Soggy Start to the Week – A mix of snow and rain is being seen across a large share of North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. There are also heavier rains from western Minnesota to the Twin Cities and Duluth. Temperatures are expected to warm up slightly this week with another chance for moisture on Wednesday. World Weather Incorporated expects another round of moisture at mid-month, which could delay spring planting.

Human Case of HPAI Reported – A week ago today, a dairy worker in Texas tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the case is relatively mild with the only symptom being a case of pink eye. The patient was treated with flu medication and told to isolate. This is only the second person to be diagnosed with this subset of avian influenza with the first case being in Colorado two years ago. This would be the first time High Path Avian Influenza jumped from birds to cattle to people. According to an agency news release, “this infection does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which the CDC considers to be low.”

Uncertainty Sends Cattle Futures South – A handful of states have confirmed the presence of HPAI in dairy cattle. The uncertainty surrounding avian influenza sent cattle futures lower. “It seems like every time we get really enthused about the fundamental bull story in cattle we run into a black swan,” reports Don Roose, president, U.S. Commodities. “There was a risk-off trade going into the weekend; the funds caught long (and) technicals broke down going into the weekend. It’s one of those markets like we had before we bottomed in December.”

MN House Ag Committee Update on HPAI – The Minnesota House Agriculture Committee heard an update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza after the virus has infected dairy cattle, goats, and one human. Minnesota Board of Animal Health Executive Director Dr. Brian Hoefs says their agency is working with other agencies and organizations to form protocols for mitigating risk to livestock and caretakers. Hoefs advises those handling raw milk to wear personal protective equipment “I grew up on a dairy farm. We dipped a pitcher in the milk for breakfast every morning. Not a good idea in light of this information.” Pasteurized milk is safe to handle and consume.

Safety Precautions Advised – With HPAI expanding from juvenile goats to dairy cattle to a person, additional safety precautions are advised. Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health Director Renee Anthony said this may be an isolated case, “but, we really need to be prepared for the next step.” The Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises the general public should avoid diseased or dead animals. If unable to do so, respiratory protection is recommended.

Farm Bill Advocacy – National Association of Wheat Growers President Keef Felty continues to focus on the farm bill with crop insurance being the primary concern. “Keeping it whole and functional because it is the cornerstone of our safety net in production agriculture so that’s our number one priority.” Another ask is an increase in the ARC and PLC reference prices. “They’ve been at these levels since they were introduced two farm bills ago and in the current economic climate they’re insufficient at this point.” Felty was in Fargo and Grand Forks this past week for the Bayer Leadership Program.

Conservative Caucus Calls for Farm Bill Cuts – The Republican Study Committee has released its farm bill budget targets for Fiscal Year 2025. The conservative congressional group is proposing the elimination of the sugar and dairy programs. The proposal would cut the crop insurance premium subsidy by 14 percent and cap crop insurance benefits at $40,000. Overall farm payment limits of $500,000 are also recommended.

SD Corn Comments – South Dakota Corn Utilization Council Vice President Jay Esser provides this week’s South Dakota Corn Comments. Esser says recent comments from the U.S. House of Representatives were good news on year-round use of E15.

ITC 2,4-D Ruling Challenged – The U.S. International Trade Commission is being asked to determine if imports of 2,4-D are harming or threatening U.S. agriculture. Corteva filed the antidumping and countervailing duty petitions with the ITC in a dispute over trade practices by India and China. National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle provided testimony, saying American farmers need reliable access to these herbicide products. Wolle, who is a Minnesota farmer, said this proposal has the potential to limit imports, raise prices and create a supply shortage. The ITC must decide within the next 45 days.

Climate Disclosure Rule on Pause – A rule requiring companies to disclose their climate-related risk has been put on hold while a legal challenge moves through the courts. The Securities and Exchange Commission finalized this rule last month. A group of Republican attorneys general challenged the rule, arguing the agency went beyond its authority. A spokesperson said the AG offices took this action to protect businesses from costly red tape, secure the supply chain and defend family farms.

GREET Decision in ‘Very Near Future’ – The Environmental Protection Agency’s update of the so-called GREET life cycle model will be complete in the “very near future.” EPA Administrator Michael Regan made that point at the Society of Environmental Journalists Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. The carbon intensity values of sustainable aviation fuel made from corn-based ethanol is dependent on the GREET modeling decision. The EPA was initially expected to provide this information by March 1.

Important Decision Coming for Corn Based Ethanol – Reuters is reporting the Biden Administration will release its climate model for sustainable aviation fuel by mid-May. Citing unnamed sources, the story said ethanol is not expected to automatically qualify as a feedstock for these tax credits unless it can be proven sustainable farming practices were utilized. Those practices include conservation tillage, cover crops and crop nutrient management.

Farming for the Future – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is partnering with the Red River Farm Network and the Linder Farm Network to provide information on soil health events and topics. This week, University of Minnesota Extension Educator Claire LaCanne joins Farming for the Future to talk about how landowners can work with renters to incorporate soil health practices on their rented ground.

$1.5 Billion Available for Conservation – During a stop in Mankato, Minnesota, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the availability of $1.5 billion in Regional Conservation Partnership Program funds for this fiscal year. Proposals must be submitted to USDA by July 2. The RCPP is designed to help farmers, ranchers and landowners adopt and expand conservation practices. “We had unprecedented demand for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program last year, showing the robust interest in conservation from farmers and ranchers,” said Vilsack. “Through the increase in funding from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, we’re able to invest even more this year in this important program.”

Dry Bean Scene – Northarvest Bean Growers Association Executive Director Mitch Coulter expects dry bean acreage this season to be in line with the latest USDA planting intentions report. Compared to corn, soybeans and wheat, dry edible bean prices have held together. “Of course, they’re not as easy to grow but some of the things that we look at,” said Coulter. “But, there is a (market) opportunity for us there.” Minor dry bean categories, such as small red beans, pinks and cranberries, are projected to experience a downturn in acres. “We saw them move more towards navy, pintos, and kidneys.” Hear more in this week’s Dry Bean Scene.

Freight Rate Differences – A decision by Canadian Pacific Railway is impacting shippers moving grain to the Pacific Northwest, including Full Circle Ag at Forman, North Dakota. Grain Division Manager Justin Ostby said CP will not match the BNSF freight prices at neighboring elevators. The elevator is seeking other options, but the PNW is a critical market. “For us, this is a huge deal,” said Ostby. “This is keep the lights on or shut ’em off kind of a deal.” CP is honoring the contracts for May delivery. Once those train commitments are full, Ostby said the elevator’s basis level will widen by 30 cents.

What’s the End Goal? – The Canadian Pacific Railway decision impacts several grain elevators in North Dakota. State Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring is in conversation with the CP to help the company understand the implications of this decision, but there are no guarantees. “It is the private sector; the government does have the ability to regulate and provide oversight, but that’s generally having to do with unlawful activity or unfair practices,” said Goehring. “But, these are business decisions that the companies make and there’s nothing illegal about them.” Goehring is trying to understand CP’s action. “I just want to know what the end goal is here.”

Biden Visits Baltimore Bridge Site – President Joe Biden visited the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse on Friday. Biden said action is being taken to reopen the Port of Baltimore. “By the end of April, they’ll be able to open the third channel for some commercial traffic and by the end of May, we’ll open the full channel.” Meanwhile, the National Economic Council has brought together its Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force to ease any shipping disruptions.

Baltimore Bridge Economics – The Port of Baltimore has opened for commercial ships on a case-by-case basis as crews continue to remove debris from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The port only handles a small portion of ag imports, but American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Betty Resnick said its closure still has a broad impact. Farm equipment likely has the biggest impact from the port issue. “North Dakota in 2021 had about $135 million in exports going through the Port of Baltimore; Minnesota was at $169 million and South Dakota was at $6.8 million,” said Resnick. “It’s a really important port in terms of equipment; they had about 1.3 million tons of non-automotive roll-on-roll-off equipment, things like farm equipment and tractors.” About ten percent of the USA’s UAN fertilizer moves through this port so that may have also localized impacts.

The First Saltie of the Season – The first ‘saltie’ of the 2024 shipping season arrived at the Port of Duluth-Superior this past week. Duluth Seaway Port Authority Director of Communication and Marketing Jayson Hron said the arrival of the Portugal-flagged ship, Barbo G, is the second earliest arrival of an oceangoing vessel. A total of 21,000 tons of durum wheat was loaded onto that ship.  “Oftentimes, it’s spring wheat but this year it’s durum wheat. That’s an exciting way to start the season for sure and hopefully building on the positive momentum we saw for grain in general in Q4 2023.” The shipment is headed to Algeria.

Logistical Issues for Spring Fertilizer Run – Global fertilizer prices are beginning to soften slightly. However, StoneX Director of Fertilizer, Josh Linville says that is not the case in the U.S. as spring demand picks up. Logistics is a big issue. “Coming into this spring season, there’s a lot of trepidation in regards to pricing,” said Linville. “The supply chain just didn’t want to take the risk. They couldn’t bear the thought of losing that much money by putting a lot of product in and then seeing prices fall.” Fertilizer inventories are tight, creating a headache for those with a ‘just-in-time’ philosophy.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson cites the encouraging news in the lean hogs, crude and gold. “Part of it is due to the uncertainty in the Middle East.” On the bearish side of the market, Martinson points to cattle and the many unknowns related to HPAI.

Cost-Price Squeeze Influences Farm Attitudes – The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer showed an increase in farmer sentiment in March. Purdue University Center for Commercial Agriculture Director Dr. Jim Mintert said he believes interest rate expectations have changed. The number of farmers worried about lower commodity prices and high input costs has risen. “People are really worried about a cost-price squeeze.”

Corn is Still in the Bin – Farmers are still holding on to 2023 corn. “Because of the lower prices, farmers have not been as aggressive in selling their corn,” said Frayne Olson, crops economist, NDSU Extension. “When I go out for meetings and discussions with farm managers, that’s one of the first things that comes up, asking if they should have been selling more aggressively or selling more heavily on the corn side. There’s a lot of corn sitting in the bin yet. They’re struggling to put a marketing plan together that makes some sense.”

A Greater Risk of Charcoal Rot – During the latest U of M Extension Strategic Farming webinar, University of Minnesota Extension Plant Pathologist Dr. Dean Malvick said charcoal rot could become a bigger issue. Hotter, drier summers make the disease worse. Charcoal rot can impact more than just soybeans and is easily identifiable. “Unfortunately, this has a very wide host range,” said Malvick. The pathogen can infect corn, alfalfa, sunflower and dry edible beans among others. “Symptoms usually begin in the driest parts of the field, premature, yellowing of leaves.” Using a crop rotation with small grains, and selecting varieties with partial resistance can help mitigate charcoal rot pressure.

Weather Worries – World Weather Incorporated Senior Agricultural Meteorologist Drew Lerner expects to see another cold spell later this month. “We’ll probably have another larger storm system impacting the area, followed by some cold weather.” Lerner’s next big concern is the possibility of dryness this summer. “We do expect the summertime to be very warm and dry, not necessarily right here in the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest but to our south.” Hot, dry conditions are forecast for significant portions of the Central Plains, Southern Plains and a part of the Western Cornbelt.Weath

Drought Conditions Improving in Much of Midwest – Drought conditions are declining in corn and soybean crop areas. “Less than a quarter of corn and soybean production areas are currently in drought, 24 percent of corn crop and 22 percent of soybean,” said Brad Rippey, USDA meteorologist. “Both of those crops have been on a steady downward trend since about early summer of 2023. We actually saw corn in drought coverage as high as 70 percent in late June of 2023 and at the same time 63 percent of soybean production area was in drought.”

Brazilian Crop Estimates Vary – Soybean and Corn Advisor Michael Cordonnier says the Brazilian soybean crop has been widely variable. “I would say it’s average, but there’s a big disparity about the estimates,” explained Cordonnier. “USDA’s (estimate is) very high while some of the folks from Brazil are very low and we’ve got a difference of 20 million tons between the high and the low.” The discrepancy in numbers seems to be happening with northeastern Brazil, which has had a lot of expansion.

Ag Policy Research Center to Impact Policy Decisions – Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member John Hoeven helped secure $2 million for a new Ag Policy Research Center at NDSU. Once built, the North Dakota senator said it will help decision-makers know more about ag issues that are important to the Midwest and Northern Plains. “Clearly, there are some good ideas where we can have a big impact.” Those policy issues include crop insurance, dairy policy and “getting ahead of the curve on inputs for pesticides so our farmers can continue to do what they need to do to raise their crops.”

Solving Problems Through Partnership – The partnerships behind the Ag Policy Research Center have proven that it is easier to work together towards a common goal than it is to go it alone. According to Grand Farm co-founder Brian Carroll, it all starts with identifying problems and bringing in the right people to resolve those issues. “What the Grand Farm is really good at is bringing people together and when you have an ecosystem that is full of smart, talented people you can affect great change.” Grand Farm was one of the groups that met with North Dakota Senator John Hoeven at NDSU to discuss agriculture initiatives for the state.

Grand Farm Innovation Shop Scheduled to Open in June – The first building of Grand Farm’s Innovation Campus is set to host its grand opening in Cassleton, North Dakota on June 10. The Innovation Shop is the first step in Grand Farm’s Smart Farm.”It’s really a place to focus all of the ecosystem-building efforts we’ve been doing across growers, startups, corporations, researchers, and educators into a central location,” said William Aderholdt, executive director. “A place where we can host and convene conversations where partners can bring their clients and teams for training,” The grand opening begins with demonstrations to showcase advancements in autonomy, robotics, drones and early test-plot work.

Canola Minute – Members of the Northern Canola Growers Association members attended the U.S. Canola Association Meeting in Washington D.C. Northern Canola Growers Executive Director Barry Coleman provides a recap from the event in this week’s Canola Minute.

New NDSU Endowment Established – The North Dakota State University Foundation has announced a new endowment establishing the Joe and Norma Peltier Vice President for Agriculture. NDSU Vice President for Agriculture Greg Lardy will be the inaugural holder of the endowment. A special medallion ceremony celebrating the Peltier family and Lardy will occur during the NDSU Foundation’s Evening of Distinction event April 25. Establishment of the Peltier Vice President endowment is the second of its kind at NDSU. Ron and Kaye Olson established the named Dean of the College of Business endowment in 2017.

NDSU Peltier Complex On Track for June Opening – Construction of the NDSU Peltier Complex is on schedule. Vice President of Agricultural Affairs Greg Lardy said the new building will offer a more collaborative environment. The facility will include “our cereal science, food science, meat science programs, the Northern Crops Institute and a variety of other activities that are related to end-use quality or end-use utilization for North Dakota commodities.” The new Peltier Complex is designed to benefit education and research. “We will be able to have our students trained in a state-of-the-art facility with modern milling and baking and food science capabilities.”

Calving Season – Calving season is underway for Peter Bakken’s operation at Beaver Creek in far southwestern Minnesota. This past week’s snow and rain made things more difficult, but Bakken was happy to get the moisture. “The ground was almost too dry so we were thankful for the first precipitation that we got.” Calving is going well. “We’re about 40 calves ahead of where we were last year,” Bakken told RRFN.

Important Calving Reminders – To keep calves healthy, it is important to make sure they are nursing and dry. NDSU Extension Livestock Specialist Karl Hoppe also warns that any calving sheds need to be well-ventilated. “You have to be careful about having these little shelters because there may not be enough ventilation in those shelters and calves can actually get more humidity in that situation and end up having more pneumonia problems.” Hoppe said the supplies to have on hand during this calving season include snares, OB lubricant, colostrum replacement and a calf puller.

MN Beef Update – Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director Kaitlyn Root provides a preview of the organization’s advocacy efforts and events. This Minnesota Beef Update highlights an upcoming trip to visit with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and the annual Steak on a Stick event at the Minnesota State Capitol.

Cull Cows and Bulls at All-Time High – Cattle futures dropped to a three-month low this past week. Mitch Barthel, who owns the Perham Stockyards and the Tri-County Stockyards, is continuing to see strong prices at auction. With record values for 90 percent beef trimmings, weigh-up cows and bulls are also bringing record money. “With the markets we’ve seen, they’ve been selling cattle right along and it doesn’t look like they’re retaining much. The market is so good, they’re selling a few cattle and trying to catch up on some bills.”

A Tasty, Healthy Alternative – This is a good time for the bison industry. “Ever since COVID, we have seen just a tremendous amount of demand for bison meat,” reports Adam Ulbricht, executive director, Minnesota Bison Association. “With some of the struggles of other proteins, that price parity shrank making our meat really competitive compared to a lot of other animal proteins.” After getting a taste of bison, Ulbricht said consumers like the flavor “and they really enjoy the health benefits that come from it ultimately being one of the healthiest red meats out there.” The Minnesota Bison Association was in Detroit Lakes this weekend for its spring conference.

USDA Reviewing Federal Order Proposals – The deadline is now past for dairy industry stakeholders to submit legal briefs for the modernization of federal milk marketing orders. USDA has until July 1 to review this information. This lengthy process began with a hearing near Indianapolis that began in late August and lasted until late January. This is the first comprehensive review of the milk pricing system in nearly 25 years.

Supplemental Budget Bill Advances in St. Paul – The Minnesota House Agriculture Committee has laid over a supplemental budget bill that includes an additional $7 million for the state Agriculture Department. That includes a one-time investment of $4 million for the Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation Program. This new AGRI money will support dairy and livestock farmers. The other $3 million goes for in-home water treatment. This would be a statewide program, but the focus would be on southeastern Minnesota where nitrate contamination has been an issue. It also extends the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council for five years.

Water Quality Seen as a Legislative Priority – Minnesota Senate Ag Committee Chair Aric Putnam is seeing concern from farmers about soil quality and water quality across the state. “That’s the whole state, not just the Karst region,” said Putnam. “I know we’ve been talking a lot about nitrates and drinking water in southeastern Minnesota but it’s a big concern for everyone across the state. We are taking it seriously and doing what we can to be consistent with how I do this.”  Putnum believes in an incentive-based strategy. “In the Senate, we do carrots, not sticks.”

MFU Minute – The Minnesota Farmers Union will host a film screening of Join or Die. This documentary explores the importance of local civic engagement. MFU Membership and Minnesota Cooks Director Claudine Arndt provides details in this week’s MFU Minute.

Lab Grown Meat Generates Debate in State Senate – The omnibus agriculture policy bill passed in the Minnesota Senate and will now go to the House for consideration. During the debate, three attempts were made to label lab-grown meat products. Senator Rich Draheim, who is a Republican from south-central Minnesota, came up with a compromise. “It simply states that we’re asking the (Agriculture) Commissioner to come up with some options and next year come back with a list of options that we can vote on.” That amendment passed on a bipartisan basis. The overall ag policy bill passed in the Senate with 58 yes votes and nine no votes.

Corn Matters – Common Ground Minnesota is a group of women across the state who work together to promote agriculture and share their knowledge with consumers. Minnesota Corn Program Manager Kelly Stanek joins Corn Matters to highlight the organization and provide information on events.

Addressing the Rural Vet Shortage – Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee Vice Chair Rob Kupec of Moorhead supports a proposal to address the rural veterinarian shortage. The bill would provide an opportunity for veterinary technicians to be licensed taking the pressure off of veterinarians. “The language is included in the Health and Human Services omnibus bill that has not yet reached the Senate floor.” The language is in the House bill “so I’m pretty optimistic.”

Wheat Leaders Tour ND Mill – During the third phase of the Bayer Leadership Program, wheat industry leaders toured the North Dakota Mill. The participants include leaders of the National Association of Wheat Growers and the National Wheat Foundation. “This group this week has been officers and committee chairs, so we practice some parliamentary procedure, media training, public speaking,” said Anne Osborne, project manager, National Wheat Foundation. “We’re learning about the North Dakota Mill and trying to learn about some of the issues that wheat growers in this region may face.” See more photos on the Red River Farm Network’s Facebook page.

States Should Follow Science-Based Rules – More than 60 agricultural groups have created a coalition to protect the farmers’ access to crop protection tools. The Modern Ag Alliance is promoting the importance of science-based rules. While states have the option to expand the regulations for glyphosate and other crop protection products, this coalition does not want those rules to conflict with the EPA’s federal label. Bayer is leading the Modern Ag Alliance with support from the national corn, soybean and wheat groups. Supporters also include the Minnesota AgriGrowth Council, North Dakota Corn Growers Association and North Dakota Grain Growers Association.

New Herbicide for Cereal Grains – EPA has approved the registration of a new Corteva herbicide for spring and winter wheat, barley and durum. Product Manager Drew Clark said Tolvera will be available for the 2025 growing season. “I think one of the biggest benefits for that Northern Plains region is the rotational flexibility. Tolvera is going to allow growers to be more flexible in their planning decisions enabling crop rotations to lentils, peas, potatoes and soybeans, getting a 9-month plant back rotation to most major crops.” Tolvera will manage hard-to-control weeds, like waterhemp, kochia, and Russian thistle. Tolvera features two modes-of-action; tolpyralate and bromoxynil.

AGCO and Trimble Close Joint Venture – AGCO Corporation and Trimble have announced the closing of their joint venture agreement. The joint venture is called PTx Trimble. AGCO has an 85 percent ownership stake in the new company and Trimble has 15 percent. The new company is designed to offer factory fit and retrofit applications for the precision agriculture market.

CHS Releases 2Q Results – CHS is reporting second-quarter net income of $170.3 million. That’s down from $292.3 million in the same quarter last year which was a record. In the ag segment, earnings rose with stronger agronomy markets and stable grain and oilseed margins. Margins declined in CHS’ energy business due in part to a historically warm winter season.

Hardy and Slaubaugh Elected to NDWC – Don Hardy of Beach and Glendon Slaubaugh of Rugby have been elected to the North Dakota Wheat Commission. Their terms begin July 1.