XtremeAg: Cutting The Curve Podcast

This episode of Cutting the Curve examines how farmers are approaching 2026 planting decisions amid shifting acreage trends highlighted in the USDA Prospective Plantings report. Damian Mason, Iowa farmer Adam Ullrich, and consultant Jarod Creed discuss five key decision areas: labor availability, machinery investment, grain marketing strategy, overall farm management, and financial discipline. Rather than making drastic operational changes, the conversation emphasizes improving profitability through better planning, smarter marketing decisions, effective use of FSA programs, and disciplined financial management in a tight-margin environment.

In this episode, Damian Mason talks with Jared Cook of Calibrated Agronomy about “knowledge extinction” in agriculture: the idea that farmers are receiving less meaningful agronomic guidance as input decisions become more price-driven. They discuss how retail consolidation, sales-focused advisory models, and resistance to continued learning can reduce the quality of agronomic decision-making. The conversation emphasizes that modern farming is increasingly knowledge-intensive, and that farmers may need to separate product purchasing from professional agronomic advice while holding advisers to a higher standard of education, accountability, and problem-solving.
 

In this episode of XtremeAg’s Cutting the Curve podcast, Damian Mason talks with Jared Cook of Calibrated Agronomy about why water quality matters far beyond simple H2O. The discussion explains how irrigation water, spray water, and even rainwater can carry mineral and biological “baggage” that affects soil balance, nutrient availability, herbicide performance, and crop management decisions. Jared outlines how calcium, bicarbonates, nitrate, sulfur, and other constituents in water can act like hidden fertilizer inputs or create antagonism that ties up nutrients and reduces product efficacy. The episode emphasizes testing each water source, understanding application volume and frequency, and using water amendments or adjuvants when needed to improve agronomic outcomes.

At Commodity Classic, Damian Mason speaks with Kansas farmer and Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission chairman Brant Peterson and Texas Panhandle producer Jason Birkenfeld about the future of grain sorghum. The discussion focuses on sorghum’s drought tolerance, lower water requirements compared to corn, and expanding opportunities in livestock feed, forage silage, ethanol, exports, and food-grade markets. As irrigation challenges grow across the Plains, farmers are increasingly evaluating sorghum as a water-efficient crop that can support beef, dairy, and poultry production. The episode highlights how stronger domestic demand, improved feed processing, agronomic research, and global trade relationships could shape the future growth of grain sorghum acreage.

Are farmers actually reducing crop stress… or just reacting to it after the damage is already done? That’s the question Damian Mason throws out during this live panel at the Nachurs booth at Commodity Classic with Matt Miles, Johnny Verell, Temple Rhodes, and Tommy Roach. The conversation covers everything farmers deal with every season—too much rain, not enough rain, weak roots, high nighttime temps, and nutrient timing. The panel digs into why stress mitigation is real, but it rarely comes from a single product. It comes from better plant nutrition, stronger root systems, spoon-feeding nutrients when the plant actually needs them, and staying proactive instead of trying to fix problems after the crop starts slipping.

At Commodity Classic, a panel featuring Kelly Garrett, Chad Henderson, and Kevin Matthews digs into one of the most overlooked problems in crop production—nutrient imbalance. The conversation goes beyond the usual N-P-K talk and gets into the real challenge farmers face: how micronutrients, timing, and plant demand all work together to determine whether fertilizer actually turns into yield. From SAP analysis and sulfur shortages to the hidden cost of applying fertility all up front, the panel shares what they’ve learned the hard way about feeding the plant, not just the soil—and why fixing imbalance can mean more bushels without spending more money.

In this episode, Damian Mason speaks with Texas farmer Todd Kimbrell, who operates 70 miles south of Dallas and grows corn, wheat, cotton, and double-crop sesame—all without irrigation. Todd outlines the unique production calendar and environmental challenges he faces compared to farmers in the Midwest, including early planting windows, reliance on rainfall, and crop marketing strategies influenced by distinct regional market forces. The conversation highlights the importance of tailoring farm management decisions to local conditions, especially in areas with differing weather patterns, soil profiles, and crop maturity timelines.  

Using Carbon Technology to Improve Nutrient Uptake and Reduce Inputs
With increasing economic and environmental pressure, American farmers are seeking ways to improve crop nutrition without increasing reliance on synthetic inputs. One promising solution? Carbon-based soil amendments.
In a recent episode of Cutting the Curve, Arkansas farmer Matt Miles joined host Damian Mason, alongside Brad Benson and Brandon Laws of Activated Carbon Technologies (ACT), to discuss how carbon amendments are helping farmers optimize nutrient use and improve yields using the fertility already present in their soil.

Are You Losing Corn Yield to Disease Without Knowing It?
In 2025, many row-crop farmers across the Midwest experienced surprising yield losses—not due to lack of fertility or weed control—but because of unmanaged or mistimed corn disease pressure. From southern rust reaching further north to recurring outbreaks of tar spot, growers were challenged with invisible yet economically significant threats to plant health and grain fill.
In this episode of Cutting the Curve, host Damian Mason is joined by Adam Byrne of FMC and Kelly Garrett, a founding member of XtremeAg, to discuss how farmers can reduce corn yield loss from disease through timely scouting, hybrid selection, fungicide strategy, and more.

In this episode, Damian Mason hosts a discussion with Temple Rhodes, Chad Henderson, and Nachurs agronomist Tommy Roach, focused on re-evaluating common fall fertility practices. The group addresses the economic inefficiencies and agronomic downsides of outdated fertilizer applications, particularly the tendency to broadcast fertilizer in the fall without tying it to actual nutrient demand. By breaking down the science of nutrient timing, placement, and environmental risks, the conversation encourages farmers to adopt more precise, ROI-driven fertility strategies. Insights include alternative methods, the impact of soil conditions, and how evolving from habit-based practices can improve profitability.