Meeting Season – This week, the Red River Farm Network team will be at the Prairie Grains Conference and the North Dakota Farmers Union Convention. This edition of FarmNetNews has extensive coverage of the meetings and events over the past seven days. After this week, the schedule lightens up until after the holidays. We’ll be back at it with the winter meeting season in 2025 with Potato Expo, American Sugarbeet Growers Association Annual Meeting, American Farm Bureau Federation Convention, Cattle Con, Commodity Classic, National Farmers Union Convention and numerous state and regional events. Monitor the RRFN farm calendar to keep up to date on the events in the region.

Rollins on Capitol Hill – Ahead of the confirmation process, Agriculture Secretary-nominee Brooke Rollins has been on Capitol Hill meeting with lawmakers, include Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman and Agriculture Appropriations Committee Ranking Member John Hoeven. Boozman said Rollins “is well positioned to be a strong voice and advocate” for agriculture.

Announcements Expected Soon for Sub-Cabinet USDA Posts – President-Elect Donald Trump is moving quickly through the nomination process, naming members to his new administration. Brooke Rollins, who was a member of Trump’s Domestic Policy Council, will lead USDA.  According to Agri-Pulse President Sara Wyant, more top-tier Agriculture Department officials will be named soon. “They’re interviewing a lot of those folks as we speak; they may not all be announced here this week, but I do think that there’ll be a very good bench established before the inauguration.” In addition to a farm bill extension, there is support on Capitol Hill for a farm assistance package. Wyant said the timing is becoming the issue. “There’s not that many days for everybody to get their jobs done so they’ve got to be able to get behind some sort of a package that can pass and can move through Congress in this session and whether that can happen is still a little bit uncertain.” Wyant addressed the North Dakota Farm Credit Council Tuesday in Bismarck. Listen to RRFN’s interview with Wyant.

Dems to Vote on Ag Committee Leadership Dec. 16 – Democratic members of the House Agriculture Committee will meet one week from today to vote on its ranking member. Georgia Congressman David Scott wants to stay in the position, but his effectiveness has been questioned. California Representative Jim Costa and Minnesota Representative Angie Craig are challenging Scott.

Governors Push for Farm Bill Action – Governors from 17 states have signed a joint letter, asking Congress to reauthorize the farm bill and provide financial assistance to farm country. In the letter, the governors said farmers are in trouble and without meaningful support, ‘the well-being of the nation is at risk.’ This letter was signed by governors representing all parts of the country. However, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem did not sign it.

Farm Bill Action Needed Now – Frustration is mounting over the lack of action on a farm bill. “We’ve got to make an update to the safety net, that’s agriculture’s message; we want to get this baby done and we want to get it done now,” said Harrison Weber, executive director, Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association. “There is talk of getting an extension potentially during lame duck, but if either of those doesn’t happen, that has to be priority number one.” RRVSGA is also taking an active role in nutrition policy. “We’ve got a long history of being politically active and we’re quite savvy in that realm, but getting in front of consumers and our customers is a newer thing for us.”

Boozman: Ag Policy Negotiations Underway – The House Freedom Caucus is opposed to President Biden’s request for $100 billion in disaster relief. That action may also jeopardize a proposed farm assistance package. Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman understands the concern about the growing national debt, but hopes to see a resolution. “What we’re trying to do is negotiate out what we can get done and these things are going on literally as we speak right now, negotiations are proceeding,” said Boozman. “At the end of the day, I think we’re going to be there for the farm community. President Trump is going to be president because of the farm community. He’s been very supportive of them and we’ll continue to work hard to try and get this over the threshold.” With the turn of the calendar, Boozman will take over the gavel for the ag committee. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar will become the ranking member on the agriculture committee next month. In an interview with the Cromwell Ag Network, Boozman said he respects Klobuchar and they work well together.

Freedom Caucus Opposes Disaster Package – The House Freedom Caucus does not support the Biden Administration’s proposed $100 billion supplemental spending package to address hurricanes and other natural disasters. Farmers and ranchers expected to receive a portion of those funds. The conservative group released a statement, urging their colleagues not to provide “one more cent to the Biden Administration.” House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott said this move by the Freedom Caucus also undermines the efforts to develop an economic assistance program for farmers and ranchers. Scott called the action “disheartening.”

Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Growers Association board member Wes Beck joins this edition of Minnesota Corn Matters and talks about the MCGA resolutions process. Click here to listen to the report. 

Waiting for 45Z Tax Credit Guidance – Uncertainty surrounds the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Tax Credit. The Renewable Fuels Association Senior Vice President for Government and Public Affairs Troy Bredenkamp remains upbeat. “We are hopeful that they (Biden Administration) will put out an interim guidance for some type of proposed rule, something that may include the safe harbor agreement and something that would clearly give those participants some protections from a tax credit perspective that it wouldn’t be able to be clawed back, at least in the year 2025.”

More Optimism After the Election – Farmer optimism is at its highest level since May 2021. The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer cited growing optimism after the recent election. One-third of the farmers surveyed expect their farm financial situation to improve over the next year, up from 19 percent in October. While optimism is up, 42 percent of farmers believe a trade war is likely or very likely.

Farm Income Takes Another Dip – Farm income took another downturn in 2024. According to USDA, net farm income is forecast at nearly $141 billion. That’s down more than six percent from a year ago. That follows a 22 percent drop in 2023. Despite two consecutive years of declines, net farm income remains above the 20-year average.

Grain Market Faces Headwinds – AgResource Company President Dan Basse offered a realistic, but pessimistic view of the markets during the BASF forum at the Agribusiness Expo in Fargo. At the time of Basse’s presentation, the Brazilian real and Russian ruble were trading at record low levels. “If you’re a farmer in Russia or down in Brazil, you’re looking at positive margins so you’ll keep expanding,” said Basse. “The market’s trying to send out the message that we need to cut farm production globally and in at least with those two countries, it’s not happening.” Basse believes the incoming Trump Administration understands the importance of trade, but it takes time for those results to be realized.

Crop Report Expected to be a Non-Event – Van Ahn and Company market analyst Kristi Van Ahn expects Tuesday’s USDA supply/demand report to be a non-event. “The December WASDE report is typically like a no-chill report. They wait and say we have to finalize the numbers in January, let’s just bypass this and put our efforts into the January report,” said Van Ahn. “Once again, that lack of news between Thanksgiving and Christmas is getting the best of us right now.”

Freight Rates Under Pressure – Increased production has led to an increased need for transportation, which has led to rising costs and lower commodity prices. “We’ve seen over the last month some meaningful adjustments in transportation costs to move grain and that has helped increase local prices; that in turn has helped increase the amount of grain that’s in the system,” said Mike Kvistad, agribusiness consultant. “The question then is can freight adjust meaningfully lower from current values? In the short term, I think the answer to that is no.” A low price environment has been sustained for a matter of years “and they’re not seeing the same reductions on the cost side of their business.”

Trade War Fears – The majority of the soybeans exported out of North Dakota end up in China. A potential trade war could jeopardize that. “We’ve seen tariffs on soybeans before,” said Jena Bjertness, director of market development, North Dakota Soybean Council. “Looking at 2018 through 2020 in the Pacific Northwest, we see a huge drop off in whole soybean exports so if that were to happen again, we expect that that’s going to hit the North Dakota soybean farmer pretty significantly.” Bjertness said the situation is different at this time. “The last time this happened there were no crush plants in North Dakota and no prospects of crush plants in the state. Now we have two crush plants and that’s going to give our farmers a different marketing option.”

Grain Elevator Outlook – U.S. farmers harvested the second-largest corn and soybean crop ever. That improved the carry in the futures market and boosted the outlook for grain elevators. According to a new report from CoBank, challenges remain with a potential trade war and policy concerns over biofuels. CoBank economist Tanner Ehmke said a volatile trade policy could drag down corn and soybean exports, increasing the cost of shipping in smaller markets. CoBank said grain elevators would benefit from additional revenues from grain storage.

Automation is the Hurdle for Labor Negotiations – Negotiations between the U.S. Maritime Alliance and the International Longshoremen’s Association have stalled, impacting 36 East Coast and Gulf ports. The point of contention is the role of automation. An October strike lasted 72 hours. At that time, both sides returned to the bargaining table. With a resolution, the workers could walk off the job again in mid-January.

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 said the feeder cattle market remains strong. “As long as the border remains closed with Mexico, I think that will bring support into cattle.” Dow, NASDAQ and S&P 500 are also trading at the upper end of its range. In the report, Martinson said soybeans are in the ‘not hot’ category. Click here to listen to the report. 

Cordonnier Increases Brazilian Crop Forecast – South American crop consultant Michael Cordonnier has bumped his Brazil soybean crop estimate to 170 million metric tons. That’s up two million tons from his last forecast. Cordonnier said there are some regional concerns about dryness in western Parana, southern Mato Grosso do Sol, western Santa Catarina and parts of Rio Grande do Sul. However, dryness is not a widespread problem.

Canadian Wheat Production Up Over a Year Ago – Canadian farmers harvested a bigger wheat and soybean crop while canola production declined from a year ago. According to StatsCan, wheat production totaled 34.9 million tons. That’s up more than six percent from a year ago. Wheat acreage was down, but yields were up. Soybean output rose 8.4 percent to 7.5 million tons. The heatwave this summer cut into Canada’s canola crop. StatsCan forecast canola production at 17.8 million tons, down seven percent from last year.

The Gateway to Trade With Africa – USDA hosted its first-ever trade mission to Morocco this past week. Nearly 50 agribusiness companies and farm organizations, and 14 state departments of agriculture were on the trip. North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring participated. Morocco is the second-largest export market for U.S. agriculture in Africa and wants to do more direct marketing with U.S. farmers. “Wheat and durum wheat, along with the pulse crops, the peas, the lentils, the chickpeas, the dry beans, we have such opportunities,” said Goehring. “There’s even some work being talked about and being done in seed potatoes, feedgrains; you can’t even overstate this. The fact that the facility we visited and the customer base they have is awesome.”

Court Sends GMO Rule Back to USDA – A federal district court based in San Francisco ruled all GMOs must be regulated. This decision overturns a 2020 rule change made by the first Trump administration. The activist group, Center for Food Safety, was the lead plaintiff in the case. The organization’s legal director said this ruling is a victor for “farmers, the planet and scientific integrity.”

SD Corn Comments – In the latest edition of South Dakota Corn Comments, Farm Credit Services of America Regional Vice President of Insurance Matt Lindgren invites farmers to participate in the Growing On market education meeting. Listen to the update. South Dakota Corn Comments is made possible by the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council.

Label Changes on the Way – For farmers and custom applicators, changes are coming for the herbicide label. EPA Region 8 Agriculture Advisor Taylor Dunivin addressed the North Dakota Agricultural Association and reviewed the agency’s new herbicide strategy. “The herbicide strategy is final so we can expect the EPA will start to use that strategy as it reviews active ingredients moving forward,” said Dunivin. “Folks may start to see label language today on new ingredients.” The agency’s insecticide strategy is not final yet, but is expected to be released by the spring. To protect endangered species and minimize future litigation, the EPA will require farmers to take more stringent measures to reduce spray drift or runoff. Dunivin said farmers will be able to provide input as these changes happen. Listen to the interview. 

Chlorpyrifos Tolerances Revoked for Most Crops – The Environmental Protection Agency is taking action to invalidate the tolerances for chlorpyrifos, except for 11 food and feed crops. Those crops include sugarbeets, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa. EPA is taking this action in response to a federal appeals court decision to reduce exposure to the insecticide.

Hope for the Canola Market – Vegetable oil markets are depressed, but Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson likes the canola market. “Stocks continue to be very tight because the canola oil, just like our soybean oil, is being used for renewable biofuels. That’s tightening up that supply so, fundamentally, the price of canola should be higher than where it’s at.”

Additional Risk Management Tools for Canola – During the Minnesota Canola Symposium, Minnesota Canola Council Executive Director Beth Nelson announced USDA’s Risk Management Agency has approved 22 additional counties for federal crop insurance on canola. “I want to be sure that growers outside of those 22 counties realize that they could do written agreements if they’re having trouble with that, call the (Minnesota Canola) Council office and we can help them with that,” said Nelson. “Bankers were telling people in some of these other counties that we added, why don’t you try something else because canola doesn’t have a very good safety net in your county. We’ve taken care of that.”

Canola Minute – Here’s the latest Canola Minute from the Northern Canola Growers Association. This week, NCGA Executive Director Barry Coleman talks about the recent Canola Research Conference. Find out more at this link. 

Seeking Certainty for the Canola Market – The canola market has been depressed, hurt by policy and politics. “We’re waiting on biofuels policy for 2025,” said CHS Commercial Manager Andy Smith. “I think we’re really looking for clarity in that direction as well as clarity from the incoming administration and their trade policy.” Speaking at the Canola Symposium in Roseau, Smith said canola acreage is rising in Minnesota while traditional canola production areas in North Dakota have seen a downturn due to crop rotations.

Managing Waterhemp in Canola – Canola acres continue to increase in Minnesota. NDSU Extension weed specialist Joe Ikley says that creates waterhemp management concerns because of limited chemistry compared to corn and soybeans. “We have a couple of pre-plant incorporated options and we’re going to have a heavy reliance on glufosinate post-emergence.We need to use both of those different programs the incorporated products plus glufosinate to really attack waterhemp if and when we have major issues in canola.”

Canola Research Shifts to Pod Drop – Speaking at the Minnesota Canola Council’s Canola Symposium, Pioneer Field Agronomist Kristie Sundeen said the focus for canola research shifted from pod shatter to pod drop. “Pod drop became a much bigger issue this year. Very disappointing, but it happens when you have 40, 50 mile an hour winds so not much you can do about it.”

Happy With Canola Field Trials – The University of Minnesota released its crop variety trials this past week. Research Agronomist Dave Grafstrom says the canola trials turned out well. “We look at what canola varieties do well here in the Roseau County area. For this year, our trial average was 2,261 pounds with a range between 1,300 and 2,800 pounds.” A small plot trial that tested desiccant combinations was also done this year. Canola trial results can be found at mncanola.org.

Variety Trial Data Released – The University of Minnesota’s 2024 field trial data is now available. Spring wheat variety trials took place in 14 locations across the state. WB 9590 was the #1 variety grown in Minnesota this past year, seeded on more than 23 percent of the wheat acres. The next most-seeded varieties are MN-Rothsay and MN-Torgy. For barley, the average yield across 11 test locations was 102 bushels per acre. Data is also available for corn, soybeans, canola and more.

200 Bushel Corn Average in NW MN – The corn yields in northern Minnesota’s University of Minnesota Extension variety trials did well. “The trials were done at Crookston and the average yield of the trial was a little under 200 bushels an acre which is quite good, much better than a lot of the other parts of the state,” said Extension Agronomist Jeff Coulter. Consistent performance is key. “We can’t predict what next year’s weather or growing conditions will be like, so the best luck is to find hybrids that are performing consistently.”

Sulfur: A Critical Nutrient for the Crop – Mosaic Senior Technical Sales Manager Sherry Koch said a soil test provides a good foundation for sulfur levels. “I like to see folks do it in the spring,” said Koch. “Knowing that that’s not always possible, I just recommend farmers get a soil test because it’s a good base and it gives us a guide, but keep in mind that sulfur’s very mobile in the soil.It’s just one of those nutrients that we have to manage a little differently.” Sulfur influences crop quality. “We take our corn to the elevator in the fall and we’re hoping to get paid off of good test weight; we want good protein in our wheat; we want good oil in our canola. Sulfur is one of the key components that helps with the quality in our crop” Koch said Mosaic’s MicroEssentials product provides balanced, season-long nutrition for the crop.

Weed Control Decisions Began Last Summer – Farmers may be making crop input decisions for 2025 now, but FMC Retail Market Manager Sam Lockhart says the process began last summer. “It probably started in August when they started seeing some ugly fields with that waterhemp coming up over top the canopy in that August time frame,” said Lockhart. “They know they’re going to be seeing another seven years of weeds so they’re going to have to do something different. Residual products like Authority and Anthem MAXX are the way to control those weeds.” With tight margins, Lockhart says financing takes on greater importance. “We have an option for zero percent financing until September of next year.” Listen to the full interview with Lockhart.

Unlock the Plant’s Potential – There’s been a noticeable shift toward biologicals in crop production in recent years. “They’re not the old snake oils that we used to refer to them as, there’s a lot of science behind the biologicals now.” BW Fusion Regional Business Manager Shane Orr says there is now data to back up the performance seen in the field. “One product we have is BioBoost, which is for corn and soybeans,” said Orr. “It’s a seed treatment that can replace talc and graphite and be used as a lubricant. More importantly, it has the microbes and food sources to create better seed germination, get the stem diameter larger, get the root mast larger, and help that plant develop early in the season.” BW Fusion also utilizes a field management platform called Agronomy 365 to assist with crop nutrient decisions. Click here to hear the interview.

Broad Spectrum Weed and Grass Control – Many crop input decisions are being made earlier and earlier. “Growers are already making decisions on their seed and their potential insecticide and herbicide choices even before they finish harvesting the previous crops,” explained AMVAC Marketing Manager Wen Carter. Carter is excited about the weed control options for soybeans and canola. “ZALO is one of our newer herbicides., it’s a combination of gluphosinate and quizalofop so you get excellent broad-spectrum broadleaf weed and grass control,” said Carter. “For our soybean growers who might be looking for alternatives to dicamba in 2025, ZALO would be an excellent broad-spectrum choice for them to control resistant weeds.” You can find the full interview online.

Job Opportunities in Agriculture – Check out the Job Opportunities tab on the Red River Farm Network website. The Pennington County Farm Service Agency is hiring a full-time temporary program analyst in Thief River Falls. If your business has a job opportunity, contact the Red River Farm Network to reach your future employee.

The Decision Making Process Continues – Plans are coming together for the upcoming growing season. Gowan USA Northern Plains Sales Representative Marsha VanLaere says the crop mix is still up in the air. “Growers are a little bit hesitant; they’re not quite sure what they’re going to put in yet,” said VanLaere. “Some of that decision-making is going to happen in the next few weeks. Talking to retailers, we know growers are coming in trying to book fertilizer and the end-of-the-year type of thing.” VanLaere said she’s very happy with Gowan’s production supply situation. Listen to the full interview.

Time for Tax Planning – Tax planning season is here. “It’s always a good idea to get started around this time of the year,” said NDSU Extension Farm Management Specialist Ron Haugen. Farmers have a lot to consider when doing their taxes, especially with their equipment. “There are a lot of things that people can do as far as buying equipment and depreciation. There’s the 179 expense where you could write off most of the costs. Right now, you can deduct up to $1.22 million of equipment. So, that’s quite a healthy amount that you can deduct all in one year.”

Beneficial Ownership Requirement Suspended – A federal court in Texas has issued a preliminary injunction, blocking a new reporting requirement for businesses, including farms. The Corporate Transparency Act required businesses to disclose their beneficial ownership to the Treasury Department by the end of the year. That reporting requirement is likely unconstitutional and has been suspended pending further action by the courts.

Another Record Broken for ACSC – For American Crystal Sugar Company, growers harvested a record 12.7 million tons of beets in 2023. Yields totaled just under 32 tons per acre with sugar content at 18.5 percent. The increased sugar content increased the net grower payment to $83.18 per ton. Crystal had an unprecedented crop this past year with production at 13.2 million tons. The average yield was 32.2 tons per acre with sugar content of 18.5 percent. Market conditions are expected to weaken, lowering the projected payment rate to $75.79 per ton.

Another Record Year – This past year’s sugarbeet crop was the third consecutive record year for American Crystal Sugar Company. President Tom Astrup thinks it’s something they can build off of for 2025. “We’ve certainly been blessed with good weather for surgarbeets the last few years, and that always sets us up for a good year.” Sustainability continues to be a focus. “Sustainability is a big word, right? Sustainability means sustainability for the producer. It also means sustainability for the world’s population. We have to be able to produce enough food and that means we have to have the right tools.”

Beet Stock Values – American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock has trended down to $5,100 per share, says Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke. According to Menke, 654 shares were brokered last week with all, but five shares traded at $5,100 per share. On a weekly basis, Menke compiles a beet stock snapshot from the three beet stock broker websites. “With the higher sale volume last week, broker inventory was dwindled down,” Menke says. “Will we see additional inventory and see the prices stay steady or will lack of supply push share prices back up in this thinly traded market?”

CHS-WCAS Deal to Close Soon – The CHS-West Central Ag Services merger will close on January 2. At the CHS Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, CHS Executive Vice President Rick Dusek said this is a good fit. “We’ll close the deal and integrate the company, getting the employees on board and just keep going,” said Dusek. “They’re a successful, well-run company and we’re looking forward to bringing them in, start working together and start working on the future. In the interview with RRFN, Dusek discusses the past growing season and issues facing ag retailers. 

Trade Skirmish Would Impact Ag Inputs – Tariffs and a potential trade war with China are a concern for the grain trade. CHS Executive Vice President of Enterprise Customer Development Gary Halvorson is also looking at the impact on crop protection products. “In Trump’s first term, we saw him put a great deal of pressure on China and that caused price inflation in some key herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides with that base material built or sourced from China,” said Halvorson. “Should he enact similar trade policies, that could have a detrimental impact on that segment. That’s something I think isn’t being talked about enough.” CHS is taking a proactive approach. “Our team is engaged with suppliers now in China to make sure we have the right information and right backing so we can respond quickly should the winds change.” Click here to listen to the full interview.

Pinched by a High-Interest Environment – A surplus grain supply is delivering another problem for farmers. “Things like interest rates and inflation just make all of that even more difficult,” said John Griffith, executive vice president, CHS. “When you’re in a market of oversupply, grain needs to be carried and carrying grain is expensive in a high-interest rate market.” Everything is more expensive in this environment. “When you couple that with an oversupplied market where prices are a little bit cheaper, it just puts that much more financial pressure on everyone including the producer and everyone in between.”

River Restrictions – Due to dry conditions, barge draft and tow-sizes have been reduced on the Mississippi River. Draft sizes have dropped to 11-and-a-half feet from St. Louis to Cairo, Illinois. That results in a reduction of nine-to-14 barges or 25-to-40 percent of the traffic. As a result, shippers on the Mississippi River can tack on delays of another one-to-two days.

Spronk: Crop-Livestock Systems Enhance Soil Health – There are many benefits to crop-livestock integration systems. National Pork Board Vice President Gordon Spronk sees numerous benefits for a crop-livestock integrated system. “We plant the seeds, those plants grow, we feed those plants to our pigs or our animals and then they generate manure, and the manure is a great agronomic source of the NPK, the nitrogen and phosphorus, and potassium to put back on the plant-soil interaction.” Spronk emphasizes the importance of ag groups working together. “So few people raise food these days. It’s less than two percent, so we need to stand united in how we educate and explain our agricultural practices.”

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.  Alec Markson, a water quality certified producer with the climate-smart endorsement, talks about his climate-smart practices in this week’s report. 

Cattlemen Tackle Regulatory Issues at Annual Meeting – Members of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association concentrated on policy priorities at its annual meeting. “We have been working on deer depredation and elk depredation issues here for the last few years, as well as feedlot permit changes, we’ll be working through that to make sure we don’t have any producers that are getting over-regulated.” Cell-cultivated meat labeling was another focus.

MN Beef Update – Minnesota Beef Council CEO Kelly Schmidt is featured in the Minnesota Beef Update, highlighting the Beef Checkoff’s role at the Minnesota Beef Industry Convention. Click here to listen.

National Milk Testing Strategy Announced – USDA has issued a federal order, requiring raw, unpasteurized milk samples to be collected nationwide and tested for H5N1. The first testing will happen at dairy processing plants. Six states are included in the first round of testing, California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. Webinars will be held this week with industry stakeholders to outline the testing process.

ND Confirms First Avian Influenza Cases for ’24 – The North Dakota Department of Agriculture has confirmed three cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza. There are three sites identified; a backyard chicken flock in McHenry County, a commercial turkey flock in Ransom County and a backyard mixed flock in Bottineau County. All premises have been quarantined and flocks have been depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.

Colony Loss Continues to Mount – Preliminary survey results from the Apiary Inspectors of America, Auburn University and the University of Maryland found significant honey bee colony loss. From April of 2023 to April of 2024, beekeepers nationwide lost an estimated 55 percent of their managed honey bee colonies. That’s the highest loss rate since this survey began in 2010. The reported losses in North Dakota approached 56 percent. Minnesota had over 75 percent loss.

A Time of Change – American Agriculture has had an export-centric philosophy for generations. Geopolitical specialist Jacob Shapiro said that will change as U.S. export customers try to be more self-sufficient in food production. Shapiro spoke at the inaugural Bob Bergland Agriculture Lecture Services at the University of Minnesota-Crookston in a virtual presentation.  A potential flashpoint between the U.S. and Mexico is likely with President-Elect Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum both adopting a more protectionist policy. In an uncertain world, Shapiro said people want tangible things. As a result, Shapiro expects farmland values to continue to move upward. Photos from the event can be found on RRFN’s Facebook page. 

Honoring the Legacy of Bob Bergland – Consultant Steve Olson facilitated the discussion for Thursday’s Bergland Lecture Series. Olson said the program points to the legacy of Bob Bergland. “He was a congressman and he was secretary of agriculture and he had an ability to connect to different parts of agriculture,” said Olson. “This conference is all about taking what we know about agriculture in the rest of the world and how does that impact northwestern Minnesota and the Red River Valley.” Farmers, agribusiness, academia and students participated in the University of Minnesota-Crookston event.

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s Dry Bean Scene, Northarvest Bean Growers Executive Director Mitch Coulter previews the 50th Annual Bean Day in January. Click here to learn more. 

MN Barley Checkoff Vote Set for Thursday – The fate of the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council will be determined at the Prairie Grains Conference. A vote will take place between 9 AM and noon Thursday. Ballots can be submitted at the registration table. MDA received a request last month to terminate the state barley checkoff program. The petition was signed by more than ten percent of state barley growers. With only 45 barley growers in the state, Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commodity Council Coordinator Christina Iliev expects the results to be known that afternoon. “We will have staff on-site to count up the ballots and then report the results so, we expect to have a decision on the same day.”

A Path Forward for Green Ammonia – Green ammonia fertilizer feeds the crop while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Minnesota Farmers Union Climate and Working Lands Program Director Ariel Kagan said this year’s Green Ammonia Summit will consider the opportunities with green ammonia. “We’re going to be hearing from policymakers, from business leaders, from farmers throughout the day about what green ammonia means to them and how we can continue to push forward this new industry.” The event will be held Tuesday in Morris. More information can be found at greenammoniasummit.org.

Top Shelf Speakers Scheduled for Prairie Grains Conference – Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers Executive Director Brian Sorenson is excited about the Prairie Grains Conference speaker lineup. “We have Jay Debertin from CHS, Frayne Olson from NDSU, and of course, Daryl Ritchison from NDAWN.” The meeting is an opportunity to reflect on this past year.  “We had a record crop as far as bushels per acre and so there’s a lot of excitement, but we also had some issues with scab disease and falling numbers in certain parts of the state so it’s going to be interesting to see what producers are thinking.” The Prairie Grains Conference is on Wednesday and Thursday in Grand Forks.

25 Years for the North Star Classic – The 25th annual North Star Classic was held this past weekend in Valley City, North Dakota. Show Coordinator Jaci Cargo says events like the North Star Classic are important for cattle producers and the public. “From the producer’s side of things, we are marketing our livestock so that people can see what we have to offer,” said Cargo. “We’re promoting animal agriculture and the beef industry. I think it’s important for the next generation to see how the beef industry can impact them throughout the rest of their life.”

Full House for KMOT Ag Expo – This year’s KMOT Ag Expo is scheduled for January 29-31 in Minot. Assistant Manager Jeff Emmert reports the show is sold out. “We have 1,035 booths, consisting of roughly 350 different vendors. We’re going to have our big tractors and combines by some of our major dealers, a lot of seed companies this year, and even stuff for cattle producers.”  Financial and market seminars are on the schedule. More information can be found at kmotagexpo.com

Local Foods Highlighted at Tribal Event – A wholly-owned company of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians had its first-ever food distribution event for tribal members Friday in Belcourt, North Dakota. This event was funded in part by a USDA local food program assistance grant. Chippewa Harvest CEO David Trottier said hemp hearts were featured. “Hemp Hearts are just one of the many industrial hemp-derived food products that are quickly being recognized for the natural health benefits they offer,” said Trottier. “Hemp Hearts are organically grown and non-GMO, KETO friendly and PALEO friendly.” The Chippewa Harvest hemp hearts are expected to be commercially available within a year.

CropLife 100 Rankings Released – CropLife Magazine is out with its list of the top 100 ag retailers. Nutrien Ag Solutions was at the top of the list with 1,500 retail outlets and over $1 billion in retail sales. The top five rounds out with Helena Agri-Enterprises, GROWMARK, Simplot Grower Solutions and CHS. Other notable ag retailers from the RRFN region include Wilbur-Ellis (7th), Agtegra Cooperative (9th), Hefty Seed (14th), Central Farm Service (32nd), Valley United Co-op (59th).

Liberty ULTRA Ready for ’25 Growing Season – BASF’s new Liberty ULTRA herbicide has a lower use rate. “Obviously, you’re going to be able to cover more acres with less product,” said BASF Technical Service Representative Ken Deibert. “I think that’s going to be very important from a grower’s standpoint, but also from a retailer standpoint just managing those SKUs (and) managing those volumes.” Deibert said the legacy Liberty brand set the bar high, but Liberty ULTRA has numerous enhancements in addition to the lower standard use rate. The benefits include a built-in adjuvant package in a tank-mix-friendly product. BASF hosted a forum for farmers and ag retailers ahead of the North Dakota Agricultural Association Agribusiness Expo in Fargo. Listen to RRFN’s interview with Deibert.

More Layoffs at Deere – On January 5, Deere and Company will lay off another 100 workers from its Waterloo plant. Since May, Deere has laid off more than 1,900 employees at its production facilities and its headquarters.

A Workforce Reduction Happening at Cargill – Cargill has announced plans to cut its global workforce by five percent. In a statement, Cargill officials said the decision was not made lightly, but it must realign its talent and resources to realize its long-term strategy.

Tyson to Close KS Plant – Tyson Foods plans to close its beef and pork processing plant in Emporia, Kansas by mid-February. This plant produced ground beef and seasoned or marinated meat products. More than 800 workers will be affected by the closure.

Smithfield Foods Reducing Hog Ownership – Smithfield Foods and Murphy Family Ventures have signed an agreement, giving the Murphy family ownership of 150,000 sows now owned by Smithfield in North Carolina. As part of the arrangement, Smithfield will provide production services, including feed and transportation. Smithfield previously announced plans to reduce its ownership of U.S. hog production by 20 percent and this agreement is part of that plan.

Cook & Bacon Included in Hunger Relief Effort – The Minnesota Pork Board and Profinium Bank are donating over 90,000 high-quality protein meals to Second Harvest Heartland. Silver Medalist Olympic divers Kassidy Cook and Sarah Bacon will be part of the announcement Tuesday in Brooklyn Park.

Navarro Returns – Peter Navarro is back for the second Trump administration. Navarro was named a senior trade advisor, a role he also had during Trump’s first term. Navarro promoted an aggressive trade policy against China during his first time in the administration.

Another Perdue in the Trump Administration – Former Georgia Senator David Perdue has been nominated to serve as the U.S. ambassador to China. Perdue worked in the textiles and consumer retail business, including time living in China. Perdue is a cousin to former Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.

Loeffler Picked for SBA – President-Elect Donald Trump has selected former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler to lead the Small Business Administration. It was reported Loeffler was under consideration for agriculture secretary, but that job went to Texas native Brooke Rollins.

Minnesota’s First Leopold Award Winner – Dawn and Grant Breitkreutz of Redwood Falls is Minnesota’s inaugural Aldo Leopold Conservation Award winner. A $10,000 prize recognizes their conservation efforts on working land. The award was presented at the Premier Soil Health Event in Mankato.

New Voices on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board – USDA has announced the appointment of 36 members to serve on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. From this region, newly-appointed members are Bill Post of Chandler, Minnesota; VeaBea Thomas of Harrold, South Dakota and Oren Lesmeister of Parade, South Dakota. Their three-year terms begin in February.

Cattleman of the Year Award Comes to Clearwater County – The Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association has honored Kevin Hoge as the 2024 Cattleman of the Year. Hoge operates a cow-calf operation at Aitkin and is a member of the MSCA officer team.

SWCD Honors Presented at Annual Meeting – During the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Annual Meeting, Senator Grant Hauschild was named the MASWCD Legislator of the Year. The outstanding SWCD supervisor award went to Jim Birkholz of Chisago SWCD. Chester Powell of Clearwater SWCD received the SWCD field staff award and Kay Gross of Cottonwood SWCD was presented the administrator award.

SWCD of the Year Announced – The Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts named the East Otter Tail District as this year’s District of the Year award. District Manager Darren Newville says the conservation efforts aren’t done for the awards, but the recognition is still nice. “Minnesota’s blessed with a lot of great Soil and Water Conservation Districts doing different work so it’s nice to be recognized in front of our peers.” A lot of the district’s focus has been on irrigation efforts. “We led the charge for a 20-county regional conservation partnership program where we brought in $3.5 million of federal fund to address some of the needs with irrigation and conservation measures with that.”

BWSR Award Presented at Nisswa Event – During the Minnesota Watersheds Annual Conference, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources presented Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District Water Resources Project Manager Emily Dick with the Outstanding Watershed Employee Award. Dick joined the watershed district in 2022.

Another Term for Smith on EQB – Angela Smith of New Hope has been reappointed to another term on the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board. Smith is an environmental planning group leader at Bolton & Menk in Minneapolis.

Grisafi Joins Nesvick Trading Group – Veteran commodity broker Tommy Grisafi has joined Nesvick Trading Group as an associated person. Grisafi, the founder and owner of Ag Bull Media LLC, has 30-plus years of experience in commodity trading, risk management, and market education. For the past 11 years, Grisafi has been with Advance Trading. The partnership with NTG brings Grisafi’s expertise to Nashville to do markets and media. “With this new partnership, we’re able to do what we love, and that’s to educate farmers and ranchers about markets,” said Grisafi. “I’m excited to join the talented team at Nesvick Trading Group.” Grisafi’s passion for markets began in 1989 while on a high school field trip to the CBOT. Grisafi became a runner on the trading floor a year later. On his 21st birthday, Grisafi became a registered member of the CBOT and CME, a status that continues today. Grisafi is a frequent guest in Red River Farm Network market reports.

Corcoran Takes on Foundation Role – Erin Corcoran is the new program coordinator for the Minnesota Foundation for Agriculture. This organization was previously known as the Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation. Corcoran has been with the University of Minnesota Extension for the past two years.

Retirement Time for Juhnke – Al Juhnke is retiring from the Nebraska Pork Producers Association. Juhnke has been the group’s executive director since 2016. Juhnke previously worked as a state advisor for agriculture, energy and the environment for former Minnesota Senator Al Franken. He spent 14 years in the Minnesota State Legislature, including four years as chair of the House Agriculture Committee.

Kee Retires – After nine years with the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, Research Director David Kee has retired. Previously, Kee worked for Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, McNease State University, Texas A&M University and the Texas Extension Service.