Engineering Your Farm

In this episode, Tony Mensing sits down with Dr. Matt Helmers to explore the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (INRS)—an initiative launched in 2013 to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus runoff into the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico by 45%. Dr. Helmers breaks down the science and policy behind the strategy, highlighting the roles of both agricultural (non-point) and municipal/industrial (point) sources. 

Tune in to hear how Iowa ...

What is biochar and how can we use it to improve the sustainability of animal agriculture? In this episode we sit down with Carly Graves, a graduate research assistant in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering North Carolina State University.  Carly recently co-authored of a review paper evaluating the use of biochar to improve the sustainability of animal production and has also studied the use of engineered bio...

Variable weather conditions can make managing grain aeration challenging, but a tool for fine tuning aeration is now at your fingertips with the Grain Aeration & Storage App. Join us as we chat with Dr. Dirk Maier, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University, and developer of the app. We discuss different tools within the app and how they can make fine tuning aeration a '...

Soil health - what is it? How do you know if you have it? How do you improve it? Join us as we chat with Dr. Anna Cates, State Soil Health Specialist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate at the University of Minnesota. We discuss soil health principles, testing, and how to get started with improving soil health on the farm. Visit mosh.umn.edu to learn more and check out the soil health assessment vi...

Can we really farm without using tillage or chemicals to control weeds? Listen in as we chat with Clint Brauer, 3rd generation farmer and CEO of GreenField Incorporated, a company on a mission to eliminate the need for chemicals in no-till agriculture. We discuss different robotic platforms that can provide both preseason and in-season weed control for row crops, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead for chemical free no-...

Gary Lewis invented the Bio-Agtive Emissions Technology System to turn a problem into an opportunity: how to capture nitrogen from engine exhaust and use it to grow crops. In this wide-ranging conversation we dive into the details of how this technology has evolved from the goal of capturing nitrogen to increasing soil organic matter levels and boosting plant productivity, all while improving the soil and reducing input costs. The ...

Producing your own anhydrous ammonia on the farm with renewable energy might seem like a pipe dream but it's about to become a reality. Fuel Positive is a Canadian company that is rolling out a containerized  system that uses air, water, and either grid-tied or renewable electricity to produce anhydrous ammonia. In this episode we chat with Ian Clifford, Board Chair and CEO of Fuel Positive, about how the system works and how ...

Seed conditioning encompasses a critical and underappreciated set of processes and technologies to ensure that we have viable high-quality seed to plant. In this episode, we sit down with  Alan Gaul, a Seed Conditioning Specialist with the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University. The discussion covers both the history and current industry trends in seed conditioning, as well as some of the processes involved in conditioning se...

Listen in as we discuss important planter maintenance items, planter setup in the field, how to assess your planter performance, and the pros and cons of high-speed planters. Our guest is Ryan Bergman, a  technical project specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University. Check out https://www.abe.iastate.edu/ and https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/ for more information. You can foll...

In this episode we discuss spring manure application strategies, yield implications, and adjustments for dry weather and high fertilizer prices to help you maximize the value of spring applied manure. Our guests are Dr. Dan Andersen, associate professor in the Dept. of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and Extension manure management specialist,  and Kristina TeBockhorst, field agricultural engineer with Iowa State University...

Join us as we dive into the exciting new field of conservation agronomy. In this episode we have a wide-ranging conversation with Ruth McCabe, conservation agronomist with Heartland Cooperative, and Zach Timm, conservation agronomist with Dubuque County Iowa Soil and Water Conservation District. We talk cover crops, edge-of-field conservation practices, getting funding for conservation, the future of conservation agronomy, and more...

In this episode, guests Kristina TeBockhorst, field agricultural engineer, and Joel DeJong, field crops specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, join Brian Dougherty to discuss optimal timing for fall manure and commercial N applications. Application strategies, yield effects, and adjustments for dry weather and high fertilizer prices are among the topics discussed.     

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Join us for a discussion with Jonathan Gill about the Hands Free Hectare and Hands Free Farm projects, which achieved a world first by farming a hectare of land (now 35 hectares) entirely autonomously. Jonathan is a robotics engineer with a research team at the National Centre for Precision Farming at Harper Adams University in Newport, United Kingdom. We discuss drone technology, the advantages and challenges of fully autonomous f...