Top Producer Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Top Producer Podcast: Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University Agricultural Risk Policy Center Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

In today's podcast Paul has a conversation with Shawn Arita at the North Dakota State University Agricultural Risk Policy Center. We discuss how the issues in the Middle East are affecting fertilizer price and supply plus how the trade issues are compounding the effect on farmers. For those of you that primarily listen to the podcast you may want to head to the Farm Journal YouTube channel to view the podcast due to our use of charts.

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Top Producer Podcast: Iron Ridge Advisors Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

In today's podcast Paul has a conversation with Jim Parry and Cameron Rafati of Iron Ridge Advisors. Most farmers will enter into a 1031 exchange when they sell farmland to defer the income tax. Most prefer rolling it into farmland, but in many situations they either can find good land to invest in or they run up against the 45 day deadline. Jim and Cameron provide an opportunity for farmers to still defer the tax by utilizing a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST). In the podcast we review how a DST works and when it is and is not appropriate for farmers.

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Top Producer: Erik Glenn of the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust Mar 17, 2026

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A conversation with Erik Glenn of the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust. This trust was the first state specific land trust that allows ranchers and farmers to put conservation easements on their land that both comes with tax benefits and in many cash economic benefits that allows the family to keep the land available for multiple generations and/or expansion. Several other states are offering the same type of trust for their rancher and farmers.

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Top Producer Podcast: Top Producer of the Year winner Alsum family Mar 10, 2026

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In today's podcast Paul has a conversation with the Alsum family from Wisconsin who just won the most recent Top Producer of the Year award. In the podcast we discuss their farm operation, how it started and how the succession process is coming along. Larry Alsum grew up a fourth generation dairy farmer but pivoted to a first-generation producer farmer and packer.

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Episode 227: Josh Linville, StoneX Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

In today's podcast Paul has a conversation with Josh Linville of StoneX. Josh is a repeat visitor and we discuss the current world supply and demand situation for fertilizer. One comment from Josh was that the nitrogen to corn ratio is at the second highest level ever for this time of year, second only to 2005, right before the ethanol boom started. Back then corn had a 2 in front of its price and nitrogen was over $200 a ton wholesale.

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Episode 226: Cory Walters, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska. Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

In today's podcast Paul has a conversation with Cory Walters, associate professor at the University of Nebraska. Cory grew up on a farm in NW Montana, but has spent his career in academia and helps farmers with many items but in today's podcast we discuss typical risk management options. We then have a discussion on how farmers might be able to utilize a micro captive insurance company that they own and operate and how that might help their farm operation.

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Episode 225: Drew Blankenbaker of Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

In today's podcast Paul has a conversation with Drew Blankenbaker of Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT. Drew and his team help farmers who are farming organically or trying to transition to organic obtain land that will be tied up for longer periods of time. The fund does allow the farmer to purchase the land after six years for fair market value. They have pipeline of over $50 million of farmland, now they just need to find the investors.

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Episode 224: 2026 Top Producer Next Gen award winner Tim Nuss Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

In today's podcast Paul has a conversation with Tim Nuss of Nuss Farms in Lodi, California. Tim is a fifth-generation farmer whose family raises about 10 different crops and he is also this year’s Top Producer Next Gen award winner. Tim and his younger brother also started The Modern Acre podcast back in 2018 and have about 450 episodes on that.

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Episode 223: Edward & Rebecca Dalton Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

In today's podcast, Paul has a conversation with Edward and Rebecca Dalton of northern Ohio. The Dalton's raise corn, soybeans, wheat and spelt on their farm but also finish about 450 head of dairy beef that they sell directly to the consumer. They are Top Producer of Year candidates for 2026.

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Episode 222: Meg Whitty of Lanza Jet. Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

In today's podcast Paul has a conversation with Meg Whitty of Lanza Jet. Lanza Jet has the first Ethanol to SAF facility in Georgia that just officially produced its first gallon of SAF in November (on her birthday). We are still waiting for further IRS guidance on Section 45Z SAF tax credit, but we now have actual production that can take advantage of it.

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