The Spokesman Speaks: News from Iowa Farm Bureau

Welcome to Episode 35 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. This National Agriculture Week episode (hosted by Delaney Howell) features an interview with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on Iowa's water quality progress and the steps being taken to scale up water quality protection practices. It also includes tips from Charlie Arnot (CEO of the Center for Food Integrity) on the best ways for farmers to respond to the challenge of imitation meat. And the episode wraps up with four Iowa...

Welcome to Episode 34 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. This episode is all about sustainability and agriculture’s shrinking environmental footprint. Dr. Jean Lonie of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance dissects a 2019 report indicating that U.S. agriculture is on a trajectory to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 50% over the next five years. Here’s that report: https://usfarmersandranchers.org/usfra-2019-report/ Dr. Sara Place of Elanco shares the facts about greenhouse...

Welcome to Episode 33 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. This episode features a forecast from Iowa Farm Bureau Senior Economist Dr. Sam Funk, who sees signs that Iowa corn and soybean growers may be able to break even or secure profit opportunities in 2020. It also includes an interview with Brett Sciotto, the President and CEO of Aimpoint Research. Brett’s a former Army Intelligence Officer, and his company did an interesting study on the characteristics of farmers who are set up for...

Welcome to Episode 32 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. This episode (hosted by Delaney Howell) provides livestock farmers tips for handling opposition to their operations. Hannah Thompson-Weeman (Vice President of Communications for the Animal Agriculture Alliance) offers her insights into how livestock farmers can build local trust proactively, and Story County farmer Eric Henry shares his first-hand experience handling local opposition and developing allies.

Welcome to Episode 31 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Ken Isley and Iowa Farm Bureau Senior Economist Dr. Sam Funk analyze the United States' Phase 1 trade agreement with China. Isley and Funk also discuss other recent trade agreements (USMCA and Japan) and potential future agreements.

Welcome to Episode 30 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. January 13 marks the beginning of Iowa’s 2020 legislative session, and this episode features a preview of Iowa Farm Bureau’s legislative priorities in 2020, along with an update (from Iowa DNR Water Quality Resource Coordinator Adam Schnieders) on the significant progress that’s being made on one evergreen priority: protecting and improving Iowa’s water quality. This episode also includes a conversation with Iowa State University meat...

Welcome to Episode 29 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. This episode focuses on managing stress and overcoming adversity, topics that have become all-too-familiar in farm country. The episode features an interview with Chris Norton, a former Luther College football player who overcame a devastating spinal cord injury and inspired millions of people in the process. The episode also includes an interview with Dr. Larry Tranel, an Iowa State Extension dairy specialist, ordained minister and...

Welcome to Episode 28 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. This episode features Governor Kim Reynolds’ speech at Iowa Farm Bureau’s 2019 Annual Meeting, regarding pending trade deals and biofuels. Also in this episode: crop expert Ken Ferrie gives tips for maximizing corn yields and cutting costs, and Iowa Farm Bureau’s Farm Business Development Manager, Amanda Van Steenwyk, shares advice for farmers who want to diversify their operations or pass the farm to the next generation. If you have...

Welcome to Episode 27 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Iowa Farm Bureau Senior Economist Dr. Sam Funk invites you to join Iowa Farm Bureau's Market Study Tour of Brazil. The episode also includes a discussion about Iowa farmland values with Iowa State University (ISU) professor Dr. Wendong Zhang and ISU professor Dr. Daniel Andersen's analysis of a recent study about how hog farmers are reducing odor from manure.

Welcome to Episode 26 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Iowa State University researcher Dr. Mike Castellano shares the results of a new study about the environmental benefits of updating Iowa's 100-year-old drainage system. The episode also includes a conversation with Shawn Richmond (Director of Environmental Technology with the Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council) about the water quality progress he’s seeing in the research he’s conducting and observing.

Welcome to Episode 25 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Iowa FFA Executive Director Scott Johnson discusses FFA's recent growth (in Iowa and around the country) and how the organization has appealed to both rural and urban students (with new chapters popping up in places like Sioux City, Ames and Clear Lake). The episode also includes snippets from our October 7 (Episode 23) interview with Farm Bureau Health Plan Vice President Steve Kammeyer. You can listen to Kammeyer's...

Welcome to Episode 24 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we meet with two Virginia Tech researchers to discuss the 2019 Global Agricultural Productivity Report (also known as the GAP Report), which was released at the World Food Prize last week. Are we on track to feed 10 billion people (the projected world population in the year 2050)? What role will meat and livestock play in sustainably feeding the world? Get the answers in this episode of The Spokesman Speaks!

Welcome to Episode 23 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we discuss the Farm Bureau Health Plan (a one-year-old comprehensive health plan that’s saving some Iowans thousands of dollars) and a new study quantifying the economic impact of Iowa agriculture. We also chat with Iowa Hawkeye greats Kirk Ferentz and Matt Kroul about the America Needs Farmers (ANF) cause, as we prepare to celebrate the ninth annual ANF Game Day, October 12 at Kinnick Stadium.

Welcome to Episode 22 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, American Farm Bureau chief economist Dr. John Newton shares proof that agriculture's environmental footprint is shrinking, and representatives from Iowa Farm Bureau, the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, and the Greater Des Moines Partnership discuss the importance of the USMCA trade agreement on WHO Radio's The Big Show.

Welcome to Episode 21 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Dr. Andrew Hennenfent of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) discusses efforts to prevent African Swine Fever from reaching Iowa; Farm Bureau’s environmental policy advisor Rick Robinson shares the latest on Iowa’s water quality progress; and Fareway’s Senior Vice President of Merchandising Mike McCormick talks about a brand new partnership between Fareway and the Iowa Farm Bureau to promote...

Is agriculture part of your school's curriculum? Would you like it to be? Welcome to Episode 20 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Cindy Hall of the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation, shares effective ways to work with teachers and incorporate agriculture into the classroom. The episode also includes a discussion with Carrie Padgett of RALI (Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative) about the warning signs of opioid abuse in the home.

Welcome to Episode 19 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Dr. Dan Grooms, the new Dean of Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, talks about the shortage of rural veterinarians, preventing devastating diseases like African Swine Fever, and antibiotic use. The episode also includes an interview with Jarad Weber, a Lee County Farm Bureau member who was recently named the 2019 Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year.

Does Iowa really have too much manure, as livestock opponents claim? Or could the state actually use more manure to fertilize its crops? Welcome to Episode 18 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Iowa State University's Dr. Daniel Andersen (aka "Dr. Manure") answers those questions and more. The episode also features an interview with ISU's Dr. Mark Licht, a cover crops expert with important tips and information for farmers who are considering planting cover crops this year.

Welcome to Episode 17 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we chat with some of our speakers from the 2019 Farm Bureau Economic Summit. You'll hear about:

Welcome to Episode 16 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we learn about the Green Farmstead Partner Program, which has been helping many Iowa livestock farmers reduce their snow removal and energy costs, while improving the appearance and smell of their farms, over the past decade.