Author, historian, and ag storyteller Lee Klancher joins Farm4Profit for an incredible deep dive into the history of four-wheel-drive tractors, the horsepower race, and the innovators who transformed modern agriculture.

After previously discussing Cold War agricultural espionage surrounding his book Snoopy and the Spy, Lee returns with a brand-new project exploring the rise of 4WD tractors and the intense competition that shaped the farm equipment industry.

This episode uncovers the untold stories behind:

• The origins of articulated 4WD tractors
• Early steam-powered and tandem tractor experiments
• Garage-built giants like Big Bertha
• Why innovation in agriculture happened in barns and machine sheds
• How farmer-led engineering differed from Silicon Valley-style innovation
• The spread of new ideas through farm communities
• The horsepower wars between major manufacturers
• Why Steiger became one of the defining names in Big Iron
• Steiger’s near collapse and partnership with International Harvester
• The DOJ lawsuit and financial restructuring that nearly changed ag history
• The “Raba Rumble” and lessons from pushing technology too fast
• Australia’s influence on high-horsepower tractor development
• How overseas demand accelerated machinery innovation

Lee also shares behind-the-scenes insights from filming Tractor Wars 2, the new PBS documentary series following up on the original Tractor Wars project. The conversation explores how mechanization transformed American agriculture during the 1920s and 1930s and why the rapid rise of tractors changed farming forever.

The episode finishes with a discussion on today’s technology race — autonomy, AI, and robotics — and whether modern agriculture is entering a new version of the horsepower wars.

If you love tractor history, Big Iron, innovation stories, or the personalities that shaped agriculture, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

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In this What’s Working in Ag segment the Farm4Profit crew sits down with Corteva technical and fungicide specialists to discuss one of the biggest topics facing growers today: protecting yield in a tight-margin environment.

The conversation focuses on how weed control, insects, and disease pressure all work together — and why cutting corners on crop protection can end up costing farmers far more in lost yield potential. Corteva experts Eric and Madison explain why starting clean with effective herbicide programs remains critical, especially as growers continue adapting to early soybean planting and evolving resistance challenges.

The episode dives into:

• Why weed escapes create environments for insects and disease pressure
• How weeds compete for nutrients and rob yield potential
• Southern rust’s major impact during the 2025 season
• Why fungicides continue to deliver ROI despite tighter farm margins
• Tar spot, gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight, and other disease concerns
• The importance of multiple herbicide modes of action
• How dry conditions impact herbicide performance
• Why pre-emerge programs still matter
• Fungicide timing strategies for 2026
• Corteva’s new fungicide timing solution launched at Commodity Classic
• The role AI and predictive analytics may play in disease management
• Pairing fungicides and insecticides for maximum field efficiency
• Why scouting remains one of the most important management tools

The discussion also highlights Corteva’s newest fungicide, Forcivo™, and how modern fungicide technology is being combined with predictive tools and Pioneer genetics to help growers better manage disease pressure and protect bushels.

If you’re making crop protection decisions for the 2026 season, this episode delivers practical insight on how to think through herbicides, fungicides, insects, and profitability in a challenging farm economy.

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Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

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In this episode of the Farm4Profit Podcast, Corey sits down with Zach Smith (The Stock Cropper), James Epp, and Matt Boerman — better known as The Lobe Rangers — for a candid and in-depth conversation about the future of agriculture, conservation practices, and what farmers can do to improve profitability while protecting soil and water resources.

The group shares how The Lobe Rangers started as a simple Snapchat conversation between frustrated farmers who wanted to discuss poor farming practices, erosion, nitrogen management, and conservation solutions happening across Iowa’s Des Moines Lobe region. What began as a private peer group quickly evolved into a growing movement focused on honest conversations around agriculture, sustainability, and practical solutions that work at scale.

The discussion covers:

• Strip-till and no-till systems
• Cover crop adoption and management
• Nitrogen timing and in-season application
• Water quality and nitrate concerns
• Soil erosion and long-term land stewardship
• Farm profitability through reduced input costs
• The economics behind regenerative agriculture
• Challenges with ag policy and regulation
• Spray drift and pesticide stewardship
• The role of leadership within agriculture
• How farmers can proactively avoid future regulation
• Why knowing your numbers matters more than ever

The Lobe Rangers explain how they’ve implemented conservation systems on their own operations while still maintaining profitability and efficiency. They also discuss the realities of public perception, working with Des Moines Water Works, and why communication between farmers, consumers, and policymakers is critical moving forward.

This episode is a raw, honest, and thought-provoking discussion about balancing production agriculture with long-term sustainability while keeping family farms profitable for future generations.

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Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

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