Leaders from United Producers Inc. talk about what they are seeing firsthand in the cattle market, and maybe more importantly, what producers should be thinking about as conditions continue to change amid recent packing plant closures, changing cattle prices, and new uncertainty in the beef market.
Plus, the grain markets are being pulled in several different directions right now, from the latest USDA supply and demand numbers and the results of the Pro Farmer crop tour to growing uncertainty in the Black Sea region. On this Ohio Ag Net Podcast, powered by Ohio Corn and Wheat, Mike Zuzolo with Global Commodity Analytics breaks down what these developments could mean for corn, soybeans and wheat prices in the weeks ahead.
When Matt Burkholder talks about soil health, he doesn’t start with test results or research data. He talks about his own fields that have firsthand reaped the benefits of using no-till farming practices. Burkholder has been farming in Allen County since about 2006 and currently grows corn, soybeans, and wheat. This summer, he also added a small sunflower planting as part of an effort to further diversify the operation.
“We grow corn, soybeans, and wheat. And after the wheat harvest, I planted six acres of sunflowers. That’s a new market we’re going to try this summer and see how it goes. We are trying to diversify our farm as much as we can,” Burkholder said.
His journey into conservation-minded farming began shortly after he started farming.
“In 2007, a friend of mine asked me, ‘Do you utilize no-till and cover crops on your farm?’ And I asked him, ‘Why would I plant a cover crop?’… Continue reading
Recent packing plant closures, changing cattle prices, and new uncertainty in the beef market have raised plenty of questions for cattle producers across Ohio and the Eastern Corn Belt.
In this extended discussion, Ohio Ag Net’s Joel Penhorwood sits down with leadership from United Producers Inc. to talk about what they are seeing firsthand in the cattle market, and maybe more importantly, what producers should be thinking about as conditions continue to change.
Joining the conversation are UPI President and CEO Mike Bumgarner, Chief Operating Officer Hollie Bunn, Vice President of Livestock Marketing Tony Thomas, Risk Management Manager Jon White, and Direct Cattle Sales Manager Sam Roberts.
The group discusses the immediate market reaction following recent regional packing plant closures, including a sharp short-term decline in cattle values and a widening of basis. Panelists also share how, beginning almost immediately after the Joslin plant closure, they began fielding a sudden wave of calls from producers looking for direction and trying to understand their options.… Continue reading
Ohio Farm Bureau is encouraging cattle producers to make their voices heard following the recently announced 90-day suspension of the tariff-rate quota on imported ground beef.
Ohio Ag Net’s Joel Penhorwood talks with Whittney Bowers, Director of State Policy and Grassroots Engagement with Ohio Farm Bureau, about concerns surrounding additional beef imports, an already uncertain cattle market, and the potential long-term impact on producers making herd and marketing decisions.
This is part of a series discussing this topic with Ohio’s prominent farm and cattle organizations.… Continue reading
Ohio cattle producers are facing a complicated stretch for the beef industry.
Ohio Cattlemen’s Association President Lindsey Hall joins Ohio Ag Net’s Joel Penhorwood to discuss the recent closure of Tyson’s Joslin, Illinois beef processing plant, concerns surrounding additional beef imports, historically tight cattle supplies, and what all of it could mean for producers here in Ohio.
This is the first in a multi-part series discussing this topic with Ohio’s prominent farm and cattle organizations.… Continue reading
The annual three-day Farm Science Review, hosted by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, brings farmers, researchers, educators, students and industry together to share what works and explore what’s next at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center near London, Ohio from Sept. 22-24. Get a preview from FSR manager, Nick Zachrich, on this Ohio Ag Net Podcast, powered by Ohio Corn and Wheat.
Plus, numerous livestock groups, including the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, are raising concerns about the Trump administration’s reported plan to allow an additional 300,000 metric tons of tariff-free beef imports over the next 90 days. OCA President Lindsay Hall talks about how this move to more foreign beef would impact Ohio cattle producers in the short and long terms.
For Allen County farmer Matt Burkholder, no-till and cover crops are about more than changing how he farms. They are about leaving the soil better for the next generation.
Burkholder, president of the Ohio No-Till Council, shares his journey with Ohio Ag Net’s Allison Kinney, from planting his first cover crop in 2009 to seeing improvements in water infiltration, nutrient cycling, weed suppression, soil erosion, and input costs. He also discusses the challenges farmers face when adopting conservation practices and the importance of mentors along the way.
“I want to turn dirt into healthy soil for the next generation,” Burkholder said.
Listen to the full conversation to hear what Burkholder has learned through nearly two decades of working to improve soil health on his farm.… Continue reading
Fertilizer prices have become one of the biggest concerns facing farmers, particularly at a time when commodity prices are putting tremendous pressure on farm margins. Ohio Corn & Wheat is calling for more competition and transparency in the fertilizer market, and the Federal Trade Commission is now involved. Hear from leaders of Ohio Corn & Wheat about what they hope this investigation will change about the fertilizer industry.
Plus, Diversification remains a popular strategy for strengthening farm operations, but as margins remain tight and uncertainty continues across agriculture, the conversation has shifted from whether to diversify to how farmers can identify the right opportunities, evaluate risk, and build lasting value. Farm Credit Mid-America dives deeper into the conversation on this Ohio Ag Net Podcast, powered by Ohio Corn & Wheat.
The 16th annual Cultivating a Cure welcomed more than 320 attendees and raised $151,053 to support cancer treatment and prevention research through The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
Established in 2011 by the Porteus family, Cultivating a Cure was founded to honor their passion for cancer research and prevention while also remembering those who have fought and continue to fight cancer. Cultivating a Cure recognizes the value realized when the agricultural community joins forces to address issues and challenges facing the industry, such as finding cures for cancer. Since its inception, Cultivating a Cure has raised more than $1.5 million.
“You’re hearing it more and more than you’ve heard it before that food and nutrition is an important part of our health,” said Bill Patterson, president of Ohio Farm Bureau.… Continue reading
There were several positive developments in the 2026 Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) update, including a slight decline in values for counties undergoing reappraisals and a change to the valuation of permanent pastureland. Ohio Farm Bureau’s associate general counsel, Leah Curtis, has the details on this Ohio Ag Net Podcast, powered by Ohio Corn and Wheat.
Plus, get a statewide agronomic update from Beck’s Hybrids and find out what is new at the upcoming Becknology Days, including some test plots that may have some farmers rethinking how they plant soybeans.
Are your soybeans turning yellow? Keep an eye out for disease symptoms as Mike Hannewald, field agronomist for Beck’s Hybrids, dives into the reasons why. There are three potential diseases with specific leaf symptoms, and a further investigation can tell us which.
Discoloration can be a symptom of Red Crown Rot, which continues to make its way to Ohio. Illinois-based agronomist Matt Montgomery jumps further into that topic.
From disaster assistance, to conservation programs, loans and more, a lot of important items fall under the purview of the Farm Service Agency (FSA). On this Ohio Ag Net Podcast, powered by Ohio Corn and Wheat, Ohio FSA Director Don Jones gives some important information about upcoming deadlines, including updating base acres.
Plus, Field Leader Dusty Sonnenberg visits Ralph Farms in Marion County to talk with fourth-generation farmer Mike Ralph. They discuss a prolonged planting season, crops in need of rain, managing the area’s heavy soils, and the importance of drainage improvements to the family’s corn and soybean operation.
Congratulations to Rees Toler of Galia County for exhibiting the Grand Champion Market Beef and Addie Wilson of Harrison County with the Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef at the 2026 Ohio State Fair. Watch their interviews here.
Both Briley Ashcraft of Athens County and Jada Shroyer of Logan County are in their last year of showing. They’re going out on top as Ashcraft was named Grand Champion and Shroyer was Reserve at the 2026 Ohio State Fair Market Wether Show. Watch their interviews here.
Parker Elchinger of Henry County won Grand Champion Market Barrow at the 2026 Ohio State Fair and Victoria Gossard of Allen County took home the Reserve Grand Champion banner with her Berkshire barrow. Watch the interviews here.
The Kinney sisters of Logan County dominated the 2026 Ohio State Fair Market Turkey Show. Alex Kinney exhibited the Grand Champion Market Turkey and Alivia Kinney won Reserve Grand Champion. Watch their video interviews here.
Congratulations to the Genter siblings of Fulton County for winning Grand and Reserve at the 2026 Ohio State Fair. Ali Genter exhibited the Grand Champion Pen of Market Chickens and Alec Genter exhibited the Reserve Grand Champions. Watch their interviews here.
Few people have experienced agriculture from as many perspectives as Jim Mosley. A farmer by trade, Mosley’s career also took him to some of the highest levels of public service, giving him a unique view of how agriculture has changed over the last several decades. Still, for Mosley, the answer starts and ends with farming.
“First and foremost, I’m a farmer,” Mosley said. “I’ve had experience at the ground level, and then I’ve had three positions in D.C.”
Throughout his career, Mosley served as agricultural adviser to the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment at USDA from 1989 to 1992 and later returned to Washington as USDA deputy secretary in 2001. In between his federal service, he returned home and remained closely connected to production agriculture.
Those experiences allowed him to see agriculture through multiple lenses, from the concerns facing farmers in the field to the policy discussions shaping the industry’s future.… Continue reading
One of the longest running traditions of the Ohio State Fair is the Commercial Cattle Show, hosted by United Producers and proudly sponsored by Ohio Ag Net and Ohio’s Country Journal. This gives an opportunity for youth to show off their animals that come straight from the farm and have them judged in the ring and on the rail.
With the expansion of Airable Labs to Shawnee State University, the Ohio Soybean Council will have even greater opportunities to find new used for soybeans grown right here in Ohio. On this Ohio Ag Net Podcast, learn more about the research being done by Barry McGraw and his team to add value to soybean farmers’ bottom line.
Plus, what is the current state of the farmland auction market in Ohio and how is that changing who is showing up at land auctions these days? Kevin Miller with Oak Ridge Realty and Auction Company shares his insights on this Ohio Ag Net Podcast, powered by Ohio Corn and Wheat.
Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal 
