Farm Bill Outlook Uncertain After Continuing Resolution – The passage of the continuing resolution was an important step, but it does not necessarily clear the way for the farm bill, according to Jim Callan, associate CEO of James Callan Associates. “It does take an important time-consuming matter off the table.” Lawmakers are now shifting their focus to budget reconciliation, a process for handling major expenditures, including the expiration of the Tax and Jobs Act from the first Trump administration. Callan noted that while it’s early, there are potential benefits for agriculture under the second Trump administration. “They can do some things on tax reform, extending the current tax cuts, for instance, which are really important to producers,” he said. However, trade remains a concern, particularly regarding tariffs, as producers and organizations wait to see how the administration addresses ongoing global trade challenges. Click here to listen to the full interview.

Budget Reconciliation on the ‘To Do’ List – Hope remains for a new farm bill in 2025, but Pro Farmer Washington DC policy analyst Jim Wiesemeyer thinks there might be too much partisanship in the way. “There are very low odds you’ll have a stand-alone farm bill for the same reasons we had last year, and that’s a big difference between the two political parties on food and nutrition spending.” While farm bill passage is less likely, Wiesemeyer admits that it could happen via a reconciliation measure. “In the budget reconciliation measure that should be finalized, hopefully by Memorial Day, will include the extension of the 2017 Trump tax cuts and a number of other areas, energy policy, et cetera, but it could, and I emphasize could, include portions of the farm bill with perhaps an increase of the reference prices in Title I that are significantly needed.”

Beet Stock Values – Last week, there were three American Crystal Sugar Company beet stock sales totaling 43 shares at $5,600 per share. This information was provided by Jayson Menke and Acres & Shares, who weekly tracks all brokered sales and provides a beet stock snapshot. To sign up for the weekly update during the trading season, please click on the link, https://www.acresandshares.com/updates/

Beet Growers Push Hard for New Farm Bill – Sugarbeet growers were kicking tires and checking out the new technology at the International Sugarbeet Institute. They’re also preparing for the busy season ahead. Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association Executive Director Harrison Weber said his members have been doing their chores in Washington, D.C. “We’re just coming off of three weeks or 12 business days of 320 office visits on the Hill and 85 fundraisers, meeting with members from all across the board, urban, rural, Republican, Democrat, doesn’t matter, we’re trying to make friends out there. Our message is clear, our priorities one through five are we’ve got to get this farm bill done and we’ve got to get it done now.”

ECAP Enrollment Begins – Signup is underway for the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program. Up to $10 billion in direct assistance will be available for the 2024 crop year. To simplify the process, the Farm Service Agency will send pre-filled applications to farmers who submitted acreage reports for eligible ECAP commodities. Rather than waiting for the pre-filled form, farmers can apply online or at their local FSA office. The application deadline is August 15.

ECAP Payment Rates Announced – To make sure the government doesn’t exceed available funding, the initial ECAP payments will be at 85 percent of the total program payment rate. Payment rates include $42.91 per acre for corn, $29.76 per acre for soybeans and $30.69 for wheat. For canola, the rate is $31.83 per acre and for sunflowers, it is $27.23. Barley is at $21.67 and oats are at $77.66 per acre. For acres reported as prevented plant, the ECAP assistance will be capped at 50 percent.

ARC Expected to be Popular Choice – The deadline for multi-peril crop insurance changes has come and gone, but NAU Country Vice President of Farm Services Rich Morrison reminds us the farm program deadline is April 15. Morrison expects the county ARC program to be popular. “Corn, soybean and wheat prices are all the highest they’ve been in several years; it’s making the County ARC program look more attractive maybe than SCO this year so we’ve got a couple of things going at the top end both the ECO and the SCO this year.”

NASS Reports Reinstated – USDA is reinstating its July cattle inventory report and its county estimates for crops and livestock. The county estimates are in place for the 2024 crop season for row crops, like corn and soybeans, and for the 2025 crop for small grains. Due to budget constraints, the National Agricultural Statistics Service dropped these reports nearly a year ago.

Xi-Trump Summit – No other details were given, but President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to the United States “in the not-too-distant-future.” There have been previous reports of a meeting between the two world leaders potentially happening in June. The U.S. and China are economic rivals and are currently in a trade war.

Bid to Support U.S Shipbuilding Has Consequences for Agriculture – The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office has scheduled a hearing to consider an investigation into China’s control of the shipbuilding industry. At the same time, the White House is drafting an executive order that imposes fines of $1 million and more every time Chinese-made ships enter U.S. ports. The American Farm Bureau Federation Market Intel service said this proposal ‘may unintentionally and disproportionately penalize U.S. farmers and ranchers who depend on exports.

China’s Retaliatory Tariff Puts $5 Billion Canola Trade at Risk – A full-blown trade war is breaking out with nations starting to apply tariffs to imported goods from other nations including a 100% retaliatory tariff by China on Canadian canola. Canola Council of Canada President and CEO Chris Davison says this would devastate canola farmers and the Canadian economy. “These tariffs that are specific to Canadian canola meal and oil are at prohibitive levels. So, it would be expected to have a very significant impact on the Canadian industry.” China is Canada’s second-largest market for canola in terms of economic activity with a 2024 export value close to five billion Canadian dollars. 100 percent tariffs like those imposed by China could impart lasting damage to the Canadian ag industry and economy. “We’ve been very clear for some time now with the Canadian federal government about the need for compensation to support the industry to address losses that will be incurred as a result of these types of activities. That’s something we’ve made very clear for some time now and we look forward to continuing that engagement with the government in that regard.”

Trump Criticizes Canada’s Tariffs – President Donald Trump criticized Canada’s trade policies on Friday, highlighting high tariffs on U.S. dairy products ahead of reciprocal tariffs set to take effect on April 2. “Nobody knows that Canada is charging our dairy farmers. They have 270 percent tariffs up to 400 percent.” Trump argued the U.S. has been taken advantage of in trade negotiations.​ Trump also suggested Canada has been overly reliant on U.S. economic support. “It costs us $200 billion a year in subsidy to keep Canada afloat.” While Trump acknowledged ongoing trade discussions, he described Canada as a “very nasty negotiator.”

Ag Business Feels the Impact of Russian-Ukraine War – After three years of war, Russian and Ukrainian leaders have agreed in principle to a ceasefire. However, drone attacks have continued. The Trump Administration will be part of the scheduled peace talks. Amity Technology President and CEO Howard Dahl has done business in both countries and monitors the situation closely. “I wish I knew what was going on behind the scenes, I fully expect the war to end sometime in the next few months,” said Dahl. “I chair the board of a large Ukrainian sugar company that’s publically traded and it’s been an extreme challenge for us. We’ve had 51 employees killed in the war and even the most patriotic Ukrainians want the war to end, they are just tired of the carnage.” Ukraine has some of the finest farmland in the world. For perspective, Dahl said Ukrainian soil could be compared to Red River Valley soil times ten. Once the war ends, it is estimated it will take $750 billion to rebuild Ukraine. Cropland has become a combat zone and the ag infrastructure has been damaged. That impacts ag businesses, including Amity Technology. “Between Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and a little bit in Western Europe, we averaged 40 harvesters and 40 defoliators a year for 25 years and I don’t think we’ll ship one this year.” In an interview with the Red River Farm Network, Howard Dahl discusses the state of the farm equipment business, innovations, and the impact of tariffs. The full interview can be found on the Red River Farm Network website.

Black Sea Grain Deal Discussed Again – The United States and Russia are meeting today in Saudi Arabia to negotiate a ceasefire. This follows similar meetings between the U.S. and Ukraine over the weekend. There are media reports Russia wants to restore the Black Sea Grain Initiative. This would allow Russia to export farm commodities and fertilizer through the Black Sea. Russia pulled out of the Black Sea grain deal in July of 2023.

Status Report Provided on Avian Flu Strategy – Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has provided an update on USDA’s avian influenza strategy. It includes $100 million in research funding. “USDA will prioritize proposals that address one or more of the following: developing novel therapeutics to address HPAI in poultry. Second, research to further understand risk pathways of avian influenza for producers and to inform improved biosecurity in response to strategy, better understanding those risk pathways and finally development of novel vaccines to protect poultry from HPAI while promoting biosecurity will all be part of the research funding opportunity.” The USDA plan also strengthens biosecurity measures, expedites financial relief to support faster repopulation and reduces regulatory burden on farmers. The Agriculture Department is also exploring ways to reduce depopulation of affected flocks. Rollins said meaningful progress has been made with wholesale egg prices down 50 percent from late February.

RFK Jr: Let Bird Flu Spread – Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. is promoting a new theory to deal with avian influenza. According to a story in the New York Times, Kennedy is suggesting farmers allow Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza to spread throughout flock, saying turkey and chicken producers could identify and preserve the birds that immune to the virus. The New York Times reports Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins also supports this concept. Due to the high mortality and contagiousness of the virus, the current strategy is culling and containment.

MN Turkey Industry Follows USDA Plan – According to Minnesota Turkey Growers Association Executive Director Ashley Kohls, the industry relies on the USDA’s five-point plan. “Those of us in the turkey industry are really laser-focused on what USDA has put out.” Kohls noted that Minnesota’s biosecurity efforts have helped reduce cases even as the virus remains a concern nationwide. Kohls also acknowledged ongoing discussions about a potential vaccine for highly pathogenic avian influenza. “There’s a vaccine conversation that everybody’s having, looking at if there’s a reasonable and appropriate way to administer it.”

Minnesota Senators Push for USDA Reforms in Bird Flu Fight – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith recently met with Minnesota poultry producers and industry leaders to discuss the response to avian influenza. “We’re in a much better place than we were, you 10 years ago. But nonetheless, it is devastating when these viruses come into turkey flocks and can just decimate them.” Senator Smith talked about the need for USDA to smooth out the testing process. “I think we really need to push the USDA to do more. “I think in particular look at ways to simplify some of the red tape that is around these biosecurity audits and make sure that we don’t lose the progress that we’ve made on the vaccine work.”

Feeding the Economy – Thirty-six food and agriculture groups have released their annual Feeding the Economy report. This study analyzes the entire agricultural supply chain. For 2025, agriculture contributed $9.5 trillion to the U.S. economy. That’s down marginally from last year’s $9.6 trillion. In the state-by-state breakdown, agriculture is responsible for more than 970,000 jobs and $65 billion in total wages in Minnesota. For South Dakota, agriculture supports nearly 227,000 jobs and $17 billion in wages. The farm and food sector in North Dakota is the source for over 178,000 jobs and more than $14 billion in wages.

Ag Barometer Delivers a Warning – The latest Purdue University CME Group Ag Economy Barometer highlights ongoing challenges in the agricultural sector.  Michael Langemeier, director of Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture, warns of difficult years ahead. “I think ‘24 and ‘25 are going to be two of the worst years since 2007,” he said. Lower crop prices and high production costs are squeezing profitability. Langemeier predicts a mixed year for U.S. agriculture, with crops struggling due to large supplies while livestock, especially beef, remains strong. “Even though prices are relatively low right now, in two, three years, we’ll probably be in a situation where crop prices are more similar to break-even prices.”

Farmers Secure 2025 Financing Despite Economic Challenges – Despite financial pressures, most farmers are securing financing for the 2025 season, according to Northland Community and Technical College Farm Business Management instructor Ron Dvergsten. “I have been pleasantly surprised that the farms I work with, I have not heard from any of them that they will not be able to get financing for the ’25 year.” However, he noted that many lenders have had to reschedule loans due to lost working capital from lower market prices and investments in land or machinery. High land values and rental rates remain a concern, especially with declining commodity prices. “I have heard that some farmers approaching retirement have decided to either rent their land out or downsize, just to take a little bit of the risk off their table and retain the equity that they have previously built up.”

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In today’s update on What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson says gold and cattle have been set new highs. What’s not hot? “Beans are probably the worst one right now with Brazil near the end of their harvest.” A lot of the attention will be on next week’s USDA reports and the tariff talk. Listen to the report. 

Private Acreage Estimate Released – The annual Pro Farmer/Doane planting intentions survey calls for corn acreage of 93.75 million and soybean acreage of 85 million. Corn acreage is forecast to increase four percent or more in Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota. South Dakota is the one major corn state with a corn-acre drop-off. For soybeans, South Dakota, Minnesota and Ohio are the only Midwestern states that can expect an increase in acres. Spring wheat acres are expected to decline nearly five percent. In the specialty crops, the Pro Farmer/Doane report says farmers favor sunflowers over canola. Dry edible bean acreage is also expected to rise. USDA will release its planting intentions report on March 31.

Governor Armstrong Pushes Property Tax Cut Plan – North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong made a stop at the Legislature and spoke in favor of House Bill 1176. “This is the most aggressive, durable and responsible plan to reduce property taxes,” said Armstrong. “During my campaign, I visited with thousands of constituents from every corner of our state and I can confidently say that this is their top priority and it should still be ours.” There are three main parts to the bill. “It will provide a property tax credit of $14.50 per year for each primary resident by using $74.7 million from the general fund and $398.4 million from the Legacy Fund earnings. The bill caps increase the local property tax budget at three percent per year. The proposal will also expand the eligibility for the Homestead Tax Credit Program and increase the income limit to rent a refund component.”

Proposed ND Fertilizer Plant Derailed – NextEra Energy Resources has dropped its plan to build a fertilizer plant in the Spiritwood, North Dakota area. In a statement to the Jamestown Sun, NextEra officials said the final Treasury Department guidance on the hydrogen production tax credit was a primary factor in the decision. The State of North Dakota had $125 million available as a forgivable loan if the project had been completed.

ND Legislative Report – In the latest edition of the North Dakota Legislative Report, State Representative Jared Hagert highlights ag bills that are moving through the process. Hagert is a Republican from Emerado. Click here to listen. 

A ‘Do Pass’ Recommendation for Livestock Zoning Tool – A bill giving counties and townships the option to utilize an odor footprint tool for livestock zoning cleared the North Dakota House Agriculture Committee with a 9-5 ‘do pass’ recommendation. Five Republican members opposed the bill, and one lawmaker said it “isn’t ready for prime-time.” Chairman Mike Beltz said other issues that had nothing to do with the core language of the bill were brought into the discussion. “The other stuff is extraneous to it; let’s stick to what’s in the bill rather than wandering off.” This bill is part of an effort to support livestock production in the state.

Incentives for Ag Development – In Bismarck, the North Dakota Senate Agriculture Committee delivered a unanimous ‘do-pass’ recommendation for a $30 million incentive fund for large agricultural development. The proposed Agristo potato processing plant in Grand Forks was the focus of that discussion. The $450 million project was announced earlier this year.

Petersen Hopes Calmer Heads Prevail in Legislature – It has been a difficult legislative session in St. Paul with a power struggle between Democrats and Republicans, legal wrangling, and special elections.  “I hope that calmer heads prevail eventually,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “I’m not gonna sugarcoat it, it hasn’t been the greatest start. I’d like to see a little more compromise. That’s how I work, trying to do what’s best for the farmer and in the rural communities and put the partisan politics aside.” Traditionally, agriculture bills have been bipartisan. Petersen hopes that trend will continue.

Uncharted Territory – The Minnesota House is tied 67-67. Representative Paul Anderson of Starbuck and Representative Rick Hansen of South St. Paul are co-chairing the House Agriculture Committee. The recent ag committee hearings have been very contentious, but Hansen remains optimistic. “I think we can demonstrate that we can get something done,” Hansen told RRFN. “Growing up on a farm, we get up early and get things done and hopefully we can do that here together in the House. It’s a very unique situation that hasn’t happened since the late 70’s and there are no members here that were involved in that so we’re in an uncharted territory.”

Walz Signs Grain Buyer Bill – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed his first bill for the current session and it is an agriculture bill. The legislation reduces the cost of annual financial reporting for small grain buyers. For example, those purchasing under $7.5 million per year can use a certified public accountant or an independent review. In a statement, Walz praised lawmakers for coming together in a bipartisan way to help small farmers.

Property Tax Exemption Sought for Buffers – The Minnesota House and Senate tax committees have reviewed a property tax exemption for the buffers required by the state. Minnesota Corn Growers Association First Vice President Wes Beck testified in favor of the bill. “Since the passage of the Buffer Law in 2015, the Minnesota Corn Growers Association has advocated for buffer property tax relief,” said Beck. “In many cases, farmers are still taxed at the higher property tax rate as if those acres were still in production.” The amended bill calls for a 40 percent tax credit on buffer acres.

Ag Women to Share Their Story in St. Paul – It is Women in Agriculture Day today at the Minnesota Legislature. Faribault farmer Gail Donkers is one of four women who will testify before the Senate Agriculture Committee this afternoon. “I think we’re in for some very tough times ahead in Rural America and I think that mental health is going to be a very key point going forward.” Donkers will be asking for more state resources for mental health support for farmers. “We know right off the bat we’re going into a deficit year where we are going to plant crops, put in the time with all the labor and inputs and we are not going to get much money back out of that crop,” said Donkers. “That’s a tough pill to take; we don’t need a repeat of what happened in the 1980s.”

MFBF on the Hill – Over 170 Minnesota Farm Bureau members were at the State Capitol on National Agriculture Day to meet with lawmakers. MFBF President Dan Glessing said it is important the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Department is adequately funded. “In the State of Minnesota, the budget for the ag department is only half a percent of the state budget. Look at what the Department of Agriculture does for the economic drivers in this state as well as the livelihoods of people all over the state, we ask them to do a lot of things, more and more every year with limited resources.” Adjustments to the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit are being sought. “Another one would be a sales tax exclusion for grain bins and that type of equipment, that’s another one that we’re looking at.”

Telling Agriculture’s Story – Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation board member said National Ag Day provided an opportunity to meet legislators and tell agriculture’s story. “They’ve got a lot of stuff going on so keeping track of everything is daunting so we come down and spend some time visiting with them and update them on the issues that are happening.” Collins says the political landscape has changed, making it even more important to be in front of lawmakers Collins farms at Murdock.

Rhoden Signs Six Ag Bills – South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden signed six agriculture bills Tuesday in conjunction with National Agriculture Day. The bills include a requirement for the director of equalization to adjust certain farmland values and one that updates the annual fee for large-scale animal agriculture operations.

SD Corn Comments – In the South Dakota Corn Comments, South Dakota Corn Growers Association President Taylor Sumption wishes everyone a Happy National Ag Day. Click here to listen. 

Agricult-HER: Mary Buschette – During college, Mary Buschette took part in a National FFA work abroad program in Germany. That whetted her interest in international travel and she spent nearly two years backpacking around the world. She drove to California with a friend and flew to Hawaii before spending “six weeks in New Zealand, two months in Australia, a month in Thailand, a week in Hong Kong, six weeks by rail through China on the Trans-Siberian (Railway) across Russia and the rest of the time in Europe.” Buschette encourages others to travel, saying it just enriches everyone’s lives. After this experience, Buschette returned to the University of Minnesota “and I never left.” She is the director of alumni and constituent relations at the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources. Buschette is a knack for bringing people together. “I love making connections and then sharing those connections.” Watch the interview.

Agricult-HER: Lori Stevermer – Lori Stevermer and her husband Dale farm at Easton, Minnesota. Lori has also spent over 30 years in the animal nutrition business in sales and marketing. This past week, Lori wrapped her year as president of the National Pork Producers Council during the National Pork Industry Forum. “I look back on my career and it is so rewarding to see more women getting involved.” In the Agricult-HER interview with RRFN, Stevermer spoke about the importance of mentoring. “We have to encourage and be supportive to new female leaders in whatever form that takes, whether it’s a formal mentorship, whether it’s just saying some kind words,” said Stevermer. “I think we underestimate the power of a kind word and a word of encouragement.” Male or female, Stevermer said it is important to have a diversity of experiences in the board room. “When we’re looking at these complex problems and situations and trying to solve those challenges, we need that variety of perspectives.” Watch the interview. 

Agricult-HER: Anne Nalewaja – Anne Nalewaja is a sales representative for Bayer. Anne didn’t grow up on a farm, but her father was the first weed scientist at North Dakota State University and that was her entry into agriculture. Anne worked in ag retail, before working for major ag companies, including BASF and Bayer. “Agriculture is such an amazing career,” said Nalewaja. “The diversity in it is second to none and the people we work with are just amazing, the greatest thing about this career is the people that you meet.” Click here to watch the YouTube interview. 

Agricult-HER: Leann Schafer – Leann Schafer farms and ranches with her husband at New Rockford, North Dakota. In addition, Schafer is on the board with the Northarvest Bean Growers Association, served on the fair board, township board, 4-H Foundation and more. “I feel like you have to give back to the industry that is providing your livelihood,” said Schafer. “You have to make a difference. Don’t let everybody else do the heavy lifting, be out there as a spokesperson or at least involved in the conversation to be able to direct the direction of your organizations.” Watch the video online. 

Line Speed Waivers Granted – USDA has announced waivers to increase line speeds in pork and poultry plants. The Food Safety and Inspection Service has been evaluating the benefits of increased line speeds since 2021. The process is now underway to make this change permanently. Without this program, the National Pork Producers Council said pork producers could have had an additional loss of $10 per head. The union representing meatpacking and processing workers said this decision impacts worker safety and is “a recipe for disaster.’

Market Access for U.S. Pork Maintained – U.S. red meat processing plant registrations for exports to China implemented under the Phase I trade agreement of 2020 expired at mid-month. However, China started the past week by renewing its registrations for more than 360 U.S. pork processing plants, maintaining their access to the Chinese market. U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom says this is significant. “If you look at the pork variety meat side in particular, China by far is our largest destination for those items and if there was any interruption of business the potential loss is between $8 and $10 per head per hog slaughter.” At this point, beef processing registrations have not been renewed.

R-CALF Seeks America First Trade Policy for Lamb & Mutton – R-CALF USA is asking the Commerce Department to begin a Section 232 investigation into lamb and mutton imports. Imports now represent 70 percent of the U.S. lamb and mutton market. R-CALF said the import relief measures would revitalize the domestic sheep industry.

MN Beef Update – Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Vice President Eric Zeltwanger offers an update on the Top of the Class Program. This report is made possible by the Minnesota Beef Council and MSCA. 

Grazing and Haying Forecast – According to the NDSU Extension grazing and haying forecast, most of North Dakota is setting up to have a below-normal forage production year. More than half of the state is experiencing some level of drought and another 12 percent is abnormally dry. The biggest issues are in the western and southern regions of the state. Depending on spring rains, the turn-out date for grazing may need to be delayed. NDSU Livestock Environmental Stewardship Specialist Miranda Meehan said farmers and ranchers may sacrifice 45-to-60 percent of annual forage production if they graze too early.

ND Gelbvieh Association Spotlight – Gelbvieh cattle can perform under all conditions. “In the extreme north, they excel in that environment, and in the Southern climates, they do well, as well,” said American Gelbvieh Association Executive Director Harold Bertz. Click here to listen to the update. To connect with members of the North Dakota Gelbvieh Association, go online. 

Cattle on Feed Report Shows Slightly Lower Numbers – Friday’s Cattle on Feed report was viewed as friendly to the market, with key numbers coming in slightly below expectations. “The number for on-feed came out at 98%, which was just a little bit lower than the average estimate of 98.3% but well within the expected range,” said Total Farm Marketing Senior Market Advisor Naomi Blohm. Placements came in at 82%, below the average estimate of 85.4%, while marketed cattle were at 91%, near the lower end of projections. Despite the supportive numbers, Blohm questioned whether the report would be enough to push the market higher. “The big question will be: Is this news today already priced into the market? Or are traders going to be able to just jump with it, bite into it, and then take the market higher this week?”

ND Extends Vaccination Timeline Due to Vaccine Shortage – The North Dakota State Board of Animal Health has issued a waiver, extending the age for the brucellosis vaccination on heifers from 12 months to 14 months. The move is due to a vaccine shortage. The board determined the extension would have negligible risk to animal health.

Yankton, SD Beef Plant Closes – The CIMPL beef processing plant in Yankton, South Dakota has shut its doors. This facility has been in operation for 76 years. The American Foods Group, based in Green Bay, has owned the plant since 2005. The company cited “the current unprecedented cattle cycle and long-term industry changes” as the reason for the closure.

U.S. Milk Production Down 2.25% – In February, U.S. milk production totaled 17.7 billion pounds. That’s down 2.25 percent from one year ago. California is the #1 dairy production state and milk output dropped more than seven percent from February of 2024. Minnesota milk production was down 3.8 percent. South Dakota was one of the few states with an increase in milk production, up 2.3 percent. Compared to one year ago, Minnesota lost 8,000 cows and South Dakota gained 9,000 head.

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, Anna Cates from the University of Minnesota discusses potential soil health issues for the spring season. Listen to the report. 

Funding Sought for Flood Reduction Projects – Minnesota’s bonding The Red River Watershed Management Board is seeking $48 million from the Minnesota Legislature for seven flood reduction projects. This would be part of the infrastructure bonding request. “We’re aware the legislative request through the bills introduced in the House and Senate are about $150 million and the DNR has a list of projects that were included on it of $140 million,” said Rob Sip, executive director, RRWMB. “What didn’t help is the governor had his list come out at $5.6 million so the numbers are kind off there.” Sip said there is a huge need for these projects and the costs will only go higher the longer they are delayed. During the RRWMB/Flood Damage Reduction Work Group joint conference, Sip credited the legislators in the Red River Valley for their understanding of these projects.

Working Together to Manage Resources – Water retention projects were highlighted throughout the Red River Watershed Management Board/Flood Damage Reduction Work Group joint conference in Moorhead. One project is in extreme northwest Minnesota. “We’re working on a big retention area on old Roseau Lake bottoms, we’re going to try to hold up 22,000 acre feet of stored water gated,” said Jason Braaten, a member of the Roseau River Watershed District. “We’re really going to help the farmers who are adjacent and downstream from that project.” Roseau Lake and the surrounding area flood on a frequency of every one-to-two years, resulting in crop loss and lost habitat. The local watershed district and Minnesota DNR are working together on this project. “Historically, there has been a narrative the regulatory agency isn’t always there to help, but I’ve heard throughout this conference that there really has been a change, recognizing that we’re here to be a resource and help people navigate some of the permitting or other things related to resource management that people are faced with on these projects,” said Regional DNR Director Ben Burgey.

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s edition of the Dry Bean Scene, Red River Valley Sugarbeet Association Executive Director Harrison Weber outlines the combination of the International Sugar Beet Institute and Bean Day events in 2026. The Dry Bean Scene is a presentation of the Northarvest Bean Growers Association. Listen to the report. .

Smarter Harvesting – At this year’s International Sugarbeet Institute, NDSU Extension unveiled a new custom-designed research sugarbeet harvester.  “We wanted to improve the quality of our data,” said NDSU/University of Minnesota Extension Sugarbeet Agronomist Tom Peters. “In research, quality of data is always number one.” With a more efficient operation, the number of staff needed to harvest went from nine people to only five with the new machine. Compared to the previous harvester which was built in the 1960s, the new technology has modern electronics.”We harvest two rows at a time, but our data is separate, so we keep row one separate from row two. We have two different individual estimates of our plot yields, and all of our data is electronic; everything is captured directly into the computer.”

Increased Environmental Benefits of Wheat Production – The U.S. wheat industry is touting its sustainability story. A study conducted by U.S. Wheat Associates, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Wheat Foundation considered wheat farming practices from 1978 to 2018. The research found greenhouse gas emissions are down by one-third due to precision agriculture and a more prescriptive use of fertilizers. Energy use declined nearly 60 percent because of improvements in fuel efficiency and reduced tillage. Soil erosion declined 60 percent. The comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment was conducted by researchers at Texas A&M University and Colorado State University.

Report Confirms Strong U.S. Corn Quality – The U.S. Grain Council’s 2024-2025 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report confirms last year’s U.S. corn crop benefited from favorable growing conditions, with quality meeting or exceeding U.S. No. 2 standards. The report, based on 425 export samples inspected by the Federal Grain Inspection Service, highlights consistent quality through shipping and logistics.  Warm, dry weather in September and October contributed to a record-high projected yield and helped maintain crop quality. The findings reinforce confidence in U.S. corn as it moves through international markets.

Brazil’s Soybean Harvest Pushes Forward – The soybean harvest in Brazil is 70 percent complete, up nine percent from last week. “The big state of Mato Grosso is about done at 97 percent complete while the slowest state is Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil, and five percent of the soybeans have been harvested there, yields continue to disappoint,” said Michael Cordonnier, president, Soybean and Corn Advisor. Brazil’s Safrinha corn crop is 97 percent planted, with recent rains helping to ease dryness in southern regions. However, some farmers in drier areas have shifted from corn to alternative crops like grain sorghum, sesame, or forage. “So now they’ve already reduced the area 90,000 hectares, it might go down a little bit more.”

Lack of Winter Moisture Deepens Drought Concerns – Much of central South Dakota is in severe drought conditions heading into the spring planting season. Aberdeen-based National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Doering said the dry, warm fall and open winter didn’t help. “We did not get a lot of moisture or big winter storms and there were a lot of up-and-down temperatures with overall, above-normal temperatures.” Unless the area gets an injection of moisture sometime soon the conditions could continue into the summer. “I talked to a couple of farmers in the central part of South Dakota, and they are very concerned. They like the snowpack in March that helps the livestock dams for the refill so if we don’t get any winter storms and or heavy rainfall sometime in March or April, it’s going to really hurt them farming-wise, especially livestock.”

Northern Plains Snow Deficit Worsens Drought – The Northern Plains continue to miss out on major snowfall this winter, exacerbating drought conditions across the region. USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says snowfall deficits in the Red River Valley range from 12 to 20 inches below normal. “All these storms keep hitting further to the south,” Rippey said. “Even recently, a big storm hit Kansas through Nebraska into Wisconsin.” Rippey warns that drought conditions could worsen in the coming months. “The new seasonal outlook that came out on March 20 from the National Weather Service is actually a little bit more bullish on drought starting during the spring,” he said. The latest projections suggest dry conditions could intensify across the High Plains and expand eastward into mid and late summer.

Prepping for Spring – Attitudes are good for the farmers who attended the International Sugarbeet Institute in Fargo. Gowan USA Northern Plains Sales Rep Marshal VanLaer said growers are preparing for spring. “Talking to a lot of guys, they’ve been pulling equipment out and getting it ready to go.” It’s been a relatively dry, open winter, resulting in some anxiety over moisture conditions. “We’ve got enough to get the crop going, we’ll need to see it coming in-season. We’ll be watching those weather patterns.” VanLaer emphasized the importance of early-season weed control.

Ready for Spring – It will be ‘go’ time in a matter of weeks. Pioneer Marketing Lead Scott Walker said farmers are busy preparing for the planting season. “We’re ready as well, getting all of our seed out in position with our Pioneer sales reps.” Pioneer has advanced over 50 new products this past year. “You don’t wanna be married to any new hybrids anymore because it’s a two, three years and if we’re doing our jobs properly and our breeding teams are doing their jobs, we’re bringing newer genetics that are going to be better every year than the ones that you’re planting today.”

Land O’Lakes Reports Annual Financials – Land O’Lakes finished the 2024 fiscal year with profits of $238 million, down from $254 million one year ago. The WinField United crop inputs business totaled $166 million, a decline of 28 percent. The dairy foods business has an annual income of $64 million, an increase of 33 percent. Revenues totaled $34 million for the Purina animal nutrition business segment, up from a $3 million loss one year ago.

Titan Machinery Income in Line With One Year Ago – For the fiscal year that ended in January, Titan Machinery had revenues of $2.7 billion, down from $2.8 billion a year earlier. In the fourth quarter, the income from the agriculture segment declined. The demand for farm equipment was described as soft due to a drop in farm income and high interest rates.

MN Corn Matters – In this week’s Minnesota Corn Matters, Minnesota Corn Growers Association board member Angela Guentzel highlights their scholarship winners. Click here to listen to the update. 

BASF-Agmatix Collaborate – BASF has announced a strategic collaboration with an AI-based company called Agmatix. The goal is to produce a digital solution for predicting the presence of soybean cyst nematode. This collaboration hopes to provide accurate, predictive models on SCN infestations by digitizing large volumes of field trial information.

Crop Disease is Hard at Work Long Before it Can be Seen – It seems logical for farmers to wait until they see a disease before they apply a crop fungicide. BASF Performance Driven Fungicides Technical Marketing Manager Kim Tutor says that is too late. “It all comes back to this idea of a latent period, that period between when that fungus initially infects that plant and when you can actually see a lesion present on the plant.,” said Tutor. “With some of these really problematic diseases, like tar spot on corn, the latent period is upwards of two to three weeks so that’s two to three weeks it’s been inside that plant robbing it of nutrients and of water and reducing its overall yield potential before you can even see a lesion with the naked eye.” That’s really why it pays to be proactive instead of reactive and apply fungicides before disease infection can impact yield and the return on investment. Listen to the full interview. 

Soybean Farmers Urged to Scout for SDS – Soybean sudden death syndrome saw a significant increase in North Dakota in 2024, spreading beyond its previous limited presence. “Before 2024, we’d only had it in a few fields in Richland County and Cavalier County up by the Canadian border,” said NDSU Extension Soybean Specialist Wade Webster. “In 2024, we saw that across the southeast portion of the state start to expand outward at higher levels than what we have seen in years past.” The disease thrives in corn-soybean rotations and wet conditions, making management crucial. Webster emphasized the role of soybean cyst nematodes in worsening SDS. “SDS is increasing in severity when it’s also in the presence of soybean cyst.” Farmers are encouraged to scout fields, plant resistant varieties, and consider seed treatments if the pathogen is present.

U.S.-Made Drones Offer Secure Farming Solutions – Central UAS Technologies is a U.S.-based drone company that manufactures its drones domestically. Technical Sales Manager Kelly Wittenberg says this makes them a great choice over Chinese-made drones. “That’s a big deal because there are certain states and all federal agencies which do not allow the use of Chinese drones for any sort of applications, whether it be spraying or for imagery.” Drone use on the farm has increased greatly over the years. “After years of proving ourselves and coming up with data and working with various research institutes, we’ve got enough use cases, and we’ve got enough customers now to back up that we can do really effective and efficient applications via drone in areas that might not be a natural fit for other sorts of spray applications.”

Improving Performance During Solar Storm Events – Trimble and PTx Trimble have launched Trible IonoGuard for the precision agriculture industry. IonoGuard helps ensure more reliable and accurate positioning while reducing the risk of signal loss during challenging solar activity.

Options Available to Deal with Glyphosate Resistant Weeds – Belchim USA sponsored Thursday’s live broadcast from the International Sugar Beet Institute in Fargo. Compared to one year ago, the Belchim USA Spin-Aid product has gone through changes. “The label now allows us to use it on the cotyledon stage sugarbeets for kochia control, we also offer a common ragweed recommendation,” said Juli Keese, regional manager, Belchim USA. “We are working on getting Spin Aid labeled for an aerial label for this season.” Belchim USA President and General Manager Tom Wood said resistant weeds are probably the #1 problem in sugarbeet production. “The easy button with glyphosate is starting to wane so it is nice to have alternatives,” said Wood. “Spin-Aid controls glyphosate-resistant kochia, lambsquarters and common ragweed.”

ACH Seeds Gives Back to Local Communities – ACH Seeds, the company behind Crystal Brand Sugarbeet Seed, is taking nominations for its Homegrown Giving program. ACH Seeds will award $60,000 in total with six organizations each receiving $10,000. Last year, Homegrown Giving recipients included Richland Wilkin Emergency Food Pantry in Wahpeton, North Dakota and Renville County West FFA in Renville, Minnesota. The program shines a light on community organizations making a difference in the places sugarbeet farmers call home. Nominations will be accepted through the end of May. 

Real-Life Experience – Through a unique program from Brevant Seeds, FFA students get an education in ag sales and agronomy. Brevant Retail Sales Agronomist Steven Senyak has worked with the Dupree, South Dakota FFA Chapter and said it provides real-world experience. “We run through some role-playing and product training as well as how to approach a customer when selling something in the ag world versus other types of fundraisers,” said Senyak. “And then we turn those kids loose to go after those sales.” The ‘Turn the Bag Blue and Gold’ program is also a fundraiser for the local chapter. “They’re able to raise enough to fund going to competitions as well as the state convention.” Six FFA chapters from across the Cornbelt have partnered with Brevant on this program and others are encouraged to learn more from their local Brevant retailer.

ND Ag Grants Awarded – The North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Commission has awarded three projects in its quarterly meeting. Tatanka Sky will receive $150,000 for a bison hide and skull repurposing business. Third Day Family Farms was awarded $150,000 for winter tulip production and to expand agrotourism. A $95,000 award was given to the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center to evaluate North Dakota coproducts in finishing steer diets. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has also announced Agriculture Diversification and Development funding. KT Feeders was awarded $250,000 to finish and market cattle on a year-round basis. A $200,000 grant was given to Cows and Co Creamery to increase the volume of dairy products produced and VanBedaf Dairy was awarded over $380,000 to increase milk production and facilitate segregation from A2A2 protein cows.

USDA Appointments Announced – Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has announced key agency appointments within USDA. Pennsylvania farmer Bill Beam will lead the Farm Service Agency. Beam was the FSA deputy administrator of farm programs during the first Trump administration. The administrator of the Risk Management Agency is Iowa farmer Pat Swanson. Swanson has served a term on the Federal Crop Insurance Board and was a national director for the American Soybean Association. Swanson and her husband also own a crop insurance agency. The new Natural Resource Conservation Service chief is Aubrey Bettencourt. Bettencourt was a deputy assistant secretary in the Interior Department during Trump’s first term. She is now a government relations director for an irrigation company and previously served as president and chief executive officer of the Almond Alliance.

USDA Announces Hamby as NIFA Director – USDA has hired Dr. Jaye Hamby as the director of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Since 2008, Hamby has been president of AgriLearn. USDA said Hamby has directed research efforts specializing in concept testing, product marketing and value driver analysis. Hamby is a former national FFA officer.

Canola Minute – This is the Canola Minute. Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman talks about recent meetings in Washington D.C. Click here to listen.

NASDA Hires Moss – The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture named Logan Moss an associate director of public policy. Moss will oversee the NASDA animal agriculture, natural resources and environment policy committees. Most recently, Moss was an Extension associate under the Flinchbaugh Chair in Agricultural Policy at Kansas State.

Erickson Joins Sand County Foundation – A Grand Forks man is the new associate director of the Leopold Conservation Award program. Alex Erickson joins the Sand County Foundation, which works with farmers and landowners to improve soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat. The prestigious Leopold Conservation Awards are presented in 28 states.

New R & D Head Named – Dr. Mike Graham is the new head of research and development for Bayer Crop Science. Graham succeeds Dr. Robert Reiter, who will retire. Graham has been with the company since 1996. He now leads the planting breeding business. The change takes effect April 15.

Vive Crop Protection Promotes Rummel and Lacrooy – Vive Crop Protection has announced two leadership appointments. Dave Rummel has been named chief commercial officer and Jeff Lacrooy has been promoted to senior vice president of finance. Most recently, Rummel was the company’s vice president of sales and business development. For the past year-plus, Lacrooy was the vice president of finance.

Knutson Promoted at Grand Farm – Grand Farm has promoted Dr. Kira Knutson to ecosystem partnerships manager. Most recently, Knudson was the grants coordinator. Grand Farm is based in Fargo.