Major Flooding – Excessive rainfall and ongoing snowmelt has resulted in widespread overland flooding of the Red River. According to the National Weather Service. the Crookston and Warren, Minnesota areas are preparing for the potential of record flooding. Major flooding is anticipated at Oslo, Minnesota; Grand Forks, Drayton and Pembina, North Dakota. The National Weather Service is forecasting streams and rivers to continue rising over the course of the week.

Mother Nature is in Control – The Red River at Thompson, North Dakota faced severe flash flooding Saturday. For the month of April, Brian Tweten has had nine inches of rain in the gauge at the farm. “The frost hasn’t come completely out of the ground yet, so the water has to go into the ditch or river.” Tweten was hoping to be in the field planting by now, but that will have to wait until the fields dry out in a few weeks. The latest Tweten has ever planted a crop is May 15. That was in 2020, which was a big prevent plant year. There’s still time to get a crop planted this year and when the time comes, Tweten said he will be ready.

ND Cattle Lost in April Blizzard – Cattle producers in western North Dakota are still taking stock of the impact from the mid-April blizzard. Belfield, North Dakota rancher Byron Richard said sometimes to end a drought, you need a calf-killing storm. “Everyone around here is in the midst of calving. There was a fair amount of death loss; I would anticipate a 10 percent death loss. A group of our own cattle went out on a dam and fell through. We lost 16 of them. Another producer I know lost 70 head of cattle.” Richard said they’re grateful for the moisture even though calving has been challenging. “You can tell people are getting tired. We had guys checking cattle on horseback, because the snow was too deep. What would normally take an hour suddenly took three hours to make it back to the barn.” Photo credit: Wendy Bichler

Ranchers Examine the Blizzard’s Aftermath – North Dakota Stockmen’s Association Executive Vice President Julie Ellingson urges ranchers to look into the Livestock Indemnity Program, which compensate producers for a portion of the losses that happened during the storm. “There’s a 30-day window to file a notice of loss. Some of the documentation that would be required include beginning inventory like calving books or pregnancy check records, as well as evidence of livestock death like photos with dates and insurance claims.” More information on the Livestock Indemnity Program can be found on NDSA’s website or by contacting your local FSA office.

Report Livestock Losses to Local ND Extension Agents – NDSU Extension is asking livestock producers to report losses from the recent storms to their local county extension agents. The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services is working on an emergency declaration and this information would be used to determine the areas in need. Here’s a few other items to note from NDSU Extension for livestock producers dealing with cattle losses.

Resilient Ranchers – NDSU McLean County Extension Agent Sarah Bedgar says there are still drought concerns after this past week’s snow. “There were such high winds that the snow got caught up in ditches, tree rows and draws while the high points are completely bare.” Many ranchers are in the heart of calving season right now, but they won’t refuse the moisture. “It’s a strange type of gratitude. Ranchers are sleeping in their barns and are up all hours. I think a lot of people don’t realize the incredible level of dedication.”

Planting Put on Hold – In parts of western North Dakota, the April snowstorms were measured in feet, not inches. “If I can say anything good about it, there was quite a bit of water in the snow, maybe up to two inches of liquid equivalent,” said Eric Snodgrass, principle atmospheric scientist, Nutrien Ag Solutions. “As it melts down, that should help the really dry areas of North Dakota.” Cool temperatures are forecast to stick around through the first week of May. “When we get brief warmups, cool weather will quickly follow.”

Pioneer Agronomy Update – In the first Pioneer Agronomy Update of the season, Shaun McCoy of McCoy Pioneer Seed at Larimore, North Dakota is urging patience. “I know everybody wants to get going, but we need to have fit conditions in the field. Don’t plant when it’s too wet, I think we learned that in 2020.” Pioneer Field Agronomist Kevin Sinner believes farmers should stick with their plan. “I would still plant your corn just as you originally planned up to May 20 or May 25,” said Sinner. “Stay the course; the weather will turn around and hopefully, we get the predicted heat units this summer to finish things off right.” The Pioneer Agronomy Update can be found on the Red River Farm Network YouTube channel.

Don’t Cut Corners in Weed Management – As planting gets pushed back due to wet and cold weather, West Central Ag Services Territory Sales Manager Clyde Kringlen hopes farmers aren’t tempted to cut corners and skip pre-emergence weed control applications. “It’s really important to get a pre-emergence herbicide applied with the weed pressures we have. Maybe we have to stop the planter for half a day and catch up.” Getting the crop planted properly is even more important, because of limited seed supply. “That’s one of the things that we’re hearing, especially for corn. The challenge is if we do it wrong and have to replant, what can we get for a variety?” RRFN’s Crop Watch is sponsored, in part, by BASF.

Limited Fieldwork Completed in Onida, SD Area – There are a few farmers in the Onida, South Dakota area that have finished planting spring wheat. Others haven’t started. Oahe Grain location manager Tim Luken says they had good moisture last fall. “Between August and the first part of October, we picked up six-to-eight inches of water.” Heading into this past week, Luken said this winter provided the least amount of snow he’s seen in his 32 years in the area. Thanks for AgCountry Farm Credit Services for co-sponsoring RRFN’s Crop Watch broadcast.

Wet, Dry or Normal – The Climate Prediction Center’s seasonal outlook offered little insight into the season ahead. University of Minnesota Soil Scientist Jeff Strock says the back-and-forth weather is a contributing factor. “Our part of the world puts us in an equal chance of wet conditions, dry conditions and normal conditions. So basically, the models are not really sure what’s going to happen.” Strock, who’s based out of the Southwest Research and Outreach Center at Lamberton, has seen variable conditions throughout the state. “Particularly, southern Minnesota is under very dry conditions. In contrast, Crookston has been considerably wetter.”

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – The wheat markets are hot as the week begins. Cold, wet conditions are delayed planting in the Northern Plains. A delayed planting season means there will be fewer wheat acres. While the north is too wet, it’s too dry in Kansas. Randy Martinson of Martinson Ag Risk Management is featured in this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets.

Spring Storm Improves ND Drought Conditions – As expected, the spring blizzard that hit North Dakota and neighboring states helped improve the dry conditions. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, extreme drought in much of northwestern North Dakota improved to severe drought. In Minnesota, dry conditions improved in the last week, but mostly in the eastern part of the state. In South Dakota, the drought is getting worse in areas that haven’t received rain, especially the south-central part of the state. Graphic Credit: National Drought Mitigation Center

Late Start Expected to Influence Acreage Mix – Planting delays will likely mean less corn and spring wheat. “That’s what the market is thinking,” said Naomi Blohm, senior market advisor, Total Farm Marketing. “Farmers want to know how long it will take for the snow to melt. Is there a point where some of those producers could think about prevent plant?” These concerns have given the markets a spark. “We’re getting closer to all-time highs in corn.”

Minnesota Wheat Minute – It’s been too wet for planting spring wheat in much of the Northern Plains. The Southern Plains are in a drought. Hear more about the crop in this weekly update from Minnesota Wheat.

Fielding Questions: Marketing During Volatile Times – The late spring is top-of-mind for farmers and traders. AgCountry Farm Credit Services Market Education Specialist Katie Tangen says the weather will influence the acreage mix. Hedging is encouraged, but Tangen said there are some considerations. “One of those is the amount of capital available to hold a hedge position or to play in options or is it better to look at a hedge-to-arrives,” said Tangen. “At this point in the year, we would guys holding old crop hedges and new crop hedges and that tightens the liquidity even further.” A conversation with your lender is advised. The Fielding Questions podcast can be found online.

Kansas Wheat Crop Suffers – It’s an important time for the hard red winter wheat crop in the Southern Plains. Kansas Wheat CEO Justin Gilpin says there still hasn’t been any major drought relief for the crop, especially in western Kansas. “It would have been fantastic if North Dakota would have shared some of that mid-April snow, but we did get rain and storms in the central and eastern parts of Kansas and Oklahoma. There are good stands of wheat, but it’s further west where the crop starts to deteriorate.”

U.S. Soybean Exports Still Strong – U.S. soybean exports remain strong in a time when South American production should be coming to market. Advance Trading Commodity Research Analyst Brian Basting is researching the contra-seasonal export pace of soybeans. “The full realization of those smaller crops, especially in Brazil, has set in. The last two months we’ve seen an uptick from all of those destinations counting on the bigger crop in Brazil. Those countries are playing catch up.” Basting says there is still plenty of time to get the U.S. crop in the ground, but traders will be watching for any further delays. “Traders will be watching this closely as May 1 approaches.”

Old Crop Soybean Sales Increase – Van Ahn and Company market analyst Kristi Van Ahn has seen a lot of old crop soybeans sold in the last two months. This is typically a quiet time for U.S. soybean exports. “We have most of our export sales going to South America. China or other unknown buyers are also starting to buy old crop. That will dwindle down our carryout.” There is a lot of uncertainty about U.S. acreage. “There are people who don’t believe USDA’s acreage numbers. We won’t know until June 30. If we sell a bunch of old crop and those acreage numbers change, it could be a very interesting dynamic.”

Addressing Food Security – The United States and other G7 and G20 countries are developing a plan to respond to the food security crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A group of agricultural ministers and financial experts, including U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, met Tuesday. “We’re facing rising global food insecurity with it hitting vulnerable people hardest. Some countries and regions, already food insecure and facing emergencies, are now confronting additional prices increases and supply disruptions for imported food, fuel and fertilizers.” To help those countries, solutions include eliminating export barriers and relieving price controls. Those attending the meeting, like World Bank President David Malpass, will also provide financial support. “Our package includes Ukraine, the countries hosting the refugees near Ukraine and developing economies. The money is in the range of $50 billion in the current quarter of 2022 and I think it can reach $170 billion through June 2023.”

SHIP IT Act Introduced – Minnesota Representative Michelle Fischbach and Florida Representative Byron Donalds have introduced legislation to reduce the supply chain backlog. This bill calls for the modernization of the ports and a waiver to allow individuals younger than 21 to qualify for commercial driver’s licenses. It also calls for a temporary waiver of a law that requires all shipping between U.S. ports to be carried out by U.S. ships.

Learn from the Previous Farm Bills – Later this week, the Senate Agriculture Committee will hold their first field hearing on the 2023 Farm Bill. The hearing takes place in Michigan. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar says there are a series of hearings coming up, with one expected later on in Minnesota. “I think the important thing about the farm bill is we continue with what’s strongest: the farm safety net, disaster relief programs, farm-based energy. There’s so much we can do with the farm bill,” says Klobuchar. “We’ve learned over time that if you don’t learn from the past, you have a problem.”

Corn Matters – The corn industry is glad to have E-15 approved for use this summer, but MEG Corp project manager Kelly Marczak says there was misinformation in the coverage of President Biden’s announcement. Hear more in Corn Matters, an update from the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.

Protect the Farm Safety Net – Minnesota farm industry leaders want crop insurance protected in the next farm bill. They also oppose tying conservation program participation to crop insurance benefits. These farm bill priorities were highlighted in a meeting with Minnesota Senator Tina Smith at the Minnesota Corn Growers Association headquarters in Burnsville on Wednesday.

Crop Insurance Targeted – The Natural Resources Defense Council is seeking changes to the crop insurance program. The environmental group wants farmers to be incentivized to improve soil health through lower premiums or a higher premium subsidy. The NRDC report also criticized the Actual Production History Yield Exclusion. This allows farmers to exclude years with a crop disaster from the crop insurance production history.

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s Dry Bean Scene, we catch up with Kevin Regan, Northarvest’s delegate to the United States Dry Bean Council on the upcoming U.S. Dry Bean council meetings in Washington D.C. The Dry Bean Scene is sponsored by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association.

Biden Reverses Trump Environmental Regs – The Biden administration is reinstating a series of environmental regulations that were changed during the Trump presidency. In 2020, the process for environmental reviews was streamlined. The Biden team said the restoration of these environmental safeguards will provide regulatory certainty. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member G.T. Thompson disagreed, saying the action will hurt farmers and their ability to do their jobs.

Canola Minute – Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman responds to the EPA’s decision on a proposed rule that would allow canola as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard. Hear more in this week’s Canola Minute.

Lawmakers File WOTUS Amicus Brief – More than 200 members of Congress have signed a friend-of-the-court brief in a case that is pending before the Supreme Court. This case centers on the definition of the waters of the United States.

Rail Service Will Be Reviewed at STB Hearing – On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Surface Transportation Board will take testimony on rail carrier service problems. In late March, the National Grain and Feed Association sent a letter to the STB saying its members have not been able to purchase grain because they’re waiting for loaded trains to be moved by the railroad. Members have been forced to shut down flour and feed mills and cut off sales while waiting for deliveries. The Agricultural Transportation Working Group sent another letter ahead of the hearing. The Northern Plains is not immune from these rail delays. North Dakota Grain Dealers Association Executive Vice President Stu Letcher says it’s not only the winter weather that’s been causing issues. “Labor is challenging for everybody. Even though North Dakota has delays, it doesn’t sound like we’re as bad as other parts of the country.”

Rail Freight Backed Up for Weeks – North Dakota Wheat Commission Policy and Marketing Director Jim Peterson says the rail situation is as difficult as it has been in many years. Freight is typically backed up four-to-six weeks. “If you’re a shipper and you’ve made a sale for the first half of March delivery and you’re just now getting the cars, you have to pay a penalty or roll to a different period, which may be at a lower price.” The railroads claim this is a labor issue. There may be some truth to that, but Peterson thinks the railroads are also cutting back on staff and trying to get the industry to fit into their system. One short-term solution could be finding a balance between penalties for non-performance. “On a global scale with the Ukraine-Russia situation, there’s a big void in potential wheat exports to fill. Right now, the U.S. isn’t in a position to compete for that business just with the significant rail service issues.” Peterson chairs the U.S. Wheat Associate’s Transportation Working Group. The working group submitted written comments ahead of the two-day hearing, which begins tomorrow. Hear the story.

Surface Transportation Board Revises Emergency Rules – Ahead of this week’s rail hearing, the Surface Transportation Board revised its emergency service rules. The board may act on its own initiative to direct emergency rail service and establish an accelerated process for emergencies. The board is taking public comment on the revised rules, due by May 23.

R-CALF: Labeling Law Should be Restored – The American Beef Labeling Act is on the table with the goal of reinstating mandatory country of origin labeling. R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard says MCOOL would help American ranchers by driving up market demand. “Producers will empower consumers to send demand signals for U.S.A. beef directly to the packers. Then the packers can go to one source and one source only to replace the inventory; they have to go to the U.S. cattle producer.” In 2015, the World Trade Organization ruled MCOOL was an illegal trade barrier. “The WTO of today is very different than it was in 2009 when it first heard this case. We’re confident that the restoration of MCOOL will survive any challenge by the WTO.”

A Surprise for the Cattle Market – The latest USDA Cattle of Feed Report is viewed as a negative surprise for the cattle markets. Market analysts were expecting total on-feed numbers to be steady to slightly lower than one year ago. The number of cattle on feed as of April 1 was up two percent from one year ago at 12 million head. Placements were higher than expected at two million head. Marketings were in line with trade guesses at two million head, down two percent from a year ago.

SD Corn Comments – May is National Beef Month. How will you celebrate? Hear more in the latest South Dakota Corn Comments, presented by South Dakota Corn.

Tight Margins Offset Higher Milk Check – U.S. milk production is below year-ago levels and milk prices are moving to record highs. If the futures market holds, the average all-milk price for the second half of the year will be at $27 per hundredweight. In more ‘normal’ times, that would lead to significant expansion. However, the DMI-National Milk Producers Federation Dairy Market Report says the cost and availability of feed and other resources may offset that growth.

U.S. Milk Production Up Slightly, SD Rockets Higher – Milk production in the 24 major dairy states declined four-tenths of one percent in March. South Dakota was an outlier, with milk production increasing 20 percent from year-to-year. South Dakota farmers added 30,000 cows to the state cow herd during that time. Minnesota milk output declined nearly three percent with cow numbers declining by 9,000 head.

TransFARMation: Dealing With the Anxiety of Product Shortages – Due the supply chain headaches, farmers are dealing with shortages of certain crop protection products, fertilizer and farm machinery parts. Farmer and crop consultant Curt Burns, who is based at Stewart, Minnesota, discusses the anxiety faced by growers this spring. When making a visit to his farm clients, Burns says the conversation nearly always turns to the angst and nervousness in production agriculture today. “You talk about this in the shop or the kitchen table and it is more like being a counselor than an agronomy person.” TransFARMation is made possible through a partnership of the Red River Farm Network, Linder Farm Network and Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Funding for this episode is provided by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Listen to the podcast.

HPAI Cases Outpacing 2015 Outbreak – The American Farm Bureau Federation released a Market Intel report that examines the impact of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza by region. AFBF Senior Economist Veronica Nigh says this year’s outbreak started earlier than the 2015 spread. “This year’s outbreak of avian influenza is similar in the type of birds that it’s impacting and the area.” The Upper Midwest is taking the biggest hit in number of detections. “North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota have almost 40 percent of all the cases detected so far. South Dakota leads all the states in detections accounting for 20 percent of detections nationwide.” Nigh says the cold winter and cool spring have helped the virus survive.

Avian Flu Cases ‘Popcorn’ Across Minnesota – The number of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza cases continues to climb in Minnesota with more than 50 confirmed cases to date. Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen says the outbreak is being seen statewide. “We’re seeing HPAI popcorn around the state. It’s heavy in central Minnesota, but it’s also showing up in the north and south.” Petersen said the state biosecurity plans are working with no lateral spread from farm-to-farm. The number of wild birds with avian flu is much larger than in 2015. “We really didn’t see that in the wild bird population at all then and it’s a big concern.”

Avian Influenza Taking a Toll – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz hosted a HPAI roundtable discussion in Willmar. A coordinated state and federal response team is there dealing with the state’s outbreak. “We’ve met with folks at the command center. They’re working long hours, seven days a week. USDA staff is rotating out and more USDA workers will be coming in for another three-week shift because the weather isn’t warming up yet.” Walz said the operation is multi-layered and it’s working, “but folks need to recognize the toll it is taking on workers and producers.”

MDA Issues 2021 Dicamba Investigation Findings – As the Minnesota Department of Agriculture investigates cases of possible off-target dicamba movement, label violations are being found. Incidents include incomplete application records, failure to measure wind speed at boom height and application when sensitive plants, crops or residual areas are downwind. For the 2021 growing season, there were 304 dicamba complaints and 120 of those complaints asked for a formal investigation. Those complaints were combined into 84 cases. At this time, ten cases are closed. MDA does not expect to get through the review and enforcement of all of the investigations before the upcoming growing season. Applicators are encouraged to pay close attention to updated dicamba application guidelines for 2022.

Walz Seeks Common Ground in State of the State – Governor Tim Walz said Minnesota is strong and moving forward. With less than one month left in the legislative session, Walz emphasized the need to find common ground on the budget surplus. Walz would like to cut taxes for the middle class without cutting taxes for corporations. “Folks need a little extra in their pocket right now. Let’s come together in a compromise and see if we can maybe get immediate relief.” It may not be an easy thing to accomplish in a divided legislature and lawmakers are not obligated to make a decision on how to spend the surplus before adjournment.

MFU Minute – In this week’s Minnesota Farmers Union Minute, Government Relations Director Stu Lourey has an update on the state legislative session.

$7.4 Billion Spending Target – The Minnesota House DFL majority has established a $7.4 billion spending target for the biennium. The budget increase passed by a party-line vote in the House Ways and Means Committee. The state has a projected $9 billion surplus, but House Republicans fear that number may be in doubt because of inflation and a possible recession.

Ag Plan Merged with Two Other Spending Bills – The agriculture, housing and broadband supplemental spending bills have been combined into one huge omnibus bill. The bill was approved in the Minnesota House Ways and Means Committee and sent to the House floor. The agriculture portion of this legislation includes a $53 million increase in spending for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture during the current biennium. That includes money for the Ag Innovation Campus soybean facility at Crookston. There is also funding for the control of noxious weeds, pollinator research and grants for emerging farmers.

Conference Committee Seeking Consensus on Drought Assistance – Minnesota House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Sundin is optimistic there will soon be an agreement on the agricultural drought relief package. “The Senate has consternation about the DNR portion of drought relief, which is part of the package. We’re exchanging numbers, trying to get it more palatable for the Senate to accept.” Sundin isn’t going to stop working on the bill. “I’m going to be here until we get a deal. I remain committed to that; no one is skipping town on this one.”

DNR Language Divides Drought Relief – Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Torrey Westrom is optimistic the differences between the House and Senate versions of drought relief can be worked out. “We could come to a resolution on a $10 million relief package quickly if we could stay focused on farmers and not joining other controversial issues that don’t have the urgency this farmer drought relief package does,” said Westrom. “Hopefully, the House will back off and separate the two.” The House bill has $13 million for the Department of Natural Resources; the Senate version does not. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Paul Anderson is on the conference committee and does not see the urgency of including the DNR tree seedlings in the immediate drought relief. “I’m not saying trees aren’t important, but the ground is still frozen. We can’t be out there planting trees next week.”

MN Beef Update – The Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association grilled for Minnesota lawmakers. President Grant Breitkreutz has more in the latest MN Beef Update.

Treated Seed Issue Lingers – In the final month of the Minnesota legislative session, the disposal of unwanted seed remains on the table. “We told lawmakers unused seed goes back to the dealer and if the germ is good to use for the next year, it can be used,” said Bruce Kleven, agricultural lobbyist. “There’s a long-standing effort from House Democrats to ultimately get rid of treated seeds. They’d like to ban them if they could.” Kleven doesn’t believe this language will be adopted. “The Senate (bill) doesn’t have any of it, but the issue seems to float around a lot. It’s been happening the last five years.”

Farm Lending Activity Increases at Beginning of 2022 – According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, farm lending activity accelerated in the first quarter of 2022. That’s due to a significant increase in the size of operating loans. While higher crop prices are likely to support farm revenue, the Fed says concerns about the cost and availability of inputs are raising concerns about profitability.

Beet Stock Values – According to Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke, there were two American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock-brokered sales last week, totaling 56 shares for an average price of $4,402.68 per share.

FBI Warning for Farm Co-ops – The FBI is warning farm cooperatives about possible ransomware attacks during planting and harvest. The alert said cyber-criminals may hack into farm co-ops to mess up their business and potentially impact the food supply chain. The FBI said multiple ransomware attacks have targeted farm co-ops in the past year.

Prioritize Safety – When the weather warms up, gravel roads can be a hazard for farm equipment. “In some cases, there could be severe frost boils on the roads,” said Angie Johnson, farm safety and ranch coordinator, NDSU Extension. Adding equipment and other motorists to the roads becomes a challenge. Safety measures should also be in place before farmers go to the fields. “Do you have your slow-moving vehicle signs, flashers, headlights and mirrors ready to go?”

Focus on Aspirations – Minnesota State FFA President Emily Matejka describes this past year as a whirlwind. She’s proud to revive the Minnesota FFA Convention back to a live event. Matejka’s retiring address will be presented Tuesday afternoon where she will talk about the pressure of expectations. “In the world we live in there are a lot of expectations of things we feel we should do, but the message is about what could we do instead and focus on our aspirations.” Matejka is a student at South Dakota State University with a major in ag communications and a minor in agronomy.

Preparing Students for the Future – With the current labor shortage, Minnesota FFA Alumni Association President Mark Jirik says FFA and agricultural education are delivering the skills needed in the job world today. “FFA prepares students for their future careers,” said Jirik. “It’s the skills that they have learned, whether it is in career development events, leadership events or in their SAEs (Supervised Agricultural Experience).” The 2020-2021 state officer team led entirely during the pandemic. The Minnesota FFA Alumni Association presented these young men and women with lifetime membership in the state and national FFA alumni associations Sunday night.

Skills Gained During the Pandemic – The students at the Minnesota State FFA Convention have gone to school during a time of COVID and remote learning. “The world is changing and communication is changing,” said Wyatt Halvorson, state vice president, Minnesota FFA. “It’s something we didn’t expect, but something we adapted to.”  Halvorson, who is from Thief River Falls and is a pre-veterinary medicine student at the University of Minnesota, said his generation is the first to experience online learning due to a pandemic. “These skills are going to help us into the future.”

MN FFA Welcomes Hall of Fame Class of 2022 – Ron Sommers is a former ag teacher who went onto a long career with Pioneer Seed. Sommers said FFA members are great prospects for employers. “They bring a work ethic and having that knowledge in agriculture is certainly going to help them.” Like all teachers, Hawley FFA Advisor Dave Swanson has numerous students with natural ability. However, his greatest pride is reserved for the shy seventh grader or freshman who come to the FFA convention and present “whether they win an award or not.”  In addition to Sommers and Swanson, the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame honorees are Pat Dingels of Redwood Falls, Charles Krause of Buffalo, Becky Meyer of Vadnais Heights, Kerry Lindgren of Staples, Erman Ueland of Fertile and Stan Vander Kooi of Buffalo.

Ready to Tackle Any Challenge – South Dakota FFA Convention started Sunday. State FFA President Tessa Erdmann says the future is bright with young agriculturalists ready to tackle any challenge. “There’s always going to be challenges in agriculture, but I think we’re in good hands. I’ve worked with so many young people, and it’s incredible the things they’re doing.” Erdmann’s time as a state office is coming to an end. “One of my favorite things was being back in person this year for the summer retreat. I’m excited for the 50th anniversary of our retreat this upcoming summer.” Red River Farm Network’s coverage of the South Dakota State FFA Convention is brought to you by South Dakota Farmers Union and Full Circle Ag.

Advancing Ag Innovations to Support Food Security, Climate and Environment – BASF plans to introduce new innovations across all business areas over the next decade, ranging from traits to digital farming. Its ten-year outlook puts a focus on productivity and sustainability. The pipeline for new products includes a new Nematode Resistant Soybean trait and hybrid wheat. BASF is also working with Bosch to develop real-time, automated weed identification and management. This Smart Spraying solution is expected to launch in North America, Brazil and Europe within the next year-and-a-half.

Pipeline Proposal Prompts Private Property Rights Plea – Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed pipeline would gather carbon dioxide from 31 ethanol plants before sending it to western North Dakota for permanent underground storage. This pipeline would be the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project to date. Ohnstad Twichell attorney Chris McShane says the pipeline specifics are still up in the air. “We are aware of Summit Carbon Solutions making presentations to local government entities and we’re learning more and more from those presentations.” David Pipe, who is also an attorney with Ohnstad Twichell, wants farmers and ranchers to join the discussion. “There’s strength in numbers. The more landowners that band together the more leverage in negotiating easements.” NDFB is hosting landowner meetings to discuss private property rights.

Investing With an Agenda – Activist investor Carl Icahn is urging other major index-fund managers to support his fight with McDonald’s. Icahn wants McDonald’s to adopt specific sow-housing requirements for its suppliers. Icahn also nominated two directors for the McDonald’s board who support his animal rights agenda. That election will take place at the fast food chain’s annual meeting May 26.

MFBF Update – It’s National Volunteer Week. Minnesota Farm Bureau Director of Membership and Marketing Robin Kinney says Farm Bureau is celebrating. Hear more in this week’s MFBF Update.

Syngenta Promotes Flakne – David Flackne is now leading U.S. state affairs for Syngenta. Flakne joined Ciba-Geigy in 1082 and has been part of the state affairs team since the early 1990s. Flakne succeeds Dennis Kelly, who retired after serving 44 years with the company.

Renick to Lead FarmOp Capital – Financial management firm FarmOp Capital has a new CEO. Co-founder and former Chief Financial Officer Keir Renick is now serving in the role. Former CEO Bill York will now the executive chairman and interim chief revenue officer. FarmOp Capital is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Ex-EPA Chief Seeks Senate Seat – Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt wants to be Oklahoma’s next senator. Pruitt is one of 14 Republicans seeking the nomination. Pruitt resigned as President Trump’s EPA administrator in 2018 when faced with allegations of ethics violations.

MN Native Named U.S. Grains Council Vice President – Cary Sifferath has been promoted to vice president of the U.S. Grains Council. Sifferath is a Farmington, Minnesota native and has been with USGC for 28 years. Most recently, Sifferath was the senior director of global programs.

French Selected for CFI Job – Mickie French is the new executive director of the Center for Food Integrity. French succeeds Terry Fleck, who is retiring. French has extensive experience in the food industry, including Tate & Lyle to the Indiana Soybean Alliance.

Clarification – U.S. Sugar Corporation, American Crystal Sugar Company, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative and Wyoming Sugar Company are members of a marketing cooperative called United Sugars.

AURI Update – Another AURI Fields of Innovation webinar is coming up on Wednesday. Hear more about it in this week’s AURI Update.

MBOAH Elects New Officers – The Minnesota Board of Animal Health has elected Erica Sawatzke as its president and Dr. Peggy Anne Hawkins as vice president. Sawatzke is a turkey grower from Kensington. Hawkins is a veterinarian and is based in Northfield.

Halverson Takes Leadership Role with Potatoes USA – Potatoes USA has elected its executive committee for 2022-2023. Leah Halverson of Grand Forks is co-chairing the industry outreach committee. Potatoes USA is the marketing and promotion board for the potato industry.

UMC Professor Recognized – University of Minnesota-Crookston professor Harouna Maiga has received the Horace T. Morse-Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education. Maiga is part of the agriculture department, specializing in equine sciences and agricultural education.