Episodes

  • Consumer Trends Reshape Agriculture: Protein Demand and Gen Z Spending

    Consumer Trends Reshape Agriculture: Protein Demand and Gen Z Spending
    Nov 24 2025
    Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Anna Meyer, Senior Analyst with Directions Group, unpack the dramatic shifts in consumer behavior reshaping agricultural markets. Megan opens with the November WASDE release following the government shutdown, plus analysis of the Fed's second consecutive rate cut despite inflation remaining above the 2% target. Anna reveals why consumers feel financially stressed despite positive GDP growth. Learn how the protein craze has reached fever pitch with 71% of consumers actively trying to increase protein intake, fueled by social media influencers like Andrew Huberman and Peter Attia recommending triple the FDA's daily protein guidelines. The episode covers cottage cheese's unprecedented comeback as manufacturers struggle to meet demand, how Gen Z prioritizes discretionary spending over groceries through "affordable affluence," why food away from home now captures 58.9% of total food spending, and how the Make America Healthy Again movement is driving demand for whole milk and regenerative agricultural practices for personal health reasons rather than environmental sustainability. Anna explains why dairy has emerged as the big winner from protein trends, what the trade-down hierarchy means for livestock producers, and why marketplace demands for soil health and nutrient certification will continue regardless of federal regulatory rollbacks.
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    46 mins
  • Beyond Estate Plans: Building Family Harmony Through Succession Communication

    Beyond Estate Plans: Building Family Harmony Through Succession Communication
    Nov 20 2025
    Lisa Quist from Nationwide's Land As Your Legacy program explains the critical difference between estate planning and transition planning for agricultural operations, emphasizing that family harmony depends on communication rather than documentation alone. Through her personal experience transitioning into a seventh-generation family farm and the challenges that led to their 2012 auction, Lisa reveals why an estimated 70% of US farmland will change hands over the next 20 years and why only about 10% of farms have complete transition plans despite common assumptions. The episode covers implementing structured family meetings as the most transformative tool for succession success, creating family mission statements to guide difficult decisions, avoiding family gossip through transparent communication, and understanding why Generation One struggles to relinquish control after decades of sacrifice. Lisa provides specific strategies for making family meetings effective safe spaces, balancing the needs of on-farm and off-farm children, and treating agricultural operations like the multimillion-dollar corporations they are.
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    35 mins
  • DC Reopens: Farm Bill Extension, China Soybean Agreement, and Fed Rate Cuts

    DC Reopens: Farm Bill Extension, China Soybean Agreement, and Fed Rate Cuts
    Nov 13 2025
    Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs navigate the resolution of the 43-day government shutdown as the House votes to reopen federal operations on November 12th. Ben explains the Senate-negotiated deal that extends government funding through a continuing resolution until January 30th, 2026, and includes a critical mini-bus appropriating USDA and FDA through September 2026. Learn why a full-year Farm Bill extension was unexpectedly included in the package, pushing comprehensive Farm Bill 2.0 provisions into next year while extending the 2018 Farm Bill framework once again. Megan breaks down the landmark China trade agreement committing to purchase 12 million metric tons of soybeans before year-end and 25 million metric tons annually for three years starting in 2026. The episode covers what to expect from the delayed November WASDE report releasing November 14th, historical context on soybean acreage expansion since the 1930s compared to corn, and ongoing discussions about ad hoc assistance payments to bridge farmers through the margin squeeze until new Farm Bill provisions take effect. Ben and Megan also analyze the Federal Reserve's second consecutive rate cut of 25 basis points in October and the 60-40 split among experts on whether another cut will come at the December meeting despite persistent inflation above the 2% target.
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    34 mins
  • October Policy Update: Government Shutdown and Trade Tensions

    October Policy Update: Government Shutdown and Trade Tensions
    Oct 17 2025
    Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Vice President of Legislative Affairs Perry Aasness navigate the uncertainty facing agriculture as the federal government enters its third week of shutdown in mid-October. Megan opens with macroeconomic updates on another potential Fed rate cut and delayed USDA reports including the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, while Perry explains the standoff between House Republicans seeking a clean continuing resolution and Senate Democrats leveraging their position for concessions on healthcare and Medicaid funding. Learn which USDA services remain operational during the shutdown, including crop insurance and border inspections, versus what's closed, including Farm Service Agency offices unable to process farm program payments, new farm loans or CCC loans. The discussion covers why a comprehensive Farm Bill 2.0 remains stalled despite bipartisan committee support, and Compeer's priority of expanding rural community facility financing authority. Perry analyzes escalating China trade tensions following new tariff announcements and explains emerging details about potential agricultural assistance packages. The episode addresses narrow congressional majorities complicating negotiations, the Supreme Court hearing on presidential tariff authority, and what producers should watch as Congress attempts to navigate shutdown resolution, budget agreements, and farm policy modernization before the 2026 midterm election season begins.
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    47 mins
  • Crop Insurance 2026: Premium Support Increases, Product Strategy, and Harvest Updates

    Crop Insurance 2026: Premium Support Increases, Product Strategy, and Harvest Updates
    Oct 16 2025
    Cole Patrick, Mike Bowen, Brandon Pezanoski, and Michelle Sell from Compeer's insurance product strategy team break down the major crop insurance changes coming from the Big Beautiful Bill and what producers need to know for 2026. Learn how premium support for ECO and SCO products jumped dramatically, making area-based coverage significantly more affordable with favorable loss ratios for farmers. The team explains upcoming coverage expansions and why producers can now take both SCO and ARC payments simultaneously. Hear harvest reports from across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota showing variable yields, plus October price tracking updates. The discussion covers Beginning Farmer Rancher program expansions, how government shutdowns affect FSA but not crop insurance, and strategies for farming profitability over yield using precision technology.
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    45 mins
  • A Will Does Not Make a Transition Plan

    A Will Does Not Make a Transition Plan
    Oct 9 2025
    Lisa Quist from Nationwide explains the critical difference between estate planning and transition planning for agricultural operations. Through a detailed case study of Bill and Sue's farm, Lisa reveals how typical "I love you" wills can unintentionally destroy family farms by dividing every acre into equal shares among all children, regardless of who's actually farming. Learn why beneficiary designations trump wills, how joint account ownership can override estate plans, and why old contracts can derail inheritance intentions. Lisa explains that while only an estimated one-third of farms have transition plans, the real number with complete plans may be closer to ten percent due to confusion between estate and transition planning. The episode covers the six essential components of comprehensive transition planning: succession planning, business structure evaluation, risk management, financial independence, mentorship and knowledge transfer, and estate document creation. Lisa emphasizes the importance of communication with all heirs about plans, assembling the right professional team including attorneys and CPAs who understand agriculture, and treating transition documents as living plans that require regular review.
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    34 mins
  • Midwest Farm Real Estate: Market Trends and Sector Analysis

    Midwest Farm Real Estate: Market Trends and Sector Analysis
    Sep 25 2025
    Regional Appraisal Manager Jade Kruschke breaks down Compeer Financial's latest benchmark data revealing surprising stability in Midwest farm real estate despite declining commodity prices. Using comprehensive analysis of thousands of farm sales across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, Jade explains why land values continue modest appreciation even as market activity contracts significantly from previous years. Learn how recreational land is dramatically outperforming cropland with shorter marketing times, why capitalization rates keep falling as investors accept lower returns for farmland stability, and what's driving Wisconsin's stronger performance compared to neighboring states. The episode explores sector-specific insights across swine, poultry, and dairy operations, revealing how beef-on-dairy programs are reshaping producer profits while facility transactions remain limited. Jade also examines development pressures near metro areas and explains why cash rents have remained surprisingly stable despite rising land values.
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    39 mins
  • AI in Agriculture

    AI in Agriculture
    Sep 19 2025
    Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts opens with a fresh macroeconomic update on the Federal Reserve's recent rate cut decision, driven by weakening job growth despite persistent inflation concerns, before diving into artificial intelligence applications with Jennifer Coleman from The Directions Group. Jennifer breaks down the different types of AI and showcases cutting-edge tools for agronomy, livestock management, and real-time field monitoring currently being used on farms worldwide. She also addresses AI's limitations, including its inability to access unpublished data, make ethical decisions, or replace human intuition and relationship-building skills. The discussion covers implementation barriers including economic costs, cultural resistance, technological challenges, and quality concerns, while emphasizing why core farming skills like contextual decision-making and hands-on precision work remain irreplaceable.
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    34 mins