Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve – That’s the FFA motto, It speaks to the core values found within the ‘blue and gold.’ Anyone who has worn the corduroy jacket, understand the positive impact this organization has had on our lives. During this National FFA Week, the Red River Farm Network hears from FFA alumni and learn more about the FFA’s influence on their lives. Thanks to the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council, Proseed, Nutrien Ag Solutions and the Northern Canola Growers Association for supporting this special National FFA Week series.

Debt Ceiling Debate, Presidential Politics May Influence Farm Bill Schedule – Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar remains optimistic the farm bill can be completed this year. If the legislation lapses into next year, it could get bogged down by presidential politics. The current debt ceiling debate may also influence the farm bill process. “With that drama extended, it just takes up everyone’s bandwidth,” said Klobuchar. “You could fall behind on the farm bill and if it is allowed to lapse, it could really hurt the economy in Rural America. That’s a very good question because I think it could mess with the timing and would mean that farm payments weren’t going out.” Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow is not seeking reelection in 2024 and Klobuchar would be next in line for that role.

Uphill Climb for 2023 Farm Bill – Passing a new farm bill out of the House will be an uphill battle. Former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota made that point in a farm bill discussion at the Northern Corn and Soybean Expo. Heitkamp is not sure the farm bill will find the finish line this year. “I would love to be surprised, but given how divided the House majority is, I think it will be extremely hard to build a moderate coalition to get this done.” Heitkamp cited the challenges seen with the election of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Updated Reference Prices and Base Acres on the Wish List – The farm bill is the primary focus for the American Soybean Association. ASA Vice President Josh Gackle sees the value in educating lawmakers about this important legislation. “There are well over 200 new members of Congress between the House and the Senate that have very little exposure to a farm bill. Sharing what’s worked in the past and what we need to update will be a focus.” Gackle, who farms at Kulm, North Dakota, says ASA hopes to update reference prices and base acres.

CBO Baseline Projections Released – The farm bill process can now ramp up with the release of the Congressional Budget Office baseline numbers. An analysis by the House Agriculture Committee indicates spending for commodity programs will decline 12 percent from the 2018 farm bill. Mandatory spending for federal crop insurance is forecast to increase 26 percent; conservation expenditures will go up 19 percent. Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘G.T.’ Thompson responded to the CBO report, saying farm policies need to be updated to address record high input costs and volatile markets.

SNAP Benefits to Increase Dramatically – According to the CBO baseline, mandatory spending on nutrition programs will increase more than 80 percent. Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman blames the Biden Administration for what he calls a “sloppy” reevaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan. That plan serves as the basis for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Boozman said the administration’s poor decision making will drive the cost of the new farm bill to record levels and making the legislation “a much heavier lift for Congress.”

SD Corn Comments – In this week’s edition of South Dakota Corn Comments, South Dakota Corn Executive Director DaNita Murray provides an update on Farm Bill work and explains the historical value of putting together a Farm Bill.

Deficit Continues to Grow – Without action to raise the debt ceiling, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says the United States could default on its debt as soon as July. CBO Director Phillip Swagel also reported the U.S. deficit totals $1.4 trillion. “The federal debt held by the public is projected to rise from 98 percent of GDP in 2023 to 118 percent in 2033,” said Swagel. “Over that period, the growth of interest costs and mandatory spending outpaces the growth of revenue. Those factors persist beyond 2033 pushing federal debt higher still to 195 percent of GDP in 2053.”

Crop Insurance Changes Recommended – The Government Accountability Office has released two reports dealing with crop insurance. One report was requested by Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and recommends climate-resilient farming practices be required to receive crop insurance benefits. The other GAO report calls for a reduction in the underwriting compensation for crop insurance companies and a means test based on adjusted gross income for farmers to qualify for the risk management program.

A Critical Risk Management Tool – Due to trade retaliation, the pandemic and weather, ad hoc disaster payments to farmers ramped up in recent years. Torrey Advisory Group Executive Vice President Tara Smith says a steady, reliable farm safety net is favored over ad hoc assistance. “The bottomline is ad hoc disaster programs come after the fact; they tend to be slow in rollout; they can be somewhat inconsistent and you can’t take them to the bank because you don’t know what they’re going to look like going into a growing season.” House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders are committed to passing the new farm bill this year. Smith says that timeline is doable. “As a former Senate Agriculture Committee staffer, I would never read against the committee so I am hopeful.”

WOTUS Litigation Resurfaces – Twenty-four states, including North Dakota and South Dakota, are suing the Environmental Protection Agency over its new Waters of the United States rule. The attorneys general claim the rule is too restrictive and may end up hurting farmers, ranchers and other landowners. The U.S. Supreme Court heard a WOTUS-related lawsuit last fall and is expected to issue its opinion soon.

Sabotage – The Ukrainian government is claiming Russia is sabotaging the inspections of the ships heading to its ports. A total of 145 vessels are in line for inspection with 122 of those ships heading to the Ukrainian ports to pick up grain. The inspection process is part of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and includes participation from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations. Ukraine alleges Russia is intentionally slowing down those inspections.

Black Sea Grain Initiative Up for Renewal in March – This agreement allows grain to move out of Black Sea ports and was put together by the United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia. Negotiations for an extension will begin this week. Those talks may be complicated by Ukrainian accusations that Russia is delaying inspections of these ships. Russia wants sanctions on its agricultural exports to end, which may also be a hurdle in the negotiations.

U.S.-China Tensions – Tensions between the United States and China are on a low boil. The U.S. is warning China against supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia. This is the latest skirmish between the two superpowers following the downing of the Chinese surveillance balloon. China is the top export market for U.S. agriculture, accounting for a record $33 billion in sales this past year. That’s up 25 percent from 2020.

Competition, Not Conflict – On Thursday, President Joe Biden shed some light on the aerial objects shot down this month, including the Chinese surveillance balloon. Biden said there is no evidence the three smaller balloons were for anything more than scientific research or recreation. China is U.S. agriculture’s biggest customer and Biden spoke about the relationship between the two countries. “We seek competition, not conflict with China; we’re not looking for a new Cold War.”

Mexican GMO Corn Ban Update – Mexico has dropped its proposed ban on the biotech corn imports used for livestock feed and industrial food production. However, Mexico has no plans to accept biotech corn for human consumption. Mexico will also ban the use of glyphosate with that transition plan in place until the end of March, 2024.

What’s Mexico’s End Game? – Mexico will continue to ban GMO corn imports for human consumption, but allow GMO corn for feed and fuel use. Van Ahn and Company market analyst Steve Witt wonders how this recent position is any different from the previous proposal. “They said they would look to South America to fill their non-GM corn needs, but South America said ‘sorry, we grow the same thing as the U.S.’ so I just don’t know their end game.”

A Reliable Supplier – Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council Chair Doug Albin is hopeful the Mexico GMO issue will get resolved. “I think the realization that our exports are based on science will keep us as a reliable supplier.” Albin was part of the U.S. Grains Council annual conference in Savannah, Georgia. Increased funding for foreign market development programs in the next farm bill is also a priority.

MN Wheat Minute – Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers CEO Charlie Vogel talks about a bill related to increased funding in FMD and MAP programs in this week’s Minnesota Wheat Minute.

USTR Renews Canadian Dairy Policy Challenge – The United States is challenging Canada’s use of dairy tariff-rate-quotas through the U.S.-Mexico-Canada dispute settlement panel. “We would expect to have a response and a finding from the panel in 2023,” said Doug McKalip, U.S. ag trade ambassador. “We think our dairy farmers are in a very solid position.

USDA Projects Farm Exports to Shrink Over Next 3 Years – The USDA has projected that a global economic slowdown combined with inflation and higher interest rates will erode U.S. food and agriculture exports by 12 percent through 2026. Exports would decline across the board, with grains and soybeans hit the hardest, but a rebound is expected to begin in 2027. USDA says imports would also be affected by the worldwide slowdown but would recover by the end of the decade.

RRFN Interview: Dr. David Kohl – The Consumer Price Index rose 6.4 percent over the past year. “That tells me the Fed is going to continue to raise interest rates, but probably by a quarter percent rather than 50 basis points,” said Dr. David Kohl, professor emeritus, Virginia Tech. “That also tells me food inflation is still very, very prevalent.” The Red River Farm Network sat down with Kohl for an interview after his presentation at the Northern Corn and Soybean Expo. Kohl cited the University of Minnesota Center for Farm Financial Management FINBIN database and said even the bottom 20 percent of farmers are making money. “Every time we see that bottom 20 percent making money, you’ll have problems in the industry within two or three years because it brings in the inefficient. What is scary this time is a lot of that profit is government money and that won’t be reoccurring.”

Farmland Values Remain Strong – According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Ag Credit Survey, farmland values continued to increase in 2022. The value of non-irrigated farmland rose nine percent from the previous year. Rental rates for all types of farmland increased 12 percent. The farm financial position has been helped by several years of strong income. Loan repayment rates are improving at a gradual pace. However, the number of farm borrowers seeing an extension or renewal is up slightly from one year ago.

An Active Spring Weather Pattern – An active weather pattern is expected this spring. “That’s good news because it is going to help return the moisture,” said Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist, Nutrien Ag Solutions. “Bad news is that an active spring weather pattern means severe weather and possibly tighter planting windows. It’s a balance, right? I’d rather have the tighter (planting) windows and not have to worry about moisture in July.” Snodgrass was part of the program at the Northern Corn and Soybean Expo in Fargo.

One Chance – Dekalb-Asgrow Technical Agronomist Grant Mehring says it’s not too early to begin preparing for spring planting. “We’re two-to-three months out, but it’s not too soon to think about what we’re going to plant. I see a lot of farmers in the shop getting their planters ready.” Mehring bellieves a quick refresher about the needs of each crop grown will pay big dividends. “We only have one chance of good seed-to-soil contact.”

Corn Matters – The Soil Health Grant program deadline is Monday, February 6, 2023. Hear more from Minnesota Corn Growers Association past president Bryan Biegler in the latest Corn Matters.

Fertilizer Watching Global News – At the Northern Corn and Soybean Expo in Fargo, StoneX Director of Fertilizer Josh Linville said he expects spring fertilizer prices to be more stable than last year with supply chain issues subsiding. Linville stressed the importance of watching the headlines. “Russian and Chinese export levels play a major role in providing fertilizer to the world, so we have to know what’s going on there to know what’s going to happen here.”

North Dakota Legislative Report – In this week’s North Dakota Legislative Report, North Dakota Farmers Union Government Relations Director Matt Perdue says agricultural interests are hard at work as the crossover break approaches. “One area where we are making amazing progress is funding for a new ag field lab facility at NDSU which is critical to their seed and breeding research.” A sustainable funding source for county and township roads is expected to be a big topic during the second portion of the session.

Advocating for a Healthy Ag Budget – Minnesota’s February budget forecast will likely push the budget surplus beyond the current record level of $18 billion. “That will be good news if we have an increase,” said House Agriculture Committee Chair Samantha Vang. “What is most important for me is advocating for a healthy ag budget so we can do good things.” Priorities include climate resiliency, meat processing and support for next-generation farmers.

Grain Indemnity Fund Spurs Debate – Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen delivered a report on the grain indemnity fund during a House Agriculture Committee hearing. “We’ve continued to have failures (and) the thing that stood out to me was our Attorney General’s office comment that Minnesota has one of the worst protections for farmers in the Upper Midwest.” This issue was prompted by the closure of grain elevators, such as Karlstad, Ashby and Porter. State Representative Rick Hanson questioned a perceived bailout for farmers. “I don’t want only three grain buyers, so there has to be diversity, but there’s an entitlement that the taxpayers are picking up.”

Foreign Farmland Ownership Bill Advances in Pierre – The South Dakota Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee unanimously gave its support to a proposal to restrict foreign ownership of farmland. “We know farmers and ranchers in South Dakota don’t want the Chinese Communist Party as our neighbors,” said Senator Erin Tobin, who is the bill’s sponsor. “We have to take every possible step to prevent this from happening.” All of the major South Dakota farm groups testified against this bill. South Dakota Farm Bureau President Scott VanderWal said his membership believes in American ownership of farmland. “We don’t disagree with the intent of this bill at all, but after reviewing the mechanics of the bill we have concerns.” Senate Bill 185 would establish a five-member committee with power to investigate ag land sales and leases. This committee would then make a recommendation to the governor, who would have sole authority to approve or deny the land sale or lease. “This grants unilateral authority to one person, something that Farm Bureau, regardless of the issue, is deeply concerned about.”

Seeking Protection From Ag Nuisance Lawsuits – The South Dakota Senate Judiciary Committee support a bill being advanced by Governor Kristi Noem to protect farmers from nuisance lawsuits. The full Senate is expected to take up the issue this week.

Dry Bean Scene – NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist Michael Wunsch joins us to talk about the key to controlling white mold in this week’s Dry Bean Scene. The Dry Bean Scene is sponsored by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association.

River Levels Return to Normal – Water levels along the Mississippi River made headlines last year. Soy Transportation Coalition Executive Director Mike Steenhoek says transportation along the river is returning to normal. “We have seen about a significant improvement, but that is something we’ll continue to monitor,” said Steenhoek. “If we return to a lack of precipitation and less water being funneled into our navigable rivers, we could clearly have a return to that challenging position.”

Argentina Outlook Adds Fuel to the Fire – Farmers Business Network Chief Economist Kevin McNew says there’s a lot of optimism around the corn market. “Between the U.S. dollar strength and transportation struggles, it’s been a struggle in the last year to see corn get exported to world buyers.” With transportation hick-ups that plagued 2022 leveling out and exports markets gaining interest, McNew says he’ll be looking for solid prices in 2023 corn. “The other thing is the struggles that Argentina is having with their growing season that could add more fuel to the fire.”

Price Spike Still Possible – Fertilizer prices started out 2023 on a downward trend. CoBank Lead Grain and Farm Supply Analyst Ken Zuckerberg says geopolitical factors may cause another spike in prices. “If Russia restricts natural gas to Europe, I think prices are going to spike which will cause fertilizer prices to spike as well.” Zuckerberg says fertilizer prices shouldn’t have much of an effect on what farmers plant this spring. In many cases, farmers have locked in their spring fertilizer needs.

USDA Announces CRP Enrollment Period – The next general signup for the Conservation Reserve Program begins February 27 and will continue through April 7. There are 23 million acres in CRP with nearly two million acres expiring this year. USDA’s goal is to reach 27 million acres this year.

CRP Enrollment Period Opens Next Week – North Dakota Farm Service Agency Executive Director Marcy Svenningsen says this enrollment includes both new and expiring Conservation Reserve Program offers. Even with high commodity prices, Svenningsen feels there’s still value in putting land into CRP. “The FSA introduced a program which includes higher rental payments and more incentives for farmers to take up environmental practices so there are things they can do to increase the value of that CRP. Marginal land can be put into this program if you’re not willing to put up with the higher input costs.” The deadline for CRP applications is April 7, 2023.

Ducheneaux Discusses CRP, ERP Phase II and More – Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux sees the 27 million acre cap for the Conservation Reserve Program as a target. Ducheneaux does not believe CRP enrollment will not be influenced by high commodity prices. In the past, high CRP participation was linked to a downturn in rural community population, but Ducheneaux disagrees with that premise. “I guess I hadn’t heard anything about a negative impact but I guess I can see where that might be something that’s asserted,” said Ducheneaux. “I think as much as anything, the negative impact on these rural communities has been the ‘get big or get out’ mantra.” Ducheneaux said the Biden Administration is working to help small farms and having more small producers is better for rural communities because it retains population. Duscheneaux was part of the Pheasant Fest program this weekend in the Twin Cities. Listen to the full interview.

Broadcasting Live From Red River Watershed Management Board Conference – The Red River Watershed Management Board/Red River Basin Flood Damage Reduction Work Group Annual Joint Conference will be held Tuesday and Wednesday in Moorhead. Seven watersheds from within the region make up the RRWMB. The Red River Farm Network will broadcast live from this conference Wednesday from 12:30-1 PM. In these updates, listen for the latest water management success stories in the Red River Basin.

NASDA Meets for Winter Policy Conference – The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture is taking ‘action steps’ on key policy initiatives. North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring feels NASDA is taking a productive position on federal issues. “NASDA is taking a hard position on EPA’s ‘sue and settle’ consent decrees that the agency is so willing to rush into right away with activists and then it forces changes on labels, on registrations and it has even led to some cancellations of products.”

Climate-Smart Conservation Funding Available – USDA is making funds available for farmers who participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the Inflation Reduction Act provided additional funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. Applications for land and wetland easements for this funding cycle must be submitted by March 17.

EPA Amends Dicamba Labels in SD, IA, IL, IN – The EPA has adjusted the deadline for spraying dicamba in four states nationwide, including South Dakota. For South Dakota, the deadline has tightened up from June 30 to June 20. June 12 is the new deadline in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. The EPA said the decision was made to reduce the risk of drift. The agency said it is still evaluating all options to address dicamba-related issues.

Bids Available from Green Bison Crush Plant – Green Bison Soy Processing is on track to be operational for the 2023 harvest season. President Mike Keller says bids are being accepted for the Spiritwood, North Dakota plant. “We have bids available for our producer and our elevator accounts. They can get a hold of us if they’re interested in setting up accounts, which I would recommend.” ADM owns 75 percent of this project with the remaining 25 percent belonging to Marathon Oil for the renewable green diesel. “North Dakota generally produces around 200 to 225 million bushels of soybeans per year and our facility in Spiritwood will consume less than 25 percent of that so the export channels will remain.”

Epitome Energy Partners with Investment Bank – Epitome Energy has announced it has secured California based Cappello Global LLC has its investment bank to explore strategic and financial institutional funding alternatives to construct and operated the planned soybean crush facility in Grand Forks. Epitome Energy CEO Dennis Egan says this partnership between Epitome and Cappello is the latest step forward for the soybean crush facility.

Pipeline Project Plans – Summit Carbon Solutions has secured easements to build its pipeline on two-thirds of the proposed route in Iowa. The company released that information to legislators. The pipeline will take carbon from ethanol plants in five states and store it underground in western North Dakota. In North Dakota, the Public Utilities Commission has scheduled four public hearings to take input on the pipeline project.

Canola Minute – This week, we hear from Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman discuss funding for winter canola inclusion into a biofuel model. Tune into this week’s Canola Minute to hear more.

New MN Record for E15 – For the first time in history, annual E15 sales in Minnesota topped the 100-million-gallon threshold in 2022. Nearly 105.5 million gallons were sold last year. That represents a 21 percent increase from the previous record of 87 million gallons in 2021.

NDSU Releases Crop Budgets – NDSU released its projected crop budgets for 2023, which vary by region and crop.  NDSU Extension Farm Management Specialist Ron Haugen says according to their budgets farmers should make a decent profit across most crops. “There’s a few crops in the negative, but generally they look good because commodity prices are relatively high even with inputs getting expensive.” Haugen says expenses for the upcoming year are more certain so calculating budgets should be easier compared to last year. “Things were so volatile with the war, the upturn in fuel prices, and fertilizer challenges, so it was harder to budget.”

Beet Stock Values – According to Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke, there were nine American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock-brokered trades last week totaling 387 shares at an average price of $4,462.92 per share.

Farm Numbers Decline in MN, ND; Unchanged in SD – There are just over two million farms nationwide, down 9,000 from last year. Minnesota has 67,100 farms, down 300 from 2021. In North Dakota, there’s 25,900 farmers. That’s down 100 farms from one year ago. USDA is estimating South Dakota has 29,400 farms, unchanged from last year. The average farm size in the United States is 446 acres. In Minnesota, the average farm size is 379 acres. North Dakota has larger farms, with an average size of 1,514 acres. The South Dakota average is 1,469 acres.

ND Ag Groups Support Wetland Bank – Six farm groups make up the North Dakota Agricultural Mitigation wetland bank. This coalition includes Farm Bureau, Farmers Union and commodity groups representing corn, soybeans, grain and durum. Stantec is contracted to work with landowners willing to enroll in the wetland bank. There are financial incentives available for those participating in this effort. “People who have drainage issues need to move that water to other areas and NDAM provides a direct financial incentive for anyone willing to enroll in the program,” said Matt Retka, senior soil scientist. “We do this work in some other nearby states and credits sell for upwards of $20,000 an acre.”

Soil Fertility Minute – On this week’s Soil Fertility Minute, sponsored by the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council, University of Minnesota Extension Nutrient Management Specialist Fabián Fernández discusses the pros and cons of polymer-coated urea.

MN Receives Grant Funds for High-Speed Internet – USDA has announced an investment of $63 million in high-speed internet access. That includes a $10 million grant for Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative in Minnesota. The funds will be used for a fiber-to-premises network in Hubbard, Itasca and St. Louis counties.

Seed and Ag Chem Companies in Court Over Loyalty Programs – A class action lawsuit over the use of loyalty programs in the seed and crop protection business has been moved to a federal court in North Carolina. A Texas farmer filed anti-trust action against Syngenta and Corteva last fall, claiming these companies have loyalty programs for its wholesalers and retailers which block them from selling less expensive generic products. The Federal Trade Commission and ten state attorneys general, including Minnesota’s Keith Ellison, are also part of this lawsuit.

Credit Goes to the Time Spent in a Blue Jacket – Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association President Neil Rockstad, who also serves as vice president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, credits his interest in leadership to time spent in the blue jacket at Ada, Minnesota. “Working with people with differing views, trying to attain the same goal is a skill I use every day and every aspect of life.” Rockstad competed in public speaking, parliamentary procedure and livestock judging. He also held leadership positions at the chapter, regional, and state levels. Rockstad says FFA helps people expand horizons. You realize that you have something to contribute on a little grander scale. FFA opened my eyes and that’s carried on to adulthood.” Listen to this update with Rockstad.

From Kansas to Corduroy – To celebrate youth in agriculture and agricultural education during National FFA Week, the Red River Farm Network is highlighting success stories of FFA Alumni from Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Originally from Kansas, Pam Tonnessen is a familiar face during North Dakota’s State FFA Convention. Tonnessen’s involvement in FFA actually started in her adulthood. “Growing up in Kansas, we didn’t have an FFA program in school so I didn’t get exposed until I started teaching in Granville in 1988. I was just in awe of what those FFA kids could do, they were the true leaders of our school.” After Tonnessen’s two kids got involved in FFA, she began volunteering every summer at the state office and is the North Dakota Alumni representative on the ND FFA Foundation board. “The one thing that hits me the hardest, is this is a passion for these kids that carries on. The kids in the blue jackets are who we want to be our future.” Pam and Terry Tonnessen were awarded the Honorary State FFA Degree in 2011. Listen to the full interview with Tonnesen by clicking here.

LIP Deadline Coming Up – The Livestock Indemnity Program application deadline is March 1. If a notice of loss has been filed, South Dakota Farm Service Agency Disaster Program Manager Logan Kopfmann says now is the time to get the rest of the documents submitted. “They had to have filed a notice of loss within 30 days of the loss. Documentation includes beginning inventory and death loss documentation that needs to be submitted to the county FSA.”  Payments should be distributed soon after applications are completed. “All FSA offices are different, but the payments should be distributed almost immediately.”

NCI Hosts Future of Feeding Webinar – The Northern Crops Institute is hosting another Future of Feeding Webinar Wednesday at 9 AM.  Janeth Colina, applied nutrition technologist, Insta-Pro International, will be presenting on High-Shear Dry Extruded Corn for Animal Feeding. This webinar series focuses on using innovation in the processing of animal food, equipment and the use of co-products from this region. Register online for the webinar.

Animal Ag Potential – North Dakota pig farmer Scott German was part of a panel discussing the animal agriculture industry during the Northern Corn and Soybean Expo. German sees great potential to expand the livestock sector in North Dakota, due to the availability of feed and the biosecurity needs for swine and poultry. “We just have to get to that cultural mindset that animal agriculture is good.” When considering new animal ag ventures, German encourages farmers to turn to the North Dakota Livestock Alliance and similar groups to help navigate the process.

Temperature Fluctuation Impacts Young Calves – The back-and-forth weather could  result in more health problems in calves. “The classical pneumonia case with the rollercoaster of temperatures will stimulate respiratory issues with younger animals,” said Zac Carlson, beef cattle specialist, NDSU Extension. Carlson reminds producers to ensure there’s dry bedding and adequate feed.

Vaccination Program Benefits – A good vaccination program considers a livestock producers’ environment and herd management. An effective vaccination program delivers a positive return-on-investment. “Calves that have been well vaccinated will boost a buyer’s confidence and bring a premium,” explained Thatch Winslow, beef cattle veterinarian, Elanco Animal Health.

MN Beef Update – Applications have opened up for the Top of the Class program. Minnesota Beef Council Director of Industry Relations Jon Dilworth discusses benefits of joining Top of the Class in the latest Minnesota Beef Update.

Growing Gut Health – Elanco Animal Health Beef Cattle Technical Consultant Frank White says there’s been a new focus on gut health in livestock and a live yeast may be the answer to promoting gut health. “We found that the gut is the first layer of immune protection and is important for the overall health of the animal.” White says cattle with a healthy gut are less prone to sickness and infections. Yeast can help with gut integrity and keep the gut lining strong during times of stress.

UM Researchers Announce ASF Breakthrough – University of Minnesota researchers have identified a breakthrough in in its efforts to develop mitigation strategies against African Swine Fever. University of Minnesota Associate Professor Declan Schroeder says a new study found ASF was able to survive up to 100 degrees Celsius when previously the virus was thought to be killed in temperatures around 60 degrees Celsius. “We discovered that 60 degrees Celsius isn’t good enough to kill it, so mitigation efforts can be changed accordingly.” University of Minnesota is one of only a handful of facilities in the U.S. to have access to the highly contagious virus pathogen. “In fact, we were the third university in the U.S. to be given permission to work on this virus and now there’s five others.”

Higher Income for CF Industries – CF Industries is reporting quarterly profits of $860 million. That’s up from $705 million in the same quarter last year. The fertilizer company said strong farm income and tight nitrogen supplies will help its bottomline in 2023.

1Q Income Up for Deere – Deere & Company reports first quarter net income of $1.9 billion, up from $903 million one year ago. Deere’s agriculture business enjoyed an uptick in sales due to improved shipment volumes and prices.

Record Net Earnings for Nutrien – In the fourth quarter, Nutrien had net earnings of $1.1 billion. Higher-than-anticipated fertilizer prices and record retail performance offset a reduction in fertilizer sales volume.

Otter Tail Corp. Financials Released – Otter Tail Corporation is reporting annual net income of $284 million, up from $177 million one year ago. Earnings from the electricity business segment increased ten percent. Otter Tail also announced it completed the purchase of the Ashtabula III wind farm in eastern North Dakota.

Income Up for Zoetis – For the full year, Zoetis reports net income of $2.1 billion. That’s up four percent from 2021. In the fourth quarter, net come totaled $461 million, up 11 percent from one year ago.

ForGround by Bayer Expands Regenerative Ag Platform – Bayer’s digital platform, ForGround, has announced the addition of Great Plains Ag, Sound Agriculture and EarthOptics to its network of companies working together on regenerative agricultural practices. ForGround offers a variety of tools, resources, discounts and the potential to earn income through the Bayer Carbon Program.

Optimum GLY Canola Available in ’23 – A new herbicide tolerant trait will be available this year for canola farmers. Corteva is launching Optimum GLY canola, which is a new, proprietary glyphosate trait technology. It is designed to have strong weed control and a wider window for application. Pioneer will have a limited supply available in the Northern Plains.

Job Opportunities in Agriculture – The Red River Farm Network encourages you to check out the Job Opportunities in Agriculture tab on our website. AURI, R.D. Offutt Farms and Dakota Ingredients are among those posting jobs right now. If your farm, company or organization is looking for high quality job candidates, contact RRFN’s Don Wick or Kolleen Wick to be featured in this multimedia job posting.

Lynch Livestock Sentenced in Hog Fraud Case – An Iowa company known as Lynch Livestock have been fined nearly $200,000 and ordered to pay over $3 million in restitution to farmers. Four of the company’s managers also pled guilty to federal fraud charges. For the last 20 years, Lynch Livestock officials allegedly directed staff to falsify scale tickets and invoices to pay less than what was due for the purchase of hogs. Lynch Livestock managers and employees also routinely shredded and burned any evidence of the fraud. The court said livestock producers from throughout the Midwest were victimized by this fraud. In a statement, Lynch Family Companies Chairman Gary Lynch said “the company has taken full responsibiity for all past sorting and weighing issues and we are ready to close this painful chapter.”

Torres Small Nominated for Deputy Ag Secretary Post – President Joe Biden has nominated Xochitl Torres Small to be the next Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. Torres Small is currently the USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development and previously represented New Mexico in Congress. Torres Small succeeds Deputy Secretary Jewell Bronaugh, who is stepping down. USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Administrator Kevin Shea will serve as the acting deputy secretary in the interim.

Olson Takes Newly-Created Rabo Role – Rabo AgriFinance has appointed Chris Olson as its Head of Rural. Most recently, Olson managed Rabo AgriFinance’s central territory.

Clean Fuels Hires Reed – Katherine Reed has been hired as th enew senior communications manager for Clean Fuels Alliance America. Most recently, Reed served in a similar role for the Friends of the Missouri Governor’s Mansion.

Appointments Made to National Potato Board – USDA has announced the appointment of 32 individuals to the National Potato Promotion Board. That list includes two growers from Minnesota, Sander Dagen of Karlstad and Casey Folson of East Grand Forks. North Dakota growers on the promotion and research board are David Fedje of Hoople and Tom Nilson of Hoople.

Imle to Lead NPGA – Peter Imle will succeed Hoople, North Dakota farmer David Fedje as chairman of the Northland Potato Growers Association. Imle is from Gonvick, Minnesota and is a certified potato seed grower.

Potato Growers to Present Meritorious Service Awards – The Northland Potato Growers Association will present its Industry Meritorious Service Award to North Dakota Certified Potato Program Field Supervisor Mike Oosterwijk. The Grower Meritorious Service Award is going to Brian Vculek of Crete, North Dakota. The awards will be presented during the Chairman’s Banquet Tuesday in Grand Forks.

Honors for McCarvel – The Pesticide Stewardship Alliance honored Bonnie McCarvel with its President’s Award. McCarvel is the TPSA operations manager and the executive director of the MidAmerica CropLife Association. McCarvel is a Minnesota native.

MN Pork Board Awards to be Presented Tonight – During this week’s Minnesota Pork Congress, the Minnesota Pork Board will present six major awards. Reuben Bode of Courtland will be recognized with the Distinguished Service Award. Adam Ziemke of Waseca will be honored as the Swine Manager of the Year. The Pork Promoter of the Year is Donnie Schoenrock of Jackson. Adam Barka of Sleepy Eye is the Environmental Steward of the Year. The Family of the Year is the Veldkamp Family of Jasper. State Representative Rod Hamilton, who did not seek reelection in 2022, will be recognized as the Legislator of Distinction.

Career News From NCBA DC Office – Sigrid Johannes has been promoted and will serve as director of government affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and director of the Public Lands Council. Most recently, Johannes was part of the NCBA communications team. Kelsea Forward has joined NCBA as the associated director of government affairs. Previously, Forward worked for the American Farm Bureau Federation.