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Farm4Profit Podcast

Farm4Profit Podcast

By: David Whitaker Corey Hillebo Tanner Winterhof
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Our mission is to provide farms and operators an independent and unbiased outlet for information related to increasing the profitability of their farming operation. We will be providing farms and operators of all sizes and experience levels access to the latest trends, projections, and the tools necessary to increase farming profitability. We will take each episode to deliver latest news, what's working for active farms, and a topic of focus each episode. Remember, if you aren't farming for profit you won't be farming for long. Economics Personal Finance
Episodes
  • From the Cornfield to the Checkered Flag: Ethanol Wins Every Race

    From the Cornfield to the Checkered Flag: Ethanol Wins Every Race
    Aug 20 2026

    Farm4Profit heads to Iowa Speedway for the Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol with Craig Floss, CEO of Iowa Corn, and Eric Petersen, President of Iowa Speedway, to talk NASCAR, ethanol, corn demand, and what’s ahead for racing in Iowa.

    The conversation dives into why Iowa Corn continues to invest in NASCAR as a way to promote ethanol beyond the farm audience. NASCAR has raced on E15 since 2011, providing a high-performance example of ethanol in action while helping Iowa Corn reach consumers and build demand for one of Iowa farmers’ biggest products.

    Craig shares the bigger picture for ethanol, including growing exports to countries around the world, opportunities in Southeast Asia, and the continued push for greater access to E15 and eventually higher ethanol blends. The group also discusses Iowa Corn’s work around high-ethanol farm equipment and why creating additional ethanol demand could have a meaningful impact on corn markets and farm profitability.

    Eric gives listeners a look behind the scenes at Iowa Speedway, including three consecutive NASCAR sellouts, plans for a complete track repave, and the exciting news that NASCAR will return to Iowa over Independence Day weekend in 2027. He explains what goes into rebuilding a racing surface and the massive amount of work required to turn a facility with only nine full-time employees into a major NASCAR venue.

    From international ethanol markets to 700-horsepower race cars, this episode shows how Iowa Corn is using motorsports to connect farmers with consumers, demonstrate ethanol performance, and ultimately create more demand for corn. As Craig puts it, no matter which driver takes the checkered flag, ethanol and Iowa corn farmers win every race.

    Want Farm4Profit Merch? Custom order your favorite items today!

    https://farmfocused.com/farm-4profit/

    Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

    Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

    Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

    Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

    Call/Text: 515.207.9640

    Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw

    Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@farm4profitllc

    Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Farm4ProfitLLC/

    Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    44 mins
  • Every Kernel Counts: Measuring Combine Loss

    Every Kernel Counts: Measuring Combine Loss
    Aug 19 2026

    But how many actually know what those kernels are worth?

    In this episode of What's Working in Ag, Shianne from BranValt explains how the SmartPan harvest loss system helps farmers move beyond visual estimates and accurately measure the grain leaving the back of the combine.

    The discussion covers how the magnetic SmartPan captures real-time grain samples, how the accompanying app converts those samples into bushels, percentages, and dollars, and why calibrating your combine's loss sensors is critical for making informed adjustments during harvest.

    Using real-world examples, the Farm4Profit crew walks through soybean and corn scenarios showing how relatively small harvest losses can quickly become thousands of dollars across an operation. The conversation also explores balancing grain quality with harvest speed, automation, and why "you can't manage what you don't measure."

    Topics include:

    • Combine harvest loss
    • SmartPan technology
    • Grain loss monitoring
    • Harvest efficiency
    • Combine calibration
    • Soybean harvest
    • Corn harvest
    • Precision agriculture
    • John Deere automation
    • Yield preservation
    • Harvest ROI
    • Farm profitability
    • Grain loss calculations
    • Precision harvesting

    If you're looking for one of the fastest ways to improve profitability without buying another acre, this episode demonstrates why measuring harvest loss should be part of every harvest routine.

    Want Farm4Profit Merch? Custom order your favorite items today!

    https://farmfocused.com/farm-4profit/

    Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

    Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

    Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

    Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

    Call/Text: 515.207.9640

    Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw

    Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@farm4profitllc

    Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Farm4ProfitLLC/

    Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    16 mins
  • Former Traders Reveal How Grain Merchants Really Think

    Former Traders Reveal How Grain Merchants Really Think
    Aug 17 2026
    Most farmers spend countless hours trying to grow another five bushels per acre. Mike Rolfsen and Jeff Kazin believe there may be an even bigger opportunity waiting after harvest. The Agris Academy co-founders return to Farm4Profit to explain why merchandising—not market prediction—is where many producers leave money on the table. Drawing on decades of experience trading commodities and managing physical grain businesses at Cargill, they explain how successful grain companies approach risk, logistics, negotiations, and marketing far differently than most farms. One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation is that grain marketing isn't about predicting prices—it's about managing risk. Mike and Jeff explain why commercial grain companies hedge rather than speculate, and why farmers should think more like professional risk managers than market forecasters. Instead of trying to outguess the futures market, producers should focus on the controllable parts of merchandising that consistently add value year after year. The discussion also explores what life inside one of the world's largest grain companies actually looks like. While many people imagine traders constantly buying and selling futures contracts, Mike and Jeff explain that most of their time was spent optimizing logistics, transportation, physical grain movement, basis opportunities, and operational details that collectively create significant value. They then introduce Agris Academy, the education platform they founded to teach farmers the merchandising skills they believe are missing from traditional agricultural education. Unlike brokerage firms or advisory services, Agris Academy focuses entirely on helping producers understand grain marketing mechanics, negotiation strategies, basis, carry, storage economics, and risk management principles that can be applied to any farming operation. Throughout the episode they discuss: Why hedging should never be confused with speculation.The psychology behind futures markets.How margin calls actually work.Why documenting marketing decisions improves long-term discipline.Why every farm's marketing plan should match its own financial situation instead of following someone else's advice. One of the biggest takeaways is their concept of creating a "knowledge asset." While farms continually invest in land, machinery, and buildings, Mike and Jeff argue that merchandising education creates an asset that can benefit multiple generations. Once the skills are learned, they become part of the operation's long-term competitive advantage and can be passed down just like any physical asset. The conversation also dives into one of agriculture's biggest capital decisions: grain storage. Mike and Jeff explain why the economics of permanent grain bins have changed dramatically, why many large farms are now using grain bags as flexible storage, and how understanding carry, basis, and storage costs often matters more than simply adding more bins. They also discuss treating on-farm storage like a commercial elevator instead of simply holding grain until later in the year. Another important topic is cost of production. While understanding production costs remains critical for managing the farm business, Mike and Jeff explain why the futures market doesn't care what any individual producer's breakeven happens to be. Instead, successful marketers focus on managing risk, understanding merchandising opportunities, and maximizing basis and carry opportunities available in their local markets. The episode also covers: Negotiation strategies farmers can immediately apply.Why every marketing plan should be documented.Learning to think like an elevator.Separating farm performance from speculative trading.Why women often excel at grain merchandising.Building marketing confidence through repetition and small steps instead of large speculative bets. To wrap things up, Mike and Jeff share several entertaining stories from their international trading careers—including stolen vegetable oil, disappearing sugar shipments, homemade liquor in Eastern Europe, and why, after working around the globe, they still believe the United States remains one of the best places in the world to farm. If you've ever wondered how professional grain merchandisers think—or how to make more money without growing more bushels—this episode delivers practical insights you can begin applying immediately. Want Farm4Profit Merch? Custom order your favorite items today!https://farmfocused.com/farm-4profit/ Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen! Website: www.Farm4Profit.comShareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.comEmail address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.comCall/Text: 515.207.9640Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5XqwFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@farm4profitllc Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/...
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    59 mins
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