The Spokesman Speaks: Ag Insights for Your Farm and Family

The Spokesman Speaks: Ag Insights for Your Farm and Family

Since 1934, The Iowa Farm Bureau Spokesman has been Iowa's leading agriculture news source, and today it has the largest readership of any ag newspaper in Iowa. While The Spokesman newspaper is available exclusively to Iowa Farm Bureau members, The Spokesman Speaks podcast is available publicly, providing the ag news and farmer education that matter most.

Episodes

June 22, 2026 36 mins

Welcome to Episode 219 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we discuss the farm economy with Iowa Farm Bureau economist Dr. Christopher Pudenz and meet a Harrison County farmer and Farm Bureau member who's turning food waste, yard waste, manure and other organic matter into natural fertilizer for farmers.

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Welcome to Episode 218 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we dip into water quality with two DNR experts. Water quality resource coordinator Adam Schnieders discusses Iowa DNR's extensive – and growing – water quality monitoring capabilities. And avian ecologist Anna Buckardt Thomas shares how Iowa's trumpeter swans are...

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May 25, 2026 40 mins

Welcome to Episode 217 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we talk with a central Iowa corn and soybean farmer who's experimenting with a unique perennial grain: Kernza. Later in the episode, Mykayla Hagaman of the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium explains how Iowa has grown its monarch habitat by more than 10x in just 5 years, ...

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Welcome to Episode 216 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Iowa Farm Bureau economist Dr. Christopher Pudenz discusses current crop and livestock market conditions and future international trade opportunities for agriculture. And Brian Waddingham of the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers reminds livestock farmers of the free and co...

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Welcome to Episode 215 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we sit down with a central Iowa farm family that's been producing honey for more than 40 years. We also discuss another ag topic that's creating plenty of buzz in recent years: regenerative agriculture.

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Welcome to Episode 214 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Martin Gross, a central Iowa entrepreneur who's using algae to treat wastewater and create fertilizer. We also discuss crop and livestock market dynamics with Iowa Farm Bureau's market experts, economist Dr. Christopher Pudenz and farmer education progra...

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Welcome to Episode 213 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Iowa farmer, Farm Bureau leader and ag excavating contractor Jacob Handsaker shares how nitrate filtering edge-of-field conservation practices are scaling quickly. And Iowa's State Climatologist, Dr. Justin Glisan, offers his forecast for planting season.

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Welcome to Episode 212 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, renowned behavioral scientist Dr. Abbie Maroño shares tips to help farmers build trust with consumers. Dr. Abbie has trained the FBI, Secret Service and Homeland Security on improving cooperation in high-stakes situations, and the U.S. Department of State has recognized her ...

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Welcome to Episode 211 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we dive into water quality progress and challenges (including soil nitrogen mineralization) with Iowa Secretar...

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Welcome to Episode 210 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we highlight two programs helping Iowa's next generation step into farming with confidence: the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers Building Your Livestock Legacy program and Iowa Farm Bureau's Take Root program.

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Welcome to Episode 209 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we sit down with farmer and ag celebrity Rob Sharkey (aka The SharkFarmer). Later in the episode, Seth Appelgate of Farm Credit Services of America shares personal budgeting tips for farmers.

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Welcome to Episode 208 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we discuss Farm Bureau members' priority issues for the 2026 state legislative session and analyze crop and livestock markets.

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    Welcome to Episode 207 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, legendary Iowa Hawkeye women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder shares her advice for leaders. Later in the episod...

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    Welcome to Episode 206 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Heartland Co-op Conservation Manager and agronomist Ruth McCabe shares the "batch and build" process that's helping Iowa farmers quickly install edge-of-field practices to filter nitrates from water. And ag policy expert Mary Kay Thatcher offers her outlook on farm poli...

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    Welcome to Episode 205 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast, which is also Part 3 of our special three-part series with three farmers who are receiving Iowa Farm Bureau's 2025 Young Farmer Leadership Award: Devon Murray of Floyd County, Randy Francois of Buchanan County and Blake Anderson of Adams County.

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    Welcome to Episode 204 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast, which is also Part 2 of our special three-part series with three farmers who are receiving Iowa Farm Bureau's 2025 Young Farmer Leadership Award: Devon Murray of Floyd County, Randy Francois of Buchanan County and Blake Anderson of Adams County.

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    Welcome to Episode 203 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast, which is also Part 1 of our special three-part series with three farmers who are receiving Iowa Farm Bureau's 2025 Young Farmer Leadership Award: Devon Murray of Floyd County, Randy Francois of Buchanan County and Blake Anderson of Adams County.

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    Welcome to Episode 202 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, retiring Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen shares her career highlights and discusses future o...

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    November 10, 2025 36 mins

    Welcome to Episode 201 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Iowa Farm Bureau President Brent Johnson shares trade conversations he and other Iowa Farm Bureau leaders are initiating in Washington D.C. and around the globe. And Kansas State University economist Dr. Glynn Tonsor offers a clear-eyed look at beef markets.

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    October 27, 2025 44 mins

    Welcome to Episode 200 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we share expert tips for strengthening the communication between farmers and their landlords. Erin Herbold-Swalwell, a Farm Bureau attorney with extensive experience in farm succession and landowner relations, and Catherine DeLong, an ISU Extension professional who specializ...

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