What can farmers expect? An Ag economist’s perspective
Episode 148 | 32 min
With Guest:
- Dr. Michael Swanson, Chief Agricultural Economist and Senior Vice President of Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute
As the chief agricultural economist and senior vice president at Wells Fargo’s Agri-Food Institute, Dr. Michael Swanson has a big-picture understanding of energy markets and the economy of agribusiness. He stops by The Water Table to help us make sense of the impacts of the war in Iran and how the markets might continue to react.
What can we expect crude oil prices to do? What about commodity prices? How does this situation compare with the Russia-Ukraine war? Michael shares his wisdom on these topics—and an old adage or two—to keep the current situation in perspective and offer encouragement for farmers to seize the right opportunities for success.
Note: This episode was recorded on June 5, 2026.

