In this first episode of the Agronomy Answers Podcast, Zach sits down with his dad, Brian Hefty, to share the real story behind how Hefty Seed Company began, how it survived the toughest decade in agriculture, and how it evolved into a national family business rooted in helping farmers first.

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Zach sits down with his uncle, Darren Hefty, to talk about the early days of the Hefty family farm, the beginnings of Hefty Seed Company, and the moments that shaped its growth. From walking beans to opening new locations, Darren shares the work ethic, lessons, and stories behind building a multi...

In this episode of the Agronomy Answers Podcast, Zach Hefty and his dad, Brian Hefty, launch a brand new segment called Top 3, where each of them ranks their top three choices on a specific topic and the list almost never matches.

Today’s topic is: Biggest Yield Robbers in Corn and Soybeans

Wha...

In this episode, we dive into the story behind Hefty Naturals Brand Manager Matt Thompson. Matt grew up in a small Illinois farm town, started in grain trading, moved to Philadelphia for a corporate ag role, and eventually found his way to South Dakota and Hefty Seed.

Matt shares how he got into...

In this episode, we unveil a brand-new segment on the Agronomy Answers podcast called Convince Me. This is where Zach sits down with his dad, Brian Hefty, or other guests and challenges them to convince him of a topic they feel strongly about.

The topic up for debate is whether corn should be pl...

In this episode, Zach sits down with Hefty Naturals Brand Manager Matt Thompson to answer a simple but important question: what are Hefty Naturals?

Matt breaks down the Hefty Naturals portfolio, how these products work, and how growers should think about using biologicals, biostimulants, and rel...

In this episode, Zach and his dad, Brian Hefty, launch a new segment called Lessons From Dad. The series is built around Brian’s book, Lessons From Dad, and the real-life principles he learned from his own father and later passed on to his family.

They kick things off with the first lesson in th...

In this episode of the Agronomy Answers podcast, Zach is joined by Matt Thompson, Hefty Naturals brand manager, to explain what the herbicide tax is and why every foliar herbicide application comes with an energy cost to the crop.

They break down what happens inside the plant after applications ...

In this episode of the Agronomy Answers podcast, Zach introduces a new segment called Blind Rankings and puts Brian Hefty to the test. The challenge is simple but not easy. Brian has to rank tough to control weeds without knowing what is coming next.

They work through five common problem weeds a...

This episode of the Agronomy Answers podcast features Seth Hansen from the Hefty Seed research team as he talks about what long-term agronomy research really looks like. Seth explains why improvements in soil drainage, soil sampling, and fertility take time, but often lead to the biggest payoffs ...

This episode of the Agronomy Answers podcast features Matt Thompson as he blind ranks a group of Hefty Naturals products based on real research plot results. Matt breaks down how research has reshaped his thinking, what separates versatile tools from niche fits, and why understanding soil conditi...

This episode of the Agronomy Answers podcast continues the Lessons from Dad series with Brian sharing lessons he learned from his dad about leadership, delegation, and building up the next generation. Brian explains why giving people real responsibility matters, how mistakes are part of growth, a...

In this episode of the Agronomy Answers Podcast, Zach Hefty sits down with Heidi Arneson, Certified Seed Lab Technician, to talk all things seed testing. Raised in agriculture, Heidi carved her own path in the industry and built a career in the seed lab.

Heidi shares her journey to becoming a r...

This episode of the Agronomy Answers podcast breaks down what is new in planter box Naturals and micronutrient delivery, and what growers need to watch out for to avoid poor results. The conversation covers how some biological technologies can help reduce corn rootworm pressure by masking plant s...

This episode of the Agronomy Answers podcast features Glenn Herz, the head of research at Hefty Seed Company, sharing his path from growing up on a diversified farm in western North Dakota to leading research across multiple states. Glenn explains what Hefty research really involves, why testing ...

This episode of the Agronomy Answers podcast continues the Lessons from Dad series with Brian sharing lessons he learned from his dad about work ethic, preparation, and staying consistent when you are not the smartest in the room. He talks about the idea of making money with your back and making ...

In this episode of the Agronomy Answers Podcast, the discussion focuses on seed lab testing and how those results translate to real-world field performance. The hosts break down key tests like germination, purity, and stress testing, and explain how they ensure seed quality and consistency. They ...

In this episode of the Agronomy Answers podcast, the discussion focuses on plant growth regulators and how they influence where a plant directs its energy during the growing season. The hosts explain how using the wrong product or applying it at the wrong time can confuse the plant and reduce yie...