Upon Further Review

Winter is the time to connect with farmers and prepare for the 2026 growing season.

District Sales Managers Shane Frantum and Coulton West sat down with Pat Tomlinson to discuss what they've been hearing throughout Service Check 5, how to get farmers set up for success, and selling the whole System to those farmers who may be reluctant.

Harvest season is wrapped up and Dr. Jim Smart is back on the podcast to discuss residue management and cover crops. In the episode, he mentions that farmers who are part of carbon credit or conservation programs should check if those programs require residue to be left standing.

Listen through to the end as Dr. Smart gives a glimpse into what he will be presenting at NDS and MFCC.

This time of year is always “go, go, go” with harvest season and the changing weather. District Manager Greg Vincent and podcast host Pat Tomlinson discuss things associates should be paying attention to right now that often get pushed to the side during the hustle and bustle of fall. Some of the topics they discuss include:

1. Getting NDS and MFCC registrations in

2. Fall ST/MZ

3. Service Check 5 due December 31

4. Preparing invite lists for Maximum Farming Forums

5. Planning a local winter meeting

How is harvest progressing throughout the Corn Belt? Get an update from the field as podcast host, Pat Tomlinson, calls several Ag Spectrum Area Managers in this week’s episode of Upon Further Review.

Thank you to Rich Malcom (Iowa), Jerry Hase (Illinois), Dave Myers (Indiana), and Brad Love (Michigan) for sharing their update on harvest activities, feedback from System clients, and how they stay in touch with farmers during harvest. Each Area Manager’s update starts at the time listed below.

• Rich Malcom – 00:50

• Jerry Hase – 06:30

• Dave Myers – 10:09

• Brad Love – 14:39

As someone who is in fields across the country each growing season, Research & Teaching Agronomist Dr. Jim Smart has a unique perspective. In this podcast episode, he shares some of the concerns farmers had and his outlook on harvest season.

Dr. Smart mentions there was concern with late planting but nearly every state is seeing tremendously good crops. He says, “The plants that were treated well with nutrition have really performed this year.”

Audio Player

This week, Ag Spectrum Technical Consultant Dr. Darrell Norton joins Host Pat Tomlinson on the podcast to discuss multi-level soil testing – why we do it and how it can help farmers better understand their soils.

Listen as Dr. Norton explains the proper approach to this method of soil testing and how the results should be interpreted.

It’s about time to head back to the field for Service Check #4. In this podcast episode, Pat Tomlinson sits down with Dustin Warf, District Sales Manager in Illinois, to talk through what this crucial mid-to-late season visit looks like.

Service Check 4 should happen after foliar applications have been made and focuses on setting expectations for harvest. This is the time to remind farmers of how the entire Maximum Farming System works to protect yield potential. Now is the time to demonstrate the plant health and root structure that the farmer has worked all season to set up.

Maximizing efficiency is Ag Spectrum’s core message to farmers, but the current climate is unique in that fertilizer costs are high, commodity prices are low, and there is an onslaught of new products distracting farmers.

Host of the podcast, Pat Tomlinson, invites District Managers Ethan Morford and Erik Larson to discuss how they’re approaching these challenges with the topic of efficiency in crop fertility.

“Being more efficient doesn’t mean cutting back on inputs. It means knowing what the crop needs, what it demands, and how farmers meet that demand at the lowest cost possible,” Larson says, “Farmers need to understand that demand first.”

Approaching farmers with an unconventional system can be daunting. On this week’s podcast episode, Area Manager David Cisney and District Sales Manager Greg Vincent share their tips for having those tough conversations with farmers, especially new prospects.

Cisney says, “What we bring to the industry is unique in itself but with how we approach the farmgate, we have an opportunity to make a lasting impression the first time we show up with them.”

Listen as they share their strategies on conversations around avoiding conventional dry fertilizer applications.

Spring planting is now complete in most parts of the country, with a few regions still wrapping up. Dr. Jim Smart, Research & Teaching Agronomist, has spent the season advising farmers nationwide and offers valuable insight into the current state of the growing season.

Listen as Dr. Smart recaps the spring planting season and shares his perspective on where things stand today.

Service Check 2 should be completed from emergence to V4 in corn, and by the fourth trifoliate in soybeans. In this episode, Shane Frantum, Western Iowa District Manager, shares his top tips for making the most of Service Check 2. His key recommendations include:

1. Schedule meetings early

2. Get farmers out in the field with you

3. Scout multiple areas of the field, paying close attention to spots that stand out, whether they’re performing well or showing signs of trouble

4. Take photos to refer back to and share

While planting season has everyone’s attention, it’s time to start looking ahead to two important events: New Associate Training and Dealer Launch. District Manager Greg Vincent joins host Pat Tomlinson to share who should be attending these meetings and what topics will be covered.

New Associate Training helps Associates, in their first few years, build essential knowledge and offers a great opportunity to invite prospective and new farmers. Its timing makes it the perfect moment to reinforce the System and position foliar applications.

Tune in as Greg and Pat break down the details.

Sunny, warm stretches of weather have allowed farmers to begin spring field activities. Illinois District Sales Manager Dustin Warf, based out of the southern part of the state, even witnessed soybean planters running in late March.

Dustin joins our host Pat Tomlinson to dive into the “how-to” and “why-to” of Service Check 1. He stresses the tendency of farmers to make last minute decisions about spring inputs and the importance of communicating with the farmers that have given you soft commitments that last-minute orders will put a strain on receiving the product in time. Service Check 1 creates the opportunity to have this conversation, among many others.

Phosphorus is abundant in soil, but most of it is in the mineral form, so it is not readily accessed by crop roots. At NDS and MFCC, Dr. Roli Wilhelm from Purdue University shared new research monitoring how the plant’s fixed carbon flows into and out of the roots to help the crop access soil P.

He showed how a plant’s root system feeds both mycorrhizae and helper bacteria, giving them the energy needed to extract P from minerals and deliver it as a nutrient to the crop. Furthermore, he highlighted other recent research demonstrating how different farm management practices affect those important root-associated microbes and their ability to improve crop yield potential.

On this week’s episode of “Upon Further Review”, Dr. Brian Gardener dives deeper into Dr. Wilhelm’s research to explain what his findings on the inverse relationship of soil P and root growth mean for farmers.

A concept that often isn’t intuitive to farmers is air-water management. It’s a topic that can be hard to present effectively because it encompasses a wide array of what the Maximum Farming System is designed to do.

This week on Upon Further Review, Western Iowa District Sales Manager Shane Frantum joins our host Pat Tomlinson to discuss how Associates can better explain air-water management to farmers as the most important aspect of soil fertility.

Planting season will be here before you know it! Now is a great time to reflect on last year and prepare for the coming season.

Listen as Dr. Jim Smart, Research and Teaching Agronomist, and Pat Tomlinson discuss key takeaways from 2024 and how to apply those learnings in 2025. Topics covered (in order as they are talked about) include:

• Foliar timing

• Effects of high sodium

• Tank cleaning

• Cover crop termination

• Herbicide label changes

• Tar spot prevention

The best way for farmers to improve is to understand and effectively apply the basic science of crop production. This is where Maximum Farming System Associates come in.

District Managers Erik Larson and Greg Vincent sat down with Pat Tomlinson to discuss how dealers can explain the concept of basic science to prospective clients.

In general, Illinois farmers had ideal fall weather helping harvest run smoothly and quickly for most in the state. The beginning of the season, however, was not as ideal.

District Manager Dustin Warf and our host Pat Tomlinson, two native Illinoisans, discuss how the System enabled crops to develop faster, stronger, and more abundantly, even with the intense spring and summer conditions throughout the state. They also share how you can use the winter months to prepare farmers and your business for next season.

District Manager Erik Larson is back on the podcast to give an update on Indiana harvest, including the benefits farmers who used the Maximum Farming System on their soybeans are seeing.

Erik and our host Pat Tomlinson also discuss how to uncover concerns about next season while navigating conversations with farmers and empathizing with those concerns.

Research & Teaching Agronomist Dr. Jim Smart is back on the podcast to share what he has been hearing and seeing across the country as temperatures cool off and harvest gets rolling. Topics include:

• Early reports of small soybean size

• Desiccate use and timing on soybeans

• Fall herbicides to control bi-annual and perennial weeds

• Cover crop selection based on objective

• Sunn hemp for nematode suppression

• Winter wheat planting

• Fall preparation for a farm that is new to the System

As you meet with farmers during harvest, discuss how what they saw in the field during the growing season is tying into what they see now from the combine. It’s important to remind farmers of how their decisions throughout the season can affect their crops. Those decisions could have included planting when the ground was too wet, or, with the industry’s current state, cutting recommended rates which shows in their results now. Don’t shy away from these conversations.

District Sales Manager Greg Vincent talks through a case he had of this. He also explains how Service Check 5 with Maximum Farming Reports allows associates to deliver the “why” behind harvest results and a path forward for next year.

Being in the field with farmers during these summer, pre-harvest months allows dealers to become aware of and prepare for any surprises that may come up during harvest, positive or negative.

This week, Western Iowa District Manager Shane Frantum joins Pat to discuss how interactions with farmers now have such a large impact on associates’ business for the next growing season. Shane also gives an overview of how the season has gone in his area and his outlook on harvest.

Now is the perfect time to reflect on what can be learned from the 2024 planting season, and look forward to the rest of the season.

Dr. Jim Smart, Research & Teaching Agronomist, gives an update on what he has been seeing and hearing as he works with farmers throughout the country. Topics he goes into detail on are:

• Various crop stages have led to insect pressure

• More farmers are utilizing GlyCure due to the increased use of glyphosate

• There are many instances of insecticides that were put out at planting but aren’t being effective

• Early-planted wheat fared better

• PT-21 and Score foliar will help make corn more uniform and help the crop access needed nitrogen

Approaching prospective farmers and overcoming their objections can be a rigorous process. Still, it’s incredibly important in order to get quality, long-term customers who are dedicated to making positive change on their farms.

Milne-Dinsdale Seed, LLC owners, Erin Marlow and Travis Milne, join Pat to discuss how they approach conversations with farmers who are “relentless in pursuit of efficiency” as Travis says. They go into detail on how important relationship-building is when providing farmers with something as intricate as the Maximum Farming System.

Illinois’ wide range of planting dates this year has brought unique challenges and opportunities for associates completing Service Check 2.

Listen as District Manager Dustin Warf and Farm Manager Consultant Pat Tomlinson give an update on what the season looks like so far in their home state, and how it can be translated across the Corn Belt.

Most areas have a start on planting for the season. As part of the Ag Spectrum technical team, Research & Teaching Agronomist Dr. Jim Smart helps associates and farmers through challenges they face at planting and throughout the growing season.

Listen as Dr. Smart shares how to avoid and alleviate effects from issues like confusion around tank storage, improper herbicide use, and foliar timing.

The due date for Service Check 1 is closing in (June 1) so now is the time to make plans for Service Check 2 – Early Establishment Phase.

Getting out in the field with farmers makes all the difference when it comes to commending good implementation and diagnosing potential issues. Indiana District Sales Manager Erik Larson provides tips on making your Service Checks as beneficial as possible. Two key points he makes are:

1. Think about your customer type with long-time versus newer customers, and what to show them in their great fields and their not-as-great fields.

2. Remember to record everything in Dealer Tools for future reference.

Typically, in discussions with farmers, corn and the specifics of corn development that the System supports are often the focus. Sometimes soybeans can be a little bit of an afterthought. Yet, soybean performance can also significantly benefit from the System, just like corn.

Technical Director Dr. Brian Gardener joins our host Pat Tomlinson to discuss opportunities to help clients by giving more attention to their soybean acres and management practices.

It seems like there have been several springs and winters at this point across the Corn Belt, and the changing weather is making farmers antsy to get in the field.

Research & Teaching Agronomist Dr. Jim Smart is back with our host Pat Tomlinson to discuss the following timely spring topics:

1. Spray Tank Cleaning

2. Next Nutrition Step for Winter Wheat

3. Service Check 1

Ag Spectrum has a large network of researchers and experts who are available as resources to Associates. One of these researchers, Dr. Darrell Norton, is a longtime Technical Consultant with the company.

As the inaugural Director and Research Soil Scientist for the USDA-ARS Natural Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, Dr. Norton led the first research on soil erodibility, surface sealing, and compaction. One of his greatest discoveries was utilizing gypsum to increase air-water balance in soil.

Listen as Dr. Norton discusses his research, career, and his perspective on seeing the Maximum Farming System develop.

Timing of the Maximum Farming System nutrition for winter wheat can make or break a crop.

Pat Tomlinson talks with Ag Spectrum Agronomist Dr. Jim Smart about the timing to apply either Clean Start, Kick-Off and GroZyme, or PT-21, Score, and GroZyme, as wheat comes out of dormancy. They also discuss the need to follow those treatments with nitrogen ten days to two weeks later.

Nutrient Stratification is an issue that has received an increasing amount of attention in farm press recently. Usually, it is characterized as being a consequence of no-till or reduced tillage systems.

How should Ag Spectrum Associates be thinking about the issue of nutrient stratification, both generally and more specifically on farms using the Maximum Farming System?

Dr. Brian Gardener joined “Upon Further Review” podcast host Pat Tomlinson to answer this question.

Have you registered for the January 8th webinars? If you need something to further entice you, check out this episode.

This week, District Sales Manager Greg Vincent shares what will be covered during each webinar and how associates can leverage the public webinar to interact with customers and prospects.

In a recent Red Zone article, Dr. Brian Gardener walked through how yields are depicted in Maximum Farming Reports and how to interpret those in grower discussions. “Upon Further Review” host Pat Tomlinson expands on this topic in the latest podcast episode.

Research & Teaching Agronomist Dr. Jim Smart joins Pat to discuss how Associates can review their customers’ reports and be ready to clearly present that information to the farmer.

In recent episodes, guests joined our host Pat Tomlinson to cover how the Maximum Farming System recognizes and satisfies crops’ needs for the big three macronutrients – N, P, and K.

To continue this effort, but on a finer scale, Research & Teaching Agronomist Jim Smart joins Pat from La Harpe, Kansas to discuss how the System addresses needs for micronutrients.

Included in the conversation is a deep dive into the package of micronutrients Ag Spectrum recommends at planting with Kick-Off and through foliar with Score, as well as how those rate recommendations are determined.

In previous episodes, our host Pat Tomlinson and guests reviewed that phosphorus and potassium are often built up in the soil and need to be made available to the crop. Nitrogen, however, is different.

While healthy soil provides some nitrogen for plants’ use through mineralization, it is still a necessary crop input for corn every year it is grown.

District Sales Manager Greg Vincent joins Pat this week to dive into nitrogen management.

There is enough Phosphorus in the soil for many generations to come. Instead of worrying about the amount of P in their soil, farmers should focus on promoting a healthy soil environment for that P to be available to plants.

In the latest podcast episode, Ohio District Manager Trevin Sears sits down with Pat Tomlinson to discuss how Clean Start in the Maximum Farming System slows the calcium-phosphorus binding process down to keep P available to seedlings longer. They also share tips on explaining key phosphorus management points to farmers.

Indiana District Sales Manager Erik Larson joins our host Pat Tomlinson to review one of the key aspects of the Maximum Farming System, potassium management.

Potassium is not only an essential nutrient, but also one of the big three macronutrients that receive a lot of focus in the agriculture fertility industry.

Starting out from a 30,000-foot level then focusing down to the finer details, Erik and Pat share how the System addresses crop potassium need.

Those who have been with Ag Spectrum for a while may benefit from the different perspective a fresh set of eyes can provide from time to time.

District Sales Managers, Shane Frantum (Iowa) and Dustin Warf (Illinois), joined the Ag Spectrum team during the last year from the conventional ag supply industry. They both have a unique perspective on how the company looks to someone coming from mainstream ag, but also now have the experience of understanding Ag Spectrum from the inside.

Learning from their thoughts and experiences can make everyone more effective in their roles representing Ag Spectrum and the Maximum Farming System®.

Listen as Shane and Dustin share why they chose to come to Ag Spectrum.

Service Check 3 is due in a couple of weeks on August 15th, which means you should be moving on to Service Check 4 for the season.

The goals of Service Check 4 are:

1. Show your clients you are there

2. Set expectations for harvest

3. Share how the System has contributed to root growth and yield up to this point

4. Evaluate any disease pressure

5. Discuss fall soil sampling, input application, and cover crops

6. Schedule meeting for Service Check 5 annual review and planning

Listen to the latest episode where Dr. Jim Smart, Ag Spectrum Research & Teaching Agronomist, and our host Pat Tomlinson share tips on how to approach Service Check 4 to achieve the best result with your customers.

While we are in the middle of the cash crop growing season, now is a great time to start thinking about cover crop programs. There are many factors that come into play when selecting a cover crop program. It’s critical to understand how the conditions throughout the prior season will affect the potential benefits of a cover crop.

Delk Crosier, Maximum Farming System Implementation Specialist, shares his thoughts on successfully integrating cover crops for improved erosion control, weed control, nutrient efficiency, and overall soil health.

As planting, emergence, and the early growth stages of corn wrap up, Ag Spectrum Technical Director Dr. Brian Gardener joins Pat to discuss the approaching foliar season. Listen as they go through common questions associates receive and how to best support the crop during this time.

The season continues to progress and crops continue to grow. Before you know it, we will be into foliar season. Soybean foliars greatly improve the plant’s ability develop and fill pods, creating more harvestable yield.

Listen as host Pat Tomlinson and Dr. Jim Smart, Research & Teaching Agronomist, discuss how to ensure your customers get value from foliar applications, even in dry conditions.

A phrase we’ve come to hear the last ten to fifteen years, “Ugly Corn Stage”.

What does it mean? When does it happen? How can we better support the crop through it?

Dr. Jim Smart, Research & Teaching Agronomist answers these questions and more in the latest Upon Further Review podcast episode.

It’s time to start planning for foliar treatments.

Research and Teaching Agronomist Dr. Jim Smart offers tips and advice on foliar timing and placement.

To be seen differently by our customers, we have to be different. Service Checks provide that time with the farmer to nurture that relationship and ensure they have a successful season.

Service Check 2 is the time to assess early establishment of the crop, discuss how planting went, and look ahead to the rest of the season to maximize results. Host, Pat Tomlinson, and Research & Teaching Agronomist, Dr. Jim Smart, share how to get prepared before heading out to the field with your customers.

Farms that experienced drought-like conditions last year are vulnerable to herbicide carryover this growing season.

Our host Pat Tomlinson sits down with Research & Teaching Agronomist Dr. Jim Smart to discuss which herbicides likely stick around if it’s too dry, and how to alleviate potential problems.

One of the most challenging springtime decisions: when to start planting. Correctly judging when conditions are right to plant can be difficult for farmers who try to evaluate day-to-day soil temperatures, weather forecasts, calendar date, and many other factors that are tough to ignore.

Dr. Brian Gardener, Technical Director, joins Pat Tomlinson to share the most important factors to have in place before planting.

Maximum Farming System® customers know that a successful growing season starts with the soil. But even with the most fertile and healthy soil, the quality of the seed can cause substantial issues. Evaluating seed germination before it goes into the ground can save customers time and money. It also ensures farmers don’t misdirect their focus onto inputs when the seed itself was the problem.

In order to provide this clarity, many associates have taken advantage of Ag Spectrum’s facilitation of both the submission of seed samples to Professional Seed Research Inc. (PSR), as well as the delivery of results back from PSR through Dealer Tools.

Robert Johnson, Vice President of Operations at PSR, joins our host to explore how seed germination assessment by a qualified, independent source can save farmers from potential headaches this season.

Transitioning from spring cover crop to cash crop must be done in a way that reaps as much benefit from the cover crop as possible, while prioritizing the cash crop’s needs. Dr. Jim Smart, Ag Spectrum Research & Teaching Agronomist joins Pat to dive into concerns farmers who are beginning to establish cover crop programs on their farms may have.

Maximum Farming Reports enable Associates to sit down with farmers and give them a better understanding of their soils in order to make practical management decisions. Kent Hostetler, an Ag Spectrum dealer near Maquoketa, IA uses these reports to provide significant value to his customers. Listen as Kent gives his top tips for leveraging these reports with farmers.

While the salt index is only one measure of risk plants face during a growing season, it is important to know the impact it could have on crops. Technical Director Dr. Brian Gardener and our host Pat Tomlinson discuss why Associates should be knowledgeable about the salt index of Ag Spectrum products, and how to alleviate any customer concerns.

Brad Love, Ag Spectrum Area Manager in Michigan, was awarded second place for his state in the National Corn Growers Association’s 2022 Corn Yield Contest no-till, non-irrigated division. He harvested a yield of over 273 bushels to the acre by following his Maximum Farming recommendations to a tee.

Brad sat down with Pat Tomlinson to discuss how he got involved in the contest and the credibility he has gained with prospects since placing second.

New products advertised as “silver bullets” have flooded the agriculture input industry. How should you as associates communicate the value of the Maximum Farming System through all of the noise in the marketplace?

Host Pat Tomlinson chats with District Sales Manager Greg Vincent about getting the message of a system-based approach across to farmers.

With harvest 2022 behind us, Ag Spectrum Technical Director Dr. Brian Gardener sits down with Pat to answer some common soil testing questions they receive from farmers and associates in the field. This is part two of a two-part discussion.

With harvest 2022 behind us, Ag Spectrum Technical Director Dr. Brian Gardener sits down with Pat to answer some common soil testing questions they receive from farmers and associates in the field. This is part one of a two-part discussion.

Maximum Farming Implementation Specialist, Delk Crosier, joins Pat to discuss how today’s technology paves the way for effective System setup.

Research & Teaching Agronomist, Dr. Jim Smart, joins to discuss 2022 growing season stresses and how crops raised with the 5Rs in mind have higher yield potential when faced with stress than on a traditional program.