Advertise on podcast: CropLife Retail Week

In this special edition of CropLife Retail Week, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj reports from the 2026 Syngenta Media Summit. Jeff Cecil, President, North American Crop Protection for Syngenta, addresses the critical headwinds facing agricultural retailers, distributors, and growers heading into 2027.

In this edition of CropLife Retail Week, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj and Amy Asmus, Co-Owner of Asmus Farm Supply honor two retiring cornerstones of the agriculture industry: Syngenta North America President Vern Hawkins and Syngenta Head of U.S. Crop Protection Stewardship Caydee Savinelli, while looking ahead to the new Syngenta North America President Jeff Cecil taking  leadership across the company’s seeds and crop protection. They also discuss the 2026 harvest and the EPA’s proposed 100% reallocation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume obligations.

In this episode of CropLife Retail Week, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj sits down with Daren Coppock, President and CEO of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), to break down what the Farm Bill expiration means for retailers heading into the lame-duck session. Coppock provides an insider look at the ongoing SNAP battle between the House and Senate, the realistic odds of passing a new bill before year-end, and critical industry priorities — including year-round E15. #FarmBill #AgRetail #CropLife #Agriculture #AgPolicy 00:00 - Introduction & Policy Landscape 00:41 - Farm Bill Expiration & Funding in Limbo 02:42 - SNAP Stalemate & Odds of a 2026 Deal 05:22 - E15, Farm Aid & 500% Russia Tariff Threats 07:22 - Harvest Diesel Prices & Dyed Fuel Road Rules 09:42 - ARA Annual Conference Preview (Austin, TX) 13:35 - Opposing the UP–Norfolk Southern Rail Merger 19:22 - 2026 Elections: How Congress Reshapes Ag Policy 23:22 - Wrap-Up & Feedback

In this episode of CropLife Retail Week, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj and Amy Asmus, Co-Owner of Asmus Farm Supply break down diesel spikes and whether state fuel tax holidays deliver meaningful relief. Also, Asmus reports on the changing business model for ag retailers and increasing future value.

In this special edition of CropLife Retail Week, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj recaps key presentations and insights from the 2026 Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) Annual Meeting held in Omaha, NE, and looks at the five equipment and application finalists competing for this year's CropLife IRON Product of the Year award.

On this edition of CropLife Retail Week, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj and Amy Asmus, Co-Owner of Asmus Farm Supply, break discuss Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern rail merger developments, experimenting with artificial intelligence, and the benefits of a peer group.

CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj breaks down the escalating U.S.-Canada trade tensions following the missed September 8 deadline and examines status of Canadian potash and fertilizer imports. Plus, Sfiligoj presents an exclusive interview with Marc Heater, Head of Product and Marketing North America for Amazone, winner of the MAGIE 2026 Showstopper Award. Stay up to date with the latest insights in crop protection, ag retail, and agricultural innovation from CropLife Magazine. We bring you expert interviews, product spotlights, and in-depth coverage of precision ag, sustainable farming, ag tech, and more. Visit our website: https://www.croplife.com Subscribe for more ag retail news and updates. #CropLife #AgRetail #Agribusiness #PrecisionAg #CropProtection #agtech 00:00 - Intro & US-Canada Tariff Deadline Passes 01:18 - Canadian Potash: Is Fertilizer Supply Safe? 01:54 - Two New Louisiana Plants for Fertilizer Independence 02:54 - CHS & OCP Partner on $450M Phosphate Facility 04:37 - MAGIE 2026 Showstopper Award: Amazone AutoSpread 05:00 - Interview: Mark Heater on Winning Best in Show 06:55 - How AutoSpread Radar Sensor Tech Prevents Streaking 08:32 - US Launch Timeline & Fall 2026 Field Demos 10:20 - Winter Trade Shows: NFMS & Commodity Classic 11:58 - MACA Annual Meeting in Omaha 12:38 - Industry Tribute: Rodney Schmidt Retires

In this episode of CropLife Retail Week, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj and Amy Asmus, Co-Owner of Asmus Farm Supply break down the sudden commodity price bump, the collapse of U.S.-Canada trade talks, and whether potash and precision ag equipment could be caught in the retaliatory tariff crosshairs. Stay up to date with the latest insights in crop protection, ag retail, and agricultural innovation from CropLife Magazine. We bring you expert interviews, product spotlights, and in-depth coverage of precision ag, sustainable farming, ag tech, and more. Visit our website: https://www.croplife.com Subscribe for more ag retail news and updates. #AgRetail #CornPrices #CropLife #FarmEconomy #Agriculture #AgTech 0:00 - Introductions & CropLife 100 Survey 0:59 - Corn Rallies Past $5.30: Is $6 on the Horizon? 3:28 - Pioneer Field Checks: Yield Estimates Drop 4:52 - Midwest Storm Damage & USDA Drought Stress 6:34 - US-Canada Trade Talks Collapse: What’s at Risk? 8:23 - Fertilizer & Potash Tariff Exemption Status 9:36 - Precision Ag & Equipment Supply Chain Threats 10:05 - MAGIE 2026: Farm Equipment Optimism for 2027 11:44 - Diesel Jumps to $5.99: Harvest Cost Pressure

This special edition of CropLife Retail Week features highlights from the 45th Midwest AG Industry Expositions (MAGIE 2026) in Bloomington, IL! CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj covers the biggest machinery reveals, cutting-edge precision ag tech, and key industry insights from across the showgrounds. Stay up to date with the latest insights in crop protection, ag retail, and agricultural innovation from CropLife Magazine. We bring you expert interviews, product spotlights, and in-depth coverage of precision ag, sustainable farming, ag tech, and more. Visit our website: https://www.croplife.com Subscribe for more ag retail news and updates. #MAGIE2026 #AgTech #FarmMachinery #PrecisionAg #AgRetail 00:00 - Welcome & MAGIE 2026 Overview 01:54 - Interview: Jenny Webb, IFCA President & CEO 03:22 - Legislative Advocacy & IFCA Industry Priorities 05:00 - Exploring the Show: Vendors & The Ride and Drive Exhibit 07:36 - Industry Shout-Outs & Catching Up at MAGIE 08:45 - New Product Spotlights (Doyle, Praxidyn, RBR, AGI, Apache) 11:23 - Smart Tech: AgZen Sensors & Autonomous Loader 13:34 - 2026 ShowStopper Award: Amazone AutoSpread System 15:18 - Wrap-Up & Upcoming CropLife IRON Coverage

In this episode of CropLife Retail Week, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj and Amy Asmus, Co-Owner of Asmus Farm Supply, break down why the post-patent crop protection market is surging across the U.S., Bayer’s distribution shakeups, and the 2026 corn and soybean crop outlook. Stay up to date with the latest insights in crop protection, ag retail, and agricultural innovation from CropLife Magazine. We bring you expert interviews, product spotlights, and in-depth coverage of precision ag, sustainable farming, ag tech, and more. Visit our website: https://www.croplife.com Subscribe for more ag retail news and updates. #AgRetail #CropProtection #Bayer #Agriculture #Farming #GrainMarkets 00:00 - Intro & Trade Summit 2026 Takeaways 01:00 - The Rise of Post-Patent & Generic Chemistries 06:18 - Multinationals Respond: Corteva’s Enclosure Herbicide 07:49 - Bayer Drops Simplot & WinField Distribution 10:45 - The Push Toward Agency Models & Exclusivity 16:18 - 2026 Midwest Crop Outlook: Corn & Soy Potential 20:15 - Pre-Harvest Storage Bottleneck & Grain Carryover 24:00 - Previewing the 2026 MAGIE Show in Bloomington, IL

In this episode, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj talks with Jeff Freeman, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer for Marion Ag Service based in St. Paul, OR, to discuss how the company has grown into a unique, customer-focused independent retailer. Freeman shares key insights on how cutting-edge technologies such as AI spot-spraying, autonomous field robotics, and gene editing are changing the industry. He also discusses navigating global fertilizer supply disruptions, managing economic risks, and preparing internal teams for the 2027 growing season. Stay up to date with the latest insights in crop protection, ag retail, and agricultural innovation from CropLife Magazine. We bring you expert interviews, product spotlights, and in-depth coverage of precision ag, sustainable farming, ag tech, and more. Visit our website: https://www.croplife.com Subscribe for more ag retail news and updates. #AgRetail #AgricultureTech #AIRobotics #MarionAgService #CropLife #PrecisionAg #Fertilizer #AgriBusiness 00:00 - Intro 00:57 - Marion Ag Service Background & History 03:06 - Celebrating 50 Years in Business 04:27 - 10-Year Industry Shifts & OSU Breeding 05:42 - Ag Tech: AI Spot-Spraying & Field Robotics 08:09 - Market Opportunities & Specialty Crop Gene Editing 10:11 - Navigating Fertilizer Supply & Risk Management 12:40 - Crop Prices, Housing Impact & Farm Margins 14:29 - Strategic Roadmap & Team Focus for 2027

In this episode, hosts Eric Sfiligoj, Editor of CropLife and Amy Asmus, Co-Owner of Asmus Farm Supply are joined by Griffin Evans, Director of Crop Protection, Seed, and Specialty Products for R.W. Griffin. Together, they break down the legislative standoff in Washington, current Midwest and Southern crop conditions, the impending market shift toward post-patent/generic herbicides (Group 15s), and how independent retailers are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to shape the future of agriculture. Stay up to date with the latest insights in crop protection, ag retail, and agricultural innovation from CropLife Magazine. We bring you expert interviews, product spotlights, and in-depth coverage of precision ag, sustainable farming, ag tech, and more. Visit our website: https://www.croplife.com Subscribe for more ag retail news and updates. #FarmBill #Agriculture #AgRetail #CropProtection #farmingnews 00:00 - Introduction & Guest Griffin Evans (R.W. Griffin) 01:45 - Farm Bill 2.0 Fails in Senate Committee: What Happened? 07:23 - The Great American Cotton Plan & Buy American Cotton Act 10:00 - Midwest & Southern Crop Conditions Update 15:32 - EPA Product Approvals & The Shift to Post-Patent/Generic Herbicides 24:18 - The Retailer of the Future: Using AI & Data Dashboards in Ag 28:37 - Wrap Up & How to Connect

In this special edition of Crop Life Retail Week recorded live at Tech Hub Live 2026 in Des Moines, Iowa, host CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj is joined by co-host Amy Asmus, Co-Owner of Asmus Farm Supply and special guest April Hemmes, Owner of Hemmes Farms. Together, they dive deep into the real-world adoption of ag technology—moving from office management to in-field efficiency. From the rapid shift to auto-steer technology to the rise of AI spreadsheets, targeted spraying, and data privacy concerns, Hemmes shares what growers actually need from their ag retailers. Stay up to date with the latest insights in crop protection, ag retail, and agricultural innovation from CropLife Magazine. We bring you expert interviews, product spotlights, and in-depth coverage of precision ag, sustainable farming, ag tech, and more. Visit our website: https://www.croplife.com Subscribe for more ag retail news and updates. #AgTech #PrecisionAg #SmartFarming #Agriculture #farmtech 00:00 - Introduction & Tech Hub Live 2026 01:31 - AgTech Adoption: Office vs. In the Field 03:36 - The "Auto-Steer Effect" & Tech Usability 06:39 - Next-Gen AgTech: Sprayers & Farm Value 09:06 - AI on the Farm & Data Privacy Concerns 13:16 - How Ag Retailers Can Better Support Farmers 14:23 - Collaboration Between Developers & Growers 17:31 - Wrap-Up & Closing Remarks

In this special edition of CropLife Retail Week recorded live at Tech Hub Live 2026 in Des Moines, CropLife’s Eric Sfiligoj is joined by co-host Amy Asmus of Asmus Farm Supply and special guest April Hemmes from Hemmes Farms. Together, they dive deep into the real-world adoption of ag technology — moving from office management to in-field efficiency. Stay up to date with the latest insights in crop protection, ag retail, and agricultural innovation from CropLife Magazine. We bring you expert interviews, product spotlights, and in-depth coverage of precision ag, sustainable farming, ag tech, and more. Visit our website: https://www.croplife.com Subscribe for more ag retail news and updates. #AgTech #PrecisionAg #SmartFarming #Agriculture #farmtech 00:00 - Introduction & Tech Hub Live 2026 01:31 - AgTech Adoption: Office vs. In the Field 03:36 - The "Auto-Steer Effect" & Tech Usability 06:39 - Next-Gen AgTech: Sprayers & Farm Value 09:06 - AI on the Farm & Data Privacy Concerns 13:16 - How Ag Retailers Can Better Support Farmers 14:23 - Collaboration Between Developers & Growers 17:31 - Wrap-Up & Closing Remarks

In this episode, CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj sits down with industry experts Jim Delisi, Chief of Fanwood Chemical and Jeff Pritchard, Chief Executive Officer for Westlink Ag Group, to outline what current volatile global market shifts mean for your ag retail operation's bottom line. Discover the hidden realities behind the $104 billion tariff refund bottleneck, the threat of retroactive generic glyphosate duties, and how a flood of post-patent generic entries is tanking chemical market value by 23%. Stay up to date with the latest insights in crop protection, ag retail, and agricultural innovation from CropLife Magazine. We bring you expert interviews, product spotlights, and in-depth coverage of precision ag, sustainable farming, ag tech, and more. Visit our website: https://www.croplife.com Subscribe for more ag retail news and updates. #CropLife #AgRetail #Agribusiness #PrecisionAg #CropProtection #AgTech