Soybean nematodes remain a major and often underdiagnosed source of yield loss, especially in fields with heavy Root-Knot Nematode pressure. In this episode, Matt Miles discusses the scale of the problem in Arkansas, the limits and costs of traditional nematicides, and why he is now applying Averland FC in-furrow on all at-risk soybean acres after using it on corn and soybeans the past two years. Speaking with Damian Mason and Vive Crop Protection’s George Huckabee, Miles explains that even with mitigation, severe infestations can still cost 5 to 7 bushels per acre, while unmanaged pressure can cut yields dramatically.

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.