Wheat's on Your Mind is the go-to podcast for anyone involved in the wheat industry, from farmers and agronomists to grain marketers and researchers.
Hosted by Kansas Wheat's Aaron Harries, this podcast covers everything you need to know about wheat—from the latest market trends and technological advancements to practical tips on crop management and sustainability.
Each episode offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing wheat producers, helping you stay informed and ahead of the curve.
Whether you're in the field or behind a desk, Wheat's on Your Mind delivers the knowledge you need to succeed in the world of wheat.
100 Episodes of Wheat’s On Your Mind: Celebrating the People, Research, and Stories Behind Kansas Wheat
One hundred episodes. Four seasons. Countless conversations about the crop that helped shape Kansas agriculture.
The Wheat’s On Your Mind podcast is celebrating a major milestone, and host Aaron Harries joins producer Dave Deken to reflect on the remarkable people, memorable stories, and fascinating discoveries featured throughout the show's first 100 episodes.
Since its beginning, the podcast has taken listeners from the roots of Kansas wheat production to the cutting edge of agricultural science. Harries and Deken revisit the history of Mennonite settlers who introduced Turkey Red wheat, researchers working to improve wheat protein and yield, and the innovations that continue to transform the industry.
Some of the most powerful conversations have come directly from Kansas farm families. The hosts remember Ken and Deb Wood, whose farm near Chapman was devastated by a tornado, and the extraordinary community support that followed. They also highlight the entrepreneurial spirit of Kansas producers, including a Dodge City distillery that transforms farm-grown grain into value-added products.
The episode revisits important discussions about agricultural policy and international trade, including comments from U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran about the importance of export markets to Kansas agriculture.
For Harries, the podcast has become something more than a source of agricultural information. It is also a growing historical archive, preserving firsthand accounts from the farmers, researchers, leaders, and innovators who have shaped the wheat industry.
As Wheat’s On Your Mind looks ahead to its next 100 episodes, the mission remains clear: connect listeners with the people and information that matter to Kansas wheat.
Listen to the 100th episode and explore past conversations at wheatsonyourmind.com
6 Oct 2026
Global Wheat: What Could Move Kansas Prices
Mike O’Dea of StoneX returns to Wheat’s On Your Mind with a wide-ranging look at what could move wheat markets in the months ahead. O’Dea joins Kansas Wheat CEO Justin Gilpin and host Aaron Harries to break down the recent correction in Kansas City wheat futures, Black Sea export disruptions, sluggish domestic demand and why basis and spreads may tell producers more than flat price as the market moves toward spring.
The conversation also turns to Kansas and Southern Plains planting conditions, wheat acreage, crop quality and competition from corn. O’Day sees potential for stronger hard wheat basis as farmer selling slows and mill demand picks up, while global factors—including Russian and Ukrainian exports, European wheat, Brazil and Argentina production, China, India and El Niño—could reshape the market. For producers thinking about marketing, the message is to watch opportunities carefully: wheat growers have already taken advantage of rallies, but higher input costs and production risk make protecting total return per acre increasingly important.
22 Sept 2026
Wheat Farming: Legacy, Markets and Survival
What keeps a Kansas farmer planting wheat after one of the toughest harvests he can remember?
Plainville farmer and Kansas Wheat Commissioner Mike McClellan joins Wheat’s On Your Mind to talk about more than three decades of changes on his family farm in Rooks and Graham counties. When McClellan returned to the farm in 1994, he estimates about 80% of its crop acres were planted to wheat. Today, wheat accounts for closer to 20% as corn, milo and other crops have become larger parts of the rotation.
But wheat still has an important place. McClellan discusses experimenting with spring wheat, nearly eliminating summer fallow and using wheat stubble to make the broader crop rotation work. He also reflects on a difficult 2026 wheat crop that left him buying out some forward contracts after production fell short of expectations.
The conversation reaches well beyond McClellan Farms. Having served on the Kansas Wheat Commission since 2011 and on the U.S. Wheat Associates board, McClellan explains why export market development has become one of the wheat industry investments he values most. He also discusses wheat quality, the role of K-State’s Wheat Rx program and the difficult economics producers face when input costs and commodity prices leave little room for profit.
Finally, McClellan looks toward the next generation. At nearly 65, he is working through how to transition ownership to his nephew while being fair to family members who aren’t involved in the operation. Despite those challenges — and despite a brutal crop year — his plans for the coming season are straightforward: plant wheat and stay the course.
Who has been a guest on Wheat's On Your Mind
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Joseph Awika
Lyle Friesen
Ben Brown
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 29 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
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