Jamie Dickerman Joins RRFN Team – The Red River Farm Network welcomes Jamie Dickerman to our farm broadcast team. Dickerman, a native of Hankinson, North Dakota, brings nearly 30 years of radio experience and a deep-rooted connection to agriculture. His extensive radio career includes stops in Wahpeton, Fargo and Jamestown. Dickerman is a member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. “The Red River Farm Network is proud to have Jamie bringing his expertise and energy to the team,” said Don Wick, president, RRFN. Jamie can be reached at jamie@rrfn.com.

Congress is on the Clock – The continuing resolution that funds the government expires at midnight Friday. Without action, a government shutdown happens on Saturday. The next stopgap spending bill is in jeopardy in a dispute over an economic assistance package for farmers. Republicans are blaming Democrats and Democrats and blaming Republicans. Republican leaders offered a $12 billion package to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies Friday night, but it was rejected. Meanwhile, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow and House Ranking Member David Scott claim the Republicans turned down a $10 billion farm relief plan and increased conservation funding. The language for the continuing resolution was scheduled to be released over the weekend, but that hasn’t happened yet.

Farm State Lawmakers Holding Out for Relief Package – House Speaker Mike Johnson may not be able to get enough votes in his caucus without farm assistance. Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson said he would not support the government funding bill if it doesn’t include support for farmers and ranchers. Other GOP House members are saying the same thing. Meanwhile, North Dakota Senator John Hoeven has urged farmers and ranchers to contact their lawmakers and stress the importance of economic assistance. Hoeven is the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee.

Ag Groups Issue Legislative Alert – Farm groups have stepped up. Farm Bureau and Farmers Union have issued a legislative alert to their members. These farm groups say any supplemental spending bill must include financial assistance for agriculture. From rice to beans, commodity groups have also spoken out about the need for meaningful assistance. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and the Farm Credit Council have also joined the choir, saying a one-year farm bill extension without additional assistance is unacceptable.

A Farm Bill Deal Needs to be Done – Another one-year farm bill extension is widely anticipated. CHS President and CEO Jay Debertin, who also chairs the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, is concerned about the precedent. “We hope that doesn’t become habitual where that just becomes the plan because there needs to be some updates to the farm bill. Reference pricing is just one example and we need crop insurance to be good and solid so a deal needs to get done.” Debertin was featured at the Prairie Grains Conference in Grand Forks. Listen to the RRFN interview.

Permanent Law is the Hammer – The farm bill extension is on a bumpy ride in Congress. South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke has been talking with the state congressional delegation. “It doesn’t sound real positive but I do hope they are at least going to get an extension on the farm bill,” said Sombke. “If they don’t, we all know what happens. We go back to permanent law and that’s never happened.” Under permanent law, parity prices would take effect for certain commodities. These support prices revert back to the 1938 and 1949 farm bills, disrupting consumer prices significantly.

Pushing for Farm Bill Extension Plus-Plus – James Callan Associates President Jim Callan represents the North Dakota Grain Growers Association and other ag groups on Capitol Hill. An all-out effort is on the farm bill extension. “It’s called an extension-plus-plus,” said Callan. “It could include disaster assistance, including for ag, and also economic assistance that could be Representative (Trent) Kelly from Mississippi has introduced called the FARM Act.” Callan has participated with in meetings with Canadian and Mexican officials regarding trade. “We certainly understand why President-Elect Trump wants to put these tariffs in place with things like the border and unfair trade practices with China, yet we want to make sure the ramifications for ag are fully understood.”

Bipartisanship is a Must – The time available to pass important legislation during the lame-duck session is slipping away. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that chore list includes an extension of the 2018 farm bill. “That issue must also be dealt with in a bipartisan way and in a manner consistent with protecting farmers, protecting the agricultural industry, and protecting nutritional assistance for vulnerable Americans.” Jeffries said it is still not known how the farm bill extension will be done. Regarding a new five-year farm bill next year, Jeffries said the slim margins in the House means it will be a bipartisan bill.”It’s clear that the incoming House Republican majority will not be able to do much without us.”

A Challenge of Leadership in Congress – There’s still no consensus in Congress on a farm bill extension. “As they try to figure out whether or not if they’re going be able to get some disaster assistance and economic assistance in there, we’re just trying to drive home the message about the needs across the country,” said Rob Larew, president, National Farmers Union. “Gosh, what we see has been a challenge of leadership in Congress. Can they break through and deliver for farmers and ranchers?” Larew participated in the North Dakota Farmers Union Annual Meeting in Bismarck and the South Dakota Farmers Union Annual Meeting in Huron this past week.

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. Scott Hayes, a water quality-certified producer, talks about the climate-smart practices used on his farm in this edition of ‘Farming for the Future.’ The update can be found here. 

AFBF on Capitol Hill This Week – Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation President Dan Glessing is in Washington, D.C. this week to participate in the American Farm Bureau resolutions process. “We’re going to have meetings, but we’ll hit the Hill afterwards to talk about the farm bill and the economic and disaster assistance.” The time in Washington coincides with Congress’ last week in this session. “Unfortunately, that’s how it works but when they know they have to get something done before they go home for Christmas it becomes important for them again.” Tough end-of-the-year conversations are happening between farmers and their lenders right now. Glessing remains hopeful Congress will act on farm financial relief, too. Glessing joined the Red River Farm Network for an in-studio interview during the Prairie Grains Conference.

A Push for the FARM Act – House Republicans and Democrats are at odds over the economic relief package for farmers. Mississippi Congressman Trent Kelly introduced the Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation of FARM Act to help offset the recent low commodity prices. Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers President Kevin Leiser wants Congress to act on this legislation. “There’s a need for it because of these prices; our input costs have not gone down and there’s a lot of guys hurting right now.” The FARM Act has support from both parties, but there is disagreement over what should be included in the bill and how it would be funded. House Speaker Mike Johnson prefers a ‘clean’ one-year farm bill extension without the additional economic assistance package.

After 4 Terms in the Senate, Stabenow Delivers Farewell Address – Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow delivered her farewell address to the Senate and agriculture was part of that speech. The Michigan senator said she was proud to put her stamp on the country’s farm and food policy. “As the author of the specialty crop title in the farm bill, I’m grateful that the full diversity of farms, small and large, are now reflected in our funding in our agricultural policy,” said Stabenow. “And so pleased that families across our country have access to healthy, locally grown foods through farmers’ markets and urban agriculture, and our children can count on permanent funding for summer meals and other critical food assistance.” Stabenow did not seek reelection. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar will succeed Stabenow as the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

RFK to Meet With Senators This Week – As part of the confirmation process, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be on Capitol Hill this week to meet with senators. Kennedy is President-Elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. RFK is an advocate for change in farm and food policy. At this point, Kennedy is scheduled to meet with 20 senators this week.

Dems to Vote on Ag Committee Leadership Today – The Democratic Steering Committee will meet today to determine committee leadership. Georgia Congressman David Scott has been the lead Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. Minnesota Representative Angie Craig and California Representative Jim Costa are challenging Scott for that role.

WRDA Bill Advances – The House passed the Water Resources Development Act with a 399-to-18 vote. This bill addresses flood protection and water infrastructure. It also includes funding to improve barge navigation on the Mississippi River. The bill now goes to the Senate and is expected to be finalized before the end of the year.

Tit-for-Tat – China is delivering a proactive response to President-Elect Donald Trump’s tariff strategy. Beijing is banning exports to the United States of specific critical minerals used for microchips. The supply of Chinese-made drones is also being tightened.

U.S. and China Expected to React Differently to a Trade War – The United States and China each learned a lot from the trade war that happened during President-Elect Donald Trump’s first term. NDSU Extension Crops Economist Frayne Olson said both global economies are in a different place than it was in 2018-2019. “My biggest concern is that U.S. agriculture gets sucked into this big tornado of all this other trade war stuff,” said Olson. “If President Trump follows through on his promise to put additional tariffs on Chinese imports, the big question is what will China’s response be.” The Chinese government has already announced bans or restrictions on precious metals shipped into the United States for use in high-tech computer chips.

Xi to Boost Economy – China is loosening its monetary policy to deal with deflation and a weak economy. The policy shifts are expected to include fewer restrictions on homebuying and increase government spending to boost domestic demand. At the Chinese Communist Party’s annual economic conference, President Xi Jinping said China will hit an ambitious GDP growth target of five percent this year.

Fielding Questions – Fielding Questions is a podcast produced in collaboration between AgCountry Farm Credit Services and the Red River Farm Network that explores the world of farm finance and rural life. In this episode, AgCountry Farm Credit Services Vice President of Insurance and Customer Education Rob Fronning offers insight into end-of-the-year farm decisions. “Let’s start looking again at where we’re at for costs and figure out our revenue goals.” Listen to the podcast by clicking here.

Policy May Overshadow Price – Low commodity prices eventually stimulate demand. However, there is uncertainty about policies. “We don’t know what may happen in terms of biofuel mandate for both corn and soybeans,” said Tanner Ehmke, lead economist for grains and oilseeds, CoBank. “There’s a bit of uncertainty with trade risk and the potential for trade wars. Overall, the big picture is very strong, but we’ve got some headwinds and some uncertainty heading into 2025.”

Margin Compression for Crop Farmers – The Farm Credit Administration has released its quarterly update on the farm economy. The report said cash grain farmers are dealing with a sharp downturn in farm income. Cattle and dairy operations are benefiting from low feed costs and strong prices. There are indications farmland values are softening, especially with low-quality land. The FCA is reporting credit quality remains favorable.

Focus on Working Capital – With 2024 coming to a close, Northland Farm Business Management Instructor Betsy Jensen is encouraging farmers to take steps now to ease the financial burden heading into the New Year. “The biggest thing is to get a handle on your working capital,” said Jensen. “Do you have cash? If you don’t have cash then there are not a lot more decisions to make, right? The priority is making sure there is cash available for next year. Our planning prices for 2025 are not that great so if we need to refinance, we need to put in a short-term loan.” Jensen spoke at the Prairie Grains Conference.

Interest Rate Decision Coming on Wednesday – The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee is meeting this week and the latest interest rate decision is expected early Wednesday afternoon. A quarter-point cut is expected. If that happens, the Fed’s benchmark interest rate will be at 4.25 and 4.5 percent.

Trump Sides With Union in Port Labor Dispute – Dockworkers on the East Coast and Gulf Coast gained a powerful voice of support. President-Elect Donald Trump has weighed in, saying shipping companies should invest in wages rather than automation. Labor talks are at an impasse and a strike could happen as soon as January 15.

Stronger Antitrust Enforcement and Greater Transparency – The National Farmers Union continues to focus on its Fairness to Farmers campaign. North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne said the goal is to “actually use antitrust laws to break up some of these large conglomerates that are holding monopolistic practices on our prices.” Progress on that front has been seen from the USDA and the Justice Department dealing with the Packers and Stockyards Act and captive shipping. “I think we’re getting some attention,” said Watne. “Real progress? Not a lot, but you have to start somewhere and I think we’re on the right trail.”

MFU Minute – In the Minnesota Farmers Union Minute, MFU Government Antimonopoly Director Justin Stofferahn reports 2025 is the Year of the Cooperative. Stofferahn continues to have an important role in the business sector. Here is the report. 

Marketing Assistance Available for Specialty Crop Growers – The Farm Service Agency is now accepting applications from specialty crop producers for marketing assistance. The $2 billion in support was announced in November. A variety of special crop producers are eligible for funding, including farmers in this region growing dry edible beans, honey and grass seed. Applications will be accepted through January 8.

Corn Demand Rises – In Tuesday’s supply/demand report, USDA increased corn export demand by 150 million bushels and ethanol demand by 50 million bushels. USDA lowered wheat ending stocks by 20 million bushels and left soybeans unchanged. Analysts expected an increase in South American soybean production, but USDA made no changes in Brazilian production and increased Argentine output by 1 million metric tons.

A Soybean Estimate Below the Average Trade Guess – USDA’s December supply and demand report was deemed friendly for soybeans with ending stocks unchanged at 470 million bushels. Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting President Mike Zuzolo says USDA didn’t do anything to hurt the market. “They actually came in on the low end of that number and below the average trade guess. I think we’ve done enough damage in terms of price erosion and pulling weather premium out of the soy complex for now.”

Record Soybean Acres in ND – At NDSU Extension’s Getting it Right in Soybean Production webinar, North Dakota Soybean Council Research Programs Coordinator Miki Miheguli spoke about the increase in soybean production in North Dakota. “From the 1980s to 2020, soybean acres and yields have steadily increased, but we have a lot of improvements that need to be made to continue increasing yields and a lot of risk that needs to be mitigated in order to maximize yields and profits.” 2024 was a great year for soybean production in the state. “Soybean farmers in North Dakota harvested 6.6 million acres, which is a record high.”

Canola Minute – In the latest Canola Minute from the Northern Canola Growers Association, NCGA Executive Director Barry Coleman highlights the recent Canola Research Conference. Click here to listen. 

No Bullish Weather Story Out of Brazil – South American weather received attention at the South Dakota Farmers Union Convention in Huron. Conduit Principal Atmospheric Scientist Eric Snodgrass said the forecast isn’t good news for the markets. “We all want drought in Brazil; I’m sorry Brazil is firing on all cylinders. and I have no bullish story for you out of Brazil today.” Snodgrass said he is worried about the potential of a drought in ’25. “Drought loves to migrate after dry falls; it loves to migrate after La Nina events and that is why I am concerned.”

A Reluctant Spring Forecast – The main ballroom at the Prairie Grains Conference was at capacity for the annual presentation by State Climatologist and NDAWN Director Daryl Ritchison. What’s the outlook for the upcoming growing season? “There are a lot of reasons to believe 2025, like 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021, will have more dry areas than wet areas,” said Ritchison. The big question mark is with the spring planting season because “we’ve had some horrible springs in the last decade.” While reluctant to provide a spring forecast, Ritchison is leaning towards another late start to planting.

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s Dry Bean Scene, Northarvest Bean Growers Association Executive Director Mitch Coulter is featured. The proposed dietary guidelines has significant implications for the dry bean industry. Click here to listen. 

A Push for Plant-Based Protein – The dietary guidelines draft recommendations call for more consumption of beans and less red meat. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines are updated every five years. This draft moves beans and lentils from the vegetable group to the protein group and lists plant-based protein above meat and eggs. It suggests the consumption of 2.5 cups of beans per week, up one cup from the current recommendation. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said the report ignored scientific evidence about beef’s essential nutrients. Public comments will be taken for 60 days.

Monarch Butterfuly Proposed as a Threatened Species – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Public comments will be accepted until March 12. In a statement, the National Corn Growers Association said the threatened species designation should protect monarch butterflies without disrupting critical farming activities. The American Soybean Association said the listing was expected, but called for a transparent, science-based process.

High Court to Review California’s Emission Standards – The Supreme Court will review California’s ability to establish its own vehicle emissions standards. The petroleum industry objected to EPA’s waiver of the Clean Air Act, allowing California to set stricter emissions standards than the national standard. The case will be argued in the spring.

Opportunities & Risks Ahead for Biofuels Sector – A large supply of corn and soybeans combined with an increased demand for biofuels is raising the expectations of many heading into 2025. With raised expectations, there is also uncertainty. “We had a really successful year,” said Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association Executive Director Brian Werner. “Being an election year, there’s some uncertainty about what the new year will bring and whether or not the policies that were enacted this year are going to survive next year.” Yet, Werner looks forward to working with the new administration. “We certainly see some opportunities there, such as potentially overturning the tailpipe emissions rule that was finalized by the Biden administration, which would have disadvantaged low carbon ethanol.”

AI Putting Its Stamp on Agriculture – At the North Dakota Farmers Union annual convention, Futures founder Peter Leyden spoke about a world influenced by artificial intelligence. In Leyden’s view, the agricultural community is already leading the way. “You’re going to absolutely have autonomous driving tractors out here so it is going to immediately impact you now or in the near term here,” said Leyden. “People get worried about job displacement, there will be some, but we will transition and we’ll make it work.”

Succession Planning Challenges Seen for Rural Businesses – A new report from Minnesota’s Center for Rural Policy and Development identifies unique challenges for rural business transitions. Fifty-three percent of Minnesota business owners are over the age of 55 and only 19 percent have a written succession plan. The report found rural areas have limited access to advisory services, a lack of awareness about succession options and difficulty in attracting buyers for their business. Read the report.

Weather Setbacks for Soybean Variety Trials – The University of Minnesota soybean variety trials faced weather-related losses. UM Professor of Agronomy and Plant Genetics Aaron Lorenz was still able to get data from the surviving plots. “Yields were down overall this year because of the very wet spring and early summer and the dry end of the season.” Lorenz said the number of commercial varieties entered into university trials is down dramatically. “I think we need to make a really good effort here this wintertime to figure out what we can do to entice more companies to enter more varieties into these trials.”

MN Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Growers Association board member John Swanson joins Corn Matters this week with information about the Minnesota Corn Innovation Grant Program. Click here to listen.

Good, Bad and Ugly – The University of Minnesota wheat variety trials had good results, bad results and ugly results. “Across both North Dakota and Minnesota, we broke records for yield,” said Jochum Wiersma, Extension small grains specialist. “We also had more disease, especially fusarium head blight, than we’ve seen in years.” Pre-harvest sprouting was found in both production fields and the variety trials. Another unpleasant surprise was stem rust. “Some of the individual varieties really fell through the cracks and you can see how devastating stem rust can be when you lose 50 percent of the yield.” Wiersma was part of the Prairie Grains Conference program.

Cereal Leaf Beetles Move into NW MN – Cereal leaf beetles are getting attention from researchers. University of Minnesota Extension IPM Specialist Anthony Hanson says the beetles are already causing economic damage. “In northwest Minnesota, this is a new insect, but it’s not new to the state.” The pest was found in southeastern Minnesota for years, but has been seen in the northwestern corner of the state in only the past couple years.”

Veteran Leadership for Ag Committee – When the Minnesota Legislature convenes on January 14, the House will likely be split evenly between Republicans and Democrats. There’s litigation in one race and that is the one question mark for the balance of power. All committees will have equal representation by both parties with co-chairs. Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen said two veteran lawmakers will lead the agriculture committee. “Representative (Rick) Hanson, who’s well known in the ag committee, has a lot of different ideas,” said Petersen. A lot of people don’t know, but he worked for the (Minnesota Agriculture) Department for almost 17 years and so he has quite a knowledge about our pesticide division.” Republican Paul Anderson, who is a farmer from Starbuck, is the other co-chair.  The MDA is preparing its budget for the 2026-2027 biennium. Attention is also on a structural deficit for the out years of 2028 and 2029.

Ag Committee Roster Released – The roster for the Minnesota House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee has been named. The co-chairs are DFL Representative Rick Hansen of South St. Paul and Republican Representative Paul Anderson of Starbuck. The Republican members of the committee include four farmers; Representative John Burkel of Badger, Representative Bobbie Harder of Henderson, Nathan Nelson of Hinkley, and Bryan Lawrence of Princeton. The other GOP members of the committee are Representative Steve Gander, who is an optometrist in East Grand Forks, and Representative Steven Jacob, a business owner from Altura. The DFL members are Representative Ester Agbaje, who is a Minneapolis attorney; Representative Luke Frederick who has worked in healthcare at Mankato; full-time legislator Representative Fue Lee of Minneapolis; Representative Andy Smith, who is a business owner in Rochester; Representative Wayne Johnson, a business owner at Cottage Grove and Representative Samantha Vang, a housing advocate from Brooklyn Center.

Navigating a 67-67 Tie – The constitution requires the state to have one speaker, an issue complicated by the 67-67 tie in the Minnesota House. Representative Melissa Hortman is the speaker-designate for the DFL and Representative Lisa Demuth has the same role for the Republicans. Agricultural lobbyist Bruce Kleven outlined a possible scenario. “They haven’t asked me for my opinion, but one outcome that I would look at is the Secretary of State convenes the House after the election. The first thing after the Pledge of Allegiance, the Secretary of State takes nominations for Speaker and the majority party generally gets the person they put up. One outcome here is the Secretary of State could convene and then appoint two Speaker Pro Tempores where they both take turns. They’re not really called the Speaker, but they are Speaker Pro Tempore and then they take turns throughout the session.” Kleven spoke during the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers annual meeting.

A Shared Balance of Power – The DFL has a razor-thin one-seat majority in the Minnesota Senate while the House is evening divided between Democrats and Republicans. Agricultural lobbyist Cory Bennett said everyone is trying to understand how this scenario working. “This is my 34th legislative session and I’m going to be going in and figuring it out with everybody else that has been there for one day; it’s going to be a very unique session.” The House committees will have co-chairs, a Democrat and a Republican, and equal representation from each party.

SD Corn Comments – Dave Ellens, South Dakota Corn Growers Association President Dave Ellens is featured in this week’s edition of South Dakota Corn Comments. Ellens highlights the South Dakota Corn Conference that is coming up in January. Click here to listen.

State Tax Issues to be Reviewed in Pierre – The 2025 South Dakota legislative session begins on January 14. State policy issues were part of the discussion at the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association convention. “Taxation is an issue when it comes to sales tax laws and property tax laws and reevaluating how they’re going to assess property,” said Warren Symens, president. “With the session coming up in January and February, we’re getting set to keep a close eye on what’s going to happen in Pierre.”

Property Tax Relief and Reform to be Reviewed in Bismarck – State lawmakers shared the stage during the North Dakota Farmers Union Convention to discuss property tax reform. “This is a huge priority for our members,” reports Matt Perdue, government relations director, NDFU. “Heading into the next legislation session, we are working very hard to make sure that the voices of farmers and ranchers are heard as part of the discussion on property tax relief and reform.

ND Barley Growers Seek a Checkoff Rate Increase – North Dakota Barley Council Chair Nathan Boll wants to make sure barley remains a viable crop in the state. “In doing that, we felt we needed to raise the checkoff to generate a few more dollars. We’re seeing our expenses go up. The dollar doesn’t go very far anymore. We vetted it through our county reps and floated the idea of going from a two-cent checkoff to a three-cent checkoff. Our county reps voted unanimously to move forward with that and we’ll work on getting that through the legislature in January.”

Beer Consumption Drops to Lowest Level in a Generation – A surplus barley supply has pressured prices for the past five years. According to Malteurip North American Barley Procurement Manager Mark Black, the combination of inflation and COVID cut into beer consumption. ‘You also have a cultural shift of beer drinkers to other options, such as seltzers, canned cocktails, THC-infused drinks, all those sorts of things,” said Black. “Kids have a lot more options today than ever and they’re not drinking the traditional beer.” Black expects the barley industry to be in a much better position in 2025.

A Simple Goal – USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy will monitor and prevent the spread of H5N1 in dairy cattle. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Executive Director for Field Operations Julie Gauthier said there is a simple goal. “Ultimately, at the end of this process, we want to be able to declare the United States free of avian influenza in dairy cows.” The federal order begins with testing in six states. The tri-state region is not included in that mix.

SDFU Delegates Pass Special Orders of Business – Several special orders of business were passed during the South Dakota Farmers Convention. “One of them was with packing plants, packers, anti-competition and transparency in price,” Dave Reis, District 4 representative. “We need to get something done with the way things are handled with the packers’ monopoly on things.” Special orders also focused on tax reform and the need for more rural childcare.”

Protecting the U.S. From Screwworm Issue – South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds is asking Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to avoid the premature reopening of the U.S.-Mexico feeder cattle trade. In late November, imports were shut down after the confirmation of the New World Screwworm in southern Mexico. Before resuming trade, Rounds believes the incident should be thoroughly investigated.

Bovine TB ID’ed in SD Steer – For the first time in three years, bovine tuberculous has been confirmed in South Dakota. A steer from a Hamlin County feedlot was confirmed to have TB. The discovery came from a routine inspection at a Wisconsin packing plant.

Additional EID Tags Available to Ranchers – USDA will provide another 3 million electronic identification tags to farmers and ranchers. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven had urged the Agriculture Department to provide ranchers with the resources necessary to comply with the government’s EID mandate. The USDA rule requires official identification of certain cattle and bison categories before moving across state lines for disease traceability.

Investing in Swine Health Research – The Swine Health Information Center and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research funded six new projects to address a potential disease risk in pigs. Swine Health Information Center Executive Director Megan Niederwerder said the United States is currently negative for Japanese Encephalitis Virus. “However, the Swine Health Information Center identified it as a potential risk to the U.S. based on its geographic distribution and range that expanded in 2022,” said Niederwerder. “JEV has historically been maintained in Southeast Asia and Pacific Island nations, but in 2022 it expanded into new regions of Australia. Based on that finding, the Swine Health Information Center wanted to fund research to help inform our industry about how we can prevent and prepare for a JEV incursion.” This mosquito-borne virus primarily impacts sow breeding herds.

A Focus on Leadership – Over 600 FFA members participated in the Minnesota FFA Leadership Conference in St. Cloud. This program is normally held during the State FFA Convention in the Twin Cities. However, renovations at the State Fair’s Warner Coliseum triggered the move to a new format and location. State FFA Officer Cole Sundeen is pleased with the inaugural event. “This is definitely a new and exciting opportunity for students to get more hands-on learning about leadership and opportunities within FFA.” The leadership development events include public speaking, creed, and conduct of meetings. This leadership conference will be held in St. Cloud again in 2025, but commitments have not been made beyond that.

Speaking Out for Dairy – Midwest Dairy has an ambassador program for college-age students. University of Minnesota animal science major Megan Ratka is part of this leadership program. “I knew I wanted to continue to have a platform to promote dairy to consumers so I turned to the ambassador program to continue to be able to do that.” Ratka uses social media to promote a positive dairy message.

Ag Business Degree Coming to NSU – The South Dakota Board of Regents has approved an agriculture business degree at Northern State University in Aberdeen. The new program begins next fall.

LRSC Updates Ag Degree Program – The precision agriculture program at Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, North Dakota is being modified. LRSC will now have an agriculture degree with a certificate in either precision agriculture or agriculture production management.

Solving Problems – Agriculture is in a down cycle. “Inflationary pressures have hit, biggest trade deficit we’ve had in recordable period and commodity prices are at all-time low,” said James Shurts, who is president of the agriculture division for Great Plains Manufacturing. “You got to think when is it going to end; it is going to end pretty soon in my opinion.” Shurts said the inventory of farm equipment and grain is too high, but that will come down. In the meantime, Great Plains Manufacturing is focused on solving problems. “How do I make more money on the farm? how do I be more efficient? how do I address my challenges of labor shortages or equipment buyability? That’s what we do.”  Whether it be seeding solutions or tillage, Shurts said the focus is helping growers be more efficient “and if we can’t fit that bill, let’s figure out how we can adapt and overcome and continue to evolve our product portfolio to fit your needs.” Listen to the interview.

MFBF Minute – Minnesota Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Committee Chair Katie Drewitz joins the Red River Farm Network for this week’s MFBF Minute. Drewitz highlights the MFBF LEAP Conference. Click here to listen.

Making Trait Decisions – New traits will be available for the corn farmer in 2025 including Smart Stax Pro and VT 4 Pro with RNAI Technology. Dekalb Brand Manager Jamie Horton encourages growers to evaluate their own field conditions to understand their weed and insect pressure. Those decisions can be made on a field-by-field basis. “If you’re in that combine and you’re seeing that firsthand, seeing those yields come in, that’s something you can start understanding,” said Horton. “Where are those low spots in the field? Where are the spots that struggle or the spots that did really good? With tools like Climate Fieldview as we go through the winter season, we’re able to sit down and actually analyze what happened and maximize your ROI in ’25.” Listen to the full interview by clicking here.

Soil Fertility Minute – Minnesota’s Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council is a farmer-led effort to promote research and education regarding agricultural fertility. Dr. Lindsay Pease is an Extension research specialist at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center in Crookston. Unique trial results regarding soybean fertility are out. Click here and listen to the report.

The Billion Dollar Pest – Corn rootworm has a significant impact on Midwest corn yields. It is often called the ‘billion dollar pest.’ “Corn rootworm has been a huge challenge for many farmers across the Cornbelt and it is extending into farther northern geographies,” said Brandon Walter, corn marketing lead, Pioneer. “We’re not only seeing it in corn-on-corn acres, right? We think about the rotated acres of corn to beans; we’re even seeing some extended diapause with our northern corn rootworm.” The latest Pioneer trait technology for corn rootworm protection is Vorceed Enlist and PowerCore Enlist. Click here to hear the entire interview with Walter.

APUC/ADD Funds Awarded – North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has announced the latest round of funding through the Agricultural Products Utilization Commission and Agriculture Diversification and Development programs. Five projects totaling $475,000 received APUC awards. BI Biorefinery in Grand Forks received the largest award at $205,000 for the restoration of an ethanol plant. Four projects expanding meat processing in the state received ADD funding; St. Anthony Meats of Bismarck, North American Bison of New Rockford, Lewey’s Meat Shop of Mylo and 1481 Meats of Upham.

Red Trail Energy Sale to Close in Q1 2025 – Shareholders with Richardton, North Dakota-based Red Trail Energy have approve the sale of its ethanol plant and carbon capture and storage to Colorado-based Gevo. Gevo is paying $210 million for the facility, which will be used to make sustainable aviation fuel. The sale is expected to be finalized in early 2025.

Green Light for Summit Carbon Solutions – Summit Carbon Solutions has gained approval in Minnesota and North Dakota for its carbon pipeline. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously for the pipeline extending from the Fergus Falls ethanol plant and connecting with the full Summit pipeline network. The North Dakota Industrial Commission approved three permits for Summit to store 350 million tons of CO2 underground permanently. This project involves 57 ethanol plants across five states. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

MDA Grants Available for Green Fertilizer Manufacturing – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has launched the Green Fertilizer Grant Program. Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen made the announcement at the Green Ammonia Summit in Morris. The grant will support agriculture and rural electric cooperatives so they can invest in green fertilizer manufacturing. The funding will range from $250,000 to $6.6 million for shovel-ready projects. Applications are due March 18.

Yara Delivers Its First Green Amonia Product in Brazil – The fertilizer company, Yara, has started the production of green ammonia fertilizer in Brazil. The ammonia is created from purified renewable biogas made from sugarcane waste. This product reportedly reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75 percent.

AgroLiquid to Acquire Monty’s Plant Food Company – AgroLiquid has announced the acquisition of Monty’s Plant Food Company. This deal is effective January 1. The acquisition brings together AgroLiquidʼs expertise in liquid fertilizer solutions with Montyʼs focus in soil health and humic technology. Both companies will maintain their distinct brands and operate independently through the 2025 growing season.

Nutrient Enhancer to Boost Crop Productivity – Starting next spring, a new enzyme mode of action nutrient enhancer will be available from Koch Agronomic Services. PHOSFORCE is designed to create more plant-available phosphorus in soils and optimizing crop root systems. PHOSFORCE can be applied on the surface, in the furrow, as a sidedress or through other applications such as fertigation.

A Potential Bidder for Lamb Weston – The potato company, Lamb Weston, may be attracting a takeover offer. Post Holdings reportedly has met with its lenders to discuss a potential deal. The Idaho-based French Fry company has been facing pressure from an activist investor to consider its options.

China Arrests Former Ag Minister – The Chinese government has arrested its former agriculture minister Tan Renjian on bribery charges. State media reported Tang accepted gifts and money in violation of regulations and used his authority to support family business activities.

Beans and the Big Apple – A pair of Brewster, Minnesota soybean farmers are in New York City this week to participate in the Clean Fuels Alliance America Big Apple Tour. This tour will highlight the efforts in New York and New Jersey to reduce their carbon footprint by using biodiesel and renewable diesel. Ron Obermoller represents the Minnesota soybean checkoff board and Chris Hill is a director for the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.

Fedorchak to Serve on Energy and Commerce Committee – North Dakota Congresswoman-elect Julie Fedorchak has been appointed to the Energy and Commerce Committee. This is one of the three ‘A’ committees in the House and Fedorchak is the first freshman member of Congress selected for this committee in 14 years.

Ferguson Gets Nod for FTC Chairmanship – President-Elect Donald Trump has selected Andrew Ferguson to chair the Federal Trade Commission. Since Ferguson is already a FTC commissioner and can assume the chair right after the inauguration. He previously served as Virginia’s solicitor general and chief counsel for Senator Mitch McConnell.

Career Moves Happening at ND FSA – December is a time of staff changes for the North Dakota Farm Service Agency State Office. A deputy state executive director position has been created and that job has gone to Kristen Knudtson. Knudtson most recently served as the program director for compliance. FSA Program Director for Production Adjustment Laura Heinrich has made the move to the Risk Management Agency. Brandi Laframboise, who is now the county executive director for Barnes and Traill Counties, will move into the production adjustment director job in the state FSA office. District 1 Director Brea Seime is leaving FSA for a job with AgCountry Farm Credit Services at the end of the month. Farm Loan Chief Mary Sue Ohlhauser is retiring this month while District 2 Director Michele Schommer will retire next month. Ramsey County Farm Loan Manager Erica Brown has been hired for the District 2 vacancy.

Crain Announces Retirement From AGCO – AGCO Corporation announced Bob Crain, senior vice president and general manager, grain and protein, will retire at the end of the month. Crain worked for AGCO for nearly 19 years and has more than 30 years of experience in the ag equipment business.

Wall Promoted – Following Lisa Borgen’s retirement, Ryan Wall was promoted to vice president of administration at American Crystal Sugar Company. Wall has over 19 years of experience with ACSC and has been the factory manager at East Grand Forks, Hillsboro and Crookston.

Schmidt Succeeds McCarvel at MACA – The Mid America CropLife Association selected Rodney Schmidt as its new executive director. Most recently, Schmidt was a national and regional strategic account manager for Bayer CropScience. Minnesota native Bonnie McCarvel was MACA’s executive director for nearly 29 years and announced her planned retirement earlier this fall. Previously, McCarvel was the executive director for the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association/Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council; legislative assistant for Minnesota Senator Dave Durenburger and farm director for KNUJ Radio.

Monson to Wrap Up His Compeer Career – As of January 2, John Monson will retire from Compeer Financial. Monson has been with Compeer for the past 18 years, primarily, as its chief mission officer. Previously, Monson was the Minnesota Farm Service Agency State Director.

Haggerty to Succeed Dufault – After 11 years with the Minnesota Corn Growers Association and Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council, Marlene Dufault of Crookston will retire at the end of the month. Luke Haggerty is the new district field manager for northwestern Minnesota. Haggerty is based at Alexandria, Minnesota. Most recently, Haggerty was a viticulture consultant for a local vineyard. ed.

Sherven Elected to CHS Board – Steve Fritel of Barton, North Dakota retired from the CHS Board of Directors. Trent Sherven of Ryder, North Dakota was elected to represent Region 7 on the board. In addition, David Kayser of Alexandria, South Dakota was among the board members reelected.

Tri-State Region Represented on USB Exec Committee – Mississippi farmer Philip Good will serve as the 2025 chair of the United Soybean Board. Mike Gast of Valley City, North Dakota is the USB treasurer. Tom Frisch of Dumont, Minnesota and Todd Hanten of Goodwin, South Dakota will also serve on the USB executive committee.

Gackle Transitions to ASA Chairmanship – Kentucky farmer Caleb Ragland is the new president of the American Soybean Association, succeeding Josh Gackle of Kulm, North Dakota. Gackle now moves into the role of ASA chair. Jordan Scott of Valley Springs, South Dakota is an at-large executive committee member. Bob Worth of Lake Benton, Minnesota is one of five new ASA directors. It’s ironic for Worth to be a new director since he’s served two terms as Minnesota Soybean Growers Association president and previously was on the ASA executive committee. Chris Hill of Brewster, Minnesota and Mike Petefish of Claremont, Minnesota cycled off the board.

NDGGA Hosts Successful Annual Meeting – The North Dakota Grain Growers Association passed eight resolutions and re-elected four district directors at its annual meeting. The directors are Ed Kessel, Jeff Mertz, Troy Bratcher, and Dean Knell. “We’ve got a full board, which is always a good position to be in, and we elected a new president, Ryan Ellis,” said Past President Ed Kessel.

AgriGrowth Adds New Members to Its Board – During the AgriGrowth Annual Meeting, board members were elected. These board members are Santo Cruz of CentraCare, Brady Janzen of Riverview LLP, Joe Lerman of Ellingson Companies, Andy Martin of AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Tom Ryan of R.D. Offutt Farms, Karin Schaefer of Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, Marc Schober of Bremer Bank, Lydia Underdahl of BNSF Railway and Michael Yost of Yost Farms. AgriGrowth’s annual meeting was a virtual membership event Tuesday.

Board Reorganization for ACSC – Following the American Crystal Sugar Company shareholder’s meeting, two individuals joined the ACSC board of directors. Dan Younggren of Hallock and Neil Rockstad of Ada will represent the Drayton and Hillsboro factory districts respectively. Younggren is a past president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association and Rockstad is the current ASGA president. The board also elected Perry Skaurud from the Hillsboro factory district to return as board chair and Mark Nelson from the East Grand Forks factory district was elected vice president.

Beet Stock Values – American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock traded higher last week because of less supply. Acres & Shares broker, Jayson Menke, said 155 shares were brokered from range of $5,300 to $5,650 for an average price of $5,356.45 per share.

Another Term on the American Lamb Board – USDA has reappointed four members to serve on the American Lamb Board. Stephen Schreier of Tracy, Minnesota will serve another three years representing the feeder lamb business on the checkoff board.

Hammer Appointed Associate Dean – North Dakota State University’s College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources has a new associate dean. Carrie Hammer has been with NDSU for 20 years and served most recently as the interim associate dean. Hammer has also been part of the animal sciences department with a focus on equine. Before moving to Fargo in 2005, Hammer was a veterinarian with the Center for Food Security and Public Health in Ames, Iowa.

Brown County Farmers Receive SDFU Ag Ambassador Award – South Dakota Farmers Union recognized Paul Dennert and Don Schaunaman for their leadership to South Dakota agriculture. Dennert is a fourth-generation Brown County farmer and former state legislator. Schaunaman farmed near Aberdeen and was an advocate for the cooperative business model. Schaunaman passed away in 2021 at the age of 92.

Honoring Service to the ND Wheat & Barley Industry – The North Dakota Grain Growers Association presents the Kernel Award for outstanding service in the North Dakota wheat and barley industries. Mark Formo of Litchville received the farmer award. The industry award went to Howard Olson of AgCountry Farm Credit Services.