Iowa Ag Podcast
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Community and the Future of Iowa Farming with Cody Williams
Audio version: In this episode of the Iowa Ag Podcast, host David Geiger sits down with Cody Williams, a farmer member at the 2025 Iowa Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. The event celebrates the accomplishments of county Farm Bureaus across the state and highlights the strength of Iowa’s grassroots agricultural community. Cody shares his perspective of…
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Food Pantries and Food Production: An Important Part of the Supply Chain
In this episode of the Iowa Ag Podcast, host David Geiger sits down with Blake Willadsen, Marketing and Communications Manager at DMARC, to talk about food insecurity in the Des Moines metro and the critical role food pantries play in fighting it. David and Blake break down what hunger looks like in the U.S. today:…
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Turkeys at Thanksgiving: Highlighting Iowa Producer Challenges and Success
In this episode of the Iowa Ag Podcast, host David Geiger sits down with Gretta Irwin and Sheila Larson of the Iowa Turkey Federation to talk about Iowa’s turkey industry and how it can be highlighted during the Thanksgiving season. While most consumers picture a whole roasted turkey on the holiday table, much of Iowa’s…
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From Soil Data to Tax Policy: What 45Z Means for Farmer Conservation
In this episode of the Iowa Ag Podcast, host David Geiger sits down with Mitchell Hora, CEO of Continuum Ag and a seventh-generation Iowa farmer, to talk about the adoption of conservation practices in agriculture. Mitchell shares how conservation has changed dramatically across Iowa and how those shifts have impacted not only his own farm…
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How Iowa Agribusiness Bridges Rural-Urban Divide
In this episode of the Iowa Ag Podcast, host David Geiger speaks with Julie Kenney, CEO of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, about how the farm economy impacts agribusiness. Julie shares uniting aspects of community-driven businesses in rural Iowa, where local success often reflects the health of the larger agricultural economy.
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April Hemmes on Harvest and Planning for Next Year
On this week’s Iowa Ag Podcast, host David Geiger sits down with April Hemmes, a central Iowa farmer, to talk about how this year’s growing season has gone. They cover the challenges in the fields and successes experienced over the year. With weather shifts, input costs, and market uncertainty all at play, April shares what…
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Ethanol, Diversification, and Business Models on the Farm
David Geiger sits down with Monte Shaw, Executive Director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, to talk about how products like ethanol are a part of the relationship between urban and rural communities.
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Challenges and Changes for Diversity in Agriculture
Audio version: In this episode of the Iowa Ag Podcast, we explore a study of diversification in farming and why it could be the key to a stronger, more resilient agricultural future. Our guest, Dr. Stephanie Mercier, senior policy adviser of the Farm Journal Foundation and author of the article “Why Diversified Farming Could Be…
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Farming Up: How Just Vertical is Growing Food and Impact
In this episode, Peter interviews Conner Tidd, co-founder of Just Vertical, a Toronto-based company bringing vertical farming into homes, communities, and commercial spaces. The conversation begins with relatable banter about unpredictable spring weather before diving into Conner’s path from grad school research to launching an agricultural startup. Just Vertical was born out of a desire…
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Farming’s Financial Fortress: Mastering Risk with 831B
In this episode of the Iowa Ag Podcast, host Peter interviews Van Carlson, CEO and founder of SRA 831B Administration, about the 831B tax code and its application in agricultural risk management. Van’s company specializes in helping farmers and business owners understand and utilize this tax provision to self-insure against various risks. Van explains that…