The National Land Podcast sits down with journalist Chris Kais—former Editor-in-Chief of Outside Magazine and founder of Republic, a new nonprofit newsroom dedicated to America’s public lands. We unpack why the outdoor recreation economy ($1.2–$1.3T) depends on access, how public-lands realities differ East vs. West, and what’s really at stake in debates over federal-to-state land transfers vs. outright sales. We examine recent proposals to open public land for housing, the role of BLM multi-use mandates (recreation, grazing, extraction), and why the recreation economy needs a louder seat at the table. Chris breaks down wilderness area rules, wildfire policy (staffing cuts, prescribed fire, and a push to unify wildland firefighting), and the ripple effects on gateway towns, ranching (millions of cattle on BLM allotments), outfitters, and everyday hunters and anglers. We also touch sustainable timber practices, old-growth forests, and the lived reality of Western access—dispersed camping, trail use, and why once access is lost, it rarely returns. If you own land, want to buy land, or just love being on it, this conversation delivers clear, nonpartisan insight into how policy choices impact recreation, agriculture, and rural economies. Learn more or support Republic at republic.land.

Episode takeaways:

• What Republic is and why a public-lands newsroom matters

• East vs. West access dynamics and why they shape policy debates

• Recreation’s economic weight vs. extraction and grazing interests

• Wildfire staffing, coordination, and forest management realities

• Practical implications for landowners, buyers, and outdoor users

RE:PUBLIC

https://www.republic.land/

Donate to RE:PUBLIC

National Land Realty

https://www.nationalland.com

Soybeans are all over the headlines right now but you might not realize they drive American ag—and North Carolina is a prime case study. Charles Hall, Executive Director of the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association, returns to break down what’s actually moving the market this year: tight farm margins, a potential price rally that hasn’t materialized, and a flood of supply with limited in-state storage. We cover why 75% of NC beans are rated good-to-excellent yet profitability remains elusive, how a 1.6M-acre crop meets constrained crush capacity after an ADM plant closure, and why six-hour delivery lines are more than an inconvenience—they’re a cost center.

Hall explains China’s stop-start purchases, Brazil’s rapid expansion (and quality trade-offs), and how shifting tariffs hit farmers twice—at the elevator and on input invoices. We dig into weed resistance, the dicamba drift debate, and why new chemistries take ~20 years to clear regulation. On the opportunity side: renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel are reshaping crush margins by pulling harder on oil than meal. We also hit risk management wins (higher reference prices, improved crop insurance) and why the farm “safety net” still hangs inches above concrete.

If you own rural land, lease ground, or care about U.S. food and fuel security, this episode lays out the stakes—straight.

• Margins are thin: Inputs up, prices not keeping pace; profitability remains “right on the bubble.”

• Big crop, tight logistics: ~1.6M acres in NC; ~75% rated good/excellent; limited storage and recent crush capacity loss create delivery bottlenecks.

• China & tariffs: New-crop U.S. purchases lag; tariff volatility depresses demand and raises input costs (equipment, herbicides, nutrients).

• Brazil vs. U.S.: Brazil gained China share post-2018; quality/logistics trade-offs vs. NC’s local hog & poultry demand.

• Weed resistance is constant: Fewer approved chemistries, dicamba drift concerns; regulatory timelines are long.

• Energy demand shift: Renewable diesel/SAF increasingly drive crush margins via soy oil, not just meal.

• Risk management: Higher soy reference prices and crop insurance tweaks help, but the “safety net” is still low.

North Carolina Soybean Producers Association

https://ncsoy.org/

National Land Realty

https://www.nationalland.com

Wayne Cawley turned a neglected high‑density apple orchard into Redemption Farms—a thriving U‑pick and farm‑stand business—by grafting apple varieties, adding strawberries, peaches, pumpkins, and using social media to mobilize customers.

With Sue Hudson (NLR), we dig into financing, location strategy, strawberries, and what it actually takes to make a small farm cash‑flow.

Recorded in Maryland’s Eastern Shore farm country, this episode is a practical blueprint for building a direct‑to‑consumer U‑pick farm—from acquisition and financing to crop selection, infrastructure, and marketing.

Guest: Wayne Cawley, owner of Redemption Farms (Denton, MD)—a 38‑acre, two‑parcel farm split by a major highway—revived an abandoned high‑density apple orchard and layered in strawberries (annual plasticulture), peaches, cherries, plums, blackberries, and a pumpkin patch to give customers something to pick from late April through early November. Guest: Sue Hudson, National Land Realty agent (Maryland), represented Wayne as buyer and breaks down the site selection + permitting pitfalls that make or break roadside agribusinesses.

Redemption Farms (Facebook)

https://www.facebook.com/redemptionfarmsmd/

Redemption Farms (Website)

https://www.redemptionfarms.com/

National Land Realty

https://www.nationalland.com