Phase One is Done – The U.S. and China have signed phase one of a trade agreement. President Donald Trump was joined by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at the White House ceremony. “Today, we take a momentous step, one that has never been taken before with China, toward future fair and reciprocal trade,” said President Trump in opening remarks. After the signing, the text of the agreement was released. All details are public except for specific purchase amounts. During the address, Trump verified the phase one agreement includes over $200 billion in Chinese purchases of American goods and services over the next two years. That includes at least $40 billion in food, agricultural and seafood products annually for a total of $80 billion in the next two years.  Trump also said he would remove all U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports as soon as the two countries completed phase two of the agreement, adding “I do not expect there to be a phase three.”  View the White House livestream of the signing ceremony.

Censky Calls Trade Deal a “Bonanza” for US Agriculture – In an interview with the Red River Farm Network, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Steve Censky said the signing of the trade deal with China will be huge for all of agriculture. It “addresses the longstanding market access barriers that China has used to keep our products out that has frustrated the trade for literally decades.” Censky says removing these not-tariff-trade barriers is likely the biggest win for US agriculture. “It will be spread out over lots of different commodities and will be, we hope, a bonanza for farmers and the agricultural industry.”

VanderWal Speaks to Phase One Trade Agreement with China – More than 200 people attended the phase one signing ceremony, with one of those being South Dakota Farm Bureau President Scott VanderWal. “The main impact on agriculture has to do with the $40 billion of ag products going to China. That’s more than we’ve ever sold to them,” said VanderWal. Hear more in this RRFN interview with VanderWal.

MFU Minute – The signing of the phase one trade agreement between the U.S. and China is encouraging for agriculture. However, Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish says a lot of market have already been lost. Listen to more in the MFU Minute.

Enforcement Important for Phase One Biotech Updates – There are updates to the biotech review process in the phase one trade deal with China. American Seed Trade Association President and CEO Andy LaVigne says the process provides more clarity moving forward. “The current process is a bit cloudy and not consistent. It often takes on average about seven-to-eight years for biotech approval from China,” explains LaVigne. “They have now committed to make it an average of two years for products going through the process.” LaVigne says respect and understanding of intellectual property is a concern. Enforcement could be the challenge.

USMCA Overwhelmingly Passes in the Senate – The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement passed the U.S. Senate by an overwhelming vote of 89-10 on Thursday. The vote came just one day after the United States signed a new trade agreement with China. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the USMCA benefits all sectors of the U.S. economy. “Farmers, growers, cattlemen, manufacturers, small businesses and big businesses. This is a major step for our whole country.” For agriculture, USMCA is estimated to increase U.S. exports by $2 billion. Now, the trade deal heads to President Donald Trump for a signature. Mexico’s legislature approved the trade deal last month and Canada still needs to ratify USMCA. The Canadian parliament isn’t scheduled to return until January 27. View the USMCA fact sheets.

Dairy Industry Waiting for USMCA Action – President Donald Trump is expected to sign the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement later this week. Mexico has already signed off on the deal, but it still needs to be ratified in Canada. U.S. Dairy Export Council President and CEO Tom Vilsack says Canada’s class seven pricing will be eliminated. “This class seven pricing distorted the export market and distorted the pricing of (milk) powder. We will want to keep an eye on implementation to make sure our Canadian friends don’t substitute something that acts like class seven, but isn’t called class seven.”  Vilsack is optimistic that 2020 will be a better year for dairy farmers.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Market – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Market, Advance Trading risk management advisor Tommy Grisafi says crude oil prices are moving higher. Friday’s gains in grain market were unexpected, but appreciated. Hear more in this update.

Trade Deals Praised by NDGGA – North Dakota Grain Growers President Dennis Haugen welcomes the signing of the phase one trade deal with China and the Senate passing the USMCA trade agreement. “This is good news for farmers all over the U.S.; getting all of these agreements in place makes for a little better future for agriculture.”

Trade Talks Take Center Stage at 2020 Farm Bureau Convention – There was talk of trade as President Donald Trump took the stage at the 101st American Farm Bureau Federation convention on Sunday. After Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue welcomed President Donald Trump to the stage, Trump jumped straight to the point as he approached the podium. “We did it,” he exclaimed. “They all said you’ll never get NAFTA changed… or get a deal done with China.” Just one year ago on the same stage, President Trump talked trade. Just days ago, a phase one trade deal with China was signed and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement is headed to the president’s desk. Earlier in the evening, Secretary Perdue stated the president will sign the USMCA “very soon.” President Trump went on to mention the occasion could even prompt a trip to farm country. The trade deal with China was also mentioned several times. “I think China is going to go all out to prove the agreement we signed is good, and we have very strong stipulations in there.” In closing, there was assurance from Trump to the 6,000 Farm Bureau members in attendance that “the best days for farmers and ranchers are yet to come.” Listen to the full RRFN coverage of the event and watch the speech.

NDFB Pleased with Mention of Wheat Grading Standards in USMCA –

NDFB President Daryl Lies was proud to hear President Trump mention the wheat grading issues with Canada. Lies says that is a top issue in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement for North Dakota farmers. “We’ve number one in wheat production for many, many years,” says Lies. “So it’s extremely important we have the opportunity to send wheat to Canada.” The trade deal eliminates discriminatory grain grading standards. Hear the full reaction from Lies, who also saw the phase one trade deal with China last week.

SD Farmer Believes Trade Aids in Certainty – Estelline, South Dakota farmer and Farm Bureau board member Jerry Runia sees the forward movement with trade as a step in the right direction. Those thoughts came after hearing President Donald Trump speak Sunday. Accoring to Runia, trade aids in providing certainty. “We haven’t had a president that ever went this far before to get a $200 billion dollar trade deal put together with China,” says Runia. “In the past, China did $26 billion worth of trade and now we’re looking at $40 billion for agriculture in the coming year. That will have a big impact.”

Minnesota Farmer Sees the Opportunity with Trade – While speaking to Farm Bureau members in Austin, President Donald Trump said, “If you harvest it or herd it, we want to help you sell it all around the world.” Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation board member Murdock, MN farmer Nathan Collins heard a common theme in the address: opportunity. “He made it loud and clear that the administration is here to sell our goods.That allows us the opportunity to continue to focus on growing what we need to provide to keep America fed and the world fed.” Hear the full comments from Collins.

Trade Agenda Moves to the EU – The European Union appears to be next on the Trump Administration’s trade agenda. Trump and U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer plan to meet with key EU officials during this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan is willing to negotiate agricultural issues, but tariffs will remain in place.

Hoeven: Final Tranche of MFP In the Works – According to North Dakota Senator John Hoeven, the third and final tranche of Market Facilitation Program payments is in the works. Hoeven met with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue after the Phase One trade deal signing this week. Perdue said he is on board and doing everything possible to get the third tranche out as soon as possible, currently working with the Office of Management and Budget. Hoeven says funds are already appropriated for the final payments.

Dry Bean Scene – For dry bean growers, it is difficult to make plans for the upcoming growing season given the conditions. Northarvest Bean Growers Association Executive Vice President Tim Courneya says Bean Day is apart of that decision making process. Hear more in the latest edition of the Dry Bean Scene.

Sheep Growers Seek MFP Payments – The American Sheep Industry Association is calling on the Trump Administration to consider direct payments to sheep producers in future Market Facilitation Program payments. Despite the phase one trade agreement, China will maintain its retaliatory tariffs on raw wool. The sheep association says the industry is moving into a second shearing and marketing season without its largest export market, which is China. ASI is meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona this week for its annual meeting.

Crop Insurance Premiums Due Jan. 31 – USDA’s Risk Management Agency is reminding farmers that crop insurance premiums are due January 31. Accrual of interest had been deferred for the 2019 crop year. “The reason why the agency is making a big deal right now is because if it’s not paid by then, the interest will attach on February 1, calculated from the date of the premium billing notice,” says RMA Administrator Martin Barbre. “We just want producers to understand that if they pay premiums by the end of this month they don’t pay any interest.” The extended interest deferral built on other steps taken by USDA to support farmers and ranchers impacted by flooding and other disasters. As of January 13, RMA has paid roughly $8.1 billion in overall claims for the 2019 crop year. Barbre met with farmers in North Dakota to discuss the challenges faced in 2019 this past fall. Between now and then, Barbre says RMA has been working with agents and adjusters to get claims processed as quickly as possible. “With passage of the disaster aid bill, we’ve been working with the Farm Service Agency to come up with numbers to help producers,” says Barbre. “We’re also working on coming up with a new way to address quality issues right now. In the past, quality adjustments were taken off of bushels. We hope to have something on that by at least the 2021 crop year.” Listen to the RRFN interview with Barbre.

Beet Stock Snapshot – According to Acres & Shares, American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock trended higher to $3,200 per share last week. A total of 279 shares traded hands through seven transactions at that price.

Sugarbeet Co-ops Meet With USDA on Disaster Aid – Local sugarbeet cooperatives met with USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey last Wednesday afternoon to discuss disaster assistance. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven told the Red River Farm Network there are still details being worked out. “We got into in-depth discussions. It was a good, long meeting of sugar growers and cooperatives from across the country.” Hoeven said by the end of this week, sugarbeet growers will have a modified proposal into USDA. “The sugar growers put together a proposal in terms of how they’d like to see things go. USDA came back and said there are some requirements that must be met. Now, sugarbeet growers will come back with a modified proposal.”

Potato Growers Still Working on Details of Disaster Aid – Northern Plains Potato Growers Association President Donavon Johnson says the potato industry is still working out the details of disaster aid. Timing and when payments will be made are the unknowns. “Elected officials know how much of a priority this aid is not just in our area, but in other areas and commodities. It’s being worked on.” Some potato growers don’t have crop insurance, a potential challenge if they want to take advantage of the disaster aid. “The way I understand it is those who don’t have insurance can get up to 70 percent coverage, but then they have to buy crop insurance for the next two years at a minimum of 60 percent coverage,” explains Johnson. “For potatoes, that’s very expensive. We’d like to know if there is anything that can be done for those who don’t have insurance at a lesser amount than 70 percent that is truly a disaster relief.” The National Potato Council (NPC) is working with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to better understand the authorities and flexibility of the WHIP plus program. The NPC and FSA are interested in having a discussion. According to the NPC, no official meeting is scheduled at this time.

Potato Industry Welcomes Phase One Deal – The U.S. potato industry is welcoming the signing of the Phase One Trade Agreement. In a statement, National Potato Council President Larry Alsum says there is hope this will bring new opportunities for U.S. fresh and processed potato exports. China is in the top 10 export markets for potatoes, primarily processed products.

Chipping Potato Provision in Phase One Deal – There is a potato provision included in the Phase One trade deal. According the text, USDA-APHIS and the General Administration of Customs People’s Republic of China will sign and implement phytosanitary protocol to allow U.S. fresh potato imports into China for processing. The U.S. potato industry is pleased with the language, but it’s not final yet. Now, market access protocol must be completed to confirm the rules of import can be met. “We anticipate a response from China. Then, we will have to go through that response to make sure the market access agreement is viable for shipping,” explained Matt Lantz, Vice President of Global Access, Bryant Christie, Inc. “We anticipate there will be a final round of negotiations right after the Chinese New Year to polish this up and we can hopefully sign the agreement and the market will open.” The provision is specific to chipping potatoes grown in the Pacific Northwest. Potatoes USA Chief Marketing Officer John Toaspern said once this is established, that access could be expanded to chipping potatoes grown in other areas of the country. “More chipping potatoes moving overseas also translates to further demand for chipping potatoes in the United States.”

Farm Economic Situation Similar to 1990s – During the Potato Business Summit, Rabo AgriFinance Senior Grain and Oilseed Analyst Steve Nicholson told attendees the current farm economic situation looks like the 1990s, not the 1980s. “When you think about the 1990s, prices were in a somewhat narrow band. We had excitement about China buying corn or weather issues, but they were fairly minor,” explained Nicholson. “Land prices in the 1990s went up a little bit, because there was still interest and margins. Today, we expect land prices to stay very well supported. There was also good government support in the 1990s and think about what’s happening in the last two years with the Market Facilitation Program.” Nicholson said interest rates are lower today than the 1990s.

Taking A Closer Look at the Future of Farming – According to Farmer of the Future research, the most successful farmers practice good marketing and management, are adaptable, have a strong business sense and they aren’t afraid to seize opportunities. Speaking at the Potato Business Summit, Aimpoint Research CEO Brett Sciotto reviewed this research and also told potato growers there about 40 percent of farmers who see opportunities to get ahead in challenging times. “They’re strengthening their operations, getting more market share, are further ahead of their peers and better positioned now than ever for what’s ahead.” Attendees learned about five farmer segments including independent elites, enterprising business builders, classic practitioners, self-reliant traditionalists and leveraged lifestylers. That was something that resonated with many of the Potato Business Summit attendees, including Black Gold Farms CEO Eric Halverson. “Long-term success in the next 20 years will require adapting to change. I also thought it was interesting when Sciotto talked about farming as a business versus a lifestyle,” said Halverson. “We’re always looking at ways to improve ourselves, too. Coming to the Potato Expo is one way to improve and learn about new technology and equipment, as well as listening to our peers and others growing potatoes.” Listen to the story.

Potato Growers Optimistic For Year Ahead – Despite the challenges of the 2019 harvest, AMVAC Corporation Territory Sales Representative Ralph Frederick says there’s lots of optimism for 2020 at the Potato Expo. “It shows how strong farmers are to come out of a year like that and start planning for 2020 with a positive attitude.” Frederick says disease management will continue to be important for potato growers going into the spring. “Farmers don’t want to be cutting back in certain areas they need to focus on. Controlling blight early and later is important. There are good options like the Equus brand and other fungicides that can help.” AMVAC is a sponsor of Potato Expo coverage. Listen to the story.

Fresh Red Potato Shipments Lower in 2019-2020 – U.S. fresh red potato shipments dropped to 12.7 million hundredweight in 2019-2020 from 13.8 million hundredweight in 2018-2019. United Potato Growers of America CEO Mark Klompien says the drop isn’t too surprising. “With the situation that happened with Mother Nature, we would expect that. The drop should probably be bigger than that. The Red River Valley alone will likely be down 1.1. million hundredweight in red shipments this year.” Klompien says there are other areas doing ok. “Some of the later shipping areas like Texas, Florida and California will likely see an increase.” Klompien also says fresh red potato acres could be up five to six percent in 2020. He was part of the Potato Business Summit.

Potato Shipping Season Moving Along OK – Due to the wet and cold harvest conditions, Buxton, North Dakota-based NoKota Packers ended up with 43 percent of their typical potato crop this year. President and CEO Carissa Olsen says they are on schedule to wrap up shipping in March. “Overall, everything looks alright. We are about as busy as we want to be. We’ll finish up in mid-March, which is a little unusual, but everyone is looking forward to it.” Olsen says weather challenges spanned beyond the Red River Valley in 2019. “Idaho had a shortage, too. It’s a unique market and everyone is learning from it, trying to manage and keep potatoes moving out the door.”

Blight Could Carry Over into 2020 – Gowan USA Product Marketing Manager Ken Reh says there is a chance blight could carry over in fields this spring. “It’s important to start planning for the next season and understand options available,” he explains. “The pathogen is going to be out there. We have lots of potatoes that didn’t even get out of the ground at harvest.” Gowan USA is re-launching Reason Fungicide for potatoes. “It’s a good fungicide for early and late blight.” Gowan USA is a sponsor of the Red River Farm Network’s Potato Expo coverage. Listen to the story.

One Solution for Soil-Borne Potato Diseases – Syngenta Agronomic Service Representative Dan Maxfield reminds farmers to be watching Rhizoctonia in 2020. “Elatus is one fungicide farmers should consider using, because it provides extended control of Rhizoctonia and has shown consistent tuber sizing. That’s key for seed growers and commercial producers.” Maxfield says the Elatus In-Furrow Fungicide is built on the foundation of Quadris. “It’s been providing growers lots of benefits.” Syngenta is a sponsor of Potato Expo coverage. Listen to the story.

Many Discussions on Nematodes at Potato Expo – The trade show at the Potato Expo was well-attended. Bayer Crop Science Product Manager Monte Sorensen had many discussions on battling nematodes and insects. “Velum Prime is a broad-spectrum nematocide. It can be applied in-furrow or via chemigation. That’s really going to start off the season protecting potatoes, making sure they’re off to a strong start,” said Sorensen. “Movento Insecticide is applied later in the season. It’s a foliar application. Movento is going to move across the foliage and down into the roots. Farmers will get protection from above ground pests and nematodes.” Listen to the story.

Mexican Court Rules Against Higher Ethanol Blends – The Mexican Supreme Court has ruled against a federal rule that would have allowed for up to ten percent ethanol blends. The court called for more science-based evaluation of higher ethanol fuels. A pre-existing rule allows a maximum of 5.8 percent ethanol content.

MN Corn Matters – A series of Nitrogen Smart meetings are coming up across Minnesota. University of Minnesota Extension educator Brad Carlson shares more in Corn Matters, an update from the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.

Tax Bills to be Heard in SD Legislature – The South Dakota Legislature is expected to consider key tax bills while in Pierre. South Dakota Corn Growers Association legislative director Teddi Mueller says one proposal would authorize the Department of Revenue to contract with different entities to get farm income information. “The other one is the adjustments to assess the value of agricultural land, factoring in the impact of land productivity.” Mueller says these adjustments will be closely scrutinized.

MN GOP Outlines 2020 Agenda – Minnesota Senate Republicans have announced their agenda for the upcoming legislative session. The so-called Vision 2020 agenda includes more funding for roads and bridges. The agriculture committee is focused on workforce development and tax relief for farmers. The Minnesota legislative session begins February 11.

Canola Minute – Clubroot management in one area of focus for the canola industry. learn more from BASF assistant canola breeder Sean Harder in the Canola Minute, made possible by the Northern Canola Growers Association.

ND Grain Dealers Association Meets in Fargo – The North Dakota Grain Dealers Association is meeting in Fargo this week for their 108th convention. Executive Vice President Stu Letcher says the group will discuss trade and tariffs, weather and grain quality issues, and the state grain licensing program. This afternoon, there will be a look at agriculture supplier liens and a grain licensing town hall with North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “The grain licensing program regulation responsibility switched from the North Dakota Public Service Commission to the State Agriculture Department,” explains Letcher. “There’s also been a study commissioned in the legislative interim to look at the grain licensing law. The commissioner will discuss proposed changes to the law.” Check out the convention schedule.

Burgum Waives HOS Rules for 30 Days – North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is waiving the hours-of-service requirements for commercial vehicles hauling livestock and hay supplies. The ongoing hay shortage has forced North Dakota ranchers to purchase supplemental hay supplies from other states or move livestock to areas were feed is more readily available. The waiver is in place through mid-February.

TransFARMation: Let People Help You – Binford, North Dakota farmer and rancher Tanner Overby’s life changed nearly one year ago on January 30, 2019 when both of his hands got caught in a feed mixer wagon. There were extensive injuries to his hands and arm and he went through 12 surgeries in 30 days. Here’s Tanner’s advice for others going through a similar, traumatic situation. “Let people help you. I know it’s hard to keep your head up with something like that, but moping and feeling sorry for yourself is going to make everyone around you miserable. Just try and take the high road; look at the positive.” There was family, the community and people that Tanner had never met before giving him words of encouragement. “It was unreal; everyone was willing to help,” says Overby. “There are a lot of good people out there. I was lucky to be from this small community when it happened.” Tanner is engaged to Red River Farm Network farm broadcaster Megan Ternquist. Hear more from the couple in this episode of TransFARMation.

Broadcasting From Precision Planting Event – The Precision Planting Winter Conference, which will be held Wednesday and Thursday, includes sessions in Fargo. The Red River Farm Network will broadcast from the event. This coverage is sponsored by Premium Ag Solutions of Hitterdahl.

Snow Pack Piling Up in Northern Plains – More snow fell across the Northern Plains over the weekend. According to the National Weather Service, Thief River Falls had 11 inches of snow in this latest event, Crookston, Minnesota had 9.5 inches of snow, Grand Forks, North Dakota had four to five inches of snow, Jamestown, North Dakota had four inches of snow and Devils Lake, North Dakota had 3.5 inches of snow. World Weather Incorporated Senior Agricultural Meteorologist Drew Lerner says the snow event didn’t do much to help with current snow pile. “The one thing probably in our favor is that we may see some short-term bouts of warmer weather periodically as we go through the balance of winter. That can help whittle down some of the snow.” Lerner says there will be more shots of cooler air coming into the Northern Plains. “The constant bouncing around from the warm to the cold and back again could bring more snow to the region. The concern about spring flooding continues to rise. I don’t think we’ll lose the majority of the snow pack until we get to the snow melt season.”

Funds Awarded for Vaccine Bank – The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has been awarded more than $10 million for disease prevention and emergency response training. With this money, USDA is moving forward with the development of a national animal vaccine bank. Currently, the U.S. does not have enough FMD vaccine to deal with an outbreak. The first priority is to build those inventories.

The Advantages and Challenges with Swine Productions – There are advantage and challenges when it comes to swine production and expansion.”For the crop farmer, the advantage is basis,” says Dr. Bob Thaler, swine specialist, South Dakota State University Extension. “Pigs eat a lot of corn and soybeans and it doesn’t take a big farm to utilize a lot of feed,” he says. “There have been examples in South Dakota corn basis was 28 cents per bushel more from when livestock moved in just in a four year period.” Another benefit is manure. “2,400 head swine finishing barn produces about $25,000 worth of fertilizer. Livestock manure also provides a 10 percent yield bump in corn and soybeans.” However the advantages do come with challenges, including concerns about water contamination and odor. Speaking at the at 2nd Annual North Dakota Livestock Alliance Livestock Summit, Thaler assured both of those concerns are addressed and monitored. Hear more in this RRFN interview.

Moving Livestock Development Forward – There is a motive to move livestock development forward in North Dakota. Those conversations were one focus at the 2nd Annual Livestock Summit hosted by the North Dakota Livestock Alliance. “We try to get a pulse on the ag industry; what some of the stumbling blocks are,” says NDLA vice chairman Kenton Holle. “We’re looking for ways to help expand an operation, build a new facility or bring in another generation.” The day’s events kicked off with a panel discussion on securing a reliable workforce in livestock operations. “Our farm is about one-third family, one-third local help and one-third foreign labor,” says Jamestown, ND dairy farmer Terry Entzminger. “In most cases, there are government regulations for the foreign help. Most programs are helpful, but others aren’t dairy-friendly.” Holle, who operates Northern Lights dairy near Mandan, North Dakota, echoes Entzminger’s statements; labor is an ongoing challenge within the industry. Learn more from Holle in this interview.

Black Leg Ranch: A Story of Diversifying – The bread and butter of Black Leg Ranch has always been the cowherd. However, the Doan family had to diversity as more members were added. “We had already established some facilities with the lodge, and my son Jay said to me nobody is telling the story and portraying a positive image about agriculture,” says Jerry Doan, owner, Black Leg Ranch. As a result, the ranch now runs on an intensive grazing structure, as well as offers hunting services and a venue space. “If you’re going to get kids back in agriculture, you can’t stand in their way. They’ve got to do things a little different; find some niches that work and keep the ranch successful.” Listen to the RRFN interview with Doan.

Walmart Enters the Beef Biz – The world’s largest retailer is entering the beef business, with Walmart opening a new meat processing facility in Thomasville, Georgia. The 200,000 square foot operation will employ 350 people and is part of the company’s $90 million commitment to supply Angus beef to 500 stores. In April 2019, Walmart partnered with a Texas-based Angus ranch to create its branded beef program.

MN Beef Update – Learn more about the Minnesota One Health Antibiotic Stewardship Organization. Minnesota Beef Council Executive Director Karin Schafer has the details in this edition of the Minnesota Beef Update.

Canadian Firms Partner on High Protein Canola – Four companies are working together on the first commercial breeding program that is focused on improving protein quality in canola. This $27 million hybrid canola program is being developed in Canada. The partners on the project are Corteva Agriscience, Bunge, Botaneco and Protein Industries Canada.

Upgrades Planned for Great Minnesota Get-Together – The Minnesota State Fair board of managers has approved nearly $10 million in upgrades for 2020. Improvements are planned for every building within the State Fair livestock complex. At the Minnesota State Agricultural Society annual meeting, Ron Oleheiser of Grand Rapids was elected president.

Trump Has Support in Farm Journal Poll – According to Farm Journal, President Trump’s approval rating in farm country is at its highest level ever. The monthly survey found 83 percent of farmers and ranchers support the president’s job performance. This poll coincides with trade policy wins with China and USMCA.

MFBF Takes Home Hardware at National Convention – The Minnesota Farm Bureau was one of six states to receive the New Horizon Award at this year’s Farm Bureau convention. The award recognizes state Farm Bureaus for the most innovative new programs, and Minnesota members devised a program that focuses on addressing the opioid epidemic and utilization. The MFB Foundation is working to bring resources and information to farm families impacted by the rural opioid crisis. “There is help out there, so seek it out. Have those conversations with people that you love,” says MFB Foundation Director Ruth Meirick. The Minnesota delegation also received Awards of Excellence in all four program areas, as well as State Leader, County Leader and Challenge Awards.

Grosz Makes “Sweet 16” in Farm Bureau Discussion Meet – At the 2020 Farm Bureau convention, NDFB’s Rachel Grosz of Mott, North Dakota advanced to the “Sweet 16” round in the Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet competition. Hear about Grosz’s experience in this RRFN interview.

CHS Names New Executive VP/CFO – CHS has announced the hiring of a new executive vice president and chief financial officer. Effective January 29, Olivia Nelligan will assume that role. Most recently, Nelligan served as the founder and CEO for a strategic advisory firm called Inish Enterprises.

Ag Safety Award to be Presented to William Nelson – The Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America is presenting its lifetime achievement award to William Nelson, who is retired from the CHS Foundation. Nelson was the first and longest-serving chair of the ASHCA board of directors. The award will be presented at an ag safety summit in March.

Raybould to Lead National Potato Council – An Idaho potato grower is now leading the National Potato Council (NPC). Britt Raybould was elected President, leading the Executive Committee in 2020. She is the first female president in the NPC’s history. The 2019 President, Larry Alsum, will serve as the NPC Immediate Past President.

Larson Moves Up the USW Leadership Ladder – An East Grand Forks farmer is the new vice chair for U.S. Wheat Associates. Rhonda Larson has been farming nearly 30 years and was a member of the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council for 17 years. Oregon farmer Darren Padget is the organization’s new chairman and Michael Peters of Oklahoma is secretary-treasurer.

House Ag Chairman Peterson Adds New Staffers – House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson added two new staff members. Gary, Minnesota farmer Jake Chisholm will be the Staff Director for the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. Justina Graff will be the new Deputy Clerk for the House Agriculture Committee. Also, the current counsel for commodity and conservation programs, Prescott Martin III, was promoted to Chief Counsel.

Wife of AFBF President Passes – Bonnie Duvall, wife of American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, lost her courageous battle with cancer on Saturday. AFBF Vice President Scott VanderWal described her as “a special member of the Farm Bureau family.” Bonnie and Zippy were chosen for National Young Farmer and Rancher Award in 1982 . Thirty-three years later, the couple’s Farm Bureau endeavors continued when Zippy was elected president of the organization.