Reporting From Commodity Classic – Commodity Classic is billed as ‘America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused agricultural and educational event.’ This is the national meeting for the corn, soybean, wheat, sorghum and farm equipment associations. Red River Farm Network farm broadcasters Don Wick and Whitney Pittman will be reporting from Orlando and Commodity Classic in the upcoming week. RRFN will focus on the policy news coming out of this convention and cover the massive trade show. You’ll find stories on-air, online and in social media. Thanks to the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council for your support of this coverage.

Midwest Leads the Nation in Unfilled Rail Orders – Rail transportation quality has been monitored since COVID slowed movement. American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Daniel Munch says unfilled orders in 2023 are higher than expected. For the first part of the year, average weekly unfilled orders numbered over 15,000 per week, 54 percent higher than last month. The bulk of these unfulfilled orders are in Upper Midwest States like North Dakota and Minnesota. “Minnesota has over 21,000 unfilled orders in quarter one, and North Dakota has almost 50,000 unfilled orders.” Weather and labor shortages were cited as reasons for the record number of unfilled orders.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson says the cattle market continues to have strength. “It does appear cattle will make an attempt to take out the 2014 high.” Wheat and corn markets are trending lower.

Early Frost Spells Trouble for Argentine Soybeans – Soybean and Corn Advisor President Michael Cordonnier cut his Argentine soybean crop estimate by two million metric tons due to ongoing drought. Cordonnier says Argentina is a mess. “There’s problem after problem. They had an unbelievable early frost where it went from 85 degrees to a frost in the same week.” Cordonnier expects Argentina’s farmer to be very slow sellers of soybeans. Argentina offers special programs where farmers can sell soybeans at a favorable exchange rate. The program opened twice last year and Cordonnier thinks the government will open it a third time.

COT Report Delays – The Commitment of Traders Report for the week ending February 10 has finally been released. The data since that time remains unavailable. That’s a frustration for Bolt Marketing market analyst DuWayne Bosse and other traders. “There were some cybersecurity attacks so now we’re behind on the Commitment of Traders Report,” said Bosse. “What the funds do with their volume will move the market so  it’s a very important report for me. I’m disappointed we aren’t having the updated numbers.”

Mother Nature is Large and in Charge – Grain markets bounced higher to begin the month, but trended lower at the end of February. Advance Trading Risk Management Advisor Tommy Grisafi joined RRFN for the Bull Pen Report and said the market will need a significant production problem to rally again. “Ninety-nine percent of all seed is sitting in a bag and in a shed; the 2023 crop is not made. The way the markets are acting, Mother Nature will be large and in charge. If we have a cold, wet spring into a hot, dry summer, these markets could explode again, but that’s a lot of ‘ifs.’ Over history, we tend to get the crop in and we tend to grow a decent crop.” Grisafi said a large percentage of the Midwest is going into spring with adequate moisture, which should help the crop get off to a good start.

Winds Damage Southern Plains Wheat Crop – Winds topped 100 miles per hour across parts of the Southern Plains in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas a week ago. Texas Wheat Producers Director of Communications Darby Campsey says the windstorm has affected  the dryland wheat crop. “Our main concern is if the wheat crop has a strong enough root system to withstand those high winds.” There are reports of wheat being pulled out of the ground. The three-year drought in the region means soil moisture was already dry before the high winds swept through. Campsey says some of the wheat crop can still be utilized for grazing. “We don’t have a good idea of abandonment yet, because a lot of producers can still graze their wheat until March 15.”

Corn Matters – MN Corn Board Member Blair Hoseth discusses a grant on fertilizer vs manure. Hear more in the latest Corn Matters.

Fertilizer Prices at a Stalemate – The fertilizer outlook for spring is optimistic. StoneX Group Vice President of Fertilizer Josh Linville says phosphate prices are at a stalemate with demand. With demand being more variable, prices won’t have a chance to rise to previous highs. Global potash supplies are also low. Canadian production of potash is keeping prices steady. “Thank goodness we have Canada as a neighbor. Potash is still at a phenomenal value because that grain value has continued to hold.”

Supply Chain Improvements – The supply chain headaches should be reduced in the season ahead.  CHS Executive Vice President of Country Operations Rick Dusek does not expect significant problems in securing crop protection products. It feels like the supply will be pretty good. That’s not to say there won’t be a substitution or two here and there, but it feels like things have eased to some degree and a lot of the transportation and freight situations have improved.” Dusek says farmers, retailers and suppliers learned lessons from the recent supply change issues.

Black Sea Grain Initative Expires This Month – Ukraine is taking steps to boost exports out of its ports. The Ukrainian parliament has set up a $500 million insurance fund to offset potential damage to civilian ships entering these ports. Ukraine is also seeking a one year extension to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, allowing grain to be exported from three Ukrainian ports. That agreement is scheduled to expire March 18.

Extension Sought – Turkey is taking steps to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The Turkish foreign minister spoke at a United Nations conference over the weekend, saying his country is working for the “smooth implementation and further extension” of this deal. Russia is saying it will only agree to an extension if sanctions on grain and fertilizer exports are removed. Ukraine also wants changes in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, seeking the addition of more ports to export grains.

Uncertainty for the Black Sea Grain Initiative – In a webinar hosted by the Northern Crops Institute, Cognitive Investments Director of Geopolitical Analysis Jacob Shapiro said there is still great uncertainty for the Black Sea Grain Initiative. “I have no insight about what is going to happen with the grain deal and I doubt anybody does unless they’re having breakfast with Vladmir Putin,” said Shapiro. While Ukraine pushes for a 12 month agreement, Russia continues to push back on even a 120-day extension. Russia’s inability to come to terms on this deal has bigger consequences. “When you go against the (Black Sea) Grain Initiative, you’re not just hurting Ukraine or the West, Russia is also hurting their standing with other countries.”

USAID Assists with Expanded Storage and Infrastructure in Ukraine – The United States Agency for International Development is partnering with three private sector organizations to expand infrastructure in Ukraine’s agricultural sector. The deal with Grain Alliance will increase export volumes by more than 500,000 tons each year. A large Ukrainian sunflower producer and exporter called Kernel is working with USAID to expand business on the Danube River. The U.S. is also partnering with Nibulon to expand shipping on 13 different river ports. This investment with the three Ukrainian firms totals $44 million.

U.S. & Mexico Trade Barbs – The United States is threatening to take a trade dispute with Mexico over biotech corn to a trade dispute panel. Mexico’s economy minister responded by saying its position on banning GMO corn imports is in compliance with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The Mexican official said the U.S. response is “politically motivated.”

MN Wheat Minute – Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers CEO Charlie Vogel talks about a bill related to increased funding in FMD and MAP programs in this week’s Minnesota Wheat Minute.

Thune Wants U.S.-UK Trade Deal – South Dakota Senator John Thune is calling on the Biden Administration to initiate a trade agreement with the United Kingdom. In addition to opening new markets for U.S. agriculture, Thune says this effort would strengthen the economic relationship and strategic relationship with the UK.

Too Little, Too Late – The Environmental Protection Agency is taking steps to implement a request by eight Midwest states to sell 15 percent ethanol blends during the summer driving season. However, the change does not begin until 2024. American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings said this is too little, too late. “Most of these Midwest states made this request to the EPA in the spring and early summer of 2022 and the law requires EPA to go ahead and approve those requests within 90 days of receiving them as long as the data shows that allowing E15 would reduce evaporative emissions. Those states met that condition, but EPA still sat on this until March 1 of 2023.” Minnesota and South Dakota are two of the states impacted by this EPA decision. With this delay, Jennings says consumers will likely pay more for gasoline this year.

A Confusing Decision – The Environmental Protection Agency has approved E15 for year-round use in eight Midwestern states, including Minnesota and South Dakota. However, the change does not take effect until 2024. It is a confusing decision for Minnesota Corn Growers Association President Richard Syverson. “We’re excited for consumers in Minnesota to have access to E15 year-round without any confusing labeling or issues at the pump but we’re just puzzled about why the EPA would have pushed this back. It doesn’t seem to make any sense.” Syverson said there were no reported problems during last year’s emergency waiver. Minnesota sold a record 105 million gallons of E15 last year.

Phase II ERP Methodology Questioned – A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Minnesota Representative Michelle Fischbach, sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about the way Phase II of the Emergency Relief Program is being handled. Unlike Phase I, the letter says the new methodology is complicated and requires the sharing of personal tax records.

A Full Slate for NFU Delegates – National Farmers Union delegates will debate several big issues at their convention, including the farm bill, climate change, renewable fuels and trade. “As members get together to debate policy, it is always good to see people from around the country,” said Gary Wertish, president, Minnesota Farmers Union. “Even in Minnesota we have a lot of different types of farms and farming operations, there’s always plenty of issues to talk about.”

Farm Bill, Competition, Climate – In a speech to the National Farmers Union membership, President Rob Larew said this will be a big year for farm policy. “We have a farm bill ahead of us and all of the things that we want to see changed there,” said Larew. “All those issues around competition and fairness for farmers and this changing climate.” At the convention in San Francisco, Larew also recognized five years of continuous growth in membership at the national level. North Dakota Farmers Union is the largest state organization.

Pelosi Meets With NFU Members – In an address to the National Farmers Union Convention in San Francisco, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said her caucus will fight for farmers in the new farm bill. The veteran lawmaker said the new farm bill will concentrate on the ‘three C’s’—competition, conservation and climate. “Having visited some of your farms, you know more than we do on these subjects. We have a lot to learn from you to be current and to be anticipating what comes next.” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will address the NFU convention this morning.

A “Seesaw” Economy – American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall and National Farmers Union President Rob Larew testified at a House Agriculture Committee hearing to discuss the ag economy. Duvall said farm income isn’t keeping up with costs. According to a USDA forecast, farm net income will decrease 15.9 percent in 2023, while expenses will increase by $18 billion dollars. “Affordable and reliable energy is critical for the farm economy to operate and remain stable.” Larew emphasized farmers and ranchers are vulnerable to influences of inflation. “Supply chain disruptions have set the stage for rising costs and farmers and ranchers. These inflationary pressures are intensified by a lack of market competition in the food system.”

NDGGA Talks Crop Insurance on Capitol Hill – A North Dakota Grain Growers Association Fly-in to Washington, D.C. focused on pesticides regulations, trade, crop insurance and more. NDGGA President Ed Kessel said it was noted that moving the crop insurance payment date would better align with the marketing year. “Right now your payment is due October 1. Just being able to move it to November or December after you harvest your crop will help prevent some farmers from borrowing money.” Another trip to the capitol city is scheduled for later this month.

Managing Risk – The combination of high commodity prices and high input costs delives more risk to consider when making crop insurance selections. Watts and Associates Economist Kyle Jore says it is very important to protect historically high prices. “Right now we have fantastically high prices. This is the perfect opportunity to capture that price risk.” Lower coverage options may not trigger a payment with current base prices. Jore says his suggestion is to consider PLC with the SCO option. “Because SCO is capturing these high prices and giving us that protection, that’s probably where we want to be looking at investing our dollars at this point.” Listen to the full interview here.

Crop Insurance Deadlines on the Horizon – Deadlines are fast approaching for crop insurance decisions. Ihry Insurance hosted its spring update meeting in Hillsboro, North Dakota to highlight coverage options. Ihry Insurance agent Mike Kozojed said input costs are a concern and farmers who did not buy margin protection products last fall may want to consider SCO and ECO options. “We have good margins, but we do need to protect that because the input side is more expensive,” says Kozojed. SCO and ECO options can cover up to 95 percent of expected revenue and are only available to those who select PLC. Listen to the full interview Mike Kozojed here.

Budget Surplus Totals $17.5 Billion – Minnesota’s updated budget forecast remains largely unchanged from the previous report in November. The budget surplus totals $17.5 billion. “First and foremost, this is good news for Minnesotans,” said Governor Tim Walz. “This is a state where people know how to work hard. It’s a state that’s invested in infrastructure over many many decades. It’s a state that understands our greatest natural resource is our people.” Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson emphasized a new approach was taken with this budget forecast. “I think we should all be cognizant of the inflationary effect that’s built into that. If you add in that $1.4 billion, we’d have $19 billion surplus. That’s how it would have been reported had the Governor not signed the bill a week ago.”

MFBF Minute – Minnesota Farm Bureau’s ‘Day on the Hill’ is coming up. Minnesota Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy Pierce Bennett describes the work being done in the legislature in the latest MFBF Minute.

Protection From Grain Elevator Failures – Minnesota State Senator Rob Kupec introduced legislation to create a grain indemnity fund for farmers affected by grain elevator failures. According to Kupec, Minnesota is one of the few states in the Upper Midwest that does not yet have a grain indemnity fund. “We’ve seen some elevators go belly up in the last ten years, and that has left some farmers unpaid,” said Kupec. To help establish the fund, Kupec said the state will need to tap into the $17.5 billion surplus. Listen to the full interview with Senator Kupec here.

Pushback – Legislation proposed to form a grain indemnity fund for Minnesota garnered support from ag organizations, farmers, and the state agriculture department. Minnesota Grain and Feed Association Executive Director Laura Lemke spoke in opposition of the bill, saying there are new programs already in place that have not yet had a chance to prove effective. “This insurance is purchased by the individual producer and would not require a subsidization by all grain sellers like an indemnity fund will,” said Lemke. The MGFA supports modifications to current statutes, a reasonable increase in grain bonds and producer education to help protect against issues in the future. To hear the story audio, click here.

Tax Credits for Beginning Farmers – The new and beginning farmer tax credit is a priority for Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Aric Putnam. “The beginning farmer tax credit is an extremely popular program. I’m going to try to put more money into it and expand it a little bit so you can start to use it for intergenerational transfers,” said Putnam. This would also allow for family members to benefit from the beginning farmer tax credit which has not been an option to this point in Minnesota. Putnam says it is important to ease the process of transferring farm ownership.

Meat Processing Bill Advances – The Minnesota House Agriculture Committee is considering an addition to the state agriculture department staff. This individual will act a liaison between MDA and small meatpackers. Representative Nathan Nelson is sponsoring the bill. “If you’re starting a new business model or transitioning, having somebody to help them move through the process, making sure that the proper permits, inspections and safety plans are all in place are crucially important.” The bill was laid over and may eventually part of the omnibus bill.

A Quiet Session in Pierre – According to South Dakota House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Chair Roger Chase, it has been a relatively quiet legislative session. While a bill proposing more strict regulations on foreign ownership of farmland was killed, Chase says House Bill 1189 is a good starting point. “This will get us to know what is out there for foreign ownership now as well as tje leases going on in agriculture.” By collecting information when filing renewals with the South Dakota Secretary of State, this bill will identify any current foreign ownership or involvement of ag land. Working groups will determine best steps moving forward to enhance protection from foreign buyers or investors, especially ones hostile to the U.S. and to the State of South Dakota. The full interview with Representative Chase is available here. The South Dakota legislative session ends this week.

A Proposed Streamlining for Fertilizer Licensing – The North Dakota Senate Agriculture Committee delivered a ‘do pass’ recommendation for a bill to streamline the process for licensing anhydrous ammonia facilities. According to State Pesticide and Fertilizer Division Director Eric Delzer, counties currently need to approve a license for every transaction. That would include a simple transfer of ownership for a grandfathered facility. “Most counties have been very good to work with and provide a quick turnaround. However, other counties have not been so responsive. We’ve had certain instances where it’s taken over eight months to get a simple approval and we currently have an application that was submitted 15 months ago and despite many attempts to engage with the county, we are still awaiting a response.” The bill also calls for a reasonable timeline for a zoning review.

North Dakota Legislative Report – Leading up to the North Dakota legislative session, an emphasis was put on expanding animal agriculture. North Dakota Soybean Growers Association Legislative Liaison Phil Murphy says there are several bills directed at supporting animal ag. in North Dakota. Find out more in this week’s North Dakota Legislative Report.

Legislators Consider Meat Processing Regs – The licensing of meat processors has been reviewed by the North Dakota House Agriculture Committee. North Dakota Department of Agriculture Livestock Industries Director Dr. Andrea Grondahl said this bill would help protect public health by requiring licensure of meat processing businesses. “Events in the past two years demonstrated that a registration requirement alone, does not adequately protect the public.”

Budget Cuts Hit NDSU Ag College – Due to declining enrollment and a $7.6 million deficit, North Dakota State University is implementing budget cuts. NDSU Vice President of Agricultural Affairs Greg Lardy outlines the impact to the agriculture college. “We’re in a position here in the College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources where we ended up merging one of our academic programs into another with Ag Systems Management merging into Precision Ag and unfortunately, had to deal with some faculty cuts as well,” said Greg Lardy, vice president of agricultural affairs, NDSU. Five faculty members from the NDSU have lost their jobs. “The departments that are affected are the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and Department of Plant Science.”

APUC Awards Funding – The North Dakota  Agriculture Products Utilization Council has awarded funding for four projects totaling $700,000. Included in the funding is $250,000 for Eptiome Energy, LLC towards building a soybean crush facility near Grand Forks. North American Bison LLC was awarded $250,000 to implement x-ray technology at their plant to meet the requirement of large retailers.

Small North Dakota Meat Processors Awarded Funding – The North Dakota Department of Agriculture has announced Agriculture Diversification and Development Fund awards for two projects supporting new or expanding value-added agriculture businesses. Butchers Edge in Edgely was awarded $175,000 and Kramlich Deede Meats in Medina was awarded $151,000.

NCI Hosts Cereal Innovators Webinar – The Northern Crops Institute is hosting another Cereal Innovators webinar on Wednesday morning. This webinar will feature Sue Marshall, CEO, NETZERO, who will be discussing ‘Sustainable Food Solutions Upcycled Grains & More.’ This interactive webinar series focuses on new and unique ways to use cereal grains. Topics throughout the series include new processes, useful information on milling and baking, equipment information, and uses for cereal grains grown in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. Register online.

Brazil’s BSE Case Dubbed “Atypical” – The confirmed Brazilian BSE case has been confirmed as ‘atypical.’ The discovery on February 20 triggered an automatic ban on Brazilian beef sales to China. Three additional markets, Thailand, Iran, and Jordan, also implemented temporary bans on Brazilian beef. The suspension on exports represents a major risk for Brazil’s livestock sector. The agriculture ministry is working to lift those beef export suspensions as soon as possible.

Preparing for Calving – Nutrition is critically important for cow/calf operations. NDSU Extension Livestock Stewardship Specialist Gerald Stokka says nutrition was a big topic. “Cold weather and heat makes a difference in nutrition and keeping track of body scores can help determine how effective your feeding plan is.” With early calving started for some producers, more commercial livestock producers will start the bulk of their calving season in the next two weeks. Stocka warns about the importance of getting colostrum into newborn calves. Stokka was part of a workshop this past week in Edgeley, North Dakota.

Reasonable Alfalfa Prices – The cold start to the winter depleted hay stocks. NDSU Extension Forage Crops Specialist James Rogers says hay prices are sitting at a reasonable rate. “Alfalfa prices are fairly reasonable for beef quality hay. It looks like alfalfa hay might be a little lower per ton than even some grass hays.” Rogers is concerned there won’t be any carry-over forage if this year’s hay crop yields lower than average.

MN Beef Update – Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director Kaitlyn Root discusses their quarterly board meeting in the latest Minnesota Beef Update.

Checkoff Reform Bill Criticized – Lawmakers have introduced legislation that would reform agricultural checkoff programs. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says this bill has popped up in the last few years. “It’s driven by members of Congress that are deeply engaged in the radical animal rights community.” Lane doesn’t expect this bill to gain much traction. “About half of the things in the bill already occur. There’s already an extensive audit process for checkoff programs, which is one thing listed in the bill.”

Line Speed Provision Extended – USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is allowing eligible pork processing plants to operate at an increased line speed. This trial period is now in place until November 30, 2024. In a statement, the National Pork Producers Council said “ensuring sufficient harvest capacity is critical.”

Dairy Replacement Costs Rise – Expanding the dairy herd is a costly proposition. “If you’re thinking about expanding your herd, you’re going to have to think about higher replacement costs than you might have otherwise,” said USDA livestock analyst Shayle Shagam. Dairy cow slaughter has seen a large increase which is a contributing factor to the heightened cost of replacements at about eight percent above a year ago.

CHS Responds to Market Changes – At the domestic level, renewable diesel and the expansion of the soybean crush are changing the game. “We are investing in that industry,” said Jay Debertin, president and CEO, CHS. “We’re expanding plants that we own and we are looking at building a greenfield plant. We’re leaning into it and we think that’s a prudent way for us to participate without getting too far ahead of our shoes.” CHS is also investing in the energy sector within this region. “We bought a terminal in Grand Forks that had been shut down by the U.S. government. We bought it to bring it back into service to help our supply during surge times in the spring and the fall.” Debertin spoke at the CHS Ag Services annual meeting in Grand Forks. Listen to the full interview.

Corn Acreage Expected to Rise in Northern Red River Valley – CHS Ag Services applied a record amount of fertilizer this past fall. General Manager Ryan Anderson says that is setting up the company well for spring. “We had a record fall (application season) and we added new plants including an over 8,000 ton plant at Badger, Minnesota that is replacing a 900 ton plant; we’re at the point where we could almost hold our spring needs before we hit the field.”  Anderson expects corn acreage to be up in the northern Red River Valley this year. “I think corn bags will be up over last year, our sales would tell us that today,” said Anderson. “Spring wheat and soybeans will be relatively flat, but the corn acre looks stronger and that may take a few spring wheat acres down.” Anderson says Mother Nature and planting dates will be the biggest consideration.

Soil Fertility Minute – On this week’s Soil Fertility Minute, sponsored by the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council, University of Minnesota Extension Soil Scientist Dan Kaiser talks about his dry bean research.

Land Purchase Remains a Hot Topic – Twenty-eight bipartisan lawmakers sent a letter Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack criticizing USDA’s lax oversight of farmland purchases by China’s Fufeng Group near Grand Forks. The letter stated that “as the foreign acquisition of farmland increases, it is evident more oversight is needed to protect local farmers, rural communities and our national security.” Plans for the Fufeng group to buy farmland near the military base were recently shut down after the Air Force said Chinese ownership of the land posed a security risk.

USDA Acknowledges ‘the Wrongs of the Past’ – The Agriculture Department is preparing to distribute $2.2 billion to farmers who faced discrimination from USDA farm lending programs. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he hopes people see this as an indication of USDA’s sincere effort “to acknowledge the past but help folks deal with the consequences of that past in terms of financial assistance.” USDA plans to have this money paid out by the end of the year.

Cyber Security is Farm Security – University of North Dakota Director of Cyber Security Dr. Prakash Ranganathan says it is important to pay attention to how farm data is stored. “We are a land of food so ag is a very big network comparable to the electric grid, aviation and transportation,” said Ranganathan. “We need to ensure there are robust and resilient cyber security measures in place to protect our farmers.” Ranganathan works to create new protocols at UND and Grand Farm to constantly take steps toward improving cyber security for the agriculture industry.

Dry Bean Scene – BeanCon 2023 was held in Columbia this year. U.S. Dry Bean Council Executive Director Rebecca Bratter recaps the event in this week’s Dry Bean Scene. The Dry Bean Scene is sponsored by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association.

RRVSGA Takes Message to Capitol Hill – The Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association was on Capitol Hill this past week, promoting the importance of crop insurance. “We have got to maintain that. We have to make sure both the rural and urban legislators are aware of that to ensure we can continue to provide a safe and affordable product,” said Harrison Weber, RRVSGA executive director. There are many new members in Congress who have never voted on a farm bill before. “The biggest challenge that we’re up against is really education, education, education.”

Beet Stock Values – According to Acres & Shares owner Jayson Menke, 391 American Crystal Sugar Company beet shares were brokered last week at an average price of $4,548.72 per share. “Broker inventory has been depleted. Currently, there’s not many shares available and the remaining shares for sale are priced pretty aggressively at $4,800 to $5,000 per share. It will be interesting to see if we get another listing push in the next month or so or if the market will continue to trend up based on low inventory.” The record high brokered price was in early to mid-November 2022 when 173 shares were brokered at $4,800 per share.

Selling Northern Grown Soybeans – University of Minnesota Extension Soybean Agronomist Seth Naeve was able to combine three consecutive soybean trade missions to Southeast Asia in February. The goal is to promote soybeans from the Northern Plains. “There’s been a fixation on protein as the ultimate measure for quality and protein is really just a measure of nitrogen content,” Naeve is educating international buyers about the importance of amino acid profiles. Naeve is working with Northern Soy Marketing, which is a farmer leader board developed by the soybean checkoff organizations from North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska.

ND Soybean Marketing Seminar – The North Dakota Soybean Council will host its Soybean Marketing and Risk Management Seminar March 14-15 in Fargo. NDSC Director of Market Development Jena Bjertness says this year will offer something a little different with the new soy crush plants coming online. “This will be the first year that we will have a dedicated soy crush plant with bids out.” The goal of this seminar is to help producers become more comfortable with creating a marketing plan in 2023. Register by visiting NDSoybean.org.

Potato Industry Seen as an Economic Force – The U.S. potato industry represents a total of 715,000 jobs and generates over $34 billion in annual labor income. A new National Potato Council report on the economic significance of the potato industry estimates $37 billion in spending can be traced back directly to the potato supply chain.

Wireworm Prevention – Wireworms are a common pest for many Midwest farmers. BASF Seed Treatment Technical Representative Tracy Hillenbrand says wireworm repopulation can number in the hundreds. “The average female is able to lay 100 eggs per cycle, with up to three cycles per season.” Hillenbrand says seed treatment is the first step to prevent wireworms from establishing. “BASF’s new seed treatment insecticide, Teraxxa, is a novel mode of action that helps control wireworms.”

Remove Competition with a Burndown Program – With spring just around the corner, BASF Technical Service Representative Dan Melaas says a good burndown program can help clean up fields before planting. “Uncontrolled weeds can contribute to the seed bank and increase weed populations in the future.” An early start to control weeds can help with resistnat weeds like Palmer amaranth and waterhemp.

Farm Safety Reminder – NDSU Farm and Ranch Safety Coordinator Angie Johnson is reminding farmers about the dangers of entering grain bins. “We may need to go in that bin, but have a plan to make sure you are as safe as can be and that you come home alive each and every night.” Stories of accidents or ‘near-misses’ are commonplace on the farm. “The more we have open conversations about it and the more we bring awareness, we don’t need to talk about injuries, mishaps or even funerals.”

BASF Ideltis Hybrid Wheat Ends in U.S., Canada – BASF’s attempt to develop a hybrid wheat seed business in North America has been shut down. This project was officially launched in 2021 for the North American and European markets with a commercial release expected within the next few years. BASF will move forward with its hybrid wheat project in Europe.

Strong Fiscal Year Income for AgriBank – For the fiscal year, St. Paul-based AgriBank reports net income of $791 million. The total loan volume increased 9.4 percent. Net interest income was $854.4 million for the year, an increase of nearly $75 million the previous year.

Glencore Fined – The U.S. federal courts are fining Glencore $700 million. This huge fine is due to allegations of bribes being paid to officials in Brazil, Nigeria, Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These bribes were made to avoid audits or to secure business. The Swiss-based commodities company has already paid millions of dollars in response to allegations of market manipulation.

Cargill Closes Lake Michigan Grain Facility – Cargill has permanently closed its grain facility at the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor on Lake Michigan. A report says Cargill will relinquish its control of the facility to the Ports of Indiana June 1. The search is on for a new operator for the 7.8-million-bushel capacity grain elevator.

A New Name for Gavilon – Gavilon has rebranded itself as Viterra. The new name and a new logo is being rolled out across the United States and Mexico. Omaha will remain the company’s headquarters for the U.S. and Mexico.

Canola Minute – This week, we hear from Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman who talks about the “Getting it Right in Canola Production” virtual meeting. Tune into this week’s Canola Minute to hear more.

Bushel Farm Launches – Fargo-based Bushel launched the next generation of farm software. Bushel Farm builds upon the FarmLogs system and allows farmers to automatically track their grain sales. In the first phase, the grain activity between the farmer and the grain elevator is fully integrated. The system should be on the market by mid-year.

Job Opportunities in Agriulture – Check out the Job Opportunities in Agriculture tab on the Red River Farm Network website.  The North Dakota Soybean Council is seeking a finance and compliance administrator. True North Equipment has an job available for a corporate service manager. AURI, R.D. Offutt Farms and Dakota Ingredients also have listings.

Biden Appoints Ford to Trade Council – Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford has been appointed to the President’s Export Council. Ford is one of 25 people selected for this advisory group.

Schwager to Lead Common Food Consortium – The Consortium of Common Food Names has named Jeff Schwager as its new chairman. Schwager most recently served as CEO of the specialty cheese company Sartori. Schwager succeeds Errico Auricchio who has led CCFN since its founding in 2012.

NCBA Adds Barnett to DC Staff – Rebecca Barnett has joined the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association as its director of animal health and food safety policy. Most recently, Barnett was the associate director of public policy for the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

Minnesota State Fair Names New CEO – Renee Alexander is the new chief executive officer of the Minnesota State Fair. Alexander has been the deputy general manager for the past 13 years. Alexander succeeds Jerry Hammer, who has been at the helm of the ‘Great Minnesota Get-Together’ for 27 years.

ND Farmer Joins Potato Council Executive Committee – The National Potato Council has installed its new executive committee. Idaho farmer R.J. Andrus is the new president. Hoople, North Dakota farmer T.J. Hall is the new vice president of government outreach and industry research.

SDCUC Elects 2023 Officers – The South Dakota Corn Utilization Council has elected Chad Blindauer to serve as president for another term. Jim Ketelhut is vice president and Reno Brueggeman will serve as secretary/treasurer.

New MFBF Board Director Elected – An Olmsted County dairy farmer has been elected to the Minnesota Farm Bureau board of directors. Jeff Pagel fills the role vacated by Keith Allen, who resigned to take a job in the office of Minnesota Congressman Brad Finstad.

NFU Honors Peterson, Vogel – The National Farmers Union has presented its Meritorious Service Award to former Minnesota Farmers Union President Doug Peterson and former North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Sarah Vogel. Peterson is a former state legislator and led MFU for 14 years. Vogel was the lead attorney in a national class action lawsuit that resulted in an injunction preventing USDA from foreclosing 16,000 farms.