GermiNation

Cindy Hicks/ISU Seed Science Center
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Welcome to GermiNation—the podcast where seeds tell their stories. Brought to you by the Iowa State University Seed Science Center, a global leader in seed research, education, and outreach, and Seed Today, the premier publication that connects seed industry leaders across the United States and Canada with practical insights, equipment information, and resources to improve operations and grow their businesses. Each episode, we explore the beauty, wonder, and science of seeds—tiny powerhouses at the heart of agriculture, biodiversity, and global food security. Through conversations with scientists, farmers, industry leaders, and changemakers worldwide, we explore how seeds connect us, sustain us, and shape our future. This is GermiNation—where every great story starts with a seed.

  1. 11 Sept ·  Video

    GermiNation S2E9 Seeds After the Storm: Helping Jamaica Grow Again

    After Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica’s agriculture, farmers urgently needed quality seed to rebuild. Discover how Jamaican agricultural leaders, High Mowing Organic Seeds, and the Iowa State University Seed Science Center worked across borders to overcome testing and regulatory barriers, safely deliver donated organic seed, and plant the foundation for a more resilient food system.

  2. 25 Aug

    Audio only: GermiNation S2E9 Seeds After the Storm: Helping Jamaica Grow Again

    After Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica’s agriculture, farmers urgently needed quality seed to rebuild. Discover how Jamaican agricultural leaders, High Mowing Organic Seeds, and the Iowa State University Seed Science Center worked across borders to overcome testing and regulatory barriers, safely deliver donated organic seed, and plant the foundation for a more resilient food system.

  3. 19 Aug ·  Video

    Getting to the Root of the Fertilizer Problem: How Nitrogen-Efficient Flax Could Help Farmers Grow More with Less

    Can crops produce strong yields with less fertilizer? As fertilizer prices rise and concerns grow about nutrient runoff and greenhouse gas emissions, researchers are looking to plant genetics for solutions. In this episode of GermiNation, host Cindy Hicks talks with Dr. Bourlaye Fofana, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Dr. Fofana and his collaborators identified more than 1,000 genes involved in how flax responds to nitrogen stress. Their findings could help breeders develop varieties with stronger root systems that use nitrogen more efficiently. Discover how nitrogen-efficient flax could reduce farmers’ input costs, lessen agriculture’s environmental footprint and provide insights that may ultimately benefit other crops. GermiNation is produced by the Iowa State University Seed Science Center, where every great story starts with a seed.

  4. 9 Jul

    GermiNation S2, E7 One Acre, Two Paychecks: The Promise of Relay Cropping Part 2 of 2 (Audio only)

    Today's episode is Part Two of our special series from the Relay Cropping Field Day at Iowa State University's Sorenson Research Farm. In Part One, we learned about the promise of relay cropping from Dr. Shrishail Navi and heard firsthand how sixth-generation farmer Jason Russell of Big Boulder Farms is putting these conservation practices to work on his operation. Today, we continue that conversation by looking at what's next. You'll hear from Matt Leavitt, an agronomist with the Forever Green Initiative, and Anna Teeter of Cargill about the growing opportunities surrounding winter camelina, an emerging oilseed crop creating new markets for farmers. Then we'll take to the skies with Dr. Fernando Mauri Marcos of Iowa State University's Remote Sensing and Imaging Lab to explore how drone technology is helping researchers, and soon, family farmers, collect the data needed to make smarter, more informed management decisions.

  5. 9 Jul ·  Video

    GermiNation S2, E7 One Acre, Two Paychecks: The Promise of Relay Cropping Part 2 of 2

    Today's episode is Part Two of our special series from the Relay Cropping Field Day at Iowa State University's Sorenson Research Farm. In Part One, we learned about the promise of relay cropping from Dr. Shrishail Navi and heard firsthand how sixth-generation farmer Jason Russell of Big Boulder Farms is putting these conservation practices to work on his operation. Today, we continue that conversation by looking at what's next. You'll hear from Matt Leavitt, an agronomist with the Forever Green Initiative, and Anna Teeter of Cargill about the growing opportunities surrounding winter camelina, an emerging oilseed crop creating new markets for farmers. Then we'll take to the skies with Dr. Fernando Mauri Marcos of Iowa State University's Remote Sensing and Imaging Lab to explore how drone technology is helping researchers, and soon, family farmers, collect the data needed to make smarter, more informed management decisions.

  6. 10 Jun

    Audio only: GermiNation S2E7 - One Acre, Two Paychecks The Promise of Relay Cropping (Part 1 of 2)

    Today on GermiNation, we're exploring one of the most innovative approaches in modern crop production: relay cropping. Researchers at Iowa State University are studying how farmers can maximize productivity by growing multiple crops in the same season while improving soil health and creating new revenue streams.

  7. 10 Jun ·  Video

    GermiNation S2E7 - One Acre, Two Paychecks: The Promise of Relay Cropping (Part 1 of 2)

    Today on GermiNation, we're exploring one of the most innovative approaches in modern crop production: relay cropping. Researchers at Iowa State University are studying how farmers can maximize productivity by growing multiple crops in the same season while improving soil health and creating new revenue streams.

  8. 18 May

    Audio only: GermiNation S2E6 - Planting Policy: How the Farm Bill Impacts the Seed Industry with Janae Brady

    What does the new Farm Bill mean for the future of the U.S. seed industry? On this episode of GermiNation, host Cindy Hicks sits down with Janae Brady, Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), to break down one of the most important policy discussions impacting agriculture today.  Brady shares insights from her experience working on Capitol Hill and helping negotiate portions of the 2018 Farm Bill, while discussing how the latest legislation could affect agricultural research, innovation, seed trade, conservation programs, crop insurance, biotechnology regulation, and food security. She also explains why strong federal support for research, seed health, and phytosanitary systems is critical to the future of agriculture and global seed movement.   The conversation also explores how ASTA advocates for the seed industry in Washington, D.C., the importance of the National Plant Germplasm System, and why policy decisions made today will shape the future of farming and food production for years to come.  Whether you work in agriculture, seed science, policy, or simply want to better understand how the Farm Bill impacts the food system, this episode offers valuable insight into the policies driving the future of American agriculture.

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About

Welcome to GermiNation—the podcast where seeds tell their stories. Brought to you by the Iowa State University Seed Science Center, a global leader in seed research, education, and outreach, and Seed Today, the premier publication that connects seed industry leaders across the United States and Canada with practical insights, equipment information, and resources to improve operations and grow their businesses. Each episode, we explore the beauty, wonder, and science of seeds—tiny powerhouses at the heart of agriculture, biodiversity, and global food security. Through conversations with scientists, farmers, industry leaders, and changemakers worldwide, we explore how seeds connect us, sustain us, and shape our future. This is GermiNation—where every great story starts with a seed.

Information

  • Creator
    Cindy Hicks/ISU Seed Science Center
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    GermiNation