Stopgap Spending Bill Likely – In a call with House Republicans, Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Congress will likely pass a continuing resolution to keep the government funded past September 30. The House has passed one out of the 12 appropriations bills and the Senate has not approved any of the spending bills.

Farm Bill Extension is Necessary – With only 12 days on the legislative calendar before the current farm bill expires, Minnesota Senator Tina Smith said an extension is expected. Smith said the Senate is farther along in the process and will likely to the lead in the farm bill discussion. Smith will also discuss farm policy with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in the upcoming week at the Minnesota State Fair.

Freedom Caucus Won’t Delay Farm Bill – South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson does not expect the conservative Freedom Caucus to delay the new farm bill. However, Johnson said some of the most conservative members of Congress may push for cuts to farm bill spending, preventing the legislation from getting the support it needs to pass the House.

‘Sensible People in the Middle’ Needed to Write New Farm Bill – Former House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson says the House and Senate committee leaders are saying the right things, but there are some problems with the new farm bill. “In this debate, you’ve got people saying they won’t support a farm bill unless there’s more money in it for reference prices or whatever and you’ve got other people saying they want cuts in spending in the farm bill.” In the House, the GOP has a four-seat majority. “There’s at least 20 of these Freedom Caucus people that will never vote for a farm bill and you’ve got folks that aren’t going to vote for the bill anyway demanding things that will drive Democrats away from the bill. They’ve got to get to a place where the sensible people in the middle come togther and in this climate, that’s tough.” Peterson has met with staff from both sides of the aisle and will be available to provide input on writing the farm bill.

The Battle Will be in the Conference Committee – South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds expects a farm bill extension until the end of the year. While on the Dakotafest stage, Rounds said it may be difficult to find consensus. “The challenge is going to be between the House and Senate when they’re brought together for conference committee.

A Matter of Parity – Senator Tina Smith visited Bejou, Minnesota farmer Mike Gunderson in his wheat field Wednesday to discuss the new farm bill. Crop insurance and additional funding for trade promotion were cited as farm bill priorities.  Gunderson, who is president of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, is also seeking higher reference prices. Gunderson said it is a matter of parity. “For corn, the reference price is 90 percent of the cost production in the last five years; for soybeans, it is in the upper 80s,” said Gunderson. “For wheat, we’re closer to 70 percent and we’d like to see that to be a little more equal standing with other commodoties.”

The Farm Bill is a National Security Issue – When it comes to building the next farm bill, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall sees the biggest challenge being the new members. “We’ve got 260 congressmen and senators who have never debated or voted on a farm bill before so the challenge is showing them the value it has to them.” AFBF Vice President Scott VanderWal, who also participated in Dakotafest. “The security of our ag industry becomes national security, crop insurance and risk management programs are very important to our members.” VanderWal expects Congress to pass a strong farm bill. “We don’t always agree with everybody, but on the real important things we do. We think we can work together and come up with a good product.”

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In today’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson is seeing strength in both corn and soybeans. “A lot of it is due to the hot and dry weather.” The Pro Farmer Tour will provide further insight into crop conditions this week. A lack of demand is bearish news for wheat.

A ‘Monster’ Wheat Crop – Nebraska-based custom combiner J.C. Schemper cut a monster winter wheat crop near Great Falls, Montana. “I’m not exaggerating when I say there was a lot of 90–to-100-bushel winter wheat that had 64–to-65-pound test weight with good protein.” Schemper says that area of Montana’s Golden Triangle received timely rains. “Some of the guys were getting an inch of rain a week.”

WestBred Wheat Report – In the WestBred Wheat Report, WestBred Technical Product Manager Justin Berg previews the wheat variety options for 2024.

Preliminary Variety Information Coming In – Preliminary small grains yield data is starting to come in from 45 spring wheat varieties across five locations in Minnesota. “We’ve got a couple locations averaging over 100 bushels per acre,” said Jim Anderson, spring wheat breeder, University of Minnesota. “Benson averaged 97 bushels per acre, Fergus Falls was 77 bushels.” Yields from trials typically end slightly above grower averages due to the newer genetics and optimal fertilizer applications.

A Pleasant Surprise – Following a hot, dry spring, Valley United Co-op Chief Operating Officer Travis Hegg is surprised by the wheat being delivered to the Reynolds, North Dakota location. “The quality has been great,” said Hegg. “We’re seeing 62-to-64 pound wheat. Proteins have kinda been all over the board, close to 16 (percent) and down to 11 (percent).” Yields are also a surprise. “Everybody was thinking that we really got a lot of heat here and was going to see some short bushels and high protein; that didn’t hold true.”

Good Quality Barley – In the Kennedy, Minnesota area, Rob Rynning has finished his barley harvest. “Quality looks really good, but barley can handle drier conditions like we had this summer.” The wheat crop is much more variable. Rynning has wheat measuring 18 inches to knee high in fields that are just over two miles apart, with big differences in quality and readiness.

Sporadic – At Munich, North Dakota, Gary Beck’s barley crop looks dry. “Rain has been really sporadic here. I think quality will be fine, but yields will be down in the barley.”

Early Yields Are Better Than Expected – Harvest activity is just getting started around Arvilla, North Dakota. “I would have expected to start earlier, but we’re three-to-five days of heavy harvesting,” said Tyler Stegman, grain buyer, Columbia Grain. Test weight and protein are adequate. Early yield reports are better than expected, with reports in the upper 60’s.

Harvest Begins in St. Hilaire Area – Pat Knutson, grain department manager, Northern Grain, says the spring wheat harvest is just getting started in the St. Hilaire, Minnesota area. Early yields have come as a surprise. “First stuff coming off will probably be lower yields, but it should progressively improve.” Protein has trended higher.

July Scorches Yield from Spring Wheat Crop – Dickinson, North Dakota farmer Ed Kessel is about one-third of the way through his small grain harvest. The winter wheat, peas,and barley are done. Kessel says the hot, dry weather in July hurt his spring wheat crop. “it’s only slightly above average. Test weights are right at 60 pounds and protein may be a little under normal.”

Sugarbeet Pre-Pile Delivers Optimistic Numbers – American Crystal Sugar Company’s pre-pile campaign began Tuesday. General Agronomist Joe Hastings is expecting a good crop despite a late start. “We’ve got some spotty rains which helped loosen the ground for harvest.” Current yield estimates are in the upper 20-ton range. “Twenty-eight-to-28.5 (ton) is what we’re estimating. Sugar content is higher than average for this time of year at 14.2 percent.”

Field Pea Harvest Nearly Wrapped Up in Western ND – Northern Pulse Growers Association President Sam Arnson, who farms near Williston, North Dakota, has wrapped up the harvesting of his yellow peas. “There’s still some harvest in the area going on, but from what I’ve heard, people are happy with yields and quality.”

Drought Stress Near Gary, MN – Near Gary, Minnesota, Norman County Corn and Soybean Growers Association President Corey Hanson says spotty moisture has been tough on soybeans. “When I’m pulling plants, the bottom sections have very nice beans. The middle and upper sections have very few pods.” Hanson expects corn yields to be average or slightly below average. “Of course, we won’t really know what’s there until we combine them.” Listen to the full interview with Hanson here.

Beneficial August Rains – Dairyland Seeds District Sales Manager Keith Rekow reports the small grain harvest is rolling along well. “Southeast North Dakota yield reports are much above expected averages. Watertown area yields vary, while Lamoure County looks like they’re about average.” Crop conditions improved with heavy rains in South Dakota. “Guys with less than an inch of rain along I-29 along northeast, South Dakota in July, received six inches in August. I’d say corn and soybean crops will be above average.”

Canola Minute – In this week’s Canola Minute, Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman talks about the latest NDSU entomology report.

Pioneer Agronomy Update – Enlist E3 soybeans have been available for the past four years. Vorseed Enlist and PowerCore Enlist corn technology are now in the pipeline to manage corn rootworm and weed pressure. That includes tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate, 2, 4-D choline and FOP. During a Pioneer field day near Spiritwood, North Dakota, RRFN asked about possible resistance issues when both corn and soybeans are using the same technology. “We’re not using just one mode of action for corn and soybeans, we’re mixing it up so that’s really helpful,” said Steve Snyder, Enlist specialist. “We’re very flexible on tank mix options, flexible on pre-emerge options for both corn and soybeans. We learned 20 years ago that we can’t just use one mode of action and we’re doing that very effectively with the Enlist system.” Learn more in the interview on RRFN’s YouTube channel.  

A Huge Year for Insects – This has been a big year for insect pressure. “It’s been huge,” reports Jesse Moch, district sales lead, Pioneer. “It’s been aphids, it’s been clover worms, it’s bean leaf beetles, it’s been grasshoppers, it’s been spider mites.” Moch says most farmers have made at least one trip across the field to address the bug issue.

Emergency Exemption Granted for Malathion – The emergency crisis exemption for malathion has been approved for red sunflower seed weevil control in South Dakota. South Dakota farmers have until August 31 to spray for the red sunflower seed weevil. The request was submitted due to the pyrethroid-resistance and large populations of sunflower weevils, especially in central South Dakota.

Corn Rootworm Beetles Are Active – It’s easy to scout fields from the windshield, but AgriGold Area Business Manager Jeremy Baumgarten wants growers to get out into their fields. “The one thing I’ve seen this summer, especially in the last couple weeks, is the number of rootworm beetles in corn fields, especially for corn-on-corn,” Baumgarten told RRFN. “Guys really need to be out scouting and checking their fields for that. Plan accordingly with the crop rotation and if they’re going back to corn, they may want to throw a triple-stack product out there for better rootworm control.”

RRFN’s Big Iron Forums to be Live-Streamed – The Red River Farm Network has a full slate of forums planned for the Big Iron Farm Show. The schedule includes daily market outlook panels featuring some of the best analysts in the business. USDA Agriculture Meteorologist Brad Rippey, StoneX Vice President of Fertilizer Josh Linville and agricultural law and tax expert Roger McEowen will be on the stage. These forums will be streamed online at YourLiveEvent.com. The forums will be available after Big Iron on the Red River Farm Network YouTube channel.

Trouble in the Chinese Economy – A major Chinese investment trust has missed payments on billions of dollars’ worth of investments. At the end of last year, Zhongrong Trust managed $87 billion in funds for corporate and individual clients. Country Garden, which is China’s largest private-sector developer, reported record losses and missed interest payments on two investments. There are fears these issues could spark a financial crisis for the world’s second-largest economy.

First Ship Successfully Moves Through ‘Grain Corridor’ – A container ship filled with grain left the Ukrainian port of Odessa Wednesday and arrived in Turkey. This is the first ship to use the temporary Black Sea shipping corridor created by Ukraine. While the first shipment was successful, the merchant ships remain vulnerable to a Russian attack.

Grain is Moving on the Danube River – During the first two weeks of August, Ukraine exported 820,000 metric tons of grain through its ports on the Danube River. This became the primary shipping route after Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Earlier this week, Russian drones damaged grain storage on the Danube River. A leader with the Ukrainian Agrarian Council said freight rates have gone up and some shipping companies are refusing to move grain on the Danube River because of the increased risk.

USTR Moves Forward With Dispute Settlement Panel – As expected, the United States is seeking a dispute settlement panel with Mexico under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The disagreement is over Mexico’s plan to ban the biotech corn meant for human consumption. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Mexico’s approach to biotechnology is not based in science. Farm groups, including Farm Bureau, the National Corn Growers Association and U.S. Grains Council, are praising the USTR decision.

Colombia Wants a FTA ‘Redo’ – Colombian President Gustavo Petro wants to renegotiate its free trade agreement with the United States. Petro said he needs to protect his farmers from the influx of lower-priced U.S. imports. The U.S.-Colombian Trade Promotion Agreement has been in place for more than ten years. U.S. exports to Colombia have risen 47 percent since the trade deal was enacted in 2011.

The RRFN Crop Tour-Presented by Pioneer – What’s the potential for the 2023 crop? The Red River Farm Network Crop Tour, which is presented by Pioneer, will provide an assessment of the crops across a large portion of North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. During the week of August 28, the RRFN team will be on the road with Pioneer field agronomists. During these special reports, RRFN will provide a perspective on crop conditions and harvest timing. Listen for special coverage on RRFN. Special reports will also be available on the RRFN website and social media platforms.

Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council member Jim O’Connor was recently elected to the U.S. Grains Council board of directors. Hear more in the latest Corn Matters, brought to you by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.

Ethanol Faces Headwinds Without Carbon Capture – To qualify for California’s low carbon fuel standard or sustainable aviation fuel, a carbon score of 50 or below is required. With a carbon score of 60, ethanol currently does not qualify for these new markets. The score can be lowered if ethanol plants remove the carbon dioxide and bury it. Former House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson, who is now an advisor for the American Carbon Alliance, said the ethanol industry can only grow it it gets into these new markets. “The RFS (Renewable Fuel Standard) tops out at 15 billion gallons and there is no more capacity under the law. They cannot get in those markets until the carbon issue is addressed.” Ethanol totally changed the market dynamics in agriculture. “If this thing comes to a halt, you could see a situation where we we go back to the way it was before ethanol came into the marketplace. You could end up at $2 or $3 (per bushel corn).” Peterson won’t get into the battle over pipelines, but wants carbon capture addressed to help farmers and the ethanol industry.

Buis Promotes Positive Aspects of Carbon – The former leader of Growth Energy and the National Farmers Union came out of semi-retirement to become the CEO of the American Carbon Alliance. In an interview with the Red River Farm Network, Tom Buis said more needed to be done to highlight the positive aspects of carbon and its impact on farmers. “The benefits, they’re economic,” said Buis. “You’re going to see see net farm income go up, you’re going to see the ethanol industry expand and you’re going to see Rural America having a stake in the future of fuels in this country.” Pipelines and the concept of carbon capture have their critics. Buis said that criticism is coming from some of the same groups that were behind the food-versus-fuel debate years ago and those arguments were not grounded in science.

Summit Carbon Solutions Permit Application Resubmitted – Summit Carbon Solutions has resubmitted its pipeline permit to the North Dakota Public Utilities Commission. The first permit was denied earlier this month. The revised permit reroutes the pipeline north of Bismarck. Summit is also reporting nearly 80 percent of the right-of-way on the pipeline route has been secured through voluntary easements. Almont 90 percent of the space needed for the carbon sequestration in North Dakota has also been secured.

A Good Time to Sell Cattle – If these early prices are an indication of what’s to come, Napoleon Livestock Auction owner Paul Bitz is looking forward to the fall feeder run. “A 900-pound steer can bring $2.50-$2.55 and an 800-pound steer is at $2.55-ish. The market is good so I think it’s going to be a wild time for me to hand out checks this fall.” Pasture conditions as decent. Bitz said some producers may choose to hold onto feeders longer if they have the grass.

Feeder Cattle Market Influenced by Tight Supplies – This is a time of the year when feeder cattle prices typically see seasonal weakness. Van Ahn and Company market analyst Steve Witt does not expect that to happen this year. Cattle numbers are tight and it will take time to rebuild that herd. “The heifer replacements are not there and dairies are culling pretty heavy so that’s going to keep some pressure on the market,” said Witt. “With the dairy prices being so poor, guys are taking advantage of the slaughter prices.”

Placements Drop Eight Percent – According to Friday’s USDA Cattle-on-Feed Report, placements as of August 1 were down eight percent from one year ago. The total cattle inventory is down two percent and marketings of fed cattle declined five percent

Battling Concentration in the Cattle Market – During a stop at Dakotafest, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association President Justin Tupper said this is not a time to be complacent about concentration. The St. Onge, South Dakota rancher believes the cattle industry can learn from the pork and poultry sectors. “We don’t want to be contract farmers for the Big Four meatpackers,” said Tupper. “Cattle producers are some of the most independent people out there and we want to stay that way.”

Class-Action Lawsuit Dismissed – A federal judge in Minneapolis has dismissed a price-fixing class action lawsuit against Cargill, JBS, Tyson Foods, National Beef Packing and Swift. A group of cow-calf producers filed the lawsuit nearly a year ago, claiming meatpackers conspired to lower cattle prices in 2015. Judge John Tunheim said the cow-calf sector is too far removed from alleged price and supply manipulation to have a standing in the case.

MN Beef Update – Minnesota Beef Council Director of Industry Relations Jon Dilworth talks about preparations for the State Fair in the latest Minnesota Beef Update.

Anthrax Appears from ‘Perfect Storm’ – Reports of Anthrax in western North Dakota continue to climb. North Dakota State Veterinarian Ethan Andress says it’s hard to pinpoint an animal with anthrax until it’s deceased. “As of Thursday, we have a total of 21 confirmed cases of Anthrax in North Dakota with most of them in Grant County, but there’s a few in Hettinger County and Adams County.”  Andress says Anthrax is unpredictable. “Grant County had the perfect storm of moisture, heat, humidity and grass length.”

Expect High Hay Prices – Weaning time for cattle producers is just around the corner. South Dakota State University Extension Feedlot Specialist Warren Rusche says hay supplies are a worry for this winter. “For most of South Dakota, hay supplies are short and consequently hay is expensive.”  Practices like cover crops and silage-based diets could help producers who are short on hay.

Butter Market Rallies – Cash butter reached a 2023 record high price Thursday. It was also the day with the highest volume of trades for a single session since 2004. DairyVisor President Joe Spader says the butter supplies are short causing the market to rally. “With cow numbers declining and the heat stress on cows, I think butter production has dropped a bit.” Additionally, butter in cold storage is depleting quicker than normal. Class III milk is in a similar situation with a drawdown in milk production driving the markets.

CAFO Petition Denied – The Environmental Protection Agency has denied a petition submitted by a collection of environmental activist groups. Food & Water Watch and its co-petitioners wanted EPA to toughen the Clean Water Act regulations for large scale livestock and poultry farms. However, the agency will form a federal advisory committee to study Confined Animal Feeding Operations and their potential pollution. That process is expected to begin next year.

A ‘Patchwork’ of Regulations – Since the approval of California’s Proposition 12, other states have added new animal housing restrictions. National Pork Producers Council President-Elect Lori Stevermer says it’s hard to pinpoint the necessary legislative actions to address the effects of Prop. 12. “We’re looking for some sort of federal solution and having discussions on what a legislative fix would look like.” Massachusetts’ Question 3, which takes effect Wednesday, has even stricter regulations. “Question 3 affects pork that ships through Massachusetts, so now you’re affecting pork producers in all of the New England states.”

AURI Update – The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute is hosting a webinar series on sustainability. Hear more in the latest AURI Update.

Market for Plant-Based Alternative Meat Options is Fading Fast – A new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange says the higher cost for these plant-based options is a hurdle. There are also negative perceptions about taste, value and versatility. Sales of meat alternatives have fallen steadily since 2021 with a more dramatic drop this past year.

A Value-Added Outlet – South Dakota’s livestock sector has boomed in the last ten years with the addition of soybean crush and corn processing plants in the state. South Dakota Soybean Association Executive Director Jerry Schmitz says the livestock industry has a strong partner with soybean farmers. “The livestock industry is our bread and butter; pork, dairy, and even poultry is becoming bigger.”

Dry Bean Scene – NDSU Extension Agronomy Research Specialist Justin Jacobs and Central Lakes College Ag and Energy Center Research Analyst Noah Boelter offer details about the dry bean variety trials in North Dakota and Minnesota. Learn more in this week’s Dry Bean Scene. The Dry Bean Scene is sponsored by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association, Johnstown Bean Company, Sharpen Fungicide from BASF, SRS Commodities and Heads Up Plant Protectants.

Harvest With Less Variability – Desiccation can give farmers more control over the harvest schedule. BASF Technical Service Manager Ken Deibert says that season is just beginning in dry edible beans. “These crops are maturing very rapidly, especially the areas that maybe were a little short on moisture,” said Deibert. “Some of the areas received significant amounts of rain recently and those crops are trying to hang on.” The dry bean plant is senescing quickly, but weeds may not be seeing the same kind of deterioration. Deibert says a harvest aid, like Sharpen, can suppress regrowth and keep the weeds in check.

Farm Economy Moderates – Despite high interest rates and a pullback in the economy, farmland values remained strong during the second quarter. According to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, the value of non-irrigated cropland is up seven percent from one year ago. Farm loan performance remained historically sound through the early part of this year. Farm income is down and the demand for credit has softened.

Jacob Shapiro to Speak at Next 5 Years Conference – The Northern Crops Institute is pleased to announce the opening keynote speaker for the upcoming Next 5 Years Conference is Jacob Shapiro. Shapiro is the partner and director of geopolitical analysis at Cognitive Investments, where he oversees geopolitical analysis and works with the CI research team to instigate geopolitics into CI’s investment strategies. Shapiro will be presenting on Geopolitics and Impact on Ag at the conference. More information can be found at next5years.com. The conference will be livestreamed this year for those unable to attend in-person. Individual tickets for in-person and online attendees are available for purchase for $250. Organizations have the opportunity to purchase a table for a group rate of $1250, and includes access to the conference for 8 attendees. Purchase your ticket today online. 

Demand Outpaces Resources for Emergency Storage Program – Farmers are currently being notified of their application status for the Emergency Grain Storage program. While at Dakotafest, Farm Services Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux said the program is over-subscribed. “It’s clear we have more demand than resources, there’s over $1 billion dollars’ worth of applications.” Ducheneaux suggests farmers consider the Farm Storage Facility Loan program. “We’re taking a look at what flexibilities are in the program so that it’s more complimentary to the Emergency Grain Storage Program.”

Anxiety Over the Future of Irrigation Business in Minnesota – During a drought, more reliance is placed on irrigation, increasing the chance to go over the permitted water allocation. Previously, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources had a tiered system for penalties, ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. Irrigators of Minnesota President Jake Wildman says new stricter penalties are now in place. “The new language is a $40,000 fine per violation so lets say we have five wells and four of them we go over the allocation because of the drought. Would that turn into a $160,000 fine? There was also some differnet penalties and criminal penalties within that language of the new statutes.” An inconsistent timeline for securing new water permits is also a concern. Wildman, who is based at Glenwood, said he is nervous about the future of the irrigation business in Minnesota due to the uncertainty.

New Irrigation Technology – New technologies are at work in the irrigation business to protect water and the environment. RDO Regional Farm Manager Tom Heyn referenced the use of static probes that provide soil moisture data every two inches down to three feet. There’s also a new tool called an Autonomous Pivot. “That’s a ground-penetrating radar that mounts with the pivot. As the pivot walks around every 30 minutes and pull a soil moisture reading.” The real-time information helps the landowner know exactly how much water is used.

Post-Secondary Ag Programs Face Competition – According to AgCentric Executive Director Keith Olander, fewer graduating high school students are entering 4-year university agriculture programs. “Some of this I think goes back to just not having a lot of students coming directly from the farm, so they’re just not exposed to the possibility of those careers.” Olander also cites competition of available jobs for graduating high schoolers. Two-year programs are seeing a steady to slightly higher enrollment rate in areas of technology and environment. Programs for agronomy and ag business are seeing declines. “We have all this interest at the high school level, but we do not always convert that to a post-secondary program.” According to Olander, agriculture needs to showcase the benefits of working in the industry to make high school interest translate to lifelong careers. Listen to the full interview with Keith Olander here.

Building a Workforce – The State of North Dakota has established a new way to address workforce shortages. An Office of Legal Immigration has been formed to assist in the recruitment and retention of foreign labor. This new office is part of the Commerce Department.

Soybean Farmers Take Trip to Port of Halifax – Minnesota Soybean and Research Promotion Council traveled to Canada to tour the Port of Halifax. MSR&PC Vice President Gail Donkers said the port ships specialty soybeans from across the Midwest. “We’re shipping out the more soybeans now than ever that are heading to places like Europe, North Africa, and Asia.” The specialty soybeans typically end up in the food market. “They’re used mostly in food production that have the same color, variety, and size to keep the taste consistent.”

Mitigation Efforts Necessary for PEI Potato Wart – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has completed its investigation into the 2021 detections of potato wart on Price Edward Island. In a statement, National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles said the practice of planting potatoes in infected fields must stop. Without additional steps, Quarles said this soilborne disease will spread to the United States and economic consequences will be felt by the entire North American potato industry.

Evaluating New Products and Technologies – Thousands of new products are introduced every year in agriculture. In an interview with the Red River Farm Network, Wilbur Ellis Director of Agronomic Solutions Darin Ebeling said a lot of the new products are in the biological space. In the conventional chemistries, I just don’t see as many dollars being spent in the conventional chemistries,” said Ebeling. “There’s a lot of venture capital money going into the biological arena, things that may be looked upon as more safe by the general consumer.” Biologicals also provide an opportunity for pest management. Every biological company has a good story to tell, but how does a farmer identify the products that will work best on their farm? “I would suggest that you lean on your agronomic providers because I know Wilbur Ellis and a lot of other companies are trying to vet these products.” Ebeling sees the biggest opportunities for biologicals in nutrient management and in the fungicide market.

Wheat Variety Survey Results Released – WB 9590 is the most popular spring wheat variety in Minnesota this year, representing nearly a quarter of the planted acreage. Torgy was the second most popular variety with 19 percent of the state’s spring wheat acreage. The survey was conducted by the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council.

3Q Profits Up for John Deere – Deere and Company reports third quarter net income of $2.9 billion. That’s up from $1.8 billion in the same quarter last year. Sales from Deere’s farm equipment business rose to $14.2 billion, up from $13 billion one year ago. Credit was given to strong demand for parts and new equipment.

2Q Loss for JBS – The largest meat company in the world is reporting second quarter losses of $53 million. That compares to a profit of $803 million one year ago. JBS cited a downturn in profits in its North American beef, pork and chicken business. The Brazilian-based meat company plans to go public in the United States by the end of this year.

WH Group Profits Down Slightly – The Chinese pork processing company, WH Group, reports revenues of $13.1 billion for the first six months of the year. That’s down two percent from one year ago. Chinese pork production in the second quarter reached levels not seen in the past ten years. With a poor economy and weak consumer demand, it has been difficult to move all of that product.  In the United States, the WH Group owns Smithfield Foods.

New Option for Small Grains – New Holland Agriculture and Honey Bee Manufacturing have formed a partnership for a new draper header series for the Speedrower Plus series of self-propelled windrowers. According to a news release, the Honey Bee WSC Swather Series creates new opportunities for small grain crops.

New Processing Plant Coming to Mitchell, SD – High Plains Processing is moving forward with the development of a new multi-seed processing plant near Mitchell, South Dakota. This project is part of the South Dakota Soybean Processors organization. The new plant will have the capacity to process 35 million bushels of soybeans each year.

Hall of Fame Honors for DeVelder – Donn DeVelder has been inducted into the South Dakota Co-op Hall of Fame. Born and raised in South Dakota, DeVelder began his career with Associated Milk Producers Inc. in 1984 as a field representative and served in several roles focused on milk marketing, human resources and member services. In 2015, DeVelder was named AMPI’s co-president and CEO with Sheryl Meshke. DeVelder retired at the end of 2022.

Buckley Adds to His Responsibilities at Wilbur-Ellis – Wilbur-Ellis has announced President/CEO John Buckley is assuming direct oversight of the company’s crop business while maintaining his current role. The current Agribusiness Director Mark Ripato is going to retire and will serve as a company advisor for the remainder of the year. The transition in crop leadership was described as “a long-planned part of the company’s strategy.”

CLAAS Names New Sales/Marketing Head – David December is the new head of sales and marketing for CLAAS. Previously, December was the vice president of marketing for a large equipment dealership.

Vive Hires Global Business Development Director – Vive Crop Protection has announced the addition of Chris Garvey as its global business development director. Garvey has nearly 40 years of experience in the industrry, including time at Corteva Agriscience and Mycogen Seeds.

Retirement Plans Announced – Swine Health Information Center Executive Director Paul Sundberg plans to retire at the end of the year. At that time, Associate Director Megan Niederwerder will take over the executive director position. Sundberg helped launch the Swine Health Information Center in 2015 and has been its only executive director. The SHIC helps minimize emerging disease threats through preparedness, coordinated communications, global disease monitoring and targeted research.

Former MN Governor Quie Dies – Former Minnesota congressman and governor, Al Quie, has died Friday, one month before his 100^th birthday. Quie was raised on a farm in Rice County and returned to farming after serving in the military. Quie served in Congress from 1958 to 1979 where he was a member of the House Agriculture Committee. Quie was elected governor in 1979, serving one term.

Baumann Passes – Funeral services were held Thursday for Mary Baumann of Ashley, North Dakota. Baumann, 69, spent more than 30 years working for USDA and was the first women in North Dakota to be named a district soil conservationist.