Purdue Commercial AgCast

AgCast is back — with new vigor but the same goal: bringing farmers and agricultural leaders together for conversations about the ideas, businesses, and decisions shaping the future of agriculture. In the first episode of the new season of AgCast, Chad Fiechter and Todd Kuethe sit down with Hunter Swisher, CEO and founder of Phospholutions, to explore one of the most important — and least understood — challenges facing modern agriculture: phosphate fertilizer. Phosphorus is essential for crop production, but it’s also a finite resource controlled by a handful of countries around the world. As fertilizer prices remain a major concern for farmers, this conversation breaks down what’s happening behind the scenes — from phosphate mining and global shipping routes to fertilizer production, supply chain disruptions, and what it could mean for farmers heading into future growing seasons. Hunter explains how Phospholutions is working to improve phosphate fertilizer efficiency, why traditional MAP and DAP fertilizers lose much of their value after application, and how new technology could help farmers produce more with fewer inputs. Chad and Todd also discuss:• Why fertilizer supply chains are more complicated than most farmers realize• How global events can impact input availability and prices on the farm• Why fertilizer innovation has been slower than other areas of agriculture• What farmers should understand about phosphate availability heading into 2027• The future of ag technology, startups, and solving problems across the food system AgCast brings farmers and agricultural leaders together for conversations about the ideas, businesses, and decisions shaping the future of agriculture. Topics: fertilizer prices, phosphate fertilizer, MAP fertilizer, DAP fertilizer, farm inputs, agriculture supply chains, crop production, ag technology, farm profitability

Are autonomous tractors and farm automation actually cost-effective? In this episode of the Purdue Commercial AgCast, Chad Fiechter and Josh Strine discuss new research on the economics of large-scale autonomous farm machinery and what it means for machinery investment and labor strategy on commercial corn and soybean farms. The results show that under today’s performance and cost levels, most farms aren’t yet in the economic “ballpark” for autonomy — helping producers understand when it could make sense and when it likely doesn’t. The conversation covers machinery efficiency, hardware and software costs, labor wages, and equipment operating hours, along with how these factors affect profitability in whole-farm systems. It also explores where autonomous equipment might work first — including labor-constrained farms, expansion situations, and specific field operations — and how future improvements in technology could shift the outlook. 📄 Research article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2025.101599🌐 Article summary: https://purdue.ag/3Ze0oir🌐 Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture: http://purdue.edu/commercialag 📝 Transcript: https://purdue.ag/3ObvyET🎧 Subscribe to audio: https://purdue.ag/agcast #AutonomousFarming #FarmManagement #AgTechnology #Purdue #AgriculturalEconomics #CommercialAgriculture

Farmer sentiment dipped slightly in December, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropping 3 points to 136. The decline was attributable to a softening in producers’ long-term outlook. The Future Expectations Index fell 4 points from the previous month to 140, while the Current Conditions Index remained steady at 128. Crop producers expressed increased concern about the competitiveness of U.S. soybean exports as Brazil expands its role in global markets, contributing to the more cautious outlook. The survey was conducted Dec. 1-5, 2025. Purdue ag economists James Mintert and Michael Langemeier review the results from the Ag Economy Barometer and give their insights into farmer sentiment and the farm economy. The Ag Economy Barometer sentiment index is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. Further details on the full report is available at https://purdue.edu/agbarometer. Slides and the transcript from the discussion can be found at https://purdue.ag/agcast204. You can find the FULL video episode on our YouTube channel. Visit https://youtu.be/0Jnm3_yti_g to subscribe and watch. Podcast provided by Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture. For more economic information and insights on the Ag Economy Barometer, visit us at http://purdue.edu/commercialag. Subscribe to audio: https://purdue.ag/agcast Socials: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg

November brought the highest farmer sentiment reading since June, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer jumping 10 points from October to 139. The increase was driven primarily by producers’ more optimistic outlook for the future, as the Future Expectations Index climbed 15 points to 144, while the Current Conditions Index dipped 2 points to 128. November’s survey is the first conducted after the late-October announcement of a U.S.-China trade pact that includes provisions to expand U.S. agricultural exports and revealed a notable improvement in producers’ confidence in future export opportunities. Sentiment also received support from a sharp rise in crop prices between mid-October and mid-November. The barometer survey took place Nov. 10-14. Purdue ag economists James Mintert and Michael Langemeier review the results from the November Ag Economy Barometer and give their insights into farmer sentiment and the farm economy. The Ag Economy Barometer sentiment index is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. Further details on the full report is available at https://purdue.edu/agbarometer. Slides and the transcript from the discussion can be found at https://purdue.ag/agcast202. You can find the FULL video episode on our YouTube channel. Visit https://youtu.be/KDhYF5vTo_M to subscribe and watch. Podcast provided by Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture. For more economic information and insights on the Ag Economy Barometer, visit us at http://purdue.edu/commercialag. Subscribe to audio: https://purdue.ag/agcast Socials: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg

U.S. farmer sentiment edged slightly higher in October, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rising 3 points to a reading of 129. The increase was fueled primarily by a rise in the Index of Current Conditions, which climbed 8 points to 130, while the Index of Future Expectations was virtually unchanged at 129, just 1 point higher than in September. Farmers’ appraisals of current conditions highlight a “tale of two economies”: Livestock producers remain highly optimistic about their farm conditions, partly supported by record-high profitability in the beef sector, while crop producers report a more pessimistic view of the current situation on their farms due to low profit margins across major crop enterprises. The barometer survey took place Oct. 13-17. Purdue ag economists James Mintert and Michael Langemeier review the results from the October Ag Economy Barometer and give their insights into farmer sentiment and the farm economy. The Ag Economy Barometer sentiment index is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. Further details on the full report is available at https://purdue.edu/agbarometer. Slides and the transcript from the discussion can be found at https://purdue.ag/agcast198. You can find the FULL video episode on our YouTube channel. Visit https://youtu.be/Ujekqgm6DQk to subscribe and watch. Podcast provided by Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture. For more economic information and insights on the Ag Economy Barometer, visit us at http://purdue.edu/commercialag. Subscribe to audio: https://purdue.ag/agcast Socials: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg

Farmer sentiment held steady in September, as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose just 1 point to a reading of 126. However, there was a shift in producers’ perceptions of current conditions and their expectations for the future. The Index of Current Conditions fell 7 points to 122, while the Index of Future Expectations climbed 5 points to 128. The survey was conducted following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s release of the September Crop Production report and the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report. These reflected farmers’ concerns about current conditions, particularly over record-high corn and soybean yields, which were pressuring crop prices. At the same time, optimism about the future was supported by farmers’ belief that U.S. policy is “headed in the right direction” and by expectations that potential government support, like the 2019 Market Facilitation Program (MFP), will provide payments to farmers in compensation for lower commodity prices. The barometer survey took place Sept. 15-19. Purdue ag economists James Mintert and Michael Langemeier review the results from the September Ag Economy Barometer and give their insights into farmer sentiment and the farm economy. The Ag Economy Barometer sentiment index is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. Further details on the full report is available at https://purdue.edu/agbarometer. Slides and the transcript from the discussion can be found at https://purdue.ag/agcast198. You can find the FULL video episode on our YouTube channel. Visit https://youtu.be/Ujekqgm6DQk to subscribe and watch. Podcast provided by Purdue University's Center for Commercial Agriculture. For more economic information and insights on the Ag Economy Barometer, visit us at http://purdue.edu/commercialag. Subscribe to audio: https://purdue.ag/agcast Socials: https://twitter.com/PUCommercialAg, https://www.facebook.com/PUCommercialAg

Joe Suttles, a consultant in ag investing, joins hosts Todd Kuethe and Chad Fiechter in this episode of the Purdue Commercial AgCast to discuss his role and insights into private equity investments in agriculture. Suttles outlines his responsibilities in working with fund managers and managing existing investments to solve issues. He shares insight into the complexities of agricultural investments, emphasizing the importance of long-term focus and the intricate nature of managing agricultural production businesses. The conversation touches on the alignment and agency challenges in ag businesses, the role of institutional investors, and the potential future trends in farm management and consolidation. Check out all our “Purdue Commercial AgCast” podcast episodes: https://purdue.ag/agcast