Podcast

Black Friday Extra Episode: Why Kylee Deniz Believes in Team Everything

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:15:26 GMT

Although she refers to herself as a work in progress, many look at Oklahoma Pork Council Executive Director Kylee Deniz as one of the greatest examples of innovation, creativity and leadership in the pork industry. Deniz joined host Jennifer Shike on The PORK Podcast for a special Black Friday episode covering a variety of topics from protecting farmers’ freedom to operate to reminiscing on her livestock judging experiences and balancing motherhood with a demanding career. Of course, she also unveils a few shopping tips and gift ideas pork enthusiasts will love.

“I think we all are a work in progress,” Deniz says. “When I think about success for me, it’s prioritizing my faith, my marriage and my family, before my work and my giving. I won’t get it right always, and I probably don’t get it right the majority of the time, but those are the five things that are important to me in life.”

She’s a huge believer in the value of teamwork. Her team starts at home with her husband, Mike, and their two boys Drake and Denton. Although she and her husband share different personality types and passions, they share the same values that connect them closely on the things most important in their lives, Deniz explains.

Her focus on teamwork translates into how she leads the Oklahoma Pork Council every day.

“Kylee brings a team approach to every project she tackles. She is always inclusive and thinks outside of the box,” points out Blayne Arthur, secretary of agriculture for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. “She brings positive energy to all those she interacts with, and she is intentional and sincere in all that she does.”

Deniz says Sec. Arthur has been a mentor of hers for years, as well as her entire team. Not only has she served as a role model, but she also sets the tone for teamwork by the way she leads.

“These jobs require a lot in terms of being away from home or out of the office attending events,” Deniz explains. “Sec. Arthur has demonstrated how you do that well – how you can have both. You can have a wonderful family life and you can have a job that is fulfilling and fun while you’re making a difference.”

Building Trust
For Deniz, who was just named the 2024 Oklahoma Agriculture Woman of the Year, this deep appreciation and passion for teamwork was ignited years ago while competing in collegiate livestock judging contests at Black Hawk College East Campus and Oklahoma State University.

“I am not super tall, and while I tried my hand at sports, it was clear I wasn’t athletic. I found a way to use my mind and my passions to do livestock judging and be a part of a team,” she says. “It really showed me what it can look like to be a part of a successful team, but just as importantly to be a part of a team that’s high functioning and trusts each other.”

She carries these ideals today as she strives to be a voice and an advocate for Oklahoma pig farmers.

“I often say we go to war for one another at the Oklahoma Pork Council,” Deniz says. “I genuinely want people to excel and succeed – I think that is what teamwork is. Our team at Oklahoma Pork focuses on doing life together. I can’t imagine a life where you’re doing things solo.”

Being in a community where you can trust people and where people exhibit character, consistency and competency is so important.

“I work hard on building trust, that’s just who I am. I think it’s probably the agriculture mindset, the agriculture way of life. It’s definitely my foundation and what I learned from my parents and my grandparents,” Deniz explains. “I love team. I am team everything.”

Go watch episode 7 of The PORK Podcast here or download it anywhere podcasts are found.

Your Next Read: Ohio Pig Farmer Finds Strength Through Life’s Challenges

A Light in the Industry: Hannah Miller Wins One of FFA’s Top Swine Honors

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 17:36:56 GMT

Although there’s nothing like being in the show ring for 18-year-old Hannah Miller, one thing that comes close is being able to raise hogs for other kids to show and support them in chasing after their dreams.

“It’s definitely a rewarding experience to see other kids who are then able to chase their goals and achieve things. To know I was able to be a part of that means so much to me,” Miller says during her recent appearance on The PORK Podcast with host Jennifer Shike.

But Miller has achieved far more with her supervised agricultural experience (SAE) project comprised of swine breeding and showpig sales. She was recently named the National FFA Champion in Swine Entrepreneurship Proficiency at the 2024 National FFA Convention in October.

Miller’s herd went from 18 pigs in 2021 to 60 in 2023. In just three years, Miller also increased her breeding swine’s conception rate from 66% to 100%. Miller is a member of the Prairie Central FFA Chapter in Illinois.

Life Lessons in the Barn
The daughter of well-known and respected purebred swine breeders Matt and Tammy Miller of Cabery, Ill., Miller is quick to point out she has her own operation. She makes all the decisions for her herd, but she can’t imagine doing it without the guidance and support of her parents.

“My SAE definitely helped me develop managerial skills and leadership skills. My operation is my own. It’s not my parents’ operation,” she says.

Miller says she has to remain alert and attentive to all the moving parts in her operation.

“For example, one time I missed a sow coming in heat,” she says. “I had to wait another 21 days to breed her. I talked to my dad, and he said, ‘Those are the things you have to always be alert for and attentive for, so you don’t make those mistakes again in the future.’”

Keeping Her Values in Check
Her willingness to constantly learn and then share her experiences with others is one of the reasons Miller draws a crowd of kids around her at the shows.

“Hannah is a light in our industry, she’s doing it right and is a great role model for kids,” says Chelsea Grieder, director of junior activities and events at Team Purebred. “She pushes herself hard at school while balancing being a good human.”

Miller credits her parents for helping her keep those core values in check.

“They’ve taught me by their example that I don’t need to let someone sway me in the wrong direction of what I believe. It might be the hard decision to make, but if I know what I deem is right, I’ll know how to proceed,” she says. “It doesn’t always have to be the popular opinion, as my mom likes to say.”

Making the Stock Show Industry Better
How do we make the stock show industry better? Miller says it’s not about a banner or prize. It’s not even about learning to work hard and be responsible. It’s much bigger than that, she says.

“At the end of the day, it’s not really about winning the show,” Miller explains. “It’s what I’m learning, what I’m taking away from it, what I’m able to get out of the industry. I’ve gained some of my closest friends. I’ve found so many mentors. I’ve discovered career opportunities, gained knowledge and now have a general idea of what I want to study – swine genetics.”

She’s also developed qualities, such as honesty and integrity, that have helped her be successful raising and selling show pigs.

“I definitely want to stay in the swine industry and defend it,” Miller says. “I also think it’s important for our older youth members to connect with the younger ones and show them our passion.”

If she could offer one bit of advice for younger exhibitors or families interested in showing pigs, she says find a mentor or someone you can learn from in the industry.

“Find somebody who is reliable, that you can trust, ask any question and always fall back on,” Miller says. “It’s a great feeling to know somebody’s in your corner.”

Go watch episode 6 of The PORK Podcast here or download it anywhere podcasts are found.

Your Next Read: It’s Awfully Hard to Let Them Go

Ohio Pig Farmer Finds Strength Through Life's Challenges

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 23:01:21 GMT

Ohio pork producer Duane Stateler joins The PORK Podcast and host Jennifer Shike to share the story behind his busy calendar and impressive resume — the story of an unassuming multi-generational Ohio farmer who has fought everything from bad markets to animal rights activists, and even cancer, to make him what he is today... stronger and more determined to succeed.

Stateler was born into the swine industry and grew up helping his dad on the farm. He took a job off the farm for a few years per his dad’s instruction, but came back to the farm with his family where he planned to spend his life raising pigs and crops.

But life took a turn when Stateler was 28 years old and doctors discovered cancer. The day the doctors discovered the tumor was the same day a neighbor’s 750-sow unit went up for sale that he wanted to buy.

As much as he loved raising pigs, he knew his future was unknown so he didn’t bid.

“It was God’s way of telling me that now is not the time to go buy that unit. So we didn’t,” Stateler says. “It ended up selling for about 22 or 23 cents on the dollar. God had other plans for me.”

He slowly phased out of raising pigs and sold his modular barns in 1986 and concentrated on grain farming and doing electrical work in his community.

About 20 years later, his son Anthony asked if he could come back to the farm. Stateler knew that diversification would be needed to bring in the next generation.

“I never dreamed I would see that day when we would have pigs again,” Stateler says. “I’ll never forget when we got that first semi load of pigs in the barn. Anthony had his first child who was about 9 months old, and she was just walking with a little bit of steadiness if someone held her hand. His wife Andrea got her out there in the pen with those weaned pigs and that’s a moment I will never forget.”

The 2000s were an interesting period in Ohio pork history, Stateler recalls. Animal rights activists were putting a lot of pressure on pork producers and he knew that he would have to speak out and use his voice to tell the story of modern pig farming if he wanted there to be an opportunity for his grandchildren someday.

He got involved in the Ohio Pork Council and they began hosting many tours of the farm to show people the realities of pork production.

Bryan Humphreys, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), says Stateler did such a great job demonstrating modern farming practices to influencers that a few tours a year turned into a few tours a week and sometimes a few tours a day,

“Ultimately, Duane’s efforts helped to change the narrative with community groups about livestock agriculture,” Humphreys says.

But Stateler says he didn’t do anything special.

“I thought it was important to show people that don’t know what we do on a modern pig farm what we do. You have to open up to share that,” Stateler says. “There wasn’t anything we do that we were afraid to share.”

He also shares how he became involved in NPPC because of his experiences with Ohio Pork Council. In 2025, he will take on the role of NPPC president where his opportunity to share his experiences and advocate for the pork industry will continue to grow.

Tune into this packed episode to hear how a second health scare in 2016 eventually led Stateler to embrace a protein-based diet, specifically eating more bacon, which made a positive difference in his health.

Rob Brenneman, an Iowa pig farmer, fellow NPPC board member and close friend, was on a similar health journey and inspired Stateler to eat more bacon.

“I have a lot of appreciation and respect for what Duane has been through,” Brenneman says.

Go watch episode 4 of The PORK Podcast here or download it anywhere podcasts are found.

Your Next Read: Influenza Expert Gets Real About the H5N1 Risk to Your Swine Herd

Influenza Expert Gets Real About the H5N1 Risk to Your Swine Herd

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 22:11:28 GMT

Is influenza a greater concern to pigs and people in light of the Oct. 30 USDA announcement that H5N1 was detected for the first time ever in a pig from a backyard Oregon farm? If so, how?

Andrew Bowman, DVM, one of the country’s top swine influenza experts, joined The PORK Podcast to answer that question and more during a special report on H5N1. A professor in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine at The Ohio State University, he is well known for his expertise in swine production medicine, veterinary public health and epidemiology.

“Across the swine industry, we routinely deal with influenza, so we’re pretty well versed in flu,” Bowman says. “But this adds a whole other character to the scene that we really don’t want and reassorting with the flu viruses we already have.”

This isn’t just something that will go away, he adds. This is a topic that’s becoming a bigger issue across the ‘entire proverbial barnyard.”

“Poultry has been dealing with this problem for a while. Dairy, this year, has joined the influenza game. Pigs have had our own endemic strain. The idea that high-path might be affecting pigs as well, and even if not, is a good warning sign the threat is there,” he says.

It’s an important topic for the pork industry to think about, Bowman points out. Oregon might be miles from your farm, but the threat isn’t going away. So, how are you trying to keep diseases such as influenza out of your herd with biosecurity protocols?

“We need to work together. I don’t think there’s much finger pointing left in the flu world. We’re all on the same bus, and we need to figure out how we manage this,” Bowman says. “Granted, it will be different in different species, but this is a problem everyone’s having to deal with.”

Listen to the podcast here as Bowman tackles some of host Jennifer Shike’s questions after hearing USDA’s announcement.

Your Next Read: USDA Reports First H5N1 Detection in Swine

Out-of-the-Box Promotion Garners National Attention for Pork and Iowa State Football

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 16:19:08 GMT

Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon. You may have heard the phrase and seen the videos. On the third episode of The PORK Podcast, hosted by Farm Journal’s PORK editor, Jennifer Shike, you’ll hear a little more about how a play on words and a viral photo turned into a successful campaign promoting the Iowa pork industry.

Iowa State University (ISU) linebacker Caleb Bacon and Iowa Pork Producers Association’s Communications Director Kevin Hall joined Shike to discuss football, all things pork and how the industry used this opportunity to promote pork while giving back to local communities through pork donations.

Bacon, who hails from rural Lake Mills, Iowa, says he always wanted to play for Iowa State and walked on to the team and played as a linebacker in 2023. Unfortunately he was injured at the beginning of the 2024 season, but is on the mend and continues to serve as a team leader.

“It’s definitely different leading when you’re injured, but it’s still just being there for your teammates, not treating it any different than if you’re playing right now,” Bacon says. “They respect the leaders. You give them respect back and it all meshes together.”

Working with the players has been a great experience, Hall says.

“They’ve been great ambassadors for the pork industry, as well as great ambassadors for Iowa State University, and really the whole state of Iowa,” he shares.

Producers have been pleased with the campaign as it’s been a fun and out-of-the-box way to bring pork to the minds of consumers.

“It’s been a joy to see the ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ campaign go viral and touch people across our state and country,” Trish Cook, a pig farmer from Winthrop, Iowa, told Shike before the podcast. “It has put smiles on producers’ faces to see such a creative way to showcase our products.”

A partnership with Hy-Vee grocery stores has also been an added element to this year’s campaign, Hall notes.

“This year we’re going to be able to track it better and get some results back from Hy-Vee on how much pork they are able to sell during this fall tailgating season,” Hall says.

One of Bacon’s favorite parts of the campaign has been the creativity of joining with his teammates to make the videos. He also enjoyed being able to visit his hometown to present $1,000 worth of pork to the local food bank.

“To see some of the people at the food bank light up, it was really cool,” he says. “That $1,000 definitely made an impact.”

Tune into the latest podcast on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast channels, including iTunes , Spotify , etc.

Your Next Read: Don’t Back Down From Hard Stuff In Pork Industry

Don't Back Down From the Hard Stuff in the Pork Industry

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:33:16 GMT

On the second episode of The PORK Podcast, host Jennifer Shike welcomes Bryan Humphreys, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), to share the story behind the story.

Humphreys grew up on an Iowa pig farm, but he knew as one of three boys, returning to the farm would not be an option. He graduated from Iowa State with a degree in political science, and worked on several local and national campaigns, before finding his way to the policy side with NPPC and Ohio Pork Council. He began his current role at NPPC in December 2021.

“It has been 100 miles an hour ever since, but it’s been a fun ride so far,” he says of being CEO.

One thing he’s learned: There’s never a shortage of issues and opportunities for the U.S. pork industry.

“I don’t know that we can do a podcast or a discussion or an interview of any kind in 2024 and not talk about the impact of the farm bill,” he says. “That is a big issue for us, not only because of all of our asks included in there around disease prevention and preparedness, but also obviously the solution to Proposition 12 and the continuation of a patchwork of legislative and regulatory hurdles for producers if we don’t find a solution.”

Humphreys is quick to mention NPPC isn’t afraid to tackle the big issues affecting the pork industry.

“NPPC doesn’t get involved in something when it’s sunshine and rainbows and everything is going swimmingly,” Humphreys points out. “We get involved when it’s tough. And with that, you have to have a certain amount of optimism that, yeah, it’s tough, but we’re going to get through it.”

While Humphreys admits there are big issues facing the industry, there have been some big wins lately too, including being present at United Nations discussions regarding antibiotic use in livestock production. By having a seat at the table, NPPC made clear the detrimental impact of a UN resolution to decrease antibiotic use in livestock by 30% to 33%.

“At the end of that conversation, the UN General Assembly came out and said, ‘We want to work with the industry to continue to work on antibiotic stewardship and ensure that farms are continuing to work with their veterinarians through a VCPR,’ and those are things we’re already doing,” he says.

Other topics of note on the second episode of the PORK podcast include how NPPC:

Engages with producers to understand their on-farm challenges and priorities.
Maintains strong relationships with legislators, regulators and other stakeholders to stay informed and advocate for the industry.
Develops the next generation of industry leaders through the NPPC/Pork Board Immersion Program.

To hear more of the conversation, The PORK Podcast is available to watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast channels — iTunes , Spotify .

Your Next Read: We Need to Foster Alignment Within All Segments of the U.S. Pork Industry

We Need to Foster Alignment Within All Segments of the U.S. Pork Industry

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:59:28 GMT

Having grown up showing and raising pigs, Jesse Heimer of Taylor, Mo., has a passion for helping people find opportunities in the pork industry. On the first episode of The PORK Podcast he joins host, Jennifer Shike, to share a little about his journey and the opportunities he sees for future generations to remain involved in raising pigs.

When Heimer graduated from college in 2003, he says no one in his close circle supported him staying in the swine industry. As a kid, he had a passion for raising and showing pigs, but was encouraged to exit as quickly as possible and find a different career.

So he did. He sold all his sows and left the industry for three years. But he returned in 2006. What brought him back?

“The simple answer is I missed pigs,” he says. “The production side of it — the actual pig farming if you will — is still the part that I’m really in love with on a daily basis.”

Beyond that Heimer is devoted to helping the next generation along the way.

“I saw the growth and the excitement around showing pigs,” he says. “There’s no shortage of enthusiasm in people who want to show pigs, raise pigs and be involved in the show pig business. I saw an opportunity there to get back involved.”

In addition to raising pigs, Heimer has stepped into leadership roles and serves on the National Pork Board’s board of directors. He also went through the Pork Leadership Institute, which is a joint effort of National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board to cultivate leaders.

“It gave me an opportunity to see several different facets of our industry, both on the NPPC side, the policy side and the checkoff side, whether it’s research, promotion or education,” he says.

Furthermore, a trip to Europe and an opportunity to learn about African swine fever (ASF) and its effects on pork production opened his eyes even wider to challenges the industry faces now. He says learning about ASF and spending time with other leaders in the swine industry helped him realize the show pig industry lacked representation.

“It was very obvious that if we, as show pig breeders, exhibitors, producers, whatever title you want to give us, wanted to be at the table for discussion about the U.S. pork industry — if we wanted to be part of that conversation as a whole — somebody had to get involved and step up and lean into that conversation,” he says.

Tune in to watch the conversation between Shike and Heimer as they discuss a variety of topics from fostering greater alignment within all segments of the pork industry to how conversations with consumers can help shape the demand for pork.

Your next read: Pork Export Demand ‘Back on Track’

From Wild Pigs to Property Rights, Journalist Chris Bennett Goes Unscripted

Mon, 20 May 2024 13:37:30 GMT

Few writers covering the ag industry and rural America today can tell a story quite like Chris Bennett, a senior writer for AgWeb and Farm Journal magazine. From Ponzi schemes to “antler madness,” pig motels to suing the feds, Bennett has a nose for news you won’t find anywhere else in the media world that most of us tap into every day.

On the second episode of Unscripted , a new podcast hosted by AgDay’s Clinton Griffiths and U.S. Farm Report’s Tyne Morgan, Bennett provides a behind-the-scenes look at how he finds such amazing stories and how he tells them so well.

“Crazy draws crazy, I guess,” he says, then adds that some of his stories take years to complete. “It’s a blessing to work on all of these farm stories at one time.” With an office full of fat folders, he remains patient during his investigations, allowing stories to develop at their own pace.

Case in point: Bennett recently drew plenty of readers to his story about new research that revealed more human beings are killed every year by wild pigs than by sharks . On Unscripted, he says that researcher John J. Mayer “hollered at me a long while back” about a study he was doing on the subject. Bennett asked Mayer to let him know when the study was released to the public. He then combined a report about the study with the story of a Texas woman who was mauled to death by wild pigs in 2019.

But for a story to catch his interest, it doesn’t have to pit Hogzilla against Jaws. It’s more a matter of deciding what will interest his readers and how best to investigate — and ultimately tell — the tale. “I have to approach these stories with the mindset of a 10-year-old,” he says. “You have to approach a story with wonder and with humility.” He also says listening deeply to the people he interviews is critical to the process.

As accomplished storytellers themselves, Morgan and Griffiths share their own beliefs about the art and craft. “You can find something interesting when talking to almost anybody,” Griffiths says. “But you can’t go in with a preconceived notion. You have to be willing to hear what they say.” Morgan agrees, adding, “It’s about allowing them to tell the story and not getting in the way of it.”

Telling powerful stories about farm country is a highly specialized skill, and hearing how it’s done from three of the industry’s best is time well spent. Click here to watch the full episode .

For more articles from Chris Bennett ( cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

Corn and Cocaine: Roger Reaves and the Most Incredible Farm Story Never Told

American Gothic: Farm Couple Nailed In Massive $9M Crop Insurance Fraud

Priceless Pistol Found After Decades Lost in Farmhouse Attic

Cottonmouth Farmer: The Insane Tale of a Buck-Wild Scheme to Corner the Snake Venom Market

Tractorcade: How an Epic Convoy and Legendary Farmer Army Shook Washington, D.C.

Bizarre Mystery of Mummified Coon Dog Solved After 40 Years

While America Slept, China Stole the Farm

Vilsack Says 98.9% of Farmers Won’t Be Impacted by Biden’s Tax Plan, Tax Experts and Economists Still Disagree

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 20:28:55 GMT

President Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda continues to be put to the test this week, as the key to passing the plan sits with Congress. Not only are legislators working on a stopgap spending bill before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, but House leaders are working to pass the $1 trillion infrastructure bill and the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package, which has drawn criticism from counterparts on the right.

Monday, the Senate GOP blocked a measure to raise the debt ceiling. The stopgap bill would have funded the government through Dec. 3, suspended the debt limit, as well as provided hurricane relief. the bill was backed by Democrats, saying the GOP was sabotaging the ability for the United States to pay its bills, while GOP leaders stated they would support a bill that focuses solely on government funding and hurricane relief, but raising the debt ceiling wasn’t an option.

The battled played out Monday, as Democrats have a series of bills they aimed to pass this week. The reconciliation bill includes the “human infrastructure” element as well as climate initiatives, childcare subsidies, Medicare expansion and more. Democrats are pushing for tax increases to help pay for the massive price tag but those tax changes are coming with major opposition from the GOP. Among the possible taxes measures are changes to capital gains, which are still causing a stir because many farm groups which argue the tax changes will cost family farms.

Vilsack Defends Biden Administration’s Proposed Tax Changes

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has gone on the offense, trying to set the record straight on how the possible capital gains tax changes would impact family farmers. Not only did he write an op-ed in the Wall Steet Journal earlier this month, but he made his case on AgriTalk with Chip Flory last week. Contrary to previous reports, he says nearly all family farms will see no impact from the possible changes to stepped-up basis.

“I understand and appreciate the criticism that I’ve gotten, but the reality is the criticism is based on an incomplete analysis of the proposal. It’s one thing if what’s proposed were that the only folks who qualify for the exemption, if you will, are those whose family continue to own and operate the farm. But they’ve forgotten in their calculations and in their review about the exemption levels of $1 million per person, $2 million per couple, if there’s a homestead, $2.5 million per couple. When you apply that, combined with the exemption for owner and operator, you get 98% of the farms, almost 99% of the farms, not covered by this.”

Vilsack’s statement used a statistic produced by a recent USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) study , which showed 98.9% of family farm estates would not owe capital gains taxes when the principal operator dies, based on the proposed exemption levels, or be impacted by carryover basis. Furthermore, ERS points out their analysis of the tax changes found 80.7% of estimated family farm estates have total farm and non-farm gains less than the exemption, meaning they would have no change to their capital gains tax liability under the proposal.

Contradicting Claims

The data — and Vilsack’s statement on AgriTalk — contradicts a study done by Texas A&M University’s Agricultural & Food Policy Center (AFPC) that shows the Biden Administration’s proposed tax changes could be costly for family farms . The AFPC study found only two farms out of those studied would be immune to the proposed tax changes, and those two farms rent 100% of the land they farm. The remaining family farms would possibly have to take on more debt just to finance the higher tax bill.

“There would be a significant tax liability across all the farms that we looked at, except for two, so 92 of the 94 farms,” Joe Outlaw, co-director of Agricultural Food Policy Center and a Texas A&M economist, told Farm Journal after the report was released. “The one sure thing I can tell you is even with the projection of higher prices from FAPRI that we have right now, none of those farms can absorb this tax liability without having to refinance and go into debt. Not one. That’s the take-home.”

The AFPC study was done at the directive of Senate Ag Committee GOP leaders, but Outlaw pointed out their economic analysis is done for both sides of the aisle and the findings have no political bias. Under the AFPC’s modeling system where producers provided actual accounting records, AFPC found even with higher prices, most farms don’t have the cash on hand to pay for it.

Differing Definitions of a Farm Family

So, how can one study find nearly 99% of family farms won’t be impacted by the tax changes, yet another one comes to the conclusion nearly all family farms will be hit with a higher tax bill and accrue additional debt? Farm CPA Paul Neiffer says it goes back to the database each used and what the two groups used as the definition of a family farm. Neiffer thinks if the ERS analysis would have included only those farmers who make most of their income directly from farming, then the analysis would show a different result.

“USDA needs to parse their database to only include farmers who make a living from farming. If they did that, I would expect more than 75% of those farmers would be affected by President Biden’s tax proposal,” says Paul Neiffer, CPA and partner with CLA who focuses on agriculture. “Also not including farm landlords, which again may be the majority of farmers since their land is likely in entities, would likely dramatically increase the number of farmers potentially subject to the tax. An exemption of $1 million likely only covers less than 100 acres of ground in Iowa that was purchased only 20 years ago.”

The ERS report states the data set used comprised of 1.97 million family farm households. However, an ERS spokesperson told Farm Journal of those 1.97 million family farm households, 918,209, or 46%, say their primary occupation is farming.

The Texas A&M AFPC report, which found all but two operations would be impacted by changes in the stepped-up basis, as well as inheritance tax, used a database of 94 representative farms in 30 states. The data is then combined with a farm-level policy simulation model, which has been used for decades. Despite USDA and Secretary Vilsack’s claims the tax changes won’t impact nearly 99% of family farms, economists say the findings of the Texas A&M study still hold true.

Congress In Control

Even as Vilsack pushes for farmers to trust the Biden administration when they say most family farmers will not be impacted by the proposed tax changes, ultimately, it’s up to Congress.

In September, the House Ways and Means committee put some farmers fears to rest, as the Committee’s version of the bill didn’t include the transfer tax and left the “stepped-up in basis intact.”

More recently, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) was asked by reporters if changes to stepped-up basis were still on the table. He responded by saying, “Not at the moment. No.”

As the House punts to the Senate, Senate leaders could have the final say. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) wouldn’t offer any details on the plan, declining to provide any details on the menu of tax options,

As the two chambers hash out details, Neiffer says without changes to stepped-up basis, including the transfer tax due at death, the House’s plan is more favorable for family farmers and ranchers, but it does include some changes that could cause dairy farmers and larger farms to pay more.

“As far as a grade, what used to be probably an ‘F’ plan is now up to a ‘B-’ or ‘C+’, at least based on the House Ways and Means Committee proposals that came out,” Neiffer says.

He says if the House adds back in the transfer tax , then his grade would go back to an ‘F.’

Secy. Vilsack, ‘I think at the end of the day I should pay tax’

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 20:45:59 GMT

In April, the Biden Administration released the American Families Plan (AFP), which included their intention to make stepped-up basis, or accumulated gains in asset value subject to capital gains taxation when the asset owner dies, a law.

The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) recently released data to showcase those who would be affected if the stepped-up basis were approved in the AFP.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack told AgriTalk’s Chip Flory agricultural America’s analysis of the stepped-up basis is mostly inaccurate, creating a lack of support in the stepped-up basis concept.

“In their calculations, they’ve forgotten about the exemption levels of $1 million per person, $2 million per couple, and if there’s a homestead, $2.5 million per couple,” says Vilsack. “When you apply that, combined with the exemption for owner and operator, you get 98% of farmers—almost 99% of farmers—are not covered by this.”

The 1.1% impacted by stepped-up basis, according to Vilsack, are those who own land and don’t have any heirs who are interested in farming the land. It’s those who have the land as an investment that appreciates over time.

Vilsack used his own financial situation as an example.

“When I die, is it fair for my own kids to get a huge tax break, or is it better for my kids to pay their fair share and in doing so, allow families across the United States to have access to a child credit? It makes it easier for working families, middle class families, including farm families, to be able to support their children,” says Vilsack. “Is it better to have the opportunity to have more affordable college for millions of kids? Or is it better for Tom Vilsack and his kids to have a huge tax break? At the end of the day, that’s what this is all about.”

Secretary Vilsack says the “us vs. them” political division has hindered politicians from completing items of business, which has also fueled American’s lack of trust in politicians. Enabling this stepped-up basis will help dissolve this distrust, according to Vilsack.

“I think at the end of the day I should pay tax. I don’t think a family farm or farmer who owns and operates a farm, and his kids want to own and operate the farm, I don’t think they should pay the tax,” says Vilsack. “That’s the reason we pressed hard when this was put forward to make sure there was an exemption, and there is for 98.9% of farms.”

To hear more of Flory’s interview with Vilsack, listen here.

Corn Yield Results: A Story of the Haves and the Have Nots

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:11:23 GMT

Sometimes Mother Nature deals you a bad hand, and crop yields don’t turn out like you had planned for or hoped.

That’s the case in parts of northern Illinois, where farmers are seeing corn yields that range between 75 bu. and 150 bu. on average and have only 16% moisture. Much of that corn is along Interstate 80, says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Agronomist and owner of Illinois-based Crop-Tech Consulting.

“I know it’s discouraging, but I’m going to ask you guys to calibrate your combine monitors so we’re getting accurate information to base decisions on for next year,” Ferrie says in this week’s edition of Boots In The Field.

Soybeans are another story altogether. Ferrie says he wouldn’t be surprised if the crop is a record in the state this year.

Listen here for more of Ferrie’s report.

Crop Tour Podcast: Surprises in Iowa and Minnesota

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:10:08 GMT

Iowa and Minnnesota were full of surprises as the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour wrapped up in Rochester, Minnesota. Listen to the podcast to get all of the final tour results and be sure to listen to AgriTalk After the Bell on Friday for the final Pro Farmer crop estimate.

Boots in the Field Report: The Good in Ohio and Ugly in Michigan

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:09:57 GMT

“There’s a lot of good-looking corn in northwest Ohio that’s just finishing up pollination,” notes Farm Journal Agronomist Ken Ferrie in this week’s edition of the Boots In The Field Report. Ferrie, of Crop-Tech Consulting details the kernel-count ranges he found in fields throughout parts of Ohio as well as tough corn growing conditions he found in Michigan. He also discusses fields he found that had damaged crops as a result of aggressive feeding by northern corn rootworm beetle and flea beetle.

Listen to the Boots in the Field Report in the player below:

Boots in the Field Report: Dry Areas Getting Bigger

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:09:46 GMT

In this week’s Boots In The Field Report, Farm Journal Agronomist Ken Ferrie of Crop-Tech Consulting details what he has been seeing on farm visits. He covers how the dry area is getting bigger, what a tip down in ears can mean, and the increase of SDS in April planted untreated beans. Ken also warns what lodging in soybeans will mean for yield, how fields are going to get dirty fast, and keeping an eye out for spider mites. He advises farmers to use these perfect conditions for Gray Leaf to calibrate your GLS ratings on your hybrids between companies.

Listen to the Boots in the Field Report in the player below:

Boots in the Field: What Can Still Take the Top Off Corn

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:09:18 GMT

In this week’s Boots In The Field Report, Farm Journal agronomist Ken Ferrie of Crop-Tech Consulting shares that he has spotted: sudden death, pompous root rot, Stewart’s wilt, aphid colonies in the corn, and gray leaf spot. He talks about his concern of what could take the top off this corn crop and what we need to finish out the season strong.

Listen to the podcast in the player below:

DC Signal to Noise: The Trade War

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:07:50 GMT

It is officially a trade war. Pro Farmer Washington Analyst Jim Wiesemeyer looks at what comes next as the markets react to the trade war with China with a shrug. And is Scott Pruitt’s departure from the Environmental Protection Agency really good news for the biofuels industry? Wiesemeyer gives hints that the shifts at EPA could bring resolution to the simmering battle between biofuels and oil on this week’s DC Signal to Noise podcast.

AgriTalk ATB: Can The U.S. Do More Damage?

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:09:22 GMT

“The strategy with the tariffs the Trump Administration has employeed is to attempt to do more damage to China than we do to the U.S. Can the U.S. do more damage?” Purdue University Ag Economist Chris Hurt told AgriTalk After the Bell listeners. “Well… we import about $500 billion in goods from China while China imports about $130 billion in goods from the U.S. That’s where the trade imbalance President Trump is focused on comes from. But, China is also a huge buyer of U.S. debt and services, and that’s not being accounted for.”

Hurt told ATB host Chip Flory the U.S. holds a trade surplus with China in ag products, which puts U.S. farmers and ranchers in the crossfire of this trade war. Hurt also answered a question from an ATB listener that wondered if bean prices could get back to pre-tariff levels and how long it might take to post a “full recovery.”

Hurt said there are several factors at play in the current bean market and explained good growing conditions for most of the bean crop would have brought seasonal pressure to the market.

“If the tariffs were not in place, I project that November bean futures would be at about $9.30. So if the tariffs are lifted, I’d see potential to get back to that level, but I just don’t see $10-plus bean prices with the crop we’ve got growing in the field.”

AgriTalk ATB: Cooler Temperatures Are Coming

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:09:18 GMT

“This is one of the toughest forecast periods I’ve had in my carreer,” said Michael Clark , meterorologist with BamWX.com . His partner and follow meteorologist Kirk Hinz says on the toughness scale, “I’d give it an 8.5 or a 9.”

Both Clark and Hinz talked with AgriTalk After the Bell host Chip Flory on Wednesday’s ATB. The duo expects a hot temps to continue into the weekend with nearly daily chances for rain to develop on the northern edge of a high pressure ridge in the middle of the country. After that, a break from the heat is expected early next week with more rain on the leading edge of the cold front. But after that, the outlook is more difficult.

Clark said he expects heat to return to the Midwest in late July and to last into early August. Another break is expected near mid-August with a return of more heat in the second half of the month. Asked what the odds are for above-normal temperatures in the Midwest from now to the end of August, Clark said 60%, but warned the odds of above-normal nighttime temperatures is “much higher.”

AgriTalk: 36-Month Visa Could Be “Very Beneficial” For Agriculture

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:09:14 GMT

Can an immigration bill be passed in July?
In June, the House of Representatives worked to get one of two immigration bills passed but both fell short. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) isn’t sure if anyone will have the “political desire” to get something worked on and passed in July.

H2A, H2C Visas and the impact on Titan Farms
Chalmers Carr, owner, president and CEO of Titan Farms in Spring Ridge, South Carolina, has problems finding American labor and needs to bring workers to his operation. One of those ways is through the H2A guest worker visa program. He shares his struggles with the aging labor force and how the H2C program would be “very beneficial” to farmers as it allows for a 36 month visa for agricultural workers.

Land stewardship
Pest Elimination Strategies and Tactics (PEST) Week is sponsored by the Soy Checkoff on pesticide stewardship so any use of herbicides or pesticides won’t have adverse effects next season. Tom Oswald, a farmer-lender for the United Soybean Board, talks about the initiative with guest host Clinton Griffiths.

Hear the full conversation on AgriTalk above.

Tune into AgriTalk weekdays at 10:06 CT or on the AgriTalk app on Apple or Google Play.

AgriTalk: China’s African Swine Fever Outbreak

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:08:39 GMT

Dr. Liz Wagstrom, chief veterinarian of the National Pork Producers Council discusses the African swine fever outbreak in China, and Machinery Pete answers listener questions and shares his pick of the week.

African swine fever in China
China, the world’s largest swine herd, is battling with the deadly African swine fever (ASF). Over the course of nearly four weeks, China has euthanized between 10,000 to 12,000 of its roughly 400 million head herd. Currently, there’s no vaccine for ASF. Dr. Liz Wagstrom, chief veterinarian of the National Pork Producers Council, talks with Chip Flory about how the disease spreads, how hogs contract the disease, and what this could mean for China.

Preparing for fall harvest
Seeing a Big Bud tractor for sale in Dawson, Minn. brought back some memories for caller Jason from Albany, Minn. He saw one for sale in his area, and asked Machinery Pete if the large, white tractors go up for auction and if they’re still in use. Machinery Pete shares his pick of the week from Minnesota.

Machinery Pete will be at the Farm Progress show this week. Chip and Greg will be broadcasting live from the Sullivan Auctioneers Booth on Wednesday. Be sure to come by and say hello!

After the Bell: The Difficult Conversation with Your Banker

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:08:39 GMT

Live from the Farm Progress Show, Chip Flory talks with Tim Homan of Rabo AgriFinance about how to have those difficult conversations with your banker.

AgriTalk ATB: Meteorologist Sees August Heat Risk

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:08:18 GMT

Ed Vallee of Vallee Weather Consulting joined host Chip Flory on Wednesday’s AgriTalk After the Bell to provide his outlook for upcoming weather patterns.

Vallee is on board with the cooler temperatures and more-southern storm path (Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri) from now into the first few days of August.

“Starting about August 5, it looks like the heat is coming back into the Midwest. I’m not calling for the type of heat we saw back in early July, but temperatures look to be above-average from August 5 into the end of the month across most of the middle of the country,” said Vallee.

Vallee also said the hot and dry pattern in Germany and northern France is likely to continue as a ridge continues to hold the storm track to the north, keeping the stress on the developing European wheat crop.

AgriTalk: How Red Meat Exports Impact Corn’s Value

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:07:44 GMT

Today on AgriTalk, Dr. Gary Schnitkey of the University of Illinois, Dave Juday of WPI, and Ben Gleason of 4R Plus.

Dr. Gary Schnitkey, professor and farm management specialist at the University of Illinois, shares the benefits of using PLC over ARC based on the current price environment in regards to the new farm bill that will be signed by President Trump Thursday afternoon. He also talks about base acres and the opportunity to update yields.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation received support from the National Corn Growers Association set up a study conducted by World Perspectives, Inc. (WPI) on the impact of red meat exports on the value of a bushel of corn in the Midwest. Dave Juday, senior analyst for WPI, talks about how DDGs are incorporated into the findings.

Ben Gleason, sustainable program manager of 4R Plus, talks about improving soil health and water quality while improving crop productivity. Recently, they released a set of video for farmers to make better conservation and nutrient stewardship decisions.

DC Signal to Noise: WASDE Sending Smoke Signals

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 04:39:08 GMT

AgriTalk host Chip Flory joins the DC Signal to Noise podcast to talk about the political message being sent with this week’s WASDE report. Is the export picture really as glum as the World Board makes it out to be, especially for soybeans? Chip, Pro Farmer Washington Analyst Jim Wiesemeyer and Farm Journal News Director John Herath separate the signal from the noise on trade, SCOTUS, the first meeting between the House Ag Committee chair and ranking member in eight weeks, test tube meat and more.

Listen to the DC Signal to Noise podcast in the player below: