The Lobe Rangers: Three Farmers Taking on Water Quality, Tillage & Ag Policy

In this episode of the Farm4Profit Podcast, Corey sits down with Zach Smith (The Stock Cropper), James Epp, and Matt Boerman — better known as The Lobe Rangers — for a candid and in-depth conversation about the future of agriculture, conservation practices, and what farmers can do to improve profitability while protecting soil and water resources.

The group shares how The Lobe Rangers started as a simple Snapchat conversation between frustrated farmers who wanted to discuss poor farming practices, erosion, nitrogen management, and conservation solutions happening across Iowa’s Des Moines Lobe region. What began as a private peer group quickly evolved into a growing movement focused on honest conversations around agriculture, sustainability, and practical solutions that work at scale.

The discussion covers:

• Strip-till and no-till systems
• Cover crop adoption and management
• Nitrogen timing and in-season application
• Water quality and nitrate concerns
• Soil erosion and long-term land stewardship
• Farm profitability through reduced input costs
• The economics behind regenerative agriculture
• Challenges with ag policy and regulation
• Spray drift and pesticide stewardship
• The role of leadership within agriculture
• How farmers can proactively avoid future regulation
• Why knowing your numbers matters more than ever

The Lobe Rangers explain how they’ve implemented conservation systems on their own operations while still maintaining profitability and efficiency. They also discuss the realities of public perception, working with Des Moines Water Works, and why communication between farmers, consumers, and policymakers is critical moving forward.

This episode is a raw, honest, and thought-provoking discussion about balancing production agriculture with long-term sustainability while keeping family farms profitable for future generations.

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