Another High Stakes Week for Agriculture – This is one of those weeks when agriculture sits at the center of the national conversation. The Supreme Court ruling on tariffs was followed quickly by the imposition of new 10 percent global tariffs. The farm bill was scheduled to be marked up in the House Agriculture Committee this week, but that has been pushed back due to the weather hitting the East Coast. On Tuesday, we’ll have the State of the Union Address and the kickoff of the 30^th Annual Commodity Classic. RRFN is back in the studio today after coverage of the International Crop Expo and the USDA Ag Outlook Forum last week. RRFN’s Don Wick was the featured speaker at Friday’s Outlook Forum luncheon, highlighting the importance of trusted journalism and farm radio.

Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump violated federal law when he unilaterally imposed sweeping global tariff. In a 6-3 decision, the Court found the tariffs exceeded the authority granted to the executive branch. “The President asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope,” Chief Justic John Roberts wrote. “In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it.” The Court concluded that the emergency authority Trump relied upon “falls short,” rejecting the administration’s legal justification.

Farmers for Free Trade Weighs In on Court Ruling – Farmers for Free Trade Executive Director Brian Kuehl said the Supreme Court decision striking down President Trump’s tariff authority restores predictability to U.S. trade policy, noting that the tariffs had raised input costs and triggered retaliation that harmed farmers’ export markets. Kuehl warned against reimposing tariffs through other means and urged the administration to work with Congress to expand market access and pursue stable, farmer-friendly trade policies.

Dependable Market Access Needed – Following the Supreme Court’s vote against the Trump Administrations usage of blanket tariffs, American Soybean Association President Scott Metzger said soybean farmers have faced rising input costs due to tariffs. Metzger emphasized the need for certainty and dependable market access.

Trump-Xi Meeting Planned for March 31-April 2 – A summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will take place March 31 to April 2. The White House announced the official visit to Beijing on Friday morning before the Supreme Court issued its decision on the Trump tariffs. China stopped buying U.S. soybeans in May after Trump imposed retaliatory tariffs. Following negotiations in late 2025, China agreed to resume those purchases, committing to 12 million metric tons. Earlier this month, Trump said China would buy more American soybeans. The Supreme Court ruling now adds uncertainty about those sales.

USDA Seeks Input on USDA Data – The USDA Office of the Chief Economist plans and organizes the Agriculture Department’s Ag Outlook Forum. That office, along with the Economic Research Service and the National Agricultural Statistics Service, are responsible for the data used for crop reports and other agricultural forecasts. At the end of her speech at the Outlook Forum, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said their work has been the gold standard for market reporting. “However, we also know that there is plenty of room for improvement,” said Rollins. “As I have traveled the country and met with thousands of our farmers and ranchers, from our small guys to our bigger guys, one of the key things that keeps coming up is the questioning of how we put those numbers together and what we can do to make them improve. We want to ensure at USDA that we are framing the status of the market, not driving price outcomes. And that will be a major effort over the next year.” A request for information was issued in conjunction with the speech. January’s crop report included significant revisions to 2025 acreage, which brought fresh criticism from traders and farmers. Comments can be submitted until April 9.

Farm Bill Markup Delayed – With a major winter storm hitting the East Coast, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson postponed the markup of his farm bill proposal. Farm Bill 2.0 will now be heard in the committee next week.

Peterson: Policy, Isn’t the Problem, Its Politics – Former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson says the biggest challenge facing the ‘skinny’ farm bill is not policy, but politics. Peterson has reviewed Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson’s proposal and does not object to the overall direction. “I really don’t have any problem with what he’s trying to do in terms of policy,” Peterson said. “What I’d question is how you accomplish it?” He expects the bill could pass the House with Republican support, but the prospects in the Senate are far less certain. “The other thing that we need to admit is that this current farm policy program is not working,” he said. “We have had to do all these ad hoc things to try to bail people out for the last number of years. Anybody who says that what we’re doing with farm policy is working, they’re kidding themselves.” Peterson pointed to outdated base acre formulas, regional differences in production and growing reliance on supplemental payments as structural flaws that must be addressed.

Hoeven Outlines Senate Priorities for Farm Bill 2.0 – North Dakota Senator John Hoeven is aligned with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson on the direction of Farm Bill 2.0, but several Senate priorities remain. Hoeven, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, met with Thompson and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman ahead of its release. “We’re all on the same page.” One key addition he wants included is year-round E15. “That’s not in there, but if it doesn’t come over with that in there, we would want to attach that and get year-round E-15 included.” Hoeven also highlighted updates to farm lending programs, including increased loan limits for direct and guaranteed loans, as well as support for beginning farmers. Hoeven is also pushing for a five percent top-up on prevented plant payments if it is not resolved administratively with the USDA.

Wiesemeyer: House Farm Bill Faces Steep Hurdles – House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson’s farm bill proposal is facing significant political headwinds. According to Washington analyst Jim Wiesemeyer, early reaction suggests the proposal may struggle to gain enough support in the House. “All you have to do is look at the ranking member, Angie Craig, Democrat from Minnesota, comments. She said the Republican farm bill fails to meet the moment facing farmers and working people.” Wiesemeyer notes the legislation will need Democratic support.  “The reason you need Democratic votes is that there’ll be about 40 Republicans, if it ever gets to the House floor, that will vote against it for a variety of reasons,” he said. “So that’s why you have to look to the Democrats. I’m not going to rule it totally out, although I think that we’re looking at another extension by the time the year ends.”

NPC Welcomes Farm Bill Progress, But Relief is Needed – National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says there is “a lot to like” in House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson’s Farm Bill text, but significant work remains. Quarles credited Thompson and his staff for moving the process forward, noting Congress is now three years past the expiration of the 2018 Farm Bill.  At the same time, Quarles cautioned that the $1 billion in USDA specialty crop bridge assistance will fall well short of the sector’s needs. “The Trump administration has done this before in delivering disaster relief for specialty crops,” said Quarles. “They just need to reload those with new resources in partnership with Congress and get these family farms in a much better economic position.” Quarles said potato growers will be in Washington in the coming weeks for the council’s annual Washington Summit, with roughly 140 producers scheduled to meet with lawmakers, federal agencies and administration officials.

Pork Producers Back Plan to Curb Prop 12 – House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson’s Farm Bill 2.0 proposal included updates that would overturn or severely limit California’s Prop 12 impact on out-of-state producers. National Pork Producers Council President Duane Stateler said the move would greatly reduce costs for pork producers. “We’ve seen that our demand in California has gone down, and the biggest thing about it is our costs have risen in the past two years since this implementation of any work from 15 to about 40 percent, depending upon the cut, and all that does is cost consumers more money.” Stateler said there’s room on store shelves for both options. “They have the right if they want to have Prop 12 products in their meat case, but they shouldn’t force it upon producers in South Dakota and Minnesota and Iowa and Ohio on how they have to be produced.”

Farming for the Future – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is partnering with the Red River Farm Network and the Linder Farm Network to provide information on soil health events and topics. This week, MDA’s Allen Sommerfeld talks about the groundwater protection rule. Click here. 

‘Progress is Being Made’ – USDA Chief Economist Justin Benavidez, who has been on the job for a matter of weeks, oversaw the Agriculture Department’s annual outlook conference. Over the past ten years, Benavidez said agriculture has faced headwinds from large supplies interrupted by brief moments of price support from Black Swan events. What’s the outlook for 2026? “The story for the year is progress being made on price, not hitting it out of the park, not solving everyone’s problems in terms of pricing overnight, but prices generally expected to move modestly higher.” The USDA economist said the federal support will only increase this year. “Direct government payments here in 2026 are forecast at roughly $44 billion or 25 percent of net cash farm income.”

Surplus Supply – North Dakota Grain Growers Association Executive Director Nick Sinner participated in the USDA Ag Outlook Forum. After hearing projections about commodity prices, Sinner said his farmers will continue to face challenges this year. “The supply that we’ve got left out there that is being carried over is continuing to put downward pressure on the price of crops,” said Sinner. “You hate to wish for a disaster somewhere in the world, but sometimes that’s what corrects this market.”

Access to the U.S. Market is Not a Given – In the past, most countries did little to address the non-tariff barriers to U.S. farm commodities. Julie Callahan, who serves as the chief agricultural trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, says that has changed in the Trump Administration. “It’s really a unique opportunity to have a President that comes out and says access to the U.S. market should not be considered a given or a right,” said Callahan. “A lot of our trading partners in the past have felt that they could treat American companies and American farmers as badly as they wanted, and they would still have access to our market. Now we have a President who’s willing to police that market and say, if you’re not treating our farmers appropriately, you’re going to have consequences.” Callahan was part of the kickoff of the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum.

All Regions Projected to See Higher Net Farm Income – U.S. net cash farm income is forecast to increase three percent this year. This figure varies by region. The Northern Great Plains and Heartland areas, which would include the Dakotas, are forecast to see a 22 percent increase in average net farm income. The so-called Northern Cresent includes Minnesota, Wisconsin into the northeastern United States. Income in this area is expected to be up only four percent, due to the influence of a difficult dairy economy. Carrie Litowski leads the farm income team at USDA’s Economic Research Service and said farm input costs are being called ‘flat’ for the year ahead. “They are expected to remain elevated from 2025 into 2026 after rising significantly in 2022.”

Not a Farm Crisis – The storyline for 2026 has been about a farm economy that is in a near-crisis situation. According to Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Senior Vice President Nathan Kauffman, that narrative is too negative. The reasons cited includes the strength of the overall U.S. economy, the profitability seen on the farm earlier this decade and government support. “I don’t want to diminish the idea that there’s been some amount of increase (in financial stress), and that’s to be expected in an environment when profits are low, and costs still quite high,” said Kauffman.  Loan delinquency rates they’ve inched up, but only slightly. “It does give you a snapshot of what the picture of financial stress looks like.” Despite economic pressures, Kauffman doesn’t believe it is worthy of being described as a farm crisis. 

Deep Losses in Agriculture – According to American Farm Bureau Federation Vice President of Public Policy and Economic Analysis John Newton, the farm economy is in a deep trough. “What makes this environment a lot different than environments that we’ve been in the past is just how deep the losses are that we’re facing today,” said Newton. “For 2026, we’re looking at a $41 billion difference between crop revenues and the total cost of production, and that follows two years of over $30 billion in the difference between what a farmer receives for selling their crop versus the total cost to put a crop in the ground. This is five years in a row where we’ve seen those returns above total cost in the red.” Speaking at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum, Newton said the economic stress will continue in 2026. He shared an anecdote about large farmers in Ohio planning to park equipment this year rather than burn through working capital in the current environment.

Rollins Touts Trump Accomplishments – Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is a tireless advocate for her boss. During her address at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum, Rollins said President Trump has fought to rebuild the farm economy by focusing on lower costs, reliable financing, strong markets, and open and fair trade. “We’re seeing real progress on all of the above. Input prices are declining, trade deals are coming online and new demand opportunities are emerging. Commodity prices are moving upward, and median net cash farm income is improving. These are encouraging signs, but we know there is still so much work to do.”

A Lag Factor in Land Values – Land represents the largest asset on the balance sheet. American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Daniel Munch says farm real estate reached a record average of $4,350 per acre. “This is on a 4.3 percent increase over last year,” said Munch. “The prior year increase was five percent, and then going two years back, between 2021 and 2022, when we saw those record crop prices, there was a ten percent increase.” Interest rates have gone up, and farm income is declining. Despite that, FarmerMac Chief Economist Jackson Takach says farmland values remain strong. “When your supply is constrained, and there’s no impetus to sell, you end up with a very tight land market and pressure on land values,” said Takach. “That is starting to turn around, but it’s still early yet. There is a bit of a lagging indicator.”

Showing Up Matters – The House Farm Bill proposal more than doubles the amount of money available for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development programs. If realized, that would be the first increase in funding for these programs since 2006. Ryan Brewster is the senior director of USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Global Programs, overseeing trade missions. “Showing up matters,” was Brewster’s message at the Ag Outlook Forum. “If you want to sell your product in a certain market, you need to go to that supermarket chain in Vietnam or that bakery in Guatemala; they want to know who they’re purchasing from, so showing up really matters.” Brewster said USDA is laser-focused on the countries with a reciprocal trade deal with the United States. Rapid-response teams are in place to build trade relationships with those trading partners.

Soybean Crush Remains Strong – Soybean exports have struggled in the past year, but USDA Agricultural Economist Bryn Swearingen says domestic demand is strong. Crush has expanded to nearly 60 percent of production in 2026/2027, as forecasted to be crush for meal and oil rather than exported and crushed elsewhere in the world,” said Swearingen. “We’re expecting to see further crush facilities currently under construction and coming online, these investments aim to meet the growing demand.”

More Soybeans, Less Corn in ’26 – As expected, USDA is projecting a decline in corn acres and more soybean acres this spring. These numbers were released this morning in conjunction with the USDA Ag Outlook Forum. Corn is forecast at 94 million acres, down from 98.8 million acres last year. Soybean acreage is estimated at 85 million, up from just over 81 million acres in 2025. Soybean ending stocks are flat with last year, while corn stocks are expected to tighten, but remain at comfortable levels.

Sugar Market Estimates Released – In the first official USDA forecast for 2026, sugarbeet production is projected to total short tons raw value. That’s a two percent decline from this past year. The stocks-to-use ration is at 14.1 percent, down from nearly 16 percent this past year. Overall sugar imports are forecast to increase another 500,000 short tons from this past year.

Another Record Year Forecast for Cattle – At the Ag Outlook Forum, USDA said cattle prices will push higher again in 2026. The steer price is forecast to average $240 per hundredweight, seven percent higher than the previous year. Tight supplies and continued strong consumer demand will underscore the fed cattle trade. For feeder cattle, 750-to-800 pound calves are expected to average $364 per hundredweight. That’s up 13 percent from the 2025 average. Hog and lamb prices are projected to be slightly higher on average this year.

Class III Prices Expected to Drop Further – At the USDA Ag Outlook Forum, Class III milk prices are forecast to average $16.65 per hundredweight this year. That’s down from $18 in 2025. Feed prices are favorable, but dairy cow numbers are projected to increase. Entering 2025, the number of dairy heifers available for replacement was the lowest on record since 1990. The number of first-calf dairy heifers was the lowest since 2019, when this estimate was first recorded.

Farmer Bridge Assistance Sign-up Opens Today – Enrollment for the USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance begins today. Pre-filled applications are available on the Farm Service Agency website for farmers who filed their 2025 acreage reports on a timely basis. The payment could be in the farmer’s bank account as early as February 28. Farmers can also sign up at their county FSA office until April 17. The payment rates include $44.36 per acre for corn, $30.88 for soybeans, $39.35 for wheat, $20.51 for barley, $23.57 for canola, $17.32 for sunflowers and $8.05 per acre for flax.

Hoeven: Sugar Aid Important, More Needed – USDA has announced $150 million in assistance for sugar growers, working through sugar processors to distribute funds to farmer-members. The support mirrors the structure of the Farmer Bridge Assistance program that began in December and is aimed at helping producers manage ongoing financial pressures. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven worked with the Trump administration to secure the assistance. Hoeven said the funding is a critical step but emphasized the need for longer-term reforms. “$150 million in assistance is very important for our sugar producers, but we need to do more, not only in terms of more assistance in the short term, but actually some changes or improvements to the sugar program that will make sure we keep these great producers in business for the long term.”

Schmitt: ELRP Provides Critical Support – Livestock producers impacted by wildfires on non-federal land and floods in 2023 and 2024 can now apply for assistance through USDA’s Emergency Livestock Relief Program. The Farm Service Agency will accept applications until October 31, 2026. North Dakota Stockmen’s Association President Randy Schmitt says the program will provide meaningful support to ranchers dealing with higher feed costs following natural disasters. “No one ever wants to use it; we do appreciate the support when the disaster does hit, though.” Schmitt says USDA has infused $1.9 billion into the program for 2023 and 2024 flood and wildfire assistance. Schmitt also noted the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association and Foundation raised nearly $1 million following the October 2024 wildfires to help affected producers.

Crop Insurance Updates Timely for Tough Ag Economy – Federal crop insurance changes are providing added flexibility and financial support for farmers. Speaking at the International Crop Expo, Countryside Insurance Agent Michael Faller said updates included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” bring meaningful improvements, particularly for beginning farmers and ranchers. “They extended those benefits from the five to the ten years now and they added some extra premium support to those first few years there.” He also noted premium support increased for all farmers, which he believes will help during a period of tighter margins. Faller said enhancements were also made to area-based coverage options, including ECO and SCO plans. “I think a lot of people are really being mindful on managing their farm financial plans, especially in times like these.”

Cattle Market Offsetting Losses in Grain Sector – Farm Credit Services of Mandan, which serves central and southwestern North Dakota, has been buffered from the most severe financial losses this year. CEO Aaron Vetter says the cattle sector has offset losses in grains. “Cattle guys have done pretty well, you know, cow-calf, grass cattle, feeder cattle, pretty much the whole industry has had a good year so that’s good,” said Vetter. “On the grain side, we had good production in the southwestern third of the state so that did help. I would say shallow losses are quite common.” With the high price of cattle and crop inputs, the demand for operating loans and short-term financing is up double digits. The loan renewal season is underway. RRFN asked Vetter for the advice he’d give farmers and ranchers before sitting down with their lender. “On the crop side, I would get in here soon to talk to your crop insurance agent to talk about the new subsidy levels and add-on products.” For the cattle producer, Vetter recommends a hedging tool, like a put or Livestock Risk Protection policy. Listen to the full interview. 

With the Exception of the Northern Plains, CoBank Forecasts More Soybean Acres – According to a new report from CoBank, U.S. soybean acreage is expected to increase nearly six percent this year. Soybean acreage is forecast to reach 86 million. The Northern Plains is the one outlier where the soybean basis has been weak. CoBank’s analysis projects corn acreage at 94 million, down nearly five percent from last year. Spring wheat acreage is expected to decline by one percent. However, CoBank said acreage plans could change if wheat rallies. After last year’s jump in durum production, acres are forecast to decline three percent with durum losing acres to pulse crops and spring wheat.

Vaden Advocates for Year-Round E15 – Agriculture and the biofuels industry are anxiously waiting for EPA to release the 2026 and 2027 renewable volume obligations under the RFS. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden said year-round E15 is the next priority. “We need E-15 in this country, America’s farmers need it,” said Vaden. “For heaven’s sake, starting summer, Vietnam will have E-10, surely we can beat Vietnam.”

China is the Key for Soybean Trade – It could shape up to be a pivotal year for U.S. soybean exports with new projections pointing to stronger global demand and expanding trade opportunities. According to the latest forecast at the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum, export volumes are expected to climb. “It would really have to be a return of China to their normal purchasing habits, and I think right now that’s probably the best bet we have,” said Frayne Olson, NDSU Extension crops economist. “Anything beyond that, it’s going to be pretty heavy speculation on what you think is going to happen from a political standpoint.” Olson was part of this past week’s International Crops Expo.

Indonesia Trade Deal Approved – The U.S. and Indonesia have reached a reciprocal trade agreement. Indonesia will eliminate tariffs for 99 percent of American products, while the United States will maintain tariffs on most Indonesian imports at 19 percent. The $38.4 million deal also includes commitments by Indonesian companies to purchase 1.6 million tons of corn and 1 million tons of soybeans. They also pledged to buy up to 5 million tons of U.S. wheat by 2030. Indonesia is the largest economy in Southeast Asia.

Shipping Risks Could Tighten Fertilizer Supplies – Increased tensions with Iran are putting more pressure on global fertilizer exports. StoneX Vice President of Fertilizers Josh Linville says that with all the fertilizer exports that move through the region, losing access to it would be a big blow to fertilizer prices. “It’s very concerning because when you look at the Strait of Hormuz, three of your top ten urea exporters in the world rely on this body of water; three of your top ten anhydrous exporters, and one of your top five phosphate exporters need that body of water.”

Trump Assures Adequate Supply of Phosphate & Glyphosate – President Donald Trump has declared phosphorus and glyphosate as critical for the country’s national defense. The executive order directs Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to prioritize and secure domestic supplies. The order also recognizes the tight profit margins in agriculture, saying restrictions in access to glyphosate-based products would result in more economic losses for farmers.

What’s Hot What’s Not in the Markets – This week, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson says wheat is leading the charge, fueled largely by fund short covering and global uncertainty, including tensions in Iran. Soybeans are pressing key resistance levels, testing that $11.35 mark on the March contract. But corn? That’s a different story. Despite acreage cuts from the USDA Ag Outlook Forum, corn is struggling to gain traction, weighed down by large supplies and limited bullish momentum. Click here to listen to the full report.

Roundup Lawsuit Settlement Proposed – Bayer will pay $7.25 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits linked to Roundup. If approved by the courts, people diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma will be able to file claims to receive payments. Bayer has also reached agreements to resolve other Roundup-related cases for another $3 billion. The agreement does not include any admission of liability or wrongdoing.

Booker Responds to Executive Order on Glyphosate – New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is condemning President Trump’s executive order on glyphosate. “This executive order is a slap in the face to the thousands of Americans who have gotten cancer from glyphosate,” said Booker. “Trump’s executive order is nothing more than an attempt to protect one of the biggest producers of a toxic pesticide from legal liabilities.” Booker is a likely candidate to move into the lead Democrat spot on the Senate Agriculture Committee if Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar wins her bid for the governor’s office.

Armstrong Addresses ND-Canada Relationship – During the National Governors Association Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong sat down with Politico. Armstrong was asked about the U.S. tariffs on Canada and the impact on the North Dakota-Canada relationship. “We have friends and families on both sides of the border, we have farmers who farm on both sides of the border,” said Armstrong. “We are very close with our neighbors in Canada, so that has put a strain on it, but what we can do is make sure we’re talking to each other, make sure we’re communicating.” When the dust settles, Armstrong said the two sides will be ready to be “back open for business.”

Beet Stock Values – Low American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock inventory lead to a quit week of stock trading. According to Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke, there was only one brokered sale for 40 shares at $4,100 per share. “At the end of last week, there were only two broker listings, 197 shares at $4,300 per share and 100 shares at $4,500 per share.” Menke said. “Currently, there’s buyer interest as high as $4,100.”

Adapting to Consumer Food Trends – North Dakota Farmers Union held its Evolution Ag Summit in Jamestown, North Dakota. NDFU President Matt Perdue spoke about shifts in consumer food demand and how farmers can adjust to meet those demands. “We’re having a lot of conversations about how you can access market premiums by really responding directly to that consumer demand,” said Perdue. “I think when we look at the big picture, it’s tough times in the farm economy, and a lot of people are just trying to figure out how to make 2026 pencil out.” Perdue has settled into his new role as president. “We’ve really focused on getting alignment at the staff level and really focused on communicating priorities out to the members and we’re looking forward to a really productive year ahead.”

Farmers Clash With MAHA – The Make America Healthy Again initiative supports the new Dietary Guidelines for its prioritization of red meat, dairy and saturated fats and criticism of highly processed foods. Jaffe Policy Consulting President Greg Jaffe said MAHA’s focus on crop protection products is a challenge. “They want the elimination of all pesticides, which I think farmers and a lot of other people would say would be impossible,” said Jaffe. “That has caused an interesting battle in the Washington DC area among policy makers.” Jaffe was part of the NDFU Evolution Ag Summit agenda.

A Food Fad or a Long-Term Trend – The business side of farming can be daunting. Still, Purdue University Agricultural Economics Professor Dr. Valerie Kilders says knowing what is worth paying attention to is often the difference between success and failure. “A big thing that producers probably want to focus on is trying to understand whether what they’re looking at is a temporary trend or whether that is here to stay.” At the North Dakota Farmers Union’s Evolution Ag Summit, Kilders cited the increased egg prices in 2023. Identifying lasting trends over short-term events should be front-of-mind during the decision-making process. “I think that’s a question that producers really need to be asking themselves, when looking at the bigger picture.”

Dry Conditions Prevalent Across Much of the Country – Speaking at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum, USDA Ag Meteorologist Brad Rippey said over 40 percent of the country is in drought. “If you add in the abnormal dryness, that bumps it up to almost three-quarters of the country experiencing either drought or abnormally dry conditions,” said Rippey. “There’s a very patchwork quilt look to it, with some areas doing pretty well. You look at the Northern Plains, North Dakota’s looking great, and looking pretty good in Kansas; not too bad in parts of the Eastern Cornbelt.”

Section 32 Purchases to be Made to Support U.S. Farmers – USDA has announced plans to purchase up to $263 million in ag products to distribute to food banks and nutrition assistance programs. Dairy products are a big part of this announcement. Section 32 purchases include $75 million in butter, $42.5 million for cheese; $20.5 million for fresh fluid milk and $10 million for ultra-high temperature milk. USDA will also buy $25 million in black and pinto beans and $14 million in lentils.

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s Dry Bean Scene, NDSU Plant Pathologist Michael Wunsch talks about the risk of white mold. The Dry Bean Scene is sponsored by Northarvest Bean Growers Association. Click here.

Classic Begins Wednesday – Commodity Classic is billed as ‘America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused agricultural and educational experience.’ The National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and Association of Equipment Manufacturers partner on this show. The massive trade show features more than 400 exhibitors with many ag companies introducing their latest technology. Educational sessions on policy, market trends and crop management are planned. The show opens on Wednesday in San Antonio.

30 Years of Memories – The National Corn Growers Association and American Soybean Association founded Commodity Classic 30 years ago with three representatives of each organization on the original steering committee. The first show as in 1996 in Phoenix. Orlando, Anaheim, New Orleans, Nashville and San Antonio have hosted Commodity Classic in the succeeding years. The National Association of Wheat Growers came on board in 2007. The National Sorghum Producers became a sponsor in 2009 and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers joined in 2016.

SD Corn Comments – In South Dakota Corn Comments, Lauren Roling from the McCook Central FFA Chapter talks about grain bin safety. Corn Comments are sponsored by the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council. Click here. 

More Cows in the Barn – For 2025, annual milk production rose 2.6 percent from 2024. USDA also reported January milk production totals. Milk output in the 24 major dairy states increased 3.4 percent. January milk production was up 3.4 percent in Minnesota and up nearly 11 percent in South Dakota. Compared to a year earlier, Minnesota added 15,000 cows to the milk herd. During that same period, the size of South Dakota’s dairy herd grew by 24,000 head.

Feedlot Supplies Tighten – Friday’s USDA Cattle-on-Feed Report is being called neutral to slightly bullish. The number of cattle and calves on feed was down two percent from a year ago. Marketings were down 13 percent from 2025 levels. Placements declined by five percent. The state-by-state figures were somewhat unusual. Placements in South Dakota were down 17 percent compared to a year ago. Iowa and Kansas placements also declined by double-digits. The total placements in Oklahoma were up 26 percent.

Cattle Country Conversations – n this week’s edition of Cattle Country Conversations, NDSU Extension Livestock System Specialist Dr. Lacey Quail talks about the all-important calving season. Cattle Country Conversations is sponsored by the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association, Martinson Ag Risk Management, North Dakota Gelbvieh Association, Minnesota Beef Council and Four Hill Farms. Click here. 

Smithfield Plans to Build New Processing Plant in Sioux Falls – A new state-of-the-art pork processing plant is coming to Sioux Falls. Smithfield Foods is estimating the project’s investment at $1.3 billion over the next three years. Pending regulatory approvals and permitting, the groundbreaking will happen in the first half of 2027 and production is expected to begin at the end of 2028. This new facility would replace Smithfield’s existing plant, which has been operating for more than 100 years.

Hormel Spins Off While-Turkey Biz to LSI – Hormel Foods is selling its whole-bird turkey business to Life Science Innovations. This deal includes the Melrose, Minnesota whole bird production facility and its Swanville feed mill. Hormel will retain ownership of the JENNIE-O brand and its product lineup. The sale is expected to close by the end of the second quarter.

Line Speeds to Increase – USDA is taking public comment for the next 60 days regarding its proposal to increase line speeds in pork and poultry processing. The Agriculture Department said the update is designed to lower food costs and bring regulations in line with real-world capabilities. Without a change, the National Pork Producers Council said some hog farmers could have seen an additional loss of $10 per head.

MN Beef Update – In the Minnesota Beef Update, Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association’s Executive Director Kaitlyn Root recaps the cattle industry convention in Nashville. Click here. 

FFA Week: FFA Legacy Runs Deep for Barnesville Alum – For Barnesville FFA Chapter alum Tessa Sundberg, joining the blue and gold was a matter of following in her family’s footsteps. “My dad was the chapter president in Barnesville, my uncle was the chapter president in Barnesville, so it’s a little bit of a legacy being involved in the Barnesville FFA chapter.” Sundberg currently coaches the Barnesville FFA Chapter livestock judging team. “It’s been a full circle moment for me, getting to work with this great group of kids,” said Sundberg. “Just seeing them really develop and their skills improve over the years is super rewarding, and I think these are all skills, whether they know it or not, that they’ll be able to take with them wherever they go, no matter the career.” Sundberg is a farm marketing consultant for Hurley & Associates.

FFA Builds Leaders—Farm Background Not Required – Philip Neubauer is proud of his experience as a member of the Bottineau, North Dakota, FFA Chapter. “FFA definitely has shaped my career into what it is. I would say I probably didn’t want to farm back then, but my advisor got me involved in the agronomy contest, and as the youngest of four siblings who were in FFA contests, I had to.” Neubauer says FFA is for everyone. “Whether you grew up with agriculture or not, it’s an organization that grows future leaders going forward, and I think everybody should give it a shot.”

FFA Week: Learning Life Skills – FFA helped shape Dan Bjertness into the person he is today. “The ability to work as a team and challenge yourself towards a common goal, giving back to the community, all while learning skills, it all benefits you in your career and community, and even in your home life,” said Bjertness. “I would say leadership skills, by far, really propelled me forward.” Bjertness makes use of those skills today in his job as a research and development manager with Precision Planting in Fargo. His favorite contest was ag sales. “Focusing on your customer, the features and benefits, objections, needs and wants, marketing techniques, I still bring that forward today.” Bjertness is an alumnus of the Kindred FFA Chapter and served as the North Dakota State FFA president in 2012-2013.

AURI Ag Innovation News Podcast – Unlock the transformative power of the FFA, the organization shaping tomorrow’s leaders in agriculture today. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or community supporter, discover how just one opportunity can ignite confidence, leadership, and innovation in youth. If you’ve ever wondered how agricultural education develops problem solvers and future-ready workers, this episode reveals exactly how FFA’s unique classroom and hands-on experiences plant seeds for lifelong success. Val Arsvold, the visionary behind Minnesota’s FFA Foundation, shares her inspiring journey from shy farm kid to champion of youth empowerment. Listen to the AURI Ag Innovation Podcast. 

Farm Management Support for 2026 Planning – The North Dakota Farm Management Education program has resources to help farmers and ranchers deal with a challenging economy.  “The goal is for North Dakota farmers and ranchers to have a one-on-one resource to go through balance sheets, income statements, and really know the cost of production so that they can look at future options to succeed,” said Madison Bodine, state supervisor. During the International Crop Expo, Bodine promoted the state program. “We have eight different instructors across the state of North Dakota, and four different colleges that the program has run through; there’s definitely a wide range of people for them to talk to.” Go to the ND Farm Management website for more information.

100 Years of Growing Together: – Did you know you could win a once-in-a-lifetime experience as part of Pioneer’s 100th anniversary? If your seed corn features a gold-colored seed treatment, you could be a lucky winner. Winners will receive an amazing seed journey, including stops at the Pioneer research facilities in Johnston, Iowa and seed operations in Hawaii. Farmers with a gold ticket should contact their local Pioneer sales rep. The Red River Farm Network is in the midst of a 100-Countdown in celebration of Pioneer’s centennial anniversary. Follow the countdown on Facebook and X. Look for the #Pioneer100 hashtag.

Corn Matters – In Minnesota Corn Matters, Devin Hoffarth, Director of Market Development and Industry Relations, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, recaps another record year of unleaded 88 sales. Click here to learn more.

newgold Brand Introduced – Bayer has unveiled its first multi-crop seed brand developed specifically for low-carbon crops for the biofuels market. The newgold brand focuses on low-carbon intensity crops, such as camelina and winter canola. This is designed to serve the sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel demand.

Peterson Farms Seed Launches Cup of Agronomy Series – Peterson Farm Seed is bringing its Cup of Agronomy series back to eastern North Dakota and northern Minnesota, offering growers practical, field-level conversations ahead of the 2026 growing season. PFS Regional Agronomist Ben Shepard says the focus is strictly on agronomy. “We’ve got some specific topics we’ll go over for our footprint, big issues that we saw in ’25 and what we’re looking at in 26.”  Weed pressure, particularly waterhemp and the growing concern over Palmer Amaranth, will be a major topic. The events will also cover changes in herbicide use rates, stewardship practices and how weather conditions impact application effectiveness. White mold management is another key discussion point. “There’ll be some some key points on that we get into some soybean structure and if if we are in those areas where we know we’re at high risk of white mold Some of the varieties and things like that that we can go across and then also we’ll look at some seed treatments obviously some fungicides Pretty much all the management practices that we can we can hopefully help set these growers up for a good year.” For dates and more information click here.

New Platform Unveiled for Low Carbon Market – BASF has introduced Circaol: Low Carbon Intensity Crops. The platform will connect farmers, agronomists, and ethanol producers with the tools they need as they address agricultural carbon intensity scores under the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credits. Utilizing xarvio FIELD MANAGER and xarvio BIOENERGY, Circalo: Low Carbon Intensity Crops will help turn on-farm data into verified, auditable tools for biorefineries and their low CI fuel production.

4Q Earnings Up for Nutrien – Nutrien reports fourth quarter earnings of $580 million, up from $118 million in the previous year. The Saskatoon-based company forecasts a fourth consecutive year of growth in its potash business in 2026. Global nitrogen demand is expected to increase with strong seasonal demand from North America, Brazil and India. Phosphate markets in the fourth quarter, but are projected to strengthen in the first quarter of this year due to Chinese export restrictions and high input costs.

CF Industries Updates FY2025 Earnings – For the full year 2025, CF Industries reported net earnings of $1.4 billion. That’s up from $1.2 billion in 2024. Sales totaled more than $7 billion, versus $5.9 billion in the previous year. CHS has a minority equity position in a CF Industries subsidiary and maintains a long-term agreement to purchase urea and UAN. A month ago, CF approved a semi-annual distribution payment of $201 million to CHS.

Long-Time Ag Advertising Agency to ‘Wind Down’ – Rhea + Kaiser CEO Stephanie Heusuk has announced the advertising agency will wind down its business operations in June. “For 48 years, it has been our privilege to help brands across agriculture navigate complex markets and drive results that matter,” said Heusuk in a LinkedIn post. “We are deeply grateful to the clients, partners, and team members who have been part of this journey and immensely proud of the incredible body of work.” Steve Rhea and Van Kaiser co-founded the Naperville, Illinois-based company in 1978. Over the years, Rhea + Kaiser has worked on major agricultural brands, including Bayer, Case IH, Merial and the American Soybean Association.

Correction – American Farm Bureau Market Intel reports there were 315 bankruptcies in 2025, up from 216 in 2024. In this region, Minnesota had 13 farm bankruptcies. There were three bankruptcies filed in South Dakota and none in North Dakota. Sorry for the confusion in last week’s newsletter.

Canola Minute – In the Canola Minute, Northern Canola Growers Executive Director Barry Coleman talks about canola production estimates from the USDA. Click here. 

New Red Potato Variety Released – NDSU has released its first new red potato variety since 2014. Dakota Skarlagen has smaller tubers than similar varieties, but more tubers per plant, making it a strong yielder. Skarlagen means scarlet in Norwegian and Danish. It describes the deep red color of the new potato variety and is a nod to the heritage of many potato farmers in North Dakota and Minnesota.

Forbes Recognizes Henry H. Stine – Stine Seed Company founder Henry H. Stine has been named to the Forbes 250 Greatest Innovators list. Stine is ranked 34^th on the list for his work in corn and soybean genetics. An awards ceremony will be held this spring in Silicon Valley.

Vive Promotes Bodine – Vive Crop Protection has promoted Darren Bodine as its Corn Belt regional sales leader. Bodine is based in Illinois and will oversee the Red River Valley, Dakotas, Upper Midwest, Midwest, Great Lakes, Plains, Southern Plains and Heartland. Prior to joining Vive, Bodine was with Valent USA.

The Fertilizer Institute Hires MN Native – Kaytlin (Bemis) Cryan is the new director of government affairs for The Fertilizer Institute. Most recently, Cryan was a policy advisor within USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Minnesota native has also had policy roles for the National Corn Growers Association and the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation.

Bennett Moves Up at USDA – Tate Bennett is the new chief of staff for Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Bennett has been serving as the principal deputy chief of staff. Previously, Bennett was the director of rural policy for the America First Policy Institute. Politico reported Kailee Tkacz Buller stepped down as Rollins’ chief of staff on Thursday. Her plans were not announced.

The Russell Group Adds Galey to the Team – Mary Galey is joining The Russell Group as its executive affairs director. Most recently, Galey served as the director of scheduling for Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Previously, she spent time on Capitol Hill working for Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany and West Virginia Congressman David McKinley. The Russell Group is a bipartisan government relations firm focused exclusively on food, agriculture and energy public policy.

IDFA Promotes Andrew Jerome – The International Dairy Foods Association has appointed Andrew Jerome as the senior vice president of strategic communications. Jerome will also assume the role of executive director of the IDFA Foundation, effective March 16, succeeding Matt Herrick, who is leaving to become president and CEO of the International Bottled Water Association.