Your Trusted Source of Information – According to a study conducted by the Kynetic Research, farm radio is the farmers’ #1 choice for trustworthy daily ag news and information. Even with a myriad of media and information sources, farmers and ranchers depend on farm radio because it is convenient, credible and relevant. The sheer volume of information in today’s news cycle can be overwhelming. Consider the Red River Farm Network as your ‘personal editor,’ providing the ag news that impacts your bottomline. This week, RRFN will report from the Prairie Grains Conference and the North Dakota Farmers Union Convention. You’ll also hear the latest market-moving news and the policy details. Click here to find RRFN’s roster of radio affiliates. 

Farm Aid Announcement Coming Today – The Trump Administration is expected to announce a $12 billion farm aid package today. The so-called bridge payments are expected to be similar to the Market Facilitation Program payments made during the president’s first term. The funds for the new program will likely be administered through the Farm Service Agency using Commodity Credit Corporation money. President Donald Trump is scheduled to make the announcement early this afternoon with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent by his side. Farm groups will also be part of the announcement.

Rollins: Aid Aims to Stabilize Farmers’ Finances – The USDA farm assistance program will focus on key row crops, including soybeans, sorghum, wheat, corn, and cotton. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said, “we are going to be very targeted. These are row croppers, so soybeans, sorghum, wheat, corn, and cotton, everyone who is really currently caught in the crosshairs. We’re going to do everything we can to not only make sure you have that bridge from this year’s harvest to next year’s planting.”

Bessent Defends Bridge Payments – During an appearance on CBS Face the Nation, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the Trump Administration’s economic policies. That includes the U.S. trade agenda. Bessent spoke with the Chinese vice premier on Friday and said U.S. soybean prices have risen 12 to 15 percent since the U.S.-China trade deal was announced. The CBS host, Margaret Brennan, asked why farmers still needed a bridge payment from USDA. “Because the Chinese actually used our soybean farmers as pawns in the trade negotiations, we are going to create this bridge because agriculture is all about the future. You’ve gotta start financing for planting next year.” Also during the interview, Bessent said he divested his farmland ownership this past week to avoid a federal ethics violation. Bessent had owned corn and soybean ground in Burleigh, Kidder, Eddy, Benson and Wells County of North Dakota. The New York Times claims the land was worth $25 million.

Farm Groups Seek Transparency in Potential USDA Aid – Seven organizations, including the R Street Institute, Farm Action Fund, and National Taxpayers Union, are urging Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Under Secretary for Trade Luke Lindberg to ensure any new farm support is tightly targeted, transparent, and based on actual producer need. In a joint letter, the groups acknowledged they don’t all agree that emergency funding is necessary, but emphasized that if USDA proceeds, payments must rely on accurate eligibility and economic data. They cited past oversight issues with the Market Facilitation Program. The letter also called for measures to prevent aid from reaching absentee landowners or passive investors.

PP Buy-up Option Eliminated – The ability to buy-up prevented planting coverage will no longer be available. Beginning with the 2018 Farm Bill, farmers have had the option to increase prevented planting coverage by at least five percent. With the frequency of wet springs in the Prairie Pothole Region, PP has been used extensively in North Dakota, South Dakota and northwest Minnesota. The notice on the Federal Register said this buy-up is no longer needed due to ad-hoc payments that typically come from Congress.

Ending PP Buy-Up Undercuts Consistent Risk Management – Matt Perdue, who is seeking the presidency of the North Dakota Farmers Union, is disappointed in the USDA’s decision to eliminate the prevented planting buy-up option. “One of the things that I was really concerned with in some of the logic that USDA provided is that we’re already doing all these ad hoc programs,” said Perdue. “Talk to any producer, we want consistent, stable, reliable programs that we can count on to manage risk. These ad hoc programs are not going to be the solution every year forever, so I was really disappointed to see us go away from a more stable support system.”

1-in-4 Rule Updated – In addition to the prevented planting, the crop insurance program is seeing other changes. USDA is updating the one-in-four rule for prevented planting so that it doesn’t require the land to be insured, only planted and harvested in at least one out of the past four years. Farmers who change crop insurance companies will also not be required to provide end-of-the-year production data if there was no claim on this past year’s crop. Incentives for beginning farmers were also expanded.

Conner: U.S. No Longer Seen as a Reliable Supplier – U.S. trade policy has been somewhat chaotic with the on-again, off-again tariffs. The Red River Farm Network asked the outgoing president and chief executive officer of the National Federation of Farmer Cooperatives, Chuck Conner, what that means for the U.S.’s reputation as a reliable supplier.  “I don’t think our worldwide reputation is very good right now, honestly,” replied Conner. “I think the world is seeing a lot of mixed signals coming from the United States government right now. I can say that, as someone who is sort of at the end of their career, and be a little more forthright than would otherwise be the case, but I think clearly a lot of buyers around the globe are wondering if they can really rely upon the United States going forward.” Conner served as deputy agriculture secretary from 2005 to 2009. When Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns resigned, Conner was the acting secretary until President Bush’s nominee, former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer, was confirmed. Conner has led the NFCF for the past 17 years. In the RRFN interview, Conner discusses the new populist attitude in politics, the future of farm bills and more. Click here to listen. 

Window is Tight for China to Reach Soybean Obligation – According to CHS Executive Vice President of Ag Business John Griffith, China has purchased approximately one-third of the 12 million metric tons of soybeans expected to be purchased before the end of the year. “Of course, the window is tight before Brazil’s harvest comes into full effect sometime in March, so this window that they’re trying to buy from us is closing on us because we got a late start with the tariff situation.” Griffith is fairly optimistic China will get close or achieve the 12 million ton total, but emphasized that number is half of what has been sold in the recent history. There is still a ten percent tariff in place on all Chinese soybean sales to the United States. That is equal to about $1.30 per bushel in tariff costs. “That’s still a trade barrier that needs to be resolved for there to be truly free and fair trade.” Listen to the interview. 

China Accelerates Soybean Purchases, Yet Sales Remain Far Below 12 Mil Ton Goal – Private exporters are reporting that China purchased another 462,000 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to China. At this point, China has bought nearly 24 percent of the soybeans pledged to purchase before the end of this year. China still needs to buy more than 9 million metric tons of soybeans within the next four weeks to reach the 12 million ton objective.

Many Unknowns for U.S. Trade – Speaking at the CHS Annual Meeting, Advance Economic Solutions President Bill Lapp said the trade relationship between the United States and China is tentative at best. “I think they’re only reluctantly purchasing our soybeans based on a trade deal that is nominal at this point,” said Lapp. “They’re going to buy most of what they promised with the 12 million tons, but I wonder if we’ll ever get back to where we were before.” Looking forward over the next five years, Lapp said there are too many unknowns.  “Will Russia continue to be a dominant force in wheat exports? Will China resume exports of U.S. agricultural products over that time, either due to demand or because of better trade policy? Will Southeast Asia continue to grow as a market opportunity that pushes our trade balance in agriculture back positive?”

Farm Groups Represented in USMCA Hearing – The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative hosted three days of hearings to review the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The American Soybean Association and National Corn Growers Association both testified, stressing the importance of a full 16-year USMCA extension. The U.S. Dairy Export Council and National Milk Producers Federation said Canada is skirting the rules and manipulating its tariff rate quota system to undermine U.S. market access.

Executive Order in Place to Address Price-Fixing in Food Sector – Over the weekend, President Trump signed an executive order to address price-fixing, anti-competitive behavior and foreign influence throughout the U.S. food supply chain. The Attorney General and the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission will establish a food supply chain security task force to investigate the Trump Administration’s concerns. These task forces will also be empowered to bring enforcement action. The executive order cited meat processing, seed, fertilizer and farm equipment as areas that may be vulnerable to price manipulation.

Domestic Demand Seen as Better Option Than Exports – CHS board member Hal Clemensen, who leads the cooperative’s government relations committee, says Washington can do something right now to build demand for U.S commodities. “We would sure like to see E15 year-round; we’ve been working on that for years and years and that would be a huge benefit.” Clemensen, who farms in the Aberdeen area, wants more domestic demand. “We’re gonna have to look at other sources, like soy diesel, soy crush, SAF, I think that will be more sustainable for U.S. farmers than exports because exports are so politically affected.”

E15 Momentum Strengthens – CHS Energy Executive Vice President Darin Hunhoff believes the momentum around year-round E15 is stronger than ever. “I have as much hope about that as I probably have ever had,” said Hunhoff. “There has been more collaboration between the traditional petroleum energy industry and the ethanol and ag industry than we have seen before.” The White House decision to roll back fuel efficiency, or CAFE standards, delivers broad support for liquid fuels over EVs. “It means traditional, conventional petroleum-based diesel and gasoline, but also products like ethanol and biomass-based diesel fuel. You bring those mileage targets down a little bit, it should mean a stronger market for liquid fuels going forward.”

Weathering the Storm – At the North Dakota Agribusiness Expo, the farm economy was a frequent topic of discussion. “It’s a circular thing that seems to happen every couple of years where the bubble has to burst,” said North Dakota Agricultural Association President Jason Dannelly. “The question is, how are we going to weather the storm?” Dannelly emphasized that planning for the future starts now. “A lot of it is budgeting and understanding what some of those costs might be for the next year, whether it’s a new piece of equipment, the cost of seed or any of the inputs that they’re putting into their operation.”

A Record Large, High Quality Corn Crop – According to the U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council’s annual Corn Harvest Quality Report, U.S. farmers harvested a record-breaking corn crop this fall. The amount of broken corn and foreign material was the lowest in the 15-year history of this report. Over 87 percent of the corn samples evaluated met the requirements for U.S. No. 1 grade and 98 percent was fit for U.S. No. 2 grade corn. Over 600 corn samples were taken in the 12 largest corn production states.

USDA Issues CRP Payments – After a delay by the government shutdown, Conservation Reserve Program rental payments have gone out. Those payments are typically made in mid-October. South Dakota has 2.6 million acres enrolled in CRP with payments valued at $145.5 million. Minnesota has over 964,000 acres, with payments of nearly $160 million. A total of 1.2 million acres are enrolled in North Dakota, with payments at $53 million.

Stats Can Updates Crop Production Numbers – In this past week’s Stats Can report, the Canadian corn production estimate was lowered by four percent to 14.8 million metric tons. Stats Can raised its 2025-2026 wheat production forecast 3.3 million metric tons to 39.9 million. That’s above expectations and 11 percent higher than last year’s record crop. USDA will release its World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate on Tuesday.

Policy Certainty Needed for Long-Term Ag Investments – For U.S. agriculture to be successful, CHS President and CEO Jay Debertin makes the case for global trade and building consumptive demand domestically. For an investment in a crush plant or a renewable fuel facility, Debertin makes the case for certainty. “These are long-term investments; the projects are large, multi-year and we don’t want to see the rules of the game change every four years,” Debertin told RRFN. “It has caused us to pause on some projects that we’re looking at; we’ve kind of got them ready, but we’d like a little bit more certainty to see what government policy is going to be going forward.” Listen to the interview.

Executive Order in Place to Address Price-Fixing in Food Sector – Over the weekend, President Trump signed an executive order to address price-fixing, anti-competitive behavior and foreign influence throughout the U.S. food supply chain. The Attorney General and the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission will establish a food supply chain security task force to investigate the Trump Administration’s concerns. These task forces will also be empowered to bring enforcement action. The executive order cited meat processing, seed, fertilizer and farm equipment as areas that may be vulnerable to price manipulation.

American Crystal Warns of Lower Payments in 2026 – American Crystal Sugar Company shareholders gathered in Fargo on Thursday, celebrating another strong crop year but preparing for a far tougher marketing environment. The co-op reported the 2024 crop produced 32.2 tons per acre with 13.2 million tons harvested, generating a net payment of $78 per ton. The 2025 crop set a new record at 13.3 million tons with 18 percent sugar content. Despite the strong production, President Tom Astrup warned that demand is weakening and market pressures are mounting. “Demand is down by about four percent from its high two or three years ago. There is no doubt that when 12 percent of Americans are taking a drug that reduces their calorie intake by 20 to 30 percent, it is going to have some negative impact on food demand generally, and of course, all the ingredients that are in that product, including sugar.” ACSC projects its fiscal year 2026 net payment to drop to $43.85 per ton.

Global Sugar Imports Threaten U.S. Producers – At the American Crystal Sugar Company annual meeting in Fargo, Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association Executive Director Harrison Weber said growers are facing pressure from global competitors, especially as countries like Brazil increase sugar exports to the U.S. market. “I think the thing we need to ask ourselves as consumers here is, do we want to have access to a domestic product, or do we want to be able to buy that from other countries? If our answer is we want a domestic crop, well then we need to support a strong U.S. sugar program.” The beet sector is anxious to learn more about potential bridge payments from USDA. “We are traditionally not part of the economic style assistance packages, and the reality across the industry is that this is needed and this is important, and really without it I think we will see some guys go out of business.”

Prioritize Year-End Tax Planning – With the year drawing to a close, farm business management instructors are reminding producers to get their tax planning in order. Betsy Jensen, Farm Business Management Instructor at Northland Community and Technical College, says accurate reporting of items like 1099s and Qualified Business Income deductions is essential. “Please keep track of those, it is typically a very large deduction, and it makes a huge difference,” said Jensen. “It really makes it hard to do tax planning if we don’t have a good handle on what that number is.” Jensen also warned farmers against showing negative taxable income even in a challenging year. “I know on an accrual basis we are going to have negative net farm income this year. I know the numbers we put together for farm management are not going to be good, but from a cash standpoint, I still want farmers to try and have a positive income.”

Keep Records Updated to Ease Tax Planning Process – As the year draws to a close, farmers are focusing on tax preparation and financial organization. Dakota College-Bottineau Farm Business Management Instructor Morgan Stutrud says keeping records up to date can make year-end tax prep much easier. “Good record keeping is everything, and it makes this time of year go so much smoother.” Stutrud also encourages farmers to set aside time periodically to review their records and work with farm management instructors as a second set of eyes. “Finding just an hour every few weeks or once a month to sit down and make sure everything’s in its right spot, adding up, making sense, that way at the end of the year you’re not overwhelmed with this massive pile of receipts.” Stutrud says it’s never too late to start getting organized.

Control the Controllables – When asked about the risks facing their farmer-members, CHS Executive Vice President, Enterprise Customer Development, Gary Halvorson, cited the dynamic shifts in the crop protection business. “Some tariff-driven, some supply and demand-driven, and some policy-driven on the active ingredients and what’s available,” Halvorson told RRFN. “There’s a push by Make America Healthy Again, a push by the EPA, and a push by a lot of factors. All of that is fine. It’s our job is to manage price risk and inventory risk to help the farmer get the products they need so they can do a good job stewarding their crop. We’ve had all those same factors in different names and formats in the past. Now it seems like a confluence of multiple things at once.” Volatility has become the norm in agriculture, making it harder to hit a home run. “Control the controllables and make sure you don’t take too big of a bite and any one time because of the outside factors that we don’t have mitigation for.” Listen to the full interview.

Farm Economy a Consideration for SD Budget Proposal – South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden is seeking a $7.4 billion budget for fiscal year 2027. That’s up from the $7.2 billion budget proposal issued by former Governor Kristi Noem for FY 2026. In the announcement, Rhoden said revenues are flat with economic growth influenced by tight farm margins. In Rhoden’s words, “when ag does well, the state does well.” The governor plans to increase the state budget reserve from ten percent to 12.5 percent.

ND High-Speed Internet Goal Within Reach – North Dakota is on track to reach 100 percent connectivity by 2028. If that happens, North Dakota has the potential to be the first state in the country to reach that high-speed internet goal. North Dakota Information Technology Broadband Program Director Brian Newby credits the federal approval of its plan to distribute broadband infrastructure grants. Eliminating high-speed internet ‘deserts’ in rural areas remains a policy priority in many states.

MFU Minute – In the Minnesota Farmers Union Minute, MFU Vice President Anne Schwagerl highlights next month’s MFU Women’s Conference. Click here. 

CHS Doubles Down on Supply Chain Efficiency – CHS is undertaking a major shift toward a more integrated and efficient supply chain, aiming to cut costs and strengthen global market access for its farmer-owners. Executive Vice President of Ag Retail, Distribution, and Transportation Rick Dusek said the company is investing heavily in technology, logistics, and modern infrastructure. “We have always looked for efficiency,” said Dusek. “I think right now it is about innovation and the use of technology across our supply chain to continue to try to lower cost and to continue to invest in assets of today and tomorrow.” An uncertain economic environment is ahead. “Prices are low, costs continue to be kind of a burden on all of us, whether you are farming or running a business, so I think it is just a little bit of a subdued environment.”

Rippey: Weak La Niña May Ease by Spring – USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says a developing La Niña pattern points to a colder-than-normal winter for the northern tier of the country. Speaking at the American Crystal Sugar Company annual meeting in Fargo, Rippey said the pattern has already taken hold. “Since right before Thanksgiving, we have seen a very La Niña-like pattern developing that I think is largely attributable to what we are seeing going on in the equatorial Pacific,” said Rippey. “Cold weather is settling in across, honestly, most areas east of the Rockies at this point, but certainly the core of the cold across the Northern Plains, the Midwest, and the Northeast; it is going to be a cold winter.” By meteorological spring, the La Niña’s impact will fade. There “may be some slight delays in planting and fieldwork, but overall I think we will be heading into spring in pretty good shape.”

Surge in Soybean Acres Shifts ND’s Nutrient Needs – Soybeans may fix their own nitrogen, but a balanced fertility approach is a must. “We’ve seen a huge influx of soybean acres across the state in North Dakota, and we have to recognize that this is fundamentally changing nutrient removal from our systems in North Dakota,” said NDSU Extension Soil Science Specialist Brady Goettl. In the NDSU Extension Getting it Right in Soybean Production webinar, Goettl said resources are available online.

2025 Crop Season: A Tale of Two Farms – Yield totals varied widely across the corn and soybean production areas of the United States this past season. The head of soybean strategy for Syngenta’s North American seed business, Jared Benson, calls it ‘a tale of two farms.’ “You had a lot of areas where you had record-breaking yields; we had a lot of areas that looked like they were going to be record-breaking, but they had some really tough drought conditions that stressed them in August, and other areas where there were a lot of floods early on.” Weed pressure remains a worry. Benson says Syngenta has new options on the horizon. “Syngenta, in collaboration with MS Technologies, is bringing forward a new trait platform at the end of this decade,” said Benson. “That’s going to be a trait platform that has the most active ingredients, the most modes of action on the market, giving farmers the biggest, broadest toolbox available to be able to manage weeds according to their preferences and their needs.” This chemistry will be stacked with the Enlist platform plus a broad-spectrum HPPD tolerance. Listen to the full interview.

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. 

Acreage Decisions Being Weighed for ’26 – With the 2025 harvest in the books, the guessing game has begun for next year’s acreage mix. “A lot of guys are looking at the corn, soybeans, some more corn, more canola in the southern regions we’re seeing, and more sunflower talk because of the price,” reports Proseed’s Jeff Hamre. Hamre says Proseed is ready to go. “We have six new hybrids of corn on our books right now; we’re really excited about them for different areas. We also have 12 new varieties of soybeans that are new to the Proseed lineup.”

MN Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Matters is a presentation of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. In this episode, University of Minnesota Extension Educator Liz Stahl outlines the ‘Let’s Talk Crops’ webinar series.  Click here to listen. 

The Future of Dicamba – Bayer Technical Sales Consultant John Christianson is optimistic about the farmer’s access to trait technology. “We hope to get our dicamba for the XtendFlex soybeans label back and approved here in the near future. That’ll be big for a lot of growers up here to have another option in that soybean crop for weed control.” Financing options are available. “Heading into next year, we do have some financing options available through John Deere Financial and Rabo, zero percent (interest) that ends here in mid-January.”

Pre’s Need to be Included in Weed Control Strategy – During the North Dakota Agricultural Association Agribusiness Expo, farmers and ag retailers shifted their attention to the 2026 crop year. “Weed resistance is top of mind again this year,” said Gowan Northern Plains Sales Representative Marsha Van Laere. “We saw quite a few issues with wild oats last year, coming through some of those post chemicals, kochia coming through, pigweed coming through.” Van Laere is hoping growers make responsible decisions with their pre’s. “The pre’s won’t fix the problem, but it will mitigate the problem.” Weed control was a big part of the conversation at the expo Thursday, with the pesticide recertification training on the schedule. Listen to the interview. 

Weed Resistance Escalates – FMC Retail Market Manager Sam Lockhart is seeing growers queue up for 2026. “Weed resistance is still on everybody’s mind, whether it be kochia or waterhemp, these weeds are out of control,: said Lockhart. “I routinely get asked questions about how we control these weeds, how we slow them down; looking at pre-emerges with Authority brands and Anthem Maxx has been top of mind here at the (North Dakota Agribusiness Expo) show.” Pending EPA registration, FMC will introduce a new herbicide resistance management tool in 2027. “This is the first new mode of action herbicide in 40 years; now it’s for rice, not for up here in North Dakota, but give us a few years and we’ll have a couple of modifications for corn and soybeans; that will do a nice job in dealing with resistant weeds.” Listen to the interview. 

MN Beef Update – Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director Kaitlyn Root, who is also the Minnesota Beef Quality Assurance coordinator, has details on the BQA Zoom training sessions. Click here. 

Cow-Calf Producers are Grass Farmers – Corteva Range and Pasture Specialist Abe Smith describes the cow-calf producer as a grass farmer. “Just like you harvest bushels of corn or beans out of a field, they’re harvesting grass, it’s just going through the cow,” explained Smith. “At the end of the year, you’re running that cow across the scale. That’s your yield, right? So the better that we can do in terms of putting grass on the pasture, the better off cow-calf producers are.” Smith believes annual weeds, like common ragweed, are taking precious nutrients and resources from grass production and a weed management plan should be a priority. “Go out there early season, maybe not a pre-season but in that mid-May to mid-June timeframe, with a planned herbicide application on many of these pastures. They can be wildly successful with that.

Copenhaver: Cattle Industry Strong Amid Ongoing Challenges – National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President-elect Gene Copenhaver says the U.S. cattle industry remains strong but continues to face pressure from trade issues, pests, and political challenges. Speaking at the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Convention in St. Cloud, Copenhaver noted, “there are a lot of challenges here with the trade situation, with screwworm, with the general things that go wrong politically in this country sometimes that we have to deal with every day. I give this administration credit as far as doing a lot of good things that need to be done that we’ve worked on as an association for several years.” Copenhaver also sees potential benefits from the Make America Healthy Again movement, which he says could boost protein consumption in federal nutrition programs. “I think one thing that it’s going to do with USDA is get beef back and protein back into the center of a plate.”

‘If You Didn’t Have High Blood Pressure, You Have It Now’ – Minnesota cattle producers met for two days of policy work and market outlook discussions at the Minnesota Cattlemen’s Association annual convention in St. Cloud. “You know, you have got a few comments, a couple of tweets, a few meetings; a plant talked about closing, and we see all this volatility,” said Jake Thompson, MSCA president. The extreme price swings have many producers hesitant to rebuild herds, even with recent market strength. “If you did not have high blood pressure, you have it now,” said Thompson. “We just want the opportunity to let the market do what it needs to do and hopefully have an opportunity to make some money and just stay a little consistent in it.”

MN Beef Council Seeks Checkoff Increase Amid Revenue Squeeze – Plans for a proposed Minnesota beef checkoff increase were outlined Friday at the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Convention. The checkoff is done on a per-head basis. As a result, Minnesota Beef Council CEO Kelly Schmidt says the state checkoff revenues have been pinched. “The reality of it is our cow herd is at its smallest level in 70-plus years, so because of that, we have less animals that are actually qualified or getting checkoff dollars coming in, so suddenly we have a reduced budget,” said Kelly. “At $1 per head, when you have less head you have to look at a way to continue to have the revenues to do the good things that we feel we’re doing; the Board said we have to find a way to increase revenue and this is the way to do it and still have producers have a say into it all through the referendum process.” In addition to the public hearing on Friday, two virtual hearings are scheduled for January.

Huge Demand for Wolf Depredation Funds – Go to any cattle meeting across the Northern Plains, and wolf depredation will be part of the hallway conversation. Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen heard that as soon as he arrived at the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Convention. “At the Department of Ag, we pay indemnity claims on those wolf kills and in the last couple of years, we’ve been able to get more money from the legislature, but we’re using that up very quickly.” Northwest Minnesota is a hotspot. Petersen also cited his home area in Pine County. “We continue to work on that; we may have to seek more money to help farmers out.”

What’s Hot What’s Not in the Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson says the cattle have moved back into the hot category, while the grain markets have moved into the not hot category. Listen to the full report here.

A Growing Acceptance of Plant-Based Options – A recent survey of 1,000 people by Cygnal showed strong support for plant-based products, with a majority of respondents saying they were familiar with plant-based products and view such products favorably. “Consumer familiarity with plant-based products continues its multi-year rise with 71 percent of American consumers now familiar with plant-based products,” says Cygnal Senior Partner and pollster John Rogers. “Remarkably, 85 percent of American consumers view plant-based products favorably, with 71 percent of responders saying that the advantages of plant-based products outweigh the disadvantages.”

Ultraprocessed Food in the Crosshairs – San Francisco has filed a lawsuit against 11 major food companies for engaging in unfair and deceptive acts. The San Francisco city attorney claims the U.S. diet is high in ultraprocessed foods, increasing healthcare costs. The lawsuit takes the same approach previously taken with the tobacco industry.

A Multi-State Focus to Missouri River Use – A joint North Dakota Water Convention and Irrigation Workshop/Upper Missouri Water Association Conference will be held this week in Bismarck. North Dakota Water Users Association Executive Vice President Dani Quissell said Wednesday’s agenda will focus on the use of the Missouri River. “With folks visiting from North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming, we’ll have a broader look at the river system, and how some of the states are looking to utilize Missouri River water.” Thursday’s program will revolve around policy issues.

Packed Agenda for Prairie Grains Conference – Minnesota Wheat is gearing up for its annual Prairie Grains Conference, set for Wednesday and Thursday at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. Executive Director Brian Sorenson says the event remains one of the most anticipated gatherings of the season. “We’ve had some of our exhibitors and sponsors even tell us it’s their premier show of the season.” Sorenson highlighted the packed agenda, noting, “we’ve got around 80 exhibitors, all agriculture-related. We’ve got a number of presentations, research reporting sessions, and speakers like US Wheat Associates President Mike Spier, Al Kluis of Kluis Commodities, and North Dakota State Climatologist Daryl Ritchison on the main stage.” The Prairie Grains Conference is free to attend.

Bayer Gains Support for Roundup Appeal – The Justice Department’s Solicitor General supports a Supreme Court review of the case in which a man diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma sued Bayer over the use of Roundup. The case focuses on whether state laws demanding a cancer warning on Roundup preempt federal law where it is not required.  Bayer CEO Bill Anderson said “the support of the U.S. government is an important step and good news for U.S. farmers who need regulatory clarity.” A Supreme Court decision could impact thousands of other Roundup lawsuits.

Region Well Represented on CropLife 100 – Nutrien Ag Solutions once again tops the CropLife ranking of the largest ag retailers in the country. The top five rounds out with Helena Agri-Enterprises, GROWMARK, Simplot Grower Solutions and CHS. Others on the CropLife 100 list from the region include Agtegra Cooperative at Aberdeen, South Dakota; Hefty Seed at Baltic, South Dakota; Ag Partners Co-op at Goodhue, Minnesota; Central Farm Service at Truman, Minnesota and Valley United Co-op at Reynolds, North Dakota.

Richardson International Expands Pasta Investment – Winnipeg-based Richardson International has closed on a deal to purchase the 8^th Avenue Food and Provisions pasta business from Post Holdings. This purchase is valued at $375 million U.S. dollars. Richardson already has three U.S. facilities producing finished pasta, including plants in Carrington, North Dakota and New Hope, Minnesota.

A New Collaboration Between Deere and Bushel Plus – Manitoba-based Bushel Plus and John Deere have entered into a strategic partnership, making the Bushel Plus SmartPan System available through Deere’s North American dealer network. The collaboration brings together Bushel Plus’s drop-pan measurement system and John Deere’s Harvest Settings Automation technology.

FBN and Meristem Promote Early Seeding and Lower Production Costs – Farmers Business Network and Meristem Crop Performance are partnering on a new planter technology. For the 2026 season, FBN will offer Farmers First Furrow Flex Soy, which is powered by Meristem’s Bio-Capsule Technology delivery system. This advanced planter box system uses IonLock Zinc to provide additional micronutrients, synthetic fungicides and multiple biological solutions to allow for early planting. The system is designed to replace traditional seed treatments.

FDA Approves New World Screwworm Treatment – Merck Animal Health has been given federal conditional approval for a product addressing the threat of New World Screwworm. This pour-on solution is called EXZOLT CATTLE-CA1 and can be used for the prevention and treatment of the screwworm. Merck worked with the FDA to expedite the availability of this new product.

NDAA Approves Merger, NDGDA Vote in January – Members of the North Dakota Agricultural Association voted in favor of a proposed merger with the North Dakota Grain Dealers Association. The NDGDA will vote on the merger at its annual meeting in January. If approved, the new entity will be official on June 1.

Canola Minute – In Canola Minnesota, Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman invites anyone interested in the canola industry to attend the Canola Research Conference via Zoom. Click here. 

Markwart to Retire in December 2026 – American Sugarbeet Growers Association Executive Vice President and CEO Luther Markwart plans to retire at the end of 2026. Markwart has been in the role for 44 years. In a statement, ASGA President Neil Rockstad praised Markwart’s legacy and leadership. The ASGA board and Markwart have been working jointly on his planned retirement for over a year to ensure a smooth transition. A search will start at the beginning of the year with Minnesota-based legal counsel, Bruce Kleven, overseeing the process.

Markwart Leaves Lasting Impact on Sugar Beet Industry – American Sugarbeet Growers Association President Neil Rockstad praised ASGA Executive Vice President and CEO Luther Markwart, who will be retiring at the end of 2026 after 44 years with the organization.  Rockstad called him “an asset to the sugar beet industry and all the sugar beet families across the United States.” Rockstad said the search for Markwart’s successor, overseen by Minnesota attorney Bruce Kleven, will begin early next year. “The qualities that Luther exhibits that we would like to see in every future leader are simply the character and the drive, and the passion for the people that they represent, which are the family farmers across the United States, a quality that Luther most certainly exemplified.”

The Russell Group Updates Management Makeup – The Russell Group has announced a new management structure. Tyson Redpath will now serve as chairman of advocacy and business strategy; Jessica Schulken becomes the chief advocacy and external affairs officer and Allyson Alvare serves as the chief operating officer. “This management structure sharpens and elevates our leadership roles, ensuring we are positioned to deliver even greater value to our clients,” said Randy Russell, President/CEO. The Russell Group focuses on food, agriculture and energy policy issues on the national level.

Keys to Join IDFA Staff in January – Fountain, Minnesota native Chelsie Keys has been named the senior vice president of government relations for the International Dairy Foods Association. Keys succeeds Dave Carlin, who announced his retirement earlier this year. For the past ten years, Keys has been on the policy staff for the Senate Agriculture Committee. “I want to thank Chairman (John) Boozman and Chairman (Pat) Roberts before him for the opportunity to serve in leadership roles on the Senate Agriculture Committee,” said Keys. “Working for the Committee has been the honor of my life.”

American Soybean Association Announces Promotions & New Hire – Tracy Snider was promoted to executive director of state and industry relations. Michelle Hummel has been promoted to senior director of industry and stakeholder relations. Kate Maher will join ASA next month in its Washington D.C. office as the director of state and industry relations. Maher has held leadership positions with the American Peanut Council, U.S. Meat Export Federation and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

Soil Health Event Includes Leopold Award Recognition – An Austin farmer is the latest recipient of the Minnesota Leopold Conservation Award. Tom Cotter was presented the $10,000 award at the Premier Soil Health Event in Mankato. The award recognizes landowners for their dedication to soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat. The other finalists are Hannah Bernhardt of Pine County, Didrikson Farms of Roseau County and Meadowbrook Dairy of Stearns County.

IAFE Heritage Award Belongs to Minnesotana – The International Association of Fairs and Expositions recognized Melissa Johnson of the Itasca County Fair with its prestigious Heritage Award. This award recognizes fair management staff who have devoted significant effort to making their organizations valuable parts of the community. Johnson joined the Itasca County Agricultural Association in 1983 and served on the fair board from 1996 to 2022. The Itasca County Fair is in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.