Thanks and Congratulations – An important milestone is happening today here at the Red River Farm Network. After 17 years with the network, Randy Koenen is retiring today. In this YouTube interview, Randy reflected on his career at the Red River Farm Network. “The best part about it is the people, the people we’re serving, our farmer listeners and the businesses; it’s a fun family all the way around.” Before radio, Randy farmed in the Clara City, Minnesota area. There were stints in radio in Willmar, Minnesota and West Point, Nebraska, before making the move to RRFN. Randy also gave back to the industry as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Randy will still help RRFN on a project basis, including during this year’s Big Iron Farm Show. On behalf of everyone at the Red River Farm Network, we will miss having Randy’s voice on our airwaves each day, but wish him and Deb nothing but the best in the future.

Vote-a-Rama Underway – The U.S. Senate’s ‘vote-a-rama’ is underway, setting up for a vote today on President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill. After lawmakers work through many amendments, there will be a final vote on the budget reconciliation. There will be a procedural vote to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent. Senate Republicans want to use an accounting maneuver where the tax cuts wouldn’t count toward the budget deficit in the same way new tax cuts would. The Agriculture portion of the bill cuts spending for SNAP by increasing work requirements and shifting a portion of the SNAP costs to the states. It also increases spending for some farm programs, including an update in crop reference prices.

45Z Production Credit Included – The latest language in the Senate budget reconciliation bill tweaks the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit. It maintains and improves on language that passed in the House, saying only North American feedstocks can benefit from the credit. It also eliminates the penalty for indirect land use, which is seen as positive news for soybean and canola growers.

Opinion: Rollins Praises Big Beautiful Bill – In a Newsweek editorial, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins touted the benefits of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill for agriculture. Rollins said the bill cuts taxes for farmers by over $10 billion and prevents the estate tax from impacting 2 million farms. The tax provisions include a doubling of the Section 179 deduction and extend the Section 199A Qualified Business Income Deduction. Rollins said it also increases the farm safety net, crop insurance and trade programs.

Big, Beautiful Bill Called ‘Fiscal Malpractice’ – The budget reconciliation bill is facing criticism from the Environmental Working Group, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and Taxpayers for Common Sense. Joshua Sewell is the director for research and policy for the taxpayer watchdog group and said President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill does not make sense financially. “As a fiscal conservative, I am politically, contractually, and morally obligated to emphasize how this legislation that the ag committees have produced is clear fiscal malpractice,” said Sewell. “Budget reconciliation is an important tool for bringing fiscal discipline to our nation’s finances, but in this instance, the ag committees are abusing the process to pad the pocketbooks of their politically favorite farm interests.” The three groups hosted a joint media briefing, condemning the increased reference prices in the budget reconciliation bill.

House Timeline – If the Senate passes the budget reconciliation bill today, as expected, it must return to the House for another vote before going to the President’s desk. Wednesday morning would be the first opportunity for a House vote. Congress is working on a fast track to meet a self-imposed Independence Day deadline.

’26 Ag Approps Bill Passes House Ag Committee – The House Appropriations Committee approved the 2026 agriculture appropriations bill earlier this week on a party-line vote. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig is opposed to this bill, saying it takes resources away from the Farm Service Agency, Rural Development and the Natural Resources Conservation Service and that won’t help farmers or rural communities.

Corn Acreage Jump Predicted – Ahead of USDA’s Acreage Report, a new survey from Kluis Commodity Advisors and Successful Farming shows U.S. farmers planted over 1 million more corn acres than USDA previously projected. The combined corn and soybean acreage is now estimated at 179.3 million acres, up from 178.8 million in USDA’s March report, with most of the gain coming from a 500,000-acre drop in spring wheat. Kluis Commodity Advisors Managing Director Al Kluis says the higher corn acreage could lead to increased production and larger ending stocks, which would likely pressure prices.

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 says, “ahead of today’s USDA Acreage and Grain Stocks reports, market attention is firmly centered on expected shifts in planted acres.”  Click here.

FBN Offers Acreage Forecast Ahead of the USDA Report – Farmers Business Network has released its fifth annual U.S. acreage report. FBN is forecasting corn acreage at just over 95 million acres. That’s down 306,000 acres from the March Prospective Plantings Report. Soybean acreage is estimated at 83.6 million acres, up 202,000 acres from the March USDA report. The Agriculture Department will release its acreage report on Monday.

Grisafi: Brace for Big Market Swings Following USDA Reports – With the USDA set to release its Acreage and Grain Stocks reports today, traders are bracing for potential volatility. Ag Bull Media founder Tommy Grisafi says the end-of-month timing, combined with the holiday week, adds to the uncertainty. “Could we go limit up? Could we go limit down?,” said Grisafi, noting the reports come at a time when traders are already shifting into holiday mode. Despite market nerves, Grisafi points to optimism in outside markets. “The stock market’s absolutely exploding. Dow Jones, S&P, NASDAQ, all real close to all-time highs,” he said. While traders prepare for sharp moves in commodities, Grisafi reminds them not to underestimate broader economic resilience. Watch the Ag Bull Media Week in Review featuring Grisafi and RRFN’s Jamie Dickerman. 

Brazil’s Safrinha Corn Crop Gets Bigger – Thanks to timely rains in April and May, Brazilian farmers are harvesting what could be a record-breaking Safrinha corn crop. Soybean and Corn Advisor agronomist Dr. Michael Cordonnier says yields are climbing, though wet weather is slowing harvest progress. “It is going to be a very big Safrinha corn crop at 130 million tons or more. I’ve been raising my estimate every couple of weeks, and the harvest is just barely getting started,” said Cordonnier. Harvest delays are being caused by high seed moisture and limited drying infrastructure, especially in southern states like Parana. “They don’t have much on-farm storage, much less drying capacity, so they’d rather have a dry down in the field. Normally, this time of the year, mid-June, it’s bone dry, but not this year.”

Farmers Urged to Report Crop Losses – North Dakota State FSA Director Brad Thykeson is urging farmers to stay in close contact with their county offices after the recent storms. While no federal disaster declarations have been made yet, Thykeson said accurate crop loss reporting is critical to determine eligibility for assistance. “We want producers to get in and certify so we know what acres are planted out there, and then we can see what was destroyed.” With the July 15 acreage reporting deadline approaching, Thykeson also emphasized the importance of FSA county committee nominations. Farmers can nominate themselves or others through their local FSA office.

Grain Storage Capacity Lost in Recent Storms – The economic loss from the tornadoes and straight-line winds continues to mount. North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring estimates that anywhere from 50 to  80 million bushels of grain storage capacity has been lost. “This could be over 100 million bushels; I don’t want to sound like I’m an alarmist, that’s why it’s so important that we get good, hard data to understand what the impacts are.” Farmers are being asked to provide information about their losses to their county Extension office. Those details will be submitted to the Governor’s Office, the Department of Emergency Services, and other affected agencies. “This is just trying to assess what is happening.” Goehring said it will take years to restore the grain storage capacity in the state.

Community Support Seen in the Storm’s Aftermath – At New Salem, North Dakota, Andrew Doll is praising the community for assisting with the cleanup from the June 20th storm. Straight-line winds destroyed a calving barn and a free-stall barn. Machinery was tossed around, and crops were damaged. With soybeans that are planted into corn stubble, it seems like the wind picked up the corn trash and sheared the beans off at ground level; the edible beans were the same way.”  The Doll family is now weighing the options for the future. “That farm is my Mom and Dad’s, and they’re in their late 60s; a decision hasn’t been made yet, but there’s a lot of hard conversations going on right now about the future,” said Doll. “You don’t want Mother Nature making your decisions for you in agriculture because it eliminates a lot of your options, and a lot of the outcomes are not desirable.”

Heavy Rains Cause Road Damage in Eastern North Dakota – Recent heavy rains dropped over four inches in parts of eastern North Dakota, causing road washouts. Fred Lukens, who farms near Aneta, said the crops benefited from the moisture, but a short hailstorm caused damage. “This barley field that’s right near the farm, there’s some hail damage on it. I just talked to the adjuster, and it will be two weeks before he gets here to look at our hail damage.”  Despite some damage, Lukens said overall crop conditions remain favorable. Lukens was featured in Tuesday’s RRFN Crop Watch.

Significant Crop and Equipment Damage Reported – Ihry Insurance agent Reed Ihry, based at McVille, said much-needed rain has been seen in parts of North Dakota’s northern tier, but also caused hail damage. With the tornadoes and straight-line winds earlier in the month, Ihry said the agency has been flooded with calls from clients reporting damage to equipment, buildings, and grain bins. “We’ve got equipment damaged, buildings gone, grain bins that didn’t have grain in them, a lot of them are just rolled away.” RRFN caught up with Ihry during Tuesday’s Crop Watch broadcast.

Crop Watch: Conditions Vary – Tronson Grain agronomist Tyler Calderwood, who is based in Doyon, North Dakota, said conditions vary, but overall, crops are holding up well. “The wheat and barley look good. The corn needs some heat. Soybeans, they’re struggling this year. The drill beans definitely showed this with a weaker stand; planter beans look really good.”

Small Grains, Corn Doing Well in Devils Lake Region – During Crop Watch, Rock and Roll Agronomy owner Jason Hanson said the Devils Lake region escaped major damage from the recent storms. Rainfall totals were low, and winds stayed moderate, sparing crops and structures. “Very, very fortunate. The way that storm came across the state, we just caught the very northern tip of that curl. We don’t have any structural damage. We don’t have any crop damage.” Hanson says small grains and corn are progressing well with recent warmth, but soybeans continue to show stress from a cold and wet spring.

Crusting Pressure Seen – Volatile weather has left many North Dakota soybean fields a bit behind in development. NDSU Extension Soil Health Specialist Chandler Gruener says it’s been a rollercoaster ride in the northern part of the state. The area went from very dry conditions to a week of heavy rains. “Some people got planted, but their soybeans really weren’t growing or producing or moving up, then, we got all of the rain and cool temperatures.” There are areas where farmers were in the middle of planting when the big rains and had to finish planting at a later date. “So people have a little bit of a mix going on.” This has led to crusting in many fields. “Some people are using rollers to kind of push across the ground to kind of push the soybeans, kind of break that soil up to help alleviate that crusting pressure.”

Get the Most From the Fungicide Application – To get the most out of a fungicide application, coverage is key. WinField United Market Development Agronomy Lead Darrin Holder says it is important to get maximum coverage from every droplet. Adjuvants play a huge role in that. “You just increase droplet size with the wrong adjuvant, you decrease the number of droplets,” said Holder. “Yeah, you get less drift, but you also have fewer droplets to distribute. If I just have big droplets; I don’t have enough to get deeper into the canopy to give me extra protection so picking the right adjuvant is critical.” Farmers can maximize their trips across the field by adding micronutrients to the tank when applying fungicide.

Critical Timing for Soybean Herbicide Options – With soybeans now approaching or at the R1 stage, farmers will need to switch up their herbicide strategy to battle against increased weed pressure from warmer weather. “Now that we have had some heat and we’re in the longest days of the year, these weeds are set to start growing rapidly,” said NDSU Extension Weed Specialist Joe Ikley. “For fields that have not had herbicide applications or need additional herbicide applications, we’re in a really critical time of the year for making those. Soybeans are starting to develop a canopy, which changes the type of herbicides that can be used.” Waterhemp remains an issue this year. “We’ve seen a lot of germination early in the year. Considering that we still have a long way to go till canopy closure on these fields, any additional rainfall events we expect some water hemp will germinate until we get canopy closure. Consider throwing in additional residual herbicide, usually a Group 15, to keep that late-season waterhemp from coming up and being an issue.”

Pioneer Agronomy Update – The recovery is still underway from last week’s derecho. Fields are being evaluated to determine the next steps. In the Pioneer Agronomy Update, Pioneer Field Agronomist Eric Lagge highlights the growing point for corn and soybeans and the evaluation of crop stands. The Pioneer Agronomy Update is heard Tuesdays and Thursdays on the Red River Farm Network. Click here to listen. 

SD Winter Wheat Crop Does Well – South Dakota Wheat Commission Executive Director Jon Kleinjan says the winter wheat crop is filling in. “We were so dry last fall and winter, things looked kinda bleak this spring,” said Kleinjan. “We’ve had pretty ideal wheat weather for most of the spring, it’s been on the cooler side; we’ve had a few hot stretches, but nothing too extended.”

The Sugarbeet Report – In the Sugarbeet Report, NDSU Extension Sugarbeet Specialist Eric Branch says conditions are ripe for Cercospora leaf spot development. The first fungicide application is recommended at or just before row closure. Click here.

July 9 Tariff Deadline Looms – The White House is downplaying the urgency of a self-imposed trade deadline set to expire July 9. President Donald Trump started a 90-day countdown in April, warning major trading partners that if new deals aren’t reached, sharp tariff increases on their imports could take effect. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday the deadline is not critical and emphasized ongoing negotiations with about 17 major partners, including the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and India. So far, the U.S. has only finalized a trade deal with the United Kingdom. If talks stall, Leavitt said the president will set reciprocal tariff rates he sees as beneficial for the U.S.

Dispute Settlement Panels Created to Evaluate China-Canada Trade Skirmish – The World Trade Organization has agreed to establish dispute settlement panels to investigate the trade skirmish between Canada and China. China is upset with the Canadian duties on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum. Canada is challenging China’s retaliatory tariffs on its canola meal, canola oil, field peas and pork. The dispute settlement panels can submit a report, but the WTO can’t take action until its appellate body considers the issue. That is complicated by the fact the WTO appellate body has not had the required number of members to hear an appeal since 2019.

Canada Drops Digital Tax, Reopens Trade Talks with U.S. – Canada has announced it will rescind its digital-services tax, pausing collections and introducing legislation to formally repeal the measure. The move follows President Trump’s decision to halt trade talks on Friday over what he called an “egregious” tax targeting U.S. tech companies. The tax, which was set to take effect today, would have collected billions from U.S. tech firms retroactive to 2022. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Trump on Sunday, agreeing to resume trade negotiations to reach a deal by July 21.

MN Corn Matters – In this edition of Corn Matters, Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council Chair Duane Epland talks about a recent trade mission to Canada. Listen to the report at this link.

U.S.-China Trade Tensions Cost Farmers $2 Billion in Lost Exports – Trade tensions between the United States and China have cost American farmers $2 billion in lost exports so far this year. A study from North Dakota State University shows U.S. ag exports to China dropped by over $5 billion between January and April, with export volumes down as much as 55 percent from last year. While exports to other regions like South Asia, the EU, and Central America increased, those gains weren’t enough to make up for the losses in the Chinese market.

U.S., China Agree on Trade Framework – The United States and China have confirmed a trade framework aimed at easing tensions over rare earth exports and technology restrictions. China’s Ministry of Commerce said it will review export applications for controlled items, while the U.S. will lift some of its restrictive measures on Beijing. The agreement follows high-level meetings in London earlier this month and builds on a preliminary deal reached in Geneva in May. Although the move signals progress in trade relations, experts caution that significant limitations remain. The framework lacks detail on which rare earth curbs will be eased, with magnets being the only confirmed item so far.

SD Corn Comments – Jim Ketelhut, president, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, is featured in this edition of South Dakota Corn Comments. Ketelhut wishes everyone a very happy Fourth of July. Listen here. 

US-India Trade Talks Stalled – Trade talks between the U.S. and India have stalled, raising doubts about reaching a deal before President Trump’s July 9 deadline to implement new reciprocal tariffs. Indian officials say the two sides remain far apart on issues like auto parts, steel, and agricultural products. India is pushing for relief from existing U.S. duties and a rollback of the proposed 26 percent tariff, while the U.S. wants deeper cuts on Indian tariffs for American farm goods, vehicles, and alcohol.

The Well Grounded Podcast from Acres and Shares – Is the current price of farmland reasonable? In this edition of Well Grounded, Wells Fargo Chief Agricultural Economist Dr Michael Swanson offers his thoughts on the latest trends in farmland values. The Well Grounded podcast is a collaboration with Acres and Shares and the Red River Farm Network. Click to hear the podcast. 

E-Tour Connects Regulators with ‘Real-World’ Agriculture – North Dakota Grain Growers Association President Ryan Ellis says their E-Tour delivers a real-world agricultural experience to EPA and USDA officials. “They work on pesticide labels that we use every day and they may not know much about production agriculture, especially how we do it in North Dakota.” The E-Tour has been taking place for over 30 years. Ellis says it has an impact. “When they consider setbacks, they have all these thoughts and ideas and when we can show them how it would impact the decisions we make or the ability we have to spray a field,” said Ellis. “They talk about drift and I always tell them I, as a farmer, am more concerned about drift onto my neighbor’s (field) than they probably are.”The tour was based out of Grand Forks. The delegation got a bird’s-eye view of the Prairie Pothole Region, visited farms and toured ag businesses, like the North Dakota Mill and American Crystal Sugar Company.

A Learning Opportunity – Rosanna Louie-Juzwiak is a supervisory biologist with the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs and was a participant in this past week’s E-Tour. “I’m fortunate to say this is my second time here,” said Louid-Juzwiak. “My first visit was about 20 years ago; this is always a great opportunity to engage with growers who can give us real information about their experiences.” Louie-Juzwiak said the E-Tour is a “continual validation that growers are truly the stewards of their land and are very interested, of course, in protecting the investments that they make.” Louie-Juzwiak was also impressed with how the agriculture community is connected to and supportive of farmers. The E-Tour is organized by the North Dakota Grain Growers Association.

MASDA Meets in Medora – North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring is hosting the Midwestern Association of State Departments of Agriculture Annual Meeting this week in Medora. Energy issues will receive a lot of attention on the MASDA agenda. Governor Kelly Armstrong and Representative Julie Fedorchak are also scheduled to speak. The conference continues through Wednesday.

Grants Available for Drone Detection of Noxious Weeds – The North Dakota Department of Agriculture is making $300,000 available for drone detection of Palmer amaranth and other noxious weeds. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said this project will focus on sugarbeet and soybean fields in five counties during the 2025 and 2026 growing seasons. The eligible counties are Steele, Traill, Cass, Richland and Barnes. Other counties may be added if necessary. Applications must be submitted by July 10.

MDA Supports New Farmers with Infrastructure Grants – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has awarded nearly $857,000 to 97 beginning farmers across 45 counties through a new grant program aimed at helping cover the cost of equipment and infrastructure. Demand for the Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant far exceeded available funding, with 1,100 eligible applicants requesting a combined $18.6 million. Individual awards of up to $20,000 are being used for projects ranging from fencing and irrigation to tractor purchases and walk-in coolers. MDA Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey says securing land and equipment are major barriers for new farmers, and this grant is designed to help remove those hurdles.

Fielding Questions – In the Fielding Questions podcast, AgDirect Territory Manager Lucas Scheibe outlines options for equipment financing. Loan and lease options are available for your next new combine, tractor or sprayer. Fielding Questions is a collaboration between AgCountry Farm Credit Services and the Red River Farm Network. Click here to listen.

MN Beef Update – Minnesota Beef Council CEO Kelly Schmidt collaborated with other state beef checkoff council leaders during the recent Region 3 meeting. Listen to the Minnesota Beef Update.

Biosecurity in Focus at Watertown Stockmanship Event – The Stockmanship and Stewardship event concluded Saturday in Watertown, South Dakota, with a focus on biosecurity and on-farm preparedness. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Collin Woodall said the event gave producers “a great opportunity to show producers some of the latest and greatest techniques”. With concerns about foreign animal diseases like Foot-and-Mouth Disease and New World Screwworm, Woodall emphasized the importance of planning. “It is important that we keep our eyes on it because if we find foot-and-mouth disease here in the United States, we’ll have an immediate 72-hour shutdown of all cattle movement. That’ll be crippling to our industry.”

Analyst Warns Good Times Won’t Last Forever – Beef continues to be the bright spot in agriculture this year, with record-high prices benefiting producers. DTN Livestock Market Analyst ShayLe Stewart encourages cattle ranchers to enjoy the strong market while it lasts. “When you get the opportunity to sell cattle this year, I hope that you jump up, you click your heels, and that you just bask in how good this market is.” Despite the good times, Stewart cautions producers to prepare for tighter packer margins and the eventual herd rebuild that could increase beef supply. “Slaughter speeds will continue to lessen even more in the second half, as packers continue to manage their margin and try to save themselves from having to see more red ink, it would be far more because of the additional production that those cattle are going to bring to the marketplace, from sheer weight.”

H & P Report Released – As of June 1, there were 75.1 million hogs and pigs in the United States, up slightly from a year ago and one percent higher than the previous quarter. The market hog inventory rose, while the breeding herd declined from 2024 levels. The largest year-over-year growth came in the 120-to-179 pound weight category.  There was a record average of 11.75 pigs saved per litter. Although farrowing intentions are slightly lower for summer, a modest year-over-year increase is expected for fall. Iowa, Minnesota, and North Carolina continue to hold the largest hog inventories in the country.

BASF Launches Invigor Gold Canola – At a launch event in Great Falls, Montana, BASF announced its new line of Invigor Gold yellow-seeded canola varieties. “It’s able to handle hotter, drier conditions, much better than traditional canola,” said BASF U.S. Head of Seeds and Traits Bryan Perry. ” So, we’ve been able to bring a crop that will help growers in this area where they’d like to grow more canola, but it’s not as consistent because it can’t handle the environmental conditions.” Much of the discussion centered around the opportunities that Invigor Gold would provide farmers. “With Invigor Gold, the crop will mature quicker so that will potentially help it get ahead whenever it gets really hot and dry. It is also able to handle that hotter, drier, coarser type of soil. So, then you start thinking about benefits from crop rotation, where a lot of growers up here are really dependent on cereals, wheat, barley, maybe pulses, so the soil health benefit.” Listen to the full interview.

Yellow-Seeded Canola Shows Promise in Heat and Drought – Yellow-seeded canola is nearly identical to black seeded canola, except for its greater tolerance to heat and drier conditions. BASF U.S. Canola Agronomy Lead Marc Hoobler says it’s all goes back to genetics and where it was originally developed. “It comes from India, Russia, and more arid environments, whereas traditional canola is more of a European-based germplasm.” Hoobler admits there’s still more research to be done. “Our research right now is focusing on yield versus traditional canola. It’s also focused on fertility. How much fertility do we need for this crop? What is the appropriate planting depth and seeding rate? So, we’re a couple of years away from launch, and we’re just refining some of those base recommendations from an agronomy standpoint.” Listen to the whole interview.

BASF: Faster Growth Boosts Canola Yield Potential – BASF Invigor Gold’s growth is quick and vigorous relative to existing canola varieties. “That’s important for canola because the toughest part of its growing situation is early, and plant establishment is really important,” said BASF Seed Agronomist Matt Smith. “With improved vigor, that’s going to help with yield.” Smith said yellow-seeded canola has the same markets as black-seeded varieties. “Any market for canola, we anticipate that this hybrid will be able to fulfill those markets.” Listen to the whole interview. 

BASF: Invigor Gold Ideal for Western Dakotas – BASF Area Sales Manager for North Dakota and South Dakota, Bob Bohl says the western Dakotas are perfect for yellow-seeded canola. “Looking at the western Dakotas, I see a lot of opportunity with yellow-seeded canola to help provide some yield stability in areas where they may get challenged by the environment.” In addition to yield stability, BASF’s Invigor Gold brand of yellow-seeded canola will help reduce some of the risk farmers in drier climates might face when growing canola. “We tend to get hot and dry later in the season, specifically in the western portion of the state, so I see Invigor Gold helping to maintain that profile from a yield stability scenario and an oil profile to help maintain return on investment for a farmer trying to grow canola.” Invigor Gold will be commercially available in America in 2027 and in Canada by the end of the decade.

White Mold Concerns – After the recent rains, the disease threat to canola has increased. “We do have conditions out there for white mold,” said BASF Technical Service Representative Dan Melaas. “It’s a very serious disease where we can see 500, 600-plus pound yield losses if it goes untreated.” Melaas recommends the use of Endura fungicide in canola.

GDM to Acquire AgReliant Genetics – Consolidation is continuing in the seed business. Argentina-based GDM will acquire AgReliant Genetics. AgReliant Genetics was founded 25 years ago as a joint venture by KWS and Limagrain. The current AgReliant brands are AgriGold, LG Seeds and PRIDE Seeds. With the deal, GDM will be the fourth-largest corn genetics provider worldwide. It is already the leading global soybean genetics firm. This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and the two companies will operate independently until those approvals are satisfied.

Legacy Seeds Joins Mustang Brand Ahead of 2026 Season – Mustang Seeds is growing its presence in the Upper Midwest by bringing Legacy Seeds’ corn, soybean, and alfalfa business under the Mustang brand. Regional General Manager Terry Schultz says the move brings the Legacy sales team into the Mustang network while maintaining quality seed offerings and enhancing product access heading into the 2026 planting season. Schultz says customers will continue working with their existing sales reps but can expect added value from the transition. “The combination of Legacy and Mustang coming together under the Mustang brand will give that customer a lot more information and know-how behind our seed products.”

Walmart Beef Processing Plant Opens – Walmart has opened its first-ever case-ready beef processing facility in Olathe, Kansas. This project began with a 2022 investment Walmart made in Sustainable Beef LLC to improve its supply chain for Angus beef.

Tyson Plant Strike – Workers at the Tyson Foods beef plant in Amarillo, Texas, have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The local Teamsters union, representing about 3,100 employees, approved the move by a 98 percent margin, demanding higher wages and better benefits. The Amarillo facility processes around 6,000 cattle a day, making it one of Tyson’s largest operations.

SDSU-University of Debrecen Precision Ag Partnership – South Dakota State University has signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Debrecen in Hungary. Students from overseas will be able to enroll in SDSU’s precision agriculture programs beginning in January. SDSU was the first school to create four-year degree program in precision agriculture.

Dry Bean Scene – In this episode of the Dry Bean Scene, North Dakota FSA State Director Brad Thykeson talks about the importance of local farmer involvement in FSA County Committees. Thykeson explains how these committees influence USDA program delivery and shares how producers can get involved during the current nomination period. Click here to listen.

MTRPC Reelects Brey – Butch Brey of New Ulm was reelected to another year as president of the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council. Tim Miller of Hanska is the vice president and Peter Gruhl of Willmar is treasurer.

Mages Takes Over Reins at MCRPC – The Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council recognized Duane Epland of Twin Lakes for his service as 2024-25 chair. John Mages of Belgrade is the new corn checkoff council chair.

MTGA Officer Team to Continue – The Minnesota Turkey Growers Association reelected its officer team with Jake Vlaminck of Lake Lillian as president; Shane Wilhelm of Richmond as vice president and Nate Van Beck of New London as treasurer.

Awards Presented at MTGA Summer Summit – During the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association Summer Summit, John Zimmerman of Northfield was honored for his leadership in advancing Minnesota’s turkey industry with the Ranelius Award. The President’s Award went to Minnesota State Veterinarian Dr. Brian Hoefs. Gorica Rajcic-Spasojevic of Willmar was honored with the Allied Industry Lifetime Achievement Award. Farmamerica was recognized as the Promoter of the Year.

Mercer Retiring from USW – Steve Mercer is retiring from U.S. Wheat Associates as of July 1. Mercer has been the USW vice president of communications for nearly 19 years. Before that, Mercer spent time at AdFarm, Geoff Howe Marketing Communications, Weber Shandwick and Dudnyk.

Nancy Johnson Wraps Up 12 Years of Service to NDSGA – Nancy Johnson, who has been the executive director of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association since 2013, is retiring. In 2022, the American Soybean Association recognized Johnson with its Distinguished Leadership Award. The NDSGA and the North Dakota Soybean Council are transitioning to a shared staff. North Dakota Representative Julie Fedorchak honored Johnson in a floor speech. 

LRSC President Recognized by State Board of Higher Education – During the State Board of Higher Education meeting, Lake Region State College President Doug Darling was granted President Emeritus status in recognition of his distinguished service and contributions to LRSC. Darling is retiring after serving in the role since 2013. Darling has held various positions at the Devils Lake school since 1984.

Hammer Honored – The American Society of Animal Science presented Dr. Carrie Hammer of North Dakota State University with its Equine Science Award. Hammer is the associate dean for the College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources and shaped the NDSU equine science department over the past two decades.

Inaugural Activate Class Named – Minnesota Pork has launched Activate: Minnesota Pork Leadership Cohort, an 18-month leadership development program. Twelve individuals have been selected for the inaugural class. They are Brad Kluver of Lakeville, Dusty Compart of Nicolet, Erin Krug of Belgrade, Guilherme Preis of Bloomington, Jayme Enamorado of New Ulm, Jordan Wiesen of Hendricks, Lance Goettl of Lake Crystal, Logan Tesch of Round Lake, Olivia Wolle of St. James, Scott Walter of New Ulm, Sydney Rosenstengel of Comfrey and Travis Brown of Prinsburg. The first Activate session will be July 8-9 in Mankato and will continue through February 2027.