In Episode 69, Dusty visits with Dan Schwartz of Schwarts Farms in Trumbull County. The Schwartz family has been exporting food grade soybeans to the Japanese market since the late 1990's. Today they not only export their own beans, but also those of several farms that they contract with.

Dusty and Dan discuss the history of Schwartz Farms and the family members that make things happen today, along with the special relationships that have been developed with the processors in Japan.

In Episode 68, Dusty visits with soybean researchers involved in the Science for Success program. Science for Success provides timely, cutting-edge best management practices by coordinating the unified soybean check-off funded research efforts of over 20 land grant universities.

One challenge that soybean growers face has been referred to as the "Hidden Hunger". Potassium (K) recommendations are currently based on soil sampling and the Tri-State Fertiliity Guide. Research is now working on tissue testing for K deficiencies in-season to build a data set for making management decisions.

Dr. Laura Lindsey, OSU Extension Soybean and Small Grains Specialist, Carrie Ortel, Virginia Tech Soybean Agronomist, and Taylor Dill, Ohio Soybean Council Director of Research make-up a panel and join Dusty to share the latest effforts.

From Red Crown Rot to Brown Stem Rot to Sudden Death Syndrome, Ohio soybean farmers have their work cut out for them as they scout fields and attempt to identify the diseases causing stress to their crops. Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora, OSU Extension Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist visits with Dusty Sonnenberg to reviw the 2025 growing season and Ohio's first positive identification of Red Crown Rot in the state. Dr. Lopez-Nicora shares about the environmental conditions that favor disease, and what plant and leaf symptoms soybean growers should be on the look out for in 2026. They also discuss the reseach being done by OSU Extension into these diseases thanks to financial support from the Ohio Soybean Council and Soybean Check-off.