‘Dead in the Water’ – The hope for a timely passage of the farm bill is waning. “It’s dead in the water right now,” said former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson. “People are hoping that the election will change things, but I’m not sure that’s the case.” If the legislation isn’t passed in a lame duck session, another one-year farm bill extension will be needed. “I’m guessing that’s what will happen, but who knows? The politics are so crazy now.” Peterson spoke at the Red River Retention Authority meeting in East Grand Forks.

CBO Budget Score Released – The farm bill passed by the House Agriculture Committee in late May would cost $1.25 trillion over the next ten years. The Congressional Budget Office’s budget score is $33 billion over the baseline. The increase stems from a proposed increase in farm safety net spending and a freeze in the food stamp program.

Thompson, Scott React to CBO Analysis – House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson is upset with the CBO budget score, saying it failed to recognize the bill’s approach to Commodity Credit Corporation spending. The bill suspends the Agriculture Secretary’s authority to use CCC funds for issues like the Market Facilitation Program and Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. In a statement, Thompson said the farm bill is a lengthy process, and he will continue his work to bring the legislation to the finish line. Ranking Member David Scott praised the CBO’s budget analysis, saying it is evident the Republican farm bill has problems.

Significant Investment Needed in the Farm Safety Net – Combest Sell and Associates Managing Partner Tom Sell remains optimistic a farm bill can be done this year. There is a sense of urgency surrounding the farm safety net. “Title I and Title IX crop insurance, we’re spending less money right now (on these programs) than we have in the recent five, ten, 20, 25 years,” said Sell. “It is time for an infusion in these programs that help create the safety net so that family farmers can remain independent.”

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson said it difficult to find any positive news in the marketplace right now. “Some of this is a spillover from Friday and the idea that we could possibly see a global recession.” The stock market was also sharply lower late last week.

Beautiful Wheat in Great Falls Area – Ocheyedan, Iowa-based custom combiner Paul Paplow is cutting wheat northeast of Great Falls, Montana. “Oh, I’ve got a very good crop,” said Paplow. “Winter wheat’s anywhere from 55 up to 100 bushels per acre and I think we’re going to get into some better stuff as we get towards the highway. The protein is pretty low though.”

A Slow Go – Tracy Zeorian is running a combine for a farmer in the Highwood, Montana area. While yield and quality are good, the cutting conditions are a little tough. “The grain is plenty dry but the straw is just not ready; it’s a slow go.”

Harvesting in Extreme Conditions – Johnson Farms Custom Harvesting is in northern Montana harvesting winter wheat. “I’ve cut some 80-plus bushel per acre winter wheat which is unheard of for this part of the country,” said Adam Johnson. Based out of the Texas Panhandle, Johnson has seen different conditions throughout the country. “In the Oklahoma Panhandle, we had 11 inches of rain overnight where our combines were sitting. It’s been really hot up here (in Montana), so that’s been a risk for us as far as something catching on fire.” From one extreme to the next, Johnson has seen wheat with high yields, good test weights, but generally lower protein.

A Busy Harvest Run – Westlake Harvesting owner Alan Westlake, of Crookston, Minnesota, has been working the entire harvest run.  “We started in southern Oklahoma at Duke, we’ve been to Garden City, Colorado, northern Kansas and now we’re in Pierre, South Dakota.” While the weather has slowed things down a bit, Westlake said they’ve seen good wheat crops in most places. “Southern Kansas wasn’t really the best for us, but everywhere else has been a very good crop.”

North Dakota Wheat Receives Good Reviews – North Dakota’s winter wheat crop is getting strong reviews. “There are some really good reports of early winter wheat fields in southern North Dakota; good quality, nice protein, and yield is quite high,” said Westbred Technical Product Manager Justin Berg. Berg remains encouraged about the spring wheat crop’s potential. “The crop had a lot of moisture this year and a lot of disease pressure, so we’ve seen some head scab and bacterial leaf streak, some stripe rust on the flag leaf, but overall, the plant looks good.”

A Year of Contrasts – Corteva Agriscience Northern Plains Area Lead Jamie Williamson serves North Dakota, South Dakota, and northwest Minnesota. Crop conditions fluctuate across that footprint. “You cannot assume anything with this year’s crop,” said Williamson. “Every area is different as far as if they got planted late, really late or not at all and the type of environment we’ve had. We’re generally a little bit behind on heat units. The crop is kind of all over the board but some pockets look really good.” There is plenty of time before the combines roll for this season, but Pioneer is already looking ahead to 2025. At the Pioneer kickoff event in Fargo, Williamson introduced new soybean, corn and canola technologies for 2025. Listen to the full interview.

Differences Seen Between Early and Late-Planted Corn – The corn planted early in west-central Minnesota is looking very good. The later-planted corn took on too much water and the crop is very uneven. Pioneer District Sales Lead Jim Kokett is based in Alexandria, Minnesota, and says that will be reflected at harvest. “Certainly, the yield is going to be variable, and depending on what happens with heat and GDUs for the rest of the summer into the fall, there could be some variability in moisture in those fields as well.” Insect pressure is increasing in soybeans. “Iif you haven’t been looking for them, get your consultants or get out and look at those fields because they’re certainly starting to come in a lot of areas.”

Too Much Rain Again – Grygla, Minnesota was inundated with rain a week ago. “We had anywhere from four-to-eight inches of rain,” said Todd Stanley, who farms at Grygla. “We certainly didn’t need any rain; it was only three weeks since the last big rain event.” Stanley was in the middle of cutting grass seed for harvest that would have been ready to combine by the middle of the week. “The water got so deep in the field we had to quit. I’m thinking it’s going to be one of those harvests that never seem to end.”

Rain Wanted, Not Hail – With all the hailstorms hitting the tri-state area in recent weeks, Bismarck farmer Byron Richard considers himself lucky to have avoided any damage to his crops. “We dodged it pretty good ourselves, but to the south, the neighbors got it pretty bad.” Richard said his crops could use rain. “We need the moisture right now for our row crops, but if we catch a rain and get hail with it, I’m not so sure we’ll be better off.”

Mandan Crop Update – Mandan, North Dakota farmer Dennis Renner is generally pleased with his crops. “The cereal grain and canola look very good from my point of view. Our corn was in on time, but it was a cool spring so it’s behind a little bit. The soybeans look good, but they could use a drink of water.” High humidity has delayed the winter wheat harvest, “but, it looks like could be a 75-bushel wheat crop.”

The White Combine Strikes – Much of central and south-central North Dakota has been hit with hailstorms in the past few weeks. Bismarck area farmers have seen as many as three storms in that time. Clark Coleman says the first storm missed his farm by just a few miles, but the next two did some crop damage. “There was 20 percent damage on the soybeans. It ripped the leaves on some corn and wheat maybe 30 to 40 percent damage.” According to Coleman, Tuesday’s storm was smaller but had golf ball to baseball-sized hail. “There’s a little bit more damage. Nothing to the point we won’t be combining, but it’s taking profits straight off the top.”

Crop ‘Catching Up Nicely’ – In the Litchville area southwest of Valley City, Ron Truax is pleased with the crop conditions. “The corn looked good for quite a while and the soybeans really were dragging, but they’re catching up nicely now.” Truax, a partner in Spring Creek Ag, is seeing some soybean aphids. “We’re not at threshold levels, but there are some. Seed treatment made a difference this year.”

Bug Activity Increasing With Warmer Weather – Insect activity is picking up throughout the Upper Midwest. University of Minnesota Extension Entomologist Ian MacRae is seeing a lot of potato bug activity. “Insects, especially Colorado Potato Beetles, are really regional this year. Some places are seeing high, some are seeing low populations. It’s spotty, depending on the location.” Soybean aphid numbers are expected to increase. “It’s getting towards the time of year when we expect to see dispersals where they start flying and they start moving their way north from established populations down south.”

Hopper Headache – There are a few bugs that are starting to become problematic in the area. Adult grasshoppers are now a concern in the western part of North Dakota. “They’ll move out of the wheat and other cereal crops and move to some of the row crops,” said Jan Knodel, NDSU Extension entomologist. “High temperatures in the 90’s push the grasshoppers and increase populations.” In the sunflowers, Knodel said farmers should start scouting for red sunflower seed weevils.

Peterson Farms Seed Production & Profit Series – In the latest edition of the Production and Profit Series from Peterson Farms Seed, Lead Agronomist Rick Swenson says the soybean crop has been slow to canopy, but that may be a good thing with the threat of white mold. The other immediate concern is soybean aphids. “I haven’t seen it yet, but watch out for tar spot and there may be a chance for Goss’ Wilt again so watch out for some of those wild cards.” Listen to the report online. Peterson Farms Seed has a field day scheduled Tuesday at Aberdeen, August 14 in Belgrade, August 15 in Chokio and September 10-11 in Prosper.

Positive Outlook for Canola – North Dakota Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman thinks this year’s crop is even better than the 2022 crop. “Last year, much of the state saw record yields but that northern region that was really dry last year isn’t dry this year.” Coleman expects the canola harvest to start by around mid-August. “About 20 percent of the crop is coloring in the state right now and we’re a little bit ahead of average.”

Canola Handled the Surplus Moisture – The canola crop in North Dakota and Minnesota is doing well. “The canola certainly handled a lot of our bigger moisture events better than some of the other crops,” said Scott Hammond, business representative, BASF. “It’s important to have a crop growing out there that’s still going to produce in those wetter areas. I think we’re going to be pretty happy with some of the canola yields we pull off this year.” Hammond was in Calgary this past week touring the InVigor Canola research facilities.

Canola Crop in Bloom – NDSU Langdon Research Extension Center Director Randy Mehloff says this year’s canola crop looks pretty good. “Probably about three weeks ago, we saw the canola start to flower and the rule of thumb here is the longer your canola flowers the better your chance for a higher yields.” The recent heat may be a problem. “Unfortunately, a lot of canola here was in full bloom so I’m suspecting that the hot weather might have shut down the flowering a little earlier than we thought.”

Sunflower Crop Behind Schedule, But Looking Good – Though a little behind schedule due to weather, National Sunflower Association Executive Director John Sandbakken says this year’s sunflower crop is looking pretty good. “It’s a little behind right now. I’d say we’re about a week behind normal, but the last few weeks we’ve had really nice warm weather and that’s pushing things along well.” Sandbakken says that while moisture is good, what they really need is more heat units and the crop should catch up.

Pintos Do Not Like Wet Feet – After a wet start to the growing season, the crops in the Hurdsfield, North Dakota area seem to be perking up. ” Everything looks really good in our area with the exception of some of the pinto beans,” said Jeff Mertz. “They did not like the wet feet.” The corn is starting to tassel and the soybeans are starting to flower. With warm weather and timely rains, Mertz says the crop still has potential.

Scout for Rust Disease – Reports of plant rust throughout the Northern Plains are increasing this year. NDSU Plant Pathologist Sam Markell advises dry bean growers to scout for the disease. “We haven’t had a ton of rust in the last few years and I say that with somewhat of a caveat. Rust in dry beans and sunflowers can cause yield loss and we’ve had strong conditions for it.” Yield loss can be minimized with early detection. “One of the nice things about the disease is that once you see it, you still can do something about it. If you see rust on the dry beans, you have a little time to get on top of it and spray it.”

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s Dry Bean Scene, Columbia Grain International President and CEO Jeff Van Pevenage highlights the expansion into North Dakota with its new dry edible bean processing facility in Valley City. Listen to the report. 

Pea Protein Imports Hurt U.S. Industry – The U.S. International Trade Commission has determined pea protein imports from China have harmed the domestic U.S. industry. With this unanimous decision, the U.S. will levy antidumping and countervailing duties on pea protein imports from China ranging from 125-to-286 percent.

Unfair Chinese Trade Actions Felt in the Region – Minneapolis-based PURIS opened the largest pea protein plant in North America three years ago in Dawson, Minnesota. PURIS Corporate Development Manager Zach Hubert said China’s unfair trade practices have had a major impact. “We’ve actually had to idle our original facility in Turtle Lake Wisconsin and through that process, we had to lay off over 100 employees. We also had to close a facility in Oskaloosa, Iowa and lay off roughly 40 employees that were located there. That facility in Iowa supplied pea flour to that facility in Turtle Lake so unfortunately we’ve had meaningful disruptions to our team members and their families.” Pea protein is used as an ingredient in numerous food items, including plant-based meat, snack bars, and protein shakes.”There’s been over $1 billion of capital investment in pea protein in the last five years in North America and this ruling allows us to win business from customers who previously were getting products from China at below fair market value prices.”

Taking Steps to Prevent Potato Wart From Entering the U.S. – The National Potato Council, Northland Potato Growers Association and several other state potato groups have submitted comments to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency over its draft potato wart response plan. The U.S. groups said the Canadian plan takes action after the disease is identified and does nothing to prevent it from happening. “We’re trying to keep it out of our country and so we think there are a number of steps that Canada can take that will reduce the risk of this disease being exported to the U.S. in one of these commercial loads that is coming in every single day from Prince Edward Island,” said Kam Quarles, CEO, National Potato Council.If potato wart were to enter the United States, the National Potato Council said all international fresh potato markets could be lost.

Overseas Barley Demand on the Rise – The U.S. Grains Council held its annual meeting in Salt Lake City last week. The expiration of Australian barley tariffs had North Dakota Barley Council Chairman Nathan Boll particularly excited. “We were seeing more and more Australian barley flow into Mexico and now that that tariff’s gone, we’re seeing our normal flow patterns again so that bodes well for US raw barley and malt.” Boll also identified a return in U.S. barley demand in overseas markets. “Pre-COVID we had an up-and-coming program to get food barley into Southeast Asia. When COVID hit, that demand just went to zero. We’re starting to see some shipments of food barley again and of course, that’s where the population is at.”

Canola Minute – Here’s the latest Canola Minute from the Northern Canola Growers Association. This week, Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman reports research grants have been approved for canola projects in North Dakota. Click here for the report. 

Mexican Rail Issues Under Scrutiny – The farm groups belonging to the Agricultural Transportation Working Group are calling attention to rail service issues in Mexico. A letter was sent to Surface Transportation Board Chairman Robert Primus, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai saying Mexico has not adequately invested in the rail infrastructure slowing U.S. ag exports. Mexico is a $30 billion export market for the United States. Groups signing the letter include the Midwest Dry Bean Coalition, National Grain and Feed Association and National Cotton Council.

The Bull Pen – In a monthly conversation about markets, RRFN Farm Broadcaster Don Wick and Advance Trading Risk Management Advisor Tommy Grisafi discuss the outside markets and their influence on ag commodities. The chaotic political environment and its impact on markets is also discussed. Watch the report on RRFN’s YouTube channel. 

Farmland Values Continue to Push Higher – Farmland values continue to push higher. According to a new report from USDA, Minnesota farm real estate value averaged $6,450 per acre in 2024. South Dakota farmland averaged $2,780 and North Dakota was at $2,260 per acre. In all three states, farmland values are up six percent from one year ago. Non-irrigated cropland rents averaged $200 per acre in Minnesota, $131 per acre in South Dakota and $81.50 per acre in North Dakota

ECO Coverage Updated – USDA is changing the Enhanced Coverage Option for the 2025 crop year, adding coverage for additional crops. In addition, the Risk Management Agency is increasing premium support for all crops covered by ECO to 65 percent. The government now pays 51 percent for yield protection and 44 percent of the premium for revenue protection policies.

USDA Makes Discrimination Payments – USDA has delivered $2.2 billion in payments to farmers and ranchers who faced discrimination in the Farm Service Agency loan process. “Through the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, 43,244 applicants will be receiving resources,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.  The discrimination included higher interest rates, having a loan approved too late in the season, or service issues with the loan officers. The money from the Inflation Reduction Act went to more than 23,000 individuals who are farming or previously farmed and another 20,000 who faced discrimination in the USDA loan process and were unable to purchase a farm. More than 360 people in South Dakota received a financial award, 110 in North Dakota and 46 in Minnesota.

Avian Influenza Research and Response Act Introduced – A bipartisan group of House members has introduced legislation to help dairy farmers impacted by avian influenza. It codifies the USDA rules that compensate dairy farmers for milk production losses due to the virus. It also prioritizes research for H5N1 and calls on USDA to create a Dairy Biosecurity Education and Training program.

Flu Vaccination Recommended for Livestock Workers – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is stepping up efforts to vaccinate livestock workers against the seasonal flu. The CDC is worried that someone could be infected by the seasonal flu and the H5N1 and develop an entirely new virus. States will split $2 million for the vaccine and $3 million to implement the program. Another $5 million will be spent on educating farm employees about the importance of biosecurity and the use of protective gear.

Too Many Unknowns – The new mandatory electronic identification requirements for livestock take effect in early November. The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association is supporting a resolution introduced in Congress to stop all mandatory EIDs. “We don’t have enough information, we don’t know where the data is, and we don’t know what the costs are associated with putting those EIDs in,” said Justin Tupper, president, USCA. “We have a very robust system in place where we can trace these cattle if there’s a disease outbreak.” Tupper is worried EID could impact the speed of commerce, data confidentiality, and increase cattle stress.

MN Beef Update – In the Minnesota Beef Update, Minnesota State Cattleman’s Association Executive Director Kaitlyn Root offers a preview of this week’s Farmfest. Listen to the report.

The State of Livestock – In its livestock market update for the second half of 2024, the American Farm Bureau Federation said the combination of tight cattle supplies and strong beef demand will keep cattle prices strong through this year and likely through 2025. Hog producers are recovering from last year’s losses, but a larger pig crop and slightly higher-than-expected weights will be a hurdle for the rest of this year. The poultry sector continues to face uncertainty due to highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Risk Management Includes Strong Working Capital – Prices for beef and dairy cattle are favorable and likely will remain strong until producers begin rebuilding their herds. Independent consultant Nevil Speer said risk management during the good times is important to protect yourself during the bad times. “Typically, when we talk about risk management, producers turn to futures and options. The other tool that’s really important is Livestock Risk Protection.” Speer notes basic business risk management is also important during favorable times. “Let’s try to reduce our debt service from year to year and let’s try to build up some working capital reserves.” Listen to the whole interview with Nevil Speer here. 

Practices That Pay Off at Auction Time – Merck Animal Health and Kansas State University evaluated over 800,000 head of calves sold through Superior Livestock. According to Merck Director of Cattle Technical Services John Hutcheson, preconditioning, vaccinations and other management practices were considered to determine what drives a sale. “There was a definite signal to cattle owners, cow-calf producers, that these buyers want calves that are ready to transition to the next phase.” There are things cow/calf producers can do to increase the value of their calves on sale day. “If you purchase bulls that have known genetics that are recognized by buyers of these calves, then you get a nice bump in value as well.”

Strong Market for Dairy Springers – Springing dairy heifers are bringing top prices. “This dairy deal caught fire. Weigh-up cows have been high, baby calves have been high and a lot of these dairy heifers have been bred to beef bulls and it has shortened up the heifer supply,” said Mitch Barthel, owner, Perham Stockyards and Tri-County Stockyards. “Some guys are going through an expansion and want to get their stalls full so they end up buying up for these springers. They are in short supply. Baby calves are worth a lot and the weigh-up cow prices are high, driving up the value of dairy heifers.

Enhanced Salmonella Testing on the Way – USDA is proposing new rules to increase testing for salmonella in poultry. The Food Safety and Inspection Service will be able to conduct testing above the new thresholds. Minnesota is the country’s #1 turkey production state and will likely see more costs and delays with this new rule.

Trichinella Virtually Eliminated in U.S. Pork – A new USDA study found zero Trichinella positive cases out of more than 3.2 million pork samples. The National Pork Producers Council urged USDA to do this research to demonstrate the safety of U.S. pork. Trading partners have long restricted access to U.S. pork because of Trichinella concerns. The NPPC hopes this data will remove Trichinella as a trade barrier.

ND Pork Checkoff Board to Meet in Carrington – The North Dakota Pork Council is hosting its annual board of directors meeting Tuesday. “We’ll be prioritizing needs and requests that we get throughout the year so that will be a big portion of what we’re going to be doing,” said Tamra Heins, executive director. “The delegate election for our representatives to the (National) Pork Forum (will happen), that’s our national delegate body that represents us at the national level.”

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. This week, Mike Zastoupil from the ag marketing and development division of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture talks about the agricultural land preservation program. Listen to the update. 

Water Retention is Always Important – On Wednesday, the Red River Retention Authority held the 2024 Partner Summit in East Grand Forks. The RRRA was created between the watershed districts of Minnesota and North Dakota. “Retention is probably one of the most important things that we can think about for agriculture,” said Brian Fuder, executive director. “If we’ve got just massive overland flooding, we have no protection for farmers. Crops can be destroyed.” Fuder feels it is important for people to reach out to their local watershed districts and make them alert to water problems. That information is critical. “It’s hard to sell a flood project when everybody is standing on dry ground.”

Building H2O Coalitions – The Red River Basin Commission builds partnerships with everyone dealing with water in the Red River Valley. “The Basin Commission explicitly makes sure that North Dakota members are talking to Minnesota members as well as bringing in the Canadian members,” said Executive Director Ted Preister. The Red River Basin Commission works on projects ranging from flooding and water quality to and groundwater. “If you want to talk about water in the Red River, we’re there.”

Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Growers Association First Vice President Jim Kanten joins the Red River Farm Network for this week’s edition of Corn Matters. Kanten previews Minnesota Corn’s role at Farmfest. Listen to the report. 

Candidate Forums Scheduled at Farmfest – Farmfest will be held Tuesday through Thursday near Redwood Falls. In addition to 500-plus trade show exhibitors, forums are scheduled each day in the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center. “We’re going to have a U.S. Senate candidate forum Wednesday which will include Senator Amy Klobuchar and five of her challengers,” said Kent Thiesse, forum organizer. Two congressional candidate forums are planned for Tuesday. RRFN’s Don Wick will moderate the forum featuring the candidates in Minnesota’s 6th, 7th and 8th congressional districts. “Besides the candidate forums we focus on other big issues. One forum that we are proud of is ‘Farm Bill Fatigue: Will Congress Pass a Farm Bill.'” To learn more about the forums listen to the whole interview with Thiesse.

AURI Update – The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute will be at Minnesota’s Farmfest in booth 612. AURI will highlight current projects. Listen to this report for more details. 

On the Road – Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Aric Putnam and members of his committee are traveling the state to meet with farmers. This tour included everything from sugarbeets to organic vegetables to large-scale swine production. “As a legislator, it’s really important, not just in agriculture, but in everything we do, to be aware of all this complexity when we’re making policies so that we don’t just use one big brush to paint everybody the same way.” From this tour, Putnam said he wants to develop innovation grants to help farmers try new things. A focus on mental health issues in agriculture is also on the agenda.

Center for Rural Policy Releases Multi-year Agenda – Minnesota’s Center for Rural Policy and Development has released a multi-year agenda focusing on the challenges and opportunities facing rural communities over the next three years. According to CRPD President and CEO Julie Tesch, the choice to go further out with the agenda allows them to take a deeper look at the many issues impacting rural Minnesota families. “We’ve gotten really good at cracking issues open, but we’re not able to go in depth. It’s myself and I only have two researchers and so we’re only able to go so far.” The agenda includes health care, farm succession, the shifting landscape in energy and the environment, local government funding, and rural childcare.

MN Releases EIS for Summit Carbon Project – The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has scheduled hearings to consider the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project. An in-person meeting will be August 20 in Fergus Falls and there will be an online hearing on August 21. Evidentiary hearings are planned August 22-24 in St. Paul. A state environmental impact statement found the project has a net benefit on greenhouse gas emissions.

Job Opportunities in Agriculture – Visit the Red River Farm Network website and click on the Job Opportunities in Agriculture tab to see the latest job postings. Becker Soil and Water Conservation District has two positions open; an engineering technician and a program technician. The engineering technician will work with SWCD, NRCS and other partners to provide engineering assistance to landowners, community groups and local government units to implement and maintain a variety of conservation practices. The program technician promotes, plans and implements conservation provisions of the farm bill, the Reinvest in Minnesota program and other related wildlife and clean water conservation programs. Both positions are based in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. If your business or organization is looking to fill ag-related jobs, contact RRFN for more information. co.becker.mn.us. The closing date for the application is August 9.

MPCA Adjusts Comment Timeline – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has extended the public comment period for its proposed feedlot permit changes. Two draft permits are facing possible changes. Comments will now be accepted until September 3.

Microsoft Partners With National FFA – As part of an ongoing partnership between Microsoft and National FFA, FarmBeats for Students, receive a sizeable upgrade. National FFA Organization Chief Program Officer Christine White says this program exposes students to precision agriculture. “Most importantly, we were able to give it a facelift that allows students to really be able to dive in with an accompanying curriculum to look at how technology impacts agriculture and bring to life that there is an intersect between technology and agriculture.” According to White, the program is in a testing phase now with 65 FFA chapters across four states taking part in the pilot program, but a full roll-out could happen as soon as the 2024-25 school year.

Fun at the Farm – Bertsch Farms is hosting its third annual Fun at the Farm event near Hillsboro, North Dakota on Friday from 5-9 p.m. This event provides an experience on the farm, especially those individuals who do not usually have a connection to farming. Fun at the Farm includes “tractor rides, animal showcasing, inflatables, and bouncy houses,” said Jon Bertsch. “Our biggest thing is to get people out on the farm and experience the farm.” There is no admission for this event and all proceeds will go to Farm Rescue.

Z-Series Soybeans Coming in ’25 – At the Pioneer kickoff event in Fargo, District Sales Lead Jesse Moch introduced the new additions to the lineup. “Number one is Z-Series Enlist Soybeans, hat next change in genetics in yield and agronomics within the Enlist system,” said Moch. “We’re excited about that. We’re also getting into PowerCore Enlist Corn. That’s another big advancement and we’re bringing better pod-shatter canola.” Listen to the full interview with Moch for insight into regional crop conditions. 

2Q Income Up for Corteva – For the second quarter, Corteva posted net income of just over $1 billion. That’s a 20 percent increase over a year ago. Seed sales increased, helped by a five percent bump in price. The crop protection sales were flat with the same quarter in 2023.

Sales Volume Up for FMC – FMC finished the second quarter with revenues of more than $1 billion. That’s up two percent from the same period one year ago. Company officials said sales volume was up, especially in the United States and Brazil.

Earnings Decline for ADM – Archer Daniels Midland had second-quarter earnings before taxes of $596 million. That’s down 47 percent from last year. Lower crush and origination margins were seen. ADM’s largest business unit, Ag Services and Oilseeds, took a 56 percent drop in profits due to a shift in farmer selling activity in South America.

AGCO 2Q Financials Released – AGCO reports net second quarter sales of $3.2 billion, down more than 15 percent from one year ago. AGCO officials said the quarterly report was influenced by weak market conditions and significant production cuts to reduce company and dealer inventories. North American retail tractor sales dropped eight percent in the first six months of the year. Large equipment categories performed better than smaller equipment. Combine unit sales were down 11 percent from a year ago.

Farm Economy Impacts CNH Industrial – CNH is reporting second quarter net income of $438 million. That’s down from $710 million one year ago. Farm equipment sales are down. Year-over-year, CNH Industrial predicts the sales in its agriculture division will be down 15-to-20 percent.

Deere Innovation on Display – As acres increase, downtime becomes more and more expensive. True North Equipment Precision Technology Manager Chris Kuznia sees value in providing training and support on the latest equipment. Thursday’s Insight and Innovation Summit in Grand Forks highlighted John Deere’s latest advancements in planting, spraying, maintenance and harvesting. Deere’s goal is full autonomy by 2030. “We all know we’ve got a long way to go by 2030 to accomplish that but the more you embrace the technology and start making agronomic decisions and economic decisions for yourself, I think you’re going to see the benefit of this technology.” Go online for more of RRFN’s photos from the event. 

Layoffs Happening at Kinze – Kinze Manufacturing is laying off nearly 200 workers at its Williamsburg, Iowa plant. Kinze President Susanne Veatch said this decision is due to the current ag market. The family-owned company manufactures planters, grain carts and tillage equipment.

Bunge Profits Hurt by Grain Glut – Bunge’s quarterly adjusted core segment earnings before interest and taxes was $518 million. That compares to $893 million in the same period last year. Agricultural volumes were more than offset by lower margins. Bunge CEO Greg Heckman said its deal to acquire Viterra remains on track.

Labor Negotiations Continue for CPKC – A Canadian rail strike appears to be more likely. Canadian Pacific Kansas City CEO Keith Creel said its negotiations with the union are far apart. A strike could happen before the end of the month. The CPKC had net income of $905 million in its latest quarter. That compares to $1.3 billion in the same quarter last year. Operating expenses increased nearly five percent. Agriculture shipments were up, but the container business was down.

Columbia Grain Invests in North Dakota – While dry bean acreage fluctuates slightly across the western United States, Columbia Grain CEO Jeff Van Pevenage says North Dakota acreage remains strong. “It’s part of the reason why we look to expand our business in North Dakota,” said Van Pevanage. “We’re in the middle of building a brand new state-of-the-art bean processing facility in Valley City, North Dakota which will more than double what we’re doing in the business in the State of North Dakota.”

Trade Advisory Committees Named – USDA and the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office have announced the appointment or reappointment of 55 members to their seven trade advisory committees. Familiar names on the list include American Soybean Association CEO Steve Censky, U.S. Dairy Export Council President and CEO Krysta Harden and Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor.

Schaefer Promoted – CNH has appointed Ryan Schaefer as the new vice president for New Holland Agriculture North America, effective immediately. Schaefer has been in the ag equipment business for 20 years, most recently as the leader of the New Holland North America Quality division.

Anderson to Retire, Johnson Appointed – Effective September 16, David Johnson will take over as the new executive vice president and chief financial officer for Corteva. Johnson succeeds Dave Anderson, who will serve as a strategic advisor until his retirement in early 2025. Previously, Johnson was CFO for Atkore.

Ten Acre Marketing Announces Promotions and New Hire – Ten Acre Marketing has promoted Sara Hewitt to director of public relations. Hewitt joined Ten Acre Marketing over a year ago as an account manager. In addition, Ten Acre Marketing hired Kevin Deval as a senior graphic designer and Sarah Ardentz has taken on a new role as Ten Acre’s account coordinator. This marketing agency is based in Grand Forks.

MN DHIA Has New GM – Amy Loeschke is the new general manager of the Minnesota Dairy Herd Improvement Association. Most recently, Loeschke was the organization’s director of services and support.

ACN Honors for Rehm, Schwalbe – The Agricultural Communicator’s Network is posthumously presenting its distinguished service award to University of Minnesota soil fertility specialist George Rehm. Rehm’s family will receive the award at the Ag Media Summit in Kansas City Tuesday. The ACN is also presenting its lifetime achievement award to Kelly Schwalbe, who has been in the agricultural public relations business for more than 35 years.