451 - Can U.S. Farmers Diversify Beyond Corn and Soybeans? | Damian Mason Podcast

451 - Can U.S. Farmers Diversify Beyond Corn and Soybeans? | Damian Mason Podcast

From The Business of Agriculture Podcast by Damian Mason

May 25, 2026 · 45 min · Episode 451

About this episode

The episode discusses the feasibility of diversifying U.S. agriculture beyond corn and soybeans with insights from industry experts.

Is American Agriculture too dependent on corn and soybean production? Probably. But what is the reasonable alternative? Business of Agriculture host Damian Mason asks Illinois farmer / businessman Marc Severson and StoneX's Ryan Moe: Is meaningful US crop diversification actually feasible? The conversation digs into the real-world economics, government policy, and market forces that keep American farmers locked into the corn-soybean rotation — and whether that's necessarily a bad thing. From ethanol mandates and crop insurance to global competition and infrastructure challenges, Marc and Ryan break down why large-scale crop diversification is harder than it sounds, and what smaller, strategic diversification moves might actually work for today's farm operations. In this episode: Why reducing US corn and soybean production could simply shift market share to foreign competitors - How ethanol policy creates artificial demand that shapes the entire US crop mix The real infrastructure and economic barriers to transitioning to alternative crops like flax or specialty crops Why small-scale diversification — adding a specialty crop or livestock enterprise — may be the most realistic path…

People in this episode

Host: Damian Mason

Guests: Marc Severson, Ryan Moe

Topics covered

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: StoneX

Places: United States, Illinois

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