Editors' Notebook

Podcasts have become an easy-to-digest way of catching up on hot topics that you're interested in, and for digging into subjects in a handy, easy-to-listen format. Whether you're in the field, the shop, the farm office, or even at home winding down your day, downloading a podcast of an interesting subject has become a popular way to learn more.

This week our friends at Progressive Farmer Magazine help us officially jump into the podcast market, with the launch of our official podcast called Field Posts. The audio files are hosted by freelance ag journalist Sarah Mock, who uses her knowledge and talents to probe a variety of subjects important to farmers and agribusinesses.

The podcasts will feature discussions with a mix of Progressive Farmer and DTN staff, as well as outside guests, who will discuss the latest issues in farming, ag policy, business, weather and market issues.

Starting Friday, May 8, you can find the podcasts at https://fieldposts.buzzsprout.com/… and on Spotify. They will be populating all other favorite podcast platforms in the days to come.

Progressive Farmer Editor-in-Chief Gregg Hillyer has led the effort into this popular medium, joined by the PF and DTN editorial and marketing staff.

"Field Posts offers another platform to expand and complement the content that appears in the pages of Progressive Farmer and websites such as DTNPF.com," Hillyer said. "The weekly podcast also delivers news and information that farmers can easily access when they're on the go -- in the field or in the pickup -- or working in the shop."

The series already contains several timely conversations. Mock queries DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart about how the livestock industry is coping with COVID-19, while our DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton focuses on the issues of meat plant closures. Progressive Farmer Crops Editor Matthew Wilde discusses the influx yield guarantees in some crop inputs, a story he'll cover in an upcoming issue of the magazine, while DTN Senior Ag Meteorologist Bryce Anderson and Mock discuss spring weather, planting progress, and how the next few weeks appear to be shaping up for crop emergence and growth.

Future podcasts will cover timely issues in policy, technology, farm business, markets and weather, explore unique feature stories from the magazine, and hit other topics critical to farmers and the ag industry.

I hope you'll check them out, and give us both feedback on existing topics as well as share subjects or guests you'd like to hear more about.

Happy listening!

Greg D. Horstmeier can be reached at greg.horstmeier@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @greghorstmeier

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