A Penney For Your Thoughts

Sean and Andrew are back with the University of Kentucky’s Dr. Chad Lee to chat about all things cover crops and how you can best manage them to improve soil health, water quality and yield potential.

The crew discusses:

✅ How to get started using cover crops on your acres
✅ What ideal cover crop biomass looks like
✅ Implementing biologicals within cover cropping systems
✅ Managing erosion, water quality and soil health
✅ Wheat and its role in the cover crop conversation
✅ Why sticking with the process matters

Meet the Guests:

🌱Dr. Cha...

Sean and Andrew are joined by a long-awaited guest, the University of Kentucky’s Dr. Chad Lee, to talk about all nitrogen needs, the practicality of cover crops and high-quality corn demands across Kentucky. 

The crew discusses:

✅ The intricacy of cropping systems in Kentucky

✅ The high-quality corn needed to meet Kentucky’s demands

✅ Ideal nitrogen applications when using cover crops

✅ Efforts to close the loop on the bourbon industry’s environmental impact

✅ The importance of no-till systems and reducing erosion

🌱Meet the Guests:

Dr...

Sean and Andrew are finishing up their conversation about nitrogen with Iowa State University’s Dr. Mike Castellano and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Dr. Andrew Margenot. This time, they’re focusing on how you can manage nitrogen on your acres to achieve high yields, reduce environmental impact and improve your bottom line.

The crew discusses:

✅ How to be stewards of the land while chasing high yields

✅ Understanding nitrogen availability throughout the growing season

✅ Trials you can do on your acres to expand your farm’s  database

✅ Replenishing...

Sean and Andrew are back with two of the leading nitrogen experts in the field, Iowa State University’s Dr. Mike Castellano and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Dr. Andrew Margenot, to dig into the science of nitrogen in row crop systems.

The crew discusses:

✅ The relationship between nitrogen and phosphorus

✅ Trials used to evaluate nitrogen use and loss

✅ How nutrients are lost from the soil and how soil is lost from the field

✅ Responsibly managing inputs in a tight economy

✅ What happens to nitrogen in the...

Sean and Andrew are back with Iowa State University’s Dr. Sotirios Archontoulis to continue their conversation about nitrogen. The conversation digs into how breeders, agronomists and growers can work together to optimize nitrogen use.

The crew discusses:

✅ Achieving high harvest indexes

✅ Whole system nitrogen management

✅ Nontraditional high yield indicators 

✅ The relationship between breeders, agronomists and growers

Meet the Guests:

🌱Dr. Sotirios Archontoulis is a professor of integrated cropping systems in the Iowa State University Department of Agronomy. His research aims to predict impac...

Sean and Andrew are joined by Iowa State University’s Dr. Sotirios Archontoulis to discuss his research on the relationship between different generations of corn hybrids and nitrogen variability.

The crew discusses:

✅ Managing the impacts of weather during the growing season

✅ Old era vs. new era hybrid research and data collection 

✅ Yield efficiency compared to physiological efficiency

✅ Nitrogen supply in relation to post-harvest management practices 

✅ GGD and SDD effects on yields

🌱 Meet the Guests:

Dr. Sotirios Archontoulis is a professor of in...

Sean and Andrew round out their conversations at Purdue University with five of the best and brightest agronomy graduate students. This episode is a look into the future of agronomy, as we hear about research currently being conducted at one of the top ag universities.

The crew discusses:

✅ Target site vs. non-target site weed resistance

✅ How adjuvants can make or break the success of an application

✅ International crop production challenges

✅ New research on fungicide and herbicide resistance

✅ Nutrient needs, row spacing and plant populations in short-statu...

Sean and Andrew are back with Purdue's Dr. Ignacio Ciampitti to learn how nitrogen management and digital innovations research can be translated into practical solutions for growers. 

The crew discusses:

✅ The reality of nitrogen management

✅ What most growers are doing wrong when it comes to nitrogen

✅ How growers can make more informed decisions

✅ Turning formal research into practical management decisions

✅ How digital innovations are changing the way we farm

Meet the Guests:

🌱 Dr. Ignacio Ciampitti, a digital ag-focused quantitative agronomist, is a...

You know ‘em, you love ‘em, and you’ve listened to ‘em for 99 episodes and counting. Sean and Andrew are sitting down for their 100th episode to reflect on the podcast they have built, the valuable insights they have gained, the professionals they have met along the way and to ask each other a few heartfelt questions. 

A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agro...

Sean and Andrew are sitting down with Purdue’s Dr. Ignacio Ciampitti for a conversation about revolutions happening in the people, plants and processes involved in row crop systems. 

The crew discusses:

✅ The changing dynamic of agronomy professionals

✅ The ins and outs of nitrogen mineralization in corn and soybeans

✅ What makes successful ag innovations

✅ The transition from traditional agronomy to quantitative agronomy

✅ How NASA is advancing agronomic research

✅ The connections between technology, agronomy and physiology

🌱Meet the Guests: 

Dr. Ignacio Ciampit...

Sean and Andrew sit down with Purdue’s Dr. Tommy Butts to dig into the nitty-gritty of weed control in corn and soybeans. 

The crew discusses:

✅ The top weed control issues across the Corn Belt 

✅ The evolution of weed resistance

✅ Optimal herbicide formulations, application timing and method

✅ Recommendations for spray drone applications and adoption

✅ The impact of speed on herbicide and fungicide application effectiveness

✅ Additional tools for weed management

🌱 Meet the Guest:

Dr. Tommy Butts is a Clinical Assist...

Sean and Andrew sit down with Purdue’s Dr. Tommy Butts to dig into the nitty-gritty of weed control in corn and soybeans. 

The crew discusses:

✅ Weather variability’s impact on weed management

✅ Overlapping residuals

✅ Planting soybeans before corn

✅ Weed resistance

✅ Ground vs. drone herbicide applications

🌱Meet the Guests:

Dr. Tommy Butts is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Extension Weed Scientist in Site-Specific Weed Management. Tommy originally hails from southern Wisconsin, where he grew up around dairy farms. He completed his Bachelor of Scie...

Sean and Andrew are back with Purdue University’s Dr. Daniel Quinn to discuss the importance of keeping the fundamentals as the foundation when growing high-yield corn.

The crew discusses:

✅ The importance of the fundamentals of growing corn

✅ Interactions between genetics, inputs and management practices

✅ Trends in nutrients and fertilizers

✅ How to keep plants healthy late into the season

✅ The impact that cover crops can have on weed control

✅ Common stressors that need to be taken more seriously

Meet the Guests:

Sean and Andrew sit down with Purdue University’s Dr. Daniel Quinn to talk about what takes corn from average to high-yielding.

The crew discusses:

✅ The diversity of Purdue’s corn research efforts

✅ Using variable rate technology for optimal corn planting depth

✅ How weather conditions impact young corn plants

✅ Pros and cons of cover crops

✅ The biggest factors for corn success 

✅ The importance of grain fill

Meet the Guests:

🌱 Dr. Dan Quinn is the Extension Corn Specialist at Purdue University...

Sean and Andrew are back with another episode LIVE from Commodity Classic 2026, and this time, we’re talking with NCGA’s high-yield growers. In this edition of Our Two Cents, we’re exploring how these growers are pushing the limits of modern agriculture and advancing their yields.

The crew discusses:

✅ Reasons behind getting involved in yield contests

✅ The risk of over-fertilizing

✅ The balance between seed variety and management practices for influencing yields

✅ How to maximize sunlight capture

✅ Navigating farm management under government regulations

✅ The importance of r...

Sean and Andrew are back with another episode LIVE from Commodity Classic 2026, and this time, we’re talking with NCGA’s high-yield growers. In this edition of Our Two Cents, we’re exploring how these growers are pushing the limits of modern agriculture and advancing their yields.

The crew discusses:

✅ The value of soil sampling and pH management

✅ Top-performing seed varieties

✅ A high-yield approach to nutrient management

✅ Irrigation’s role in corn production

✅ The reason behind participating in yield contests

✅ An update on corn policy

✅...

Sean and Andrew are kicking off our 2026 LIVE from Commodity Classic series with the Bayer team. In this edition of Our Two Cents, we’re exploring products, concepts and science that are driving the agriculture industry forward.

The crew discusses:

✅ Expected corn rootworm pressure in 2026 and the impact of extended diapause

✅ The state of technology and traits to protect against rootworm

✅ What’s coming next for Dekalb and Asgrow seeds

✅ Leveraging different modes of action for weed control

✅ Setting realistic expectations for new product releases

✅ The evo...

Sean and Andrew are back with Jim Ippolito from The Ohio State University to cover all things soil health management.

The crew discusses:

✅ Impact of cover crops on soil health

✅ Balancing short-term economics with long-term farm impacts

✅ What biochar is, and how it affects soil health

✅ What to do with the increased residue from increased corn yields

✅ How much pH impacts nutrient availability

✅ The truth about manure applications

✅ Why phosphorus is hard to access

✅ How soil mineralization works, and how to optimize i...

Sean and Andrew are joined by Jim Ippolito from The Ohio State University to dig into the science of soil health and fertility.

The crew discusses:

✅ How to define soil health

✅ What factors determine soil health

✅ The importance of soil respiration rates

✅ The effects of anaerobic soils and pH

✅ Fungal/bacterial ratios

✅ pH’s role in soil fertility and nutrient availability

Meet the Guest:

🌱 Dr. Jim Ippolito is a professor of environmental soil health at The Ohio State University. H...

Sean and Andrew are back at Purdue University with resident tar spot expert Darcy Telenko. 

The crew discusses:

✅ Efficacy of fungicide application for tar spot and southern rust

✅ Taking the emotion out of management decisions

✅ Most effective fungicide application timing for a one-pass program

✅ How drones are changing fungicide applications

✅ The yield impact of tar spot disease

✅ How to predict onset of tar spot disease

✅ What research is happening now to better understand tar spot disease

Meet the Guest...

Sean and Andrew are back at Purdue University with resident tar spot expert Darcy Telenko. 

The crew discusses:

✅ The changes we’ve seen in tar spot since our last conversation with Darcy

✅ Optimal temperature and moisture conditions for tar spot disease

✅ The latency period between tar spot infection and visible signs of disease

✅ How tar spot disease correlates with southern rust

✅ A preview of management strategies being tested for tar spot disease

Meet the Guest:

🌱 Dr. Darcy Telenko is an associate profe...

Sean and Andrew are back at Purdue University with soybean expert Shaun Casteel, talking about what makes the difference between traditional and high-yield soybean management, and how you can take your crop to the next level.

The crew discusses:

✅ Planting soybeans before corn

✅ The maturity-moisture connection

✅ The importance of fungicide seed treatment in timely planting

✅ Soybean planting depths and populations

✅ When variable rate planting makes sense for soybeans

✅ The role of sulfur in soybean production

✅ The impact of narrow rows on yield

✅...

Sean and Andrew are at Purdue University to talk to soybean expert Shaun Casteel about the science of soybean production from seed to harvest. 

The crew discusses:

✅ The research being conducted by Purdue’s applied soybean research team

✅ The viability of early planting dates

✅ Optimal soybean plant height and population

✅ Drills vs. planters, and why it might be time to invest

✅ What “going rank” really means

✅ Why soybean yields vary so much

✅ Insights to help fill grain and retain pods

Meet the Gu...

Sean and Andrew are back with Daren “Dr. Know-It-All” Mueller and Alison Robertson at Iowa State University to hear their two cents on the intense disease pressure we saw in corn and soybean fields this season. 

The crew discusses:

✅ Application timing for disease management

✅ A new mindset on ROI and yield 

✅ The realities of active ingredients in fungicides

✅ The rain/disease connection

✅ The geographic shift in southern rust

✅ Inside seed disease ratings

✅ The evolution of disease management

Meet the Guests:

Sean and Andrew sit down with Daren “Dr. Know-It-All” Mueller and Alison Robertson at Iowa State University to hear their two cents on disease pressure facing corn and soybean fields. 

The crew discusses:

✅ The research happening in ISU extension agronomy labs 

✅ The expanding potential of technology in agriculture

✅ A deep dive into southern rust and why it was so prevalent this season

✅ New thought processes behind tar spot

✅ Reminders about corn stunt disease

✅ Understanding crown rot and root rot

Meet the Guests:

Sean and Andrew are back with another episode from the University of Illinois' Crop Physiology Field Day. We've got the home team advantage with insights straight from the source. 

The crew discusses:

✅ Multi-season fertilizer application planning

✅ SAAM rating for root architecture

✅ The difference in corn and soybeans' response to fertilizer

✅ A year-round approach to strip tillage

✅ The purpose behind the Crop Physiology Field Day

✅ A deep dive into sulfur

Meet the Guests:

🌱 Sam Leskanich is a doctoral agronomy student a...

Sean and Andrew are on-site in Champaign, Illinois at the annual Crop Physiology Field Day with Dr. Fred Below, Dr. Connor Sible and more agronomy experts! 🌱

Meet Our Guests

Lance Tarochione, host of Ask an agronomist, gives us insight into the Crop Physiology Field Day and the history of this amazing event!

Dr. Fred Below tells us how the 7 wonders of corn yield have led to the 6 secrets of soybean success.

Dr. Marcos Loman gives us insight on some of our biggest questions: Can we still...

Sean and Andrew are back with Maira Duffeck to discuss how to manage corn stunt disease and protect your yields.

The crew discusses:

✅ Where corn stunt disease has been confirmed in the U.S.

✅ How corn stunt disease is transmitted to fields, and how to manage transmission

✅ The effectiveness of treatments for corn leafhoppers and corn stunt disease

✅ Limitations and questions surrounding corn stunt disease and its treatment

Learn more about managing corn stunt disease: https://extension.okstate.edu/e-pest-alerts/2024/corn-leafhopper-leads-to-corn-stunt-outbreak-across-oklahoma-aug-12-2024.html

Sean and Andrew sit down with Maira Duffeck from Oklahoma State University to hear her two cents on the latest disease attacking corn fields. 

The crew discusses:

✅ How artificial intelligence will transform disease and pest management 

✅ The pathogens behind corn stunt disease, and how it’s closer to your fields than you might think

✅ How corn leafhoppers transmit corn stunt disease

✅ Tracking the progression of corn leafhoppers across the U.S. (follow along here → https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/maps/corn-leafhopper)

✅ The potential for overwintering of corn leafhoppers and c...

Sean and Andrew are back with Matt Darr and Ben Covington from Iowa State University’s On-Site Precision Technology team in ISU’s new Digital Ag Innovation Lab to hear their two cents on how advancing the technology on your farm is simpler than you might expect.

The crew discusses:

✅ Why understanding ag technology is important for every grower

✅ The importance of education for adoption of ag tech

✅ Behind-the-scenes the Digital Ag Innovation Lab’s planter clinic

✅ The science behind downforce and planting depth

✅ How John Deere’s Furr...

Sean and Andrew sit down with Matt Darr and Ryan Huffman from Iowa State University’s On-Site Precision Technology team in ISU’s new Digital Ag Innovation Lab to hear their two cents on the latest ag technology. 

The crew discusses:

✅ What Matt and Ryan are excited about in agriculture 

✅ The science of precision technology

✅ Understanding the ISU Digital Ag Innovation Lab

✅ Planters and row units

✅ Tilling and residue management

✅ John Deere’s Furrow Vision and See & Spray™ technology

✅ Future possibilities in autonomy and what Matt...

Join us for a fantastic discussion with Iowa's Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig! We discuss industry advocacy and interacting with local and national governments. We discuss the future of Iowa agriculture, its impact on the national stage, and we even get some great insights into sustainability efforts in production agriculture!

A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we...

Dr. Fred Below and Dr. Connor Sible provide us with practical insights into pushing the yield limits on our farms, offering research-backed suggestions accumulated over 40 years of learning. Tillage practices, fertility timing, fungicide, populations, and more!  Join us for a fantastic episode!   

A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted...

Join us on the campus of The University of Illinois as we discuss the science behind high-yielding corn and soybeans with Dr. Fred Below and Dr. Connor Sible! Amazing insights into crop physiology, nutrient concentration, timing, and 40 years of understanding corn plants!

A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in tr...

Soil Compaction, "often known as the hidden yield-limiting factor," can be minimized through strategic and intentional choices on our farms. Please tune in to hear the research and advice from Dr. John Fulton and his fantastic team at Ohio State University!

A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted vo...

Soil compaction plays a massive role in corn and soybean production. Dr. Fulton provides insight into how these biological, chemical, and physical soil components are affected by soil compaction. We also gain insight into Dr. Fulton and his team's research to better understand this complex aspect of our soil health.

A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we...

Episode #2 Live from Commodity Classic inside the Bayer booth!  We are incredibly grateful for our hosts, DEKALB and Asgrow, and these incredible farmers for pushing the envelope on corn and soybean yields!  Hear about their success in 2024 and their plans for the 2025 growing season!

A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and brin...

Hear from Asgrow and Dekalb brand leadership and NCGA Corn winners as we go live from the Bayer Booth at the 2025 Commodity Classic in Denver!

A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to deliver timely, relevant insights that matter to your farm. By combining re...

2024 was an incredible year for The Preceon Smart Corn System! Join Andrew and me as we interview growers, FSRs, and the Bayer Launch team - Live from the 2025 GroundBreakers Year End Celebration Event in Tucson, Arizona!

A Penney for Your Thoughts is hosted by Sean Blomgren, agronomist and owner of Blomgren Seed from Boone, Iowa, and Andrew Penney,  plant doctor and Preceon agronomy lead for Bayer Crop Science from Ames, Iowa. We cover all things agronomy and high-yield management, share what we're seeing in the field and bring in trusted voices from the industry to de...

Join Andrew and Sean on a journey with Bayer's exceptional leadership team! We will gain valuable insight into the Preceon Smart Corn System and dive deeper into the science, breeding, research, and development of the world's most innovative agriculture and technology company. It was a truly fantastic experience to hear from this leadership team during the Ground Breakers year-end celebration!