Ohio Field Leader Podcast Dusty Sonnenberg

The Ohio Field Leader travels to northern Wood County and Eckel Grain Farms and Cattle Company located just outside of Perrysburg, Ohio. Dusty visits with Nathan and Nick Eckel about their operation and the challenges and opportunities that present themselves when farming on the edge of suburbia and near the epicenter of the water quality issues in the Western Lake Erie Basin and Maumee River watershed. Along with their brother Nolan, these farmers combine grain farming, raising livestock, and educational research along with service to the agriculture industry as a part of their everyday life.

The Ohio Field Leader Roadshow colides with social media influencer Farmwithzoe on Episode 44. Dusty visits with Zoe Kent to discuss soybean farming, social media and it's role in promoting production agriculture to the general public, and the importance of succession planning. 

The Ohio Field Leader is hitting the road again in 2024 and the first stop is in Hardin County at the farm of Austin Heil. Learn how this 6th generation farmer gains inspiration from his Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Nicholas, who came to America in 1828, and started the farm in 1839. The family farm they still operate today. Dusty and Austin talk about agricultural technology and transitions and the future of the industry.

In 2023 the presence of White mold in soybeans across many parts of Ohio was very concerning. The negative yield impact caused many growers to ask serious questions about research and management practices that they could implement on their farms. Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Plant Pathologist and Nematologist at The Ohio State University, and Dr. Wade Webster, Plant Pathologist at North Dakota State University visit with Dusty to discuss the past growing season in Ohio, what we know about White mold in soybeans, and management strategies for farmers moving forward.

In Episode 41 Dusty visits with Ohio farmers who are serving in leadership capacities with Soybean Check-off organizations. Steve Reinhard serves as Chairman of the United Soybean Board, Bill Bayliss is the newly elected President of the Ohio Soybean Council, and David Clark serves as Vice President of the North Central Soybean Research Program. Each of the members share about the specific function of their respective organizations and their goals for the coming year.

Barry McGraw, founder and CLO of Airable Research Lab joins Dusty for the first podcast of 2024. They discuss the idea behind this one of a kind research facility housed at Ohio Wesleyan Univeristy and funded by Ohio Soybean Farmer's Check-off.  Airable provides early-stage soy-based matierials research and is responsible for a number of new soy based products and pattents.