A Healthy Farm Economy – Bell Bank Senior Vice President of Agribusiness Development Lynn Paulson is optimistic about the agricultural economy. “I’ve been doing this for almost four decades and honestly, this is the healthiest I’ve ever seen the ag sector financially,” said Paulson. “Both ag businesses and farmers are doing extremely well; I think we’re going to look back and say these are the good old days.” Most farms have quite a bit of working capital and Paulson says that is a shock absorber to manage any downturn in the economy.

Positive Cash Flows – In an early look at cash flows for 2023, the farm financial situation still looks positive. With current price projections and normal yields, Minnesota Farm Business Management instructor Josh Tjosass is cautiously optimistic. “For most farms that aren’t highly leveraged, that didn’t go out and spend top dollar and borrow top dollar for some additional things on the farm, we’re finding that the cash flows are still looking relatively positive,” Tjosaas said. “Obviously, that’s very dependent on what prices they’re able to lock in for 2023 or finally sell for for 2023.” Working capital has grown significantly in the past year. “Use that equity in a productive way, but there is value to holding onto some of that as well.”

Fed Increases Rate 50 Points – As expected, the Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate by 50 basis points Wednesday.  “They did raise rates by half a percent and the range is 4.25 and 4.5 percent,” said Brad Paulson, president, Northern Crops Marketing and Investments. “The rates are the highest in 15 years, since the 2007 financial meltdown.” Paulson expects the Fed to slow the rate hikes sometime before next summer. “It all depends on how the economy performs and how everyone responds to these interest rates.”

Consumer Price Index on the Rise – Consumer prices rose 7.1 percent in November, the slowest pace since late 2021 and down from 7.7 percent in October. A report from the Wall Street Journal says gasoline prices drove much of decline with the national average price of unleaded gasoline down 50 cents a gallon from October.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In today’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson says the cattle market has been performing well. “We know less supplies coming online and cash trading is at seven-and-a-half year highs.” On the negative side of the ledger, Martinson said market has been struggling to find positive news in the grains. This is the last full week of trading for 2022 and “I think we’ll see some profit taking and pullback in the grains.”

Combine Sales 16 Percent Higher Than 2021 – According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturer’s monthly flash report, the sales of all tractors during November were down 21 percent from the same month last year. Combine sales in November totaled 314, up eight percent from last year. Year-to-date combine sales total 6,535 units, a notable increase of 16 percent from 2021.

Fielding Questions: Preparing for the New Year – The Federal Reserve increased the benchmark interest rate by another 50 basis points. AgCountry Farm Credit Services Vice President of Marketing Education Rob Fronning says young and beginning farmers have not seen anything, but near-zero interest rates, while others have been through this cycle before. “We have seen quite a lot of debt paydown, which is good in a high interest rate environment.” As the end of the year approaches, Fronning emphasizes about the importance of a marketing plan. “Volatility creates volatility and we’ll have more of it going forward,” said Fronning. “Luck favors the prepared so be ready for the opportunities that present themselves.” A good crop insurance and risk mitigation strategy is also a must. The Fielding Questions podcast is a presentation of AgCountry Farm Credit Services and the Red River Farm Network.

Tax Tip – Tax planning is something that should be done year-round, but NDSU Extension Farm Management Specialist Ron Haugen says many decisions are being made now. “The Emergency Relief (Program) payments that we got in 2022 were actually from disasters from previous years so those have to be reported this year and they can’t be deferred.” Accelerated depreciation machinery purchases are also tools to adjust income. “This is the last year of the 100 percent bonus depreciation; that’s scheduled to phase out as long as Congress doesn’t change anything. In 2023, it’s going to go down to 80 percent and keep phasing out.”

Soil Fertility Minute – On this week’s Soil Fertility Minute, sponsored by the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council, Dr. Dan Kaiser talks about a potassium study on soybeans.

Fertilizer Outlook – CoBank lead industry analyst and strategist Ken Zuckerberg expects fertilizer prices to stay elevated through the first quarter of 2023, but next fall’s prices will depend on European production. “Some of those fertilizers have come down recently, but the issue is who’s going to be buying as we get into spring application season. One of the concerns beyond the first quarter is when and how much European production will be back online.” The long-term outlook is more worrisome. “As we look towards 2024-2026, I’m concerned if global liquid natural gas supplies remain tight and don’t correct themselves for a few years, if there’s upward pressure on that gas, there will likely be pressure on fertilizer.”

Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Growers Association Research and Promotion Council Secretary John Mages joins us to discuss the Innovation Grant Program. Hear more in the latest Corn Matters, presented by Minnesota Corn.

Biden Administration Meets With Mexican Government – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai met with six key Mexican government leaders Friday, addressing concerns about the proposed ban on biotech corn imports. The Mexican delegation offered some potential changes to this plan. Vilsack and Tai said they will review their proposals.

Mexico’s Proposed Ban on Biotech Corn Rebuked by Corn Leaders – National Corn Growers Association President Tom Haag and the presidents of 23 state corn grower groups are calling on the Biden Administration to address Mexico’s decision to block imports of biotech corn. The corn grower leaders want the issue on the table during trade talks in early January. If the import ban is not withdrawn soon, the groups want the White House to initiate a case under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Corn Prioritizes Export Relationships – The National Corn Growers Association’s letter to President Biden emphasized the importance of coming to an agreement with Mexico on the GMO corn issue as soon as the January 9 meeting between countries. Mexico has proposed a ban on biotech corn imports. South Dakota Corn Executive Director DaNita Murray says maintaining the export relationship with Mexico is what’s important. “Mexico is an important customer, so our first and foremost goal is to not disrupt trade.” Nevertheless, with U.S. corn farmers making planting decisions for 2023, market uncertainty could throw a wrench in export demands. “I think the letter says it fairly plainly. Our growers are in the midst of making planting decisions for next year and markets react to decisions like this.” You can read the full letter from NCGA here.

‘Unsupported by Science’ – A bipartisan group of senators is voicing concern about Mexico’s proposed ban on biotech corn imports. A letter to USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative described Mexico’s action as “unsupported by science” and is a violation of the USMCA trade agreement. The letter was initiated by Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer and Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth. The list of lawmakers signing off on the letter also include North Dakota Senators Hoeven and Cramer and South Dakota Senators Thune and Rounds.

Canola Minute – In this week’s Canola Minute, Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman discusses implications of EPA’s decision to include canola as a biofuel’s feedstock.

WOTUS Update On The Way – The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to update its Waters of the United States rule this week. In the past year, the EPA received over 120,000 public comments and hosted ten regional roundtable events. The Supreme Court is reviewing EPA’s jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act and many lawmakers wanted the agency to wait for the court decision.

WRDA Advances – The Water Resources Development Act is part of the National Defense Authorization Act that passed in the Senate Thursday night. WRDA authorizes flood control, navigation and water restoration projects for the Army Corps of Engineers.

Land O’Lakes CEO Calls for Action on Workforce Bill – Land O’Lakes President and CEO Beth Ford is calling on the Senate to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act during the lame duck session. Ford said the country is at a tipping point and U.S. food security is threatened by inaction on the immigration issue.

H-2A Visa Changes Sought – Colorado Senator Michael Bennett has introduced legislation to develop an agricultural visa system. The bill would revamp the H-2A visa program and give farm workers a path to permanent residency. At this point, there are no Republican co-sponsors for the bill— limiting its chance for success.

Farm Bill Priorities Fit into Three Buckets – North Dakota Farmers Union is looking at ways to improve the farm bill. “Those priorities fit into three buckets, strengthening the farm safety net, establishing and improving permanent disaster programs and providing farmer-friendly climate provisions,” said NDFU Government Relations Director Matt Perdue. Maintaining the integrity of the crop insurance program is part of that conversation. “The goal was to make sure these payments are directed towards family farms and ranches. We’ve talked a lot about how to close those loopholes.”

SD Corn Comments – This week on South Dakota Corn Comments, South Dakota Corn Growers Association Executive Director DaNita Murray encourages farmers to talk with their legislative leaders about the upcoming farm bill.

Supply Chain Bill Introduced – Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio and California Democratic Representative Ro Khanna have introduced legislation demanding cabinet-level agencies identify weaknesses in the U.S. supply chain. USDA would be part of that process. The bill also calls for federal financing programs to encourage manufacturing within the United States.

NCI Hosts On-demand ‘Barley to Beer’ Course – The Northern Crops Institute has launched a new on-demand course, “Barley to Beer.” is now live! This online course is designed to provide a basic understanding of the malting process, the brewing of beer and successfully choosing high quality malting barley. Participants can work on their own pace. There is a $250 registration fee. To register, visit the NCI website.

MN Wheat Minute – U.S. Wheat Associates Chairperson Rhonda Larson talks about promoting wheat quality seminars. Tune in to the latest MN Wheat Minute to find out more.

Recapping Burgum Administration’s Sixth Year – North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum will deliver his 2023 State of the State Address on January 3. The Governor’s Office has released a reflection of the past year. The accomplishments include the expansion of the soybean crush industry in the state, the start of North Dakota’s first carbon storage project and the groundbreaking of the Grand Farm project in Casselton and an investment in autonomous agriculture technology.

NDSGA Outlines Legislative Agenda – A variety of agriculture-related issues are expected to come up for debate in the upcoming North Dakota legislative session. Former State Senator Phil Murphy, who is the legislative liaison for the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association, sees interest in expanding animal agriculture.”We lag behind other states and believe there are plenty of opportunities given our open spaces and the large amounts of feed that’ll be coming from crush plants now.” NDSGA is working with regional economic development centers and local governments to smooth out the permitting process. There is also a lot of discussion about income tax and property tax relief. The North Dakota legislative session will begin on January 3.

Fufeng Project Moves Forward – After a 45-day review, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States determined the proposed Fufeng project is not covered by its jurisdiction and will not be taking any further action. North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer told the Red River Farm Network he will get a classified briefing on this decision next week. Cramer is opposed to the investment by the Chinese Communist Party in U.S. agriculture. Fufeng plans to move forward with its corn wet milling plant north of Grand Forks.

Well Grounded – Mineral interests have become a hot topic in North Dakota in recent years. In this edition of the ‘Well Grounded’ podcast, Joel Brown is our guest. Brown is the mineral services manager for First International Bank & Trust in Watford City, North Dakota. Throughout his career, Brown has had the opportunity to drill wells, operate oil fields, and build pipelines, but his primary area of expertise is in the valuation of oil and gas interests. In 2018, Brown leveraged his oil industry knowledge to cofound MineralTracker, North Dakota’s first mineral management software platform. MineralTracker was purchased by First International Bank and Trust in 2020. The Well Grounded podcast is a presentation of Acres and Shares and the Red River Farm Network.

SD to Consider Restrictions on Foreign Land Investments – South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is proposing legislation to restrict foreign purchases of farmland in the state. This plan creates a new state committee to investigate proposed purchases of agricultural land by foreign interests and recommend either approval or denial to the governor. Noem said South Dakota “will lead the charge on this vital national security issue.”

South Dakota Cattlemen Discuss Pipeline Project – South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association held their annual convention in Pierre, South Dakota. “Our committee meetings allows concerns to be brought up,” said Eric Jennings, president. “We’ve had policy come forward considering the carbon pipeline that’s being proposed in South Dakota, there’s also been questions about taxes and if there’s any new tax proposals coming from legislators.”

Snowed In – Neither wind, snow nor a blizzard stopped the South Dakota Farmers Union from hosting its annual convention. “We did have to make an adjustment in the agenda because of the weather, but I got to visit with everyone here because attendance was way down,” said Doug Sombke, president. A few director positions were not voted on because there wasn’t enough members for a quorum.

MFU Minute – Minnesota Farmers Union Government Director Stu Lourey is preparing for the budget session at the Minnesota Legislature. Hear more in this week’s MFU Minute.

Cattle Management in Winter Conditions – With heavy snow across the Midwest this past week, livestock producers should be cautious. NDSU Extension Livestock Stewardship Specialist Gerald Stokka recommends keeping a close eye on weaned calves following a storm. Hypothermia and frostbite may be apparent immediately afterwards, but cattle can be at risk for pneumonia and other conditions for several weeks after severe events. “Stress in animals becomes compounded so add in weather, there may be some digestive upset, and they could come down with respiratory disease or coccidiosis.”

Moving Cattle During Bad Weather – Hartwig Trucking’s Steve Hartwig says adjustments have to be made on all sides of the cattle hauling industry to keep everyone safe but operational during huge storms. “Packers, sale barns and ranchers all struggle in weather like this.” Using more accurate weather forecasts with today’s technology, packers are able to plan ahead. “Cattle came from the west on Monday ahead of the storm and switched to cattle coming from the east during the week; everyone plans and strategizes to do the best job we can to get through it together.”

MN Beef Update – Join us in the latest Minnesota Beef Update to hear from the new Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association President Mark Pankonin.

Bracing Against the Storm – Karissa Daws of Grassy Meadow Ranch in Michigan, North Dakota was busy this past week preparing for the large amount of snow that was dumped on their ranch. “Luckily, this storm was somewhat planned so we could think ahead. By Monday, everything was bedded down and had extra feed and concentrate so they had a higher energy intake during the storm.” Besides clearing snow and shoveling bunks, Daws is preparing for calving to start in about two weeks and their annual production sale in a month. “Maternity pens and corrals have to be set up so we can move our cows to the calving pen in between storms and we could have calves coming seven-to-ten days early.”

Dairy/Beef Crosses Fill the Gap – The U.S. cow herd is growing smaller, limiting the number of feeder calves. “The beef /dairy crosses are really helping fill the gap on tonnage that we’re having with the lack of feeder calves,” said Ted Perry, head of beef technical solutions, Purina. There is a distinction between true beef breeds and dairy/beef crosses. “It just isn’t a better Holstein, they have to be treated and fed differently so they don’t get thrown into acidosis.”

Cull Cows Flood Auction Barns – Aberdeen Livestock owner Kevin Larson says weather has played a big role in the feeder cattle market. The heavier  cattle are at the mercy of the packers, but the lighter calves will be strong. “We’ ll see $10-to-$15 dollars a hundred on these feeder cattle, but it might take some time.” Larson says the market is flooded with cull cows right now. “The cow liquidation is insane. I’d say cows are $5-to-$7 lower than last month because of how many culls are coming through the market.”

Using Feed Additives to Address GHG Emissions – A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is asking the Food and Drug Administration to review the use of animal feed additives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The European Union and Brazil are reviewing this option, but the United States has not taken that step. Without this tool, the U.S. dairy and beef industries are left with only conventional management strategies to reduce methane emissions. Fourteen senators have signed off on the letter to FDA, including Minnesota Senators Klobuchar and Smith.

HPAI Impacted Rendering Business – Rendering facilities can utilize byproducts from packing plants or processing facilities and add value to livestock. Farmers Union Industries CEO Dale Bernard likes to think of rendering as the ultimate recycler. “We take a lot of products that would fill landfills and utilize them to make protein that goes back into the feed ingredient business.” Meat and poultry meal, feather meal and blood meal are a few examples. Bernard says poultry rendering slowed down in Minnesota this past year because of the HPAI outbreak. “Those birds couldn’t get rendered so we lost out on those pounds and that food didn’t go back into the food industry.”

Communicating Beef’s Story – Farm and ranch families make up less than two percent of the total population. Communicating with the other 98 percent can be a challenge. “As much as we wish there were more John Wayne’s in the world, we have to realize there are a lot of Justin Beibers,” said Don Schiefelbein, president, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. That means cattle producers should use language that consumers and adopting terms like ‘sustainability.’ The Kimball, Minnesota rancher also believes in the importance of working together on policy issues. “Discussing Ideas is how you make things better; don’t let the ten percent of issues keep the group from working on the 90 percent of issues that everyone agrees on.”

More Work Needed on Opioid Misuse – A new national poll determined 60 percent of adults in rural areas are more aware of the opioid crisis than they were five years ago. Forty-two percent of those surveyed said they someone who is or has been addicted to opioids or prescription painkillers. The American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union continue to work together on this issue. Both groups support more education about mental health and opioid use in Rural America.

Job Opportunities in Agriculture – Click on the Job Opportunities in Agriculture tab on the Red River Farm Network website. Companies looking for high quality additions to their staff include Anheuser-Busch, Pioneer and True North Equipment. The Red River Farm Network promotes job opportunities online, on-air and in social media. For an effective way to reach prospective employees, contact don@rrfn.com.or kolleen@rrfn.com.

NDSU Releases Research on Drought Tolerance Study – NDSU released trial results from a study looking at corn hybrid data. NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center Director Mike Ostlie says the study showed drought tolerant corn produced only marginally more yield. “We looked at drought-tolerant corn traits versus hybrids without those traits with the added component of water strategies.” With the higher levels of irrigation in the region, there wasn’t much of a difference in variety performance. With no irrigation, there was a modest advantage to the drought-tolerant hybrids. “The drought-tolerant trait first popped up about ten years ago and it’s been working its way west. I think people will see more options in varieties than they have in the past.”

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s Dry Bean Scene, NDSU Extension Cropping Systems Specialist Greg Endres joins us to talk about the upcoming “Getting it Right in Dry Bean Production” webinar. The Dry Bean Scene is sponsored by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association.

The Cost of Financing – Rising interest rates combined with high crop input costs are creating a lot of uncertainty in agriculture. Liberty Product Manager Matt Malone says farmers have cited the cost of financing as one of their top concerns. “Every time the Fed board of governors come together, it’s not usually good news for the macro economy,” said Malone. “When farmers are looking at their operating notes, the total is potentially doubling from where it was this time last year. There’s an extremely high increase in cost just to access cash to run your farm.” BASF is maintaining its zero-percent financing policy for the 2023 growing season and streamlining the process.

Making Weed Management Plans – This is the time of the year for budgeting and preparing for the upcoming growing season. UPL Strategic Marketing Manager James Coday also sees this as an important time to evaluate the weed control strategy. “When we think about weed control and resistance management, the preemergence side of it is extremely important, taking an extra moment to really consider that pre and what that early-post looks like is important.” Supply chain logistics has forced farmers to make earlier buying decisions, but Coday says it goes beyond that. “Over the past several years, it feels like growers have been planning more versus being reactive in-season. That’s the right direction, especially when budgets are tight to make sure that they get the right products in the barn.”

Voluntary Cancelation for Chlorpyrifos Registrations – Companies are voluntarily canceling their chlorpyrifos registrations with the EPA. North Dakota State University Extension Pesticide Program Manager Andrew Thostenson says the food tolerances were revoked in February and this may be the end for this tool. “Corteva exited the market voluntarily back in 2020 so that meant that we were looking at generic manufacturers like ADAMA, WinField (United) and a few others, but without a solid market for it, I just can’t imagine seeing chlorpyrifos back on the market anytime soon.” Due to the presence of sugarbeet root maggot, losing chlorpyrifos has been a significant cost for sugarbeet growers. Thostenson is concerned about more restrictions in the future. “EPA has generally a bias against organophosphate insectides.’

Oral Arguments Made in Chlorpyrifos Lawsuit – A coalition of 20 farm groups was represented in a federal appeals court Thursday, arguing against the EPA decision to revoke food tolerances for chlorpyrifos. The Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association filed the original lawsuit. Sugarbeet, soybean, wheat and cotton groups joined the lawsuit, asking the court to vacate the EPA decision.

AURI Update – The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute’s new Ag Innovation News Podcast features ag leaders and innovators. Hear more in the latest AURI Update.

Historically Slow Spud Movement – North American Potato Market News reports the pre-Christmas table potato movement is the slowest in modern history. Table potato shipments for the week ending December 10 were down 16 percent to 1.5 million hundredweight. Russet shipments fell 18 percent. Yellow potato movement was down three percent. Red potato shipments declined 12 percent and white potato shipments dropped a whopping 66 percent.

Bid Coming This Month for Spiritwood Soy Crush Plant – Green Bison Soy Processing finance leader Charles Mueller says the Spiritwood, North Dakota soy crush plant is on track to accept soybeans next fall. “We’re looking to be online for harvest 2023 and we’re on schedule to deliver on that expectation with a commercial bid soon to be released before the year-end.” This facility is designed to handle 350 million bushels of soybeans per year.

Bean Processor Recognized for Trade Development – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is recognizing Bonanza Bean of Morris with the Governor’s International Trade Award. Bonanza Bean ships dry edible beans throughout the United States and ten countries worldwide. Thirty percent of its production is sold internationally.

Merger Planned for Two Biological Firms – Novozymes and Chr. Hansen have come to terms on a merger. In a joint statement, the two companies said the proposed combination will create a strong biosolutions group and a broad biological toolbox and a diversified portfolio.

An Outcome-Based Approach to Sustainability – CHS has released its annual sustainability report. According to CHS Chief Sustainability Officer Megan Rock, the cooperative is working on an outcome-based approach. “We’re focusing on measurable change that can be implemented long term,” said Rock. “When you look at someone who is doing cover crops or no-till, they already have lower carbon and carbon-smart commodities and there is a place for that as well.” This is a time of transition as companies formalize their sustainability initiatives. “You have different companies coming at farmers with different opportunities and it is a little messy right now. We’re not there yet as an industry, but I feel we’ll be working on more alignment.”

Carbon Credibility with Cargill – Cargill is finishing up the second year of its Farm Facing Carbon Program. Cargill Sustainability Program Lead Clay Edwards says Minnesota is one of the top states enrolled in the carbon program. “I think a lot of farmers are aware of carbon programs, but they think they’re not for me,” said Edwards. “Unless you’ve had someone sit with you at your kitchen table and show you how you can participate, don’t count yourself out.” Educating local grain buyers has helped Cargill inform farmers more about carbon credits. “With our growing demand, all of our local grain buyers are well versed on this program, but we also have a sustainability team too that can help.”

ASA Adds Fitzpatrick to Staff – The American Soybean Association has named Melanie Fitzpatrick as its executive director of state and industry relations. Most recently, Fitzpatrick was vice president of the Center for Food Integrity. Previously, Fitzpatrick worked for the Indiana Soybean Alliance and the National Corn Growers Association.

Muhammad Joins Team Torrey – Jacqueline Muhammad is the new director of government affairs for the Torrey Advisory Group. Most recently, Muhammad was the biofuels and public policy program manager for the Illinois Corn Growers Association.

Keck Accepts Pork Checkoff Job – After six years as the marketing and communications director for Environmental Tillage Systems/Soil Warrior, Caitlin Keck is taking on a new role. Keck will be the new stakeholder communications director for the National Pork Board.

Root Takes Role at MSCA and MBC – Kaitlyn Root is the new executive director of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association and Beef Quality Assurance coordinator for the Minnesota Beef Council. Root is a Watkins, Minnesota native and a graduate of North Dakota State University. Most recently, Root was the editor for an ag-based newspaper in Casper, Wyoming.

A Promotion for Arends – Nick Arends is the new director of agriculture operations for American Crystal Sugar Company’s corporate office. Arends has been with American Crystal since 1996 and most recently served as the agronomy manager for the Moorhead and Hillsboro districts.

Beet Stock Values – There were no brokered American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock sales last week. “If we throw out the 290 shares sold on a short-term contract for deed, since the 2022 forecast payment was released in early November there have only been 309 shares brokered for an average price of $4,764 per share,” says Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke. “That’s only an average of 16 shares per trade and 44 shares per week. There certainly seems to be some resistance at these higher prices.” According to Menke, between the three beet stock brokers, as of the weekend, there were 877 shares listed for sale between $4,700 to $5,100 per share.

King Corn – Heath Cutrell of Virginia is the overall winner of the National Corn Growers Association yield contest with yield exceeding 394 bushels per acre. This was in the conventional, non-irrigated category. For the state winners, Kevin Bauer of Hastings wins the Minnesota contest with a yield of 324 bushels per acre. Bauer was in the convention, irrigated category with a Pioneer hybrid. Berlin, North Dakota farmer Bruce Huber had the top state yield. It was just under 300 bushels per acre with a Dekalb hybrid. In South Dakota, David Waldner of Clark planted a Pioneer hybrid and yielded 309 bushels per acre in a conventional, non-irrigated production system.

New Leadership for MASWCD – Chuck Rau of Rice is the new president of the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Rau succeeds Paul Krabbenhoft of Moorhead. Clark Linbeek of Comfrey is the new vice president.

Award Winners Recognized at MASWCD Convention – The Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts honored Fultz Farms of Tracy is the Outstanding Conservationist of the Year. Mille Lacs SWCD was named the SWCD of the Year.

BWSR Presents Award to Malone – The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources presented its Outstanding Soil and Water Conservation District Employee Award to Bryan Malone. Malone is the administrator of the Becker SWCD. Malone also serves as the host district manager for the Red River Valley Conservation Service Area.