In this special episode, host Frances Hayes sits down with Peter McCornick, Executive Director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, as he concludes nearly a decade of leadership. This deep-dive conversation covers Peter’s distinguished career, from his early life on a farm in Scotland and pivotal international work in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, to what drew …
DWFI Podcast 47 – Crafting Compelling Science Communication
In this episode, host Frances Hayes sits down with Crystal Powers, DWFI and Nebraska Water Center’s water and cropping systems extension educator, to discuss why the most revolutionary science can only drive change if it’s communicated effectively. Crystal and her colleague, Ann Briggs, at the Nebraska Water Center, created the “Beyond the Data” workshop, which aims to transform researchers and …
MyLand Wins 2025 AgTech Breakthrough Award
MyLand, a leading innovator in soil health, today announced it has won the 2025 AgTech Breakthrough Award for Overall Smart Irrigation Solution. The honor recognizes MyLand’s groundbreaking innovation that transforms traditional irrigation into a powerful tool for soil health restoration and farm resilience. MyLand redefines the role of irrigation in modern agriculture from a simple utility to a dynamic regenerative …
DWFI Podcast 44 – The Vadose Zone
The vadose zone is the area between crop roots and the water table, and is a critically important region for storage, transport and transformation of chemicals that can impact groundwater quality. In this episode of the Water for Food Podcast, host Frances Hayes talks with Arindam Malakar, a researcher with the Nebraska Water Center (NWC, a part of DWFI) who …
DWFI Podcast 43 – Irrigation and Global Health
In the 43rd episode of the Water for Food Podcast, host Frances Hayes speaks with Claudia Ringler of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) about the crucial link between irrigation and global health, expanding on Ringler’s recent Heuermann Lecture as part of the 2025 Water for Food Global Conference and previous episodes in this podcast. Together they explore how …
MyLand Launches Water Conservation Initiative in Arizona
Soil health innovator MyLand has announced the launch of a major initiative to help Arizona farmers conserve water and improve soil performance. The initiative in collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU) will bring MyLand’s soil health technology to up to 2,400 acres of farmland across the state. Funded through a $3 million allocation from the Arizona Water Conservation Grant Fund …
DWFI Podcast 42 – 15th Anniversary of DWFI
This special episode of the Water for Food Podcast commemorates the 15th anniversary of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute by sharing the story of its origin. You can read the full historical account here. The 15th anniversary year will be highlighted by a celebration reception at the upcoming 2025 Water for Food Global Conference, held in Lincoln, Nebraska, …
DWFI Podcast 41 – New Nebraska Nitrogen Recommendations for Irrigated Corn
After years of dedicated work from many people and sectors, UNL has released new recommendations for nitrogen fertilization of irrigated corn. In this episode, Nebraska Water Extension Educator Crystal Powers talks to UNL professor of agronomy Richard Ferguson, who has been involved in the project from the start. Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform: 17:34 The Robert …
DWFI Podcast 40 – Irrigation’s Role in Agricultural Productivity
In the 40th episode of the Water for Food Podcast, Daugherty Water for Food Institute (DWFI) Director of Communications and Public Relations Frances Hayes sits down with Darren Siekman at the Valmont Industries headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. Darren is the Vice President of Policy and Industry Strategy at Valley Agriculture, a Valmont Company. The two discuss Valmont’s history and global …
DWFI Podcast 38 – Irrigation Impacts on Nutrition
Irrigation expansion can provide the water necessary to increase food production for our growing world. It can also be a means for moving farmers from simply producing enough food for their families to generating more income through domestic markets or export of additional production. However, increasing use of irrigation can have varying impacts on the nutrition of the local communities …