This weeks’ guest on Open Mic is Bill Even, CEO of the National Pork Board. As a fifth-generation farmer and former South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture, Even is well-versed in the obstacles and opportunities of the nation’s top industry. Despite a setback from a nationwide pig virus a few years ago, Even says hog farmers and the swine industry have ramped up production and capacity to supply the growing demand for pork. Even says African Swine Fever could be the biggest global event of this generation and outlines the challenges of protecting the domestic herd while trying to gain global market access stymied by trade tensions.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas. The 5th generation farmer is fully aware of the difficult economic plight of the nation's agriculture producers. In this interview, he discusses the challenges of unfair trade and the need to support efforts from the White House to level the global trading platform. Lucas discusses the upcoming budget debate and the need for additional disaster assistance and money to keep the nation’s infrastructure system functional and to keep U.S. crops competitive in the global trade arena.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Lisa Safarian, Commercial Operations head for Crop Science, Bayer North America. In the midst of integrating two global agriculture businesses, Bayer is facing headwinds from litigation of existing products like Roundup, as well as one of the most challenging growing seasons in recent U.S. history. In this interview, Safarian talks about the company goal of providing new technology for farmers while at the same time, embracing a fresh commitment toward global sustainability.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Matthew Lohr, Chief of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The discussion over agriculture sustainability is leading to a renewed interest and support for NRCS and many programs farmers and ranchers utilize to preserve natural resources. The Virginia poultry farmer comments on the relationship between EPA and USDA and speaks to the future of voluntary participation in conservation programs. Natural disasters have devastated farms and ranches across the country and Lohr comments on how NRCS is cooperating with other government agencies to help farmers recover from their tremendous losses.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Syngenta CEO Erik Fyrwald. With a global goal of sustainable productivity, Syngenta continues to invest in innovation for global agriculture. In this interview, Fyrwald addresses the need for advances in technology to produce more food while protecting the environment and the need for litigation reform. Fyrwald says modern, sustainable agriculture needs a brand to communicate positive steps farmers and industry are taking to meet the needs of a growing planet.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is David Perry, CEO of Indigo Ag. CNBC put Indigo at the top of their “2019 Disruptor List”. Perry’s company has a global presence and has raised $650 million dollars in their effort to grow farm productivity and reduce carbon emissions through patented innovation in microbial science. Raised on a crop farm in Arkansas, Perry believes his company’s production paradigm can cut chemical fertilizer use in half and reduce pesticide use by 90 percent. Indigo’s “Terraton Initiative” would put agriculture in the lead to resolve global climate change issues.