WOYM – Jon Rich, AgriPro Wheat
AgriPro Wheat website
(00:00:03) Welcome to the podcast.
(00:00:22) Jon Rich is introduced, with details about his background and family.
(00:00:57) Jon shares how his passion for agriculture started with his grandparents' farm and his father's work as a wheat breeder.
(00:02:14) He credits his mother for instilling tenacity in him, which is crucial in plant breeding.
(00:02:36) Jon discusses his mentors, including Joe Martin, Rollie Sears, and Harold Erickson, who taught him valuable lessons.
(00:06:13) Jon highlights AgriPro's history and transformation, becoming the largest private wheat breeding program in the US.
(00:07:46) He explains the collaboration between public and private breeding programs, sharing germplasm strategically to improve disease tolerance and yield.
(00:10:33) Jon emphasizes the proliferation of varieties, giving farmers more options to place different genetics on their farms.
(00:12:16) He discusses the benefits of having wheat in crop rotations, including soil health, weed resistance management, and cash flow.
(00:14:28) Jon talks about the potential of wheat yields, even in unstable climates, and the role of hybrid wheat in pushing yield boundaries.
(00:18:34) He addresses the scalability challenges of hybrid wheat production and what they have learned from their launch of spring wheat.
(00:22:30) Jon provides an update on AgriPro's hybrid wheat timeline, with significant spring wheat launches in 2025 and winter wheat following a year or two later.
(00:25:32) He explains the science behind hybrid wheat, including the complexities of maintaining male-sterile and restorer lines.
(00:29:15) Jon acknowledges the challenges of being a winter wheat breeder compared to spring wheat, due to the unpredictable growing conditions.
(00:32:20) He discusses the importance of consistency in wheat breeding, aiming for top-end yields while avoiding "one-hit wonders."
(00:33:58) Jon talks about balancing quality and yield in breeding, highlighting AgriPro's role in establishing the Platte program.
(00:37:15) He shares his thoughts on the potential of gene editing and GMO wheat, emphasizing the need to explore all available technologies.
(00:40:40) Jon expresses his passion for helping the next generation navigate the corporate world, focusing on people skills, adaptability, and tenacity.
(00:44:23) In closing, he encourages farmers to control what they can control and remain optimistic, praising the collaborative efforts in improving wheat genetics.
Kansas Wheat
WheatsOnYorMind.com
