In this episode of The Grow Down on Soil Health, we are joined by Greg Goodwin to explore how economics, efficiency, and trust play a critical role in the future of conservation. Greg breaks down how funding conservation transitions, improving farm efficiency, and earning farmer trust are essential to bridging the gap between farmers and supply chains.

Hear Greg share about how advisors can build and maintain trust with farmers, why efficiency is as important for profitability as it is for environmental gains, and how shared value can be created between farmers and the supply chain beyond carbon markets. He also discusses how farm data can be repurposed to generate greater returns for farmers while meeting the sustainability demands of end-users.

Meet the Guest:

Greg Goodwin is the Director of the Precision Conservation Management (PCM) Program. Since taking on the role, he has helped double the program in just three years. With a strong background in agricultural engineering and soil and water resources, Greg has dedicated his career to helping farmers and conservationists understand the environmental impacts of agricultural practices.

Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.

This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and the National Corn Growers Association.

In this episode of The Grow Down on Soil Health, we are joined by Ryan Heiniger to explore how family, wildlife, and conservation come together to shape a farm legacy that benefits both the land and future generations. Ryan reflects on his journey back to Iowa after years away, the role of his children in carrying forward a fifth-generation farm, and how conservation and profitability can be woven into family farming traditions.

Hear Ryan share how habitat restoration shaped his approach to farming, why conservation resonates deeply with farmers as both a lifestyle and an economic choice, and how input prices can be repurposed for conservation techniques. He also discusses the launch of CTIC’s Conservation Connector platform and a new family cover crop seeding business that bridges conservation values with real-world farm profitability.

Meet the Guest:

Ryan Heiniger is a fourth-generation Iowa farmer and the Executive Director of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC). With more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit conservation, Ryan has built strong partnerships across agriculture and wildlife organizations to advance sustainable farming practices. He holds a degree in Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University and spent much of his career working in habitat restoration before returning to his family farm along the Mississippi River.

Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.

This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and the National Corn Growers Association.

On today’s episode of “The Grown Down on Soil Health,” Olivia Caillouet, Ph.D., and Erin Gundy detail the benefits of cover crops, highlighting why they are a game-changer for sustainability and soil health.

Caillouet is the soil health program manager at the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture, a partner of Farmers for Soil Health. She has a background in agricultural education and extension and an extensive understanding of cover crop adoption and sustainable agriculture.

Gundy’s academic background is in agronomy. She is currently a soil health educator with the Soil Health Institute and specializes in corn and soybean systems across the Midwest. The Soil Health Institute is yet another valued partner of Farmers for Soil Health.

Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.

This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and the National Corn Growers Association.