Rollins: USDA to End Wasteful Spending, DEI Programs – Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins addressed over 400 USDA staffers and stakeholders on Friday, emphasizing her commitment to reform and fiscal responsibility. Rollins announced plans to streamline operations, optimize the workforce and eliminate wasteful spending.  As part of these reforms, the USDA has already canceled 78 contracts totaling over $132 million, with more than a thousand additional contracts under review. Among the eliminated deals were media subscriptions and diversity-related programs, including DEI training. “We will end identity politics (and) identity celebrations in DEI here at USDA and across all of the federal government.” The new USDA leader make her first official trip Saturday to Louisville, Kentucky for the National Farm Machinery Show and the Championship Tractor Pull. Rollins also met with approximately 100 farmers and heard about “the challenges and opportunities they face.”

Jobs Cut at USDA – Thousands of government workers got pink slips late last week. The number of jobs cut in USDA has not been announced, but a ‘workforce optimization’ strategy is in place. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar said these across-the-board job cuts will “delay work on avian flu, wildfires, rural hospitals and loans for farmers and ranchers.” Klobuchar went on to say this decision is happening at a time when farmers are facing “the threat of Trump tariffs and no updated farm bill.”

House Budget Committee Passes Budget Resolution – After more than seven hours of debate, the House Budget Committee approved a budget resolution on a party-line 21-16 vote. This huge bill includes everything from border security to tax cuts, energy policy to defense spending. The cuts in agriculture spending include hundreds of billions of dollars from federal nutrition assistance and increases in the SNAP work requirements. House leadership wants a floor vote before the end of the month. Meanwhile, the Senate is working on two different packages. To move forward with reconciliation, identical budget bills will need to be approved by both chambers.

Budget Reconciliation Dominates Congressional Calendar – In addition to cuts, Minnesota Representative Michelle Fischbach said the budget reconciliation plan should also include the tax provisions. “In the Ways and Means Committee, we’re looking at 45Z, the estate taxes and those kinds of things that affect ag to make sure those get into the tax portion of this bill,” said Fischbach. “Hopefully, as we get through reconciliation, we’ll be able to protect ag as best we can.” It’s uncertain if the budget, tax cuts, energy policy, and other areas will be in one big bill or split into two. Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency continue to make headlines. Fischbach describes herself as a proponent of zero-based budgeting and supports this effort to reduce wasteful spending. “We are facing a large, large deficit and we need to get it under control.”

Uncertain Future for Farm Bill Amid Budget Talks – The fate of the farm bill remains uncertain as House and Senate Republicans struggle to agree on the budget negotiations. Pro-farmer Washington Policy Analyst Jim Wiesemeyer said the House is pushing for deep spending cuts, particularly in food assistance programs, while the Senate is taking a more moderate stance.  “The initial push will be to get the one beautiful bill,” said Wiesemeyer. “I think the House leadership is right, it’s going to be so hard to get the votes initially, but by no means do we know that for sure, and anyone who says they do put your hand on your wallet because they don’t know.” Wiesemeyer added that the outcome of budget reconciliation will determine whether farm bill programs are included or if Congress moves forward with a separate farm bill.

Craig: Farm Bill Must Deliver Real Support, Not Just Promises – At a House Agriculture Committee hearing on Tuesday, Ranking Member Angie Craig highlighted the uncertainty farmers are facing and the urgent need for a new farm bill. “Farmers need a new farm bill to provide some semblance of stability for their business and their families,” Craig said. She emphasized that the bill should strengthen the farm safety net, cut red tape, and support new and beginning farmers.  Craig stressed that the best farm bill isn’t about making promises but about getting passed into law. “We stand ready to negotiate a bipartisan bill,” she said. With programs like PLC, ARC, and crop insurance at stake, she urged lawmakers to work together to provide farmers with the support they need to continue feeding communities and the world.

Newton Warns Relief is Temporary Without New Farm Bill – Terrain Executive Head Dr. John Newton testified at Tuesday’s House Agriculture Committee hearing, emphasizing the need to pass a farm bill quickly. He noted that while the American Relief Act of 2025 provided over $30 billion in financial aid to struggling farmers, it was not a long-term solution. “I know firsthand that farmers would rather get their returns from the market, but in today’s farm economy, it’s ad hoc support that is propping up their incomes.” U.S. inflation-adjusted net farm income is projected to rise 26 percent to $180 billion, thanks in part to federal aid. However, Newton warned that these financial programs are only a temporary fix. “These economic margins are only a bridge until a new five-year farm bill can be authorized by Congress.” Newton will be in Grand Forks this week for the International Crop Expo.

Farmers to Benefit from Reciprocal Tariffs, Says Trump – President Donald Trump announced new reciprocal tariffs, saying it will help farmers compete on a fairer playing field. “I think the farmers are going to be helped by this very much because product is being dumped into our country and our farmers are getting hurt very badly,” Trump said. “The last administration hated our farmers at a level that I’ve never seen before.” Trump also expressed confidence in the overall economic impact. “We know the jobs are going to be produced at levels that we haven’t seen before, and we think that the prices for some things, many things, could ultimately go down.”

Targeting a Trade Imbalance in Ethanol Market – The U.S. ethanol industry may soon see changes as President Donald Trump considers reciprocal tariffs on countries that limit American imports. Brazil, which has placed an 18 percent tariff on U.S. ethanol, is a likely target. Growth Energy Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley supports the move. “We’re very encouraged that the President and the White House are taking a look at the imbalance between Brazilian ethanol and U.S. ethanol.” Bliley emphasized the need for fair trade, noting that American ethanol producers have been “nearly completely blocked off from the Brazilian market while Brazilian ethanol enjoyed unfettered access to the U.S.” He hopes the new tariffs will push countries like Brazil and China to honor trade agreements and create a level playing field for U.S. producers.

Farm Bureau Economist Warns of Tariff Risks – President Trump’s plan to raise U.S. tariffs to match those of other countries could have major consequences for agriculture, according to American Farm Bureau economist Betty Resnick. “Trade is super vital. The ability to export is super vital to American farmers.” Resnick warned that tariffs could impact farmers in multiple ways, including higher costs for inputs, potential retaliatory tariffs, and a stronger U.S. dollar making exports less competitive.  While some agricultural groups welcome the effort to create fairer trade conditions, Resnick cautioned that the industry has much to lose. “Agriculture is one of the industries that has benefited most from the free trade environment we’ve had post-World War II so if you’ve gained the most from free trade, we also potentially have the most to lose.”

Uncertainty for 2025 – 2024 was a good year for pork producers and their profitability. “As we look at 2025, there may be some uncertainty on the national level,” said Lori Stevermer, president, National Pork Producers Council. “There’s a lot of discussion about tariffs with President Trump imposing tariffs and pausing them. That is something we’re looking at as an industry, especially because of the retaliatory tariffs that could be put on us by Canada and Mexico.” Speaking at the Minnesota Pork Congress, Stevermer said NPPC priorities include trade, Prop 12 and the farm bill.

Senate Confirms Rollins – The Senate voted 72-28 to confirm Brooke Rollins as the new agriculture secretary. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman praised the decision, saying “America’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters need a leader at USDA who will be an advocate for their livelihoods in rural America and be a strong voice to address the pressing needs of our agriculture community; Brooke Rollins is that person.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune outlined her priorities. “First, getting disaster and economic aid out the door and into the hands of farmers; second, getting the bird flu and other animal disease outbreaks under control,” said Thune. “Third, getting the farm bill done and finally, revitalizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to focus on its core mission and put America and American agriculture first.”

RFK Takes Over HHS Helm – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in Thursday as President Trump’s new Secretary of Health and Human Services. RFK’s won confirmation with a 52-48 vote. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer strongly opposed the nomination, urging his colleagues to reject it. “One final time, I implore my Republican colleagues to reject the nomination of Kennedy to be Secretary of HHS,” Schumer. “A vote to confirm Mr. Kennedy is a vote I truly believe many, many Republicans and most Americans will eventually very deeply regret.”  Despite Schumer’s concerns, Kennedy secured the position with only one Republican, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, voting against him.

MAHA Commission Announced – President Donald Trump has established the Make America Healthy Again Commission. Robert Kennedy Junior, who was just sworn in as the secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, will chair the commission. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins will also be part of this commission.

Ag Groups Support Moving Food for Peace Program to USDA – Legislation introduced in Congress to shift control of the Food for Peace international food assistance program to USDA is receiving support from agricultural groups. U.S. Dry Bean Council Executive Director Danny Raulerson called it a positive move. “The food aid programs are very important to our industry, both in terms of helping regulate volume and providing a great outlet through the USDA’s procurement process,” Raulerson said. “There are a lot of starving people, both domestically and around the world, and they are currently being provided the best agricultural products grown in the world.” The 70-year-old program, previously overseen by USAID, was dismantled by the Trump administration, making its future uncertain.

Smith Not Running in ’26 – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith has announced she will not seek reelection in 2026. Smith says the decision is entirely personal, adding she wants to spend more time with her family after being a public servant for 20 years. Smith is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Avian Influenza Strategy Coming This Week – The Trump Administration will introduce its plan to address avian influenza this week. During an appearance on CBS’ Face the Nation, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said the Biden Administration plan never went beyond destroying the affected flocks. “What we need to do is have better ways with biosecurity and medication to make sure that the perimeter doesn’t have to kill the chickens,” said Hassett. “We’re finalizing the ideas about how to do that with the best scientists in government; that’s the kind of thing that should have happened a year ago and if it had, egg prices would be a lot better than they are now.” Hassett continued to criticize the Biden Administration’s strategy for avian influenza. “It’s spread mostly by ducks and geese; so think about it, they’re killing chickens to stop the spread but chickens don’t really fly. Why does it make any sense to have a big perimeter of dead chickens when it’s the ducks and the geese that are spreading it?” Hassett said he has worked with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and academics to evaluate the threat of avian influenza.

Prop 12 Appeal – Twenty-three states have joined the legal appeal to California’s Proposition 12 to the U.S. Supreme Court. North Dakota and South Dakota are among the two states signing off on this friend of the court filing. The Iowa Pork Producers Association appealed to the high court, claiming the animal housing law discriminates against pork producers nationwide.

NPPC Warns of Risks in New Dietary Guidelines – The National Pork Producers Council is pushing back against the new dietary guidelines report that recommends reducing meat consumption in favor of plant-based proteins. “That would be things like beans, lentils, and peas,” said Dr. Ashley Johnson, food policy director, NPPC. “That’s really concerning because those plant-based proteins are not the same when it comes to the nutrients that we get from animal-based protein.” The NPPC warns that these recommendations could have major impacts on federal food programs, including school meals and veterans’ meals. The organization has expressed frustration over the process and plans to work with the Trump administration to ensure the final guidelines support meat as a key part of a balanced diet.

MN Beef Update – Hilary Paplow, who farms at Sanborn, Minnesota, represented the Minnesota Beef Council at CattleCon ’25 in San Antonio. In the Minnesota Beef Update, Paplow said the meeting provided a national perspective on beef checkoff issues. Listen to the report.

Biofuels Included in White House Executive Order – In an executive order issues Friday, the White House said the United States will use its national assets to grow its economy and reduce the dependency on foreign oil. Biofuels were listed as one of those resources.

New Bill Pushes for Year-Round E15 Sales – A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, calling for year-round sales of E15 fuel. Renewable Fuels Association Senior Vice President for Government and Public Affairs Troy Bredenkamp said the bill is similar to last year’s version. “Imagine E10 blend moving over time to E15 so you’re adding 50 percent more ethanol to a gallon of gasoline.” Bredenkamp highlighted the potential benefits for corn farmers if E15 becomes the standard nationwide. “That’s another 7 billion gallons of ethanol that would be in demand and that’s another 1.8 to 2 billion bushels of corn that’s going to need to be ground.”

Ethanol Exports Soar – U.S. ethanol exports hit record levels in 2024, with more than 1.9 billion gallons exported, a 36 percent increase from previous years. The exports reached a value of over $4.3 billion, surpassing the previous record set six years ago. Chris Bliley, senior vice president of regulatory affairs, Growth Energy, called it great news for producers, noting that nearly 10 percent of the nation’s ethanol production is now being shipped globally. “This is really important for our overall ethanol production,” Bliley said. “Almost a third of U.S. exports are going to Canada.”  Despite ongoing concerns over tariffs, Bliley expressed optimism about the new administration’s “America First” trade policy. “The president’s executive order aims to address trade imbalances and fairness,” Bliley said, pointing to countries like Brazil, where a tariff of 18 percent is imposed on U.S. ethanol exports, while the U.S. has incentivized Brazilian ethanol imports.

Farmers Face Uncertainty – For many farmers, 2024 an “okay” year. “We had record yields in many cases, poor prices, but a lot of guys treaded water,” said Betsy Jensen, farm business management instructor, Northland Community and Technical College. While major losses were not widespread, the lack of profits has left some farmers in a tight spot.  Looking ahead, farmers are worried about 2025, especially due to low working capital. Uncertainty also surrounds government payments with no clear word on funding amid President Trump’s aggressive efforts to cut spending. “We are still planning on those payments coming in March,” Jensen noted. “That seems like it’s an automatic.” However, concerns remain about programs like EQIP, with questions about contract reliability adding to the financial uncertainty.

Problem Years Have a Long Tail – Reviewing the financial records from this past year indicates the net worth declined for many grain farmers. “I’d hate to say working capital is decimated, but it is decimated,” explained Jason Fewell, farm management instructor, North Dakota. “Markets were against everybody this year with a lot of production problems in spots, most of my guys were disappointed in soybean yields and it is all trickling down into 2024 not being a good year.” A poor year follows farmers for a long time. “If there is a lot of refinancing, you’re dealing with that for a long time. Cash flows are difficult to put together this year. Fewell spoke at the Advance Crop Advisors meeting in Grand Forks.

Farm Financials Squeezed – During Wednesday’s hearing, Minnesota House Agriculture Committee Chair Paul Anderson referenced a Rural Finance Authority meeting and a conversation with an ag lender. “A lot of bankers were in for the meeting and one of them commented that looking ahead and even looking back, he’s seen no cash flow that shows a positive return for corn and soybeans for the coming year.” Anderson emphasized the importance of value-added agriculture to “add value back into the farmer’s hands.”

NDSU Extension Projects a Challenging 2025 for Farmers – NDSU Extension has released its crop budget projections for 2025. Farm Management Specialist Ron Haugen warns that the year ahead will be tough. “Things aren’t going to be quite as good as the previous years.” While fuel and interest costs have dropped, equipment repairs and ownership expenses continue to rise. Lower crop insurance premiums offer some relief, but low commodity prices remain a major concern. “Expenses leveled off some, but the commodity prices are low and you just can’t really make enough with an average yield to cover your costs.” Haugen encourages farmers to use the projections as a guide for planning their own budgets to navigate the financial challenges ahead.  Click here to see the full report.

Dry Bean Scene – NDSU Plant Pathologist Sam Markell spoke at the Getting It Right Seminar about issues affecting dry beans. Learn more in this week’s edition of the Dry Bean Scene. Click here.

Timing the Fungicide Application on Pinto Beans – During NDSU’s Getting it Right: Dry Beans Seminar, Extension Plant Pathologist Michael Wunsch talked about the latest research in fungicide spray application for pinto beans. “When should you spray?” asked Wunsch. “Just spraying because they’ve got a bloom is not optimal so there are tradeoffs in your timing.” For pinto beans, Wunsch said the fungicide application is linked to the percentage of plants with initial pods. “That’s really the percent of plants with dead blossoms and it’s easy to go to multiple locations in your field and look at ten plants in a row in each spot and see how many of those have those initial pods.”

Research Strategy – As farmers prepare for the upcoming growing season, university researchers are preparing for their field trials. NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist Sam Markell will concentrate on three major areas. “We’re going to drill into sunflower rust quite a bit more and I think that will be really important. We’re going to look at quite a few root rots in the field and we will look at dry beans and how they respond to SCN with some of the seed treatments.”

Canola Minute – In the latest Canola Minute, Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman discusses the potential for canola acreage to be down a bit in 2025. That follows record acreage in 2024. Coleman also has insight into a new crop insurance provision. Listen to the report. 

Armstrong Highlights North Dakota’s Role in Agriculture – North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong emphasized the state’s critical role in agriculture during a media briefing on Tuesday, stating that the state contributes far more to the nation than it receives from Washington, D.C. “We don’t need a lot from Washington, D.C.,” said Armstrong. “Quite frankly, most of what D.C. gives us is problems, but what we give them is pretty important.” Armstrong pointed to North Dakota’s production of crops, beef, energy, and renewable fuels as key to the national and global economy.  NDSU Vice President of Agricultural Affairs Greg Lardy reinforced the economic importance of agriculture in the state. “We are generating $41.3 billion in gross business volume with the agriculture industry across the state of North Dakota,” Lardy said. With agriculture accounting for 25 percent of the state’s total business volume and supporting $10 billion in wages, Lardy emphasized that the industry remains a cornerstone of North Dakota’s economy and workforce.

New Report Highlights Agriculture’s Economic Impact in North Dakota –

A new report from NDSU’s Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics and the Center for Social Research highlights agriculture’s vital role in North Dakota’s economy. North Dakota Corn Growers Association Executive Director Brenda Elmer said the findings show the continued growth of value-added agriculture. “We aim to keep expanding value-added agriculture to make our growers more profitable.” Elmer pointed to the ethanol industry’s success and the rise of soybean crush plants as key examples. Elmer noted the report will be useful for policymakers, grant writers, and other decision-makers. “Now we have concrete data to add to our story,” she said. The report found that North Dakota’s agricultural industry generates $41.3 billion annually in gross business volume, underscoring its importance to the state’s economy.

ND Legislative Report – In the North Dakota Legislative Report, House Agriculture Committee Chair Mike Belz recaps the latest ag policy issues being heard in the state. “Foreign ag land ownership is back again,” said Belz. “Beef Commission bill came back up again and failed; it’s tough to argue with an elected process, but the current process is working and we didn’t see a need to upset the apple cart there.” The North Dakota Legislative Report is sponsored by NDFB, Northern Pulse Growers Association, North Dakota Farmers Union, North Dakota Corn Growers Association and North Dakota Grain Growers Association. Here’s the report.

ND Senate Approps Committee Advances Bill to Support Ethanol Industry – The North Dakota Senate Appropriations Committee met Tuesday to discuss Senate Bill 2333, which aims to create a low carbon fuels fund and revise ethanol incentives. State Senator Terry Wanzek spoke in support of the bill, stressing the importance of the ethanol market. “You should be highly supportive and defensive of the ethanol market because it helps us all in giving our farmers more options to generate income.” Harvestone Low Carbon Partners CEO Jeff Zueger also addressed the need for reimbursement in the industry, noting the uncertainty around the 45Q credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. “The market is dynamic, and the regulatory environment that we’re working in is also dynamic,” Zueger said. He highlighted his company’s planned $130 million investment in carbon capture and storage solutions as essential for staying competitive. The committee voted unanimously in favor of a do-pass recommendation for the bill.

Sustainable Grasslands Grazing Advocated in Bismarck – Another bill seeing discussion in the North Dakota Legislature is Senate Bill 2368, which lays out the framework for the Grasslands Grazing Grant program that promotes sustainable grazing practices on national grasslands in North Dakota. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring spoke in favor of the bill. “My department has administered this in the last two biennium and I believe the program has been beneficial and it’s helped improve the functioning of the grasslands and the health of the grasslands.” Goehring went on to say the Grasslands Grazing Grant Program has helped restore activity to otherwise abandoned areas of grasslands. “When you have isolated areas, they don’t get utilized. Not only for ranching, for grazing, management, but wildlife doesn’t utilize them either. With this program, we’re able to go in when we start doing a lot of reclamation on some of these abandoned orphaned wells to retain some of those spots, plug them to the depth of the Fox Hills Aquifer, then go back in and perforate them, and then start to develop water wells in western North Dakota.”

SDCA, SDFB Weigh in on Eminent Domain Issue – The South Dakota Farm Bureau and the South Dakota Corn Growers Association support a requirement that carbon pipeline companies secure voluntary easements for at least 67 percent of the pipeline before invoking eminent domain. “This threshold offers a balanced approach,” said Taylor Sumption, president, SDCGA.

SD Legislature Takes Stand on Cell-Cultured Meal – South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden signed 14 bills including one that would ban the misbranding of any cell-cultured protein products. This legislation targets the sale of lab-grown meat.

Permitting Changes Needed Beyond MPCA – The permitting bill passed on a party-line vote in the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee and will now go to the Workforce, Labor and Economic Development Committee. The bill would tighten the window for the MPCA to rule on permit applications and help speed up the process. Minnesota AgriGrowth Council Executive Director Darin Broten said a streamlined MPCA permitting process is a priority for the state’s ag industry. However, DNR regulations also need attention. “We have farmers in this state who have been waiting for three years to get to the first phase of a DNR water appropriation permit,” stressed Broten. “Permitting reform is important across the entire state and it also should be a priority at the DNR.”

MN Corn Matters – In Corn Matters, Minnesota Corn Growers Association President Jim Kanten is featured. MCGA is disappointed in the new feedlot permit regulations from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Click here to listen.

AURI Updates House Ag Committee – Agricultural Utilization Research Institute Executive Director Shannon Schlecht addressed the Minnesota House Agriculture Committee and outlined their work over the past year. “We appreciate the work we’ve been able to do to advance value-added agriculture with the partnership with the Legislature, moving ideas into reality,” said Schlecht. “As we look at the great creativity of our farmers, our small and medium-sized agribusinesses, we get to do that work from producer all the way up to the Fortune 500 companies.”

State of Rural – In a briefing before the Minnesota House Agriculture Committee, Center for Rural Policy and Development Vice President of Research and Operations Marnie Werner outlined data from the recent State of Rural report. The report said the number of rural counties that reported population growth over the past four years is significantly higher than in the previous decade. However, the trend is for young adults from 25-to-29 years of age to move away from their rural communities. Werner also discussed suicide rates. “You can see that the line that is rising fastest and is the highest right now is for the entirely rural group of counties in Minnesota while the entirely urban Twin Cities counties have the shallowest trend line. Suicide rates don’t correlate but they follow the population density.”

Walz on Trade Trip to Netherlands – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is leading a trade mission to the Netherlands this week. Deputy Agriculture Commissioner Andrea Vaubel is also part of this trip. The top Minnesota exports to the Netherlands include soybeans, ethanol, beef, dairy, animal feed and dry edible beans.

Fielding Questions: Hail Plan Analyzer – AgCountry Farm Credit Services Regional Vice President of Retail Insurance Keith Wilson is featured in the latest edition of the Fielding Questions podcast. Ahead of the 2025 growing season, Wilson highlights the Hail Plan Analyzer. “It is a way to better explain all the plans and all the coverage farmers needed in one spot.” The Fielding Questions podcast is a collaboration of AgCountry Farm Credit Services and the Red River Farm Network. To learn more about managing risk in the year ahead, listen to the podcast.

A New Identity for HSUS – The Humane Society of the United States has changed its name to the Humane World for Animals. The animal rights activist group said the new name and brand will clarify its work. HSUS is focused on public policy and litigation, but is often confused with local humane societies with animal shelters for dogs and cats.

Hog Market Fundamentals Remain Strong – Professional Ag Marketing Risk Manager Jordan Reker likes the fundamentals he’s seeing in the hog markets. “The packers are still looking for hogs, even though they’re cutting out some Saturdays (slaughter schedules); we just have to watch out for tariffs.”

Domestic Market Needs a Boost – This past year represented a tale of two pork markets for the United States. National Pork Board Senior Vice President of Market Growth David Newman said international pork sales were strong, but domestic pork expenditures have a long way to go. “We had a pretty good fall of ’24, but still a lot of unknowns of what is out in front of us so this very focused piece around demand domestically is a big push for us in 25.” One of the ways Newman said the Pork Checkoff intends to increase domestic demand through branding and marketing. “One of the things we’re doing in 2025 is we are launching a new consumer-facing marketing brand campaign. Think about one of the most iconic pork brands of all time, ‘Pork the Other White Meat,’ we’re talking about launching a brand of that type of scale and magnitude.”

DRC Appeals Dairy Farm Permit – Dakota Resource Council is appealing the state permit for the Riverview Dairy project in southeastern North Dakota. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality approved the permit for the 12,500-cow operation in early January. The Dakota Resource Council claims the state failed to consider potential water quality issues.

ND Gelbvieh Association Spotlight – In the latest edition of the North Dakota Gelbvieh Association Spotlight, American Gelbvieh Association Executive Director Harold Bertz is our guest. There’s been a lot of focus on the maternal influence of the Gelbvieh breed, Bertz says there is also a story to be told about the feedlot and carcass characteristics. “Gelbvieh will keep those carcasses big and put some yield grade in them,” said Bertz. “No breed does everything, but I think Gelbvieh gets as close as any of them.” Click here and listen to the report.

HPAI Confirmed in Crow Wing County – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been confirmed in a poultry flock in Crow Wing County. The site was quarantined, and the 120 birds were destroyed. This follows a confirmation of avian flu in Wadena County last month.

RFA Issues Emergency – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Rural Finance Authority has declared an emergency, due to animal disease outbreaks. Zero-percent disaster recovery loans are available for farmers who sustained disease-related livestock losses between now and a year from now. The three diseases cited are highly pathogenic avian influenza, the H5N1 virus and avian Metapneumovirus.

Too Dry, Too Wet – US Commodities Preside Don Roose recently traveled to South America and got a firsthand look at crop conditions. Conditions range from too wet to very dry in parts of Brazil and Argentina. “It’s a big country from Brazil down to Argentina so you have everything,” said Roose. “A big issue is the dryness in southern Brazil and in northern Argentina, but, it may be stabilizing there, we’ll see. In the North, there’s a lot of dirt roads and those roads are muddy when they have these rains.” Despite the slow state of harvest, it’s going to be a big crop. “There’s a lot of 60 to 70 bushel yields; it’s not like you’re looking at 40 bushel yields. I think we’re still talking about a soybean crop that is 170 million metric tons in Brazil, that is a 6.2 billion bushel crop.”

Planting Plans to be Surveyed – USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service will mail its Prospective Planting survey Tuesday. The survey will ask farmers to provide information about the types of crops they intend to plant, how many acres they intend to plant, and the amount of grain and oilseeds stored on the farm. The information will be used in USDA’s March Prospective Plantings Report. Farmers who do not respond by February 27 may be contacted for a telephone interview.

FFA Week: A Life-Long Impact – Sadie Frey is a communications specialist for Agtegra Farm Cooperative and is based in Aberdeen. Her home FFA chapter was the Northwestern Area FFA in Mellette, South Dakota. Frey’s high school didn’t have an FFA chapter until her junior year. “My journey began a lot later than most FFA kids,” remembers Frey. “My dad had been involved in FFA when he was in high school and he worked for many years trying to get an FFA chapter established.” Frey served as a state officer in 2019-2020 and is now a member of the South Dakota FFA adult board of directors and coaches a chapter meat judging team. FFA made a long-term impact on her life. “The leadership development is something I think every FFA member can say it helped them excel. whether that is in public speaking or just being able to know how to run a meeting.” Click here to listen to the full interview.

Breaking Barriers – FFA was not an option when University of Minnesota-Crookston Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause was in high school, but she has a unique distinction. “I’m quite sure I was the first female vocational agriculture teacher in the State of Iowa.” Holz-Claus continues to see the benefits of the FFA organization today. “When I’m in a meeting, I look around and ask if anyone had been in FFA, especially when we need that parliamentarian because one of the skill sets FFA provides to students is those leadership skills.” FFA and agricultural education sets the foundation for life-long learning. “The blue and gold is based on a fundamental belief for students to see themselves as leaders and build confidence.” Click here to listen to the full interview.

Beet Stock Values – American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock continues to trade in the mid $5,000s per share. According to Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke, last week 223 shares were brokered at $5,500 per share.

Crop Insurance Changes for ’25 – As sugarbeet farmers make crop insurance decisions, Countryside Insurance Agency owner Jennifer Otteson said enterprise units are now an option. For the first time, this decision can be made by county and by entity. “This should be looked at very carefully based on what you’re going to plant or where you’re going to plant each acre. It might be a good thing if you have two fields and they’re across the road from each other but if you’re spread out a lot, it might be a little scary, but something to consider.” Federal crop insurance is also adjusting high-dollar reviews to include Prevented Plating and any SCO or ECO losses. “It’s very easy to trigger a high-dollar review so that’s even more important to have your records kept well.” Countryside Insurance Agency hosted a crop insurance meeting in Reynolds.

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. This week, MDA’s Jessica Jurcek talks about the soil health financial assistance program. Click here to listen. 

Talking Conservation: Myron Sylling – Myron Sylling is a no-till farmer in the bluff country of southeastern Minnesota. “Over the years with no-till and adding cover crops, the difference is really stark.” Sylling has seen noticeable changes in soil structure and organic matter. There has also been “an explosion of earthworms.” Sylling is a cover crop coach with Farmers for Soil Health, sharing his experiences with cover crops. “All of us want to see the farm succeed in using cover crops.” Talking Conservation is a presentation of Farmers for Soil Health, the Conservation Technology Information Center, the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and the Red River Farm Network. Watch the interview on RRFN’s YouTube channel or listen to the podcast.

Quality Results Released for National Wheat Yield Contest – The National Wheat Yield Contest considers more than just bushels. It also looks at quality characteristics with test weight, protein, flour and baking data. There is one quality winner in the quality division from North Dakota. Austin Kautzman at Mott had a protein content of nearly 14 percent, a falling number of 3.99 and excellent baking characteristics. “People really should get involved because the growers that have been doing this contest are telling me that they have raised the yields on their own farm, some are telling me 20 bushels per acre,” said Anne Osborne, who oversees the contest for the National Wheat Foundation. “If growers get involved in the contest, it’s about what they’re learning and how they can do better high yields and high quality. The winners will be recognized at Commodity Classic in Denver.

Super Bowl Ad Lineup Included 3 Farm Daughters – The 3 Farm Daughters pasta company in Grand Forks was featured in a Super Bowl ad. Co-founder Mollie Ficocello said Google contacted the farm-based company for its 50 states, 50 stories campaign. “They featured their Google AI program called Gemini; we’ve been using that in our company and they were trying to learn more about how Google has helped our business,” said Ficocello. “They really honed in on the story of the family and the farm and how we’re able to work remotely using the Google Workspace. They sent a production group up here to shoot. We did one day of footage and they put it all together. It was a fun little surprise.”

Twin Ports Moved More Grain in ’24 – Grain shipments out of the Port of Duluth-Superior this past year reached levels not seen since 2020. The tonnage totaled 784,000 short-tons. Spring wheat led the way, tripling the total seen one year ago. In addition to wheat, the shipments out of the port include durum, sugarbeet pulp pellets, flax and canola.

ND Miller, ND Williams Released – The North Dakota Crop Improvement and Seed Association will release two new oat varieties this spring. ND Miller and ND Williams both have good yield potential, good test weight and resistance to crown rust. The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Stations developed the varieties.

Additional Crop Rotation Flexibility – The EPA has approved a label expansion for Adastrio fungicide and now includes soybeans as a labeled crop. Growers who applied Adastrio to corn in the previous season can now plant soybeans the following season without the previous 12-month plant-back interval. It has broad-spectrum foliar disease protection with long-lasting residual control and a low-use rate. Adastrio is a FMC product.

Value Beyond Yield – In a volatile marketplace, specialty contracts may be an option for farmers to safeguard against price fluctuations and see a more predictable revenue stream. Nuseed Field Sales Manager Trygg Olson says the Nuseed Omega-3 Canola Production System has been in demand. “It is a closed-loop, identity-preserved contract,” said Olson. “There’s definitely stewardship boundaries that have to be followed, but when a grower looks at the whole production system there are some really nice benefits.” This program began three years ago in east-central and north-central Montana. This past year, it moved east into northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. For 2025, contracting is done. To learn more, listen to the full interview with Olson. 

Major Acquistion Coming in Grain Brokerage Business – As of February 28, Advance Trading will become part of CIH Trading. Advance Trading customers have received a letter with the news. CIH, also known as Commodity and Ingredient Hedging, is headquartered in Chicago. CIH was established in 1999 and concentrates on market consulting, insurance and technology-based risk management programs. A private equity firm made a significant investment in CIH three years ago. Advance Trading is based in Bloomington, Illinois and focuses on commercial and producer clients.

Zoetis Adds to its Portfolio – Zoetis has acquired the marketing rights for Loncor 300 from Elanco. This broad-spectrum antibiotic is used to treat respiratory disease and foot rot in cattle. Zoetis will begin marketing Loncor 300 this quarter and new packaging will come to market later this year.

4Q Profits Up for Pilgrim’s Pride – Pilgrim’s Pride reported a $236 million profit for the fourth quarter, up from $135 million in the previous year. Company officials cite lower feed costs and strong chicken demand for the improvement in profitability.

Deere Reports 1Q Financials – Deere and Company reports fiscal 2025 first quarter net income of $869 million, down from $1.75 billion in 2024. Sales fell 30 percent to $8.5 billion. Deere says it expects 2025 sales at its production and precision agricultural division to fall 15 to 20 percent in fiscal 2025. Operating profit for the quarter was down 68 percent to $338 million.

Precision Planter Upgrades for Deere – John Deere has released two new planter upgrade options; MaxEmerge 5e and ExactEmerge. The new precision upgrade gives farmers with a 2015 or newer John Deere MaxEmerge or MaxEmerge 5e planter the ability to convert to ExactEmerge without having to purchase new row units. There is also an upgrade that replaces the existing mechanical drive on newer John Deere planters with the electric drive MaxEmerge 5e meter.

Jobs Cut at CNH Benson – A total of 175 jobs are being cut from the CNH manufacturing plant at Benson, Minnesota. An estimated 225 employees are expected to remain on the job. This plant manufactures sprayers, floaters and cotton pickers.

AGCO-SDF Collaboration – Georgia-based farm machinery manufacturer, AGCO, has announced a supply agreement with Italian company, SDF, to produce low to mid-range horsepower tractors. Beginning this summer, SDF will produce a streamlined low to mid-range tractor portfolio for AGCO’s Massey Ferguson brand.

New Small Square Baler on the Market – AGCO has introduced the new Massey Ferguson SB 1436DB small square baler. It produces two rows of bales per field pass, reducing labor, equipment and fuel costs while increasing productivity.

Additional Nominees Named for USDA – President Donald Trump is out with a large number of nominees. That list includes Tyler Clarkson to be USDA’s general counsel; Scott Hutchins to serve as the undersecretary for research, education and economics and Brian Quintenz to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Clarkson was the Agriculture Department’s deputy general counsel during the first Trump administration. Hutchins was the deputy undersecretary for research, education and economics during the first go-round and Quintenz was a CFTC commissioner from 2017 to 2021 and is now part of a crypto venture fund.

NCGA Hires New Biofuels Director – Lane Howard has joined the National Corn Growers Association as its director of biofuels. Most recently, Howard managed the market development portfolio for the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council and Missouri Corn Growers Association.

ASGA Welcomes Cummins – Danielle Cummins is the new membership engagement director for the American Seed Trade Association. Most recently, Cummins was an account executive and senior intelligence analyst for The Directions Group, formerly known as Aimpoint Research.

Conservation Excellence Recognized – The National Association of Conservation Districts has presented regional awards for conservation excellence to Darrin Olin of Mott, North Dakota and Heaton Ranches of McKenzie, North Dakota.

MN State Conservationist Receives National Award – At the National Association of State Conservation Agencies has named Troy Daniell as the 2024 Outstanding State Conservationist. Daniell has been Minnesota’s state conservationist since 2018. Earlier in his career, Daniell spent time as a conservationist at the district and state levels in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Illinois.

Mensink Honored for Environmental Stewardship – The Minnesota Pork Board Environmental Steward Award winner for 2025 is Dave Mensink. Mensink, who farms in Preston, Minnesota, says that water management has been a focus for their operation.  “The way we farm now is so much different from how it was done in the days of my father. I feel so much more environmentally responsible.”

Promoting Pork: Welter Leads the Way in Minnesota – Stewartville, Minnesota pig farmer Myrna Welter spends much of her time advocating on behalf of pork producers throughout the state. That work was recognized at the Minnesota Pork Congress with her recognition as the Pork Promoter of the Year. “I just like to be out and about in the community sharing our pork story and I like to also share it in unique ways with consumers and people in our community.” Welter takes her message to the classroom and the grocery store. “If anyone has any questions about cooking pork, we’re there to help answer them,” said Werner. “The last time we were at a grocery store, we did a promotion called Show Me the Pork and we had recipes available for everyone to try new and different ways of cooking pork.”

Agriculturalist of the Year – The NDSU Saddle and Sirloin Club paid tribute to former NDSU Extension Veterinarian and Livestock Stewardship Specialist Gerry Stokka over the weekend, recognizing him as the Agriculturalist of the Year. “My main goal and purpose has always been to talk about the importance of livestock, and for me, that’s primarily cattle, for the economy and also the people that take care of them,” said Stokka. “We’ve done a lot of other things at NDSU, K-State and elsewhere; it’s been an interesting ride and I don’t think it’s over yet.” The recognition was part of the NDSU Little International.

Sundeen Earns CCA Award – The North Dakota Certified Crop Advisor program has honored Pioneer Field Agronomist Kristie Sundeen as its certified crop advisor of the year. Sundeen has been with Pioneer since 2019. Before that, she worked for Bayer, BASF, CHS and as an independent crop consultant.