Our Two Cents: Part 1 – Chasing Higher Yields Live from Commodity Classic 2026

Sean and Andrew are back with another episode LIVE from Commodity Classic 2026, and this time, we’re talking with NCGA’s high-yield growers. In this edition of Our Two Cents, we’re exploring how these growers are pushing the limits of modern agriculture and advancing their yields.   The crew discusses: ✅ Reasons behind getting involved in yield contests ✅ The risk of over-fertilizing ✅ The balance between seed variety and management practices for influencing yields ✅ How to maximize sunlight capture ✅ Navigating farm management under government regulations ✅ The importance of root zone management   Meet the Guests: 🌱 Heath Cutrell farms in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. He is a national and state NCGA yield contest winner, taking home 1st and 2nd place in Virginia and 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in North Carolina this year. Follow Heath on X.   🌱 Kevin Kalb is a long-time high-yield grower in southern Indiana. This year, Kevin and his family took home 5 NCGA contest titles and achieved their highest-ever farm yield average of 314 bushels per acre. Follow Kevin on X.   🌱 Josiah Garber is a farmer owner of an ag retail business in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Josiah has been planting Preceon short corn since its start and brings one-of-a-kind perspectives to the podcast.   🌱 Temple Rhodes is a Maryland farmer and 2023 NCGA first-place state and national winner in conventional irrigated corn. Follow Temple on X   🌱 Chad Henderson farms in Madison, Alabama, where he brought home two first place and two second place state NCGA titles, along with 2nd place conventional irrigated corn in the national NCGA contest with a 404.3 BPA yield. Follow Chad on Instagram.   A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube

Sean and Andrew are back with another episode LIVE from Commodity Classic 2026, and this time, we’re talking with NCGA’s high-yield growers. In this edition of Our Two Cents, we’re exploring how these growers are pushing the limits of modern agriculture and advancing their yields.   The crew discusses: ✅ The value of soil sampling and pH management ✅ Top-performing seed varieties ✅ A high-yield approach to nutrient management ✅ Irrigation’s role in corn production ✅ The reason behind participating in yield contests ✅ An update on corn policy ✅ Differences in management practices for Preceon corn   Meet the Guests: 🌱Corder and Curtis Hobbs farm in Elkmont, Alabama, where they took home first place in NCGA’s 2025 Yield Contest in the No-Till Irrigated division with a yield of 402.3 bushels per acre.    🌱 Josh and Jabe Watson farm corn and soybeans in Sweetwater, Tennessee. Josh won first place in the Conventional Non-Irrigated division of NCGA’s Yield Contest with a 387.6 bushels-per-acre yield, and Jabe won the Strip, Min, Mulch, Ridge-Till Non-Irrigated division with 349.1 bushels per acre.   🌱 Kelly Nieuwenhuis is a northwest Iowa farmer and industry leader, serving on the National Corn board and Iowa RFIP board. Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn.   🌱 Matt Daniels is a farmer from Colbert, Georgia, and 2024 Asgrow soybean yield winner. Matt shares his experiences with Preceon corn this year.    🌱 Jerry Seuntjens is a Kingsley, Iowa, farmer growing Preceon corn. Follow Jerry on X.    A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube

Sean and Andrew are kicking off our 2026 LIVE from Commodity Classic series with the Bayer team. In this edition of Our Two Cents, we’re exploring products, concepts and science that are driving the agriculture industry forward.   The crew discusses: ✅ Expected corn rootworm pressure in 2026 and the impact of extended diapause ✅ The state of technology and traits to protect against rootworm ✅ What’s coming next for Dekalb and Asgrow seeds ✅ Leveraging different modes of action for weed control ✅ Setting realistic expectations for new product releases ✅ The evolution of Fiedview and new improvements coming ✅ The value of Fieldview’s Seed Advisor Tool ✅ The inside scoop on Fieldview’s new partnership with John Deere   Meet the Guests: 🌱 Safeer Hassan is the Technical Product Lead for corn traits at Bayer. Safeer’s work focuses on protecting against corn rootworm. Connect with Safeer on LinkedIn.   🌱 Tony White is the U.S. Technical Strategy Lead for Bayer’s soybean product team. Tony’s role focuses on identifying top products for the soybean market. Connect with Tony on LinkedIn.   🌱 Josh Tooley is the Technical Product Lead for the Dekalb brand. Josh connects needs from customers and field staff to potential solutions from the Dekalb product line.     🌱 Tom Verseman is the Digital Enablement Marketing Lead at Bayer and co-host of Around the Farm Podast. Tom leads the development of Bayer’s Fieldview platform. Connect with Tom on LinkedIn.   A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube

Sean and Andrew are back with Jim Ippolito from The Ohio State University to cover all things soil health management.   The crew discusses: ✅ Impact of cover crops on soil health ✅ Balancing short-term economics with long-term farm impacts ✅ What biochar is, and how it affects soil health ✅ What to do with the increased residue from increased corn yields ✅ How much pH impacts nutrient availability ✅ The truth about manure applications ✅ Why phosphorus is hard to access ✅ How soil mineralization works, and how to optimize it   Meet the Guest: 🌱 Dr. Jim Ippolito is a professor of environmental soil health at The Ohio State University. His 30+ year career has focused on improving environmental soil fertility, chemistry, microbiology and soil health in ecosystems. His research program connects the intimate linkages between soil macro- and micro-nutrients, trace and heavy metals, microbiological activity and soil physical attributes, and how these factors combine to influence ecosystem sustainability, resiliency, food, climate and environmental security.   A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube

Sean and Andrew are joined by Jim Ippolito from The Ohio State University to dig into the science of soil health and fertility.   The crew discusses: ✅ How to define soil health ✅ What factors determine soil health ✅ The importance of soil respiration rates ✅ The effects of anaerobic soils and pH ✅ Fungal/bacterial ratios ✅ pH’s role in soil fertility and nutrient availability   Meet the Guest: 🌱 Dr. Jim Ippolito is a professor of environmental soil health at The Ohio State University. His 30+ year career has focused on improving environmental soil fertility, chemistry, microbiology and soil health in ecosystems. His research program connects the intimate linkages between soil macro- and micro-nutrients, trace and heavy metals, microbiological activity and soil physical attributes, and how these factors combine to influence ecosystem sustainability, resiliency, food, climate and environmental security.   A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube 

Sean and Andrew are back at Purdue University with resident tar spot expert Darcy Telenko.    The crew discusses: ✅ Efficacy of fungicide application for tar spot and southern rust ✅ Taking the emotion out of management decisions ✅ Most effective fungicide application timing for a one-pass program ✅ How drones are changing fungicide applications ✅ The yield impact of tar spot disease ✅ How to predict onset of tar spot disease ✅ What research is happening now to better understand tar spot disease Meet the Guest: 🌱 Dr. Darcy Telenko is an associate professor of botany and plant pathology at Purdue University. Her research program focuses on promoting sustainable and economically sound disease management practices in Indiana field crops. Her interdisciplinary plant pathology research and extension program is involved in studying the biology and management of soilborne and foliar pathogens of agronomic crops. Follow Darcy on X.   A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube 

Sean and Andrew are back at Purdue University with resident tar spot expert Darcy Telenko.    The crew discusses: ✅ The changes we’ve seen in tar spot since our last conversation with Darcy ✅ Optimal temperature and moisture conditions for tar spot disease ✅ The latency period between tar spot infection and visible signs of disease ✅ How tar spot disease correlates with southern rust ✅ A preview of management strategies being tested for tar spot disease   Meet the Guest: 🌱 Dr. Darcy Telenko is an associate professor of botany and plant pathology at Purdue University. Her research program focuses on promoting sustainable and economically sound disease management practices in Indiana field crops. Her interdisciplinary plant pathology research and extension program is involved in studying the biology and management of soilborne and foliar pathogens of agronomic crops. Follow Darcy on X.   A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube 

Sean and Andrew are back at Purdue University with soybean expert Shaun Casteel, talking about what makes the difference between traditional and high-yield soybean management, and how you can take your crop to the next level.   The crew discusses: ✅ Planting soybeans before corn ✅ The maturity-moisture connection ✅ The importance of fungicide seed treatment in timely planting ✅ Soybean planting depths and populations ✅ When variable rate planting makes sense for soybeans ✅ The role of sulfur in soybean production ✅ The impact of narrow rows on yield ✅ Limiting factors in high-yield soybean management   Meet the Guest: 🌱 Dr. Shaun Casteel was born and raised on the family farm in east-central Illinois. He earned his B.S. in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois in 2001 while interning with many ag companies. In 2004, Shaun earned his M.S. in Crop Science at NC State University, working in cotton physiology, management, and Extension. Then, he was the agronomist for NC Department of Agriculture for the following two years. Shaun earned his Ph.D. in Soil Science (Nutrient Management) in 2009 at NC State University to round out his education as an agronomist. Shaun joined the Purdue Agronomy Department in May 2009 as the Extension Soybean and Small Grains Specialist. He addresses today's agronomic challenges of soybean and small grains through various Extension programs and applied research. Follow Shaun on X.   A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube

Sean and Andrew are at Purdue University to talk to soybean expert Shaun Casteel about the science of soybean production from seed to harvest.    The crew discusses: ✅ The research being conducted by Purdue’s applied soybean research team ✅ The viability of early planting dates ✅ Optimal soybean plant height and population ✅ Drills vs. planters, and why it might be time to invest ✅ What “going rank” really means ✅ Why soybean yields vary so much ✅ Insights to help fill grain and retain pods   Meet the Guest: 🌱 Dr. Shaun Casteel was born and raised on the family farm in east-central Illinois. He earned his B.S. in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois in 2001 while interning with many ag companies. In 2004, Shaun earned his M.S. in Crop Science at NC State University, working in cotton physiology, management, and Extension. Then, he was the agronomist for NC Department of Agriculture for the following two years. Shaun earned his Ph.D. in Soil Science (Nutrient Management) in 2009 at NC State University to round out his education as an agronomist. Shaun joined the Purdue Agronomy Department in May 2009 as the Extension Soybean and Small Grains Specialist. He addresses today's agronomic challenges of soybean and small grains through various Extension programs and applied research. Follow Shaun on X.   A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube

Sean and Andrew are back with Daren “Dr. Know-It-All” Mueller and Alison Robertson at Iowa State University to hear their two cents on the intense disease pressure we saw in corn and soybean fields this season.    The crew discusses: ✅ Application timing for disease management ✅ A new mindset on ROI and yield  ✅ The realities of active ingredients in fungicides ✅ The rain/disease connection ✅ The geographic shift in southern rust ✅ Inside seed disease ratings ✅ The evolution of disease management   Meet the Guests: 🌱 Daren Mueller is a professor and extension plant pathologist at Iowa State University. He is also the coordinator of the Iowa State Integrated Pest Management program. Daren’s main research interests involve understanding the biology and management of field crop diseases. Daren is also a co-director of the North Central IPM Center and the Crop Protection Network. Learn more about Daren and follow him on X.   🌱 Alison Robertson is a professor at Iowa State University with a statewide responsibility for the management of diseases of field crops. She coordinates and provides leadership for corn and soybean disease diagnosis and management information and education programs for corn and soybean farmers and agribusiness professionals throughout Iowa. Learn more about Alison and follow her on X.   A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining real-time updates from the field with expert insights from industry professionals, we help you achieve your highest yields yet. It's ag talk that just makes cents.   ⭐️ Like what you hear? Leave us a review to help our podcast reach more growers and agronomists like you!   📲 Follow us on social:  Facebook  Twitter/X YouTube