RhizoMetRx

In this special episode of RhizometRX, recorded live at the 2026 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas! Faith and Mary Pat Sass (co-host of the Beyond the Crops podcast, founder of Grounded Journals) join Sean Nettleton (host of The Crop Cast). Together, the trio explores the fascinating parallels between human health and soil health—a concept they playfully dub "crunchy agronomy." They discuss how settling for "average" on a standard soil test is just like settling for "average" on a routi...

Fresh off the floor of Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Faith returns with a pulse check on the Ag Industry and a tactical guide for navigating the volatile fertilizer markets of 2026. While the industry buzzes with new biologicals and tech, the reality for growers remains the same: we must compete on a global scale by becoming the lowest-cost producer. In this episode, Faith breaks down specific, actionable strategies to make every pound of N, P, and K go further. She explains why nitrogen ...

In this solo episode of Rhizometrx, host Faith issues a wake-up call to growers as they head into the 2026 planning season. With margins tighter than ever, Faith challenges the industry's obsession with chasing the "last five bushels" regardless of cost. Faith opens the books on real-world data, comparing traditional "build and maintain" fertilizer programs against the Baseline RX approach. She breaks down a sobering case study where chasing a specific Phosphorus PPM number resulted in a $165...

As the 2026 crop planning season heats up, Faith welcomes back Nebraska agronomists Kyle Olson and Chase Perry to dig through the data. After reviewing thousands of Indicator soil tests from across the Corn Belt, the trio discusses the glaring trends emerging between farms managed with biology in mind versus those stuck in a synthetic rut. In this deep dive, they explore why manure-fed soils are showing vastly superior CSAT scores compared to synthetic-only systems, and how over-applied nitro...

In this solo episode of Rhizometrx, host Faith Lois takes listeners on a journey through her family’s 168-year farming history, sparked by a collection of old newspaper clippings from the 1960s and 70s. Faith reflects on the surprising agronomic wisdom found in these decades-old articles—from growers producing 200+ bushel corn and 70+ bushel wheat in an era before modern genetics and technology, to university recommendations that mirror the principles of Baseline RX today. This thought-provok...

In this episode of Rhizometrx, host Faith is joined by Mason Claude, a self-described "agronomy nerd" and BW Fusion agronomist. They dive deep into why relying solely on yield to evaluate product performance is a mistake that could be costing you money. Together, they challenge the "trend line yield" mindset and offer practical, data-driven methods for evaluating what’s actually working on your farm—from measuring stalk diameter to understanding why 50 pounds of phosphorus might perform exact...

In this episode of Rhizometrx, host Faith is joined by Sean Nettleton, host of the Crop Cast and Technical Agronomist at BW Fusion. Sean has been a key mentor in Faith’s journey away from traditional agronomy, and together they tackle the "hard pills to swallow" that many growers face when rethinking their management strategies. From admitting that grid sampling might be inducing variability to questioning high planting populations and nitrogen rates, this conversation is all about giving you...

In this episode of RhizoMetRx, host Faith sits down with agronomist and Next Level Ag Labs part-owner Jason Schley to explore why traditional fertility models often fall short—and what growers can do instead. Together, they dive into the development of the Indicator Test, the value of zone-based management, and how understanding soil biology can unlock yield potential. Listeners will gain insights into modern soil health metrics, nutrient release dynamics, and practical strategies for improv...

Agronomy didn’t begin in a lab—it started in the field, guided by instinct, observation, and a deep understanding of the land. But somewhere along the way, the art of agronomy was squeezed into formulas, checklists, and oversimplified recommendations that no longer meet the realities growers face today. RhizoMetRx is here to change that. Hosted by Faith—farmer’s daughter, farm wife, entrepreneur, and agronomist—this podcast digs beneath the soil surface to uncover the chemical, physical, and ...