Huge Implications for Agriculture – Aimport Research Executive Vice President and CEO Mark Purdy, who is a former Army colonel, says the Russian invasion of Ukraine has major implications for agriculture. “If you take Russia, Ukraine and maybe throw in the ‘stans, there’s a third of the world wheat that’s coming out of that area.” Purdy was part of a National Corn Growers Association podcast and said corn is the other major commodity grown in the region. “Now, corn is not as big, but when you’re talking ten percent, 12 percent or 15 percent of anything global, that’s huge.”

Russia-Ukraine Situation Creates Domino Effect in the Markets – NDSU Extension Crops Marketing Economist Frayne Olson is surprised how quickly things are progressing between Russia and Ukraine, especially when it comes to market shifts and logistics. “Since the invasion, it’s been a real domino effect and the grain and energy markets went into panic mode.” Ukraine halted commercial shipping at ports and Russia is doing something similar for naval vessels to move around. If they are unable to ship wheat, Olson does not think loyal customers, like Egypt, will come to the United States. However, the U.S. could get more business from other countries. Hear the interview.

Fielding Questions – In the RRFN-AgCountry Farm Credit Services podcast, Fielding Questions, AgCountry Market Education Specialist Katie Tangen offers insight into the geo-political situation and the influence on the markets. Marketing becomes more difficult in this time of volatility, but Tangen asks growers to look at the basics.

Veg Oil Market Influenced by Conflict – National Sunflower Association Executive Director John Sandbakken says sunflower prices will be impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war. “That region is the largest producers in the world and when you look at (sunflower) oil exports, I’ve seen numbers anywhere from 60-to-80 percent of all sunflower oil exports in the world originate from that area.” Sandbakken expects prices to steadily move higher. “It’s going to put a really hard floor underneath our current prices.”

Global Tensions Worsen Fertilizer Situation. – CHS Hedging fertilizer analyst Chris Short is watching the Russia/Ukraine conflict very closely. Short says it makes an already tight situation even more problematic. “On ammonia and definitely on UAN, we’re in big trouble; that’s best the way to put it, we’re in big trouble.” The supply may be available for other fertilizer categories, but “a logistical nightmare” will be the concern as product will need to be sourced from different areas.

Input Suppliers Warned – With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the speculation over fertilizer supplies is ramping up. During the USDA Ag Outlook Forum, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said it is not helpful to try and project what might happen. However, he hopes “that no company will take unfair advantage of this situation or use this situation as an excuse for something that isn’t justified by supply and demand.”

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – The markets are chasing the latest news headlines. In today’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson highlights the latest news in this very volatile market.

More Soybeans and Wheat, Less Corn Acreage Forecast – USDA’s Prospective Plantings Report at the end of March will offer more insight into U.S. acreage. The USDA offered a sneak peek during the Ag Outlook Forum. “Eighty-eight million acres of soybeans, up a little from last year,” said USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer. “Ninety-two million acres of corn, down a little bit. Corn and soybeans are not quite a record, but pretty close.” In the all-wheat category, acreage is forecast to reach 48 million acres. That’s up from 46 million last year.

Market Reflected in Spring Crop Insurance Pricing – Today is the final day in the crop insurance price discovery period and it has been a wild ride. With one day left, corn is averaging $5.89 per bushel. That compares to $4.58 one year ago. Soybeans are averaging $14.32, up from $11.87 per bushel in 2021. The average price for spring wheat is $9.17 per bushel, up 40 percent from last year’s price of $6.53. Barley is at $5.34 per bushel, up from $4.18 one year ago. Durum prices are averaging $9.41, up significantly from $6.78 per bushel last year. Canola growers are looking at an average price of 0.303 per hundredweight, up from $0.206. Confection sunflowers are at $0.405. That compares to $0.203 a year ago. The oil-type sunflowers are averaging $0.324, up from $0.220 per hundredweight last year. Again, these are not final prices. Today’s trade can still cause changes.

Tai: The U.S. -China Trade Relationship is Complicated – U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai discussed the complicated relationship between the U.S. and China during the final day of the USDA’s Ag Outlook Forum. “China is a rival, a competitor, but it also is a partner in areas where we can establish that kind of trust.” China fell short of agricultural and non-agricultural purchase agreements with the United States. Tai said the USTR is going to hold China accountable, but these haven’t been easy conversations. In fact, Tai said the conversations are getting more difficult. “That doesn’t change the overall aspects of this trade relationship, which is profoundly consequential, but also extremely difficult and getting more difficult.”

NFU Award Winners Described as “Rock Stars and Legends” – National Farmers Union Past President Roger Johnson has received the organization’s Meritorious Service Award. Johnson, who is a former North Dakota agriculture commissioner, came from a Farmers Union family. While addressing the NFU convention, Johnson spoke about the breakdown of democracy. “This vitriol that is out in the public square now has suddenly become a very toxic environment,” said Johnson. “I’ve always felt Farmers Union at its core is about the democratic movement with the whole cooperative philosophy is about working together and giving everyone a fair opportunity.” The NFU also presented a Meritorious Service Award to Sue Arends, who worked for the organization for 32 years. Ahrends grew up in a Farmers Union family in Williston, North Dakota.

Fighting the Corporate Squeeze – National Farmer Union’s Fairness for Farmers campaign and the issue of competition are the overriding themes at the NFU convention. “We need to push against the corporate squeeze that is being put on all of us farmers,” said North Dakota Farmers Union Vice President Bob Kuylen. “Last year, I spent about $70,000 on fertilizer. This year, I have about three-quarters of my fertilizer down and I’m at $150,000 already.” Even if commodity prices are up, Kuylen says it won’t cover the cost of the crop inputs. “Everything we buy and everything we sell is controlled by about four different companies and it just isn’t right, we need competition.”

Tester Working on a Suite of Bills to Address Cattle Market Concentration – Montana Senator Jon Tester has five bills designed to bring more transparency to the cattle markets. That includes proposals to require packers to purchase more animals in the cash market and the hiring of a special investigator to enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act. Speaking at the National Farmers Union Convention, Tester said there is bipartisan support for these bills and he expects a floor vote this spring. Tester is also working on a ‘right to repair’ bill, but does not have any support from the other side of the aisle.

’23 Farm Bill to Include Climate Provisions – Farm bill field hearings are scheduled to begin this spring. Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish says crop insurance must be preserved. The climate debate will also be part of the farm bill discussion. “Agriculture can play a huge role in climate change, whether it is cover crops o higher blends of ethanol,” Wertish told RRFN. “That’s probably one of the biggest issues in front of us and it should be.” At the National Farmers Union Convention, Wertish said ag concentration is the issue that is in front of farmers and rural communities. “It makes it very hard on the small communities.”

Membership Growth for NFU – National Farmers Union enjoyed an eight percent membership growth this past year, approaching 214,000 members.

Two Candidates for NFU Vice Presidency – Wisconsin dairy farmer Patty Edelburg has been the National Farmers Union vice president for the past four years and is seeking reelection. Edelburg is being challenged by Aberdeen, South Dakota farmer Jeff Kippley. “My focus is on the next generation of the family farm; our numbers are dropping and we need to turn this thing around,” Kippley told RRFN. “The corporate monopolies have been hurting our farmers; there is plenty of money in agriculture, but it is just going to the wrong spot.” NFU President Rob Larew was unopposed and was reelected with a vote of acclimation.

Truck Driver Shortages Highlighted at Northern Corn & Soybean Expo. – True North Compliance Services Safety Director and Compliance Manager Kelly Krapu says the U.S. is 80,000 truck drivers short of what’s needed, and that number is expected to triple in the next decade. Driving truck is a demanding job. “The truck driving industry isn’t as romantic as it was in the 70s and the 80s. It’s a very tough lifestyle with drivers being gone for a long time away from their family and its a pretty sedentary lifestyle that takes a toll on your health.”

Ensuring Cybersecurity in Agriculture – Precision agriculture uses a variety of data systems and advanced technology to operate. CHS Chief Information Security Officer Sarah Engstrom says with digital technology becoming more widespread, cybersecurity should be a top priority. “I think everyone is vulnerable in today’s day and age, not just agricultural folks. We live in a very digital world.” Engstrom says there are steps farmers can take to mitigate risk. “A lot of those type of IOT capabilities come with default passwords. So, ensure that you change those passwords to something longer, stronger, and more complex. Also make sure you access data or application through a secure network.”

Processing Power – Midwest Ag Energy operates two ethanol plants in North Dakota; Blue Flint Ethanol at Underwood and Dakota Spirit Energy at Spiritwood. During the Northern Corn and Soybean Expo, Midwest Ag Energy CEO Jeff Zuger said the interest in low carbon fuels is good news for North Dakota. “The markets that want low carbon fuels, including California and Canada, we are well positioned to be able to ship them renewable fuel.” Farmers are growing demand for the products they grow through renewable energy. Zuger said agriculture also needs to be at the table politically. “When I go to talk to Senator Hoeven, Senator Cramer, Representative Armstrong and Governor Burgum, I want to bring a corn grower with me. It’s like bringing a superpower because you represent the vote.”

ND Ready for Ag Processing – North Dakota is uniquely positioned to take advantage of new agricultural processing opportunities. Charles Mueller is the finance lead for ADM’s new soybean crush project at Spiritwood and made that point during the Northern Corn and Soybean Expo. “Part of our decision to be in Spiritwood was the wonder production volume that comes out of Stutsman, Barnes and Cass County,” said Mueller. “Where beans are historically exported out to the PNW, now there are other opportunities to not only produce the soybeans in North Dakota, but to have them further processed into value-added products including renewable green diesel.” ADM has a canola processing plant at Velva and its Enderlin facility handles soybeans, sunflowers and canola.

Weighing the Tax Incentives for ND Soybean Processing Project – The Cass County Commission tabled a vote on tax exemptions for the proposed North Dakota Soybean Processors project at Casselton. The current proposal would provide 15 years of tax breaks, but people testifying said a five-or-10 year period would be more appropriate. This issue will be brought up again at the March 8 meeting. This project is a joint venture between Minnesota Soybean Processors and CGB Enterprises.

Canola Minute – In this week’s edition of the Canola Minute, Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Canola recaps a recent educational opportunity. Find out how you can access this agronomic and marketing resource.

Innovation – The United Soybean Board has a new strategic plan, focusing on innovation, health and nutrition and infrastructure. Valley City, North Dakota farmer Matt Gast is working on the innovation priorities for the soy checkoff. “We’re trying to stay ahead of the game; there are lots of things happening with biologicals, biofuels and aviation.” Gast considers the proposed soybean crush facilities an innovation opportunity for North Dakota. “We are a top exporter of whole soybeans in the country and with the two new proposed plants coming, that will consume 66 percent of the state’s beans.”

Bunge and Chevron Partner for Renewable Diesel – Bunge North America is forming a joint venture with Chevron USA to create renewable feedstocks. Bunge has soybean processing plants in Louisiana and Illinois. There are plans to double the combined capacity of the two facilities to 7,000 tons per day by the end of 2024. Bunge will continue to operate these facilities, but Chevron will have the purchase rights for the oil to use to create renewable diesel. These agreements are subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

Corn Wet Milling Project Moves Forward – The Grand Forks City Council has approved early engineering work for the proposed corn wet milling plant. On March 7, the city will consider tax incentives for the Fufeng Group project. Studies will also be done to consider traffic and odor concerns.

MN Corn Matters – The ‘Let’s Talk Crops’ program is happening every Wednesday morning through March 30. Hear more about the virtual event from University of Minnesota Extension Educator Liz Stahl in the latest Corn Matters.

Cargill and Golden Growers Team Up as ProGold LLC – Cargill and Golden Growers Cooperative have an agreement to take over joint ownership of the ProGold corn processing plant at Wahpeton. Cargill, which has leased and operated the plant since 1997, is buying the shares from American Crystal Sugar Company. The transaction is expected to be completed at the end of the month. Golden Growers Cooperative CEO Scott Stofferahn says Cargill negotiated the option in their previous lease to become a 50/50 owner. “Now that Cargill has long-term interest in the plant, we feel comfortable the plant will be there to operate for the long-term.” The Wahpeton corn plant produces corn sweetener, but the corn milling industry is shifting away from sweeteners to other products. In a statement, American Crystal Sugar Company CEO Tom Astrup said the transition allows the sugarbeet co-op to focus their efforts on core business strategies.

Thorsrud Gifts NDSU With Endowed Professorship – Hillsboro farmer Joel Thorsrud gifted North Dakota State University an endowed Professorship in the name of retired NDSU soybean breeder Ted Helms. Thorsrud credits Helms for the growth of North Dakota’s soybean industry. “When I first started growing soybeans, there really weren’t a lot of good choices. Since Ted Helms started breeding, he’s come out with much better varieties. He let the other seed companies take his varieties and make their changes to them which caused all those seed company’s varieties to get much better.” Thorsrud spent many years as an active farmer/member of the soybean industry. “I spent six years on the North Dakota Soybean Council and nine years on the United Soybean board after that. When you serve on these soybean boards, you don’t just spend a couple of hours at a meeting. You go all in and learn a bunch of different aspects of soybeans.”

Ted Helms Reflects on Soybean Industry Over Past 30 Years – Retired North Dakota State University soybean breeder Ted Helms has seen many changes throughout his career. Helms says advances biotechnology is the biggest. “I think it was about 1995 that the GMO Roundup-Ready soybeans came into play and were widely available in this area. Before that, there were no GMOs marketed. Now with Dicamba and 2-4-D resistance soybeans, there’s been even more progress made for weed control.” Helms expects weed control to remain a top priority for soybean breeders. “I’d like to see new modes of action used to control some of these resistant weeds along with good chemical stewardship to reduce drift problems.”

Seed Companies File Lawsuits Against NE Ethanol Plant – Two lawsuits have been filed in U.S. District Court in Omaha against the owners of a closed ethanol plant in Mead, Nebraska and their management. One complaint was filed jointly by Corteva, AgReliant, Beck’s and WinField United; the other was filed by Syngenta. This plant used treated seed that could no longer be planted. The ethanol company did not properly handle the treated seed or the waste products it produced, abandoned the site and refused to participate in the cleanup.

Technology-Neutral, Performance-Based Approach Sought – The focus on low carbon emissions creates opportunities for ethanol. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said a science-based approach is needed to reach those goals. “Whether it is a low carbon fuel standard or a high octane, low carbon program, we believe future decarbonization policies must take a technology-neutral, performance-based approach that focuses on lowering carbon emissions and increasing fuel efficiency without tipping the scale toward electronification or dictating the use of specific fuels or vehicles.”  During the National Ethanol Conference, Cooper said the U.S. energy policy should not be at the mercy of OPEC or the Russia-Ukraine situation.

Ten WOTUS Roundtable Discussions Coming This Summer – The Regenerative Agriculture Foundation in Minneapolis, Minnesota will be hosting one of the 10 regional roundtables to discuss the Waters of the United States rule. The roundtables across the country were selected through an application process and announced on Thursday. The Kansas Livestock Association, California Farm Bureau and North Carolina Farm Bureau will also host roundtables to discuss regional differences with the WOTUS definition. These are expected to be virtual in the summer.

EWG Releases Crop Insurance Data, Favors Conservation Funding – The Environmental Working Group has released a new interactive map of the 13 states in the Mississippi River Critical Conservation Area. EWG claims certain ‘hot spots’ received a disproportionately large amount of crop insurance payments. South Dakota’s Brown County is at the top of that list, receiving $608 million between 2001 and 2020. South Dakota has six of the top ten counties on this list. Illinois has three and Minnesota has two. North Dakota is not included in the region surveyed. In its summary, EWG advocates crop insurance reform and increased funding for conservation programs.

Crop Insurance Deadlines Approaching – Northern Ag Inc. owner and market analyst Jody Miller says the run-up in commodity prices will affect crop insurance coverage levels. “With these higher prices, we’ve got quite a bit higher coverage levels available this year which also brings higher premiums,” said Miller. “A lot of people are deciding if they want extra coverage or if they’re going to spend a little more money on their hedging program to lock in a floor on some of these prices.” Miller recommends farmers get acceptable coverage at an acceptable premium. “You want to make sure you’re covering as much of the input cost as you can.”

Potato Growers Meeting in Washington D.C. This Week – Potato growers from across the country are in Washington D.C. to set policy priorities and discuss key issues like ag labor reform, trade, nutrition and the upcoming farm bill. “This year, we’ve combined the fly-in with our annual meeting of the National Potato Council,” said Kam Quarles, CEO, National Potato Council. “The great part about that is we can see our new leadership for the year and have the committees sit down with their members, set policy and go to Capitol Hill.” This in-person meeting is happening during a busy time in Washington D.C., including tomorrow’s State of the Union Address. A handful of local growers will be attending. Coverage is presented by the National Potato Council.

Farmland Values Enjoy Double-Digit Gains – Farm real estate values rose significantly during 2021. A report from the Federal Reserve found the farm financial situation improved a lot while interest rates on farm loans remain at historic lows. Minnesota and South Dakota had some of the country’s biggest year-to-year increases in cropland values at 30 percent. North Dakota farmland values rose 20 percent.

Well Grounded – Episode 9 – The Land Report Editor Eric O’Keefe has many stories about land owners like Clint Eastwood, T. Boone Pickens and Bill Gates. O’Keefe tells a few of those stories in the latest episode of the Well Grounded podcast. Well Grounded is a monthly podcast hosted by Jayson Menke of Acres & Shares and Randy Koenen of the Red River Farm Network. Hear the latest episode.

Rural Mainstreet Index Boosted by Commodity Prices – The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index rose a fraction of one percent from January-to-February. The monthly survey of bank CEO’s in rural areas of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and seven other states points to strong commodity prices and low interest rates. Farmland prices slipped this past month but remain very strong. The bankers expect corn prices to decline 2.6 percent over the next six months. Soybean prices are projected to drop by 2.3 percent.

Beet Stock Values – Last week, 43 American Crystal Sugar Company beet stocks were brokered at a little less than $4,350 per share. “We’ve reached another point in the trading season where share inventory has nearly dried up,” said Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke.  “Historically, trading occurs into April so in theory there should be more activity in the next month plus.” Menke said the earliest the broker sale season ended was March 16, 2012 and some years there’s a been a few trades into May.

Communication is a Must for Succession Planning – AgCountry Farm Credit Services Vice President of Succession and Retirement Planning Russ Tweiten says communication is key to a successful farm transition. “Every farm is unique, but make sure if you commit to something, you write it down.” During the Northern Corn and Soybean Expo, Tweiten discussed the concept of gift taxation. “When you gift an asset, the first $16,000 is non-reportable, $32,000 if you’re married.” Gifting a portion of the estate can be part of transition planning.

Dry Bean Scene – Dry bean exports are down from the explosive sales seen one year ago. In the Dry Bean Scene, U.S. Dry Bean Council Executive Director Rebecca Bratter says sales are expected to pick up in key export markets but will not match the totals seen in the 2020-2021 marketing year. All exports have faced headwinds from the supply chain bottlenecks and a global trend toward self-sufficiency.

Chlorpyrifos Ban Takes Effect – The Environmental Protection Agency will deny all objections and requests to stay its ban on chlorpyrifos. That puts the fate of the insecticide to be determined by the courts. Earlier this month, 20 agricultural groups said they would sue the agency for denying the use of the pesticide. The American Soybean Association, American Sugarbeet Growers Association and others want the EPA to vacate the part of the rule that conflicts with the 11 uses of the pesticide that EPA previously found safe. The ban takes effect today. The ASA said this decision is not a surprise and it’s unfortunate the EPA waited until the eleventh hour to respond.

AmeriFlax Asks for Additional Price Election – The board of directors of AmeriFlax is asking USDA’s Risk Management Agency to issue an Additional Price Election for flax for the 2022 growing season. AmeriFlax is concerned about the wide disparity between the guaranteed coverage on flax compared to other crop options. USDA’s announced Established Price in early December was $12.85 per bushel and does not reflect current cash bid prices of $30 to $40 per bushel for old crop and $20 per bushel for new crop.

Conserving Moisture for the Corn Crop – The University of Minnesota hosted a strategic farming webinar on small grains. “The biggest savings and the biggest rotation effect is stored water,” said Jochum Wiersma, small grains specialist, University of Minnesota Extension. “Corn is a heavy water user and you are saving that moisture when you harvest small grains. If you don’t put in a cover crop or warm season crop in the field, it will be available for next season’s corn crop.” The University of Minnesota hosts Strategic Farming webinars addressing a rotating list of topics every Wednesday.

MN Wheat Minute – This week’s Minnesota Wheat Minute features Minnesota Wheat Executive Director Charlie Vogel with an update from the National Wheat Quality meetings held in Kansas City.

Price Fixing Case in Court – Ten former executives from the biggest U.S. poultry companies are back in court, facing allegations of price-fixing. Jurors were unable to reach a verdict in December and the case ended in a mistrial. The Justice Department claims the meat companies illegally worked together during the bidding process for chicken supply sales to major restaurant chains. The case centers on activity that took place from 2012 to 2019.

MN Beef Update – Riverview LLP owner Natasha Mortenson received the American National Cattlewomen’s Outstanding Educator of the Year award. Hear about her work in this week’s Minnesota Beef Update.

Calving Health Starts in the Fall – NDSU Extension Livestock Stewardship Specialist Gerald Stokka says spring calving starts in the fall with the cow’s health. “When you can see their backbone or their ribs, even through their winter hair, it’s a problem to try to put on weight because it’s been a hard winter with a lot of snow and cold weather.” Most of the cow’s nutrition is invested in the development of the calf and the closer cows get to calving time, the more nutrition they’ll need.

USDA Extends Deadline for Spot Hog Pandemic Program – USDA has extended the enrollment deadline for the pandemic assistance program for pork producers until April 15. The previous deadline was February 25. This program helps hog farmers who sold pigs through a spot market sale from April 16, 2020 to September 1, 2020. That’s when the hot market took the biggest hit due to COVID-19.

PRRS Spreads Across Midwest Swine Herd – Porcine Respiratory Reproductive Syndrome is causing serious production issues in Minnesota and Iowa. Swine Health Information Center Executive Director Paul Sundberg says PRRS is the number one domestic swine disease threat. “It causes inflammation and infection throughout the pig, so you get respiratory disease in weaned pigs, pigs on the finishing floors and you get reproductive symptoms in the breeding herd. It can cause abortions and stillbirths. The National Pork Board found that it cost the U.S. pork industry more than $600 million per year in lost production.” PRRS can be transferred through contact and through aerosol spread. “This is the season for PRRS; the barns we have are very tightly controlled for ventilation and heat which means there’s more opportunity for stuffy air and for PRRS to share pathogens and diseases. It’s not unusual for us to have an outbreak of PRRS in the countryside this time of year.

U.S. Milk Production Declines, SD Milk Output Surges Higher – While milk prices are trading in the $20 range, U.S. milk production is dropping. USDA says milk production nationwide declined 1.4 percent in January. South Dakota is one of the few states with increased production, up a whopping 18.3 percent from one year ago. The size of South Dakota’s cow herd increased by 28,000 head. Minnesota milk production dropped one percent.

House Environment Committee Passes MN Drought Relief Package – The Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Committee approved the drought assistance bill for Minnesota farmers and ranchers. A plan for the DNR to spend $13 million to plant tree seedlings and improve water efficiency is tied to the agriculture package. Representative Dale Lueck of Aitkin said farmers and ranchers need help now, while the tree situation can be reviewed again this spring. “I don’t think the governor’s office or apparently your office (DNR) gets it: I’m deeply disappointed that we caballed this thing together and the ag bill wasn’t completed a long time ago.” South St. Paul Representative Rick Hansen sponsored this bill. “If we’re both being impacted by the drought, whether it is DNR or ag, we’re in this together so I don’t understand why one band-aid is good and the other isn’t.” The drought assistance bill now goes to the House Ways and Means Committee. It has not yet been addressed in the Minnesota Senate.

MFU Minute – Minnesota lawmakers are dealing with a historic budget surplus and how to allocate funds. Minnesota Farmers Union Government Relations Director Stu Lourey has an update in this week’s Minnesota Farmers Union Minute.

License Requirement Changes Sought for MN Grain Buyers – The Minnesota House Agriculture Committee is considering a bill to modify grain buyer license requirements. Representative Paul Anderson says his proposal deals with the dollar amount that triggers an audit for grain elevators and feed mills. “The numbers were last set back in 2019 when the price of corn was probably around $3 a bushel, soybeans at $8 a bushel and oats were about $2 a bushel,” said Anderson. “Today, those prices have doubled, and some cases tripled.” Due to current commodity prices, Minnesota Grain and Feed Association Executive Director Laura Lemke says small and medium-sized grain buyers are required to get a bond or an irrevocable letter of credit and submit a financial review to the state. These facilities have a $5 million grain purchase threshold. “Grain elevators that were flirting with that $5 million line were saying they would stop buying grain when they approached that threshold. That’s no way to operate an elevator as it stifles business growth and harms the local elevator’s ability to properly service its farmer customers.” This bill was laid over for a vote in the future.

Waiting for Details on Proposed Grain Indemnity Fund – Drought relief has dominated the discussion for agriculture at the Minnesota State Legislature, but there are other issues. Agricultural lobbyist Bruce Kleven says that includes a grain indemnity fund proposal. “What the governor is suggesting is $5 million in a grain indemnity fund that is kind of the seed money and then there would be an assessment of each bushel of grain sold until that fund reaches $15 million and then it would blink off; the devil is going to be in the details.” A proposal to increase the state ethanol mandate from ten percent to 15 percent is gaining traction. “It has a pretty good shot this year,” said Kleven. “The petroleum retailers are concerned about having the right infrastructure for that and that’s probably the discussion point that is being worked out right now.”

Clean Fuels Podcast: Future Fuels Act Has Support of American Coalition for Ethanol – American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings is featured in the latest Clean Fuels Podcast. Jennings told RRFN Minnesota’s proposed Future Fuels Act has support from a politically diverse group, including ACE. “This is an improvement on the California program in substantial ways to make it attractive for Minnesota.” Jennings says the California program has cast a shadow over Minnesota’s clean fuel debate, but that is a challenge that needs to be overcome. Find out why in the second episode.

Supreme Court Rejects DAP Case – The Supreme Court has rejected a petition from the Dakota Access Pipeline and an environmental review of the project will go on. The pipeline company maintains the federal court that ordered the environmental review didn’t have the legal authority to do so. The High Court has not yet acted on California’s Proposition 12 that deals with animal housing and Bayer’s petition to limit its liability in a series of glyphosate lawsuits.

Mismanagement Alleged in SD Corn Checkoff Audit – A financial audit of the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council identified mismanagement of checkoff funds, not fraud. One point of contention was the use of an advertising agency led by the husband of former legislative director Teddi Mueller. This is a violation of state law. The audit said Mueller authorized the payments, but former South Dakota Corn Executive Director Lisa Richardson oversaw the financial records. Mueller and Richardson were suspended in July of last year and later resigned. New guidelines have been recommended to the checkoff’s board.

Specialty Crop and Urban FBM Instructor Positions Created – The Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council has awarded grants to Central Lakes College for two new farm business management instructor positions. One position will focus on specialty crops and the other is an urban instructor to reach underserved farming populations. Central Lakes College is accepting candidates now.

FFA Builds Relationships – Cole Ketterling was the North Dakota State FFA president in 2017-2019. Today, Ketterling is a loan officer for Farm Credit Services while farming with his family. “My SAE was diversified crop production in raising corn, soybeans, spring wheat, sunflowers, and also a little bit of livestock production with a few cow-calf pairs. I’ve had some significant milestones like when I won my proficiency nationally when I was a senior in high school in crop production, and I also was a State Farmer and National Farmer.” Ketterling credits his FFA advisors Rocky Brown and Kristy Tonneson for giving him the tools to succeed. “They both had a big impact on my life, mostly just teaching me work ethic and teaching me how to be well prepared in everything I do.”

FFA is Like a Big Family – Jessie Topp Becker was very active as member in the Carrington FFA chapter. That led to her service as a state FFA officer in 2009-2010. “My participation in the organization hasn’t stopped. I’m married to the ag instructor and FFA advisor in Kindred. My involvement looks a little different, but I’m very fortunate to continue my work with FFA.” That includes coaching several FFA teams in career development events at the national level, even bringing home a third-place ranking in ag communications. Jessie graduated from North Dakota State University “and then I had the wonderful opportunity for the Red River Farm Network for a year or two before going to Kansas State University and got my masters in agricultural communications.” She is now a contractor for BluePrint Media and is the editor for several different beef organizations. “I look to FFA as a big family with the connections I made in FFA myself and the work that I do. They say it is not what you know, but who you know and I think that is so true in FFA.” Hear her story.

A First Generation FFA Member – Minnesota State FFA Vice President Wyatt Halvorson is a first generation FFA student. ‘I joined in the eighth grade with a friend, but I had no idea what it was.” Halvorson, who is part of the Thief River Falls FFA Chapter, says his state officer team has been busy this week traveling the state, visiting chapters and meeting with legislative leaders. One win for the team was the recent release of the Minnesota agriculture license plate in connection with Minnesota 4-H and FFA.

Building Confidence Through the FFA – Andrew Young from the Napoleon FFA Chapter was one of the last FFA ambassadors in North Dakota. “When I was in the FFA, I was motivated to run for a state FFA office and I ended up serving as an ambassador. The FFA helped build my confidence.”  After his FFA experience and college, Young took a path from journalism to marketing.  He now owns a business called Abovo. “This is an advertising agency that focuses on graphic design, radio ads, social media and anything a brand can do to tell its story. One of our major clients is the North Dakota FFA Foundation.” National FFA Week coverage is presented by the Minnesota Ag Education Leadership Council, Corteva AgriScience, Nutrien, Bayer, and Proseed.

Passing On a Love of Agricultural Education – Former Goodhue, Minnesota FFA member Leah Bott always wanted to teach. “I loved agriculture and teaching and thought I could put those two things together.” Bott taught at Anoka High School and Montevideo High School before her current teaching role at Silver Bay, Minnesota. Agriculture education in northeastern Minnesota is much different than the traditional agriculture taught in western Minnesota. This curriculum has more of a natural resources focus. “We have state parks in our backyard and focus on forestry, fisheries and wildlife. I also teach a field to fork class.” Hear the story.

Always Learning With the FFA – Justin Zahradka describes himself as a learner. FFA was the organization helping Zahradka learn his passion. Originally a member of the Park River FFA Chapter, he served a North Dakota state FFA officer in 2012-2013. Zahradka credits his biggest learning experience to his Supervised Agricultural Experience project. “The soil conservation district and Extension service were looking for farmers to take part in a cover crop trial. That was way back in 2011 when cover crops and soil health had gained so much traction.” Zahradka says his cover crop and cattle grazing SAE was one of the first of its kind in the region. “I grew radishes, turnips, barley, sorghum-sudangrass, and peas all in a mix. I put the cows out there and didn’t really know what was going to happen, but they loved it.” Zahradka’s wife, Molly, started an FFA chapter in Grafton, where he helps coach FFA teams.

FFA Week is a Time to Celebrate – The South Dakota FFA State Officer Team visited local FFA Chapters during National FFA Week. That’s one of Groton, South Dakota native and South Dakota State FFA President Tessa Erdman’s favorite things to do to celebrate. Erdman says National FFA Week is a time to show appreciation. “Whether it’s for the teachers or business leaders in our area and showing them why we’re in the FFA and so passionate about it. Our state officer team is also reaching out on social media to connect with members and advocating for our organization.”

FFA Caucus Created – Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member John Boozman have formed a bipartisan Senate FFA Caucus. The pair said the FFA prepares young people to be leaders on and off the farm.

$50 Million Pledged to 4-H – Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has pledged to donate $50 million to the National 4-H Council. That’s the single largest donation in the 4-H program’s history. Scott is the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. When they divorced in 2019, Scott received 25 percent of his Amazon stake. At that time, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, promising to give away at least half of her wealth during her lifetime.

Enlist Trait Coming to Bayer in ’23 – Beginning next year, Bayer will sell Enlist E3 soybeans. A distribution agreement has been signed with M.S. Technologies for the trait. At this time, Corteva is the primary distributor of Enlist soybeans.

New Corteva Nitrogen Stabilizer Available for ’22 – Corteva Agriscience has launched a new above-ground nitrogen stabilizer called PinnitMax TG. It protects urea and UAN applications from volatilization for up to 14 days. Corteva’s nitrogen stabilizer portfolio also includes N-Serve and Instinct NXTGEN.

Advanced Acre Rx Offers Warranty Payout – The acreage mix for the season ahead remains a question mark. WinField United Vice President of Seed Marketing Jim Hedges says decisions are still being made. “When I look at our corn/soybean order bank, it pretty much supports what USDA is suggesting, but I also think there is a lot of uncertainty  and there is probably a good portion of seed left to be ordered.” Ultimately, Hedges believes diversified crops (canola, sunflowers, etc.) and cotton will grow acreage.” WinField United rolled out its Advanced Acre Rx program two years ago. If farmers follow the customized plan and don’t reach the yield target, WinField United covers the cost of its service. “Two years of data from over 40 Answer Plot locations is showing about an $83 ROI increase above and beyond additional input costs for corn and about $16 per acre for soybeans.”

ND Mill 2Q Revenues Down from Last Year’s Big Number – The North Dakota Mill finished the second quarter with profits of $3.3 million. That’s down from $4.5 million one year ago. As the country comes out of the pandemic General Manager Vance Taylor said flour inventories are building at the retail level. However, “the whole industry is expected to level out at a higher level than we had before the pandemic with so many people becoming interested in home backing after being home more.” During the North Dakota Industrial Board meeting, Taylor said the 600-hundredweight durum mill is in the startup phase and it should be fully commissioned by mid-March. Additional spring wheat capacity will come online by summer. It was also announced the state-owned mill has ratified a new four-year labor contract.

Bushel and CIBO Collaborate – The Fargo-based software company, Bushel, has entered into a partnership with CIBO Carbon Bridge. CIBO is a technology company with a focus on regenerative agriculture.

Data-Driven Decisions – Intelinair and Airbus have come to terms on a multi-year collaboration agreement that will provide high-resolution, Airbus satellite imagery as an input to Intelinair’s artificial intelligence crop analytics platform.

A Collaboration Between the Dairy Checkoff and Mayo Clinic – The dairy checkoff and Mayo Clinic are working together on dairy products and public health. With this is a five-year agreement, researchers from Mayo and the International Center for U.S. Dairy will focus on study the impact of dairy products on cardiovascular health and metabolic conditions. The new research will be shared with the scientific community, health and wellness professionals and consumers.

MFBF Update – Minnesota Farm Bureau is focused on food awareness in March. Promotion and Education Committee Chair Amanda Cook has more about the promotion in the latest Minnesota Farm Bureau Minute.

State Board of Higher Education Names Cook NDSU President – David Cook will succeed Dean Bresciani as North Dakota State University president in July. Cook is the currently the vice chancellor for the Office of Public Affairs & Economic Development at the University of Kansas. Cook was the only finalist of three who did not make it to North Dakota for the final interview on Wednesday, due to the blizzard conditions, but joined virtually. NDSU’s Vice President for Agricultural Affairs Greg Lardy co-chaired the search committee. Lardy says they were looking for someone with good leadership skills, strong relationship-building skills and the ability to lead a complex organization with ambition. Land grants the size of NDSU can get complex. “When you look at his track record, he’s obviously not at a land grant right now, but Cook comes with experience in building significant research programs and creating economic development opportunities. Those qualities and traits will help him during his tenure at NDSU, specifically, the work he’ll do with our divisions in extension and ag research.”

Weber Takes New Role – John Weber is moving to Monument Advocacy as a principal. Weber has been South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson’s legislative director and focused on agriculture and energy issues.

Svenningsen Appointed to Lead ND Farm Service Agency – Valley City, North Dakota farmer Marcy Svenningsen will be North Dakota Farm Service Agency’s State Executive Director. She previously served as the chair of the USDA’s North Dakota Farm Service Agency State Committee and is involved in the North Dakota Farmers Union (see photo). The Biden administration also appointed Colleen Landkamer as Minnesota’s Director of Rural Development. Landkamer served in the role under the Obama administration in 2009. A Rural Development State Director has not been named for the Dakotas. South Dakota is awaiting their FSA State Executive Director announcement. Photo credit: North Dakota Farmers Union.

WISHH Promotes Perry – The American Soybean Association has selected Gena Perry as the executive director of its World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program. Perry currently serves as the project director for global strategy.

Glenwood Teacher Recognized by MN Ag in the Classroom – A family and consumer science teacher at Minnewaska High School in Glenwood, Minnesota has been named the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year. Tiffany Kobbermann said all of her class lessons are based in agriculture. The Minnesota Ag in the Classroom Foundation has also awarded ten ag literacy grants. Schools in Wadena, Brainerd and Barrett are among the recipients.

Olsen Attends Potato Industry Leadership Program – A group of young potato industry leaders have been in Los Angeles, California for the 2022 Potato Industry Leadership Institute. Buxton, North Dakota-based NoKota Packers CEO Carissa Olsen attended. “Everyone I’ve talked to has had an amazing experience in this program,” said Olsen. “Being in Washington D.C. is outside my comfort zone, but I’m looking forward to learning about a different side of the potato industry.” The training wraps up with the National Potato Council’s Washington Summit this week.

MFU Elects New Secretary – The Minnesota Farmers Union board of directors elected Missy Bakker Roach of Cook as secretary of the executive committee. Bakker Roach replaces Anne Schwagerl of Browns Valley, who was elected MFU vice president in November.

Hoffman Joins AMPI Officer Team – The officers for Associated Milk Producers, Inc. are Steve Schlangen of Albany, Minnesota as chairman; Doug Temme of Wayne, Nebraska as vice chairman; Dave Peterson of Boyd, Wisconsin as treasurer and Steve Hoffman of New Ulm, Minnesota as secretary. Hoffman succeeds Bruce Maas of Walnut Grove, Minnesota, who retired. The co-op does not publish its financials, but a spokesperson said AMPI “had a good year and its balance sheet is the strongest it’s been in AMPI history.”

WDE Mourns Loss of Jim Crowley Jr. – Jim Crowley Jr., age 71, passed away February 17. Crowley was superintendent of the World Dairy Expo dairy cattle show for more than 30 years. Crowley was a longtime consultant in the feed industry.

SD Corn Comments – The upcoming Summit League Basketball Tournament is a favorite of local corn growers and the South Dakota Corn Growers is a sponsor of the event. Hear how agriculture’s story will be shared at the event in the latest Corn Comments.

Returning to Kansas – Dana Peterson has left Emerging Prairie and returned to her hometown of Smith Center, Kansas. Peterson will consult on ag policy, strategy and management while working for the local economic development board. Peterson has been in Fargo for Emerging Prairie and Grand Farm for the past year as its chief strategy officer. Previously, Peterson was the chief of staff at the Farm Service Agency and CEO for the National Association of Wheat Growers.

Sabolik and Blacker Added to Ten Acre Marketing Team – Ten Acre Marketing has expanded its marketing agency with the hiring of Danna Sabolik and Gabrielle Blacker as account coordinators. Previously, Sabolik worked for the Northarvest Bean Growers Association and DairyStar. Blacker most recently let the creative transition of United Fresh Produce Association and Produce Marketing Association as they dissolved last year and reemerged as the International Fresh Produce Association. Ten Acre Marketing is based in Grand Forks.