A Weekly Update from the Red River Farm Network
Monday, January 13, 2025
Reporting Agriculture’s Business – The Red River Farm Network was in Orlando this week for Potato Expo when news broke about a new potato processing plant coming to Grand Forks. Details of that announcement can be found in this publication. RRFN also reported from the Lake Region Extension Roundup, one of the Small Grain Update meetings and the Tri-State Young Producer Conference. RRFN also conducted numerous interviews with lawmakers at the state and national level. We’re starting the week at a crop insurance conference in Fargo and RRFN will be at South Dakota Pork Congress, Bean Day and the South Dakota Corn Conference in the days ahead. Tune into your local RRFN radio affiliate for the most news impacting farmers and ranchers. Farm news, market analysis and weather can also be found on RRFN’s podcast lineup.
Confirmation Hearings on the Docket – The confirmation hearings for President-Elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees are being scheduled. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum will face the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday. Burgum is nominated to lead the Interior Department. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security Department nominee, will appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Wednesday. On Thursday, EPA Administrator-nominee Lee Zeldin’s confirmation is on the schedule. The Senate Agriculture Committee has not announced the timing for the confirmation hearing of Agriculture Secretary-Nominee Brooke Rollins and it may happen after Inauguration Day. The date for Health and Human Services Secretary-nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hearing is also not yet scheduled.
Priorities for the New Majority Leader – With the new 119th Congress underway, the new Senate Majority Leader John Thune listed his legislative priorities. “Extending the tax relief Republicans delivered during the first Trump administration; lifting burdensome and expensive government regulations to help American businesses and families flourish; bringing appropriations bills to the floor for serious deliberation so that we can make the best possible use of taxpayer dollars; an overdue farm bill to update farm programs for farmers and ranchers to reflect current agriculture needs.” In addition to serving as the majority leader, the South Dakota senator will remain on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Praise for ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ – President-elect Donald Trump wants one large bill covering taxes, border security, the debt ceiling, energy policy and more. The filibuster rules are bypassed by using the budget reconciliation process and it can pass with a simple majority. North Dakota Representative Julie Fedorchak favors that move. “I support President Trump’s approach on the ‘one big beautiful bill’ and the leaders in the House are very strong in supporting that as well,” Fedorchak told RRFN. “The House leadership, Senate leadership and White House future leadership are working very closely every hour, quite honestly, on what those packages are going to look like.” Fedorchak is the first freshman member of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee in 14 years. While she is not a member of the agriculture committee, Fedorchak emphasized she works closely with other farm-state lawmakers. To stay on top of agriculture issues, Fedorchak has also established a farmer and rancher ‘cabinet.’ The interview with Fedorchak can be found online.
Advancing the Trump Agenda – President-elect Donald Trump is calling on Congress to pass one or two massive bills to address everything from taxes and the debt ceiling to border security and energy policy. In an interview with the Red River Farm Network, South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson said he was part of a small group meeting with Trump in Mar-a-Lago to discuss that strategy. “Ultimately, Donald Trump is the quarterback of the team. He’s going to make that play call, then we have to go execute.” While he doesn’t expect a new farm bill to be finalized in the first quarter, Johnson said farmers and ranchers need to see “real progress” on the legislation. Click here to listen to RRFN’s interview with Johnson.
Negotiations Sought for Panama Canal – South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson introduced legislation to authorize the incoming president and his administration to negotiate with the Panama government to assume control of the Panama Canal. This is a concept floated by President-Elect Trump. The U.S. built the Panama Canal and former President Carter transferred control of the trade route in 1977.
Craig Criticizes GOP Budget Plan – A document reportedly put together by the House Budget Committee and released by Politico, outlines the spending reduction needed to pay for $5.7 trillion in tax cuts. The list includes cuts in conservation programs, food stamps and rural energy programs. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig criticized the move, saying it would take money from farmers to pay for tax breaks for the “already super rich.”
Ways and Means Committee to Review Trump Tax Cuts – The House Ways and Means Committee will meet Tuesday to make the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent. Pay-fors will be needed to offset the tax cuts. Minnesota Representative Michelle Fischbach said President-Elect Donald Trump’s planned Department of Government Efficiency is seen as a way to find budget savings. “If they’re able to really do that deep dive and look at where we can save money and what would be more efficient, that would be incredibly helpful,” said Fischbach. “They can turn it over to Congress and we can take a look at it and say this makes sense, that makes sense and include it or use it. I don’t think it’ll be ready for reconciliation, but use it in the future as to where we can be more efficient.” In an interview with RRFN, Fischbach also discusses the 45Z Production Credits, timing for a farm bill vote and the regulatory environment.
Klobuchar Highlights Farm Bill as Top Priority – Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar is eager to get to work on the farm bill. “Senator (John) Boozman of Arkansas and I have a really good relationship, that’s going to be necessary to not only get through the farm bill, but we’re going to be advocating for Rural America, ” said Klobuchar. “For our farmers, it means making sure that programs that have been working, like the sugar program, is part of any farm bill; year-round E15 is also a high priority of mine.” The four corners, Boozman, Klobuchar, House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson and Ranking Member Angie Craig have not yet gotten together in the early days of the new session.
On the Hill – The National Association of Wheat Growers and U.S. Wheat Associates are in Washington, D.C. this week for their winter conference. Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers President Kevin Leiser will spend time on Capitol Hill. “We’ll be meeting with (Minnesota Representative) Angie Craig and (Minnesota) Senator Amy Klobuchar and since they’re both ranking members, they’ll have a lot more power on the ag committees and that should be good for us.”
Trump White House to Make Final 45Z Decisions – The Treasury Department has released its long-awaited preliminary guidance for its new 45Z clean fuel production credit. This punts the final decisions to the incoming Trump Administration. In the words of Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, the announcement “left farmers with more questions than answers.” It restricts imports of used cooking oil, but it does not clarify the farming practices required to qualify for the tax credit. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said this guidance fails to provide enough information to stimulate investment in the biofuels industry.
Frustration Over ‘Slow Roll’ for the 45Z Tax Credit – The Treasury Department released preliminary guidance for the 45Z tax sustainable aviation tax credits on Friday. Minnesota Congressman Brad Finstad says more work needs to be done. “We saw the EPA and others slow roll the outcome of that policy; we saw bureaucrats with political motives try to insert terms into it saying farmers that would participate in that 45Z program have to have no-till or cover crop practices on their farm. That’s a one-size-fits-no-one approach and so it’s our opportunity right now to clean up some of that mess and make it very clear, and easy to use.” The 45Z tax credit was part of the Inflation Reduction Ace, which President-elect Donald Trump has promised to repeal. Finstad plans to fight for this tax credit. To hear the full interview, click here.
Time for Action – With a new Congress in place, lawmakers will have another chance to pass a farm bill. National Union Farmers Union Vice President Jeff Kippley, who farms near Aberdeen, is anxious to see some action. “We were very disappointed that we haven’t had one done here in the last two years,” Kippley told RRFN. “Two one-year extensions is not what the farmers need especially as we see the commodity prices drop. We’ve wasted our time long enough. We need to get something finished.”
Watne Takes Farm Bill Message to DC – North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne is in Washington, D.C. this week, hoping to promote a sense of urgency about the farm bill. “We’ve got a really good relationship with (North Dakota) Senator Hoeven and (Arkansas) Senator Boozman who will be the (agriculture committee) chair,” said Watne. “We think there’s some possibility of getting something done before the end of September. Really the arguments come down to conservation, food stamps and then it’ll be budget. Sadly somebody’s not going to be as happy coming out of it but I think we’ll get a bill.”
ICBA Establishs ’25 Policy Plan – The Independent Community Bankers Association has unveiled its policy agenda for the 119th Congress. The plan includes changes to the banking regulations and tax policies that support market growth. The ICBA also wants Congress to level the playing field with credit unions, large loan companies and the Farm Credit System.
Promoting the Value of Research – Wheat growers will converge in Washington D.C. this week for their annual meetings. Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council Chairman Mark Jossund is part of the state delegation. “We’re always keeping our eye on promotion and research so when we meet with our legislators it’s just to remind them how important research is to the wheat industry.” The national meetings are an opportunity to share ideas and information. “It’s really good for networking to find out what challenges other states are having.”
Trudeau Resigns Amid Trade Concerns with U.S. – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation Monday amid lingering questions regarding trade with the U.S. “A lot of areas we thought we had hammered out in the USMCA that Canada hasn’t fully complied in a way that is satisfactory to US interests.”, said Tom Sell with Combest, Sell and Associates. “Our president-elect is a man who likes making a deal and sticking to it. He expects that not only of himself, but also our trade partners. So, it will be very interesting.” Parliament is suspended until March 24th. Trudeau will remain Prime Minister until a new leader of the Liberal Party is chosen.
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, Villard dairy farmer Angie Walter explains why she became water quality-certified. Click here to listen.
Argentine Weather Challenges – While Brazil is expected to have a record crop, ag consultant Kory Melby says Argentina is a different story. “This La Nina stuff hasn’t been an issue for the last two months like everybody thought it would be. Now it seems like it’s kicking in and the forecast is hot and dry for 14 days with very limited rainfall.” Melby is a Greenbush, Minnesota native and has been doing consulting work in Goiania, Brazil for nearly 25 years.
Port Strike Averted – The International Longshoremen’s Association and U.S. Maritime Alliance have reached a tentative labor agreement. This eliminates the threat of a work stoppage on the East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. They will work under the current contract until a ratification vote can be scheduled.
A More Cautious Approach to Interest Rates – The Federal Open Market Committee has released the minutes from its December meeting when it made a quarter-point interest rate cut. Fed officials said a more cautious approach will be taken for future interest rate decisions. The officials also cited growing uncertainty about trade and immigration policies in the second Trump administration.
Farmer Optimism Dips Slightly – The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer for December shows farmers’ optimism has dipped slightly but is still much higher than earlier in 2024. “Producers are definitely feeling better about the economy today or in December than they were back at the beginning of harvest,” said James Mintert, professor of agricultural economics, Purdue University. “But if you look at the data, what was really going on is people are more optimistic about the future than they are about the current situation.” The possibility of a potential trade war continues to worry farmers. “In November, 42 percent of producers said they thought a trade war was either likely or very likely. In December, that rose to 48 percent.”
Expectations for American Relief Act – Corn, soybean and wheat farmers are expected to receive nearly $8 billion or 80 percent of the economic support from the American Relief Act recently passed by Congress. According to a report produced by Terrain, North Dakota farmers will receive $666 million; there’s $623 million for Minnesota and $504 million for South Dakota. These payments are expected to go out within 90 days of the December 21 passage of the bill. Terrain provides research for American AgCredit, Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit.
Potato Processing Plant Coming to Grand Forks – A Belgium firm, Agristo, plans to build a potato processing facility in Grand Forks. The family-owned business plans to invest up to $450 million in the plant. Negotiations for the plant’s construction are underway with a goal to finalize the agreement by mid-year. A statement was released from the company. “After years of extensive potato trials in various U.S. states, Agristo has identified Grand Forks, North Dakota, as the ideal location for its new facility. The company is confident in the region’s high-quality potato farming and is collaborating with local authorities to prepare an industrial plot and enhance logistical connections to reach Agristo’s U.S.-based clients.” Agristo is one of the world’s top five producers of frozen potato products. This will be their first factory in the United States.
Huge Opportunity for Grand Forks and the Region – Stevens Point, Wisconsin was under consideration for the new Agristo potato processing plant. Those negotiations have ended and the European company has selected Grand Forks for the facility. “We have 12-plus counties where we have the potential to grow dryland potatoes for this processing plant,” said Gary Shields, executive director, Northland Potato Growers Association. “For Grand Forks, this is probably the biggest ‘white hat’ event that we could ask for. This is a family-owned business with folks coming here to bring their legacy, we should all be excited about this growth for our future.”
Hoeven: Agristo Deal a ‘Game Changer’ for ND – North Dakota Senator John Hoven calls Agristo’s plan to build its first U.S. potato processing facility in Grand Forks a “game changer” for the region. “This just makes potato production possible for a lot more producers to expand their operations,” said Hoeven. “It always comes back to our great farmers, nobody grows spuds better than we do.” Hoeven said he spoke with BNSF CEO Katie Farmer last year to outline the benefits of a potential partnership and help secure a deal for providing cost-effective rail service
‘They Appreciate the Culture’ – In recent years, Agristo significantly increased its share of the frozen potato product market worldwide, focusing on private-label products. For its first U.S. factory, Agristo chose Grand Forks over Stevens Point, Wisconsin. North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring met with Agristo officials in recent weeks. “I’d say right off, they really appreciate the culture and the integrity of this part of the world; they felt warm and welcome,” said Goehring. “They felt this was very doable. We ranked at the top in so many different areas.” Goehring said the ability to grow quality potatoes in the region’s rich, fertile soils was another selling point.
More RRV Acres Needed for Potato Production – Grafton, North Dakota farmer Tom Campbell is excited to see a new potato processing facility coming to Grand Forks. “It’s going to be 22,000 additional acres and by 2030 or somewhere in there, they want 35,000 acres,” said Campbell. “That’s pretty aggressive to get those additional acres in the (Red River) Valley. There are going to be some guys that are established with either french fry product or contracts with either Cavendish (Farms) or Simplot that are probably going to taking 100 or 200 acres with Agristo for yellows or fresh pack.”
Potato Industry ‘In a Good Place’ – The U.S. potato market is in a good place. “In the Red River Valley, the red and yellow market is very strong and demand is good,” said Mark Klompien, president/CEO, United Potato Growers of America. During Potato Expo, Klompien said ag labor remains a challenge for the potato industry. “There’s a lot of uncertainty there and, of course, with the new incoming administration there’s also talk about tariffs and we can’t ignore it.” Listen to the interview.
Good Seed Potato Crop Expected – North Dakota State Seed Department Commissioner Ken Bertsch is expecting a good seed potato crop. “With really dry weather this year so we’re probably looking at some quality issues, but I think overall things are going to go just fine,” said Bertsch. “Our guys are over in Hawaii now finishing off our winter test so we’ll get a much better sense of seed quality issues from the disease perspective pretty quickly.” Bertsch was at Potato Expo when the Agristo announcement was made regarding the new processing plant coming to North Dakota. Bertsch says this decision is also big news for the seed potato industry.
The Potato Remains America’s Favorite Vegetable – Potatoes USA Chief Marketing Officer Kim Breshears updated the Potato Business Summit on current consumer trends. “Year-in and year-out, consumers love the product, we continue to see very high numbers and I think that just talks to just the love that they have for potatoes.” Research has found consumers are willing to spend more for a meal because potatoes are on the plate. Breshears also said the food service sector is slowly recovering from the pandemic falloff.
A Focus on Continuous Improvement in the Seed Potato Biz – Karlstad farmer Justin Dagen represented Minnesota Certified Seed Potato growers in the Potato Expo trade show. “The Minnesota seed potato industry consists of 22 growers, over 5,000 acres and over 100 varieties,” Dagen told RRFN. “Our growers are spread from the Canadian border to the Iowa border and we largely we had a good production season so there is seed available.” Dagen said the group is always looking for new and improved cultivars. “Right now, we’re increasing one that uses 50 percent less nitrogen and it has great potential. Fertilizer is really expensive, but plants need plant food so we’re always looking for cultivars that are more efficient.”
Grain Exports Lag Despite Speculation of Pre-Tariff Surge – There has been speculation that grain and oilseed exports would surge ahead of the Trump Administration and the potential implementation of across-the-board tariffs. NDSU Extension Crops Economist Frayne Olson said that pre-purchasing did not materialize. “There may have been a little bit of that, but if you look at the actual numbers of how many bushels we sold to China this year versus the same time last year, they’re actually behind last year’s pace and last year wasn’t exactly a great export season for U.S. soybeans.” Olson was part of the Lake Region Extension Roundup program at Devils Lake.
MN Corn Matters – In the latest edition of Minnesota Corn Matters, Minnesota Corn Growers Association Public Relations Director Nate Gotlieb updates us on upcoming events. Click here to listen to the report.
Ethanol Exports Reach Historic High in 2024 – U.S. ethanol exports soared to a record 1.72 billion gallons in November 2024, surpassing the previous high of 1.67 billion gallons set in 2018, “It wasn’t always the easiest times for corn producers because commodity prices came down, but that led to ethanol being highly competitive in both the U.S. and on the international market,” said Renewable Fuels Association Chief Economist Scott Richman. “Canada is by far the number one destination, taking a little bit more than a third of the exports. Following that, you’ve got the United Kingdom, the European Union, and India.” With one month of data remaining for the year, exports are projected to reach nearly 1.9 billion gallons, accounting for 12 percent of U.S. ethanol production.
China Strives for Improved Food Self-Sufficiency – The Chinese agriculture ministry plans to accelerate the breeding of new corn and soybean varieties with an emphasis on yield. This effort is designed to improve the country’s food security. In addition to improved seed genetics, the ag ministry is promoting a better coordination of good quality land and farm management practices.
Farmland Values Hold Steady – Land values for the Dakotas and western Minnesota are holding steady despite the reduction in commodity prices and higher-than-normal interest rates. Farmers National Company Northern Area Vice President Terry Longtin, said the farmland market is resilient. “There’s a little less supply in the market that we’ve seen in ’22 and ’23; there’s less bidders but that’s still enough buyers to keep the land markets strong.” Farmers National Company reports an above-average level of auctions into the first quarter of 2025.
Meat Exports Increase – Year-over-year red meat exports were up in November. Pork export volume was up five percent. When the December results are available, pork exports will top three million metric tons for the first time in history. November beef exports rose ten percent and U.S. lamb exports were up 13 percent.
ND Gelbvieh Association Spotlight – In the latest North Dakota Gelbvieh Association, Dennis Gustin of Diamond D Gelbvieh has been raising registered Gelbvieh cattle since 1982. “Gelbvieh cattle tend to have a longer productive lifespan ans so if you get an extra calf out of that same female, you don’t have to be turning your herd over as often.” Click here to listen to the report and go online to find the NDGA breeders in the region.
Rebuilding Vaccine Supply to Address Avian Influenza – With the ongoing threat of avian influenza, USDA is rebuilding its stockpile of bird flu vaccines. The Agriculture Department made a similar decision during the outbreak in 2014 and 2015, but it was never used. Those vaccines were thrown out after their shelf life expired after two-to-three years.
MN Added to H5N1 Testing Strategy – USDA has added 15 more states, including Minnesota, to its National Milk Testing Strategy for avian influenza. Twenty-eight states are being tested, representing 65 percent of U.S. milk production. The testing protocol does not include South Dakota and North Dakota dairy farms yet.
Permit Issued for Abercrombie Dairy – The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality issued a state animal feeding operation permit to Riverview ND LLP for Abercrombie Dairy, a large dairy operation proposed in Richland County. County Commissioner Nathan Berseth said the reaction has been mixed. “We’ve lagged behind in value-added agriculture in North Dakota and with some tweaks in the state law, I think there’s a lot of excitement in the ag sectors for the value added,” said Berseth. “I have not heard any negative from the ag sector.” Two major dairies are proposed in eastern North Dakota; a 25,000-cow operation east of Hillsboro and a 12,500-cow farm near Abercrombie.
MPCA Announces Updated Feedlot Permits – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has updated its feedlot permits. This follows an extended public comment period from late June to early September. The MPCA has also launched a new online nutrient management tool to help feedlot operators plan manure and fertilizer applications. Farmers who apply for new feedlot permits must use this tool.
Capitol Chaos – The Minnesota legislative session hasn’t started, but the chaos has already begun. After the November elections, there was a 67-67 tie with equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. The Republicans gained a temporary one-seat majority when the courts determined a DFL lawmaker did not live in his district and could not serve. That seat will remain open until after a special election on January 28. There’s also a situation in the Shakopee area where the DFL candidate won by 14 votes, but 20 ballots are missing, and that individual may not be seated.
Drama in St. Paul – Since the Republicans have a temporary one-seat majority in the Minnesota House, Republican leader Lisa Demuth said there is no longer the need for committee co-chairs. “Right now, knowing that there’s not a power-sharing agreement that’s needed because of the fact that we have 67 members and they have 66, we don’t need co-chairs if there is not a tie. Our expectation is Republicans will be chairing the committees.” Meanwhile, House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman said her caucus will not be at the Capitol without a power-sharing agreement. With the DFL members, there would be no quorum. “Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that, right?” said Hortman. “When you think about what’s going on right now, we’re in negotiations with Republicans, very similar to labor and management when they have negotiations. We are united in our resolve to negotiate with the Republicans and to achieve a power-sharing agreement before the first day of session.”
Powersharing Agreement Made in the MN Senate – The Minnesota legislative session begins Tuesday. With the death of former DFL Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, the Senate is tied with Republicans and DFL’ers having 33 seats. Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson says the two parties have found a consensus. “Unlike the House, the Minnesota Senate was able to come together on an agreement for some power sharing between the Democrats and Republicans; we’re going to have what looks like 50/50 committees and 50/50 acting Senate president.” In this scenario, Republican Torrey Westrom and DFL’er Aric Putnam will co-chair the Senate Agriculture Committee. Johnson said the budget negotiations are a priority. “If we look forward two years down the road, our forecasters here at the State say that we have a $5.1 billion deficit so unless we take that into account now, in two years we’re going to go right off of a cliff and there will have to be some very, very hard cuts made at that point so we’ve got to be doing this budget with an eye for the future.” Johnson is from East Grand Forks and represents extreme northwest Minnesota. The full interview with Johnson can be found on the Red River Farm Network website.
MFBF Minute – Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation Director of Public Policy Loren Dauer is featured in this week’s MFBF Minute, highlighting the upcoming legislative session and the organization’s priorities. The report can be found here.
Property Tax Reform on the ND Legislative Agenda – Representative Jared Hagert, who is a Republican from Emerado, expects property tax reform and property tax relief to dominate the legislative agenda in Bismarck. “I think there will be an attempt to do some reform early and then figure out the relief portion of it after we get down the road a little way.” During the last session, lawmakers took steps to enhance animal agriculture in the state. While there may be some clean-up language, Hagert expects that support to continue.
Ag Committees in Action – The North Dakota House and Senate agriculture committees met for the first time for the new legislative session Thursday. One bill heard called for the removal of the red tape for farmers and ranchers applying for the state drought disaster water assistance program. North Dakota Stockmen’s Association Executive Director Julie Ellingson spoke in favor of the change, citing the latest Drought Monitor. “More than 67 percent of our state currently is D0 to D4 and so there’s lots of color on that map which we don’t like to see; I think that the timeliness of this is important.” The committee voted unanimously for a ‘to do’ pass recommendation for this bill. The ag committees meet Thursdays and Fridays in Bismarck.
North Dakota Legislative Report – The North Dakota legislative session is underway. In this week’s North Dakota Legislative Report, North Dakota Corn Growers Association Executive Director Brenda Elmer said property tax reform is receiving a lot of attention in Bismarck. “There was a referendum to eliminate property taxes that did not pass, but there is still a big outcry over being responsive and doing something for that.” Elmer said it is important agriculture is “not on the chopping block” when these decisions are being made. Give the report a listen.
Final Crop Production Numbers Released – The USDA crop production estimates for corn and soybeans came in well below trade expectations. U.S. corn production is estimated at 14.8 billion bushels and the trade had dialed in a 15 billion bushel figure. The average corn yield came in at 179.3 bushels per acre, nearly four bushels below the November report. Soybean production totaled 4.3 billion bushels for 2024, down from an average trade guess of 4.4 billion. USDA reports the average soybean yield at 50.7 bushels per acre, down one bushel from November.
SD Corn Comments – In this week’s edition of South Dakota Corn Comments, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council Executive Director DaNita Murray invites everyone to the 39th annual South Dakota Corn Conference on Saturday, January 18th. Click here to learn more.
State-by-State – According to USDA, the Minnesota corn crop averaged 174 bushels per acre. South Dakota was record high at 164 bushels per acre and North Dakota farmers yielded 149 bushels per acre for corn. Soybean yields averaged 45 bushels per acre in Minnesota, 43 bushels per acre in South Dakota and 37.5 bushels per acre in North Dakota.
Corn and Soybean Stocks Far Below Average Trade Guess – The corn and soybean stocks in the quarterly stocks report came in considerably below trade expectations. “Corn (ending stocks) dropped to to 1.54 billion bushels and soybeans to 380 million bushels,” said Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist, StoneX. “That removed much of the margin for error for the corn stocks going into the prime growing season for South America if they have any kind of weather problems.”
A Bearish Winter Wheat Seedings Report – The Agriculture Department delivered bearish news in its winter wheat seedings report. In the all-winter wheat category, seedings were estimated at 34.1 million acres. That’s up from the average trade guess of 33.3 million. The plantings came in larger-than-expected in the pre-report estimates for all three classes of wheat.
What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson cited record prices seen in cash cattle and the cattle futures market. “That’s a market that continues to be on fire.” Soybean oil also reached its highest price since July of 2022 and the dollar is at 52-week highs. “We also have corn trading at levels we haven’t seen since May because of a bullish USDA report.” In the ‘not hot’ category, Martinson cited lean hogs, wheat and soybean meal. Click here to hear the details.
Corn Acreage Expected to Increase – According to Pioneer Field Agronomist Kristie Sundeen, there is still a lot of indecision about seed purchases. Going into a new cropping season, Sundeen believes corn is in a good position to increase acres. “Wheat has been kind of flat to going down with the discounts, guys are a little bit sour on it,” said Sundeen. “Soybeans, for most guys, is easy because its lower inputs than some of the other crops so that’s giving some positivity. Canola acres are up in the non-traditional areas, but down in your traditional areas.” During the Lake Region Extension Roundup, Sundeen said 2025 contracts are out for sunflowers with some improved pricing and that may buy some acres this season.
Pre’s Are Key to Weed Management – University of Minnesota Extension Crops Educator Angie Peltier spoke at the series of Small Grain Update meetings. “Ragweed is one of the earlier emerging weeds in our cropping system and the most important and vulnerable point in any weed life cycle is the seed stage.” In the integrated weed management trial, pre-emergence herbicide applications are key to reducing yield loss, even with early-season weeds like ragweed. “Then, for those later emerging weed species like the waterhemps and the Palmer amaranths of the world, we need to stick with that sort of strategy to attack when they’re at their most vulnerable.”
Beet Stock Values – American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock found a home at $5,500 last week. According to Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke, there were 14 brokered trades totaling 414 shares with all but one small trade at $5,500.
Resistance Management – The weed-resistance headache is not going away anytime soon. BASF Technical Service Representative Ken Diebert advocates a residual weed management approach. “We need to continue to rotate chemistries and promote residual chemistries in every crop that we can,” said Diebert. “Canola might be one exception where we don’t have the opportunity to really drive home that residual message just for due to a lack of labeled options, but fir crops like soybeans, corn and dry beans, we’re going to continue to talk about these residual chemistries like Outlook and Zidua.” The new glufosinate product, Liberty ULTRA, is on the market for the upcoming growing season. “As the traited soybean acres continue to grow, that’s obviously creating a lot of this demand.”
UM Evaluates Record Number of Spring Wheat Varieties – The results from the University of Minnesota spring wheat trials were provided at the Small Grain Update meetings. “The main point is to help growers make decisions on what varieties they want to try next year,” said spring wheat breeder Jim Anderson. “We put a special focus on the newer varieties. This last year we tested 15 new varieties, which I think is an all-time record for the program.” Minnesota saw record wheat yields last year, which according to Anderson, helps the breeding program separate the high and low yielding varieties.
Potato Trials Yield Promising Results – This year’s potato variety trials had good results. “We had good moisture, of course, for the first half of the growing season and most yields were quite good,” said NDSU Extension Potato Agronomist Andy Robinson. Robinson said they saw a couple of varieties with exceptional yields that will hopefully be released, soon. “I think there’s certain promise in some varieties. NDSU’s breeder Suzie Thompson has some really nice lines that she’s been developing.”
‘Shark Farmer’ Brings His Message to Lake Region Extension Roundup – An Illinois grain farmer who has become one of the world’s most recognized names in ag podcasting was in Devils Lake on Thursday. Rob Sharkey, known as ‘The Shark Farmer,’ spoke at the Lake Region Extension Roundup. Sharkey said farmers speak a universal language. “Everybody thinks that their world is the most important world, but the struggles that farmers and ranchers overcome, that’s the story I always wanted to tell the rest of the industry.” Along with being a farmer, Sharkey owns a whitetail deer hunting outfitter and hosts multiple TV shows on RFD-TV and PBS.
Dry Bean Scene – Northarvest Bean Growers Association President Eric Jorgenson highlights the Bean Day schedule in this week’s Dry Bean Scene. Bean Day will be this Friday in Fargo. Click here to listen.
Bean Day Coming Up This Friday – The Northarvest Bean Day will be held Friday in Fargo. In addition to the dry-bean specific trade show, the agenda includes ‘Machiney Pete’ Greg Peterson, Jeff Harrison from Combest, Sell and Associates and NDSU Extension dry bean breeder Juan Orsono. The Red River Farm Network will have coverage of Bean Day, including reports with grower leaders. Reports will be found on-air and online. The RRFN coverage of Bean Day is sponsored by the Gowan Company.
Proven Chemistries for Potatoes – Eptam and Sonalan are two of the Gowan USA products showcased at the Potato Expo trade show. “Eptam and Sonalan have both been around for 30 years or so, but we’re always looking for new ways to use it,” said Kayley Jacobson, sales representative. “We’ve always done a lot of research with it and never stopped doing research with it; it’s really neat to see the different fits (for the product) come in.” The Gowan Company, which is a family-owned global company, acquired these chemistries from Dow Agrosciences ten years ago. In this interview with RRFN, Jacobson explains how these products are used in the potato market.
A Continued Focus on the Potato Sector – American Vanguard, which is the parent company for AMVAC, has gone through leadership changes. “Our historic CEO Eric Wintemute is still the chairman of the board, but he stepped down in his CEO capacity and he was in that role for three decades,” said AMVAC Western Business Sales Manager Micah Scanga. “We had some leadership changes, but the company is still focused on what we do and that is manufacturing.” The company has six sites in North American with five in the United States. Scanga said AMVAC champions traditional brands for the potato market, including its soil fumigants K-PAM and VAPAM. Listen to the AMVAC report from Potato Expo.
Start Your Season on the Rise – Bayer CropScience unveiled a new potato program at Potato Expo. Senior Technical Sales Representative John Martin said the 75-day program focuses on integrated potato management pre-plant through harvest. “We want to get a good foundation in the beginning so we start with our Emesto Silver seed treatment, putting Admire Pro down and then we’ve got a new product called Velum Rise,” said Martin. “It’s typically used as a nematicide but we’ve also added two active (ingredients) in there, penflufen and fluopyram. It’s really good early season for black dot. If anyone’s thinking about Rhizoctonia, Rise would replace their Rhizoctonia program that they’d have in place today.” Listen to RRFN’s report.
Farm Credit System Reviews Financial Conditions – The Farm Credit System had over $448 billion in outstanding debt at the end of the calendar year, a 9.2 percent increase from the end of 2023. The increase in interest rates and the longest-lasting inverted yield curve in history continued to negatively affect the FCS’s net interest spread and the market value of its portfolio. However, risk premiums for its debt securities declined reflecting strong investor confidence.
Tractor/Combine Sales Close Out ’24 in Negative Territory – U.S. tractor and combine sales took another drop at the end of 2024. According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, tractor sales were down more than 11 percent from December of 2023. Combine sales fell over 26 percent. This is a trend that was seen much of the year.
Deere Unveils Autonomous Technology at CES Show – John Deere unveiled its first fully autonomous tractor at the CES show in Las Vegas three years ago. “I’m thrilled to say that these tractors are already being used by farmers to prepare the soil for seeds to be planted next year,” said Jahmy Hindman, who is Deere’s chief technology officer. “That was a giant leap forward three years ago and today we’re going to take another giant leap forward in John Deere’s autonomy journey.” John Deere unveiled its second-generation autonomy kit that includes advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence. By bringing autonomy to tillage and other fieldwork, Hindman said it is one solution to the current labor shortage. In addition to new equipment, John Deere has kits to retrofit existing tractors.
Energy and Ag Sector Influence CHS Q1 Performance – CHS finished the first quarter with net income of $244.8 million. That compares to $523 million in the same quarter last year. The earnings for the agriculture division declined, hurt by soft oilseed crush margins. Lower natural gas costs offset lower prices for urea. Despite strong sales, earnings in the CHS energy segment declined. CHS President and CEO Jay Debertin said the energy industry and the farm economy are weak at the same time. CHS closed on its purchase of West Central Ag Services at the beginning of the month for $225 million.
Income Increase for Irrigation Firm – Lindsay Corporation had first quarter revenue of $166.3 million, an increase of nearly $5 million from a year ago. Income was up for their international irrigation equipment business, but down in North America.
Using AI to Develop Next-Gen Biostimulants – Syngenta Crop Protection and TraitSeq collaborating to develop the next generation of biological products for the ag market. TraitSeq is an artificial intelligence company with a proprietary method to identify highly specific indicators of a plant’s cellular state. When activated, these biomarkers can indicate how well a plant is responding to efforts to boost its health or block the effects of stress.
Syngenta Divests Vegetable Seed Treatment Business – Syngenta spun off its vegetable seed treatment platform to Gowan SeedTech. This deal was finalized at the end of December. The financial terms of the sale were not announced.
MOU Signed by Bayer and Neste for a Canola Project – Bayer and Neste have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly scale winter canola as a biomass-based feedstock for renewable products, like biofuels. Neste produces sustainable aviation fuel. Bayer plans to launch hybrid TruFlex winter canola in 2027 for the Southern Plains for the SAF market.
Deal Made for Camelina Germplasm – Bayer has acquired the camelina germplasm, intellectual property and materials from Smart Earth Camelina Corporation. Bayer’s goal is to expand its global presence in the biomass-based feedstock markets. Camelina has a promising low-carbon intensity for renewable fuel and can be grown in spring and winter. Bayer intends to use its expertise in oilseeds to further develop this product. Smart Earth Camelina Corporation is based in Canada.
CME Group to Add Spring Wheat Contract – The CME Group plans to compete head-to-head against the Minneapolis Grain Exchange with a spring wheat contract. The Chicago Board of Trade already trades soft red winter wheat and hard red winter wheat. This new contract will be launched in the second quarter. Miami International Holdings now owns the Minneapolis Grain Exchange.
AMBA Adds Two Varieties to its Recommendation List – The American Malting Barley Association has released its list of recommended varieties for the coming year. The additions to the list include CDC Churchill and Firefox. CDC Churchill is a two-row hulled malting barley variety developed by the University of Saskatchewan. Firefox is also a two-row hulled variety. It was developed in Europe and tested in North Dakota over the past four years. One variety was removed from the list; a six-row variety called Quest that was developed by the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in 2010. It fell off the list with the transition to two-row varieties.
USDA/MN Fund Supply Chain Infrastructure – USDA has partnered with Minnesota through its Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program to improve the local and regional food supply chain. With $9.5 million, the program will fund 11 infrastructure grants. Projects include nearly $1.6 million for Bongard’s Creameries to expand the capacity of its sliced processed cheese business and $1.5 million for Green Acres Milling of Albert Lea to purchase equipment for its oat milling facility.
Conservation Collaboration – Nutrien Ag Solutions is collaborating with Mossy Oak’s conservation program called GameKeepers. Mossy Oak is recognized for its focus on the outdoor lifestyle. Through this collaboration, the focus will be on sustainable farming practices and conservation. Nutrien Ag Solutions is also the Mossy Oak and GameKeeper’s preferred agricultural retailer.
ND, SD, OK Young Farmers Meet in Fargo – The Farmers Union organizations in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Oklahoma hosted the annual Tri-State Young Producers Conference in Fargo Friday and Saturday. “This is the third year for the event that we’ve put together for our young farmers between 25 and 40 years of age that we encourage to get involved in the organization,” explained Scott Blubaugh, president, Oklahoma Farmers Union. “They find out how much in common they have (and) how similar our farming operations really are even here in the Dakotas and as far south as Oklahoma. The challenges that we all face on family farms are very similar.”
PFS GM Takes Over IPSA Presidency – Peterson Farms Seed General Manager Scott Sanders is the new president of the Independent Professional Seed Association. This organization represents nearly 100 seed companies and Peterson Farms Seed is a longtime member.
Ag Trade Advisory Committees Named by USDA, USTR – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced the appointment or reappointment of 53 members to serve on seven ag trade advisory committees. The familiar names on the list include U.S. Wheat Associates CEO Vince Peterson, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Collin Woodall and Ryan LeGrand of the U.S. Grains Council. Click here to see the full list.
NDFU Adds Gaebe to Staff – Lance Gaebe has joined the North Dakota Farmers Union as a policy strategist. Most recently, Gaebe was the director of the North Dakota Lottery. Previously, Gaebe spent time as the state land commissioner, deputy chief of staff for Governor Hoeven, executive vice president of the North Dakota Water Users Association and executive director of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association.
Haase Appointed – North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong appointed Reice Haase as the director of the State Department of Water Resources. Haase is a former senior policy advisor in the Governor’s Office and former deputy executive director of the North Dakota Industrial Commission.
DeLuca Sets Retirement Date – Deb DeLuca, who has been the executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority since 2018, will retire May 15. DeLuca first joined the Port Authority in 2014 as its government and environmental affairs director. Under her leadership, more than $35 million in port-related capital projects have been initiated. DeLuca is the eighth executive director for the Port Authority and the first woman to have the job.
Thompson Named Endowed Professor – Thanks to the financial support of the North Dakota and Minnesota potato industry, North Dakota State University potato breeder Susie Thompson has been named the inaugural Johansen-Thompson Endowed Professor in Potato Breeding at NDSU. Named faculty endowments are one of the highest honors given in academia. The endowment is named for Thompson and another long-time NDSU potato breeder Robert Johansen. Johansen was in the role from 1948-to-1992 and Thompson has been the NDSU potato breeder since 2001.
Pork Leadership Institute Class Named – The National Pork Board and National Pork Producers Council have selected 17 individuals for the 2025 Pork Leadership Institute. The participants from the tri-state region include Nick Bundermann of Starkwater, North Dakota and Dan Howell of Volga, South Dakota. The yearlong PLI program provides a comprehensive look at the pork industry for future industry leaders.
Minnesotans Appointed to GHG Advisory Council – USDA has announced the 36 members of the newly formed Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council. This council will facilitate the participation in voluntary carbon credit markets for farmers. There are three members from this region, all from Minnesota. They are CHS Director of International Business Development Courtney Hall, National Indian Carbon Coalition Program Director Bryan Van Stippen and General Mills Senior Scientist Kate Ivancic.
Hanson to Retire – Effective February 7, Langdon Research Extension Center Research Agronomist Bryan Hanson will retire. Hanson has been on the job for more than 40 years. “I went through the scab times; went through canola coming in and, of course, Langdon is in the heart of canola country; and soybeans came into our region; I also had the opportunity to be the first station to test hemp so there was always something new to keep the interest up,” said Hanson. “Little did I know when I started I’d be here 40 years later, but it’s been a good career.” Hanson presented at the Lake Region Extension Roundup with a small grain variety update. This past year, nearly 70 wheat varieties were evaluated at Langdon and another 40 at its off-station locations.
Stachler Joins CREC as Cropping Specialist – Jeff Stachler has joined the North Dakota State University’s Carrington Research Extension Center as an Extension cropping systems specialist. Stachler has been the Griggs County Extension agent since 2020. Over the past 22 years, Stachler has worked at county and state levels of NDSU and Ohio State University Extension.
Last Week’s Trivia-Arachniphobia is the fear of spiders. Norm Groot of Monterey County Farm Bureau wins our weekly trivia challenge. Runner-up honors belong to Lyle Orwig of The Certified Agriculture Group, Keith Finney of Tharaldson Companies, Rolla farmer Doyle Lentz and Kevin Schulz of The Farmer. The ‘first 20’ rounds out with Kevin Praska of Stone’s Mobile Radio, Jim Altringer of Dakota Plains Ag, Mackenzie Derry of CHS Ag Services, Dennis Sabel of Minnesota Farm Bureau, Randy Knudsvig of First State Bank, Gregg Webster of Hillsboro, Keith Rekow of Dairyland Seed, UM Extension Educator Patrick Jirik, Mohall farmer Gene Glessing, Hallock farmer Theresia Gillie, Aberdeen farmer Jeff Wolff, Ramsey County farmer Paul Becker, Ron Dvergsten of Northland Farm Business Management, Sara O’Toole of O’Toole Seed and Kent Braathen of Grand Forks.
This Week’s Trivia-What city will be hosting the 2025 NFL Super Bowl? Send your answer to don@rrfn.com.
RRFN Upcoming Events | |||
January 13 - January 14 | MN Grain and Feed Association Annual Meeting - Mankato, MN | ||
January 13 | Crop Insurance Conference - Fargo, ND | ||
January 14 | SDSU Sustaining the Legacy Estate Planning - Watertown, SD | ||
January 14 - January 16 | Red River Basin Land & Water Int’l Summit - Grand Forks, ND | ||
January 14 | UM Research Update - Willmar, MN | ||
January 15 | ND Dairy Convention - Bismarck, ND | ||
January 15 | AgCountry FCS AgFocus Conference - Willmar, MN | ||
January 15 - January 16 | SD Pork Congress - Sioux Falls, SD | ||
January 15 - January 16 | Grassroots Grazing Summit - Bismarck, ND | ||
January 16 | UM Research Update - Crookston, MN | ||
January 17 | Northarvest Bean Day - Fargo, ND | ||
January 17 - January 18 | MN Assoc of Ag Educators Ag Tech Conference - St. Cloud, MN | ||
January 18 | SD Corn Conference - Sioux Falls, SD | ||
January 20 | Small Grains Update Meeting - Morris, MN | ||
January 21 | SDSU Sustaining the Legacy Estate Planning - Watertown, SD | ||
January 21 | UM Cow-Calf Day - Staples and Fosston, MN | ||
January 21 | Wild World of Weeds Workshop - Fargo, ND | ||
January 22 - January 23 | NDSU Feedlot School - Carrington, ND | ||
January 22 | UM Cow-Calf Day - Lancaster, MN | ||
January 22 - January 24 | Sioux Empire Farm Show - Sioux Falls, SD | ||
January 23 | AgCountry FCS AgFocus Conference - Fargo, ND | ||
January 23 | UM Cow Calf Day - Iron, MN | ||
January 24 - January 29 | American Farm Bureau Convention - San Antonio, TX | ||
January 25 | UM-Crookston Ag-Arama - Crookston, MN | ||
January 27 - January 28 | Northern Pulse Growers Association Annual Conference - Minot, ND | ||
January 28 | Midwest Cover Crop Council Annual Meeting - Mankato, MN | ||
January 28 | ND Livestock Association Livestock Summit - Fargo ND | ||
January 28 - January 30 | UMN Soil Management Summit - Mankato, MN | ||
January 29 | MN Crop Improvement Assoc Annual Meeting - St. Cloud, MN | ||
January 29 | Northland Hemp Summit - Wahpeton, ND | ||
January 29 - January 31 | KMOT Ag Expo - Minot, ND | ||
January 30 | NDFU Farm Succession Planning Workshop - Jamestown, ND |
Contact RRFN | Don Wick (701) 795-1315 |
Randy Koenen (701) 795-1315 |
Tyler Donaldson (701)-795-1315 |
Jamie Dickerman (701)-795-1315 |
RRFN Affiliate Stations | |||
Aberdeen, SD – 105.5 FM | Ada, MN – 106.5 FM | Bagley, MN – 96.7 FM | Bemidji, MN – 1300 AM |
Benson, MN – 1290 AM | Bismarck, ND – 1270 AM | Bismarck, ND – 1270 AM | Casselton, ND – 103.9 FM |
Crookston, MN – 1260 AM | Devils Lake, ND – 103.5 FM | Fergus Falls, MN – 1250 AM | Fosston, MN – 1480 AM |
Glenwood, MN – 107.1 FM | Grafton, ND – 1340 AM | Jamestown, ND – 600 AM | Langdon, ND – 1080 AM |
Mahnomen, MN – 101.5 FM | Mayville, ND – 105.5 FM | Roseau, MN – 102.1 FM | Rugby, ND – 1450 AM |
Thief River Falls, MN – 1460 AM | Wadena, MN – 920 AM | Warroad, MN – 92.5 FM | Worthington, MN – 730 AM |
FarmNetNews is a production of the Red River Farm Network. RRFN is based in Grand Forks, North Dakota and provides news to farmers and ranchers across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.