Policy Articles
Mandatory Price Reporting Language Included in CR
Published February 21, 2022
The Continuing Resolution passed by both chambers of Congress will keep the government funded through March 11. This measure also extended USDA’s mandatory price reporting authority. Livestock groups are asking lawmakers for a five-year reauthorization so the availability of this…Hagedorn Passes
Published February 18, 2022
Minnesota First District Congressman Jim Hagedorn has died. Hagedorn was serving his second term in Congress and was a member of the House Agriculture Committee. The lawmaker, who was 59, was first diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer in 2019.…Drought Relief Moves Through MN House Ag Committee
Published February 17, 2022
The Minnesota House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee has approved a drought assistance package. This bill is sponsored by Chairman Mike Sundin and includes $5 million for grants and direct assistance and another $5 million for the Rural Finance Authority’s…Ducks Unlimited CEO Addresses NACD Meeting
Published February 16, 2022
Speaking at the National Association of Conservation Districts Annual Meeting, Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam said there must be a balance between conservation and farm profitability. "Farmers have to be rewarded for being better performers in a commoditized world and…Farm Income to Decline
Published February 16, 2022
After two years of rising net farm income, farm profitability is expected to decline in 2022. Much of that drop can be attributed to a significant falloff in government payments. A report from American Farm Bureau Market Intelligence says USDA…New Congressional Boundaries in Place in Minnesota
Published February 16, 2022
There are new Congressional maps for Minnesota. The Seventh District, currently served by Representative Michelle Fischbach, extends from the Canadian border to southwest Minnesota. The Eighth District, currently represented by Congressman Pete Stauber, expanded west and will include portions of…Noem Signs Grain Regulation Bills Into Law
Published February 14, 2022
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem signed three grain regulation bills into law last week. Senate Bill 38 increases the maximum penalty for buying grain without a warehouse license from $20,000 to $50,000. It also becomes a felony if someone buys…Goehring Seeks Another Term
Published February 14, 2022
North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring is seeking reelection. Goehring, who farms at Menoken, has been the agriculture commissioner since 2009.ND, MN Ag Groups Offer Comments on WOTUS Definition
Published February 14, 2022
A coalition of North Dakota and Minnesota farm groups is asking the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider their new definition for Waters of the United States. An expansion of the WOTUS definition would “impact farmers’ ability to…