Agri-Pulse Open Mic Interview

Agri-Pulse Open Mic Interview

In-depth interviews with ag policy leaders. New episode every Sunday!

Episodes

January 18, 2026 22 mins
This week's Open Mic guest is House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig. Before the release of the Farm and Family Freedom Act framework last week, the Minnesota Democrat spoke with Agri-Pulse on the sidelines of the American Farm Bureau Federation  convention. Craig expressed dismay with ICE raids in Minnesota and discussed the impacts on farm labor. Craig says her members are willing to compromise on a new f...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Alison Bodor, president and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute. Bodor says AFFI is pleased with the call for more whole and nutrient dense foods in the new dietary guidelines because frozen foods offer exceptional food quality, nutrition and less food waste. She explains other advantages of the frozen category and why AFFI is hopeful for a new farm bill with opportunities for frozen foo...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation and a third-generation Georgia farmer. The group's annual meeting is coming up in Anaheim, California next week and features key ag leaders from Washington. Duvall previews what his members would like to hear from those leaders on a variety of issues such as labor, high input costs and New World Screwworm. He says they are grateful...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Jim Sutter, CEO of the U.S. Soybean Export Council.  Prices and trade policy have challenged U.S. soybean exports, especially as large volumes of Brazilian soybeans have displaced traditional sales to China. Having met with Chinese industry and government officials, Sutter says the Chinese want a better trade relationship with the U.S. but he is also focused on market diversification. He belie...
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This week's Open Mic guest is House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson. While another year has come and gone without a completely updated farm bill, Thompson says he is pleased with financial assistance approved last year and farm program updates included in budget reconciliation this summer. Thompson hopes to begin markup of the remaining farm bill in January and to address additional farm financial assist...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Kevin Burkum, CEO of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action. The group took a new name and mission in 2021 representing over 700,000 row crop and livestock producers as well as supporting industry. The association seeks opportunities for collaboration, information-sharing and solution development for the full ag value chain. USFRA seeks to be a connective and unifying voice for U.S. agriculture. ...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Tom Zacharias, President of National Crop Insurance Services. As risk factors for crop and livestock farmers have grown over the years, crop insurance has become a critical tool to manage risk not only from catastrophic events but from intense economic pressure on the nation's producers. Zacharias says Congress provided much needed improvements in not only farm programs but crop insurance in H...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Melissa Ackerman, CEO and Co-Founder of Planet Harvest. During the Covid pandemic, Ackerman worked with the Produce Alliance to provide channels for unharvested produce to those in need. Her work with the Farmers to Families Food Box Program led to a relationship with Ivanka Trump and the birth of Planet Harvest with a mission of incorporating sustainably sourced produce into the supply chain....
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This week's Open Mic guest is Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. Dairy farmers are seeing better financial returns than in previous stages of a traditionally cyclical market. Doud says beef demand is providing uncharacteristically strong income support for dairy calves and cull animals, while consumer's protein demand is a boon for the industry. Milk producers are hopeful the new Dieta...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Tim Lust, CEO of the National Sorghum Producers. As the group prepares to celebrate their 70th anniversary, sorghum growers face daunting challenges from a loss of export markets and a future that hinges on developing domestic demand from renewable fuels and new market opportunities. He says the race for acres is an obstacle for growers as is adequate water to raise crops and maintaining profi...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Tom Michels, Director of Government Affairs for United Airlines. Global aviation fuel demand is near 100 billion gallons annually and farmers can play a crucial role in producing renewable fuels for a portion of that demand. United Airlines continues to not only consume but invest in sustainable aviation fuels. Michels says the market shows tremendous opportunity to lower the environmental foo...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Corey Rosenbusch, President and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute. A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week heard testimony from industry and farmers about higher input costs and the impact on producers. Rosenbusch says the industry recognizes the challenges crop farmers are facing, but are also forced to adapt to global and geopolitical events in the market beyond their control. That's wh...
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This week's Open Mic guest is David Newman, CEO of the National Pork Board. Pork producers are finally seeing improved returns for their animals following a long cyclical downturn in hog prices. Newman says consumer demand for protein has brought renewed interest in the nutritional value of pork cuts in the meat case. The National Pork Board's new strategic plan focuses on priorities including pork value, anticipation and ...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Patrick Ewan, Chairman of the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology and General Manager, Helena Products Group. This group of industry representatives continues to work for innovative products to balance the objectives of productivity growth and crop protection for the environment and consumers. Ewan shares how industry is working with the Environmental Protection Agency on r...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Jonathan Spalter, President and CEO of USTelecom -The Broadband Association. Despite billions of dollars invested to close the digital divide, millions of Americans either have no service or lack a reliable connection to the internet. Spalter says the same government that supports universal connectivity maintains antiquated regulations preventing the upgrade of copper wire or installation of f...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Ben Kruger, senior vice president at Roeslein Renewables.  The International Maritime Organization is set to vote on policy that would embrace greater use of renewable fuel in the global shipping industry. Kruger says this move would present a tremendous opportunity for the domestic renewable fuel industry and biodiesel from soybeans and other sources. Kruger says a positive vote by the IMO an...
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This week's Open Mic guest is James Glueck, Executive Director of the Plant Based Products Council. He says the same consumer who is demanding more sustainably produced food is also showing a desire to purchase more plant-based products and USDA says the ag bioeconomy added over $489 billion dollars to the nation's economy. The Ag Bioeconomy Coalition is lobbying Congress to continue funding for the USDA's BioPreferred Pro...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Representative Tracey Mann.  As the representative of the Big First District in Kansas, Mann is concerned about the farm economy and the challenges especially crop farmers are facing now. He sees the need for financial assistance for row crop farmers but also recognizes the fiscal challenges before the nation. He is hopeful to see a farm bill approved before the end of the year but says budget...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association. This week nearly 300 OTA members will celebrate "Organic Week" in Washington.Dillon says consumer demand for organic products is growing at nearly twice the pace as demand for conventional food items. Consumers purchased over $70-billion dollars of organic products last year. Dillon says OTA is hopeful for legislation to prevent fraud in...
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This week's Open Mic guest is Pam Marrone, Co-founder and Executive Chair of the Invasive Species Corporation. Marrone says there are over 37,000 invasive species in the world with over 3,500 that are considered harmful. Combined, these species have cost the global economy over $1 trillion dollars. As the climate warms, Marrone says these species are migrating farther north, impacting an even larger area and bringing dange...
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