Is your farm's productivity being capped by outdated machinery, or are you ready to optimize every single acre this season? Jon Paul Driver sits down with good friend and industry insider Mike Leaden for a candid, behind-the-scenes chat on what it really takes to stay ahead in the modern forage industry. They break down: 🤝 Peer-to-Peer Wisdom: Why the best insights don't always come from a textbook, but from candid, off-the-cuff conversations between experienced producers. 🚜 Equipment & Efficiency: Key operational strategies for maximizing throughput, reducing downtime, and getting the absolute most out of your field passes. 🌾 The Hay Kings Advantage: Stripping away the fluff to tackle the everyday realities, management decisions, and market trends impacting forage operations today. 🎙Hosted by Jon Paul Driver 🤝 Sponsored by Krone — Dedicated to Hay and Forage Producers 🔗 Listen at hay-kings.com

Stop managing your farm by your bank account balance and confront the dangerous financial lies holding your operation back. Host Jon Paul Driver breaks down a no-nonsense roadmap for turning your record-keeping into a powerful tool for your family, your spouse, and your lender.

The conversation pivots between two critical pillars of modern farm management: national policy and family succession. On the policy front, they explore the ”parity vs. equality” debate, weighing whether the hay industry is better served by remaining a ”free market microcosm” or if the lack of ARC and PLC support creates an unfair disadvantage compared to row crops.

With the export market cooling off, hay is staying home—but are producers ready for the domestic shift? Jon Paul Driver welcomes back Cosmos Fitzpatrick for a boots-on-the-ground look at the 2026 domestic hay landscape. From the ”Yellowstone effect” in the equine industry to the high-tech hay drying barns of the Northeast, they break down why ”business as usual” won’t cut it in this cycle.

Jon Paul Driver sits down with Scott Courtright of Courtright Enterprises for a brutally honest assessment of the hay export crisis. They move past the surface-level talk to provide the intellectual honesty required to navigate an industry that has effectively wiped out $600 million in equity through inventory write-downs and a historic demand collapse.

Mike Stefan joins Jon Paul Driver to discuss how ”OCD” management and a diverse retail model allowed his Western New York operation to thrive amidst massive dairy consolidation. This episode explores the evolution of the East Coast market, the necessity of brokers as liability buffers, and the importance of being a ”competent neighbor” in modern agriculture.

On the Hay Kings podcast, Don Schilling explains why years of distorted market signals, excess press capacity, and non-profit-driven capital reshaped the hay export industry.

Jesse Bounds shares honest, real-world insight about how growers can adapt, collaborate, and find opportunity even in tough conditions.

Making hay isn’t always the best decision. Dr. Carson Roberts, Assistant Professor and Forage Specialist at the University of Missouri, joins host Jon Paul Driver to unpack his controversial article: “10 Reasons You Should Quit Making Hay.” From skyrocketing equipment costs to oversupply, soil health, and alternative winter feeding strategies, this episode challenges assumptions and sparks fresh thinking about specialization, economics, and forage management.

🎉 We’ve hit 100 episodes! 🎉 The Hay Kings Podcast started with a simple goal: connect hay and forage producers with real stories, expert insights, and a few laughs along the way. Today, we celebrate 100 episodes strong — and we couldn’t have done it without our listeners, guests, and sponsor Krone. 🚜 Here’s to the next hundred! 🔗 Listen now: hay-kings.com