Heading to Orlando – Red River Farm Network Farm Broadcaster Randy Koenen will report from Orlando and the National Potato Expo this week. Potato Expo is the largest annual potato industry conference and trade show in North America. Listen for insights about the latest innovations within the potato business, industry trends and policy issues. The RRFN team will also be on the road for the Small Grain Update meetings, Lake Region Extension Roundup and the Tri-State Young Producer Conference.

Farm Relief Payment Rates Released – The new economic assistance package for farmers will total $9.7 billion. North Dakota farmers will share $672 million in relief. Payments will total $619 million for Minnesota and $505 million for South Dakota. The University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute completed this analysis. The payment rates are $42.51 per acre for corn; $30.69 for wheat; $29.50 per acre for soybeans; $26.76 for canola; $23.38 for sunflower seed and $21.76 per acre for barley. The crops receiving the largest payments are cotton at $87.26 per acre and rice at $69.52 per acre.

Relief Payments Could Come Quickly – The American Relief Act of 2025 will provide farmers nationwide with economic assistance to help offset losses from declining crop prices. Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute Director Pat Westhoff says assistance packages like this are rare and farmers should plan accordingly. “Farmers can’t count on getting the same type of payment again in the future so they should treat this as a one-time only payment.” Payments could come quickly. “The legislation lays out a pretty tight timeframe, just a couple of months after the bill is passed so we’ll see if USDA will be able to act as quickly as the bill envisions to get checks out the door quickly.”

Another Farm Bill Push – With a new Congress, farm groups stepped back and are now relaunching their farm bill push. The 2018 farm bill has been extended twice and Minnesota Corn Growers Association President Jim Kanten wants to get this legislation across the finish line.  “We’re running yet on the 2012 cost of production and we want to update that to current costs of production because things have changed a lot since 2012,” said Kanten. “We’re also pushing narrowing the deductables under Federal Crop Insurance and expanding the quality of protection for all producers.”

Global Food Price Index Declines in December – The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s global food price index dropped 0.5 percent in December. The drop was driven by falling prices for sugar, dairy, and cereal grains, outweighing a rise in meat prices.  Despite the monthly decline, the index was 6.7 percent higher than a year ago. Year-on-year prices increased for meat by seven percent and dairy by 17 percent.  Cereal grains and sugar saw declines of 9.4 percent and 10.6 percent, respectively.

Rural Mainstreet Index Dips Below Growth Neutral – The Rural Mainstreet Index, a key measure of economic health in rural areas across ten states reliant on agriculture and energy, fell sharply in December. The index dropped below its growth-neutral mark for the 11th time this year.  Creighton University economist Ernie Goss attributed November’s brief uptick to optimism following the Trump election, which faded as weak grain prices and farm income losses took their toll.  About 25 percent of bankers surveyed said their local economy is in or nearing recession, while the rest expect slow growth in 2025.

Year-Over-Year Grain Prices Take a Downturn – In 2024, grain prices were lower, and livestock prices were higher. Comparing the March contracts, soybeans had the biggest loss, down about $2.50 a bushel from a year ago. The March corn contract is down about six cents. Minneapolis March wheat is down just over a dollar from last year, Chicago March wheat is down 60 cents and Kansas City March wheat is down about 65 cents year-over-year.

Cattle Markets Finish 2024 Strong – The livestock prices bounced higher over the past 12 months. February live cattle rose more than $20 per hundredweight. January feeder cattle are up over $38 and February lean hogs are $10 higher than a year ago. The cattle futures are being driven by cash cattle prices. The average price of an 800-pound steer during 2024 is $247 per hundredweight, up nearly 15 percent from last year.

MN Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Growers Association President Jim Kanten joins this week’s Corn Matters to talk about the recent USMCA trade panel ruling regarding Mexico’s ban on biotech corn imports. You can hear the report by clicking here.

Farmers Face High Fertilizer Costs – Farmers are feeling the pinch of fertilizer prices, especially with high phosphorus costs. AGVISE Soil scientist John Breker says farmers are asking how much they can cut back on their phosphorus use without hurting yields. After a soil test, Breker advises focusing cuts on fields with high phosphorus levels while maintaining applications on low-testing fields. “In some fields, they might not be able to budge on it, but if they have some fields that have high or very high P levels, those are the ones where they can maybe get away with just a starter application”, said Breker.  “It’s also important to know what your nitrogen levels are from last fall. Some of the later crops, like corn, there’s actually quite a bit more nitrogen after corn than people were expecting.”  AGVISE is sharing the latest soil fertility research at seminars in Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota this month. While registration is closed, more information is available at Agvise.com.

Don’t Jump to Conclusions About Trump 2.0 – With the incoming Trump administration, concerns have been seen over tariffs and employee shortages. National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says it’s still too early to jump to conclusions. “If the threat of tariffs drives countries that we partner with to the negotiating table where we can get a better deal overall for U.S. agriculture’s huge trade deficit, that will be a very good thing.” Ag labor reform is another issue that Quarles feels could benefit the economy. “Ag labor reform done properly could provide a tailwind for the U.S. economy that would carry us for decades.”

Watch Demand in Friday’s USDA Report – USDA will release the January supply and demand report on Friday. Ever Ag market analyst Jenny Wackershauser will be watching the demand numbers. “We’ve got big demand numbers already slated in,” said Wackershauser. “We’re within 100 million, more or less, of our record ethanol grind year and we’re within 300 million of that big 2020 corn export year so we’re already looking at really solid demand numbers, right?” A cautious tone is recommended.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson recaps the past year. “For the second year in a row, cocoa was the leader with it being up 206 percent over last year.” Coffee, orange juice and bitcoin also had dramatic gains. Traditional ag commodities, like wheat, corn and soybeans were weaker. Lithium batteries were a big loser, which may reflect the lack of interest in electric vehicles. Click here to listen to the report.

China-U.S. Trade Hits WTO-Era Low – China’s trade with the U.S. fell to 11 percent of its total goods trade in 2024, its lowest since joining the WTO in 2001. Beijing has shifted exports toward Southeast Asia and imports to Brazil and Australia. Tensions may rise as President-elect Donald Trump signals new tariffs on Chinese goods.

Dry Pockets Seen in Argentina, Southern Brazil – While Argentina has been dry, much of Brazil has seen nearly ideal moisture conditions. However, Commodity Weather Group meteorologist Joel Widenor is seeing more dryness in southern Brazil. “It had a pretty good season so far in Rio Grande do Sul, but it does look like we’re going to be drying out enough there over the next couple of weeks to see some stress developing for them,” said Widenor.  “Areas from far southern Brazil into Uraguay, Southern Paraguay, central and northeast Argentina, that’s kind of the region that seems to be most at risk as we move through January.”

Beet Stock Values – According to Acres & Shares broker Jayson Menke, there were only two American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock brokered trades last week; 15 shares at $5,500 per share and 20 shares at $5,450 per share.

StoneX Forecasts Bigger Brazilian Bean Crop – A leading brokerage firm has revised its Brazilian soybean estimate upward. StoneX is forecasting Brazilian soybean production at 171.4 million metric tons. That’s up from 166.2 million tons in December. StoneX also increased its corn production estimate slightly.

Shipping Firm Prepares for Possible Port Strike – The global shipping firm, Maersk, is encouraging its customers to remove cargo from East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. This recommendation is being made in preparation for a potential strike by port workers in mid-January. The labor negotiations have stalled and next contract deadline is January 15.

Port Labor Negotiations Resume This Week – Negotiations between dockworkers and the U.S. Maritime Alliance will resume Tuesday. The current contract expires on January 15. There was a three-day strike in October for East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. That walkout ended after the two sides agreed to a tentative 62 percent pay increase over six years. The contract was extended for three months while the two sides worked on other issues, including the use of automation.

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s Dry Bean Scene, learn more about the issues facing rail shipments of dry edible beans. The latest USDA Grain Transportation Report has a special feature on this transportation issue. Click here to hear the report. The Northarvest Bean Growers Association also invites you to attend Bean Day January 17 in Fargo.

Be Alert for Animal Health Issues – The key to animal health is to recognize potential problems early on. For pigs, Pharmgate Animal Health Technical Service Veterinarian Dr. Nic Lauterbach says the first indication may be a drop in water consumption. “You may see pigs that are less active than you would normally expect them to be; you could be hearing a cough throughout some of the population,” said Lauterbach. “Finally, you may see a drop in feed, right? Those pigs just aren’t going through their feed budget as quickly as you would expect them to.” Listen to the full interview. 

An Update for Swine Health Regs – USDA is establishing a national voluntary livestock improvement program to safeguard and improve the health status of the U.S. swine herd. The U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan began four years ago as a pilot project, monitoring certain farms for African Swine Fever and Classical Swine Fever. This program is being expanded, allowing hog farms to be certified for their health status. Public comments will be accepted through January 30.

USDA Tightens Bird Flu Relief with New Biosecurity Rules – USDA has implemented a new interim final rule updating the indemnity payments provided to poultry operations affected by avian influenza. Under the updated regulations, a commercial poultry farm affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza that wants to restock, the premises will be required to pass a biosecurity audit. Farms that do not make the corrections recommended in that audit will not be eligible for indemnity payments. Out of the $1.1 billion in federal indemnity payments, $365 million has gone to 67 operations with multiple outbreaks.

HHS Invests in Avian Influenza Response – The Health and Human Services Department is awarding $306 million to continue its H5N1 Avian Influenza response. Funds will be used for training, equipment and hospital preparedness. In a statement, HHS said the risk to humans remains very low, but it is preparing for any possible scenario that could happen. HHS and USDA are also collaborating with state and local officials to address human health, animal health and food safety.

USDA Targets H5N1 Elimination in U.S. Dairy Herds – The main goal of USDA’s H5N1 Monitoring Program is to eliminate the virus from U.S. dairy herds. Minnesota Milk Producers Association Executive Director Lucas Sjostrom says there are still some concerns over how such a goal can be reached. “It’s a new endeavor for us, and I think what we’re most resistant to is just making sure that the ends and the means match up.” A new White House administration doesn’t necessarily mean changes to the program. “We’re not guessing that there will be much change with the administration change. However, that’s always possible.”

High Beef Cattle Prices Influencing Dairy Markets – The rebuilding of the U.S. beef herd remains nonexistent. USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer says that is also being felt in the dairy market. “On the dairy side, profitability has been good over the last year, but the ability to expand and respond to any profitability has been hampered by that same contraction in the beef herd. It has made beef-dairy crosses for dairy heifers profitable as well so we may be a little short on the purebred dairy heifers needed to expand the herd.”

Certified Angus Beef Programs Promote Sustainability for 2025 – Certified Angus Beef has a variety of programs to help farmers and ranchers meet their sustainability goals. “We have our Raised with Respect campaign, which is a drive and a push for producers to get Beef Quality Assurance certified and to stay certified,” said Kirsten Nickles, sustainability and animal care scientist. BQA is just one of many ways ranchers can build consumer trust. “We know that consumers do trust BQA certification. It increases their confidence in what we do at the farm and the ranch.” Other programs like the Land Stewardship Program can help producers manage soil health. “It’s an online course. If you go to cabcattle.com you can learn more about that course. It’s free and accessible to all producers and teaches principles that will allow producers to dictate what practices they want to employ on the farm and the ranch.” Click here to listen to the full interview.

MN Beef Update – Minnesota Beef Council CEO Kelly Schmidt joins this week’s Minnesota Beef Update to talk about the importance of beef exports. Click here to listen to the report.

Property Taxes Take Center Stage in Bismarck – Although a November ballot measure to eliminate property taxes failed, discussions around reform are expected to take center stage during the North Dakota legislative session. “Nobody wants to pay taxes, but how do you pay for the goods and services that the citizens still demand? That’s a tough nut to crack.”, said Pete Hanebutt, public policy director, NDFB. “Our legislature has tried to solve that problem for years and it never seems to go away.  I think most of it is a local spending problem.”  Governor Kelly Armstrong has identified property tax reform as one of his administration’s top priorities and numerous bills about the topic have been introduced.

North Dakota Legislative Report – The North Dakota Legislative Report debuts for this session with comments from Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Larry Luick. The session begins Tuesday and property tax reform will be a popular topic. “It’s not really a fair tax,” said Luick. “To me, it’s a regressive tax.” The Senate Agriculture Committee will meet Thursdays and Fridays in the upcoming session. After an orientation session on Thursday, the Senate committee will review participation in the swine health improvement plan on Friday. The House Agriculture Committee will discuss eligibility for the drought disaster livestock water assistance program. The North Dakota Legislative Report airs each Friday morning at 6:37. Click here to listen to the report.

MN Barley Checkoff Terminated Amid a Decline in Acreage – Minnesota barley growers elected to terminate the barley checkoff in a vote held during the Prairie Grains Conference. The vote was seven-to-one, highlighting a steady decline in barley growers in the state.  According to Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commodity Council Coordinator Christina Iliev, the Barley Research and Promotion Council has until June to spend any remaining funds. “They can contract with the University of Minnesota or whomever they need to for the research and promotion of barley, but all those funds need to be spent by June 30, 2025.” Marv Zutz is the executive director of the Minnesota Barley Research and Promotion Council and the Minnesota Barley Growers Association. “Back in the 1980s we probably had over a million acres of barley grown in Minnesota,” said Zutz. “This next year we’re estimating approximately 25,000 acres being grown in Minnesota so we saw the writing on the wall.”

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, Lac Qui Parle County farmer Ed Hegland, who is a water quality certified farmer, talks about his conservation program. Click here to listen to Hegland. 

Legislative Focus: Advancing SAF in Minnesota – Minnesota’s legislative session begins on January 14th. House Agriculture Committee Chair Paul Anderson wants to promote and establish more research on sustainable aviation fuel. “There’s a plant coming into Moorhead, which is great news,” said Anderson. “That hopefully will give ethanol a big boost in demand. I think that’s key for the future of corn farming and ethanol in Minnesota.”  The DG Fuels facility in Moorhead is set to begin production in 2030.

MDA Preps for ’25 Legislative Session – With 2024 in the rearview mirror, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is preparing for the upcoming legislative session. Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen said budget planning is a priority. The continued spread of avian influenza is also on the radar. “One other thing that we’re seeing right now too is a return of avian influenza in our wild birds so we know as they’re migrating with this weird weather that they are carrying the virus around the state.” Minnesota’s groundwater and soil health are also expected to receive attention during the session.

Demand for MN Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Growing – In the upcoming session of the Minnesota Legislature, one of the biggest tasks for lawmakers is to pass a new biennial budget.  Stu Lourey, government relations director, Minnesota Farmers Union, says part of that budget should include expanding the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit. “In the last budget session, we increased the credit for everybody but set a lower overall cap on how much the state could spend on that program,” said Lowrey.  “The credits capped at $4 million. The department has had $7.5 million in requests.”  Minnesota’s legislative session begins January 14th.

Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Available for ’25 – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Rural Finance Authority is accepting applications for the 2025 Beginning Farmer Tax Credit. The tax credit is available to those who rent or sell farmland, equipment, livestock or other assets to beginning farmers. A total of $4 million is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Fielding Questions: Buying and Selling Recreational Land – In the Fielding Questions podcast, AgCountry Farm Credit Services Market Vice President of Home Loans Kyle Rylander discusses the financing of recreational land. Rylander highlights the important factors impacting buyers and sellers. Fielding Questions is a collaboration between AgCountry Farm Credit Services and the Red River Farm Network. Click here to listen to the podcast. 

South Dakota Legislature to Focus on Property Tax Reform – The 100th South Dakota Legislative Session is set to begin on January 14th with property tax reform expected to be a key focus. Mitch Richter, a lobbyist for the South Dakota Farmers Union, said his organization will closely monitor the proposals.  “One proposal raises the sales tax from four percent to five percent, offering property tax relief exclusively to homeowners. That leaves out agricultural and commercial properties,” said Richter. “If no changes are made to include relief for agriculture, we’ll likely propose a task force to study the issue over the next year and return with solutions for the next session.” Agriculture groups hope the discussions will lead to more comprehensive tax reforms in the state.

SD Corn Comments – In this week’s edition of South Dakota Corn Comments, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council Executive Director DaNita Murray highlights the Council’s work. Click here to hear the report. 

Cover Crops/Fertility Take Center Stage at Workshop – This year’s NDSU Extension Soil Water Workshop offers the latest on fertilizer and soil management. “We’ll be talking cover crops, we’ll also be covering quite a bit about soil pH and updated fertility recommendations,” said NDSU Extension Soil Science Specialist Brady Goettl. “We’ll also be talking about how geology impacts soil management. We’re really looking at the big picture in North Dakota.” Goettle expects questions about fertility management within a difficult economy. “There’s a lot of conversations around if we can cut back, should we be cutting back? what should we put our money towards in fertility?” This year’s workshop is held on January 22 at the Fargodome. For more information and registration visit https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/events/soil-water-workshop.

Small Grains Update Meetings This Week – The 2025 Small Grains Update Meetings are on the schedule this week. “The biggest thing is to find out what’s going on with wheat, corn, and soybeans,” said Minnesota Wheat Executive Director Brian Sorenson. “It’s a great opportunity to not only get some information, but to ask industry experts any questions.” This year’s meetings will be held this week at six locations; Dilworth, Halstad, Crookston, Lancaster, Roseau, and St. Hilaire. There will also be a meeting on January 20th in Morris. More information can be found at mnwheat.org.

Canola Minute – Here’s the latest Canola Minute from the Northern Canola Growers Association. This week, NCGA Communications Specialist Lindy Coutts cites the record crop produced in 2024 and looks forward to the year ahead. Listen by clicking here. 

Plan Herbicide Programs Now – Weed management should be a priority, even at this time of the year. Syngenta Agronomy Service Representative Blake Miller sees this as a time to ask questions. “What were those fields like the last time they were in corn? What did they look like last year? If you’re rotating in a corn-soybean rotation, what was weed pressure like?” Weed pressure and the type of herbicide program used can impact revenue. “There’s a Southern Illinois University study that effectively for every inch of weed growth you let compete with your corn, you’re losing 4.6 bushels to the acre.”

Introducing the First Purpose-Built Farm/Ranch Truck – Firefighters have vehicles built to fight fires. Tow truck operators also have vehicles designed to do the job. Certified Agriculture Group President and CEO Pat Driscoll says farmers have never had a truck built for their unique needs, until now. “We’ve always had to settle for what the manufacturers put on the shelf and try and make it do what we need it to do,” said Driscoll. “The AGwagon, from the ground up, is a truck designed by 14 farmers and ranchers from around the country working in collaboration with engineers at the premier off-road performance company in the world, FOX Factory, to create the world’s first purpose-built agriculture truck with what we like to say has tractor-like capability to it. It’s an incredible product and agriculture’s really embraced this.” The AGwagon package will be available in heavy-duty Ford, Chevy, GMC, and Ram trucks. Driscoll said Ford was the first truck brand to produce the AGwagon. Ram is scheduled to be online in the first quarter, followed by GMC in Q2. Listen to the full interview.

CHS Finalizes WCAS Purchase – CHS has closed its acquisition of West Central Ag Services. This deal is valued at $225 million and follows a shareholder vote in late November. The new ag retail business unit is being called CHS West Central. Former West Central Ag Services CEO Jesse McCollum is now the senior director of operations. CHS and West Central Ag Services had a 50-50 joint venture called Central Plains Ag Services based in Hannaford. That joint venture is now owned by CHS and is part of the CHS ag retail business unit in Devils Lake.

Corteva Offers Two New Soybean Herbicides for ’25 – Corteva has two new liquid pre-emergence soybean herbicides on the market for 2025. Product manager Drake Robards said Kyber Pro and Sonic Boom offer great flexibility. “Kyber Pro is a premium pre-emerge offering about six weeks of residual control for broadleaves and grasses and Sonic Boom is a mid-tier product which is just focusing on broadleaf weeds with the same level of control in terms of a timeline.” Learn more in this interview.

Improving Nutrient Uptake – Mosaic Biosciences has targeted the biological market for corn, soybeans, and wheat over the past two years. Mosaic agronomist Chad Becker says there are two key products, PowerCoat and BioPath. PowerCoat is an oil-based formulation that’s meant to be on dry fertilizer and BioPath is a water-based product. “They’re a bacillus-based product, so a fairly simple formulation with a targeted approach,” said Becker. “The goal is to be a nutrient-use efficiency product so they help fertilizer from being tied up when you apply it.” In addition to a yield advantage, Becker says these products deliver approximately a ten-pound increase of macronutrients and micronutrients per plant. Listen to the interview. 

Indigo Ag Trials Highlight Yield Gains – Multiple modes of control are more important than ever before when dealing with resistance. Indigo Ag provides a line of biologicals that offer a great natural alternative for that extra layer of protection and their latest biological seed treatment trials are showing strong marks. “We have a nice portfolio of biological seed treatments, naturally sourced microbes, most of which are either bacteria, fungus, or endophytes,” said Shannon Gnad, national sales director. One particular bio-fungicide stands out from the rest. “We have a bio-fungicide product we call X19. Right now, it is the highlight for 2024 so far. It’s showing exceptional yield uplift on corn and soybeans, particularly on corn, and if those trends continue as we expect, it’s going to be a remarkable return on investment.” Listen to the interview.

Otter Tail Power Completes ND Rate Review – The North Dakota Public Service Commission has approved a $13.1 million net increase to Otter Tail Power Company’s electric service rates. In a news release, Otter Tail Power officials said the 6.18 percent net rate increase will keep its rates among the lowest in the nation.

Job Opportunities in Agriculture – Visit the Red River Farm Network website and click on the Job Opportunities in Agriculture tab. The Roseau County Farm Service Agency has an opening for a full-time program analyst. Contact Dustin Spaeth for more details. January 17th is the application deadline.

Fighter Pilot Volunteers for Farm Rescue – North Dakota-based Farm Rescue has been helping farmers and ranchers deal with family emergencies for nearly 20 years. Former Kansas farm broadcaster Kathy Patton-Strunk has personal experience with Farm Rescue after her son was hospitalized and unable to harvest his crops this fall. “They sent him a volunteer, a jet fighter pilot, and he showed up with a grease gun and tools,” relates Patton-Strunk. “The other combine operators were pretty impressed because they didn’t have to show him where the grease zerts were on the combine. Lance is now back training pilots in Alaska. He’s a native of Hayes, Nebraska, a farm guy that still loves going to farms in the Heartland. I’m sure he has other things to do but he volunteers during his leave.” Patton-Strunk said Farm Rescue is ready to help during a time of crisis. Since its inception in 2005, Farm Rescue has assisted more than 1,100 farm and ranch families. Click here to hear the full interview.

New Leadership for Holstein USA – Lindsey Worden is the new CEO for Holstein Association USA. Worden has been with Holstein USA for 17 years, starting as a college intern. After college, Worden joined the organization as its public relations specialist. She later served as the communications manager, the executive director of the Holstein Genetic Services Department and chief operating officer. Worden succeeds John Meyer, who was with Holstein USA for 23 years.

Agtegra Elects Directors – Agtegra Cooperative has reelected its officer team; Rick Osterday of Java as president, Heather Beaner of Mellette as first vice president, Matt Johnson of Webster as second vice president and Steve Halverson of Pierre as secretary. Five Agtegra members were elected to the board. They are Joel Erickson of Langford, Jay Esser of Redfield, Chris Eymer of Reliance, Andy Weisser of Roscoe and Matt Micheel of Cavour. Garrett Masat of Redfield and Casey Nilsson of Mansfield were appointed to a one-year term as nonvoting advisory directors for 2025. Agtegra is based in Aberdeen with a network of over 70 locations.

Saddle & Sirloin Club to Honor Stokka – The NDSU Saddle and Sirloin Club will present its Little International Agriculturalist of the Year Award to Dr. Gerald Stokka. Stokka is the NDSU Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist. The award will be presented at the Little ‘I’ on February 14.