Farm4Profit Podcast

In this episode of Farm4Profit, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig returns to the studio for a conversation that covers nearly every major issue impacting producers today.

Mike begins by sharing how he balances his role as Secretary of Agriculture with remaining involved in his family’s fourth-generation northwest Iowa farm. He discusses growing up around corn, soybeans, and hogs, how the family operation has evolved, and why having one foot in production agriculture continues to shape the way he approaches his job.

The conversation quickly turns to one of agriculture’s biggest uncontrollable variables: weather. Iowa farmers have dealt with derechos, excessive rainfall, flooding, drought, and increasingly severe weather events. Mike explains why risk management, infrastructure, crop resilience, and better monitoring tools are becoming even more important as producers try to manage events they simply cannot control.

The crew also talks openly about the mental and financial pressure farmers are feeling. Tight margins, extreme weather, policy uncertainty, and growing public criticism of agriculture are all piling up at the same time. Mike says he has noticed increasing frustration among producers who feel they are being blamed for problems while already operating under significant financial stress.

Water quality becomes a major part of the discussion. Mike breaks down Iowa’s nutrient reduction efforts, progress on phosphorus, ongoing nitrate challenges, and the state’s new “Farm to Faucet” approach. That effort includes increased nitrate treatment capacity, expanded water monitoring, conservation funding, cover crop incentives, streamside buffers, and more than $50 million targeted toward conservation practices in the Greater Des Moines Watershed over the next 12 years.

The group also tackles one of Iowa’s most controversial conversations: whether agriculture is being unfairly blamed for cancer rates in the state. Mike stresses that the issue is complex and should be driven by research rather than politics. He points to known risk factors including radon, smoking, alcohol use, obesity, and sun exposure while also supporting continued research into environmental and genetic factors.

From there, the episode moves into biofuels and new revenue opportunities. Mike discusses Iowa’s growing use of E15, the economic benefits ethanol provides consumers, the potential of 45Z, and why future clean-fuel programs could create additional revenue streams for farmers if measurement and reporting requirements can be made practical.

One of the biggest opportunities Mike sees for Iowa is cattle.

With the U.S. cow herd at historically low levels, Mike believes Iowa has room to grow beef production—especially by identifying row crop acres that are underperforming because of slope, erosion, wetness, or poor soil productivity and converting those acres into pasture or forage. He explains how the state’s cattle and conservation programs are already helping connect landowners with livestock producers while supporting fencing, water access, pasture establishment, and even virtual fencing.

That conversation naturally leads into the next generation of agriculture. Mike and the Farm4Profit crew discuss how livestock can create a realistic entry point for young producers who may have labor and ambition but lack capital. They explore ideas around financing, conservation incentives, access to land, custom farming, direct-to-consumer agriculture, specialty crops, and off-farm income as ways to create more opportunities for young people to build a future in agriculture.

Mike also shares his view that profitability has to remain at the center of every agricultural conversation. Conservation, technology, diversification, and policy only work if the farm itself can remain financially viable. He discusses input costs, market development, trade, Farm Bill uncertainty, E15, and the many pieces that have to come together for producers to succeed.

The episode also looks ahead to Iowa’s changing political landscape, Mike’s 2026 reelection campaign, the role of the Secretary of Agriculture, animal disease preparedness, food safety, pesticide regulation, and why Iowa agriculture remains one of the state’s greatest economic strengths.

The conversation ends with a question Farm4Profit hears everywhere: How does a young person get into farming?

Mike’s answer is simple—there is no golden ticket. But there are more paths than ever. Livestock, direct-to-consumer sales, custom application, drones, seed sales, specialty crops, custom farming, and other farm-adjacent businesses can all provide a foothold. His message: farming has never been easy to enter, but agriculture should work to make sure it doesn’t become unnecessarily harder.

This episode is a wide-ranging look at where Iowa agriculture stands today—and what farmers, policymakers, and rural communities need to think about next.

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Website: www.Farm4Profit.com
Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com
Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com
Call/Text: 515.207.9640
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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

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Gunther Kreps and Dr. John Murphy teach with Walmart parking lots, old pickup trucks, M&M's, jawbreakers, extending radio antennas, Legos, and ibuprofen.

In this entertaining What's Working in Ag episode, the AgXplore team shares some of their favorite analogies that have helped thousands of growers better understand soil fertility, nutrient availability, plant physiology, and crop nutrition.

Instead of memorizing technical terms, listeners will finally understand:

Why cation exchange capacity (CEC) is like the size of a parking lot.

How base saturation determines whether nutrients have a place to "park."

Why chelated nutrients behave like M&M's instead of jawbreakers.

How boron functions like an old vehicle's power antenna.

Why every nutrient matters when building a crop—just like every brick matters when building a wall.

How tiny amounts of plant growth regulators can have massive biological impacts.

The conversation also explores why storytelling is one of the most effective teaching tools in agriculture and how simplifying complex science leads to better agronomic decisions on the farm.

Whether you're new to crop nutrition or have been farming for decades, this episode will leave you looking at your soil tests—and your crop—completely differently.

Want Farm4Profit Merch? Custom order your favorite items today!
https://farmfocused.com/farm-4profit/

Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com
Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com
Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com
Call/Text: 515.207.9640
Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@farm4profitllc
Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Farm4ProfitLLC/
Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For over 125 years, Farmers Mutual Telephone Company (FMTC) has helped connect rural Iowa—first with telephones, then cable television, cellular service, broadband internet, and now preparing for what may become agriculture's next major infrastructure investment: AI computing.

In this episode, Kevin shares how a small rural telephone company evolved into a modern broadband provider and why Iowa's independent telecommunications companies have been uniquely positioned to bring fiber internet to rural communities long before much of the country caught up. He explains how fiber optic networks work, why broadband is becoming just as essential as electricity, and why nearly every modern technology—from cellular service to Starlink—ultimately depends on fiber somewhere along the journey.

The conversation then turns toward one of the fastest-growing topics in technology: artificial intelligence. Kevin explains why AI is creating unprecedented demand for computing power, what massive data centers mean for energy and infrastructure, and why he believes the future isn't giant facilities consuming thousands of acres—but rather distributed micro data centers that could fit on a single lot while serving customers around the world.

The hosts also tackle concerns many farmers have about large data centers, including land use, energy consumption, and local economic impact. Kevin discusses how smaller AI computing facilities could create new opportunities without removing productive farmland while giving farmers more control over their own data. The discussion explores whether producers could someday "farm data" just like they market grain—owning, storing, and deciding when and how to monetize one of their operation's fastest-growing assets.

Along the way, you'll also hear:

How the internet actually reaches your farm

Why symmetrical upload and download speeds matter

The differences between fiber, cellular, and Starlink

The future of precision agriculture and AI

Why protecting farm data may become just as important as protecting grain in the bin

Whether fiber optics will ever be replaced

If you've ever wondered how technology is reshaping agriculture—or where rural America fits into the AI revolution—this episode offers a fascinating look at what's coming next.

Want Farm4Profit Merch? Custom order your favorite items today!
https://farmfocused.com/farm-4profit/

Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com
Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com
Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com
Call/Text: 515.207.9640
Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@farm4profitllc
Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Farm4ProfitLLC/
Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

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In this episode, Tanner and Dave sit down with Stacy Anthony, CEO and co-founder of Ag Revolution, to discuss how his company is reshaping equipment sales and service across the Midwest. After spending 27 years with John Deere rebuilding dealerships and later creating one of the nation's largest agricultural equipment export businesses, Stacy set out to build something entirely different.

He shares the story behind launching Ag Revolution, why the company invested in a fleet of more than 60 mobile service trucks instead of additional brick-and-mortar dealerships, and how servicing equipment directly on the farm is helping producers reduce downtime and keep operations moving.

The conversation also dives into the evolution of Fendt and Massey Ferguson, what separates premium equipment from dependable value-focused machinery, how dealership culture impacts customer experience, and why building long-term relationships—not just selling equipment—has been the foundation of Ag Revolution's rapid growth.

Along the way, Stacy reflects on his career traveling to 27 countries exporting farm equipment, receiving recognition at the White House, and the leadership lessons he learned from working with farmers around the world.

Whether you're evaluating your next machinery purchase, interested in dealership trends, or simply enjoy hearing stories from leaders who are challenging the status quo, this episode offers a fascinating look at where agricultural equipment is headed.

Want Farm4Profit Merch? Custom order your favorite items today!
https://farmfocused.com/farm-4profit/

Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com
Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com
Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com
Call/Text: 515.207.9640
Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@farm4profitllc
Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Farm4ProfitLLC/
Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Farm4Profit sat down with Carl, one of Performance Livestock Analytics' earliest customers, to hear how the platform has evolved from a simple recordkeeping tool into a critical management system for his custom feeding business.

Carl explains how switching from paper records eliminated hours of office work, improved billing accuracy, simplified relief feeding, and gave nutritionists, veterinarians, and cattle owners real-time access to important production data.

The conversation also explores how digital records improve decision-making, why accurate data builds stronger customer relationships, and how emerging AI tools could shape the future of feedlot management.

Topics include:

Custom feedlot management

Performance Livestock Analytics

Feed truck automation

Digital feeding records

Relief feeding

Customer reporting

Elanco Benchmark

Feedlot profitability

Cattle data management

AI in livestock production

Current cattle market outlook

Building long-term customer trust

If you're looking to improve efficiency, reduce paperwork, and make more informed decisions in your cattle operation, Carl's firsthand experience demonstrates how technology can become one of the most valuable tools on the farm.

Want Farm4Profit Merch? Custom order your favorite items today!
https://farmfocused.com/farm-4profit/

Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com
Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com
Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com
Call/Text: 515.207.9640
Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@farm4profitllc
Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Farm4ProfitLLC/
Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.