Ag Solutions Network

04/16/2026

Water quality matters. Learn how Ty Brown puts reverse osmosis water to work for maximum foliar nutrition uptake.

Ty is the founder and owner of Drago Indiana, where his team uses innovative practices like cover crop breeding, drone technology, and water quality management to enhance sustainability, crop yields, and farm productivity. Hold on tight—this isn’t just about incremental improvements; it’s about transforming your entire farming operation for the better, one innovative step at a time.

RO on the farm:

Water quality matters. Learn how Ty Brown puts RO water to work for maximum foliar nutrition uptake.Discover how Ty Brown, founder and owner of Drago Indiana...

04/13/2026

We talk a lot about cover crops — and for good reason. But are they a good fit for your operation? Which species make the most sense? And is it too late to plant this spring?

Take a few minutes with this easy-to-use Midwest Cover Crops Council tool to see which cover crops can work with your current rotation, planting dates, and harvest plans:
https://covercroptool.midwestcovercrops.org/

For example, growers looking for fast biomass and strong w**d suppression this spring often have great success with spring oats. Whether you’re just getting started or building on what you’ve already done, adding cover crops can improve soil health, reduce erosion, and set your fields up for a more productive season.

Timing, species selection, and management all vary by state, soil type, and weather. Try something different and if you need support, let us connect you with our dealers across the country.

04/09/2026

Sounds like a tall order, but for our POWER2GRO Crop Nutrition system sets crops up for success from planting to harvest.

04/07/2026

Discover how Ty Brown, founder and owner of Drago Indiana, uses incremental improvements to transform farming operations for the better, one practical step at a time. Watch or listen to AgEmerge Podcast 185, hosted by Monte Bottens.

Discover how Ty Brown, founder and owner of Drago Indiana, uses innovative practices like cover crop breeding, drone technology, and water quality management...

04/03/2026

Soil Health | California Style

Agronomist Bradley Abraham California Ag Solutions pulled a few plants out of a recycled almond block today and this is what you want to see.

These roots are pushing through old wood chip layers, breaking them down, and helping turn tied-up carbon back into usable nutrition. At the same time they’re opening the soil, improving infiltration, and feeding biology.

Instead of letting ground sit after a pull, this is how you rebuild it going into replant.

Better structure
Better water movement
More available nutrition
More life in the soil

04/01/2026

When an executive order declared glyphosate essential for national security, it sparked a heated debate from both sides — from advocates claiming it’s vital to defense and food security, to critics warning of its potential dangers. But what’s the backstory behind this widely-used chemical?

AgEmerge Podcast 184 with Dr. Michael McNeill and Bottens dive into a discussion about glyphosate and its impacts.

When an executive order declared glyphosate essential for national security, it sparked a heated debate from both sides — from advocates claiming it’s vital ...

03/31/2026

Stay tuned for a future AgEmerge Podcast with Natalie Sturm as she takes Dakota Lakes Research Farm into its next chapter. Congratulations Dr. Sturm!

BROOKINGS, S.D. — March 27, 2026 — Natalie Sturm first learned about the Dakota Lakes Research Farm...

03/24/2026

The Saga of the Soggy Sauerkraut | Tune in to AgEmerge Podcast 184 as Dr. Michael McNeill explains the journey of glyphosate through the farm system: how it lingers in manure from treated feed and a company crisis that lead to an interesting discovery.

Dr. Michael McNeill explains the journey of glyphosate through the farm system: how it lingers in manure from treated feed, carries over to contaminate even ...

03/23/2026

Many farmers recall their childhood days of clearing trees and pulling stumps to expand cropland and boost short-term efficiency on the family farm. But what if we flipped the script?

Agroforestry—intentionally combining trees with crops, livestock, or both—can deliver long-term wins: improved soil health, better water quality, enhanced biodiversity, carbon sequestration, wind protection, diversified income from nuts/fruits/timber, and greater farm resilience against weather extremes.

The Savanna Institute is helping make this practical in the Midwest by expanding its Agroforestry Farm Network. As of March 2026, the network now includes partner farms in Illinois and Iowa, building on the Wisconsin sites that joined in 2025.

These demonstration farms showcase real-world agroforestry practices, host on-farm research, and create peer-to-peer learning opportunities so farmers can collaborate, share successes, and see how trees can work profitably alongside traditional agriculture.

Check out the announcement for more details and ways to get involved: https://www.savannainstitute.org/agroforestry-farm-network-expands-to-include-illinois-iowa-and-wisconsin/

It's time to let trees pull their weight on the farm—rather than the other way around. 🌳🚜

03/18/2026

Meet your new unofficial weatherman, Monte Bottens. Whenever a major snowstorm slams the Midwest, Monte mysteriously vanishes… and magically reappears in sunny California.

The man behind California Ag Solutions (which he founded back in 2004) was spotted this week speaking at the Precision Planting Clinic—because apparently dodging blizzards is just part of the job description.

03/17/2026

What began as a crop-share arrangement opened the door for James Hepp to farm full time. Today, James operates his own crop insurance agency, manages about 1,400 acres of corn, soybeans, and small grains as a first-generation farmer. Give AgEmerge Podcast 183 a watch or listen to hear James and Monte Bottens discuss getting into farming differently with success.

Rockwell City native James Hepp aspired to farm, but with no direct ties to land, that dream seemed out of reach. So how did he get to be farming thousands o...

03/16/2026

“Oftentimes we’re told we feed the world and it’s all about bushels, all these kind of standard themes from the industrial ag complex,” he says. “And, the reality is that isn’t what our customer wants. Being aware of where these trends are heading, how do we be better prepared today to adopt and meet those trends in the future?” - Monte Bottens

A fifth-generation Illinois farmer says no-till is not enough to build soil health and encourages growers to consider more regenerative practices. Monte Bottens tells Brownfield he turned to no-till in the 1990s as a way to save time and money, but wanted to push the system to do more. “We integra...