Cyber Headache – A defective software update by the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike caused IT outages worldwide Friday. Various aspects of the trading process in the financial markets were impacted. However, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said there were only sporadic outages and most markets were unaffected. One pork processing plant was reportedly shut down due to computer issues. Union Pacific is the only major freight railroad that reported any shipping delays.

Market Volatility Anticipated in Reaction to Changing Political Dynamics – President Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid has implications for the economy and the markets. In the overnight grain trade, grain markets rallied. “That’s tied more to weather in the Black Sea Region and weather in the Northern Plains and Midwest and they were extremely oversold,” said Tommy Grisafi, risk management advisor, Advance Trading. “If you didn’t know that Joe Biden stepped aside, you’d think the markets were at the start of a good week and that’s the effect.” There are 106 days until Election Day and there is plenty of uncertainty across the political scene. “It leaves us very vulnerable; watch China and Taiwan. If China were to misbehave, it would be in these next few months when we have a lame duck president.” Listen to Grisafi’s comments.

Vilsack Responds to Biden Announcement – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released a statement following the unprecedented decision by Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race. Vilsack said Biden “will go down in history as one of our most consequential American presidents.” The USDA leader cited Biden’s accomplishments, including his work on clean energy, food security and market competition. Vilsack wrapped up the official statement, saying the Biden Administration’s work “is not done.”

Farm Bill Discussed on the Sidelines of the GOP Convention – The politics surrounding the farm bill was on centerstage in a forum sponsored by POLITICO at the Republican National Convention. House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson and Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman shared the stage. Thompson said the farm bill debate is on pause until the appropriations process is complete. That will happen in September at the earliest. Boozman said he’d rather extend the current farm bill another time rather than passing legislation that doesn’t deliver substantial change in farm policy.

Adequate Farm Safety Net Stressed During Corn Congress – Corn Congress brought corn growers to Washington D.C. to discuss the farm bill and other issues. “We talked about the financial situation that’s going to affect us with corn prices around that $4 mark and some of the devastation that’s occurred through the weather challenges we’ve had,” said Dana Allen-Tully, president, Minnesota Corn Growers Association. “We really wanted to drill home the experiences of what’s happening on the ground back in Minnesota.” The economic situation is serious. “A lot of farmers still have corn in the bin and we’re looking to get it out before harvest. The economic challenges that are going to be faced by corn farmers in the next three-to-six months very well could be significant.”

Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Growers Association First Vice President Jim Kanton joins Corn Matters this week. Kanton was part of a MCGA delegation attending the Corn Congress in Washington D.C. Listen to the update. 

Walking the Halls of Congress – The National Corn Growers Association and American Soybean Association were both on Capitol Hill this past week seeking action on the farm bill. Priorities include crop insurance and increased funding for trade promotion programs. Biofuels were also part of the conversation, including the role of sustainable aviation fuel. Following Hill visits, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association Executive Director Joe Smentek visited Morocco’s Embassy to promote trade through the Port of Duluth-Superior.

Farm Bill, Farm Bill, Farm Bill – Representatives of the American Soybean Association were on Capitol Hill this past week.  The legislative priorities are “farm bill, farm bill, farm bill.” Strathcona, Minnesota farmer Jim Kukowski wants to get the farm bill done this year. “I really like the House bill and the Republican version in the Senate. It’s basically everything we asked for two years ago, but they’ve got to work through the politics.” Kukowski represents the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association on the ASA executive committee.

SD Corn Comments – In this week’s edition of South Dakota Corn Comments, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council Executive Director DaNita Murray highlights the role of the American farmer in feeding the world and the importance of the new farm bill. Listen to the update.

Beige Book: Farm Economy Influenced by Lower Grain Prices – The Federal Reserve Bank’s Beige Book calls for slow economic growth over the next six months due to the uncertainty with the election, domestic policy, geopolitical conflict and inflation. In the Minneapolis District, the report said agricultural conditions are weakening. The soft farm economy is being influenced by lower commodity prices and weather challenges. The threat of avian influenza is also a factor.

Back to the Basics – The last few years have been generally good for farmers financially. With lower commodity prices and high input costs, the next few years could be the opposite. “After some really profitable years, we are coming into some pretty significant headwinds,” said Lynn Paulson, senior vice president of agribusiness development, Bell Bank. Moving forward, Paulson said farmers adopt a back-to-basics approach. “Know your balance sheet, know your cost of production, do some good cash flows, it’s really getting down to ‘Business 101’ again.”

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In today’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson said Minneapolis Wheat is the ‘hot’ market due to quality concerns across the world and possible production issues. “We’re pretty much locked into a pretty good yield, it’s just a matter of what the hot, dry conditions will mean for quality.” Most other commodities have a bearish undertone.

Markets in a Holding Pattern – Total Farm Marketing Senior Market Advisor Bryan Doherty feels it will likely take a combination of a change in the weather forecast and an increase in demand to bottom the grain markets. “There’s not a lot of buy orders underneath the market despite it being weak,” said Doherty. “Intuitively, if prices are getting cheap, it’s a good value, but there’s no pinch point for the ending user to jump at this.”

Record Short – The expectation for a large crop is causing downward pressure on the corn and soybean markets. Speculators are record short in corn and soybeans aren’t far behind. “Typically, what we see is when there’s some kind of fundamental shift and prices start to rise, a lot of those outside investors start reversing their positions,” said Frayne Olson, crops economist, NDSU. “Then we can see a rally or increase in prices.” Olson said outside investors can make the price swings more aggressive, but they follow fundamental trends.

Mother Nature’s Impact Seen – A derecho brought 100-mile-per-hour winds to portions of Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana a week ago. While there is crop damage, it does not compare the $11 billion losses seen in Iowa four years ago. Nutrien Ag Solutions meteorologist Eric Snodgrass says the amount of weather-related damage this season is accumulating. “When you add it to the severe weather we’ve seen lately like the Northern Plains hit with two days in a row of both hail and straight-line wind in early July; the hail event that just widened out acreage south of the North Platte River, which is right along I-80 in Nebraska, we’re really starting to see some depletion in the acreage potential for this crop and now the yields should be hurt a little bit as well.”

SD Wheat – Moving Right Along – Winter wheat harvest in South Dakota has been moving along. The good weather has allowed harvest to get started at a good pace. “It sounds like the quality has been fairly good,” said South Dakota Wheat Commissioner Jon Kleinjan. “I would say with good running the winter wheat might be done in ten days and we might be thinking about going to spring wheat by then.”

Winner, SD Harvest Report – Elk City, Oklahoma-based custom harvester David Misener’s crew has moved to South Dakota.”We’re down in the Winner, South Dakota area of south-central South Dakota,” said Misener. “On the low end of what I’m seeing so far is about 65 bushels for winter wheat and it’s gone up from there. The protein levels have been in that 11 to 12 percent range. There’s still some fields that are green and aren’t quite ready.” Misener said temperatures have been a little cooler, so the wheat is not turning quite as fast as usual.

Perfect Harvest Weather – In Kadoka, South Dakota the wheat harvest is coming along for Triple LLL Harvesting. Reece Leonard has seen average yields around 55 to 65 bushels an acre. “The protein, from what I’ve been seeing, is around eleven percent. The test weights I’ve seen are up to 64 pounds,” Leonard said. “The weather has been very good for harvest.” Triple LLL Harvesting will continue to move throughout the Dakotas until harvest is complete.

Smooth Wheat Harvest Run – The winter wheat harvest has been going well for Rockin R Harvesting. “Yields have been surprisingly well in every state we’ve been to,” said owner Lance Rhodes. “The quality has been pretty good with pretty good test weights. I’ve seen very little wheat under 58 pounds.” Rhodes, who works out of Fairview, Oklahoma, says they’ve been all over the Southern Plains. “Yields have been more or less average; some of the worst wheat was actually in northern Oklahoma, just a little dry there.”

Winter Wheat Harvest Nearing Finish in Texas – Orman Farms Harvesting managing partner Landon Orman says winter wheat harvesting has gone well this year. “We’re working on wheat harvest; have about two more weeks on that then we’re picking cotton in Texas.” Orman, who is based in Colorado City, Texas, said the dryland wheat harvested was challenged by weed pressure.

Idaho Wheat Short on Rain – The Idaho wheat harvest is just getting started in the lower elevations. Conditions were not ideal throughout the growing season, but things are looking up. “We were short on rain the whole spring,” said Cliff Tacke, commissioner, Idaho Wheat Commission. “I think the crop will survive well because of the cold weather that we have had.”

Colorado Wheat Harvest Nearly Complete – The wheat harvest in Colorado is advancing rapidly. Colorado Wheat Director of Communications and Policy Madison Andersen says the hot weather has helped out. “Last weekend, there were about four days where we were at or above 100 degrees as a high.” Harvest is around 90 percent complete in the state. Andersen describes the crop as “average.”

Can Genetics and Fungicides Hold Up? – The risk of Fusarium head blight is high this year. “It’s been a number of years since we’ve really had an outbreak,” said Jochum Wiersma, small grains specialist, University of Minnesota Extension. “This year we are going to find out if the combination of genetics and fungicides is good enough to market the grain.” Stripe rust and bacterial leaf streak are also important disease threats this year.

Pioneer Agronomy Update – In the latest Pioneer Agronomy Update, Pioneer Strategic Account Manager Cole Ehrlin says this is a good time to evaluate herbicide performance. “It is also a good time to check soybean fields for phytophthora root and stem rot pressure. “With the rainfall we had this spring, I’m seeing pockets show up with different root rots in the beans and many of them appear to be phytophthora.” Infected plants will often look wilted, dead and often hold onto their leaves.” Listen to the report.

Rocky Start to the Season – NDSU Langdon Research Extension Center Research Agronomist Bryan Hanson says the crops are looking pretty good despite a rocky start to the season. “When it started raining at the end of April we were all pretty excited because we were in a severe drought in the northeastern part of the state,” said Hanson. There were some drowned-out soybeans but those that made it are starting to look good after a tough spring.

Rains Leading to Strong Crop at Langdon REC – Langdon Research Extension Center Director Randy Mehloff is pleased with this year’s crop. “We were able to get all of our research, Extension and foundation seed plots planted. Because of the rain everything is looking really good.” The rains delayed the start of the planting season at the REC, but Mehloff now sees potential for a bumper crop. “The only question mark right now is how much disease pressure are we going to experience between now and harvest this fall.”

Alfalfa Navigates Relentless Rains – There’s a big hay crop this year if growers can put up the crop between the rains. “People that are taking high moisture hay are taking the third crop right now,” said Jeff Jackson, forage and alfalfa specialist, CROPLAN. “People that had to wait for the windows to get dry hay done are working on second crop.” Quality varies depending on when the crop was harvested. Jackson recommends farmers be alert for the possibility of potato leafhoppers. Listen to the whole interview with Jackson here.

EPA Adjusts Protection from Drift – The EPA is ramping up its protections for people exposed to herbicide drift. Historically, the agency only conducted a chemical-specific assessment of the potential impact on people during the registration review process, which happens every 15 years after a product is approved. Starting now, the EPA will complete that analysis during the initial registration process or the review process for new and amended uses of existing products.

Spray Tips – The start of every successful day spraying depends on how you finish the day before. Ziegler Ag Application Product Manager Mark Duffing says rinsing the boom is just the start. Before starting the application work for the day, a simple walk around your machine is recommended . “Make sure you hit the necessary grease points; check your tires; look for leaks, bends, and twists in the boom plumbing; check for leaking nozzles,” said Duffing. “It sounds simple but a lot of people don’t do it.” Listen to the full interview. 

H5N1 in Dairy Cows Expands to 13 States – Oklahoma is the 13^th state to confirm the presence of H5N1 avian influenza in dairy cattle. This dairy farm collected a positive sample in April, but USDA did not receive it until early July. The herd if fully recovered. H5N1 has now been confirmed in more than 150 dairy herds nationwide.

Smith Sympathizes with Dairy Farmers – Avian influenza has been confirmed in 164 dairy herds in 13 states. Unlike poultry, this virus is not fatal in dairy cattle, but can impact milk production. There is anecdotal evidence that H591 is more widespread than what is reported, but dairy farmers are reluctant to test for the virus. Minnesota Senator Tina Smith said monitoring for the disease is important. “Let’s be honest. It’s not always that easy to have a bunch of new people coming in and trying to monitor your operation when you are already dealing with a lot as a dairy farmer. We’ve been in close touch with the USDA to make sure that we are getting the data that we need but also not putting an undue burden on producers.” Smith was in Blackduck Wednesday meeting with farmers impacted by the ongoing wet conditions.

Work the Biosecurity Plan – Biosecurity is top of mind for dairy and beef producers with the discovery of avian flu in dairy herds. Boehringer Ingelheim veterinarian Dr. Joe Gillespie says that can be as simple as a quarantine period before introducing new animals to the herd. “A written plan is the absolute best, but have a plan about how you want to traffic livestock in and out of the facility.” These protocols also include how feed is delivered to the farm. “With the possibility of some sort of pathogen being carried on a truck, if we have a designated way that we move feed and/or livestock in and out of the facility is going to drastically reduce the risk of any pathogen coming in.” The entire interview with Gillespie can be found on the Red River Farm Network website.

MN Beef Update – Minnesota Beef Council CEO Kelly Schmidt led a state delegation to the Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting. Listen to the Minnesota Beef Update for more details. 

MPCA Proposes Changes to Feedlot Permits – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has released proposed permits to replace the State Disposal System and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System general feedlot permits which are  nearing their expiration dates. Minnesota Pork Producers Association Director of Public Policy, Strategy, and Sustainability Lauren Servick said these changes could be detrimental for farmers. “I think that will be a significant challenge for folks in those areas who already do the best they can to apply manure following best practice management practices.” The MPCA has a public comment section for feedback on the proposed changes. There are also two more public meetings in Fairmont and Chatfield. Learn more about the meetings and proposed changes at the MPCA website. 

Optimizing Beef-on-Dairy Nutrition – Breeding dairy cows to beef bulls has been becoming increasingly popular. To optimize the production of these beef-on-dairy animals, Purina Animal Nutrition Senior Technical Innovation Manager Dr. Olivia Genther-Schroeder believes it requires a new mindset. “A lot of the things we’ve been doing in dairy for a long time are positive; increasing sanitation, making sure we have adequate colostrum, etcetera,” said Genther-Schroeder. “These (beef-on-dairy) calves are generally more efficient and tend to be a bit healthier than a straight-bred Holstein, there is a misconception that we may not need to feed them as much or with lower quality ingredients, but our research determined it is better to provide high-quality ingredients, higher protein. They will really thrive under those conditions.”

Placements Decline in June – The placements total in Friday’s USDA Cattle on Feed Report was lower than expected. Placements are down seven percent from one year ago. That compares to an average trade guess with a 3.6 percent decline. Marketings also dropped, down by 8.7 percent. The total cattle inventory is up one percent from one year ago.

Starting to Rebuild U.S. Beef Herds – The size of the beef cow herd remains historically low. “In 2022, 76 percent of the beef cow herd was in drought. That’s why we have some of the highest prices now, because of reduced herds,” said Tim Petry, NDSU Livestock Economist.  “The last Drought Monitor had 14 percent of our beef cow herd in drought.” Improvements in pasture conditions should favor the rebuilding of the herd, but it’s a slow process.

Biofuels Markets Creating Opportunities for Farmers – NDSU Extension Bioproducts and Bioenergy Economist David Ripplinger spoke at Langdon Research Extension Center’s Field Day about the current state of green production in agriculture, and some of the opportunities farmers could take advantage of. “Demand for low carbon fuels and products is extremely strong, it’s growing. While there might be an ebb and flow, if you look globally, it’s flowing one way, and that is demand for more of this.” Some of those opportunities could be as simple as farmers benefiting from current practices. “You can start by looking into getting paid for the practices that you already use. That could be a carbon offset credit or a carbon inset payment. Also marketing towards biofuel refineries and maybe getting a premium that way.”

Talking Conservation: Ed Hegland – Ed Hegland farms in western Minnesota at Appleton. In the Talking Conservation podcast on YouTube, Hegland highlights his conservation evolution, including strip-till, no-till and cover crops. “The easiest thing to start for me was I started no-tilling soybeans,” said Hegland. “That would have been in the mid-1990s when I bought an air seeder and that was just a gateway into it. It’s pretty simple to do and I saved so much horsepower, fuel and labor.” Hegland is also part of the Farmers for Soil Health program. Talking Conservation is a collaboration of the Conservation Technology Information Center, the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and the Red River Farm Network. For more information, visit https://farmersforsoilhealth.com/.

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. John Jacobson operates Pine Tree Apple Orchard and outlines why he became water quality certified. Listen to the report.  

Kohl Makes the Connection Between Ag and Health – The agriculture world continues to evolve more rapidly than ever. Virginia Tech Agriculture Economics Professor Emeritus David Kohl expects that trend to include an unexpected twist. “One of the things that you’re going to find is that agriculture is going to be tied to the medical field because it relates to soil health,” explains Kohl. “If you help the soil and water, you’ll have a healthy plant, animal, human being and environment. What we’re seeing is that linkage is coming through.” Speaking at the Bell Bank AgViews Live event in Fargo, Kohl said consumers will adopt more proactive health practices. “In other words, where was the plant or the animal grown? What went into it? How is it impacting short-term and long-term health? That is going to be a very important growth area in agriculture between now and 2045.”

A Successful Crops and Soils Day – The Northwest Research and Outreach Center Crop and Soils Day was a time for learning. “We like to highlight the important research that is done at the research center to learn firsthand what we do out here and the importance of what we do with research that is relevant to farming issues today in the Red River Valley,” said Maureen Aubol, director of operations. The event featured researchers from the NWROC, the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus and North Dakota State University.

Managing Potato Superbugs – At the Crops and Soils Day in Crookston, University of Minnesota Extension Entomologist Ian MacRae outlined his research on the Colorado Potato Beetle. “They (Colorado Potato Beetles) can detoxify a lot of really nasty chemistries. It makes management really difficult.” Proper resistance management includes the rotation of the chemistry modes of action.

Soybeans Can’t Swim – NDSU Extension Soybean Pathology Specialist Wade Webster spoke at the series of Research Extension Center field days about the state of the soybean crops. “They’re definitely not thriving under this much moisture, especially on the eastern side of the state,” said Webster. “Some crops can handle this much excessive moisture, but not the soybeans.” The hope is for drier and warmer weather. “As things dry out, these soybeans are going to have good moisture under that soil surface which will hopefully allow them to recover.”

Field Day Brings Public to the Agronomy Seed Farm – The NDSU Extension Agronomy Seed Farm field day in Casselton, North Dakota was an opportunity to showcase local conditions. Seed Farm Director Brian Otteson said the dry winter turned into a wet spring, delaying planting. “We’ve had about 13.7 inches of rain since April, which is above average, but overall, the crops are looking good. We just need some heat now.”

Pests Persisting Into Summer – NDSU Cropping Systems Specialist Anitha Chirumamilla is evaluating seed treatments and foliar insecticide applications for the canola flea beetle. “The most effective treatment was seed treatment with multiple active ingredients followed by a foliar spray application ten days or 14 days after the seed treatment.” Thanks to a cool and wet spring, canola flea beetle pressure is lower this year. Chirumamilla is quick to remind small grains farmers to continue scouting for cereal aphids and grasshoppers. “In some areas where the crop is already headed and turning color, you don’t have to worry about them, but in this part of the country, planting so late, if you still have wheat or small grains in the flowering stage, watch out for cereal aphids.”

Making its Mark – North Dakota State University President David Cook was part of the series of Research Extension Center field days over the past two weeks. At the Langdon stop, Cook said these tours are an opportunity to see improvements in farm productivity. One example was given. “Today, we grow soybeans in this part of the state where we couldn’t have done it five, ten, 15, 20 years ago,” said Cook. “That’s really the bottom line where a land grant institution like NDSU makes its mark across the state. We couldn’t do it without SBARE (State Board of Agricultural Research and Education) or the Legislature.”

Canola Minute – In this week’s Canola Minute from the Northern Canola Growers Association, NCGA Executive Director Barry Coleman highlights this year’s record-high canola acreage. Listen to Barry Coleman’s comments. 

Passing the Torch – With the approaching retirement of NDSU Extension Soil Specialist Dave Franzen, Brady Goettl knows he has some big shoes to fill and he’s excited about the challenge. “There are two big things that I’m looking forward to in this role. The first is continuing the legacy that Dr. Franzen is leaving behind. The second is continuing to work with all the great people in North Dakota.” Goettle says there are a lot of unknowns in soil science that require further research. “Especially when we start thinking on the biological side. There are microbial and fungal processes going on in soil that we have yet to scientifically understand and I think that’s the future of soil science, harnessing the power of those microbes to help us continue to farm better, more economically, and more sustainably.”

Understanding the Biologicals Investment – The Chad Rubbelke farm at Des Lacs, North Dakota was a stop on the Corteva Biologicals Northern Plains Research Tour. Plant Power Agriculture owner Fred Lukens said canola and soybeans were evaluated in the field trials. “We’re testing various levels of budget using plant growth hormones and nutrition,” said Lukens. “A low budget, a medium budget and a higher budget protocol and see where we see the return on investment.” Corteva acquired Stoller nearly two years ago and rebranded as Corteva Biologicals this past February.

National Wheat Yield Contest Seeking Contestants – The National Wheat Yield Contest is looking for spring wheat entries. This year’s contest has a new category. “The digital yield will allow people to enter by field,” said Anne Osborne, project manager, National Wheat Foundation. “When they’re done with harvest, they’re going to pick 20 acres out of that field and that will be the yield that they’ll submit.” The digital yield contest is limited to three HRSW fields per entrant. The deadline to apply is August 1. More information can be found at www.wheatcontest.org

Crop Scouts Hitting the Road This Week – The Wheat Quality Council Spring Wheat Tour is taking place this week. WQC Executive Vice President Dave Green says this year’s tour has multiple stops throughout the tri-state area. “We start in Fargo and have six different routes to Bismarck on the first day, then Devil’s Lake before returning to Fargo for a wrap-up meeting.” Most of the 45 attendees this year have little in-field experience. “The goal is training, getting to meet people in the industry and trying to describe the crop.”

Sugarbeet Report – In this week’s Sugarbeet Report, NDSU/University of Minnesota Extension Sugarbeet Pathologist Dr. Ashok Chanda discusses the importance of Cercospora Leaf Spot control. Listen to the report. 

Cramer Weighs in on CPKC/CN Labor Issue – North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer is urging Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to do everything possible to keep the railroads open and operational. Unions working for the Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National rail lines voted last month to authorize a strike. A ruling by the Canada Industrial Relations Board is expected soon. Cramer said the agricultural community is “particularly vulnerable” to a possible strike.

ND Grain Dealers Host Insurance Forum – North Dakota Grain Dealers Association hosted an insurance forum on Thursday in Bismarck, North Dakota covering various topics impacting producers in the state. “We covered the current state of the market and the perspective from the insurance side. Property-casualty insurance for agribusiness has really increased in the last couple of years, and it’s getting to the point where it could potentially have an effect on some bottom lines,” said Executive Vice President Stu Letcher. Another issue that saw some discussion was the difficulty that some farmers have had getting coverage on certain facilities, such as wood crib construction structures. A panel discussion of lenders and auditors closed out the forum.

IRS: Income Averaging is Underutilized – A study by the Internal Revenue Service found income averaging is a tool that is underutilized by farmers. NDSU Extension Farm Management Specialist Ron Haugen explains. “If you happen to have income that’s quite high compared to your previous three years, you can take some of that income. You can recalculate your taxes based on lower tax rates to try to save a little money.”

New Offerings From NDSU This Fall – With the fall semester just over a month away, NDSU has new online offerings for students looking to further their education in agriculture. “This fall, we’ll roll out an online bachelor’s degree in ag science. For fall 2025 we’re also working on an online master’s degree,” said Greg Lardy, Vice President for Agriculture. “We’re looking forward to being able to provide some additional educational resources for people not only in the region but anywhere in the world.”

Support for Beginning Farmers – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stopped at a farm in southeastern Minnesota Thursday to highlight resources available for new farmers. The Beginning Farmer Tax Credit, Beginning Farmer Loan Program and the Down Payment Assistance Grant to ease the financial barriers facing new farmers.

Murphy, Kupec Meet With Ag Constituents – On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy traveled with State Senator Rob Kupec in the Moorhead and Barnesville areas. “A couple of years ago, Minnesotans gave us the power of a governing majority and we took that seriously,” said Murphy. “We put Minnesotan’s lives and progress ahead of gridlock at every turn.” At a small farm in northern Clay County, Kupec highlighted the improvements made to the grain indemnity fund. “If a grain elevator goes belly up, particularly, those small farmers are really impacted. It could be five years before they get pennies on the dollar back, but having the grain indemnity fund in place and fully funded is a nice security blanket for the farmer.”

Netherlands/Ireland Trade Mission Planned – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will lead a trade mission to the Netherlands and Ireland in November. Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen will also be part of that trip. There will be a delegation representing 35 Minnesota businesses and organizations. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development will accept applications through August 30.

Dry Bean Scene – Dean Nelson, who is with Kelley Bean Company in Hatton, North Dakota is featured in this week’s Dry Bean Scene. Nelson discusses the status of the dry bean crop, especially with the recent warm weather. Listen to the Dry Bean Scene. 

Revolutionizing Ag Retail – A new mobile platform is now available to streamline the ordering process between farmers and ag retailers. Co-founder Mark Torno says Farmers Fox makes it more convenient for farmers to purchase crop inputs from their local retailer. This app also improves the delivery process. “It sends you a text or email of notification when it is leaving; when they are getting somewhat close to you and at delivery,” said Torno. “It brings that communication back and forth between the dealer and the farmer and improves it.” Farmers Fox is available online and as an app for Apple and Android platforms. Torno is based in Garrison, North Dakota and worked for CROPLAN for more than 25 years. More information about the app is available online.

CHS-WCAS Talks Continue – For the first nine months of the fiscal year, CHS reports net income of more than $990 million. That’s down from a record $1.6 billion in the same period last year. Through the third quarter, net income is at its third-highest level in history. CHS Chief Strategy Officer Olivia Nelligan says the cooperative is positioned to deal with the current downturn in commodity prices. Two months ago, CHS and West Central Ag Services signed a nonbinding letter of intent to join together. Nelligan said the due diligence is continuing for this proposal. “We’re are still in due diligence so I’m limited on what I can say but we’re continuing to explore whether a deal might be feasible,” said Nelligan. “West Central Ag Services, based out of Ulen, Minnesota, is a very successful cooperative and we’ve had a long-term partnership with them. We respect their management team and it’s an opportunity to potentially bring our supply chains together.”

New Genetics Available This Fall – With 19 new products in their Xitavo soybean lineup scheduled for sale this fall, BASF US Soybean Agronomy Lead Marc Hoobler is excited about the 2025 sales season. “Twelve of those new varieties were developed by the BASF breeding program, that’s a milestone.” According to Hoobler, the new soybean genetics open the door to a new pool of germplasm that should add an extra layer of disease protection to the farmer’s toolbox. “They’re not only going to provide improved yield performance but also solutions to farmers’ most challenging production issues like Soybean Cyst Nematode and white mold.”

EU Considers Bunge-Viterra Deal – To gain regulatory approval from the European Union, Bunge and Viterra have offered to spin off certain assets. Details have not been announced. The merger between the two grain companies is valued at $34 billion. European antitrust regulators have until August 1 to make a decision.

CF and POET Collaboration – CF Industries and POET are working together on a pilot project using low-carbon ammonia fertilizer the reduce the carbon intensity of corn production and ethanol. Producing ethanol from corn grown with a low-carbon ammonia could reduce the carbon intensity score by up to ten percent. The first crop utilizing the low-carbon fertilizer will be harvested in the fall of 2025.

A Milestone for Cargill Canola Project – Cargill has announced the construction of its new canola facility in West Regina, Saskatchewan has moved beyond the halfway point. This crush plant will be able to process 1 million metric tons of canola per year. The plant is expected to be opening next year.

An Expansion for AGT Foods – AGT Foods is hosting a grand opening for the $10 million expansion of its extrusion plant in Minot. This large-scale pulse ingredient plant has been operating since 2013. It produces flours, proteins, starches and fibers from pulse crops for use in food ingredients, including pet food and aquaculture. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven will be one of the dignitaries participating in the grand opening.

Salford Group Plant to Close – The Salford Group is closing its Osceola, Iowa manufacturing plant. This facility produces tillage equipment. Over 50 employees are being laid off. The Salford Group is a subsidiary of Linamar Corporation in Guelph, Ontario.

DFA to Close SD Plant – Dairy Farmers of America plans to close its dairy ingredient plant in Pollock, South Dakota on August 30. The milk volume received at the Pollock plant will be directed to other DFA facilities. DFA cited “potential long-term shifts in milk production and product demand across the nation” as a reason for the closure.

Zoetis Implant Portfollio Expands – The Zoetis product, Synovex Primer, is now available for cattle producers who need to increase weight gain in growing beef steers or heifers in the dry lot production phase. The FDA approved the updated label earlier this year.

Financial Problems for Beyond Meat – A report from Dow Jones News said lawyers representing Beyond Meat are meeting with bondholders about a restructuring of the company’s balance sheet. These bondholders are owed more than $1 billion. In the latest quarterly report, Beyond Meat suffered a net loss of more than $54 million. That’s on top of a loss of $59 million a year earlier. Beyond Meat was launched in 2012 and produces plant-based meat alternatives.

Klobuchar Recognized with NCGA President’s Award – The National Corn Growers Association is presenting its President’s Award to Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar. This is one of NCGA’s highest honors and the organization’s president chooses the recipient. NCGA President Harold Wolle farms at Madelia, Minnesota and said Klobuchar is “a tireless advocate for corn growers.” The award will be presented during Farmfest.

NPGA Names New Executive Director – The Northland Potato Growers Association has named Gary Shields its new executive director. Shields has been involved in the potato industry for over 30 years. For the past 14 years, Shields has been a territory sales manager for Central Bag Company. Shields has also been president of Northland Potato Associates since 2017.

Retirement Time for Jack Davis – South Dakota State University Extension Crops Business Management Specialist Jack Davis is retiring after 30 years on the job. In 2016, Davis received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.

32 Years of Change – After 32 years in the ag industry, Bayer Crop Science Crop Protection Technical Development Representative Kevin Thorsness plans to retire later this year. “Production has changed a lot with some wonderful technologies that came to the market,” said Thorsness. “In the ’90s, head scab reared its ugly head and the growers didn’t really have the tools to deal with that. Bayer was one of the first companies that stepped up with some technology that would help the growers grow a wheat crop that they could market.” Today, agriculture is moving toward a precision platform, with newer technologies finding their way into the fields. “It’s been really exciting to watch growers go from using markers on their planters to using all auto-steer and precision planting. It’s been fun to watch agriculture grow and watch the yields grow with it.” Thorsness is scheduled to retire in November.