Trump Signs Short-Term Spending Bill – President Donald Trump signed legislation to keep the government funded for another six months. The continuing resolution passed the Senate 54-46 on Friday. The House passed the same bill earlier in the week. Without this action, the government would have shut down at midnight Friday.

Trump Stands Firm on Canada Tariffs – President Donald Trump reaffirmed his hardline stance on tariffs with Canada during an Oval Office meeting, insisting the U.S. would not back down despite market concerns. “We’ve been ripped off for years, and we’re not going to be ripped off anymore.” Trump defended tariffs on aluminum, steel, and automobiles, arguing that U.S. taxpayers should not be subsidizing Canada. “In the case of Canada, we’re spending $200 billion a year to subsidize Canada.” Trump went on to suggest that Canada would function better as a U.S. state, calling it “one of our greatest states, maybe our greatest state.”

A Reduced 10% Tariff on Canadian Potash – President Trump signed an executive order allowing products traded under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to be outside of the 25 percent tariffs announced previously. That means products, including Canadian potash imports, will have a reduced tariff rate of ten percent. The Fertilizer Institute and the Agriculture Retailers Association praised the decision. The U.S. sources 85 percent of its potash from north of the border.

EU Retaliates – The European Union is responding to the new U.S. tariffs on imported steel and aluminum products and agriculture is in the crosshairs. The agricultural products targeted for retaliatory tariffs include beef, dairy, poultry and sugar. The EU president said these countermeasures “are strong, but proportionate.”

Dry Bean Scene – Northarvest Bean Growers Association Executive Director Mitch Coulter talks about the turbulent tariff situation and its impacts on trade in this week’s edition of the Dry Bean Scene. Listen to the report. 

Tariff Uncertainty Continues to Impact U.S. Agriculture – Experts warn that the ongoing tariff situation is creating uncertainty for American agriculture. Harrison Pittman, director, National Agricultural Law Center, noted that while tariffs are not new, the current scale and retaliatory responses are different. “Some administrations require a bigger shift for U.S. agriculture than others, but here, the scope of the tariffs, the tariff talk, and the tariffs that have been implemented feel quite different.”  Pittman believes the tariff conflict is far from over, with potential new trade restrictions still on the horizon. “I tend to just believe that we’re in it, we’re going to stay in it for a while.” Pittman said past tariff battles have already cost U.S. farmers market share, particularly in corn and soybeans, as competitors like Argentina and Brazil gained ground. With talk of further tariffs against the European Union, Pittman emphasized the need to watch how retaliatory measures will continue to affect American agriculture.

Trump-Xi Summit Possible – Negotiations are underway for President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet for a summit in June. This is still in the discussion phase, but it could ease trade tensions between the two countries.

Reclaiming the Panama Canal – The Pentagon is reportedly looking at ways to increase the number of U.S. troops in Panama to safeguard access to the Panama Canal. President Donald Trump has claimed China has too big of a presence and the U.S. needs to “reclaim” the Panama Canal. The 50-mile canal is one of the world’s busiest waterways with most of the shipments moving through it either originating the United States or heading to the U.S.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson says cattle markets and gold are the hot markets. “Cattle continue to be the bright spot in the market.”  The grains are in the not-hot category, but Martinson said wheat is one to watch.  “Wheat is the one market that is trying to divorce itself from the corn and the soybeans.”  Listen to the report.

Risk Management Highlighted in Senate Hearing – The Senate Agriculture Committee reviewed risk management tools Tuesday, taking testimony from lenders, the crop insurance industry and farmers. Caleb Hopkins is an ag banker with Dakota Mac, a subsidiary of First Dakota National Bank in Yankton, South Dakota. Hopkins was asked about updating farm loan limits in the next farm bill. “The increase in capital expenses, along with just your normal operating costs, have grown substantially over the last five years and when you look at what land costs have done, the guaranteed limits have not kept pace in that time period,” said Hopkins. “That would allow us as lenders to have more tools to get creative with as we work through these adverse times.” This was the third in a series of ag committee hearings about the farm economy.

Crop Insurance Discounts for Veterans and Beginning Farmers – Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and South Dakota Senator John Thune are working together on a bill to provide more affordable crop insurance to veterans and beginning farmers. A premium discount is now in place and would extend it from five years to ten years. Minnesota Representative Angie Craig and Iowa Representative Randy Feenstra have the companion legislation in the House.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson says cattle markets and gold are the hot markets. “Cattle continue to be the bright spot in the market.”  The grains are in the not-hot category, but Martinson said wheat is one to watch.  “Wheat is the one market that is trying to divorce itself from the corn and the soybeans.”  Listen to the report.

Simplified WOTUS Definitition Announced – The Waters of the United States rule is getting another revision. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said this change will stand the test of time. “We are not looking for this to be ping pong anymore, what we’re looking for is to simply follow the guidance from Sackett (Supreme Court ruling).” said Zeldin. “It gave us a clear path in determining the waters of the United States. It found only those wetlands with a ‘continuous surface connection to a relatively permanent water’ are Waters of the United States. The court also struck down the long-utilized significant nexus test leaving only those wetlands that abut or are adjacent to waters of the United States as jurisdictional.” Zeldin said his agency will work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to cut permitting costs and reduce red tape. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall was part of the announcement and said WOTUS has been a pain in the side for farmers. “This is a first big step in a very difficult farm economy that gives farmers and ranchers hope, hope that good things are going to happen in the future.” The reaction has been predictable. The Union of Concerned Scientists said the Trump Administration is giving a green light to industrial agriculture to pollute and drain wetlands. On the other end of the spectrum, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association praised the new EPA administrator for closing a long ‘chapter of severe regulatory whiplash.’

Cramer: WOTUS Update a Win for Farmers – North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer joined EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to announce updated guidance on the definition of Waters of the United States, clarifying that wetlands will only fall under federal jurisdiction if they directly abut a navigable waterway with a continuous surface connection. The change aligns with the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA ruling, which narrowed federal oversight of wetlands. Cramer called the decision a victory for landowners and farmers. Cramer also criticized previous regulations as overly burdensome. “That’s like putting a highway patrolman on every car so that the driver could seek their permission to go 65,” Cramer said. “Our laws, our rules, our regulations are based largely on people’s compliance. It’s an honor system and so, this is a great relief.”

Courts Rule on Workforce Reduction – Another federal judge has ordered the reinstatement of fired workers at 18 government agencies, including the Agriculture Department. This court decision goes even further than a ruling early Thursday that forced the administration to rehire probationary employees.

MAHA Commission Meets for the First Time – The Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again Commission met for the first time. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said they are committed to a holistic process to improve the federal dietary guidelines. Rollins said these guidelines will be based on sound science and released ahead of its December 31^st deadline.

Science Must be Part of Make America Healthy Again Strategy – More than 300 agriculture organizations have sent a joint letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. These groups said sound science must be used when evaluating pesticides, biotechnology and other issues important to agriculture and food production. The letter said there is support for improving human health, but safeguards should be in place to protect scientific integrity. The letter can be found online. 

Local Food Programs Sidelined – USDA has cut over $1 billion in funding for local food purchases at schools and food banks. The Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program and Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program promoted food purchases from within the state or within 400 miles of the local school or food shelf. In a statement, USDA said these programs were created under the Biden Administration and “no longer effectuate the goals of the agency.”

Lawsuit Filed Over IRA Funding – A group of farmers and environmental groups are suing the Trump Administration over the freeze on Inflation Reduction Act funding. These farmers are part of a $300 million program to install renewable energy or energy efficiency upgrades. The farmers claim they have already made purchases and entered into contracts with contractors and will be unable to get that money back.

ECAP Signup Begins – Signup begins this week for the new USDA Emergency Commodity Assistance Program. Up to $10 billion in payments were authorized at the end of the last congressional session. Deputy Undersecretary Brooke Appleton said online tools will be available to determine payment rates. “ECAP assistance will be calculated using a flat payment rate for the eligible commodities multiplied by the eligible reported acres and payments are based on acreage and not production.”

Belchim USA Sponsoring Live Broadcast From Sugarbeet Institute – Millions of dollars of equipment will be on display at this week’s International Sugar Beet Institute in Fargo. In addition to the massive trade show, ISBI features Pro Farmer Washington Consultant Jim Wiesemeyer on Wednesday and a panel discussion featuring Allan Cattanach, Allan Dragseth, Roger Odegaard and Delano Thoreson on Thursday. Belchim USA  and Spin-Aid herbicide are sponsoring the Red RIver Farm Network’s live broadcast from ISBI on Thursday. In the broadcast, you’ll hear from Belchim USA president and general manager Tom Wood and regional manager Juli Keese.

NFU Delegates Approve Special Orders – National Farmers Union delegates finalized their policy priorities for the year ahead. NFU President Rob Larew said a solid farm bill is at the top of that list. A special order was also passed reinforcing its Fairness for Farmers effort. That includes mandatory country-of-origin labeling, the right-to-repair, and the elimination of monopolies in food and agriculture. Larew said farmers also need certainty. “With tariffs being put on and sometimes reduced and added back on, that constant of back-and-forth the need for our federal government to show us the game plan,” said Larew. “Right now there’s really a limited amount of information. With the farm economy the way it is right now, that’s just adding to anxiety”.

Farmers Need a United Voice in DC – At the National Farmers Union Convention, South Dakota Farmers Union Board Member Oren Lesmeister spoke about the growing uncertainty in agriculture and the need for farmers to work together to push for a farm bill. He reflected on how, in the past, farmers had more control over their future, with stable markets providing a clearer path forward. “Right now, we’re not in control, and that makes everybody pretty uneasy,” Lesmeister said.  “We really have got to unite, come together, and get our voices heard in DC to make sure we get this one right,” he urged. Lesmeister pointed out that the agriculture industry’s diversity often leads to internal divisions, but in today’s uncertain climate, a united front is crucial to securing policies that support farmers across the country.

Policy Experts Seek Better Safety Net for Farmers – At the National Farmers Union Convention, agricultural policy leaders addressed key farm policy challenges, including legislative uncertainty in Washington. “I think right now, the easiest way to describe Capitol Hill is a bit chaotic,” said Brad Weddelman, majority chief economist, Senate Agriculture Committee. “There’s a lot going on with a new administration, new chairman.” Despite the turbulence, Weddelman stressed that Chairman John Boozman remains focused on passing a five-year farm bill with a stronger safety net. “He’s preached that over and over again. That is his goal for this year,” he said. The conversation also centered on improving disaster assistance programs for farmers. Harlea Hoelscher, a professional staffer for the House Ag Committee, outlined House Farm Bill provisions aimed at strengthening relief efforts. “Chairman (Glenn ‘GT’) Thompson followed the principle of how we can bolster the programs that we already have and make them work better for producers.” Proposed changes include adjusting AGI limits to expand Non-insured Disaster Assistance Program participation and enhancing crop insurance as a risk management tool.

Farm Bill and Trade Policies Take Center Stage at NFU Convention – Trade policies and the stalled farm bill are major concerns at the National Farmers Union Convention. Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish highlighted the lasting impact of past trade wars, emphasizing that soybean exports to China have yet to recover. “They’re finding other markets and it’s incentivized Argentina, Brazil farmers to raise more,” Wertish said. “Now we’re entering another round of tariff wars, and that’s very concerning to agriculture.” He warned that ongoing trade disputes could drive up input costs while reducing prices for U.S. farmers.  Beyond trade concerns, Wertish stressed the need for stability in farm bill negotiations, noting that continued delays create uncertainty for farmers and rural communities. “The farm bill is a safety net for farmers when things aren’t going well, which is needed, but it’s also a safety net for Rural America, too.” With deep political divides in Washington, Wertish said passing a new bill remains a challenge.

Uncertainty Grows Over Climate-Smart Ag Contracts – At the National Farmers Union Convention, former National Corn Growers CEO John Doggett emphasized the growing interest in climate-smart agriculture and its potential benefits. Despite the promise of government-backed programs, farmers remain uncertain about payments for climate-smart contracts they’ve already committed to. “The questions I’ve had are, are we going to get paid on the contracts that we’ve signed and the work that we’ve done?” Doggett said, stressing the importance of timely payments. Beyond financial concerns, he also pointed to broader instability in Rural America, drawing comparisons to past turbulent times. “I’ve never seen it this chaotic before,” he reflected, calling on Washington to prioritize the needs of farmers and rural communities.

Policy Experts Seek Better Safety Net for Farmers – At the National Farmers Union Convention, agricultural policy leaders addressed key farm policy challenges, including legislative uncertainty in Washington. “I think right now, the easiest way to describe Capitol Hill is a bit chaotic,” said Brad Weddelman, majority chief economist, Senate Agriculture Committee. “There’s a lot going on with a new administration, new chairman.” Despite the turbulence, Weddelman stressed that Chairman John Boozman remains focused on passing a five-year farm bill with a stronger safety net. “He’s preached that over and over again. That is his goal for this year,” he said. The conversation also centered on improving disaster assistance programs for farmers. Harlea Hoelscher, a professional staffer for the House Ag Committee, outlined House Farm Bill provisions aimed at strengthening relief efforts. “Chairman (Glenn ‘GT’) Thompson followed the principle of how we can bolster the programs that we already have and make them work better for producers.” Proposed changes include adjusting AGI limits to expand Non-insured Disaster Assistance Program participation and enhancing crop insurance as a risk management tool.

Growers Call for Certainty – Uncertainty weighs heavily on farmers like Kirk Schaunamen of Aberdeen, South Dakota, as they gather at the National Farmers Union Convention. Farming with his brother and nephews, Schaunamen grows spring wheat, soybeans, and corn, along with running cattle. Reflecting on the past year, he described 2023 as a strong production year, but looking ahead, concerns about market stability and the stalled farm bill dominate conversations.  “You know, last year was a fairly decent year, we had really good crops,” Schaunamen said. “If you had it marketed early enough, it was a really good year and then things just kind of tapered off, but as far as productivity, the wheat was exceptional. Beans were good and corn just knocked it out of the park.” However, looking ahead, he emphasized how uncertainty is a major challenge, particularly with policy decisions in limbo. “We as producers dealing with Mother Nature every day, we have enough uncertainty with that. If we can just get some of the chaos or the stalemate resolved, because the uncertainty does not bode well for production agriculture.”

Farmers Face Challenges with Policy Changes and Staff Turnover – South Dakota farmer Lance Perrion shared his thoughts on the challenges facing agriculture during the National Farmers Union Convention. Perrion, a third-generation farmer from Ipswich, grows corn, soybeans, and wheat while also running an agribusiness that includes seed cleaning and hay grinding. Perrion described 2024 as an “average year” with a dry start followed by timely rains. “Every year is different.” Beyond market uncertainty, Perrion has concerns over staffing shortages in key agricultural agencies. “We’ve seen a big turnover in staffing on the federal level,” he said, emphasizing the importance of keeping local USDA and FSA offices fully staffed to ensure farmers receive the support they need.

Fielding Questions – The Fielding Questions podcast is a collaboration with AgCountry Farm Credit Services and the Red River Farm Network. In the latest episode, AgCountry Farm Credit Services Executive Vice President of Business Development Marc Knisley discusses the farm economy. “The overall attitude is still positive with a lot of positive momentum out there in the agricultural marketplace, but it is tempered with a bit of caution.” Knisley also highlights the cash patronage payments being made to AgCountry customers. Click here to listen to the podcast. 

Farming for the Future – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is partnering with the Red River Farm Network and the Linder Farm Network to provide information on soil health events and topics. This week, Matt McKibben, a supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, talks about the ag support programs. Here’s a link to the report. 

U.S. Renewable Diesel Exports Under Investigation – The Canada Border Service Agency is investigating alleged dumping and subsidizing of renewable diesel from the United States. A complaint filed by the  British Columbia biorefinery, Tidewater Renewables, claims it suffered material injury in the form of lost market share, including lost sales, price undercutting and the loss of cash flow due to subsidized U.S. renewable diesel being dumped on the Canadian market.

Working on Creative Solutions – Specialty crop producers are continuing to scramble to source containers to ship their products overseas. At the Transportation Go! Conference in Minneapolis, Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance Chair Bryan Severs said creative solutions are being investigated. “We’re trying to get containers from maybe Los Angeles or farther away to the Midwest to help us haul our I-P crops to our buyers.” International demand for identity-preserved soybeans and other food-grade products remains strong. However, it can be a challenge moving those specialty crops from the land-locked Midwest to the coast. “Yes, location is a challenge. We had a presentation about the St. Lawrence Seaway so we’d like to see that work with all the ports here in the Upper Midwest. It would be nice to be able to use that to head to the East Coast ocean.”

RRFN to Broadcast Live From RRWMB-FDRWG Joint Conference – The Red River Watershed Management Board and the Flood Damage Reduction Work Group are hosting their annual joint conference Tuesday and Wednesday in Moorhead. The topics addressed include drainage laws, a mapping initiative and an update on flood control projects. The Red RIver Farm Network will broadcast from the 26th annual conference on Wednesday. The live broadcast is sponsored by the Red River Watershed Management Board.

Fire Emergency Declaration Issued – North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong has signed an executive order declaring a statewide fire emergency and activating the State Emergency Operations Plan. With the drought conditions, the risk of wildfire remains high. A year ago, North Dakota experienced some of the most destructive wildfires in recent memory.

ND Revenue Forecast Lowered – The revised revenue forecast for the North Dakota biennium is just over $5 billion. That’s down two percent from the January executive forecast. A projected dip in oil tax revenues is blamed for the downturn. Governor Kelly Armstrong said the forecast still supports meaningful property tax relief.

ND Agriculture Wants to be Part of the Property Tax Solution – As property tax reform moves through the North Dakota Legislature, the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee discussed the differences between meaningful and equitable tax reform. North Dakota Stockmen’s Association Executive Director Julie Ellingson testified, encouraging the committee to include agriculture in their decisions. “As you know, agriculture is a significant economic driver in our state and a significant property taxpayer, accounting for more than half of the property tax paid in 57 percent of North Dakotas counties.” Three different property tax reform bills are being heard during this session.

ND Lawmakers Consider SAF Incentives – In Bismarck, the House Finance Committee considered legislation to replace the current countercyclical ethanol program with a low-carbon fuel incentive program. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring testified these funds are for ethanol plants. “It would put them in a position where they could start to move their product into a sustainable aviation fuel system, which should bring more premium back to the facility and in turn, back to farmers that are actually selling corn to these facilities.” The hearing wrapped up without a vote.

ND Legislative Report – In the latest edition of the North Dakota Legislative Report, North Dakota State University Vice President of Agriculture Greg Lardy is featured. Lardy testified in the House and Senate this week on the SBARE budget priorities. The Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies is at the top of that list. To hear the report, click here. 

The Farmers’ Voice is Being Heard – The North Dakota legislative sessions continue to move toward the finish line, but for farmers like Drew Courtney, that doesn’t mean they can slow down. Courtney, a North Dakota Corn Growers Association board member, has spent much of the winter in Bismarck testifying on behalf of farmers. “We’re having good conversations and letting people know that the North Dakota Corn Growers Association is at the table and here to help move the needle not only for the corn industry in the state but agriculture in general.” Property tax reform is a big issue during this session. “If we’re going to be getting some tax reform in city limits, somebody has to pick up the bill on that, and we don’t want to have too much of that get put back on any of the agricultural land.”

Shared Power – The Minnesota House returns to a 67-67 split today. A Democrat won Tuesday’s special election in the north metro. Under a power-sharing agreement reached in early February, Republican Lisa Demuth remains the House speaker for the next two years. However, both parties will have equal representation on most committees with co-chairs taking turns at the helm. Sixty-eight votes are needed to pass budget bills, forcing collaboration between Republicans and Democrats.

MN House Ag Committee Advances Ag Spending Bill – In St. Paul, the House Agriculture Committee passed a $169 million agriculture bill during the last week with a one-vote Republican majority. Committee Chair Paul Anderson sponsored the bill, which includes a $17 million increase in spending. Representative Rick Hansen was upset with the process, saying its “not normal.” Effective this week, Hansen will be the committee’s co-chair, but was in the minority when this bill came up for a vote. Hansen thought the spending increase was “reckless” because of the uncertainty over federal funding. “We have to help those who are not able to help themselves,” said Hansen. “We have to make choices because the budget is a moral document. Anderson defended the bill’s timing, citing delays caused by a DFL boycott earlier in the session. Anderson acknowledged the challenges facing farmers. “You can’t magically count on corn prices dropping from $7 down to $3.50 and your fertilizer bill doubling, and your chemical bill doubling.” Despite the contentious debate, the committee voted 7-6 to advance the bill to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Federal Budget Impacts State Ag Programs – According to Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Aric Putnam, the federal government is responsible for one-third of Minnesota’s budget. With the current environment on Capitol Hill, Putnam said some of his priorities are in jeopardy. “Initially, my hope had been to put more resources into FBM (Farm Business Management), mental health, and succession planning, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to do that this time around but that had been one of my goals. If we don’t do it this year, I’ll hope to do it next.”

Rising Wolf Attacks – Minnesota saw a record 252 calls for wolf management assistance last year, with Kittson County reporting the second-highest number of complaints. Representative John Burkel of Badger has introduced a bill to establish an open hunting season for wolves, citing depleted state funds for livestock depredation payments. “The fund actually floats between elk and wolf depredation money, and they’ve depleted both funds paying depredation.” Burkel noted more farmers are seeking compensation, but funding has already run out for fiscal year 2025.  Burkel argues that Minnesota’s wolf population is higher than in any other state in the lower 48 and believes it must be controlled. “I think we need to have a discussion about how many wolves really need to be in the state.” Burkel also emphasized the need for federal action to remove wolves from the endangered species list, a move he anticipates will happen soon.

MAELC Releases 2030 Ag Education Blueprint – The Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council has released its 2030 ag education blueprint. This status report is conducted every five years. MAELC Executive Director Sarah Dornink said the school-based and post-secondary ag education programs are focused in large part on workforce development. “They want to make sure that they’re offering the right content, but also have the equipment that those students are going to see once they’re out in the workforce, making sure that everything’s aligned with what the industry needs.” For Farm Business Management, much of the focus is on supporting instructors. That includes work on transitions “keeping students as those farms transition, but than also as instructors transition out and retire, we want to make sure that that’s a smooth road for both instructors and students.” The Minnesota Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education Blueprint is available online.

SD Legislative Session Ends with Property Tax Cap – South Dakota lawmakers focused heavily on property tax reform this session, ultimately passing Governor Larry Rhoden’s bill to cap growth at 3 percent for counties and schools starting in 2027. “All legislators started the session saying that we had to do something on property taxes,” said South Dakota Farmers Union lobbyist Mitch Richter. “They were focused on the owner-occupied individual homeowner and they worked pretty much all session.” Another high-profile issue was a bill preventing the use of eminent domain for carbon pipeline projects, a topic that helped elect many new legislators.  While Richter supports the eminent domain bill, he voiced concerns about South Dakota’s economic future. “Where is the growth going to come from in South Dakota?” he asked, pointing to legislative rejections of data center proposals and county moratoriums on wind and solar farms. “Rural South Dakota is going to be hurting for development projects if the legislature and county commissions are going to continue to turn these down.”

Gowan Invites You to ISBI – The International Sugarbeet Institute is the largest exhibit of sugarbeet equipment and related products and services in the United States. This show began in 1963 in Crookston and now alternates between Grand Forks and Fargo. ISBI will be held Wednesday and Thursday at the Fargodome. The Gowan Company can be found in booth #53. Stop by and learn how top performing products, like Domark, Affiance and Badge SC.

Little Change in S/D Report – The only change in the March World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate was a slight bump in U.S. wheat ending stocks. USDA left U.S. corn ending stocks at 1.54 million bushels. Soybean ending stocks are unchanged from February at 380 million bushels. USDA did increase the U.S. wheat carryout by 25 million bushels to 819 million bushels.

Don’t Base ’25 Decisions on Last Year – Peterson Farms Seed’s Cup of Agronomy series continues to bring the latest science-backed agronomic insights to farmers throughout the Upper Midwest. “2025 is looking to be a big year, especially for corn growers,” said Rick Swenson, lead agronomist. “Some weird things happened last year but pay attention to the details and don’t change farm practices based on what happened last year. Stay grounded and think long term.”

A Learning Opportunity – This year’s Peterson Farms Seed Cup of Agronomy series expanded to include more locations and dates. Territory Manager Kayla Voeller said the goal is to reach as many farmers as possible. These events provide the latest agronomic information and research. “That not only helps the growers to be in collabs with each other and see what somebody does versus what somebody else may be doing, it also teaches Peterson Farms Seed a lot about what’s going on out in our area.”

Proactive SCN Management Urged – Peterson Farms Seed is hosting Cup of Agronomy meetings across the region. “We’re focusing especially on soybean cyst nematode,” said agronomist Kelsey Pellman. “We want guys to be out there testing, be proactive about managing your populations.” The farm economy is a part of the conversation. “A big thing we’ve been hearing is where can I cut costs while still maintaining good agronomics. where can I find that extra dollar? If we can help them find those bushels, we can help them find those dollars.” Seed treatment was described as a low-cost investment with a high return.

Preventative Measures Needed for White Mold Control – According to Bayer Agronomic Solutions Manager Randy Myers, white mold is not an easy disease to control. “You can’t wait til you see it, the fungicide has to be applied preventatively before the infection takes place because once the infection starts and gets inside the plant, there’s nothing you can do about it.” White mold thrives in cold, wet conditions. “The white mold survives in sclerotia, those little black resting bodies in soil.,” said Myers. “They can survive for ten years so if you have a field that is a white mold field, it is always going to be a white mold field even if you rotate to a less susceptible crop, like corn.” Myers was part of the Fungicide Experts Forum in Fargo Wednesday. Listen for the full interview.

Invest in Weed Control, Fertility – As farmers cut costs, caution should be heeded. “We can’t cut back on weed control (and) we can’t cut back on fertility,” said Marsha Van Laere, Northern Plains Sales Representative, Gowan. “Those are the two things that growers need , you let the weeds get out of hand early on and you’ve already lost your yield.” One-off year for weed control will have a multi-year impact. “We’ve seen that with waterhemp, we’ve seen it with Common Ragweed, we’ve seen it with kochia; anything that gets away and is blowing across the fields and Lord knows there’s not a lot of trees around here so the wind blows for us.”

Tough Winter for Bugs – University of Minnesota Regional Extension Educator Anthony Hanson says this winter’s lack of snow cover did impact pests overwintering in the top few inches of the soil. “Because there was not as much snow and we did have some cold snaps, the soil temperatures really got pushed down so some of our insects, like corn rootworm, we might be seeing close to 50 percent mortality in some places like here in west-central Minnesota.”  Alfalfa weevil is another pest that may be impacted.

Olson: Set Price Targets, Plan Ahead – Despite the uncertainty in U.S. trade, North Dakota State University Extension Crops Economist Frayne Olson advises farmers to focus on core marketing strategies. “You as a farm manager are not fast enough to chase the marketplace,“ Olson said. “Things are happening so quickly, the volatility is so high that you can’t chase the market.” Instead, Olson recommends setting price targets based on production costs and storage expenses.  Olson emphasized the importance of planning to manage risk. “At what price would you be willing to sell additional crop? And then put the orders in ahead of time,“

Minnesota Dairy Herds Test Negative for Avian Influenza – Minnesota is in the third week of testing its dairy herds for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. “We’ve tested over 400 farms and had no positive cases,” reports Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “We also haven’t had a positive case in poultry for a couple of weeks..” Petersen said another week of testing is needed before the next phase can begin. “We’re optimistic that will happen; we’re continuing to urge farmers to follow biosecurity measures and to keep their guard up.”

ND Gelbvieh Association Spotlight – In the latest edition of the North Dakota Gelbvieh A”Association Spotlight, David Larson of Lost River Livestock said the Gelbvieh cow can handle the stresses seen in the northern climate. “They do well in the summer with shedding hair, get out into the grass and raise a big calf, but they really handle winter well, too.” Larson also sees a lot of benefit in crossing the Gelbvieh genetics with Angus for a very hardy progeny.  Listen to the report. 

MN Beef Update – In the Minnesota Beef Update, Minnesota Beef Council CEO Kelly Schmidt highlights the Minnesota Association of Meat Processors Convention in St. Cloud. Click here to listen.

Policy Priorities Outlined at Pork Forum – The National Pork Industry Forum was held in Orlando. “A new farm bill and a new administration in the White House have also seen plenty of talk. “The number one thing I think as we’re going through, especially with the new administration on the political side, is really about getting a farm bill done,” said Todd Marotz, a member of the National Pork Producers Council board. “We weren’t able to do that with the last administration, so hopefully we can get that done and specifically address issues within Prop 12 and provide some funding for animal health as far as foreign animal disease is concerned.” Marotz farms at Gaylord, Minnesota.

Taste What Pork Can Do – The National Pork Board has unveiled a new pork advertising plan. The new tagline is ‘taste what pork can do.’ The goal of the campaign is to reach more younger consumers. A digital approach is taking the lead for the new Pork Checkoff plan.

Agricult-HER: Marri (Carrow) Tejada – Marri (Carrow) Tejada grew up on a farm at Marshall, Minnesota. She started her career in a communications role with the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. Tejada moved on to Washington, D.C. and served as the communications director for the U.S. Grains Council. Tejada now serves as the USGC Latin America Region Director. When she first made the move, it was a bit of culture shock. “Coming from the DC market where everyone is hustle, hustle, hustle, and moving to Latin America where the hustle is different. I’m not going to say less, but definitely different.” What’s the best part of the job? “The people have been the most rewarding,” related Tejada. “Of course, working for the U.S. Grains Council can be very challenging, especially dealing with political dynamics. It can be both challenging and enlightening, but each day I gain a greater appreciation for the cultural nuances. These challenges have really shaped my career and opened doors that I never imagined.” Click here to watch the video.

Agricult-HER: Bobbi Sondreal – Bobbi Sondreal is a succession and retirement planning consultant with AgCountry Farm Credit Services. “To see people take these family businesses and build them, continue to work together and strengthen their relationships, is really fun to watch. If I can be part of helping that, I feel really lucky.” What’s her advice? “Open your mind, ask questions, be aware, don’t make assumptions.” Watch the interview on RRFN’s YouTube channel. 

Agricult-HER: Dr. Beth Thompson – Before becoming a veterinarian, Dr. Beth Thompson was a lawyer. In her 30s, Thompson went back to school and got her veterinary degree. She worked as a swine veterinarian and eventually joined the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. After a stint as the Minnesota State Veterinarian, Dr. Thompson took the same role in her home state of South Dakota. Thompson is featured in this episode of RRFN’s Agricult-HER series. “I think it’s really important that we continue to talk about how important agriculture is for all of us,” Thompson told RRFN. “One of the important lessons I’ve learned is that we, as a society, are moving further and further away from agriculture and there are some really, really great stories to be told.” Watch the video online.

Agricult-HER: Sarah Kuschel – Sarah Kuschel is a wife, a mother, a rancher, an ag advocate and more. Her passions include Ag in the Classroom, FFA, Farm Bureau and the ranch. Family values drive her passion for agriculture. “We have that motto that you work hard together so that you can play hard together, too,” Kuschel told RRFN. “We’ll try to always find time to get away and do something together, whether that’s an afternoon at the baseball diamond in Nimrod to watch their uncles play baseball or maybe like it was yesterday when Miles and I loaded up the Sebeka FFA and took them down to the FFA day at the Capitol.”

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.

Systemic Biological Nitrogen Fixation – Nitrogen is one of the biggest expenses in crop production. According to Azotic Technologies Technical Sales Agronomist Travis Berg, nitrogen fixation is the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into a form the plant can use. “Envita’s unique in the industry because it is a bacteria and the only one in the industry that actually goes inside the plant and fixes atmospheric nitrogen.” Berg said Envita works to fix atmospheric nitrogen inside the cell and that will continue through the entire growing season. “It’s really your third source of nitrogen and since it’s in the plant, if the plants ever stress whether that be water stress or nitrogen stress, Envita’s there to fill in the gaps.” Berg is based in Lakota, North Dakota.

Beet Stock Values – Last week, there was above average American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock broker trading. According to Acres & Shares owner Jayson Menke, 467 shares were brokered between $5,550 to $5,600 per share for an average price of $5,586.62 per share. “There continues to be strong demand for Crystal beet stock,” Menke said. “As of Saturday, there were no broker shares for sale and appears to still be plenty of demand.”

Elevated Disease Protection – Vive Crop Protection introduced Phobos FC Fungicide for cercospora control in sugarbeets a year ago. Vive Crop Protection Chief Technology Officer Doug Baumann said more was learned about the product over the past year. “We went back to the lab and we learned more and more about how Allosperse is changing prothioconazole and what we came up with is that we’re seeing double the amount of product left on a sugarbeet leaf following a rain event compared to Proline and about an eight percent increase in recoverable sugar per acre comparing heads on heads versus the competition.” Phobos leaves a thin, even layer on the leaves of the sugarbeet plant “as opposed to chunkier layer in a competitive product.” Baumann said the Phobos FC product dries down nice and flat, leaving more product where it is needed.

Corn Matters – In this edition of Minnesota Corn Matters, University of Minnesota Extension Educator Brad Carlson highlights this week’s Nitrogen College programs. Corn Matters is a presentation of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. Click here to listen. 

Harvest Optimization – Every harvest season, grain is lost out of the back of the combine. An agricultural engineer based in Manitoba found many of the methods to manage harvest loss were not very safe or accurate. Bushel Plus Global Marketing Director Courtney Baxter says that led to the development of their SmartPan System. “It’s drop pan technology that actually drops remotely off the back of the combine to measure and manage grain loss,” said Baxter. “For us at Bushel Plus, that became step number one for how farmers were going to measure and manage profit during harvest time and ultimately get more efficiency out of their combine.” Traditionally, farmers will measure harvest losses with a shovel and a cookie sheet. The Bushel Plus technology offers a more accurate approach that can be handled conveniently through the smartphone.

Maximizing Returns with Smarter Grain Protection – Farmers are always looking for ways to improve their bottom line. For Central Life Sciences, that usually means protecting crops after they come off the combine. “A lot of farmers are looking at what goes on in the field, but sometimes when the grain comes off, that’s where they think the job stops,” says Central Life Science National Sales Development Manager Luke Ziegler. “That’s where we try to step in. We take more of a preventative approach. Historically, we’ve always used some older chemistries, or we’ve done fumigation of the grain bins, so we have dry and liquid products that are going to help be more on the preventative side of that to be more proactive.”

Dutch Dairy Co-op to Partner with SD Dairy Processor – Arla Foods plans to produce whey protein for the food and beverage industry through a partnership with Milbank, South Dakota-based Valley Queen. Arla Foods is one of the largest dairy cooperatives worldwide and is based in Denmark.

ND FFA Convention Moves – Due to a surge in membership, the North Dakota FFA is moving to a larger venue for its state convention. This year’s convention will be held at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex at the North Dakota State University campus. The change was made due to size constraints at NDSU’s Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. This year’s FFA convention will be June 2-5 in Fargo.

FFA Alumni Awards Presented – The Minnesota FFA Alumni and Supporters have presented their annual awards. Bailey Thompson of Barnesville is the Outstanding Member. Ryland Sabo of ROCORI is the Outstanding Young Alumni. THe Outstanding Coach Award went home with James Kruize of Barnesville. The Outstanding Teacher Supporter is Shawn Linder of Grand Rapids. Bernard Van Zomeren of Alexandria received the Day-Frederick Award and Watertown-Mayer is the Outstanding Chapter Award winner.

NAMA Industry Awards Announced – The National Agri-Marketing Association has announced its industry award winners. The Agribusiness Leader of the Year is Mark Orr of GROWMARK. Michele Egan of Novonesis, formerly of Chr. Hansen, is the NAMA Marketer of the Year. The retired executive director of the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City, Bob Petersen, is the Ag Association Leader of the Year. The awards will be presented at next month’s NAMA Conference in Kansas City.

MLBA Hall of Fame Add New Members – The Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association Hall of Fame has inducted the Class of 2025. The honorees are Holstein breeder Spencer Hackett of Rice, poultry breeders Larry and Mark Peterson of Amboy, University of Minnesota dairy specialist Dr. Tony Seykora and the Simmental breeder Mark Moenning of Hayfield.

HOF Honors for Hill – Dr. Howard Hill has been inducted into the National Pork Producers Council Hall of Fame. Hill is known for pioneering work in veterinary diagnostics and disease eradication. In 1994, Hill joined Murphy Farms as director of veterinary services. From 2000 to 2013, Hill was chief operating officer for Iowa Select Farms. Hill served as president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians in 1996 and the NPPC in 2014.

NPPC/NPB Recognizes Preisler – The National Pork Producers Council and National Pork Board presented former Minnesota Pork Producers Council Executive Director Dave Preisler with the Paulson-Whitmore Award for Outstanding Pork Industry Leadership. Preisler said it is humbling to receive this honor. ” A lot of folks want to talk about the content of your career, your resume so to speak, but it’s all about the people,” Preisler told RRFN. “That’s what I spent my time talking about and the gratitude towards those that helped me along the way and also that I had the opportunity and pleasure to serve.” Preisler led the Minnesota Pork Producers Association for 28 years. He is a Mahnomen, Minnesota native and graduated from North Dakota State University. Preisler retired from Minnesota Pork in 2022. The award was presented at the National Pork Forum in Orlando.

Humphrey Named CSO – NutriQuest has added Brooke Humphrey as its chief scientific officer to its team. Previously, Humphrey was the senior director of collaborative research at Phibro Animal Health. Headquartered in Mason City, NutriQuest provides nutrition and business consulting, research and product development for the swine, poultry and dairy industries.

Minnesotan Elected to NPPC Board – The National Pork Producers Council elected three new board members, including John Anderson of Belgrade, Minnesota. Adam Krause of Clear Lake, South Dakota was elected to the NPPC nominating committee.

Otteson Selected for CIPA – The Crop Insurance Professionals Association has selected Jennifer Otteson of Countryside Insurance in Buxton, North Dakota for membership. CIPA is the premier trade association for crop insurance agents.

Severs Tabbed to Lead SSGA Board – Bryan Severs is the new chair of the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance. Severs represents the Illinois Soybean Association on the SSGA board. Jake Noll of Richland IFC is vice chair and Jordan Atchison of Puris is the secretary/treasurer. Attison, Eric Kresin of Scoular and Bob Sinner of SB& B Foods were re-elected to the board. Curt Petrich of HC International was elected to finish the term of a retiring member.

Novak Joins NDCISA – Rick Novak has joined the North Dakota Crop Improvement and Seed Association as a seed sales and product development advisor. Most recently, Novak was the director of seed programs for the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University. Previously, Novak worked for Syngenta and the North Central Research Extension Center in Minot.

Thykeson Recommended for FSA Job – As we’ve reported previously, North Dakota senators Hoeven and Cramer recommended Brad Thykeson to lead the state Farm Service Agency. Thykeson served in the same role during the first Trump Administration. Thykeson is honored for another opportunity for service. “That’s my goal here, it is not for any political advancement. it’s just a matter of making sure producers of North Dakota get a fair shake and that the employees of North Dakota FSA are treated well.” Timely service is a priority for farm program delivery. “That only happens if we support these FSA employees.” Thykeson farms at Portland, North Dakota.

UM Swine Group Adds New Member to its Faculty – Dr. Igor Paploski is the newest member of the University of Minnesota Swine Group. Paplowski will expand his research into PRRSv, PEDv and other swine diseases. Paplowski has been on the UM staff since 2018 as a researcher.

Weed Ecology Specialist Appointed – South Dakota State University Extension welcomes Graig Reicks as the new weed ecology field specialist. Reicks as nearly 20 years of experience in ag research at SDSU.