AgriNovus Indiana

Indiana is now home to a commercially available renewable diesel fuel production facility after CountryMark cut the ribbon on its $100 million plus refinery upgrade in Mount Vernon. With new production capabilities and a new market for Indiana soybean farmers, we are joined by CountryMark CEO Matt Smorch to talk about the expansion and what lies ahead. We get into it:&nbsp;&nbsp; <ul><li>The company’s innovation portfolio and what they bring to the energy market&nbsp;</li><li>How biofuels have evolved in recent years – from policy driving change to sustainable aviation fuel&nbsp;</li><li>Ag and oil coming together to drive outcomes on policy&nbsp;</li><li>The $100 million investment in the Mount Vernon facility and how it positions them for the future&nbsp;</li><li>The benefits of co-processed renewable diesel&nbsp;</li><li>Why they chose to make this investment right now&nbsp;</li><li>What’s ahead for CountryMark&nbsp;</li></ul>

Matt Smorch

CEO, CountryMark

Indiana is now home to a commercially available renewable diesel fuel production facility after CountryMark cut the ribbon on its $100 million plus refinery upgrade in Mount Vernon. With new production capabilities and a new market for Indiana soybean farmers, we are joined by CountryMark CEO Matt Smorch to talk about the expansion and what lies ahead.

385. CountryMark’s Matt Smorch on their $100M expansion + Indiana’s 1st commercially available renewable diesel fuel production facility

CountryMark’s Matt Smorch on their $100M expansion + Indiana’s 1st commercially available renewable diesel fuel production facility

Young leaders are born in the show rings of 4-H fairs and Cora Rodibaugh knows that story well. This week, the 10-year 4-H'er sits down with Indiana Farm Bureau’s Annie Romine to recap her career, talk about her love of pigs and the skills she’s acquired along the way that have her equipped her for the future. She also shares what’s ahead for her as she takes off for Purdue University to start the fall semester.&nbsp; Indiana Farm Bureau is dedicated to supporting youth in agriculture. There are several opportunities for youth to be involved in INFB, with scholarships for graduating seniors and college students; Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters at Purdue, Huntington and Vincennes universities; FFA advocacy days and trainings; grants for FFA chapters and 4-H clubs; and leadership development events, competitions, awards and conferences. INFB also serves as presenting sponsor of the Exhibitor Experience for livestock exhibitors and all showmanship contests at the Indiana State Fair.&nbsp; You can learn more at <a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.infarmbureau.org%2fYFAP&amp;c=E,1,pET7Oe5aYlOBS-HZ9ad1GTfo66A7Edt6vu5jOGsgJb5xUYH_em9IIHVjyE4hFpP4piq-aX8ADyBO-LLHso9kpbWO4ElCvxPK1Gg0ij2-yZk37MCYKp7OmDx1&amp;typo=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">infb.org/YFAP</a>.&nbsp;

Cora Rodibaugh

Ten Year 4-H Participant, Tipton County

Young leaders are born in the show rings of 4-H fairs and Cora Rodibaugh knows that story well. This week, the 10-year 4-H'er sits down with Indiana Farm Bureau’s Annie Romine to recap her career, talk about her love of pigs and the skills she’s acquired along the way that have her equipped her for the future. She also shares what’s ahead for her as she takes off for Purdue University to start the fall semester.  

Indiana Farm Bureau is dedicated to supporting youth in agriculture. There are several opportunities for youth to be involved in INFB, with scholarships for graduating seniors and college students; Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters at Purdue, Huntington and Vincennes universities; FFA advocacy days and trainings; grants for FFA chapters and 4-H clubs; and leadership development events, competitions, awards and conferences. INFB also serves as presenting sponsor of the Exhibitor Experience for livestock exhibitors and all showmanship contests at the Indiana State Fair.  You can learn more at infb.org/YFAP. 

384. Cora Rodibaugh on 10 years of 4-H leadership, next generation agbioscience talent + being a peer influence for the industry

Young leaders are born in the show rings of 4-H fairs and Cora Rodibaugh knows that story well. This week, the 10-year 4-H'er sits down with Indiana Farm Bureau’s Annie Romine to recap her career, talk about her love of pigs and the skills she’s acquired along the way that have her equipped her for the future. She also shares what’s ahead for her as she takes off for Purdue University to start the fall semester. 

Indiana Farm Bureau is dedicated to supporting youth in agriculture. There are several opportunities for youth to be involved in INFB, with scholarships for graduating seniors and college students; Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters at Purdue, Huntington and Vincennes universities; FFA advocacy days and trainings; grants for FFA chapters and 4-H clubs; and leadership development events, competitions, awards and conferences. INFB also serves as presenting sponsor of the Exhibitor Experience for livestock exhibitors and all showmanship contests at the Indiana State Fair.  You can learn more at infb.org/YFAP. 

For the first time on Agbioscience (<a href="For the first time on Agbioscience (except that one time when she was a guest), we are joined by our new President and CEO, Christy Wright! " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">except that one time when she was a guest)</a>, we are joined by our new President and CEO, Christy Wright! She talks her first week on the job, connecting with industry leaders and stakeholders and hosting her first Quadrant on day three at AgriNovus. You can also read her feature with Elaine Watson in <a href="https://agfundernews.com/navigating-a-perfect-storm-in-ag-new-agrinovus-indiana-chief-sees-disruption-as-catalyst-for-innovation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AgFunder News</a> and on <a href="https://www.hoosieragtoday.com/2025/08/25/agrinovus-indiana-christy-wright-2/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hoosier Ag Today</a>. Christy, Libby and Cayla get into: <ul><li>The announcement of a <a href="https://www.hoosieragtoday.com/2025/08/19/premier-companies-superior-ag/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">potential merge</a>r between Premier Companies and Superior Ag</li><li>A recap of the Indiana Farm Bureau Critical Issues Summit -- including bonus audio from President Randy Kron and a look at the <a href="https://www.idealystinnovation.com/post/executive-summary-the-future-state-of-agriculture" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Future State of Ag Report of Idealyst Innovation</a></li><li>Intelinair's 2nd Consecutive Win at the <a href="https://agrinovusindiana.com/2025/08/13/intelinair-wins-2025-iot-agtech-advancement-award-for-agmri-platform/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AgTech Breakthrough Awards</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/flovision-raises-8-7m-to-expand-ai-tools-for-food-processing-industry#new_tab" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FloVision Raising $8.7M</a> to Expand AI Tools for Food Processing</li><li>Field Atlas Company Tours recap -- we are recruiting companies for 2026! If you're interested in hosting students, contact fieldatlas@agrinovusindiana.com.</li></ul>

For the first time on Agbioscience (except that one time when she was a guest), we are joined by our new President and CEO, Christy Wright! She talks her first week on the job, connecting with industry leaders and stakeholders and hosting her first Quadrant on day three at AgriNovus. You can also read her feature with Elaine Watson in AgFunder News and on Hoosier Ag Today. Christy, Libby and Cayla get into: 

The announcement of a potential merger between Premier Companies and Superior Ag
A recap of the Indiana Farm Bureau Critical Issues Summit -- including bonus audio from President Randy Kron and a look at the Future State of Ag Report of Idealyst Innovation
Intelinair's 2nd Consecutive Win at the AgTech Breakthrough Awards
FloVision Raising $8.7M to Expand AI Tools for Food Processing
Field Atlas Company Tours recap -- we are recruiting companies for 2026! If you're interested in hosting students, contact fieldatlas@agrinovusindiana.com.

383. A look back at August with AgriNovus CEO Christy Wright, a potential merger + big news for Intelinair + FloVision

For the first time on Agbioscience (except that one time when she was a guest), we are joined by our new President and CEO, Christy Wright! She talks her first week on the job, connecting with industry leaders and stakeholders and hosting her first Quadrant on day three at AgriNovus. You can also read her feature with Elaine Watson in AgFunder News and on Hoosier Ag Today. Christy, Libby and Cayla get into: 



The announcement of a potential merger between Premier Companies and Superior Ag
A recap of the Indiana Farm Bureau Critical Issues Summit -- including bonus audio from President Randy Kron and a look at the Future State of Ag Report of Idealyst Innovation
Intelinair's 2nd Consecutive Win at the AgTech Breakthrough Awards
FloVision Raising $8.7M to Expand AI Tools for Food Processing
Field Atlas Company Tours recap -- we are recruiting companies for 2026! If you're interested in hosting students, contact fieldatlas@agrinovusindiana.com.

Consumer education and connectivity to agbioscience innovation and their food’s origin story is a growing conversation. To see is to believe; but to experience the farm? That’s a whole different story. Purdue University’s Megan Kuhn guest hosts Hannah Vorsilak, Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Marketing and Communications Manager, this week to talk about the organization’s ultimate commitment to consumer experience in Indiana agriculture: The Glass Barn – located on the Indiana State Fairgrounds. We get into: &nbsp; <ul><li>What The Glass Barn is and what it is designed to do for someone who has never visited&nbsp;</li><li>Why that name?&nbsp;</li><li>Over ten years in, how has The Glass Barn evolved to meet consumer questions and the evolution of innovation in agbioscience&nbsp;</li><li>The use of the facility well beyond the 15 days of the Indiana State Fair – The Glass Barn welcomes 10,000 students each year + the integration of their virtual learning programs&nbsp;</li><li>How the experiential is positively affecting the perception &nbsp;</li><li>Commonly asked questions by consumers&nbsp;</li><li>Features inside of the barn, including live farmer chats, games and more&nbsp;</li><li>The growing need for experiences like this in a time where consumers have pressing questions about their food&nbsp;</li><li>What’s ahead for The Glass Barn&nbsp;</li></ul>

Hannah Vorsilak

Marketing + Communications Manager, Indiana Soybean Alliance

Consumer education and connectivity to agbioscience innovation and their food’s origin story is a growing conversation. To see is to believe; but to experience the farm? That’s a whole different story. Purdue University’s Megan Kuhn guest hosts Hannah Vorsilak, Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Marketing and Communications Manager, this week to talk about the organization’s ultimate commitment to consumer experience in Indiana agriculture: The Glass Barn – located on the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

382. Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Hannah Vorsilak on The Glass Barn, consumer education + connecting innovation to the farm

For the first time in Agbioscience video history, we have taken the show on the road; and not to just any venue...but to the iconic Indiana State Fair. Spanning 15 days that welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors, those consumers and small businesses help to generate millions for the regional economy in its two weeks run. Today our guest host Kenda Resler Friend from KRF Public Relations is joined by Indiana State Fair Executive Director, Cindy Hoye, to talk the impact of consumer experience, agbioscience innovation and the fairgrounds beyond these two weeks. We get into:&nbsp; <ul><li>Cindy’s perspective on the 2025 Indiana State Fair, its new attractions and consumer feedback&nbsp;</li><li>Marrying time-honored traditions with new themes&nbsp;</li><li>The underpinning of agbioscience innovation and education as the foundation for the Indiana State Fair and its 15 days&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Bringing veterinary science to&nbsp;the fair via a partnership with Purdue University that allows Q&amp;A opportunities between consumers and vet students on modern agriculture practices&nbsp;</li><li>How young leaders are developed through the spirit of 4-H, competition and hard work each year&nbsp;</li><li>Leveraging the other days of the year to invest in the Indiana State Fair property in order to give back to the state&nbsp;</li><li>What’s ahead for the Indiana State Fair&nbsp;</li></ul>

Cindy Hoye

Executive Director, Indiana State Fair

For the first time in Agbioscience video history, we have taken the show on the road; and not to just any venue...but to the iconic Indiana State Fair. Spanning 15 days that welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors, those consumers and small businesses help to generate millions for the regional economy in its two weeks run. Today our guest host Kenda Resler Friend from KRF Public Relations is joined by Indiana State Fair Executive Director, Cindy Hoye, to talk the impact of consumer experience, agbioscience innovation and the fairgrounds beyond these two weeks. 

381. Indiana State Fair’s Cindy Hoye on 15 days of agbioscience innovation + creating a meaningful consumer experience

According to Purdue University’s Ag Economy Barometer survey in July, high input costs and lower crop and livestock prices are the top two concerns on farmers mind at the moment. For agbioscience innovators, it’s a critical more than ever to consider moves that can deliver maximum value to the farmer. Dave Pugh, CFO of AgReliant Genetics, joins us as GDM recently announced its agreement to acquire the company. We get into:&nbsp;&nbsp; <ul><li>Dave’s background in computer science and risk management + what drew him to agbioscience&nbsp;</li><li>Massive validation in the form of GDM’s agreement to acquire AgReliant Genetics and what that means for the farmer&nbsp;</li><li>How Dave thinks through the investment of innovation in agbioscience in a time of uncertainty for farmers and companies alike&nbsp;</li><li>The AgReliant Genetics portfolio heading into acquisition and its strengths in corn genetics&nbsp;</li><li>His perspective on the relationship between seed brands and customer&nbsp;</li><li>Dave’s finance background and role as CFO – in a time of uncertainty – planning for oversight of what’s ahead and how to stay innovative in the process&nbsp;</li><li>What has him most excited about what’s ahead with GDM&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp;The following conversation discusses the recent announcement that GDM is seeking to acquire AgReliant Genetics. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals in the United States and other customary closing conditions and approvals. Until the necessary approvals and closing conditions are obtained and satisfied and the transaction has closed, GDM and AgReliant Genetics will continue to operate as independent entities, maintaining their current business routines and commercial structures.&nbsp;

Dave Pugh

CFO, AgReliant Genetics

According to Purdue University’s Ag Economy Barometer survey in July, high input costs and lower crop and livestock prices are the top two concerns on farmers mind at the moment. For agbioscience innovators, it’s a critical more than ever to consider moves that can deliver maximum value to the farmer. Dave Pugh, CFO of AgReliant Genetics, joins us as GDM recently announced its agreement to acquire the company.

380. AgReliant Genetics’ Dave Pugh on GDM + uniting strengths to deliver innovation to the American farmer 

From the early days of biotechnology to the growing voice of today’s consumer, a desire exists for knowledge and understanding of the work being done by scientists, farmers and agbioscience innovators to bring food to our tables. Today we are joined by Michele Payn, author and founder of Cause Matters Corp., who has made it her mission to bridge this gap, to make agriculture less defensive and to put emotion and heart at the center of the work happening across the industry. We get into:&nbsp;&nbsp; <ul><li>Michele’s boots on the ground perspective from scientists, farmers and industry professionals on what’s evolving in how they share their stories with consumers&nbsp;</li><li>How Cause Matters Corp. came to be and how new eras present a fresh set of challenges for her tackle and communicate in her business&nbsp;</li><li>The biggest gaps agbioscience has in bridging the technical to the practical&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Helping others adapt and stay nimble in their communication and acceptance of new information in a fast-paced world&nbsp;</li><li>Artificial Intelligence, its role in how consumers learn about agbioscience, the pros and cons and how it can be leveraged as a trusted source in the future&nbsp;</li><li>Disinformation vs. Misinformation – the distinction and the dangers between the two&nbsp;</li><li>How she would compare agbioscience today to other decades of her time in the industry – from a communications and consumer acceptance perspective&nbsp;</li><li>Finding emotional center in your agbioscience story – and the importance of making it personal to seek understanding when you communicate&nbsp;</li><li>Her new book, Science Story Speak, and its opportunity for readers to connect with science understanding on a more meaningful level&nbsp;</li><li>What’s next for Cause Matters Corp.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Michele Payn

Author + Founder, Cause Matters Corp.

From the early days of biotechnology to the growing voice of today’s consumer, a desire exists for knowledge and understanding of the work being done by scientists, farmers and agbioscience innovators to bring food to our tables. Today we are joined by Michele Payn, author and founder of Cause Matters Corp., who has made it her mission to bridge this gap, to make agriculture less defensive and to put emotion and heart at the center of the work happening across the industry.

379. Cause Matters Corp.’s Michele Payn on consumer acceptance + making the agbioscience story personal

This weekly podcast dives into agbioscience, where agriculture, life sciences and cutting-edge technology converge. Agbioscience is an in-depth conversation with leaders and entrepreneurs across food, animal health, plant science and agtech. This one-of-a-kind podcast offers updates on the latest advancements and future trends from those at the forefront of agbioscience innovation.

385. CountryMark’s Matt Smorch on their $100M expansion + Indiana’s 1st commercially available renewable diesel fuel production facility

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