Purdue Commercial AgCast

Chad Fiechter and Todd Kuethe reflect on their conversations this past year and talk about future plans. They cover past discussions with notable guests, including Nate Kauffman from the Federal Reserve, Matt Erickson from the Senate, Joe Balagtas from the White House, ag investing consultant Joe Suttles, and Indian hog farmer Brian Martin. Todd shares his upcoming sabbatical plans to teach economies on the Semester at Sea program, while they both share more on their recent trip to Arkansas to learn about rice farming. They explore the impact of AI in agriculture and highlight the importance of understanding different agricultural practices and community perspectives. The conversation wraps up with light-hearted discussions on personal preferences and their hopes for future podcast topics. Find all the past episodes discussed: https://purdue.ag/agcast Podcast provided by Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture. For more economic and farm management information, visit us at http://purdue.edu/commercialag. Transcript from the discussion can be found at https://purdue.ag/agcast203. Check out all of our Purdue Commercial AgCast video interviews on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0sw5w6odSS111rbY1glHw  Socials: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-commercial-agriculture Whoosh in-out #1 by beman87 -- https://freesound.org/s/162841/ -- License: Attribution 3.0

November brought the highest farmer sentiment reading since June, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer jumping 10 points from October to 139. The increase was driven primarily by producers’ more optimistic outlook for the future, as the Future Expectations Index climbed 15 points to 144, while the Current Conditions Index dipped 2 points to 128. November’s survey is the first conducted after the late-October announcement of a U.S.-China trade pact that includes provisions to expand U.S. agricultural exports and revealed a notable improvement in producers’ confidence in future export opportunities. Sentiment also received support from a sharp rise in crop prices between mid-October and mid-November. The barometer survey took place Nov. 10-14. Purdue ag economists James Mintert and Michael Langemeier review the results from the November Ag Economy Barometer and give their insights into farmer sentiment and the farm economy. The Ag Economy Barometer sentiment index is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. Further details on the full report is available at https://purdue.edu/agbarometer. Slides and the transcript from the discussion can be found at https://purdue.ag/agcast202. You can find the FULL video episode on our YouTube channel. Visit https://youtu.be/KDhYF5vTo_M to subscribe and watch. Podcast provided by Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture. For more economic information and insights on the Ag Economy Barometer, visit us at http://purdue.edu/commercialag. Subscribe to audio: https://purdue.ag/agcast Socials: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg

Brian Martin, a fifth-generation pig farmer from Indiana, joins hosts Todd Kuethe and Chad Fiechter in this episode of Purdue Commercial AgCast. Martin shares his extensive experience in raising swine across the country, his involvement with the Indiana Pork Producers Association, and the vital role of internships and diverse experiences in agriculture. He also shares insight into the evolution of the hog industry, the complexities of farm management, and the impact of state policies on agriculture. From strategic business decisions to the challenges of labor and disease management, this episode provides a comprehensive look at the world of modern pig farming.  Learn more about Martin Family Farms: https://teammartinfarms.com/ Podcast provided by Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture. For more economic and farm management information, visit us at http://purdue.edu/commercialag. Transcript from the discussion can be found at https://purdue.ag/agcast201. Subscribe to audio: https://purdue.ag/agcast Check out all of our Purdue Commercial AgCast video interviews on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0sw5w6odSS111rbY1glHw  Socials: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-commercial-agriculture

U.S. farmer sentiment edged slightly higher in October, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rising 3 points to a reading of 129. The increase was fueled primarily by a rise in the Index of Current Conditions, which climbed 8 points to 130, while the Index of Future Expectations was virtually unchanged at 129, just 1 point higher than in September. Farmers’ appraisals of current conditions highlight a “tale of two economies”: Livestock producers remain highly optimistic about their farm conditions, partly supported by record-high profitability in the beef sector, while crop producers report a more pessimistic view of the current situation on their farms due to low profit margins across major crop enterprises. The barometer survey took place Oct. 13-17. Purdue ag economists James Mintert and Michael Langemeier review the results from the October Ag Economy Barometer and give their insights into farmer sentiment and the farm economy. The Ag Economy Barometer sentiment index is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. Further details on the full report is available at https://purdue.edu/agbarometer. Slides and the transcript from the discussion can be found at https://purdue.ag/agcast198. You can find the FULL video episode on our YouTube channel. Visit https://youtu.be/Ujekqgm6DQk to subscribe and watch. Podcast provided by Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture. For more economic information and insights on the Ag Economy Barometer, visit us at http://purdue.edu/commercialag. Subscribe to audio: https://purdue.ag/agcast Socials: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg

Joe Balagtas, a former senior economist at the White House's Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) and professor of agricultural economics at Purdue joins colleague hosts Todd Kuethe and Chad Fiechter in this episode of the Purdue Commercial AgCast. Balagtas shares his unique experiences working at the CEA during the Trump administration and his role in providing the President with critical economic information. He provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse of his daily life, the stress and fulfillment of working under extreme pressure, and the lessons learned which he brings back to academia. The conversation provides insight into the importance of having specialized economists in policymaking and the dynamic nature of the White House during significant events like the trade war and COVID-19 pandemic. Podcast provided by Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture. For more economic and farm management information, visit us at http://purdue.edu/commercialag. Slides and the transcript from the discussion can be found at https://purdue.ag/agcast199. Subscribe to audio: https://purdue.ag/agcast Check out all of our Purdue Commercial AgCast video interviews on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0sw5w6odSS111rbY1glHw  Socials: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-commercial-agriculture