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AgCulture Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Paul Windemuller
Embark on a transformative journey with AgCulture Podcast, hosted by Paul Windemuller. Our vision is to unite the global agriculture community, fostering collaboration and continual improvement. Explore new sectors, connect with inspiring individuals, and be moved by real-life stories. Join us in shaping a future where agripreneurs from diverse backgrounds come together, share knowledge, and collectively address industry challenges.Subscribe, share, and become part of our connected global agriculture community propelling the industry toward innovation, sustainability, and success.
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- Today40 min
Crop Insurance, AI, and the Value of Farm Data: with Andrew Burdock | Ep. 149
What makes farm data worth paying for? Collecting more information is one thing. Using it to make a better business decision is another.In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul Windemuller talks with Andrew Burdock, CEO of Insure.ag, about his journey from aerial imagery and orchard analytics at Aerobotics to building a crop insurance agency. Andrew shares what he learned about selling technology to growers—and why useful data still needs a clear financial purpose.They explore how Andrew’s team uses aerial imagery to support accurate policy information and AI tools to help growers compare coverage choices against their budgets. Andrew also explains why he chose to build a business around experienced insurance agents and grower relationships.Beyond insurance, the conversation examines how AI is changing software development, customer service, and the economics of agricultural technology. Paul shares his experience connecting his own farm’s software systems, while Andrew discusses the challenge of staying competitive when new tools become easier for everyone to build.Listen for a practical conversation about crop insurance, farmer trust, and what it takes to turn technology into value on the farm.MEET THE GUESTAndrew Burdock is the CEO of Insure.ag, bringing more than a decade of experience across agriculture, insurance, and technology. Before Insure.ag, he helped build Aerobotics, an agricultural technology business using aerial imagery and AI to support perennial crop production.Over nine years, Andrew helped expand Aerobotics into 18 markets and led the rollout of its U.S. operations. He also conceived and launched Aerobotics Crop Insurance Solutions, the insurance business that later became Insure.ag.Andrew holds an MBA and is a Chartered Management Accountant, with experience in finance, management, and strategy across startups and established businesses.Connect with Andrew: Insure.agABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.
- 6 days ago52 min
How to Professionalize a Family Farm: with Dick Wittman | Ep. 148
A family farm can own valuable land, generate millions of dollars in revenue, and still operate without a budget, written job descriptions, clearly defined authority, or an effective succession process.In this episode from the AgCulture archives, Paul speaks with farm business consultant and longtime Idaho farmer Dick Wittman about what separates professionally managed farms from businesses that simply hope things work out.Dick shares how his family purchased its farming operation in 1980, shortly before the agricultural crisis cut the farm’s value in half. With 20 years of debt obligations, changing partners, drought, disability, and little room for error, the family had to rely on disciplined financial planning, clearly defined roles, and documented business practices.The conversation moves from financial survival into a larger question: What does it actually mean to run a farm professionally?Dick explains why many multimillion-dollar farms still operate without a budget, how unwritten expectations create conflict, and why management by committee often produces mediocrity. He also distinguishes succession planning from estate planning and explains why including every family member in the business is not always fair—to the family or the farm.Finally, Dick addresses one of succession’s least-discussed challenges: what happens after the next generation takes control. How does an outgoing leader transfer authority, preserve institutional knowledge, and get out of the way without disappearing?This episode is a practical challenge to farm families: long-term success is not guaranteed by family history, valuable assets, or hard work. It requires intentional management.Listen to the episode now!MEET THE GUESTDick Wittman has spent more than four decades helping farm families strengthen their financial management, governance, leadership, and succession processes.Raised on a diversified Idaho farm, Dick earned an MBA in finance and spent eight years with the Farm Credit System before returning to join his brother and cousin in purchasing their family farming business in 1980. He later served as managing partner of the operation, which included row crops, cattle, and timber.Through Wittman Consulting, Dick has worked with agricultural businesses and advisors across the United States and Canada. His work has focused on financial literacy, professional farm management, family-business governance, succession planning, and training the consultants who help farm families navigate those issues.Dick has also taught through The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers and developed training programs and practical resources designed to help agricultural businesses move from management theory to implementation.ABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.
- 2 weeks ago32 min
Why Maine Lobstering Hasn’t Consolidated: with Steve Train | Ep. 147
Across agriculture and food production, consolidation has replaced thousands of independent operations with fewer, much larger businesses. Maine’s lobster industry has largely resisted that trend—and not by accident.In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul speaks with fourth-generation lobsterman Steve Train about the rules, traditions, and conservation practices that have kept lobstering centered around owner-operated boats and coastal communities.Steve explains what a day on the water actually looks like, from leaving before daylight to hauling hundreds of traps and measuring every lobster individually. He also walks through the size limits, trap limits, license requirements, and V-notch system that protect breeding females and help preserve the resource for future generations.The conversation explores why lobstermen cannot simply combine licenses and traps onto increasingly larger vessels, how controlled entry affects the next generation, and what could be lost if lobster licenses became transferable assets controlled by those with the most capital.Steve also shares lessons from decades of industry leadership, including why effective regulation needs producer participation, why politics should come second to the resource, and why leaders need to know when it is time to step aside.This is a fascinating look at an industry that has chosen long-term community strength over maximum efficiency—and what the rest of agriculture might learn from it.MEET THE GUEST: Steve TrainAfter majoring in small business at Northeastern University in Boston, Steve Train returned to his home state of Maine to continue his family’s lobstering tradition.Lobstering has been the profession of Steve’s brother Dan, his father Ed, and at least four generations of their family. After more than four decades of fishing, Steve still says he usually wakes before his alarm because he is excited to begin the day.Steve was born in Portland and has spent most of his life in Portland and on Long Island, Maine. A full-time Long Island resident since 1991, he owns and operates the Hattie Rose, a 46-foot Jarvis Newman lobster boat, and fishes as many as 800 traps year-round.His commercial fishing experience also includes shrimping, scalloping, sea urchining, groundfishing, operating a kelp farm, and spending one winter fishing for cod in Alaska aboard a longliner.Steve currently serves as the Governor of Maine’s appointee to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. He previously served for 16 years on the board of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association and has held positions on the Maine Department of Marine Resources Advisory Council, Maine Lobster Advisory Council, and Maine Fishermen’s Forum.Steve also served for six years as a selectman for Long Island, including four years as chairman. He helped establish a nonprofit landholding organization that has acquired more than 100 acres for open space and public recreation, and he currently serves as its president.ABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.
- 3 weeks ago43 min
Dairy Checkoff, Farm Data, and the Farmer’s Voice: with Sherry Bunting | Ep. 146
Can a program create value for the dairy industry while leaving individual farmers questioning how their money and data are being used?In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul Windemuller speaks with agricultural journalist and dairy market analyst Sherry Bunting about the debate surrounding dairy checkoff funding, sustainability reporting, and farmer representation.Drawing on her reporting and work as a policy advisor for the American Dairy Coalition, Sherry shares concerns producers have raised about requests for detailed farm information: who controls it, how it will be used, and whether farmers receive value in return. Paul brings his own experience as a dairy farmer and his research into farmer-owned data cooperatives to the discussion.Together, they explore the Wisconsin dairy farmers’ lawsuit, the relationship between industry sustainability programs and processor requirements, and the tension between creating consistent standards and giving farmers a meaningful voice. They also discuss the checkoff’s contributions to nutrition research, product innovation, and dairy promotion.For dairy producers and anyone working with farm data, this conversation asks a practical question: how can the industry build trust, demonstrate value, and keep farmers involved in decisions that affect their businesses?MEET THE GUESTSherry Bunting is an independent agricultural journalist and dairy and livestock market analyst with four decades of experience covering farms, markets, and policy. Based in southeast Pennsylvania, she writes weekly in Farmshine and serves as a policy advisor for the American Dairy Coalition.Her background combines agricultural reporting with firsthand experience milking cows on local dairy farms and grading beef cattle for auction market reporting. She also served as managing editor of the former Livestock Reporter.Sherry served six years on the All-American Dairy Foundation board and volunteered with the 97 Milk education movement supporting the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Her community involvement includes eight years on the Eastern Lancaster County School Board.She and her husband, Scott, live in East Earl, Pennsylvania, where they raised three children and now enjoy their seven grandchildren.ABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.
- 4 weeks ago53 min
How Ports and Freight Costs Shape Farm Profitability: with Ken Eriksen | Ep. 145
What does a disruption at a port or on a river have to do with the price a farmer receives?In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul Windemuller speaks with Ken Eriksen, founder and Managing Member of Polaris Analytics and Consulting, about the transportation network connecting agriculture to markets around the world.Drawing on his experience working on the waterfront, at USDA, and in commodity and transportation advisory roles, Ken explains how ports bring together trucks, trains, barges, ocean vessels, and the businesses that move agricultural products. He also explores how disruptions can increase freight costs, back up supplies, and put pressure on farmgate prices.The conversation follows three perspectives: how the system works today, the risks on the horizon, and the investments needed for the decades ahead. Along the way, Paul and Ken discuss bulk and container shipping, water availability, the aging barge fleet, shipbuilding, automation, and the importance of preserving space for future port development.For farmers and agricultural businesses, this is a look at what happens beyond the farm gate—and why reliable access to markets matters to the value of what they produce.MEET THE GUESTKen Eriksen is the founder and Managing Member of Polaris Analytics and Consulting, where he advises clients on commodities, supply chains, logistics, and transportation. His work includes strategic planning, market analysis, consulting, and helping businesses understand the forces shaping their access to markets.Before founding Polaris, Ken held senior leadership and advisory roles at S&P Global Commodity Insights and its predecessor companies. Earlier in his career, he worked for USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and Agricultural Marketing Service, and as an international longshoreman at the Port of Tacoma, Washington.Ken holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agribusiness and agricultural economics from Washington State University. He regularly speaks on commodity markets, transportation, and infrastructure, and serves as an expert witness in transportation, logistics, and supply chain matters.ABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.
- Oct 8, 202623 min
Why the Same Technology Works on One Farm—and Fails on Another: with Paul Windemuller | Ep. 144
WHAT'S IT ABOUTWhy can the same technology create real value on one dairy farm and turn into a disappointing investment on another?In this solo episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul Windemuller shares a framework for understanding what makes technology a good fit for a farm. Drawing on farm visits around the world and his own experience in Michigan, he explores how climate, natural resources, milk markets, labor, and management priorities shape investment decisions.Paul also explains why robotic milking made sense at a particular turning point in his own business—and why it would not have made sense when he first started. Once adding more cows was no longer an option, the opportunity shifted toward creating more value per cow.From identifying a farm’s biggest bottleneck to making sure someone actually acts on the data, this conversation looks beyond product demonstrations to the decisions that determine whether an investment pays off.Whether you manage a dairy farm, advise producers, or build and sell agricultural technology, this episode offers a practical starting point: understand the farm before choosing the technology.MEET THE HOSTPaul Windemuller is a Michigan dairy farmer, speaker, Nuffield Scholar, and host of the AgCulture Podcast. His work connects firsthand farming experience with conversations about technology, innovation, and the future of agriculture.Through his own dairy operation and visits to farms around the world, Paul explores how different production systems and management decisions shape farm businesses. In this solo episode, he shares how those experiences inform his approach to evaluating technology and understanding where it can create value.ABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.
- Oct 1, 202646 min
Inside a Fifth-Generation Cranberry Farm: with Amber Bristow | Ep. 143
Most people picture cranberries floating in water—but that is only one brief part of a year-round farming operation.In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul speaks with fifth-generation Wisconsin cranberry grower Amber Bristow about how cranberries are actually grown, harvested, protected, and marketed. Amber takes us inside her family’s 250-acre cranberry marsh, explaining the specialized equipment, water systems, pollination, winter flooding, and long-term planning required to produce the crop.The conversation also explores the business behind the berries. Amber explains how her family markets its crop through Ocean Spray, how quality and payment are determined, and how growers manage cash flow without knowing their final price until months after harvest.Amber also shares why she created Cranberry Chats, what agriculture can learn from specialty-crop growers, and whether those infamous cranberry spiders are real.Whether you farm, work in agriculture, or have simply wondered how cranberries get from a Wisconsin marsh to your table, this episode offers a fascinating look inside one of agriculture’s most distinctive industries.Follow Amber on Instagram: @cranberrychatsCheck out her website: https://cranberrychats.com/MEET THE GUESTAmber Bristow is a fifth-generation cranberry grower raising the beginning of the sixth generation on her family’s farm in west-central Wisconsin.Amber grew up working on the family’s cranberry marsh before leaving Wisconsin to study sports management and work in minor-league baseball. She eventually returned to join the family operation, where she now works alongside her husband, parents, cousin, and farm team.Through her social media platform, Cranberry Chats, Amber gives people a behind-the-scenes look at cranberry farming, challenges common misconceptions, shares unique cranberry recipes, and helps consumers better understand the people and work behind the crop.Amber is also involved with the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association’s communications efforts and the Wisconsin Cranberry Board, supporting industry education, promotion, and research.ABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.
- Sep 24, 202629 min
Do Farmers Really Have the Right to Repair?: with Willie Cade | Ep. 142
If you buy a $500,000 piece of farm equipment, do you actually have the right to fix it yourself?That question has been at the center of a years-long fight over agricultural equipment repair—and it has now reached a major turning point. In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul sits down with longtime right-to-repair advocate Willie Cade to unpack the proposed $99 million John Deere class action settlement, the separate FTC settlement, and what both could mean for farmers who own Deere equipment. The FTC settlement requires Deere, for 10 years and subject to court approval and oversight, to make repair resources available to farmers and independent repair providers on terms equivalent to those available to authorized dealers.Willie explains how the litigation developed, what plaintiffs alleged about Deere's control over diagnostic software and repair tools, and why he believes the bigger issue goes beyond one manufacturer or one settlement. Paul and Willie also walk through the choices facing farmers receiving class-action notices—including filing a claim, objecting, opting out, or doing nothing—while making clear that farmers should evaluate those choices for themselves and seek legal advice when appropriate. The current deadlines are December 4, 2026 to object or opt out and December 31, 2026 to submit a claim, with a final approval hearing scheduled for January 19, 2027.The conversation ultimately goes much further than repairing tractors. Willie argues that as machinery becomes increasingly software-driven, agriculture needs to think seriously about what ownership means—and who controls the increasingly valuable data generated by the machines farmers purchase and operate.MEET THE GUESTWillie Cade has spent more than nine years advocating for farmers' right to repair their own equipment, combining a deep interest in technology and ownership with a unique family connection to the agricultural machinery industry.His grandfather, Theo Brown, spent decades with John Deere, serving as Chief Engineer and holding 158 patents. Willie now directs the Theo Brown Society, which preserves and celebrates that engineering legacy. Willie has testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, briefed Federal Trade Commission staff on agricultural equipment repair issues, and serves on the board of Repair.org.Through Graceful Solutions LLC, Willie also consults with law firms involved in agricultural antitrust litigation, including litigation concerning Deere's repair restrictions.His career extends well beyond agriculture. Willie founded PC Rebuilders & Recyclers, a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher that employed more than 300 formerly incarcerated individuals, and has co-authored roughly 25 peer-reviewed papers on electronics sustainability through NSF-funded research with Rochester Institute of Technology. He is also CEO of Kamo Nano Solutions, a startup working on nanowire solar-cell technology.His work today sits at the intersection of technology, ownership, repair, competition, and farm data—questions that will become increasingly important as agricultural machinery becomes more connected, computerized, and autonomous.ABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.
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About AgCulture Podcast
Embark on a transformative journey with AgCulture Podcast, hosted by Paul Windemuller. Our vision is to unite the global agriculture community, fostering collaboration and continual improvement. Explore new sectors, connect with inspiring individuals, and be moved by real-life stories. Join us in shaping a future where agripreneurs from diverse backgrounds come together, share knowledge, and collectively address industry challenges.Subscribe, share, and become part of our connected global agriculture community propelling the industry toward innovation, sustainability, and success.
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