Advertise on podcast: Agronomy and Farm Management

In this episode, from Ask the Expert at the 2026 Farm Science Review, Bruce sits down with Barry Ward to discuss the outlook on grain inputs for 2027. Barry Ward is the leader for Production Business Management. His primary focus includes crop economics and budgets, land economics, farmland values, cash rental rates, farmland lease issues, machinery economics, and federal & state tax issues.

Harvest is just around the corner, but what does the weather have in store? Dr. Aaron Wilson joins us to break down current conditions and what farmers may expect as we move into the fall harvest season. We talk about the weather patterns shaping the end of the growing season, what they could mean for crop maturity and field conditions, and the factors producers should keep an eye on as harvest gets underway. Whether you’re getting equipment ready or already thinking about when to start rolling, this episode will help you put the fall weather outlook into perspective. Sign up to receive monthly and quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.edu to find useful tools such as the GDD calculator and freeze predictor. You can also reach out to Aaron at [email protected].

This episode brings listeners to the 2026 Farm Science Review, one of the premier agricultural education and outreach events in the Midwest. Farm Science Review features the latest research, technologies, and management strategies impacting crop production and farm profitability. On this episode we explore offerings across the show on current agronomic challenges, emerging innovations in precision agriculture, and what Ask an Expert speakers you can hear this year. Be sure to stop by the Agronomic Crops tent and Firebaugh building to say hi and get your air freshener! To buy tickets, visit an Extension office or fsr.osu.edu. You can also explore vendors, demonstrations and sessions under Plan Your Visit.

In this episode, Bruce and Josh talk with Curtis Mahnken and Mariah Beverly who are both Economist with the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota. This episode discusses the importance of those “dirty jobs” of financial management and the tools that are out there to help farmers of all shapes and sizes. Links to various tools below: Center for Farm Financial Management – https://www.cffm.umn.edu/ CropCost – https://cropcost.umn.edu/ My Market Profit: https://mymarketprofit.umn.edu/ FairRent: https://fairrent.umn.edu/ FINBIN: https://finbin.umn.edu/ AgPlan: https://agplan.umn.edu/ AgTransitions: https://agtransitions.umn.edu/ Interpreting/Developing Financial Statements and Measures: https://ifsam.cffm.umn.edu/ Ag Lease 101: https://aglease101.org/

We ran out of time last week with guest Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora so we doubled up our releases to cover soybean red crown rot, an emerging and increasingly concerning disease in Midwest production systems. He explains how the pathogen develops, the environmental conditions that favor infection, and why red crown rot can be difficult to distinguish from other soybean wilts and root diseases in the field. Dr. Lopez-Nicora also highlights current research and management options, including the role of resistant varieties, crop rotation, and integrated disease management practices aimed at reducing risk and limiting yield loss. Listeners will come away with practical guidance on scouting, diagnosis, and proactive strategies to stay ahead of this potentially devastating soybean disease. Watch the C.O.R.N newsletter for the latest updates. For more on Soybean Cyst Nematode management go to: https://www.thescncoalition.com/. For more information and disease forecasting tools, please visit: https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/ A big thanks goes out to the United Soybean Board and Ohio Soybean Council for their support.

In this episode, guest Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora joins us to unpack the evolving landscape of soybean foliar diseases and what growers need to know for effective management. Dr. Lopez-Nicora discusses the most prevalent foliar issues in soybean production, including the environmental conditions that drive disease development and the challenges of timely diagnosis in the field. He also explores integrated management strategies, emphasizing the importance of scouting, disease forecasting, and fungicide decision-making to protect yield while preserving economic return. Listeners will gain practical, research-based insights into disease identification, resistance considerations, and season-long approaches to reducing risk in soybean fields. For more information and disease forecasting tools, please visit: https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/

After everything our crops have been through this growing season, we are checking in to discuss what impacts weather, delayed planting and other forces have had on crop development. Dr. Stephanie Karhoff joins us to provide a perspective from across Ohio. Access the Crop Risk Tool here: https://connect.doit.wisc.edu/cpn-risk-tool/. Remember to subscribe to the CORN Newsletter for weekly updates and recommendations

Our last weather update at the beginning of March had us talking about lingering drought across the state. Well we can say that has been taken care of and then some. This spring has left some lingering impacts and, in some areas, multiple replants. With crops struggling through emergence and the first few growth stages, we are looking ahead to see what the summer will bring. How much impact will the super El Nino have on our crops? We talk with Dr. Aaron Wilson to get an idea of what may be instore. Sign up to receive monthly and quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.edu to find useful tools such as the GDD calculator and freeze predictor. You can also reach out to Aaron at [email protected].

Planting season are never normal and 2026 is no exception. With the southern half of Ohio nearing completion and the northern half struggling to make headway, there was a lot of crop variability as below freezing temperatures hit the state. Expected prolonged cold and wet weather as another wrinkle. Dr. Jason Hartschuh, Field Specialist with OSU Extension, joins us as we talk about the potential impacts on corn, soybean, wheat and alfalfa. We share what to look for now and in the coming weeks as we deal with a cooler, wetter May. This CORN Newsletter has two articles on freeze impacts to soybeans and wheat: https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2026-12. The Purdue photo gallery on freeze damage can be found at: https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/articles.01/Frost_Corn_Soy-0418_Gallery.html.

In this episode, Bruce and Josh talk to Dr. Brent Sohngen, a Distinguished Professor of environmental and natural resource economics at The Ohio State University, in the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Sohngen talks about the history of conservation of resources in the United States and the economic impact that nature can have on the economy.

Slug pressure has become an increasingly common and frustrating challenge in crop fields in recent years, driven by wetter springs, heavy residue, and changing production systems. In this episode, we dig into why these slippery pests seem harder to manage than ever. With Kelley Tilmon joining us, discuss the limitations of traditional control options and what growers should realistically expect from different management strategies. From scouting and risk factors to cultural, biological, and chemical tools, we’ll break down what we know and how to make informed decisions when slugs start putting your stand at risk. For more information, visit aginsects.osu.edu where you can find publications, fact sheets and ID cards. Most slug info is found under the soybean section.

Join Bruce and Josh as they talk with Greg LaBarge is a field specialist in agronomic systems and a professor at Ohio State University Extension, Columbus, Ohio. Greg discusses the Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator and how farmers can use this research based tool to help make decisions on their operation. The tool can be found here: https://www.cornnratecalc.org/

After a grueling winter, spring is arriving across Ohio and we are itching to get the planters rolling. After looking at where this past winter landed in the books, we talk with Dr. Aaron Wilson about what we can expect for this season. With drought conditions lingering in some parts of the state and heavy rains across others, we have our fingers crossed for a good growing season. Will Mother Nature deliver? Tune in to find out. Sign up to receive monthly and quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.edu/ to find useful tools such as the GDD calculator and freeze predictor. You can also reach out to Aaron at [email protected].

Amanda Douridas is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Madison County. Her on-farm research has focused on nutrient management and adapting to changing weather patterns within cropping systems. In this episode, Bruce and Josh talk to Amanda about a research project for target spray for pre and post application.

Two farmers, Fred and Josh Yoder, discuss one conservation focused research project developed by a group of farmers in Ohio. They are part of a multi-state, four-university effort to discover how to increase conservation adoption on farms. Our farmer-led team is working to improve real-world, on-farm performance of conservation practices to ensure they better generate the outcomes – e.g. profitability, yield stability, and protection from extreme weather events – that farmers need. To learn more about this project, visit: https://ftgup.org/.