy for specialty crops at Verdesian Life Sciences. In this conversation, we learn about how farmers can help plants use nutrients more efficiently. We also discuss the use of biostimulants to enhance plant production. To learn more about these types of products, you can visit the Verdesian Life Sciences website at http://vlsci.com/ or contact Mike directly: [email protected].
Episode 71: Sarah Klopatek - Sustainability and Beef Production
May 01, 2022 15:00 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MBDr. Sarah Klopatek is a sustainability and cattle systems scientist at UC Davis. As a scientist, she explains why it is often difficult to reduce complex questions to a simple answer, leading to her statement, "myopia is the death of sustainability." Her most recent publication explores the differences in nutritional profiles in beef from cattle raised in a variety of grain- and grass-fed systems. In our fascinating conversation she explains these differences, as well as the environmental...
Episode 70: Neil Dahlstrom - Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and the Birth of Modern Agriculture
April 18, 2022 21:00 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MB"Before John Deere, Ford, and International Harvester became icons of American business, they were competitors in a forgotten battle for the farm. From 1908 to 1928, against the backdrop of a world war and economic depression, these brands were engaged in a race to introduce the tractor and revolutionize farming." Neil Dahlstrom is the author of The John Deere Story: A Biography of Plowmakers John and Charles Deere, and Lincoln’s Wrath: Fierce Mobs, Brilliant Scoundrels, and a President’s ...
Episode 69: Bret Sill - Almond Production
April 04, 2022 15:00 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBBret Sill grows diverse crops including alfalfa, corn, wheat, garlic, carrots, walnuts and almonds with his family on their farm which is over 100 years old. In this episode we discuss the similarities and differences between raising almonds and other crops. Bret also explains the incorporation of cover crops into his operation and we discuss the annual migration of thousands of honey bee hives into California almond orchards during bloom. You can learn more about Bret's farm at www.sillp...
Episode 68: Paul Mitchell - The Economics of Farming in a Volatile Market Environment
March 21, 2022 15:00 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBDue to a variety of factors, 2021 and 2022 have seen significant increases in both commodity prices and farm input costs. In this episode, we discuss this market volatility with ag economist Dr. Paul Mitchell, who also offers advice for farmers to maintain or even increase profit margins in a challenging marketing environment. Dr. Mitchell is director of the Renk Agribusiness Institute at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural and Appli...
Episode 67: Randy Oliver - Honey Bee Health and Conducting Independent Research
March 07, 2022 16:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBRandy Oliver sees beekeeping through the eyes of a biologist, building a small commercial beekeeping enterprise in the foothills of Northern California. His sons now manage around 1500 colonies for migratory pollination, and produce queens, nucs, and honey, freeing Randy to engage full-time in beekeeper-funded research projects. Randy analyzes and digests the scientific research, and is in touch with beekeepers and researchers from all over the world, in order to not only broaden his own dep...
Episode 66: The Latest Tool in the Battle Against Corn Rootworm - SmartStax Pro®
February 21, 2022 16:00 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBCorn Rootworm is the most important insect pest facing corn growers in the United States. Each year, around $2 billion is spent to manage this problem. In this episode Preston and I discuss the latest development in the battle against the pest. To learn more about corn rootworm, you can listen to an earlier episode in which we learned about its biology: https://anchor.fm/focusonagriculture/episodes/Episode-6-Joe-Spencer---Rootworm--the-Billion-Dollar-Bug-e4tgpk. If you are wondering abou...
Episode 65: The Risks and Benefits of Planting Soybeans Early
February 07, 2022 15:38 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBOver the past several years, farmers in the Midwest have been planting a greater portion of their soybean crop increasingly early each year. In this episode, Preston and Jason discuss the results of their own research on the risks and benefits of this trend. Although we plan to return to our normal format of interviewing guest experts on ag topics in a couple of episodes, we would love feedback on the discussions of our own research. Please contact us through the feedback link on your pod...
Episode 64: Megan Dwyer - Managing Fertilizer Costs With Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategies
January 24, 2022 16:00 - 33 minutes - 61 MBFertilizer is the most expensive input that farmers use to produce crops. The rapidly increasing price of fertilizer in 2020 and 2021 has put additional pressure on producers. In this conversation with Megan Dwyer, nutrient loss reduction manager for the Illinois Corn Growers Association, we discuss strategies that growers can implement to more efficiently utilize these products. To interact with Megan, follow her on Twitter: @farmin88. More information about the topics discussed can als...
Episode 63: Ksenija Gasic - Combatting Peach Diseases with Plant Breeding
January 10, 2022 19:03 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBGeorgia gets a lot of press as The Peach State, but in this episode we learn that it is not even in the top 3 states for peach production. Listen in to learn where it falls in the rankings. Ksenija Gasic is a peach breeder at Clemson University and the president of the National Association of Plant Breeders. In this episode she describes the challenges facing peach producers and how scientists such as herself are combatting those problems with traditional plant breeding and modern technol...
Episode 62: Jim Carrington - Cutting Edge Plant Science
December 27, 2021 16:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBThe Donald Danforth Center in St. Louis, Missouri is the largest non-profit plant science research institution in the world. In today's episode, we spoke with Dr. Jim Carrington, who leads the Center in its mission to improve the human condition through plant science. One topic of conversation was the lack of access to technology in third world countries, and how the Danforth Center is working to alleviate this problem. Listen to learn about this and other exciting research with the poten...
Episode 61: Chinmay Soman - Robots in Your Fields
December 13, 2021 16:00 - 42 minutes - 77.8 MBDr. Chinmay Soman is the co-founder of Earthsense, an ag startup that is developing teams of robots which can collect data on every individual plant in a field. It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but is much closer to reality than you might think. Listen to learn how Chinmay's passion for making a difference in the world has led him to the intersection of technology and agriculture. You can learn more about EarthSense on their website: www.earthsense.co or by following them o...
Episode 60: Kelly Estes - Invasive Insects: Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs
November 29, 2021 16:00 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBBrown marmorated stink bugs are the latest in a long line of insect invaders which causes severe damage to agricultural crops. They were first collected in Pennsylvania in the late 1990s, and since that time, have steadily continued westward across the United States. This pest not only damages crops, but also likes to congregate in homes and other buildings as fall weather begins each year. Kelly Estes monitors and studies this and other insect pests for the Illinois Natural History Surve...
Episode 59: John Ackerman - Agritourism and Pumpkin Production
November 15, 2021 16:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBJohn and Eve Ackerman are owners of Ackerman Family Farms which is located in the Pumpkin Capital of the World, Morton, IL. Each fall, thousands of visitors to this popular agritourism destination are able to choose from an wide range of pumpkin varieties, feed farm animals, or explore a corn maze. In this episode, John shares the story of the evolution of his family's farm over the past century and describes how he and his wife decided to become involved in agritourism. He shares advice ...
Episode 58: John Kowalchuk - Sharing the Story of Farmers and Agriculture
November 01, 2021 15:00 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBJohn Kowalchuk is a farmer in western Canada who grows canola, malt barley, wheat, yellow peas, faba beans, and red lentils on his 2,000 acre farm. He enjoys actively sharing the stories of his farming journey and promoting agriculture through social media. In this conversation, we learn about John's farm and he shares tips to encourage his fellow farmers to become active in sharing their stories with consumers. You can follow John on Twitter: @kowalchukfarms1, TikTok: @kowalchukfarms, In...
Episode 57: Neal Carter - RNAi Technology and the Arctic Apple
October 18, 2021 15:00 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBWe're all familiar with the tendency of apples to turn brown shortly after cutting them up in preparation for eating. Okanagan Specialty Fruits is a biotechnology company that has developed a technique to turn off this browning reaction, allowing apples to maintain a favorable appearance and flavor for extended periods. Listen to this episode to hear company president Neal Carter describe RNAi technology, and how this process can help reduce the worldwide problem of food waste. You can le...
Episode 56: Matt Helm - New Tools in the Battle Against Tar Spot of Corn
October 04, 2021 15:00 - 33 minutes - 31 MBTar Spot is a devastating disease of corn that was first identified in the upper midwestern United States in 2015. The disease led to devastating yield losses in farmer fields in 2018 and 2021. Dr. Matthew Helm is a research molecular biologist with the Agricultural Research Service arm of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-ARS) and is stationed at Purdue University. Dr. Helm's current research involves understanding the molecular interactions between the tar spot pathogen ...
Episode 55: Kato Ssentamu - Farming in Africa and Modern Technology in Agriculture
September 20, 2021 14:59 - 38 minutes - 71.1 MBKato Ssentamu is a farmer from Uganda and visiting researcher at the University of Illinois. In this eye-opening episode, we compare and contrast farming in the United States to his home country. Kato's unique perspective allows him to explain the benefits of modern technology in agriculture.
Episode 54: Dean Malvick - Plants Get Sick Too: Tar Spot
September 06, 2021 15:00 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MBFarmers are aware of the multitude of insects and diseases that attack their crops, but consumers may be unaware of the amount of effort that goes into protecting crops from diseases. Dr. Dean Malvick is a plant pathologist at the University of Minnesota and conducts research to support farmers in this battle. One corn disease that has attracted a lot of attention among farmers over the past several years is Tar Spot, which has traveled from Mexico and invaded the upper Midwest. For this ...
Episode 53: Tammy Horn Potter - Bees in America, Part II
August 23, 2021 15:00 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBIn this episode, Dr. Tammy Horn Potter, Kentucky State Apiarist, describes the fascinating history of honey bees in America from World War I to today. Listeners may be surprised to learn that bees were so integral to the war effort in WWI that beekeepers were exempt from the draft. Listen to also learn how traumatized veterans found mental healing in beekeeping. Tammy keeps bees with her husband and is the author of several books, Bees in America: How the Honey Bee Shaped a Nation (2005),...
Episode 52: Tammy Horn Potter - Bees in America, Part I
August 09, 2021 15:00 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBDr. Tammy Horn Potter is currently the Kentucky State Apiarist. Although she grew up on a farm, she was determined never to be involved in science, agriculture, or math as a career. That all changed when she helped her grandfather with his bees in 1997, and her career shifted to focus on them. Tammy is the author of several books, Bees in America: How the Honey Bee Shaped a Nation (2005), Beeconomy: What Women and Bees Teach us About Local Trade and Global Markets (2012), Flower Power: Es...
Episode 51: Steve Powles - Herbicide Resistance Part II: When you find a good thing, don't stick to it.
July 26, 2021 15:00 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBThis episode is the second part of our conversation with Dr. Stephen Powles, one of the world's foremost experts on herbicide resistance in weeds. In this conversation we discuss novel methods of managing herbicide resistant weeds. Listen for Steve's explanation of his seemingly counterintuitive advice, "When you're on a good thing, change it." If you haven't listened to Steve tell the fascinating story of his educational and career journey, be sure to check out the previous episode. To ...
Episode 50: Steve Powles - Herbicide Resistance Part I: From Poor to Prof
July 12, 2021 15:00 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBDr. Stephen Powles is one of the world's most highly respected and cited plant scientists. He has received countless awards for his pioneering work in the area of herbicide resistance and published over 250 research papers on the subject. You may be surprised to learn that Steve's career began inauspiciously when he dropped out of high school to help support his family. In part one of this two-part series, we discuss Steve's fascinating history as his lifelong quest for knowledge carried ...
Episode 49: Second Anniversary - A description of the top episodes of the 2020-21 season.
June 28, 2021 15:00 - 6 minutes - 11 MBHappy 2nd anniversary to the Focus on Agriculture Podcast. In this brief update, we discuss the 5 most downloaded episodes from the past year. Be sure to rate and review us on your favorite podcast app.
Episode 48: Nick Seiter - Killing Corn Rootworms with Parasitic Nematodes
June 14, 2021 14:30 - 41 minutes - 75.1 MBDr. Nick Seiter is an entomology professor and extension specialist at the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. His research focuses on identifying new ways for farmers to battle insect pests. Listen as Nick describes his latest research, including the use of parasitic nematodes as a biological control for Corn Rootworm, a pest that is often called the "Billion Dollar Bug" due to the economic impact of the damage it causes each year. You can learn more about the parasitic nematodes...
Episode 47: Leandro Mozzoni - Modern Soybean Breeding and Farming in Argentina
May 31, 2021 15:00 - 46 minutes - 42.5 MBDr. Leandro Mozzoni is a soybean breeder with the University of Arkansas. He utilizes conventional plant breeding and advanced breeding tools in the areas of genomics and phenomics to maximize farmer’s profit. His research involves exploring niche-market, food-grade or modified-seed-composition varieties, and identifying breeding solutions for diseases and abiotic stresses of soybean. Our conversation with Leonardo focuses on his research and advice for students. We also discussed the simi...
Episode 46: Bernardo de la Vega - Short Corn Part II and Farming in Mexico
May 17, 2021 15:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBFarmers across the globe face similar challenges, but there are also many differences in their operations. In this episode we chat with Bernardo de la Vega about his farm in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. For the past few years, Bernardo has been growing Vitala corn. Listen as he discusses the unique problems facing Mexican farmers and how the launch of short stature corn has helped address some of those challenges. You can also learn more about short corn from Bayer Crop Science: www.cro...
Episode 45: Kelly Gillespie - Short Corn Part I
May 03, 2021 15:00 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBDr. Kelly Gillespie is a crop physiologist with degrees from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois and the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. She currently leads corn and soybean crop efficiency portfolio strategy for Bayer Crop Science. Kelly also sits on the executive board of the North American Plant Phenotyping Network and the advisory board of the Iowa Soybean Research Council. Listen in to hear Kelly discuss a revolutionary innovation in corn production, the development of sho...
Episode 44: Barbara Stinson - The World Food Prize
April 19, 2021 15:00 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBThe World Food Prize was created by Nobel Peace Prize winner and father of the Green Revolution, Dr. Norman Borlaug to honor those who have made significant and measurable contributions to improving the world's food supply. To date, there have been 50 laureates, with the 2021 World Food Prize winner to be announced in May. Barbara Stinson was named the second president of the World Food Prize Foundation in 2020. In a career spanning over 3 decades, she has focused on improving global food...