The Most Expensive Crop Year in History – Minnesota’s crop farmers had a profitable year in 2021. According to Minnesota Farm Business Management data, this is due to a combination of factors including higher commodity prices and crop insurance indemnities. “Even in some of the drought restricted areas, it was amazing to see the ability that the farms had to generate a profit,” said Ron Dvergsten, farm business management instructor, Northland Community and Technical College. Yet there is concern about what this year will bring. Farm expenses, including rent and fertilizer, are getting attention. “The crop produced in 2022 will be the most expensive, as far as dollars spent producing it, in the history of farmers. Across the board, we’ll be looking at more dollars spent on a per-acre base for each farm than farmers have spent in prior years.” With higher commodity prices and a normal production year, Dvergsten says this year should pencil out.

FAPRI Expects Volatility to Continue – Agricultural markets have faced extreme volatility due to trade disputes, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute says the price of crude oil has increased due to the war, which will further ramp up farm expenses this year. In its baseline projections for agriculture, FAPRI forecasts another increase in land prices this year. However, lower farm income and higher interest rates may limit real estate values in the future.

Scared to Sell, Scared Not to Sell – While commodity prices remain strong, rising input costs bring a level of uncertainty to crop producers. Northland Community and Technical College Farm Business Management Instructor Betsy Jensen says farmers are nervous about what could happen. “We’re too scared to sell because we’ve sold and got burned. We’re also too scared not to sell because fertilizer and fuel is so expensive that the loss potential is great. There’s a lot of people walking on glass trying to decide what to do.” Farmers are trying to protect risk. “We don’t want to be here next fall and delivering wheat for $7 or corn for $4.” Farmers have blown through price targets, but Jensen says target dates for making sales might be something to consider.

U.S. Farmers Aware of Ukraine War’s Impact on Agriculture – In March, the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer declined to its weakest farmer sentiment reading since May 2020. The decline in farmer sentiment is driven by the perceptions of the current ag economy and what could happen in the future. The war in Ukraine is expected to affect the price of inputs, crops and livestock. Fifty-seven percent of farmers participating in the survey expect farm input costs to increase by 20 percent or more this year. More than a quarter of those survey takers say they’ve had challenges purchasing inputs for 2022. Farmers do not expect rising commodity prices to offset the rise in farm production costs.

Food Prices at an All-Time High – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is reporting global food prices increased nearly 13 percent from February to March. Vegetable oil prices are up 23 percent. Sugar gained seven percent and meat increased five percent.

Global Food Crisis Storm is Coming – The impact of the war in Ukraine on global food security was part of the House Agriculture Subcommittee’s hearing on international trade on Wednesday. Subcommittee Ranking Member Dusty Johnson said a storm is coming. “I think we see a global food crisis that could be every bit as dangerous as those we saw in 2007 and 2008.” Sarah Charles, who is the assistant to the administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development, testified, saying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is already impacting food security. “As a result of the war, we could face another ten-to-20 percent rise in commodity prices due to supply chain disruptions and export restrictions. In one Yemen city, the price of a piece of bread increased by 62 percent in less than one week after the start of the war. In Lebanon, domestic food price inflation has now climbed to a record 483 percent.”

Regan Confirms EPA Considering Summer E15 Use – In a Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing, EPA Administrator Michael Regan indicated the Biden administration is considering allowing the summertime use of E15. “President Biden has indicated correctly, that we’re looking at all of the tools in our toolbox,” said Regan. “This is a conversation Secretary Tom Vilsack and I have been having quite a bit as of late. I can tell you we’re evaluating what Clean Air Act authorities we have to potentially take advantage of E15.”

Walz Seeks E15 Emergency Waiver – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wants EPA Administrator Michael Regan to allow the use of E15 during the summer driving season. In a letter, Walz says the EPA can use its emergency waiver authority. Walz also says allowing the use of E15 would provide cost savings to drivers.

EPA Denies Small Refinery Exemptions from 2018 – The Environmental Protection Agency denied 36 small refinery exemptions from oil refiners. However, EPA offered alternative relief to nearly half of those petitions, allowing them to meet blending obligations without purchasing credits. Biofuel supporters, like Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association and National Corn Growers Association, said while EPA’s decision was a step to reverse past abuse, it failed to remedy economic harms.

Short-Term and Long-Term Challenges Ahead for U.S. Energy – Lawmakers discussed geopolitical challenges during the House Agriculture Committee’s hearing on the energy title of the farm bill. According to USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small, the Russia-Ukraine war highlights short and long-term challenges for U.S. energy. “Our key opportunity here is to invest in solutions to build energy resiliency in terms of a local supply in the short-term and a more resilient, cleaner supply in the future.” Committee Ranking Member Glenn “G.T.” Thompson said there are good resources in America. “This is a solution for the fertilizer issue with natural gas development. That’s something that can be done with a stroke of a pen,” said Thompson. “I also appreciate the USDA’s focus on the importance of ethanol to rural communities as well, but I am troubled by the administration’s insistence on massive subsidies to spur the promotion of electric vehicles.”

Biden Administration Unveils Plan to Improve Trucking Shortages – Supply chain disruptions during the COVID pandemic highlighted the need for more truck drivers in the United States. According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. is short about 80,000 truck drivers. To improve the situation, the Biden administration wants to boost registered apprenticeships, take a closer look at truck leasing rates, explore ways to increase truck driver pay, safety and make improvements to infrastructure. “These actions will help us recruit more drivers and, just as importantly, retain them to help keep down shipping delays and reign in the price of goods at a time when we’re fighting inflation with everything we’ve got,” says Buttigieg. The Biden administration is also trying to make the job appeal to more veterans, women and drivers of color. Read more about the plan.

Senate Ag Committee to Review Livestock Bills – On April 26, the Senate Agriculture Committee will have a hearing to review two livestock bills. This includes the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act along with the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2022. The hearing will be live-streamed.

R-CALF Urges Congress to Table Market Transparency Bill – While a modified cattle market transparency bill is gaining traction in Congress, R-CALF USA is asking lawmakers to table the legislation. R-CALF says the compromise bill is a “woefully inadequate response” to the crisis in the cattle industry.

Landowner Easement Bill Introduced – In an effort to make conservation easements more farmer-friendly, South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds and North Dakota Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer introduced a new bill called the Landowner Easement Rights Act. The bill would prevent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from entering into a conservation easement with a term of more than 50 years. “The current pre-1977 easements are perpetual,” said Cramer. “For owners who have one of those, it instructs the Department of Interior to provide the owner of the easement with a detailed map within six months. The Department previously took advantage of a farmer’s vulnerability, but the previous administration greatly improved mapping.” Now that the bill is introduced, Cramer said it needs more sponsors. It takes time for the bill to get the support it needs to pass the current Congress.

Vilsack Offers CRP Details – Out of four million acres of expiring contracts, only 1.8 million will be re-enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. Over half of the maturing acres were not offered in the general signup. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the data proves there was no reason for him to open CRP for emergency cropping.

U.S. Potato Industry Gets Closer to Fresh Market Access in Mexico – By May 15, the United States should have full fresh potato market access in Mexico. That’s according to a joint statement from the USDA and Mexico’s Ag Ministry. National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says fresh potato exports need to move before a victory can be declared. “A lot of credit to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, USDA and USTR for the work they’ve done over many months. We’ll have to bring it home now.” Mexican officials will visit to a California potato farm this month. Quarles says the details are still being finalized. “It’s a fairly substantial delegation of Mexican officials going. We’ll have to see the questions they raise.”

NPPC Address Policy Priorities – For the first time in two years, the National Pork Producers Council Legislative Action Conference was an in-person event. Minnesota Pork Producers Association CEO David Preisler said the industry has three priorities. “One is for continued funding for (prevention of) foreign animal diseases; the second is making sure they put trade at the forefront of their minds.” Labor and H2A visa program reform is also being sought.  Preisler would like the Biden administration to step up on these issues. “Especially with trade; it’s difficult when we don’t even have the trade appointment at USDA yet.”

MN Lawmakers Press for Dairy Market Access – Members of the Minnesota congressional delegation are calling on the Biden administration to reject Canada’s recent dairy trade proposals. A letter was sent to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to demand the market access included within the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council applauded this action.

Senators Want Ag Trade Nominees Named Soon – Senate Agriculture Committee leaders Debbie Stabenow and John Boozman, along with Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo sent a trade letter to President Biden. The leaders asked Biden to quickly nominate a Chief Agriculture Negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and an Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Ag Affairs at USDA. The former candidate for Chief Agriculture Negotiator, Elaine Trevino, withdrew her nomination for the position in March. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters last month it’s been difficult to find a candidate for the Under Secretary position. Read the letter.

Few Surprises in April WASDE Report – USDA made no changes to U.S. corn ending stocks and only minor changes to wheat and soybean stocks. Midwest Market Solutions President Brian Hoops says the biggest surprise in Friday’s report was with corn exports. “The USDA lowered corn and feed usage by 25 million bushels and increased ethanol demand. They left exports unchanged and that resulted in ending stocks also being unchanged.” The wheat and soybean numbers were within trade expectations. “USDA did not lower Brazil’s soybean crop as much as CONAB did, but it was in-line with the trade guess.” Read the April WASDE report.

World Wheat Supplies Tighten – The U.S. winter wheat crop may be smaller than expected. “The drought in the plains is bringing down the national winter wheat crop conditions,” says Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist, StoneX Group. “The latest condition index score was the second lowest on record for this time of the year, only by a few points compared to the 1996 crop. That almost guarantees us at least some level of a short wheat crop this year.” Suderman still believes Ukraine’s crop forecasts are optimistic. “There’s a psychological reason for that. You have to have hope in order to survive, but we’re starting to see challenges in production without much-needed resources.”  If world wheat supplies get tighter, this could result in food shortages in less developed countries, like in North Africa and Pakistan.

South American Crop Forecast – In the April supply and demand report, USDA raised Brazilian corn production two million tons to 116 million metric tons. The adjustment reflects an increased crop production area with no change in the yield expectations. As expected, Brazil’s soybean production was cut to 125 million tons. Argentina’s corn and soybean production was left unchanged.

SD Corn Comments – While planted corn acres are forecast to decline across the United States, corn acreage is actually expected to increase in South Dakota. Hear more in the latest South Dakota Corn Comments.

Acreage Battle in Place Until Planting Begins – AgriSompo North America market analyst Sterling Smith expects acreage decisions to be changeable until the last minute. “The farmer can wait; they’ll wait and see where prices are at. There are more questions this year than last year and it will be very expensive to plant.”

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson says the market is still trying to buy acres in spring wheat and corn. A slow start to the planting season is one significant factor. The soybean complex is under pressure.

Canola Minute – On this week’s Canola Minute, Northern Canola Growers Executive Director Barry Coleman recaps USDA’s March Prospective Plantings report and expectations for canola acreage in 2022.

Good Growing Season Needed – The grain balance sheet was tight before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine due to strong global demand and lower South American crop production. As a result, the U.S. needs a good growing season. Supply chain shortages are a complicating factor. CHS CEO Jay Debertin is not worried about the company’s fertilizer situation. “A lot of fertilizer for CHS is in-transit or in sheds ready to go. We’re looking for good weather to improve, but we’re thankful we had a good, strong fall.” Drier crop growing areas, including the majority of South Dakota and western North Dakota, need moisture to make it a successful year. “Hopefully, the drought situation will turn around.” Hear the story.

Spring Wheat Planting Has Started in South Dakota – South Dakota Wheat Commission Executive Director Reid Christopherson says some of the spring wheat that is already planted is in the south-central part of the state, an area that doesn’t typically grow much spring wheat. “Much of that spring wheat was dormant seeded in February. In other cases, spring wheat seeding began, serious winds hit and farmers stopped. Overall, most of our spring wheat region is still too dry and would welcome a rain. The very northeast corner of South Dakota is too wet.” Dryness is a story for South Dakota’s winter wheat, too. “Everything would be improved with rain.”

MN Wheat Minute – Input costs, like fertilizer, remain a top concern as spring planting gets closer. University of Minnesota Extension Small Grains Specialist Jochum Wiersma says it’s hard to get good quality wheat without nitrogen. Hear more in this week’s MN Wheat Minute.

SW ND Farmers Hit the Fields – Spring wheat has been seeded in western North Dakota. “Southwest North Dakota has hit it pretty hard and it’s nice to hear,” said Justin Berg, technical product manager, WestBred. “It’s very dry out in that region so we’re hoping that they can get some rain. We’re probably still two-to-three weeks away up in the (Red River) Valley.” The number of acres devoted to spring wheat are expected to vary widely. “We’re definitely seeing different pressures from corn and soybeans. The markets are obviously very good for wheat so that’s helping to keep those acres up.”

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s Dry Bean Scene, NDSU Extension Entomologist Janet Knodel talks about the 2021 Dry Bean Grower Survey results. The Dry Bean Scene is sponsored by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association.

April is a Transition Time – With snow on the ground and in the forecast for the Northern Plains, it will be a few weeks before planting begins. Peterson Farms Seed Lead Agronomist Rick Swenson says there’s still plenty of time. “Most of the time we don’t get in until the last week of April. I think we’re still sitting ok that way.” Swenson reminds farmers a good start to the crop can go a long way. That means planting into the right soil temperatures, using the correct seeding rates, planting at good depths and focusing on the things you can control. “I’ve said it many times before, but there are 40 bushel losses happening all over the place when things don’t go the right way. With so many things we can’t control, planting when the time is right is one thing we can control.” Hear the story.

MN Senate and House Differ on Budget Surplus Plans – Minnesota lawmakers are pushing forward on the supplemental budget and tax bills. Minnesota AgriGrowth Lobbyist Cory Bennett says there are differing views in both chambers on what to do with the $9.25 billion budget surplus. “On the Senate side, a lot of those dollars are prioritized for tax cuts. I think their tax plan is about $8 billion. Conversely, I think the House’s target for taxes is about $3 billion. They are moving in different directions regarding how they want to prioritize those bills between investments, the supplemental budget and tax cuts.” Bennett says discussions will continue once lawmakers return from the Easter break on April 19. A few policy priorities considered earlier in the session, like E15, are expected to be punted into the next legislative session. “I think we can all agree this is something that will be coming back and the discussion will be continued.”

MFBF Update – Minnesota Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy Amber Glaeser has an update on what’s happening in the Minnesota Legislature. Hear more in the latest MFBF Update.

E-15 Mandate: A Hard Sell Even in a Supportive Renewable Fuels State – The Minnesota Corn Growers Association wants the state to adopt an E-15 standard for unleaded gasoline, but it’s been a tricky goal to accomplish in the legislature this year. Senior Public Policy Director Amanda Bilek says strong partnerships with fuel retailers are considered a win. “We came together with the Petroleum Marketers Association of America on an infrastructure proposal. Although it’s not a statewide E-15 standard, it still gets us to the same outcome by working to create a new state fund that would assist retailers to replace some of the infrastructure making sure it’s ready to offer higher ethanol blends at those retail locations.” The Minnesota Senate Commerce Committee will have an informational hearing on the infrastructure proposal within the next few weeks. This is the second legislative session MCGA tried to get an E-15 mandate across the finish line. Why is this such a hard sell? Bilek thinks the strongly divided legislature is part of it, but misinformation among environmental groups and oil producers may also play a role.

No Deal Yet on MN Disaster Relief – Minnesota lawmakers could not reach an agreement on a drought relief package before leaving for spring break. Now, lawmakers from both chambers will meet in conference when they return to St. Paul on April 19. Minnesota House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee Chairman Mike Sundin says the differences will be ironed out. “We’ll talk about how much money will go to agriculture and how much will go to the Department of Natural Resources.” Representative Deb Kiel says livestock producers needed this help a long time ago. “It’s really important for us to make sure it happens.”

MFU Minute – Minnesota Farmers Union Government Relations Director Stu Lourey reviews Minnesota’s supplemental budget bill for agriculture. Hear more in the MFU Minute.

Walz Signs Avian Influenza Legislation – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed the emergency avian influenza response bill. This legislation includes $1 million for disease surveillance and testing supplies. The bill also helps protect the privacy of farmers and flock owners who seek mental health care.

Emergency Funding Approved for HPAI Response – State Representative John Burkel describes this as band-aid funding to offset the cost of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza testing supplies and equipment for the veterinary diagnostics lab. “That emergency preparedness response fund had dropped under $400,000 and the state thought they would mow through that quickly,” said Burkel. “My hope is that the spread of HPAI slows down, but the cooler weather isn’t helping us.” The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s full emergency funding request was $4.5 million. Burkel, a turkey grower from Badger, said the MDA will be able to get the rest of the money if lawmakers can reach an agreement. “I think everyone understands the gravity of the situation. The faster we respond, the better.”

More Funds Needed to Control Avian Influenza in MN – Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen says the $4.5 million request in emergency funding to help with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is similar to what was requested during the 2015 outbreak. “We think we’re going to need somewhere in that ballpark for staffing, equipment and testing. Everyday there’s a fire we’re trying to put out, but we’re controlling this quicker than we did in 2015.” HPAI is spreading quickly across Minnesota. “The experts we’re talking to are telling us to expect this to continue the next six to eight weeks until it warms up. We may not have seen the worst of it, but we don’t know for sure. We need to be as prepared as possible.”

Snow Goose Population Hit the Hardest by HPAI – The wild bird migration has been affected by the avian influenza outbreak. In the first flood of geese coming into the region, North Dakota Game and Fish Wildlife Veterinarian Charlie Bahnson says the virus has been reported in approximately 50 birds out of the four million migrating overall. “It doesn’t seem like a lot, but even a small fraction of that big of a number equates to a lot of infected birds.” In addition to the snow geese population, Bahnson says there are also positive reports from raptors like owls, eagles, and hawks.

Changes Made to Emergency Livestock Assistance Program – USDA Emergency Livestock Relief Program payments are starting to go out. “Those particular payments are based on the 2021 Livestock Forage Payments that producers applied for,” said Marcy Svenningsen, State Executive Director, North Dakota Farm Service Agency. “There were over 11,000 applications in North Dakota.” The FSA also made enhancements to the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program, covering the movement of livestock to a place where forage is available. The change is retroactive to include all of 2021.

Drought-Related Herd Reduction is Evident – Last year’s drought brought more cows to the sales barn. With conditions still dry, the number cows heading to auction are rising again. “We just saw some guys selling bred cows this week and they’re going to keep coming unless we get considerable moisture,” said Kevin Larson, manager, Aberdeen Livestock Auction Market. “Most of the feed is gone and everybody has over-grazed their pastures.” Larson says feed prices and input costs aren’t helping the situation. “Every day you have to keep these cattle in the yard, it is costing more money.”

MN Beef Update – In this week’s Minnesota Beef Update, Minnesota Beef Council CEO Kelly Schmidt previews the upcoming board meeting that will outline the game plan for the year.

SD Drought Expands – The U.S. Drought Monitor shows 46 percent of South Dakota is in severe drought, up from 25 percent the previous week. South Dakota Grasslands Coalition Education Coordinator Dan Rasmussen says ranchers have been selling cattle to get ahead of the drought. “For the past two and a half years and, in some areas, it’s been three years, South Dakota has experienced very little rainfall. It has come to the critical point where there are a lot of ranches, especially out west, where the grass is gone and there isn’t much hope.”  Rasmussen says the long-range approach to drought planning starts with grazing management and soil health.

Consider Feed Alternatives – With alfalfa acres declining and drought intensifying, NDSU Extension Livestock Specialist Zac Carlson is advising ranchers to consider other options. “North Dakota is fortunate that we have quite a few alternatives. Distillers’ grains, wet corn gluten feed, wheat mids, sunflower meal, and canola meal are all available through the different processing plants in the state.” Most of these facilities are in the eastern part of the state. “As you head west, they get fewer and fewer, but there’s still options, particularly with ethanol plants.” Information on alternative feed sources are available through the local Extension office.

Drought Concern Voiced by MN Teenager – Addy Hillman, who is part of her family’s cow-calf operation south of Brainerd, is worried about the dry conditions. “Personally, our area was heavily affected by the drought and we had to sell 75 percent of herd because we had no hay to feed them,” said Hillman. “I can already see the ground is really dry and normally it would be super muddy.” Hillman is a finalist for the Minnesota FFA State Star in Production Agriculture finalist and a state beef ambassador.

NDSU Seeks Input on Data and Property Rights – The NDSU Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics is seeking input from farmers and ranchers on the use of data generated from precision agriculture. “As farmers and ranchers, we don’t necessarily understand who has access to our data and how that data is available later,” explained Cheryl Wachenheim, professor. “In farming and ranching, we’re used to tangible items that we own and when it comes to data, we don’t own it.” Cybersecurity is still seen as a new concern in agriculture.

Complicated Scenario for Chlorpyrifos Disposal – After banning the use of the chlorpyrifos insecticide, the EPA wants states to oversee the disposal of any on-hand product. North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring told EPA the Project Safe Send program doesn’t have the resources or funding to accept large quantities of chlorpyrifos for disposal. North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer addressed the issue with EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “I want to make sure the EPA won’t seek to punish growers that hold the product and are working with state agencies to properly handle the disposal.” Due to years of inaction, Regan said the courts are now implementing timelines. “Our regional offices are working with North Dakota right now to navigate the tough terrain we’re in.”

Getting the Most Out of Your Corn – If you’re planting corn this spring, Golden Harvest Technical Agronomy Manager Bruce Battles has a few tips to get the most out of your crop. It starts with seeding rates. “Seeding rate management doesn’t always mean you have to increase seeding rates to boost yield potential,” says Battles. “There are a fair amount of hybrids we can identify that can hold yield potential really well at slightly reduced seeding rates. Get a better understanding of the hybrids you’re going to plant and build a plan on that.” Battles says Golden Harvest has new data about hybrid response to fertilizer placement. “If you’re broadcasting fertilizer in the fall as compared to a no-till or a strip-till, there are certain hybrids that respond better than others.” Hear the story.

AURI Update – A new webinar is coming up this Wednesday, focusing on the AURI’s Ag Innovator of the Year award. Hear more in the latest AURI Update.

Protect Your Nutrient Investment – With higher input costs, farmers are looking for ways to protect their investment. Nutrien Ag Solutions Marketing Representative Kent Broscoff says Environmentally Smart Nitrogen is one way to protect a nutrient investment. “There are folks who will use it as a top-dress or if they want to get by with one application,” says Broscoff. “The big caveat to this product is the big environmental savings we’ve got.” Wetter soils are expected in portions of the Dakotas and Minnesota as spring fieldwork begins. Broscoff encourages farmers to be mindful, as wetter soils can cause more nitrogen loss. Hear the story.

Lending Options Available for Underserved Segments of Agriculture – It’s a time of record commodity prices, but it’s also a time of record expenses. “It’s critical to develop a farm plan, a budget and a marketing plan that makes sense,” said Bill York, CEO, FarmOp Capital. “Farmers should take some of the risk out of the volatility that comes with years like this.” York says there are two segments of agriculture that are underserved by lenders, farmers wanting to expand production through rented land and younger farmers that need financial assistance to get started. “We lend based on the value of their crop and their risk management strategy. While we don’t provide any direction to the farmer in terms of decisions, we lend based on their decisions.” Learn more about FarmOp Capital.

NDSP Holding Town Hall Meetings in Casselton – North Dakota Soybean Processors will host town hall discussions on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the proposed Casselton, North Dakota soybean crush plant. There’s an open house with NDSP representatives available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the city hall auditorium. Special presentations will take place at noon and 7 p.m. both days.

CHS Has Strong Second Quarter For FY22 – CHS Incorporated is reporting second quarter net income of $219 million and revenues of $10.3 billion for fiscal year 2022. For the first six months of the fiscal year, the company is reporting net income at $671 million and $21.2 billion in revenues. The second quarter financial boost comes from higher refining margins in the energy segment. There are also higher earnings in the agricultural segment, including oilseed processing, renewable fuels and wholesale agronomy. Processing and wholesale agronomy businesses are driving improved earnings, along with fertilizer investments. Read more.

Corn Matters – Have you ever wanted to participate in the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership program? Applications are now being accepted. Hear more in Corn Matters, presented by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.

MN Farmer Sentenced to Prison for USDA Loan Fraud – A Slayton, Minnesota farmer has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, three years of supervised release and over $435,000 in restitution. In 2015, Mark Engelkes pledged a portion of his soybean crop as collateral for a farm program loan. The pledged grain was sold without prior approval.

Individual Sentenced for Intellectual Property Theft – A Chinese national who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal trade secrets has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison and fined $150,000. From 2008 to 2017, Haitao Xiang worked for Monsanto and its subsidiary, Climate Corporation. A day after leaving the company, Xiang tried to fly to China with a software program that was considering a trade secret.

Scaglia Now Leading NDSU Animal Sciences Department – Former Louisiana State University Professor Guillermo Scaglia is now the head of the Animal Sciences Department at North Dakota State University. Scaglia is responsible for research, teaching and Extension services for animal science. Scaglia started the position on March 31. Read more.

Beet Stock Values – According to Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke, 41 American Crystal Sugar Company beet shares were brokered last week at an average price of $4,457.32 per share.

A Positive COVID Test for Vilsack – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has tested positive for COVID. The USDA leader is fully vaccinated, boosted and only experiencing mild symptoms. Vilsack will only return to the office after testing negative for the virus. He will continue his official duties during that time.