What’s happening with the Farm Bill? On this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies, Andy Tauer joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest in the podcast room. Andy serves as the Executive Director of Public Policy for Indiana Farm Bureau Co-op and as such, he is able to provide insight into politics as it relates to agriculture on a local and national level. Andy gives us updates on the 2023 Farm Bill, which will be the largest farm bill ever passed, and the challenges that exist wi...
Oct 09, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 103
What do drones, swine, and sewing have in common? 4-H! Special guests, Katie Martin and Heather VonDielingen are joining hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Katie is the Director of Marketing for Premier Companies, and Heather is the Purdue County Extension Director and 4-H Educator. Heather shares about her career path, including how her experience in the classroom combined with her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Admini...
Oct 02, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 102
“I love the big shiny trucks!” Brian Farmer joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama on today’s episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Brian is the Regional Vice President at the Larson Group which is a privately held and award-winning dealer of new and used Peterbilt trucks. Brian will share about the locations and offerings that The Larson Group is able to provide across the midwest. You’ll also learn how interest rates have impacted freight rates and the used truck business. Fro...
Sep 25, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 101
“Education and entertainment!” It’s a special edition of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies as we celebrate the 100th episode! We’ve got hosts, Ryan Priest, the COO, and the one and only Sal Sama, the VP of Agronomy, Sales, and Marketing. There’s not a better way of celebrating than getting to know your hosts through a lightning round of Questions of the Day. Sal and Ryan will share where they were born, whether they prefer texting or talking, and whether they’d climb a mountain or jum...
Sep 18, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 100
It’s goin’ up! Returning guest and livestock expert, Ryan Batt, joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. He’s got a front row seat to what’s happening in the livestock industry as the Facilities Manager for United Producers, Inc. Ryan gives us the update on the prices of feeder calves, steers, and how the cost of labor and hay has driven up prices across the board. He’ll share how the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP...
Sep 11, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 99
“We’re gonna run wild!” Returning fan favorite, Glenn Longabaugh, joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. If you’ve been listening to this podcast for any amount of time, you already know that Glenn is the resident agronomist for Premier Companies, and today, he’s got props with him! Just ahead of harvest, Glenn is sharing his wealth of knowledge on multiple fungicide applications, mystery yield loss, and crop dis...
Sep 04, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 98
Are you interested in starting an alfalfa stand for hay production? You won’t want to miss this episode with an expert in the industry! Hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama are joined by special guest, Emily Meccage, PhD for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Emily is the Product and Development Manager at Forage Genetics International, a leader in the alfalfa industry devoted to increasing alfalfa yield, performance, and hardiness. On today’s episode, you’ll learn about Har...
Aug 28, 2023•29 min0
Fertilizer! It’s not an Olympic sport, but it is not for the weak. We’re talking about everything related to crop nutrients on this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Jeff Jarrett, VP of Fertilizer Procurement Operations, and Scott Sharp, VP of Crop Nutrient Operations, are joining hosts, Ryan Priest and Sal Sama, in the podcast room, and there’s no shortage of laughs today! Jeff, Scott, Ryan, and Sal will dig into a variety of topics today including labor strikes, the pric...
Aug 21, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 96
“When you have a superstar as a guest, this is what you deal with,” and they’re not even talking about his wet pants! Returning guest, Glenn Longabaugh, joins Sal Sama and Ryan Priest in the studio for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Glenn is the Agronomist for Winfield Solutions, and he’s a fan favorite not just because of his experience and knowledge, but also because of his hatred for stink bugs! Glenn shares some of what he’s seeing in their answer plots includi...
Aug 14, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 95
“We thought it was going to be pretty calm for Ag until some of the budget bills came out!” Bruce Kettler joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama remotely from the Indiana State Fair for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Bruce grew up in the farming industry, majored in agronomy, and is currently the CEO and President of the Agribusiness Council of Indiana. Bruce will share a bit about how his role allows him to help make sure that the industries, companies, and business...
Aug 07, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 94
Have you heard of drone applicators for the agriculture industry? They’re here! On this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies, hosts, Ryan Priest and Sal Sama are joined in the podcast room by two special guests, Travis Kohrman and Ben McCoy of Xperience Ag and XAG Apply. Travis, the founder of Xperience Ag, shares a bit about the company’s start and how they ended up where they are today. You’ll learn about the drone fungicide applicators, how they’re operated, and how they’re...
Jul 31, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 93
Scullies, tank wagons, and DEF; if they’re not just cool band names, what are they? We’ve brought in two of the pros to educate us today. CD Kinney and Jason Nall join hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Both employed by Premier, CD is the Operations Manager, and Jason is the Petroleum Sales Manager. Though every day is different, Jason gives us a glimpse into what a day in the life of a Petroleum Sales Manager look...
Jul 24, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 92
Why is there a school superintendent on the podcast today? To shed light on the existing labor shortage, Keith Nance, Superintendent for the West Washington School Corporation, joins hosts, Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Keith shares how his school system has been able to develop and drive the career and technical education for their area, particularly with CDL program. He’ll share about the obstacles that he and his team have had to ov...
Jul 17, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 91
The USDA report brought us some surprises! But why? To dig into the report, returning guest, Aaron Bledsoe, joins Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. If you’ve not been with us very long, Aaron is the Grain Merchandiser for Premier Company, so he lives and breathes in the world of buying and selling grain. As always, Aaron shares insight into the most recent USDA report concerning acreage, what was planted and what wasn’t planted. You’ll lea...
Jul 10, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 90
“I’m about to shock you again!” We’re talking livestock today, and you know what that means; Ryan Batt is back! Ryan is the Facilities Manager for United Producers, Inc., and he’s joining hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies. Ryan’s been in his role for 22 years, so he’s got a good handle on what the livestock market is doing. Sal, Ryan, and Ryan talk the price and quality of meat, total profit per head, and what the...
Jul 03, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 89
“We want to be the reliable company… We’re gonna be there.” Special guests, Premier employees, Scott Heyne and Bill Houze, join hosts, Sal Sama and Ryan Priest, for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies to share about the customer service philosophy that Premier Companies holds. Scott is in Commercial and Residential Sales, and Bill Houze works in Commercial Sales. Scott, Bill, Ryan, and Sal will discuss commercial and residential propane sales, their customer service phil...
Jun 26, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 88
Where’s the rain, and how will the lack of it impact the upcoming planting report? Returning fan favorite, Aaron Bledsoe, joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies to answer that question. As many of you know, Aaron is the Grain Merchandiser for Premier Companies, so he’s got a ton of insights into the market. What you may not know is that he is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to board games as well. Aaron, Sal, and Ryan dig ...
Jun 19, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 87
“I really like the flexibility and the freedom to make the job your own and work with customers that you really see that you can help.” Emily Nealy joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Emily is a Purdue grad and an account manager for Premier, and she is the featured employee for this Employee Spotlight! Erin shares a bit about the day in the life of an account manager, hobbies, and why she enjoys working for P...
Jun 12, 2023•12 min•Season 1Ep. 86
What do the Dewey Decimal Decimal System, farm visits, and the Farm Bill have in common? This podcast episode! All the way from Washington DC, Erin Houchin joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Erin is the Congresswoman for the 9th congressional district, and she joins to share what led her to a life of public service. Congresswoman Houchin, Ryan, and Sal also cover a variety of topics including bipartisan work, dyslexia legislatio...
Jun 05, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 85
It’s time for another employee spotlight! Katelyn Steiner joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Katelyn has been with the Loogootee facility for around nine months now, and you’ll get to learn more about her role as the Grain Administrator within the company. Katelyn will also share about her family, pet menagerie, and why a customer thought he might have been walking around the Wall of Jericho. She’ll also shar...
May 29, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 84
What do you do if you’ve got a failed crop of corn? Glenn knows! Returning guest, Glenn Longabaugh, joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Glenn is a fan favorite, and he’s the newly-announced Agronomist for Premier Ag. As such, he’s able to provide insight into spring planting conditions this year and gives us several things we need to keep an eye out for during this spring planting season. Glenn, Sal, and Ryan will share their tho...
May 22, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 83
What if you had 18 days of food left? We’re tackling global food security today with guest Anton Pshon. He traveled all the way from Minnesota to join hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies. Originally from the Ukraine, Anton is the Senior Director of Strategy and Business Development for Land O’Lakes. In addition to sharing about global food security, Anton, Sal, and Ryan explain some of the things that impact that in...
May 15, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 82
What’s happening in the livestock industry? To answer that question, hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama are joined in the podcast room by returning guest, Ryan Batt, for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies. Ryan is the Facility Manager for United Producers, and as Sal says, “If Ryan Batt is in the house, we’re gonna talk about livestock.” Ryan, Sal, and Ryan will cover a variety of topics related to prices of beef, the cost of inputs, and the bottom line. You’ll hear more a...
May 08, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 81
Are you curious about RFS, E15 fuel, RVP, and the refinery industry? Returning subject matter expert, Matt Smorch, joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies. Matt is the President and CEO of CountryMark, an Indiana-based refinery that produces 30,000 barrels of American-sourced crude oil per day. Matt, Ryan, and Sal dive into some heavy-hitting topics including the RFS, or Renewable Fuel Standard, which is designed ...
May 01, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 80
It’s time for another employee spotlight! Hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama are joined by brand new guest, Tangody Fewell, for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies. Tangody is the Propane Operations Manager for Premier Companies. She’s been in the co-op system for 24 years, and she’s spent five of those years with Premier. You’ll learn about the day in the life of a Propane Operations Manager, how bulk plant tanks are monitored, and the biggest challenges that come with try...
Apr 24, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 79
If you’re from Indiana, you likely know the voice, and today you’ll meet the man, C.J. Miller, who joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for this special episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies. C.J. has been in the broadcasting industry for years, and he is the Farm Broadcaster for Hoosier Ag Today which exists to share updates on the agriculture industry and news impacting growers that may not otherwise be covered in the media. C.J. shares the history of Hoosier Ag Today and th...
Apr 17, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 78
“Why is my bacon so expensive?” Returning guest, Gary Calloway, joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies. Gary is the Vice President of Livestock Production at SwineLink. A division of Premier companies, SwineLink comes alongside contract growers to provide management practices to pork facilities owned by local families by using the latest tech and their years of experience. Ryan, Sal, and Gary cover a wide range o...
Apr 10, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 77
How convenient! On this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies, brand new guest, Bob Cherepski, joins hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest in the podcast studio. Bob is the Retail Operations Manager for all of Premier Ag’s convenience stores, so he’s involved in every aspect of operations from inventory to interviewing. Bob shines some light on Premier’s retail operations including a handful of convenience stores and the farm and pet store which has a lot more than just bait and tack...
Apr 03, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 76
“You can’t win a championship in the preseason, but you can lose a championship in the preseason.” Fan favorite, Glenn Longabaugh, is back in the studio today with hosts Sal Sama and Ryan Priest for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies. Glenn is the Agronomist at WinField Solutions and is no stranger to the podcast. He’s bringing words of wisdom and his very best whisker switch imitation. Glenn, Sal, and Ryan cover a variety of topics including the rules for their new na...
Mar 27, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 75
“We’ve got projected up acres, we’ve got projected up yields, we’ve got fertilizer prices going the other way. What’s going on?” To answer that question, guest, Josh Linville, joins hosts Ryan Priest and Sal Sama for this episode of The High Ground, powered by Premier Companies. Josh is the Director of Fertilizer for StoneX, and because he has 20 years of experience in US and international fertilizer markets, he’s seen it all when it comes to fluctuations in the market. Josh not only shares what...
Mar 20, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 74
