Reporting Agriculture’s Business – The news cycle has tightened with policy changes under President Trump happening at breakneck speed. The pace may have cranked up, the Red River Farm Network mission remains the same; accurate and timely reporting for the best farmers in the world. RRFN’s focus is ‘Reporting Agriculture’s Business.’ That means everything is done within the context of its impact on the farmers’ bottom line. We’re starting the week in Oklahoma City for the National Farmers Union Convention. This past week, RRFN was also in Denver for Commodity Classic. In this edition of FarmNetNews, you’ll also find more from RRFN’s special Agricult-HER series.

‘America is Back’ – With that simple message, President Donald Trump kicked off his speech to a joint session of Congress. Trump went on to address tax cuts, energy and the border. Tariffs were also part of the speech. Trump said his trade policy will be good for the American farmer. “There may be a little bit of an adjustment period, we had that before when I made the deal with China. $50 billion of purchases and I said just bear with me and they did,” said Trump. “We were doing great, but Biden did not enforce it and it hurt our farmers. Our farmers are gonna have a field day now so to our farmers, have a lot of fun. I love you.”

Tariff Policy Takes Another Turn – On Thursday, President Trump announced a 30-day pause on all tariffs to Canada and Mexico. A day later, Trump made another change in the tariff policy. “Canada has been ripping us off for years on lumber and dairy products; 250 percent (tariff on dairy products), nobody ever talks about that, which is taking advantage of our farmers.” Trump promised to retaliate with new tariffs coming in a matter of days. However, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was on Meet the Press this weekend and said these tariffs won’t be imposed until April 2. That’s when tariffs on all other products kick in as well. The International Dairy Foods Association released a statement, saying it is accurate that Canada imposes a tariff of approximately 250 percent on U.S. dairy products. IDFA said it is grateful the White House wants to hold Canada accountable for its protectionist trade policy but urged the two sides to negotiate a resolution as soon as possible. The dairy group believes a prolonged trade war will create more uncertainty for American farmers.

Klobuchar Sees a Threat to Agricultural Stability – Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar is voicing concerns over the impact of President Trump’s volatile tariff strategy, warning it could have serious consequences for the state’s farmers. Speaking ahead of the President’s joint address to Congress, Klobuchar emphasized the importance of trade stability for Minnesota’s agricultural economy.  “Canada, especially in Minnesota, is a huge trading partner of ours, so I’ve had a lot of farmers raise that with me.”   Klobuchar also criticized staffing cuts at Farm Service Agency offices, arguing they could disrupt critical services for farmers in need of loans and support. “The last thing our farmers need right now is more uncertainty,” she said. “They already have the uncertainty of input costs, the uncertainty of what’s going on around the world, the uncertainty of drought or floods, and they certainly don’t need uncertainty by programs they thought they could rely on just suddenly, poof, going away.”

Tariffs Could Reshape Global Trade – Ongoing trade tensions and rising tariffs are causing concern among farmers, with many wondering how long the disruptions will last. NDSU Extension Crops Economist Frayne Olson explained there is the potential to alter global trade patterns. “If the tariffs come on and they stay on for an extended period of time, now all of a sudden buyers and sellers start looking at alternative flows,” Olson said. “They look at alternative systems or alternative supply chains that they have to go to.” He warned that once these shifts happen, it becomes much harder to return to previous trade relationships. One of the biggest concerns is China’s declining soybean purchases from the U.S., which have dropped significantly since the last trade war. “Before the trade war, China purchased, percentage-wise, give or take about 40 percent of their soybeans from the United States,” Olson said. “After the trade war, that number has dropped, let’s call it 30 percent for simple math, versus 70 percent from Brazil and other sources.”

Wiesemeyer: ‘Etch-A-Sketch’ Trade Policy Sparks Market Volatility – Trade experts argue the Trump tariffs may violate Chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which could undermine free trade principles. “They charge that Trump may not be on legal ground to actually have these tariffs to begin with,” said Pro-Farmer analyst Jim Wiesemeyer. The administration, however, claims the tariffs are allowed under Article 32.2 of USMCA for national security reasons. Wiesemeyer criticized the administration’s shifting trade policies, calling them unpredictable. “This is an etch-a-sketch approach to trade policy,” he said. “I’m writing special reports every other hour almost now because it’s not a well-thought-out strategy to me. They need to get their act together. What are they doing?” He pointed to inconsistent messaging, noting that one day the White House ruled out exemptions, only to grant them the next. “No wonder the market is so volatile right now because it’s trading one headline to another.”

Long Term Concerns Over Trade Policy – The whiplash over tariffs sent markets up and down this past week. Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish emphasized these issues impact agriculture significantly. Past trade disputes, especially the tariff wars of 2018-2019, were cited. “We haven’t fully recovered from that.” Wertish noted the previous tariffs pushed China to invest in Brazil and Argentina’s agricultural infrastructure, leading to permanent losses for U.S. exports. “We’ve lost part of that market and we’ll never get that back.” Wertish was in Washington as a guest of Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar for President Trump’s speech to Congress.

Chinese Retaliation – China’s new tariffs on U.S. agricultural products take effect today. Soybeans, beef, dairy and pork products face an additional ten percent tariff. Wheat and corn are among the commodities with a 15 percent tariff. The retaliatory tariffs are designed to hurt President Trump’s voter base in Rural America.

USDA Employees Reinstated For Now – A decision by the Merit Systems Protection Board is temporarily reinstating nearly 6,000 USDA employees. Probationary Agriculture Department employees removed from their job on or after February 13 will be back on the job until April 18 while the Special Counsel determines if this workforce reduction was done legally. Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar said this was ‘an important but temporary step.’ The Minnesota senator said there is a difference between reform and gutting important services, like avian flu and farm loans.

DOGE Cost-Cutting Plan Impacts Region – The Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency plans to terminate over 3,000 building leases. That list includes the North Dakota State Farm Service Agency office in Fargo, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office in Bismarck, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Bismarck and the county FSA office in Watertown

CR Vote This Week – House leadership has released a stopgap spending measure to keep the government operating through the end of September. A vote will need to happen this week to avoid a government shutdown. The 99-page bill includes additional funding for USDA to prevent families in line for the SNAP program from being wait-listed and more money for food safety inspection.

Grassley Pushes for Farm Bill Action – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is urging Congress to prioritize passing a five-year farm bill. “Farmers need certainty,” Grassley said. “We ought to stop kicking the can down the road and pass a five-year farm bill.” In his briefing with reporters, Grassley also addressed concerns about President Trump’s tariff policies but opted for a “wait and see” stance. “If he’s doing it for negotiating purposes to get people to the table to get tariffs down and we have lower tariffs around the world, then I’ll have to say he’s been successful.” However, Grassley warned if the strategy fails, it could have significant economic consequences. “If he fails to do that, it’s catastrophic to the nation’s economy, then I’d have to say I told you so, but right now, I think it’s wait and see.”

Farm Bill Included in the Budget Battle – Tensions are rising within the Beltway over the House budget reconciliation plan, which calls for a cut of $230 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Some House Republicans are concerned that large hit to SNAP benefits could torpedo the farm bill. National Association of Wheat Growers CEO Chandler Goule is not optimistic. “I think the only way that we get a farm bill this year is if it is in the reconciliation bill and if the farm bill is in that (reconciliation) bill, we will be used as a piggy bank and you can probably kiss your PLC increases goodbye. I don’t see how you expand crop insurance, I don’t see how you expand your cost share in the voluntary conservation programs. If we want a farm bill that’s truly going to support farmers, it is going to have to be a stand-alone bill and I just don’t see where there’s enough time on the calendar for the first session of this particular Congress.”

A Moving Target – With the uncertainty seen in Congress, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association Treasurer Rose Wendinger sees the farm bill as a moving target. Wendinger has spent time on Capitol Hill. “There’s hope that they’ll get something moving, but, they’re not going to do it unless it’s the right bill and I think everyone’s idea of what that right bill is is still out there, so hopefully they can come together in the next few months.” Wendinger was part of the policy discussions at Commodity Classic.

An E15 Call-to-Action – A summer driving waiver was approved for E15 in eight Midwestern states, but more work needs to be done. National Corn Growers Association President Ken Hartman said a call-to-action for a permanent solution is in place. “We almost had E15 in the CR bill in December but it didn’t quite make it so it was reintroduced by our people in the House and the Senate a couple of weeks ago.”  Hartman said year-round E15 is needed nationwide. “It’s good for the consumer, it’s good for the farmer and we’ve got plenty of corn right now because we’ve got low corn prices.”

Uncertainty Limits Investment in Biofuels – Uncertainty still surrounds the 45Z tax credit. “In any business, investments are needed to grow and investments happen mostly where there’s pretty good levels of certainty,” said Donnell Rehagen, CEO, Clean Fuels Alliance. “Where we have uncertainty in 45Z right now, it causes investments to sit and wait, it causes production to sit. Nobody wants to produce a fuel, in our case, that is going to lose them money so until they can really understand how that 45Z program is going to work, I think there’s going to be a lot of idled production.”

Working Together – In a briefing with the agricultural media at Commodity Classic, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said her department is working on ‘Trump Time.’ That’s a reference to the aggressive pace of activity coming from the administration. Rollins was asked about Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and the Make America Healthy Again initiative. Rollins said she is developing a good relationship with RFK. “Perhaps I can spend a little time making sure that he understands that some of the things that he has been told, believed, or read aren’t entirely accurate and understands the importance of things like pesticides to ensure that we are able to feed America and the world.”

Control What You Can Control – There has been anxiety about an uncertain policy environment in Washington and the new trade tariffs. Matt Erickson, who is an economist for AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit, offered his recommendation. “Control what you can control,” said Erickson.  “You can’t control things with an uncertain outcome, such as what’s going on with tariffs, so focus on knowing your breakevens, understanding your cash flow, knowing your cost structure and if there’s an opportunity in the marketplace, make sure that you capture that to help your bottom line.” Resilience is seen as a must in the current environment. Click here to listen to the full interview.

More Corn – With the month of February behind us, spring crop insurance prices have been set. NAU Country Vice President of Farm Services Rich Morrison runs down the spring crop insurance base prices. “In line with what the Ag Outlook Forum told us, most of us expect to see a jump in corn acreage this year and it is probably coming out of soybeans and some acres out of cotton as well down in the Delta,” said Morrison. “We’ll see what happens with weather, but based on prices alone, certainly we’re anticipating more corn.”

More Committed to Corn – Full Circle Ag Vice President of Agronomy Justin Raneck expects more corn acres this spring. “I think the prices indicate that farmers are a little more committed to corn right now,” said Raneck. “I think if Mother Nature gives them an opportunity to plant corn, they’re going to plant corn. You’re seeing that in our sales and our commitments on the seed side between the corn and the soybeans.” Raneck is expecting decent soil conditions after a good run last fall. Full Circle Ag is based at Britton, South Dakota.

NFU Calls for Stability in Agriculture – At the National Farmers Union Convention, President Rob Larew is calling on Congress to pass a strong farm bill without delay. He warns that if lawmakers keep pushing it aside, farmers could be left without the support they need. “The biggest fear right now is that this is going to fall off the radar screen once again, and we will end up getting into fall and this thing be kicked down the road yet again. Farm country cannot afford that.”  Larew also raised concerns about tariffs and their impact on farmers, saying they create instability in the market. “We don’t have the same resources that we had the last time, and I don’t know a farmer out there that wants to rely on those kinds of payments. We want to get our return from the marketplace.”

Watne: Farmers Need Strong Safety Nets in Farm Bill – North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne is pushing for a strong farm bill that protects key safety net programs. Watne warns that cuts to programs like SNAP and crop insurance could stall progress, making it harder for farmers to stay afloat. “We need to enhance the ARC payments and the PLC payments. We need to raise our reference prices. Most of us here support maintaining a pretty strong SNAP program. That’s key to getting this thing passed.”  Watne is also worried about trade policy and its impact on North Dakota farmers, who depend on exports. He argues that past tariff disputes have caused lasting harm and warns that new trade wars could make things worse. “In North Dakota, we’re actually hit the hardest of all the states because we export so much of our crops. Those countries that we start a war with go elsewhere and start building partnerships with other suppliers.”

Sombke Sounds Alarm on Market Manipulation – At the National Farmers Union Convention, South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke shared concerns about trade policies, rising costs, and the uncertainty around the farm bill. He criticized the way markets are being handled, saying it benefits the wealthy while hurting farmers. “I just think this president is manipulating the markets, I think it’s helping out his billionaires,” said Sombke. “It’s almost insider trading and he’s just playing games. That’s really what it looks like to me.”  Sombke also warned that tariffs are raising costs for farmers while driving down crop prices. “One thing it’s going to cause is that inputs are going to continue to go up. I mean, we get 85 percent of our potash from Canada so that’s already going up and it’s making our prices go down.  We dropped 84 cents in eight trading days.” With no farm bill passed and political divisions in Congress, Sombke worries it won’t happen this year.

National Farmers Union Launches $25 Million Farmers Capital Fund – In a significant move to bolster agricultural innovation and enhance the economic success of family farmers and ranchers, the National Farmers Union announced the launch of the Farmers Capital Fund. The $25 million investment initiative will support early- and growth-stage companies that drive agricultural productivity and sustainability.  “We’re really pleased to publicly launch the Farmers Capital Fund and our partnership with Open Prairie to make it happen,” said NFU President Rob Larew. Jim Schultz, founder of Open Prairie, emphasized the fund’s mission to drive growth in Rural America. “Open Prairie has been around for 25 years investing in agricultural opportunities, and we are proud to have National Farmers Union and some of its member states as partners,” Schultz said. “This new fund allows us to put money to work in rural America, where we see so much underserved opportunity. Our focus is on Main Street and agricultural opportunities, technology, services, and new ideas that directly benefit farmers, ranchers and producers.”

Ag Labor Reform Sought – House Agriculture Committee Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson plans to introduce an agricultural labor bill that is expected to include changes to the H-2A visa program. Mark Anderson is on the  U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc. board and said something needs to change to address the ag labor shortage. “The farmers need a program that allows these workers to stay,” said Andrerson. “Work authorization is not a citizenship. This work authorization allows you to work here and then go home.”

MN Beef Report – In the Minnesota Beef Update, Minnesota Beef Council CEO Kelly Schmidt highlights the state promotion and research program’s annual report. Click here to listen. 

Livestock Industry Depends on FTAs – Edgerton, Minnesota farmer Randy Spronk is home after a trade trip to Guatemala. Spronk, who is a past chair of the U.S. Meat Export Federation and past president of the National Pork Producers Council, said the trip highlighted the importance of trade agreements to the livestock industry. “CAFTA, which would be the Central America Free Trade Agreement, along with DASH DR/CAFTA DR, you look back at the data from 2024, you’ll notice some of those countries are up 40 to 60 percent not only on value but also in volume,” said Spronk. “You roll up those countries, from Guatemala to El Salvador to Nicaragua, to Costa Rica, you add them together and they come in where Canada is for our exports.”

Chinese Inflation Target at 20-Year Low – China has established its economic growth target for the year ahead at five percent. That’s unchanged from last year. The consumer inflation target of two percent is the lowest in more than 20 years. The announcement from the Chinese premier coincided with a new trade war between the U.S. and China.

U.S. Group Purchases Panama Canal Ports – The United States now controls the two ports on each end of the Panama Canal. A group of investors, led by BlackRock, agreed to take majority ownership paying Hong Kong-based CK Hutchinson nearly $23 billion. President Trump voiced security concerns about these ports during his inauguration address, recognizing China’s ownership as a security threat.

Agricult-HER: Nicole Wardner – North Dakota Beef Commission Executive Director Nicole Wardner began her career at the Red River Farm Network. Before NDBC, Nicole also spent time with NDSU Extension and the Farm Service Agency. “It’s like Lego blocks,” relayed Nicole. “Where ever your path takes you, you’re going to take those blocks with you.” Those building blocks included something important at every career stop along the way. The role of mentors is also part of the conversation. Watch the interview.

Agricult-HER: Kristin Duncanson – Kristin Duncanson of Highland Farms at Mapleton, Minnesota is our guest for the Agricult-HER series. Kristin began her career on the staff of Minnesota Senator Rudy Boschwitz. She went onto become the first female outside salesperson for Hubbard Feeds. Kristin is the first woman to serve as president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and the first woman to chair the Minnesota AgriGrowth Council. “I am so grateful for that time, but it was not without its challenges. My husband will say that I had to work a bit harder because I was the first female, but there was always great support from my husband and kids with all those endeavors at the time. Our family looks fondly on those years.” Duncanson also talks about the importance of the people she’s worked with along the way and the value in giving back to the community. Click here to watch the interview.

Agricult-HER: Maartje Murphy – At seven, Maartje Murphy and her family moved from the Netherlands to Canada. With the hope to build a larger dairy farm, the van Bedaf family settled in Carrington, North Dakota. Cows and Co. Creamery is an on-farm creamery that manufactures gelato, Gouda cheese, cheddar cheese curds, yogurt and bottles milk. Who does she credit for her entrepreneurial spirit? “My mom has a lot of talents, watching her throughout my life, seeing all the things that she accomplished as a woman and as a farmer, she’s super mom and a super business woman. I would say my mom has been a big inspiration to be where I am.” Watch RRFN’s interview with Maartje Murphy on YouTube.

Agricult-HER: Krista Jansen – In this episode of RRFN’s Agricult-HER, we hear from Krista Jansen.Jansen is a project manager for Northern Crops Institute and previously worked in the seed business. In our interview, Jansen said she has had many mentors, including her parents, Julie Peterson, Nathan Purrington and Dave Torgerson. What’s her advice? “Be the encourager, encourage people to get involved and try new things.” Jansen will be passing that philosophy onto her own children. She has one daughter and another one on the way. Watch the video. 

Farming for the Future – Farming for the Future is a collaboration between the Red River Farm Network and the Linder Farm Network. This report is sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. In this week’s edition, Jonathan Kilpatrick talks about his role as the coordinator of the Midwest Grazing and Soil Health Summit in Wilmar. Click here to listen.

Governor Signs Eminent Domain Bill – South Dakota House Bill 1052, aimed at protecting property rights in eminent domain cases related to carbon pipelines, has officially been signed into law by the governor. The bill, which passed the House with a veto-proof majority and cleared the Senate by just one vote shy of the same margin, marks a significant win for landowners. Doug Sombke, president, South Dakota Farmers Union, dismissed concerns that the bill would create complications for pipeline projects, stating, “that’s not the thing, just treat the farmer right, that’s all we’re asking.”  Supporters argue that it represents the will of the people, pointing to last year’s overwhelming rejection of a previous bill that was seen as unfavorable to farmers. “We had a referendum on their bill from last year, supposedly the farmers’ rights bill and that got defeated soundly.” Sombke noted last year’s vote showed strong support for landowner rights, with nearly every county backing their position by at least 53 percent. “The people spoke, we’re proud to be part of it.”

Carbon Pipeline Restrictions Puts Economic Opportunities at Risk – South Dakota’s new law removes eminent domain as an option for carbon pipeline projects. American Carbon Alliance CEO Tom Buis warned the decision puts major economic opportunities for the state at risk. “The governor and legislature talk about being open for opportunity, but two of the biggest economic opportunities ever proposed for South Dakota are now at risk based on what they just passed.”  Buis contrasted South Dakota’s approach with North Dakota, where leaders have embraced carbon capture as a strategy to support ethanol and agriculture. “Every year our corn yields go up, every year the efficiency of ethanol plants goes up, but we’ve basically been running in place on the demand front,” he said. “Capturing carbon and creating a low-carbon feedstock like ethanol for sustainable aviation fuel or higher blends is absolutely a winner and something we desperately need.”

Brand Bills Die in SD Legislature – Two bills dealing with the South Dakota Brand Board were rejected by the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. One bill would have raised the maximum livestock inspection fee from $1 per head to $1.35. The other proposal would have moved the Brand Board from the ag department to the Office of School and Public Lands.

Brand Inspection Fees Reviewed – In Bismarck, the House Agriculture Committee took testimony on a proposal to increase brand inspection fees. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association and NDFB testified in favor of the bill while IBAND and Dakota Resource Council testified in opposition. The committee recessed and will take up the bill at a later date.

ND Legislative Report – Crossover is behind us and the North Dakota Legislature is back in session. In the North Dakota Legislative Report, NDFB Director of Public Policy Pete Hanebutt says property tax reform has dominated the session. Click here.

Property Tax Bills Move to Senate Committee This Week – Following the crossover break, the North Dakota Legislature returned to Bismarck Wednesday. In the upcoming week, property tax bills will be taken up by the Senate Finance and Tax Committee.

Permitting Reform Needed for Success of SAF Production in MN – Minnesota legislators now have timelines in place for moving bills through the committee process. The first deadline is April 4th for action on bills in the chamber it originated. April 11th is the deadline for major appropriation and finance bills. The second deadline coincides with the annual Easter/Passover break. Minnesota Corn Growers Association Executive Director Adam Birr said his organization is taking a guarded approach to the session with the nearly even split between the two parties. Permitting reform is one of the issues being monitored in St. Paul. “We’ve done a couple hearings now on sustainable aviation fuel in both the state House and Senate and the permitting thing comes up,” said Birr. “We know what we need to produce the fuel in Minnesota and with our current permitting system, it makes it hard to scale up that production in a quick manner.”

MN Corn Matters – In the latest Corn Matters, University of Minnesota Extension Communications Specialist Jack Wilcox discusses resources available for northern Minnesota corn growers. The report from the Minnesota Corn Growers Association can be found here. 

Speed and Scale Shape Infrastructure Investment for the Future – Speed and space are important as agribusiness makes business decisions for the future. Scott Cordes is a member of the CHS Corporate Board and was part of the CHS Ag Services annual meeting. As the size of farms gets bigger and the speed of operations speeds up, Cordes said CHS must position for its future. “Some of the investments we make have an 80-year tail on them so trying to make a decision today for an 80-year project, you have to use your crystal ball,” said Cordes. “We look for the trends. What are the drivers that are changing the trends? Are we doing more renewable diesel, is that the trend we’re after? The crystal ball gets used quite a bit to try to put some hard metrics to it.”

An Investment in the Region – Over the past year, CHS acquired West Central Ag Services. The nation’s largest farm cooperative is now investing in the region with a major grain facility at Warren, Minnesota and upgrading a grain terminal at Kindred, North Dakota. CHS Executive Vice President Rick Dusek said these investments speak to the importance of this region. “This area for CHS is huge,” Dusek told RRFN. “Up and down the Red River Valley, on both sides of the river, is really important for us on grain, on agronomy and on energy. I think we’re showing it by the way we’re investing in this area.” Dusek said CHS is positioning itself to serve the farmer of the future. “They’re getting bigger and more sophisticated, their needs are different from what they were five or ten years ago.”

Well Positioned for Spring Season – The tariff situation is very fluid. While ag retailers are monitoring the fertilizer situation daily, CHS Ag Services Senior Director of Operations Ryan Anderson said the co-op is well positioned for the season ahead. “We’re very fortunate to have the storage that we have,” said Anderson. “We have most of our spring needs on hand before we even start planting; we do need some in-season product, but a lot of that’s going to be domestic product coming from our Galveston, Texas port.” That storage includes a new 26,000-ton dry fertilizer hub south of Hallock, Minnesota which will be fully operational this spring. CHS Ag Servies and CHS Northland held their annual meetings in Grand Forks on Thursday.

Canola Minute – In the Canola Minute, Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman highlights the research grants that were approved over the year. Click here to listen to the report.

Indecision – While it is early March, acreage decisions are still being made. WestBred Technical Product Manager Justin Berg said wheat purchasing has been slow for this point in the season. “There’s a lot of indecision,” said Berg. “That’s consistent across much of the Northern Plains, every retailer we’re working with has the same message.” Berg encourages growers to sit down with their local retailers to lock in seed, fertilizer and chemical so they’re ready to go when conditions are fit. Listen to the full interview. 

Shark Farmer Gearing Up for Planting Season – Agricultural podcaster Rob Sharkey was featured at the Full Circle Ag Tech Summit. With the winter meeting season coming to a close, Sharkey will now tune up his planter and prepare for the season ahead. The Illinois grain farmer said it will be hard to beat last year’s crop. “My Dad always said, you’re never going to have that perfect year of weather where everything goes right.,” said Sharkey. “Dad, sadly, passed but I wish he would have seen last year because it was absolutely perfect. The yields showed it as well. Every once in a while you have to enjoy when you get that blessing; we’re definitely thankful for last year.”

Fine-Tune Your Planter – Planning and preparation are key elements of crop production. Channel Seed Technical Agronomist Jared Hauseman said that work should be done now. “We need to make sure that our planters are prepared and so when we get the field conditions correct, we can drive that planter right in the field without any issues,” said Hauseman. “I think that’s a major piece that a lot of growers can overlook.” Hauseman said Channel has expanded its Seed Pro network to provide agronomic support to clients. For the full interview, click here.

Dry Bean Scene – The Dry Bean Scene is a presentation of the Northarvest Bean Growers Association. In this week’s report, NDSU Extension Crops Economist Frayne Olson explained the impact tariff changes will have on the dry bean industry. Here is the report.

MFBF Minute – In the Minnesota Farm Bureau Minute, Minnesota Farm Bureau Education Coordinator Pam Debele talks about Food Awareness Month. Listen to the report at this link. 

Transportation Go! Conference Heads to Minneapolis for Key Industry Talks – This year’s Transportation Go! conference will be held in Minneapolis on Wednesday and Thursday. Specialty Soya Grains Alliance Executive Director Randy Duckworth says the conference is a chance for the soybean industry to discuss transportation issues. “We’ve got some fantastic speakers such as Gene Seroka, the CEO of the Port of L.A.; Daniel Maffei, the head of the Federal Maritime Commission, and Robert Primus from the Surface Transportation Board, and several others.” Tariffs and port fees are expected to be the talk of the event. “Fees that the current administration is proposing to be placed on Chinese vessels coming to the U.S. have potential to affect the transportation industry significantly. Availability of containers is always a huge issue in the Midwest, and you know we’re always just trying to find solutions for that so that’ll be a big one for us for sure.”

Wheat 101 Offers Field Experience – The National Wheat Foundation is working to bridge the gap between policymakers and farmers. Ken Wood, who is a board member from Chapman, Kansas, said the Wheat 101 program brings congressional staffers and USDA officials out to the field. “It’s a good chance to visit with folks that maybe don’t have an ag background so we get a chance to interact with them and tell our story to them. We hear their stories too because it’s a different lifestyle when you’re a Hill staffer.”

Modern Ag Alliance Survey Released – The Modern Ag Alliance is advocating the farmers’ ability to use crop protection products. “We are an entity composed of about 95 farm entities, farm organizations, commodity groups, your agri-business associations, state Farm Bureaus,and many of their federal counterparts,” said Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, CEO. “What brought all these groups together really was a recognition that there’s a threat on the forefront regarding crop protection tools and the availability of them. We’re going to start drawing a line in the sand and ensure we have the clarity we need to keep these tools available.” The Modern Ag Alliance is working on state legislation in a dozen different states. Its bill passed unanimously in the North Dakota House and is on its way to the state senate. A new survey from the Modern Ag Alliance confirms broad support for continued access to these crop protection tools. Eighty-one percent of the voters in North Dakota and 70 percent in Minnesota oppose litigation that could limit that access. Listen to the full interview. 

Glyphosate Needs Regulatory Certainty – At an event with investment bankers, Bayer said it needs regulatory clarity or it may stop selling glyphosate. Reuters reports Bayer has also lobbied Congress for legal protection against product liability lawsuits. That’s after the company paid $10 billion to settle lawsuits over Roundup and thousands of cases are still pending.

The Move to Digitization in Agriculture – Whether paying the fertilizer bill or getting paid for your grain, over 80 percent of those transactions are still being done with a paper check. “The U.S. Post Office told everybody to stop sending checks in the mail,” said Jake Joraanstad, CEO/co-founder, Bushel. “There’s a couple reasons, #1, there is a lot of fraud and #2, you’re talking about two-to-three day delays in rural counties.” The digital business tools from Bushel feature next-day payment on ACH, “It could be a $100,000 or $1 million that will be in your bank account through our platform the next day. That’s a huge improvement and we’re paying you interest on that account.” Fargo-based Bushel will make this tool to farmers by the end of April free-of-charge. Joraanstad said Bushel Farm is an all-in-one platform. “Think about it. rainfall across all of your fields, your crop marketing and your banking all in one tool.”

App Tracks Spraying Data – One of the vendors at Full Circle Ag’s Ag Tech Summit featured the My Ag Report app. Morgan Holler is the company CEO and lead designer. “It started in 2018 as dicamba started in beans and there was a need to get a better reporting system,” said Holler. “You should be keeping your records, that coffee-stained notebook that’s smashed underneath the pickup seat, let’s take that out and put this app in your pocket.” My Ag Report creates, tracks and stores spraying data.

Infinity Available for ’25 – Loveland Products, a subsidiary of Nutrien Ag Solutions, is rolling out its new nitrogen efficiency product in time for the 2025 planting season. Ron Calhoun, plant nutrition marketing manager, shared details at the 2025 Commodity Classic, highlighting the Infinity’s innovative approach to nitrogen fixation. “Infinity is a new biologically based nitrogen management solution to help improve overall nitrogen use efficiency in your crop. When I say biologically-based, what we’re doing there is we’re using live isolates of nitrogen fixers to be able to apply to the soil, have them fixing atmospheric nitrogen that’s in that soil.” Clahoun also emphasized the product’s ease of use and flexibility.

Beet Stock Values – Last week, there were seven American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock brokered sales totaling 162 shares for an average price of $5,606.48 per share. On a weekly basis, Jayson Menke from Acres & Shares tracks sales from the three beet stock brokerage firms. Menke said last week prices ranged from $5,600 to $5,700 per share with the bulk of the sales at $5,600 per share.

HB4 Wheat Wins U.S. Patent – A biotech wheat variety has received a U.S. patent. Bioceres Crop Solutions, which is based in Argentina, got approval from USDA last year and from the FDA in 2022. HB4 wheat is a drought-tolerant variety. Bioceres plans to license this technology in the U.S. market.

Ironhide Equipment Celebrates 25 Years – Ironhide Equipment owner Jason Vasichek said the business began as Bobcat of Grand Forks. “It was a really small facility, probably 1,800 square feet, and there were three guys,” remembers Vasichek. “We grew and in ’08, we added Devils Lake; we added Williston in ’11; Bemidji in ’16 and we moved into here in ’21 and now we have just over 80 people so it’s been quite the journey.” Agriculture has always been part of the Ironhide success story. “Ag is absolutely essential; it’s 30, 40 percent of our business easily. A lot of the growers started out not having a skid steer until they started moving totes, they graduated to a track machine and it became an essential part of their operations.” Listen to the interview.

Carney to Succeed Trudeau – Canada’s Liberal Party has elected new leadership. Mark Carney is a former chief of the central bank of both Canada and United Kingdom. Carney will succeed Justin Trudeau as prime minister at a time when Canada is in a trade war with the United States.

NAWG Announces New Policy Manager – The National Association of Wheat Growers has named Anthony Pena as its new policy manager. Pena has been the government relations manager for the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. Before that, he was on the staff of Senator Patty Murray.

SDFU Recognizes Wittman, Rohl – During South Dakota Farmers Union Day at the Capitol, SDFU recognized two legislators: Representative Kadyn Wittman of Sioux Falls and Senator Mike Rohl of Aberdeen. The pair were honored for their service to agriculture.

Harkin Honored for Service to Agriculture – The National Farmers Union presented former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin with its Award for Meritorious Service to American Agriculture. Harkin is a past chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and shepherded the passage of the 2008 farm bill.

Ag Journalism Award Presented to KC Sheperd – The National Farmers Union presented the Milt Hakel Award for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism to KC Sheperd of the Radio Oklahoma Network. “KC has dedicated her on-air career to informing Oklahoma residents about important issues that impact their livelihoods,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “Radio networks in these rural areas serve as a lifeline for our farming and ranching communities.”

Co-op Award Presented to Bob Grant – The Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives honored Bob Grant with its Gaylord Olson Cooperator Award. Grant is president of the Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative and past president of the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives. This award honors ‘North Dakota’s unsung cooperative heroes.’

Steenhoek Receives USB Award – Soy Transportation Coalition Executive Director Mike Steenhoek has received the prestigious Tom Oswald Legacy Award from the United Soybean Board. Steenhoek was honored for his work to improve infrastructure to move soybeans and soy products by rail, river, road and more. The award is named for a late soybean checkoff leader.

Biel Appointed to Clean Water Council – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has appointed Eunice Biel to the Clean Water Council. Biel farms in southeastern Minnesota and is a past chair of the Minnesota Farm Service Agency State Committee and active in the Minnesota Farmers Union.