Agribusiness Freelance Writing

Successful Farming •

Three generations of Missouri farmers promote soybeans

Next year will mark 50 seasons of farming for David Durham, 71, who took his father-in-law up on joining his Norborne, Missouri, row crop operation straight out of college in 1974. It was that or go home to the Bootheel and start his own operation from scratch. Farming with the late Don Heil meant learning from him how to handle both gumbo and sandy loam soils in the Missouri River bottoms, and “learning that if you’re going to be in an industry, you need to promote it and be proud of it and vo
Noble Research Institute •

Tips for Overseeding and Improving Pastures in The Fall – Noble Research Institute

There are several reasons to overseed pastures in the fall, and several ways to do it. Jim Johnson of Noble Research Institute shares his best tips for cover-crop success. If you’re thinking about overseeding cover crops in your pastures this fall, that’s a good place to start – thinking about both the why and the how. Jim Johnson, senior ag consultant at Noble Research Institute, says there are three main reasons ranchers and farmers might consider planting a cover crop on grazing land in the
 Legacy magazine •

Soil Erosion: Preventing Another Dust Bowl

While soil erosion is a natural process, humans have the ability to assist, mitigate or defeat erosion. The good news is, regenerative agriculture is a tool in the battle against erosion. Mention soil erosion, and you may recall dramatic photos from the Dust Bowl, where winds blew soil parched by drought and left unprotected by poor farming practices in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. In May 1934 alone, an estimated 300 tons of soil were removed from the region and dropped ove
 Legacy magazine •

In the Soils Laboratory, 1940s to today

From a broom closet to a modern laboratory, soil testing has been at the heart of Noble research and services for 75 years. It’s fitting that the first laboratory established at Noble Research Institute was a soils lab, providing a tangible way to help land managers learn about soil fertility and what their fields and gardens needed to thrive. Soil tests remain a valuable tool for today’s producers as they manage crop nutrients and make land management decisions. Some things have come a long w
LEGACY Magazine •

What is a Phytobiome?

This holistic view of plants and everything around them may be the answer to feeding the world’s growing population. Seven years ago, a group of scientists met to discuss how crop production could possibly meet the food needs of the 9 billion people expected to be on the earth by the year 2050. Out of that meeting came a new word — “phytobiome” — to describe plants, their environment and the complex world of organisms associated with them. Why is this new word and concept important to producer

Red Barn Media Group: Custom Content for AGCO Corporation


From July 2016 to March 2019, I was associate editor at Red Barn Media Group for AGCO custom publications FarmLife and Performance Agronomy. I researched, planned, assigned and edited content for special sections of FarmLife and was in charge of all content in Performance Agronomy. The following are a few examples of some of my own articles used in the magazines and online from 2016 to present. I also created the ink-and-watercolor illustrations to accompany my 2020 freelance article for myFarmLife.com: "A Deep Dive into Soil Compaction."

Illustration by Marilyn Cummins
myFarmLife.com •

A Deep Dive into Soil Compaction

Compaction has many forms and causes. Knowing the types and how to avoid them can help prevent losses in yield and ROI. Avoiding soil compaction is a challenge, especially when weather and the calendar push growers into tough decisions about when to plant, till or harvest. Working wet soil and other no-no’s come at a price: Experts put average yield losses from compaction at 10 to 20%, even all the way up to 60% in extreme situations.
myFarmLife.com •

The Road to Recovery for 2019 Cropland

Whether prevented-planted or late-planted, many crop fields need special care going forward after an extremely tough weather year. Experts share advice for what’s next for best practices this fall and beyond. Even with nearly three-fourths of his crop acres unplanted and still under water behind a river levee in early September, Andy Spiegel counts himself lucky among his neighbors in Northwest Missouri. His home near Watson was safe on higher ground, and good friends and neighbors banded toget
myFarmLife.com •

The Right Tractor Tire Pressure Lightens The Load

With heavier machinery and larger loads weighing on soil and crop yields, new tire technology and automated inflation systems can help take the pressure off you and your fields, while boosting yields. The need for speed to hit an optimum planting window between rains is part of a trend toward larger planters with central fill systems, and larger tractors to pull them. However, the time savings can come at a cost to plant health and yield if the planting pass adds to soil compaction. “Soil comp
myFarmLife.com •

Game Changer: New Rules for Dicamba Herbicides

Now that new herbicides for dicamba-tolerant crops are registered, growers and applicators need to learn and follow a whole new set of rules to apply them correctly and not damage nearby fields. Training is key. Web Exclusive: Labels and Best Practices for New Dicamba Formulations >> Unfortunately, the 2016 crop season in the Midwest and Southeast is likely to be remembered for a long time as the summer of dicamba drift damage. Some fields of new dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton were seede
myFarmLife.com •

From NYC to Noah’s Park

Chris Vives came home, helped create a tranquil retreat and now shares his love of animals with people young and old. From morning to night, seven days a week, Chris Vives takes care of his rather unusual family on their 7-acre farm at Goshen, in upstate New York. Just feeding them can take all day, given their individual dietary needs, not to mention cleaning up after them and coaxing runaways like Henry back home with marshmallows. Then there’s taking them to schools and senior centers, and

Newground Magazine

From 2011 through 2016, I served as editor of the custom publication Newground Magazine, published by Arysta LifeScience. I worked with the agency team at Woodruff Sweitzer-Calgary (now called WS) to research and develop the story lineups for client approval before assigning the articles to freelance writers (and, at times, myself). I edited all the copy, helped procure images, planned the page layout and worked with the designer on page design. Here are two examples of articles I wrote.

Freelance Features and Profiles

Integrity Beef Sustainability Pilot Project Report

Integrity Beef Sustainability Pilot Project Report
(Click image to read brochure online.) I worked with the Noble Research Institute and the collaborators in this two-year pilot project to communicate its results to stakeholders and consumers. I conducted interviews and wrote the content; Noble's team handled the photography, design and printing for this 24-page publication published in July 2020.                            Awards received: 2021 Gold Award for Publishing: Promotional Publications and the Outstanding Professional Skills award for the entire Publishing division, Association for Communication Excellence (ACE). Gold ADDY Award for single-unit brochure in the 55th Annual American Advertising Awards of Oklahoma.

Brochures for AGCO Corporation


Writer for four AGCO Gleaner Combine brochures, 2023. "Performance."
Writer for four AGCO Gleaner Combine brochures, 2023. "Reliability."
Writer for four AGCO Gleaner Combine brochures, 2023. "Functionality."
Writer for four AGCO Gleaner Combine brochures, 2023. "Technology."
Writer and project manager for 20-page product brochure for new AGCO Challenger TerraGator C Series of floater applicators.
Editor and project manager for 28-page product brochure for AGCO Sunflower Spring Tillage equipment line.
Editor and project manager for 24-page product brochure for AGCO Sunflower Fall Tillage equipment line.
Editor and project manager for 20-page product brochure for AGCO Sunflower Disc Harrows line.

2019 North Village Arts District Brochure

2019 North Village Arts District Brochure
(Click on the image to go to flip book of brochure.) I edited all the submitted business profiles and wrote additional copy for this 24-page brochure/directory promoting the art galleries, theaters, restaurants and more in the North Village Arts District of Columbia, MO. My art studio, Invincible Summer Studios, formerly at Orr Street Studios, is featured on p. 10.

StopSoybeanRust.com Website

Website I developed, edited and ran for Dealer & Applicator (then AgProfessional and now The Scoop) and Successful Farming magazines, sponsored by Bayer CropScience. The mission of StopSoybeanRust.com was to provide soybean growers, agricultural retailers, crop consultants and everyone concerned with the health of the U.S. soybean crop with the No. 1 trusted source for the latest news, resources and training available to help track and combat soybean rust. The site was active 2004-2008, and can be read and navigated by clicking on the header above, thanks to the Internet Archive "Wayback Machine."

Annual Reports and Special Projects

Examples of annual reports and special-project publications I've written and managed.