Trump Defends Tariff Strategy – Over the weekend, President Donald Trump urged the Supreme Court to rule in his favor on tariffs. On Truth Social, Trump said ‘Tariffs have made our country rich, strong, powerful and safe.” Trump went on to say tariffs have been used by other countries for decades.

China Will Be a ‘Pleasant Surprise’ – On Air Force One, President Donald Trump met with reporters ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. When asked about his telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said agricultural trade was part of the discussion. “I said I’d like you to buy a little faster and I’d like you to buy more and he’s more or less agreed to so that,” said Trump. “I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the actions of President Xi.”Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that China’s purchases of U.S. soybeans are “right on schedule.” Reuters is reporting that China purchased at least ten cargoes of U.S. soybeans on Tuesday. China is committed to the purchase of 12 million metric tons of soybeans before the end of the year.

Trade Talks to Resume ‘When Appropriate’ – According to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, trade talks with the United States will resume “when it is appropriate.” While at the G20 meeting in Johannesburg, Carney said those negotiations may happen within the next two weeks. Trade talks shut down last month after the Ontario province aired an anti-tariff message in U.S. media.

USMCA Hearing on the Schedule – The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will host a public hearing this week on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. This hearing is being held in anticipation of the scheduled review of the trade deal next year.

ASA, USSEC, WISHH Praise New USDA Trade Program – The American Soybean Association, U.S. Soybean Export Council and ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health are welcoming USDA’s new America First Trade Promotion Program. The initiative, announced by the Foreign Agricultural Service, provides an estimated $285 million in 2026 to expand soybean export development in non-traditional markets. ASA President Caleb Ragland says the program gives growers renewed momentum to build new markets and strengthen existing trade relationships, keeping American soy competitive worldwide.

Minnesota Trade Mission Targets Switzerland, Germany – Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen traveled with Governor Tim Walz and nearly 70 delegates on a trade mission to Germany and Switzerland. “We had leaders from the corn growers, soybean growers, edible bean, Farmers Union, some companies, and the University of Minnesota.” Petersen noted tariff issues were a frequent discussion point, particularly after Switzerland reduced a 39 percent tariff to 15 percent. “Up until right when we got there, Switzerland had a 39 percent tariff, where they’ve had over a $1 billion added in cost just because of that,” said Petersen. “The farmers will end up paying at some point.”

Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Growers Association President Wes Beck was part of the state delegation participating in a trade mission to Germany and Switzerland. Beck said the goal was to reaffirm the U.S.’s role as a reliable trading partner. Click here to listen to Minnesota Corn Matters. 

Brazilian Shipments Suspended – China has suspended soybean imports from five Brazilian processing plants due to sanitation issues. Grains treated with pesticides were mixed in with the soybeans in these ships. The Brazilian agriculture ministry downplayed the decision, saying more than 2,000 Brazilian plants remain eligible to export soybeans to China.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – All eyes are on China and soybeans as we begin a new month. In this edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson offers perspective on grains, livestock and the outside markets. Click here. 

Reform Needed to Address Farm Crisis – The farm economy and mental health were top of mind at this year’s Minnesota Farmers Union convention. “Right now, we’re having a bit of a crisis with the low margins, so mental health was definitely a big issue that was raised,” explained MFU President Gary Wertish. “We’re encouraging elected officials to take swift, meaningful action to address the crisis in farm country and to make long-term systemic reforms that ensure a farm economy that is stable, resilient, and distributed and fair.”

Supplemental Disaster Relief Available – Enrollment is underway for the second stage of USDA’s Supplemental Disaster Relief Program. Rather than pre-filled forms, Minnesota FSA State Executive Director Kurt Blomgren says Stage 2 is more complex. “First of all, we’re requesting that producers call into their local county office and set up an appointment so it’s a better use of their time,” said Blomgren. “There’s plenty of time to apply her, the deadline isn’t until the end of April.” This program is to help farmers and ranchers who suffered revenue, quality, or production losses due to extreme weather in 2023 and 2024.

ND Offers Low Interest Loan Programs – The North Dakota Industrial Commission has two new agricultural relief programs available: the Farm Financial Stability Loan Program and the Grain Inventory Loan Program. The first program can be used to replenish working capital or restructure debt, while the second program provides short-term financing for remaining grain inventory. These programs are being offered through the Bank of North Dakota. The application period will be from December 9 to June 30.

Rural Mainstreet Index Hits Lowest Point Since 2020 – The Rural Mainstreet Index fell below the growth-neutral level of 50 for the eighth time this year. The monthly survey of bank CEOs across the 10 state agriculture and energy region showed an October reading of 34.6, the lowest since May 2020 and down from 38.5 in September. Weak commodity prices and added volatility from tariffs continue to pressure the rural economy, though most bankers say President Trump’s approach to Chinese trade is appropriate. Farmland prices also continued to slip, dropping to an index level of 37.0 from 45.8 in September. Farm loan delinquency rates, while still low, have climbed from 1.1 percent in June to 1.6 percent this month.

Push for Permanent E15 Gains Traction – The momentum continues to build for year-round E15. Growth Energy Senior Director of Government Affairs John Fuhrer says expanding access to E15 offers a long-term, no-cost way to strengthen domestic demand. “They want to find more ways to get corn into the marketplace, they want to find more ways to build up that price and this is a really good fit for that.” Changing political dynamics and ongoing negotiations signal growing interest in making year-round E15 permanent. Fuher notes that policymakers appear more open to a solution that delivers benefits to both farmers and consumers. “There is some recognition on the oil side, this is a good thing for consumers; this is a good thing for farmers. And I think it’s finding that right mix to get enough people over the hump to get this done.”

SD Corn Comments – In this edition of South Dakota Corn Comments, we hear from DaNita Murray, executive director, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council. Input prices and the impact of high fertilizer prices are part of the conversation. Listen to the report. 

Time to Revisit COOL – National Farmers Union Vice President for Advocacy Mike Stranz is raising concerns about increased beef imports from Argentina. “With additional imports of beef from Argentina, as the administration has pushed for and moved ahead on, we should make sure that it’s being labeled clearly, accurately, and consistently,” said Stranz. “Now’s the time to move ahead on country of origin labeling because ranchers are concerned about the increased imports from Argentina, the general public is concerned too, and we’ve known this is a popular policy for a long time so let’s bring it back.

U.S.-Mexico Cooperation Critical for Screwworm Control – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is closely monitoring the New World Screwworm situation. NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says the U.S. and Mexico are investing heavily in prevention facilities. “They’re moving dirt on dispersal facilities in Texas. They just announced the facility down in Mexico. That big multi-hundred-million-per-week sterile fly facility in Texas is the brass ring. That’s the thing we need to see moving to make sure we have the ammunition to throw at these things when they get further north.” Lane noted that cooler fall temperatures provide a temporary breather but stressed the need for continued action.

Reducing Post-Weaning Calf Health – With colder weather here, retired NDSU Extension Associate Professor of Livestock Stewardship, Gerald Stokka, reminds ranchers to focus on stress reduction for calves heading into weaning. “One of the biggest things that we sometimes forget is, if at all possible, before weaning, put the cows and all the calves together in one spot. Doing that will relieve some of the stress of co-mingling unfamiliar calves. Calf health post weaning is going to be much better when you can bring all the groups together.”

Today is PRF Insurance Deadline – Today is the final day to enroll in the Pasture, Rangeland and Forage Insurance program for 2026. This USDA risk management tool program helps farmers and ranchers deal with lost forage and extra feed costs due to drought.

Talkin’ Turkey – Minnesota’s turkey industry went into Thanksgiving week with optimism after what producers say has been one of the smoothest years in recent memory. “2025 has actually been a year where turkey farmers have remembered what it’s like to enjoy being a turkey farmer,” said Ashley Kohls, executive director, Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. “When you think of the past number of years and the highly pathogenic avian flu and the outbreak that is currently ongoing, 2025 was a light year, so turkey farmers got to take a deep breath and relax a little.” Despite the positive outlook, concerns about highly pathogenic avian influenza remain, and growers are pushing for more disease-fighting options. Kohls said vaccination is of interest, but trade concerns remain a barrier. “It’s not an overnight fix. It’s not something that we can implement immediately, but the conversations are happening and it’s something that is of interest for the turkey growers in the state of Minnesota to add another tool in the toolbox to combat this disease.”

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, Bailey Tangen talks about the Soil Management Summit and Dakota Innovation Research and Technology Conference in January. Click here. 

MASWD: Conservation Starts Locally – The Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts is hosting its annual convention this week in Bloomington, “We’ve had very successful opportunities with leveraging farm bill programs and especially with the Natural Resources Conservation Service with what they call the Regional Conservation Partnership Program,” reports LeAnn Buck, executive director, MASWD. Buck reminds everyone that conservation starts locally. “I really want to say kudos to those individuals who are really trying to look at their priorities and whether it’s Kittson County or Olmsted County or Lyon County, we just really want to acknowledge locally led conservation efforts.”

Minnesota’s #1 HRSW Variety-MN Rothsay – According to the University of Minnesota Spring Wheat Variety Trials, Rothsay was planted on more than 28 percent of the acres. The next most seeded varieties were WestBred’s WB9590, MN-Torgy, AgriPro’s SY Valda, 21^st Century Genetics’ Zelda and WestBred’s WB9479.

ACSC Recaps Beet Campaign – Across the Red River Valley, American Crystal Sugar Company growers had an average yield of 33.7 tons per acre with sugar content of just over 18 percent. The latest American Crystal AgNotes said the highest average yield was in the Crookston District at 35.9 tons per acre. The highest sugar content was 18.10 percent and it was in the Hillsboro District.

Canola Minute – In the Canola Minute, Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman invites you to join their virtual Canola Research Conference in December. Find out more here. 

‘A Perfect Storm’ for Southern Rust – The Midwest faced unique corn disease issues, including Southern Rust and Tar Spot. FMC Regional Technical Manager Gail Stratman said it was a perfect storm with very wet conditions last winter in the southern United States. “Then you had a lot of south winds in late May through July to bring that inoculum north,” said Stratman. “And think about what happened in the Midwest this summer. We had really warm nights from late June/early July on through August, and then we had a lot of moisture during that time. I don’t know if I’ve seen a period of time where we had long stretches of high humidity like we did this year. That’s the perfect conditions, absolutely perfect conditions for southern rust.” The inoculum was found as far north as North Dakota near the Canadian border. Stratman said the fungicide decision should be based on what is happening south of you. Listen to the full interview at this link. 

CME Outage Freezes Global Futures Trading – The CME Group experienced a ten-hour outage on Friday that halted trading on its currency platform and across key futures markets, including foreign exchange, commodities, treasuries, and equities. The disruption was linked to a cooling issue at a data center. An abbreviated session was already on the schedule due to the post-holiday market.

MN to Host International Horticultural Expo in 2031 – Expo 2031 has received federal approval for America’s first A1 International Horticultural Exposition. The six-month event will be hosted in Minnesota’s Dakota County from May-October 2031. This will be the first world-level A1 Horticultural Exhibition held in the U.S. The event will showcase horticulture, agriculture, energy, food and water systems, health and wellbeing and future technologies.

Merger Vote Planned for Two MN Ag Co-ops – Two farm cooperatives in southwestern Minnesota are planning to merge. Farmward Cooperative is based in Morgan and has ten locations. Marshall-based Ag Plus Cooperative has seven locations. The boards approved the merger, and now it goes to a member vote.

STB Hears Opposition to UP-Norfolk Southern Merger – A coalition of 60 trade groups sent a joint letter to the Surface Transportation Board, highlighting concerns about the proposed merger between Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway. The letter said increased rail consolidation leads to fewer choices, higher transportation costs, and service disruptions. The groups signing off on the letter include the Minnesota AgriGrowth Council, Minnesota Crop Production Retailers, Minnesota Farmers Union, North Dakota Chamber of Commerce and South Dakota Chamber of Commerce.

Advocating for the Crop Protection Business – Crop protection products are facing greater scrutiny within the Make America Healthy Again movement. AMVAC Product Development Manager Wen Carter believes it is important to be an advocate for these tools. “We are working with the growers and the industry groups to advocate for the safe use of these products and then work with our EPA to make sure they understand how these products are being used and how effective they are for our growers.” AMVAC partners with farm organizations to promote the responsible use of crop protection products. “As a unified front, we’re much better than just the chemical organization going up there and trying to have a conversation with a vested interest, right?” said Carter. “going up to D.C. together certainly puts a unified front and can show that we’re all working in this together to continue to maintain these products that are so valuable for our growers. Carter said it is important to support current chemistries while working on innovative products for the future. Click here to listen to the full interview. 

Enhanced Cercospora Leaf Spot Protection – Vive Crop Protection continues to invest in chemistry for the sugarbeet industry. North America Portfolio Lead Dor Kestecher cites the introduction of the Phobos fungicide, “which is a great Cercospera product, providing very strong control, even in the higher disease pressure.” Kestecher said the Phobos product provides better retention on the leaf. “We dry stronger, and you’re getting roughly 60 percent of the product remaining after rain in comparison to other products at only 30 percent.” Insect management is also available from Vive Crop Protection. “To complement the fungicides, we are also launching this year, Midac 4, which is our sugarbeet root maggot product. This goes in-furrow, mixes very well with the liquid fertilizers, it’s very, very easy to use.” Listen to the full interview. 

Intacta 5+ Launched in Brazil – Bayer has introduced its new Intacta 5+ soybean varieties in Brazil. This technology delivers tolerance to five herbicides and protection against the caterpillar species that does the most damage to the Brazilian soybean crop.

ADD Grants Awarded – North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring announced $1 million in Agriculture Diversification and Development Fund awards for four projects. TAnchor Ingredients received $300,000 to upgrade three Hillsboro plants with new specialty equipment to process flour and oat hulls. Cavendish Farms received $500,000 to expand its Jamestown facility and invest in new potato-processing equipment. Tracey Hauck received $150,000 to build a cattle confinement barn and working facility. Weinlaeder Seed Company received $50,000 to purchase lab equipment for a food-grade specialty crop processing facility. The ADD Fund supports new or expanding value-added agriculture businesses that create jobs, increase profitability, and grow North Dakota’s economy. Applications for the next meeting are due Jan. 1, 2026.

Agristo, MyAgDayta Projects Funded – The North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Commission has awarded funding for eight projects in its latest round. The projects include $250,000 for Agristo to develop engineering plans for its new potato processing plant in Grand Forks and $250,000 for Independent Data Management to automate and scale improvements to its MyAgData electronic acreage reporting system.

Dry Bean Scene – In the latest Dry Bean Scene, NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist Sam Markell discusses preparations for the 2026 growing season. Click here to listen to the update. 

Meyer Returns to FAPRI – As of January 1, USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer will join the University of Missouri to lead the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute. Meyer will succeed longtime FAPRI Director Pat Westhoff, who is retiring in March. Meyer previously served as FAPRI’s assistant director and policy analyst.

ND, MN Represented on Clean Fuels Board – Ryan Pederson of Rollette, North Dakota and Chris Hill of Brewster, Minnesota, have been re-elected to the Clean Fuels Alliance America Governing Board. Pederson represents the North Dakota Soybean Council and Hill represents the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. Pederson was also elected vice chair. Clean Fuels is a national trade group representing the biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel industries.

Dickson is Now a Railroader – Erin Dickson has joined Northern Plains Rail Services as a brand engagement manager. Dickson has been working as a consultant for NPRS. Previously, Dickson was with Ten Acre Marketing.

USSEC Adds Wanke – The U.S. Soybean Export Council has named Randy Wanke as an industry affairs manager. Wanke spent seven years with Corteva AgriScience as an industry relations lead.

A Promotion for Nelson – ADawn Nelson is the new Dean of Academic Affairs at Northland Community and Technical College. Nelson previously served as an ag instructor at Northland and as a Farm Business Management instructor.