North American Ag Spotlight: Agriculture & Farming News and Views

Farmers and ranchers are known for absorbing the costs, working a little harder, and keeping the peace, often alongside the same family members they work with every day. But when does patience become tolerating things no one should have to tolerate?

Episcopal priest, speaker, and leadership coach Father Christian Anderson joins Chrissy Wozniak to talk about why faith does not mean being a pushover. A former actor in Chicago and Los Angeles and a former nightclub doorman, Christian is the creator of Jesus Was Not a Doorman, and he has spoken to farm audiences about leadership, conflict, and finding peace of mind.

In this conversation:

• What turn the other cheek really means, and how Jesus set boundaries himself
• Why people of faith feel guilty saying no, and the real cost of standing firm
• How silence, solitude, and Sabbath help when so much on the farm is out of your control
• Why faith and professional mental health care work together, including telehealth for rural areas
• How to stand your ground when a family member you work with takes advantage of your kindness
• A hurricane-style scale for judging how serious a conflict is, and a simple way to start a hard conversation
• How to raise children who are both compassionate and confident
• Why you do not have to burn out to prove your faith, and why it is okay to say no with grace

Episcopal priest Christian Anderson explains why faith does not mean being a pushover, and what healthy boundaries look like for farm and ranch families.

Learn more about Father Christian Anderson at www.stmarys-stuart.org

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North American Ag Spotlight goes onsite at FIRA USA 2026 in Yakima, Washington, the fifth edition of the ag robotics and AgTech event and its first in the Pacific Northwest. Host Chrissy Wozniak talks with growers, builders and organizers about how farmers decide which technology earns a spot on their operation.

Andrew Nelson, a fifth-generation dryland farmer and software engineer, explains how his AI tool AgAnswers turns hours of paperwork into minutes and why growers should not fear a momentary failure. Arha Padman of Niqo Robotics and Elisa Abreu of GOFAR talk about the Women in Agricultural Innovation Award and a new 50-foot machine for large specialty crops. Shad Spike of Rijk Zwaan USA shares how a robot weeder changed weed control in his carrot seed breeding program. Sean Sundberg of John Deere discusses GUSS autonomous sprayers and why support matters as much as the sale. Ines Hanrahan, executive director of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, talks about winning the 2026 award and building a whole community around agriculture.

Links and Guests

• FIRA USA 2026, October 20 to 22 in Yakima, Washington: fira-usa.com
• Andrew Nelson, Nelson Farms and AgAnswers (free beta): aganswers.ai
• Arha Padman, Niqo Robotics: niqorobotics.com
• Elisa Abreu, communication officer, GOFAR and FIRA: fira-usa.com
• Shad Spike, Rijk Zwaan USA: rijkzwaanusa.com
• Sean Sundberg, John Deere and GUSS: gussag.com
• Ines Hanrahan, Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission: treefruitresearch.org

North American Ag Spotlight covers ag tech, ag policy, faith and family.

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Chip Carter, creator and host of Where the Food Comes From, joins North American Ag Spotlight to talk about taking farm stories from RFD-TV to network syndication. The former syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist walked away from a career writing about video games to tell the stories of the people who feed us. Most Americans are two to three generations removed from the farm, and very few have ever met the person who grew their food. Chip set out to close that gap. The series launched on RFD-TV in January 2022, moves into network syndication this January, and is part of the USDA Ag in the Classroom program, reaching 6 million students and 150,000 teachers a year.

In this episode, Chip talks with Chrissy Wozniak about the 13-year road to an “overnight” success, why farmers will never brag on themselves, and how a show about farming became a hit in New Zealand, Ukraine and beyond. He shares stories from plowing behind a mule team to watching crops grow in simulated moon soil at NASA, explains why people love farmers but are unsure about farming, and tells listeners what they misunderstand about food prices. He also covers where to watch the show now and where it is headed next.

Key Takeaways

• Chip has visited almost 5,000 North American food and farming operations, and says he found the stories were extraordinary but nobody from big city media was telling them.
• Farmers rarely brag on themselves, so his job is to tell their stories for them.
• Where the Food Comes From is a mainstream hit in New Zealand, was the first international market to sign on in Ukraine, and is also carried by Turkish Airlines.
• Chip is working with NASA on a series about how we will farm on the moon and beyond.
• Farmers get very little of what consumers pay at checkout, and that is one of the biggest disconnects in the food chain.
• A mentor told him, “people love farmers, they’re not too sure about farming,” and that became his mission statement.
• Nothing breaks down barriers faster than breaking bread together, and Chip hopes the show helps rural and urban America understand each other.

Links

• Where the Food Comes From: wherethefoodcomesfrom.com
• Where the Food Comes From on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wherethefoodcomesfrom
• Larry’s Tree, A Christmas Journey to the White House: https://youtu.be/lZ-CLw02nj0?si=HGywKC6TykmHOnUf

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For ranchers, pet owners, hunters and landowners in Minnesota's wolf country, how wolves are managed shows up in the pasture, in the yard and in the checkbook. On October 2, the Minnesota nonprofit Hunters for Hunters released a documentary, Minnesota Fed to the Wolves, built on firsthand accounts from cattle producers, pet owners, hunters and rural business owners.

Its director, Hunters for Hunters board member Steve Porter, joins Chrissy Wozniak to talk about what he heard on the road: calves lost and not paid for, pets taken from yards, and deer gone from land people still pay taxes on. He explains why he says federal protection and state politics leave landowners with little recourse, and how sheriff investigations changed claim payments in one county.

Steve also shares his own fight as a Minnesota deer farmer over fencing, inspections and farm-sale restrictions, and why he is urging hunters and farmers to vote this fall.

The claims and opinions in this episode are Steve's own, based on his experience and his reading of the record.

Chapters

• 0:04 Intro: the documentary and why the timing matters
• 1:25 Steve's background and how he joined Hunters for Hunters
• 3:18 Making the documentary in six to seven weeks
• 5:10 Federal protection and why the state says it can't act
• 6:49 The wolf season ban vote
• 9:19 Lost calves and compensation
• 13:00 Sheriffs investigating wolf claims and the burden of proof
• 16:35 Wolf attacks on pets
• 17:54 Wolves in town and the loss of deer
• 19:49 The lodge owner who stopped opening for deer season
• 21:00 Is the damage intentional? Lessons from 20 town halls
• 23:25 The governor's race and where candidates stand
• 24:42 The congressional hearing and the empty chair
• 26:12 The DNR wolf management plan and the federal bill
• 28:23 What listeners can do
• 29:15 Steve's deer farm and the laws that target it
• 35:45 Game warden inspections and constitutional rights
• 39:02 Steve's view on why this is happening
• 41:19 The election and what it means for his farm
• 45:12 The main takeaway for lawmakers and voters
• 48:23 Why Steve keeps fighting
• 50:46 How to reach Steve

Key points

• The documentary, Minnesota Fed to the Wolves, was released October 2 by Hunters for Hunters and built on interviews with cattle producers, pet owners, hunters and rural business owners.
• Steve says the Great Lakes wolf remains under federal protection, which allows shooting a wolf only when it is attacking a person, and that the state uses that protection as a reason not to act.
• He describes one producer who lost 35 calves in a year and was paid for about three calves and one cow.
• He says that when sheriffs in Kittson County began investigating wolf claims, more farmers were paid.
• He says the standard of proof for a wolf kill is civil, meaning more likely than not, but that game wardens act as if it were criminal.
• On his own deer farm, Steve says state laws bar him from selling the farm at retirement or selling breeding stock, and that he was prosecuted for not building a $200,000 fence.
• His message to listeners: watch the film, join Hunters for Hunters if you want to help, and vote.

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Agricultural robotics has moved beyond proving that machines can work in perfect conditions. Farmers now want to know whether the technology can work reliably in real field conditions, fit into their existing operations, reduce labor needs, and deliver a measurable return on investment.

In this episode of North American Ag Spotlight, host Chrissy Wozniak talks with Maialen Cazenave, Co-Director of GOFAR, about the evolution of agricultural robotics and what growers can expect from FIRA USA 2026.

Maialen explains how FIRA has evolved alongside the ag robotics industry, moving from static technology showcases to live demonstrations and increasingly focusing on commercial deployment, reliability, integration, and farm ROI. This year's FIRA USA marks another major shift as the event moves to Yakima, Washington, October 20-22, and expands beyond robotics into a broader range of agricultural technologies.

The Pacific Northwest edition was developed with input from local growers, commodity groups, universities, and agricultural organizations. Topics will include automation, harvesting, irrigation, canopy management, AI, data management, packing and processing technology, and other solutions addressing the needs of tree fruit, hops, onions, potatoes, berries, vineyards, and other regional crops.

Chrissy and Maialen also discuss the importance of farmer-to-farmer conversations about technology adoption, GOFAR's growing international role in connecting technology developers with real agricultural needs, and the second annual Women in Agriculture Innovation Award recognizing women making an impact across farming, research, engineering, robotics, automation, precision agriculture, AI, data, biotech, and other areas of agricultural innovation.

FIRA USA 2026 will also feature live technology demonstrations, a robot parade, farmer-focused peer discussions, research and innovation programming, approximately 600 students, and opportunities to see technology operating within the Pacific Northwest agricultural ecosystem.

Learn more about FIRA USA and the Women in Agriculture Innovation Award at fira-usa.com.

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How do you know whether an agricultural consultant is putting your farm’s interests first? In this episode of North American Ag Spotlight, Chrissy Wozniak talks with American Society of Agricultural Consultants President Abby Byerly and Interim Executive Director Russell Morgan about trusted advice, professional ethics, and the value of bringing different specialties together. Abby, a third-generation Montana farmer and rancher and Food and Ag Center Director at Snowy Mountain Development Corporation, explains how ASAC’s network helps her connect clients with the expertise they need. Russ shares how collaboration supported financial projections for an egg-production project and explains the continuing education behind the Certified Agricultural Consultant designation. The conversation also explores confidentiality, conflicts of interest, farm succession, and why a successful outcome must account for the family as well as the business. Abby and Russ preview ASAC’s November 1–3, 2026, annual conference in San Antonio, including its ethics session, educational program, tours, and networking opportunities.

Learn more and register: https://www.agconsultants.org/2026_annual_conference.php

ASAC: https://www.agconsultants.org/

Snowy Mountain Development Corporation: https://snowymountaindevelopment.com/

Conference and discount questions: evp@agconsultants.org

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Water is one of agriculture’s most critical inputs, but access to clean, reliable water is becoming increasingly complicated and expensive. Rising treatment and pumping costs, water quality concerns, changing regulations, and growing competition for available supplies are forcing farmers and ranchers to think differently about how water is treated, used, and reused.

In this episode of North American Ag Spotlight, Chrissy Wozniak speaks with Kevin Gast, Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman of VVater, about the company’s electricity-based approach to water treatment and what it could mean for agriculture.

Kevin explains how VVater’s Farady Reactor uses low-energy electric fields as part of a treatment system designed to address microorganisms and other contaminants without relying on the filters, membranes and chemical inputs commonly associated with traditional water treatment systems. He discusses where the technology could fit into irrigation, greenhouse production, livestock operations and agricultural water reuse.

The conversation also examines the economics. Kevin explains VVater’s approach to reducing ongoing treatment costs, recovering and reusing a greater percentage of available water, retrofitting existing infrastructure, and offering a Water-as-a-Service model that can reduce the upfront capital burden for qualifying operations.

Chrissy and Kevin also discuss competition for water from data centers and growing communities, why onsite water reuse could become increasingly important, and how alternative water sources could help reduce pressure on aquifers and other freshwater supplies.

Looking ahead, Kevin believes agriculture will increasingly need to treat water as a resource that can be cleaned, recovered and reused rather than used once and discharged. For farmers and ranchers, that could turn water treatment from another operating expense into a tool for protecting access to one of the farm’s most valuable inputs.

Learn more about VVater at VVater.com.

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Starting a farm has never been easy, and for today’s beginning farmers and ranchers, the cost of land, equipment, livestock, and operating expenses can make getting established feel nearly impossible. But there are USDA programs designed to help, and understanding where to start can make a major difference.

On this episode of North American Ag Spotlight, Chrissy Wozniak speaks with Amanda Robertson, National Outreach Specialist and Beginning Farmer and Rancher Regional Coordinator with the USDA Farm Service Agency. Amanda is also a sixth-generation farmer from Russell Springs, Kentucky, where her family operates a registered Angus and Hereford cattle operation. 

Amanda explains that USDA does not define a beginning farmer by age. Instead, the designation generally applies to someone who has not operated a farm for more than ten years. She also discusses some of the biggest barriers facing new producers today, particularly access to land and capital, and explains how FSA low-interest loan programs can help producers get started. 

The conversation walks through where a new farmer should begin with USDA, including why the local Farm Service Agency office is often the first stop and how farmers.gov can help producers understand available programs, prepare for meetings, and build a path toward financing, crop insurance, and other resources. Amanda also explains the importance of getting established in the USDA system with a farm serial number. 

Chrissy and Amanda also dig into financing, including FSA’s microloan program for loans of $50,000 or less, and why a solid business plan, realistic projections, and honest communication with a loan officer are essential. Amanda encourages producers to be conservative in their estimates and avoid taking on unnecessary debt simply to have the newest equipment.   

They also discuss how USDA measures success beyond simple enrollment numbers, including whether producers expand operations, improve land, participate in additional programs, or move into value-added agriculture. Amanda explains that USDA tries to track the longer-term journey of beginning farmers and how programs help them move from startup to growth. 

Amanda also shares her perspective on mentorship, stressing the value of learning directly from experienced farmers who have seen both the good and the bad of agriculture. She encourages aspiring producers not to give up on the idea of farming simply because the barriers look overwhelming at first. 

The episode also previews Amanda’s upcoming appearance at the Women in Agribusiness Summit in New Orleans, where she will participate in the Farmers’ Programs’ Practical Implementation panel. The discussion will bring together USDA and producer perspectives to show how farmers have successfully used federal programs to build operations from the ground up.

Learn more at farmers.gov/new-farmers

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What Americans eat is changing, but consumer food trends affect much more than what ends up in the grocery cart. Changes in nutrition policy, affordability, convenience, health trends, and consumer perceptions can ultimately ripple throughout the food system and all the way back to farmers and ranchers.

On this episode of North American Ag Spotlight, Chrissy Wozniak speaks with Susan Backus, Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs at the Meat Institute, about the changing American diet and what those shifts mean for animal agriculture.

Susan explains how nutrition conversations have evolved from a narrow focus on individual nutrients like fat and cholesterol toward a broader discussion about nutrient density and overall dietary patterns. She also discusses the renewed consumer interest in protein, noting that meat provides much more than protein alone, with nutrients including iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, thiamin, niacin, and potassium.  

The conversation also explores the sometimes surprising gap between what consumers say they want and what they actually purchase. Susan points to recent consumer research showing that while shoppers express concern about food processing, convenience has risen to become one of the leading factors influencing food purchases, alongside taste and price. 

Chrissy and Susan discuss the influence federal dietary guidance can have far beyond individual food choices, including school meals, hospitals, the military, nutrition education, food service, and product innovation. Susan also explains why the Meat Institute believes effective dietary guidance should meet consumers where they are and help people make realistic, incremental improvements rather than recommendations they are unlikely to maintain. 

Looking ahead, Susan identifies the growing use of GLP-1 medications as one trend that could significantly affect food consumption. As some consumers eat smaller quantities of food, she believes nutrient density may become even more important and could create new opportunities for naturally nutrient-dense animal protein products. 

The episode also previews Susan's appearance at the Women in Agribusiness Summit in New Orleans, where she will participate in the Food Consumption Trends and Nutrition Policy Panel. Susan explains why bringing perspectives from across agriculture together is critical to breaking down industry silos and building stronger relationships throughout the food and agriculture value chain. 

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Women are becoming increasingly visible across agriculture, from the farm and the boardroom to policy, technology and global agribusiness. In this episode of North American Ag Spotlight, host Chrissy Wozniak welcomes back Svitlana Synkovska, Portfolio Director for Women in Agribusiness, for a conversation about the changing role of women in agriculture and what attendees can expect from the 15th anniversary Women in Agribusiness Summit in New Orleans.

Svitlana shares how the Summit has evolved over the past 15 years while maintaining its unique combination of industry intelligence, professional development and meaningful networking. This year's location is especially significant because the first Women in Agribusiness Summit was held in New Orleans. Beyond the city's culture and atmosphere, New Orleans provides a direct connection to global agriculture through its role as a major gateway for U.S. agricultural exports. Attendees will even have an opportunity to tour a port transshipment facility and see how American commodities move from farms to customers around the world.

The conversation also explores the continued rise of women in agriculture and leadership. Chrissy and Svitlana discuss women's growing educational attainment and representation in government and agribusiness, as well as how much the industry has changed over the past two decades. Svitlana shares her experience of once frequently being the only woman speaking at international agriculture conferences and how dramatically female representation has grown since then.

They also look at what the next generation of women can bring to agriculture, the importance of education and confidence, and the Women in Agribusiness student scholarship program. Svitlana explains why adaptability may be one of the most important leadership skills in an era of AI and rapid technological change and why agriculture continues to offer tremendous opportunities for young professionals.

The 2026 Summit will combine its popular executive leadership and female farmer panels with new programming around AI, consumer and food trends, mental health and stress management, along with experiences unique to New Orleans. The Summit will also recognize the International Year of the Woman Farmer with a new award developed in collaboration with the American Farm Bureau Federation to recognize an outstanding U.S. female farmer.

With decision-makers representing the entire agricultural value chain gathering in one place, Svitlana explains why this year's anniversary Summit is about much more than celebrating 15 years. It's an opportunity to build relationships, conduct business, learn from other leaders and help shape the next chapter for women in agriculture.

Register for the Women in Agribusiness Summit HERE.

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