Dockter Joins RRFN Team – The Red River Farm Network announces the addition of Cierra Dockter to its farm broadcast team. “Cierra is a proven leader and will be a welcome addition to the RRFN team,” said Don Wick, president, Red River Farm Network. “Cierra’s passion for agriculture will serve her well as a farm broadcaster and ag journalist.” Dockter is a 2020 graduate of North Dakota State University, where she majored in agricultural communications. Most recently, Dockter was a business development coordinator for RDO Equipment, West Fargo. She previously served as a special projects director for the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association. Dockter was the North Dakota FFA State Vice President in 2017-2018. At NDSU, she was president of the NDSU Judging Club, an ambassador for the NDSU College of Agriculture and was active in the NDSU Saddle and Sirloin Club. Dockter remains actively involved in the family’s registered Gelbvieh cattle operation at Medina, North Dakota.

Vilsack: Expanded Farm Bill Baseline a Benefit of Build Back Better – The Build Back Better plan includes funding for conservation programs. “The bill basically provides for a level of conservation investment we’ve never seen in the country’s history,” says Tom Vilsack, secretary, USDA. “It’s so large that we anticipate when it’s fully implemented, more than 100 million acres of cropland will benefit from the conservation investments. That’s about 200,000 farms that will be particularly helped making them more resilient to a changing climate.” Vilsack says conservation funding in the Build Back Better plan will expand the baseline for the new farm bill. “That’s one of the benefits of having this bill passed, it will significantly increase the baseline. I think it also provides us additional tools that will be reinforced and expanded in the farm bill. That, combined with the climate smart forestry partnership, will help define and educate us how to structure the new farm bill to maximize income opportunities and tools available to farmers and ranchers. At the end of the day, that’s the key to a successful farm bill.” Hear the interview.

Build Back Better Moves to the Senate – The Build Back Better plan is on the agenda when the Senate returns to Washington D.C. this week. North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer says the reconciliation package will need to look different from what the House passed earlier this month. “I think it will be pared back.” Cramer says it is not clear all Democratic senators will support the Build Back Better plan. There is an effort to put more money in conservation programs for USDA included. “What might seem like a benign $40 billion increase for conservation could become a similar reduction in farm safety net programs. I’m concerned.” The House’s version of the Build Back Better plan does not include tax changes for farmers and ranchers in the form of stepped-up basis or the estate tax, but Cramer says a wealth tax could return to the table in the Senate.

An Investment in Climate – National Farmers Union President Rob Larew says the Build Back Better plan makes a big investment in climate. “All farm groups have been pushing for this investment and there are other investments that will be extremely beneficial. Agriculture worked very hard to ensure that tax provisions impacting agriculture weren’t there. That’s a huge win.” Larew says the USDA is trying to start a pilot program on soil health and carbon sequestration. “Climate is already impacting our farm and ranches and we need to make sure our voices are heard.”

A Busy Time in the Senate – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith says there’s a lot on the plate for the Senate between now and the end of the year, including passing the Build Back Better plan. “I believe it will be done, but it is a complicated bill.” Smith says lawmakers will also be working on a budget. The continuing resolution passed in September expires on December 3. “We want to continue strong funding for the nutrition program, an important part of the ag budget. Senator Stabenow has also been very focused on the conservation provisions in the ag budget. There’s an important boost for programs like the Conservation Reserve Program and Conservation Stewardship Program”

EPA Seeks Common Ground on New WOTUS – In Bismarck last Monday afternoon, EPA Assistant Administrator of Water Radhika Fox and Army Corps of Engineers Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Jaime Pinkham took input on the Waters of the United States rule. American Farm Bureau Federation Vice President Scott VanderWal called the process “regulatory whiplash that’s very disconcerting.” American Soybean Association Director of Government Affairs Ariel Wiegard told the EPA soybean farmers are frustrated with the cycle of regulation and litigation. “Farmers shouldn’t have to ask the EPA or Army Corps of Engineers every time they want to plow or move dirt on their farms.” The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers reinstated the WOTUS definition from before 2015 and this replaces the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection rule. Once in the Federal Register, there’s a 60-day comment period. The EPA will consider those comments and then, propose a final rule. EPA Assistant Administrator Radhika Fox said the EPA is trying to find common ground. In 2022, the EPA plans to host ten regional roundtable/listening sessions to get more feedback on WOTUS. Hear the story.

Republican Lawmakers Want a Better Registration Process from EPA – A bicameral group of Republican Agriculture Committee members is calling on the EPA to rescind its decision to revoke all food tolerances for chlorpyrifos and follow scientifically sound, risk based regulatory processes. In a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, the lawmakers point out how the agency ignored the safety finding of its own scientists. The lawmakers signing the letter include North Dakota Senator John Hoeven, South Dakota Senator John Thune, South Dakota Representative Dusty Johnson, and Minnesota Representatives Jim Hagedorn and Michelle Fischbach.

SD Corn Comments – The South Dakota Corn Conference will happen in-person in 2022. Hear more about the event in this week’s South Dakota Corn Comments.

Defend the Blend – Minnesota Representatives Angie Craig and Michelle Fishbach and South Dakota Representative Dusty Johnson are part of a coalition of lawmakers that filed the Defend the Blend Act on Tuesday. This is a bipartisan bill that would prevent the EPA from reducing the Renewable Fuel Standard’s Renewable Volume Obligation levels once they are final. At this time, the EPA has not announced 2020 or 2021 RVOs, typically done by this time.

Still Waiting Renewable Volume Obligations from EPA – Pro-biofuel groups are supportive of the Defend the Blend Act. The Renewable Fuels Association thanked House lawmakers for sponsoring the legislation. RFA CEO Geoff Cooper tells the Red River Farm Network he’s anxiously awaiting Renewable Volume Obligations from the EPA. “We’re told the EPA forwarded those proposals to the White House and that’s where it’s being held up currently. It’s creating uncertainty in the marketplace, especially looking at 2022. It can’t come soon enough and we are concerned about some of the recent things we’ve heard from the EPA.” Before Thanksgiving, the EPA proposed a rule to further delay certain RFS compliance rates. The biofuels industry is waiting on 2019, 2020 and 2021 RVOs.

Focus on Common Ground, Not Differences – A deep political divide increases the gridlock in Washington. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President-Elect Don Schiefelbein says that division can also be found in agriculture. “That is what keeps me up at night,” said Schiefelbein. “We’re just two percent of the population and yet we can’t seem to align ourselves. When you look at the issues, we align tightly on 95 percent of the issues, but when we’re talking out in the public we end up talking about the five percent we don’t agree on.” Without a unified message, Schiefelbein says it difficult to get things done at the state and federal level. “They don’t want to play referee on the internal bickering.” Schiefelbein is part of a family cattle business at Kimball, Minnesota and will take over as president of the NCBA in 2022.

Dry Bean Scene – In the weekly Dry Bean Scene, Northarvest Bean Growers Association President Eric Samuelson recaps a recent trade mission to the United Kingdom. Samuelson represented Northarvest on Governor Tim Walz’s trade trip ahead of Thanksgiving.

USDA Lowers Fiscal Year 2022 Ag Export Forecast – The value of agricultural products that China will purchase in the current fiscal year may not be as high as earlier predictions. USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer says China’s needs are changing as their hog herd stabilizes. “The new fiscal year 2022 export forecast is for $175.5 billion worth of U.S. ag exports, $2 billion less than the previous estimate for this year, but if realized, still record large.” Read more.

WTO Ministerial Postponed – This week’s World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference has been postponed due to travel restrictions associated with the latest strain of the COVID virus. This conference was scheduled to start tomorrow and continue through Friday. With the pandemic and supply chain disruptions, international trade remains a complicated issue.

Challenging Market Dynamics Tell an Interesting Soybean Story – United Soybean Board Vice President of Market Intelligence Mac Marshall says the international market outlook for U.S. soybeans looks good year-over-year. “We set a big record last year. This year, I think the market dynamics are different. We didn’t start the marketing year with as much captive supply that allowed us to get off to a quick start. Then, we had Hurricane Ida disrupting shipments through the Gulf. Terminals have since come back online and we’ve seen decent export sales.” Brazil is competing strong for China’s soybean business. “Brazil is the top volume exporter to China and the trade war didn’t help. They’ll continue to add land each year and are looking at a record large crop again this year.” Hear the story.

Input Costs Going Up, Availability Challenges Ahead – Supply chain issues could worsen in 2022. There’s already a shortage of glyphosate and glufosinate. “We’re not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel just yet,” said Roland Fumasi, regional manager, RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness. Seed prices are also expected to increase. “We think 2022 seed prices may increase eight-to-14 percent, driven by strong commodity prices. Last season, a lot of the deals on seed were made in late 2020, before the major surge of commodity prices. Seed suppliers didn’t have enough information to take advantage of that.” Despite the surge in prices, Fumasi expects U.S. farmers to remain profitable next year.

Small Wins Can Help the Supply Chain Backlog – Demand for U.S. beef and pork remains strong and, in some cases, is record large. However, U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom says supply chain issues continue to be an issue. “It’s getting to a critical level right now, but the good news is the industry is an increase in awareness and is trying to get this figured out.” Halstrom says vessels are backed up and there’s a shortage of containers. “Now that we’re focused on that, we’re seeing small wins: expanded service hours at key ports or waivers and over the road waivers on weight limits. Small things like this can help us with the backlog.”

Amicus Brief on Fertilizer Being Reviewed by ITC – The U.S. Court of International Trade will review an amicus brief on fertilizer from the National Corn Growers Association, the Agricultural Retailers Association and other agriculture groups. The court is considering a case on tariffs of phosphorous fertilizers imported from outside of the country. Agriculture groups would like the Mosaic Company to withdraw a petition that led to a 19 percent tariff rate on fertilizers from Morocco.

Farmland Values Move Higher in Q3 – A survey of agricultural bankers by the Kansas City Federal Reserve shows farmland values surged during the third quarter. The value of non-irrigated cropland increased by 12 percent or more in all participating districts. The increase was also consistent across most states, with annual increases of more than 20 percent. The KC Fed Bank says agricultural lenders expect farm income and credit to remain strong through the end of the year alongside elevated commodity prices. The surge in farmland values has also bolstered farm balance sheets and provided additional support to the ag sector. Read more.

A Strong Farmland Market – Farmland values continue to trend higher going into the end of the year. Farmers National Company Senior Vice President Matt Gunderson says good quality farmland always sells well. “We’re even seeing some average land selling well at auction. You can never discount localized demand.”  A significant amount of farmland has been available. “There are several factors driving that, I would call it headline-based issues like capital gains taxes and stepped up basis this past summer.”

New COVID Variant is One of Two Stories Impacting Markets – Concern over a new COVID variant has the grain markets on edge. “How that impacts commodity sentiments, in terms of emerging markets, currencies and physical demand, is the top story for the markets,” said Mike Zuzolo, president, Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting. “The second story is Australia’s weather isn’t getting better. We’re losing more of the wheat crop in that part of the world. That’s the part of the world USDA has stoked up on exports and that’s probably not going to happen.”

Is Another Super Cycle Possible For Wheat? – Stone X Group Chief Commodities Economist Arlan Suderman says previous bullish markets were caused by great commodity super cycles. This leaves some wondering if we are currently in another super cycle with wheat. “Great commodity super cycles come about every 30-to-35 years. The one in the 1970s was due to the great grain robbery from Russia. I remember going to the grain elevator asking how much wheat was up. We should be due for another cycle. Could this be another?” Suderman says this time, there’s an inflationary component and there are several fundamental stories at play. “Some of it is related to stimulus and increasing consumption. There’s a lot of people interested in protein. Milling quality wheat is tight and we don’t have margin for error there.” The strength in the wheat complex could be sustained longer, pending a black swan event.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – Advance Trading Risk Management Advisor Tommy Grisafi says the drop in crude oil prices provide an opportunity for farmers. In today’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Grisafi also discusses the latest COVID variant and the impact on the markets.

South America Getting Timely Rains for Crop Production – Northern and central Brazil have been getting timely rains with plenty of subsoil moisture for crop development. World Weather Incorporated Meteorologist Drew Lerner says southern Brazil does not have the subsoil moisture to sustain crops for very long. “If you look at the percentage of normal rainfall for this month for southern Brazil, it’s way below average,” says Lerner. “The only reason they don’t have a problem is because it continues to rain periodically. They got a good soaking rain in October. Yet if they miss one to two more rain events and the temperatures get warmer, we’ll probably be talking about dryness in southern Brazil.” Argentina is getting adequate rains. “I don’t see their moisture has been that far below normal. They’ve had timely rains.”

Concern Lingers for La Nina’s Impact on South America – Despite the decent weather and growing conditions in South America, there are still concerns about the adverse effect of a La Nina as winter progresses. This concern is expected to keep U.S. soybean prices stronger until more is known about La Nina’s impact on the South American crop. “Globally, this time of the year if there’s a La Nina in place, it tends to, at some point during winter, put stress on the crops,” says Tim Marsh, market analyst, Summit Commodities. “While things look good in South America now, I expect some time in the next few months, there will be a scare in the market.”

Brazil’s Soybeans Look Good – The first crop soybeans are off to a good start across much of Brazil. Ag Consultant Kory Melby says it’s the opposite of last year. “It’s a big difference compared to last year at this time. We’ve even seen too much rain in crop growing areas.” Melby thinks the crop will be record large and some of the early seed soybeans will be harvested by Christmas or shortly after. “Given how the crop grew last year in stress, now rain makes grain. It’s going to be a whopper of a crop, about 145 million tons or more using last year as an analog for increase.”

Crop Strategies for 2022 – Coming off a drought year, Pioneer Field Agronomist Jesse Moch says there are things to be aware of going into next season. “Thankfully, we’ve caught late rains, setting us up for a somewhat normal spring. Coming off of a drought, there’s not much to watch for soybeans, but there will be an increase in nitrates in the old corn ground. We could see an increase of iron chlorosis, because of higher nitrates. White mold may also be something to watch.” While the recent rains and snow have helped the topsoil situation, subsoil moisture is still a concern. “Farmers are still finding dry soil and I hope we keep getting soil moisture replenishment.” Hear the interview.

A Busy Fall Fertilizer Season – Fertilizer prices are at all-time highs. Despite the sticker shock, CHS Ag Services Sales Manager Andrew Schultz says a lot of fertilizer was applied this fall. “We had a record fall this year in terms of the amount of tons applied,” said Schultz. “Most of those who typically do stuff in the fall committed in the late July/early August timeframe.” A large percentage of the fertilizer has been booked already. “You had urea at $525 (per ton) and all the way up to $900; we locked in a lot more urea at the bottom side of that than at the top side.”

Consider Locking In Fuel Needs – The U.S. Department of Energy released 50 million barrels of oil from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve to address high gas prices and supply and demand challenges. Total Farm Marketing Senior Market Advisor Naomi Blohm says the crude oil market anticipated the announcement. “While 50 million barrels sounds like a lot, in September, Americans used an average of 20 million barrels each day. This was only the equivalent of about 2.5 days of supply.” Blohm says this was a buying opportunity. If farmers still need to book fuel needs, now may be a good time to do it. “With the economy recovering strong, I’m of the opinion the market will work higher.”

Corn Matters – In this week’s Corn Matters, University of Minnesota Extension Educator Shane Bugeja previews the Soil Management Summit  happening in Mankato, Minnesota this December.

Sugarbeet Growers to Meet Thursday – On Thursday, the American Crystal Sugar Company and Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association will have their joint annual meeting in Fargo. Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association President Neil Rockstad says the 2021 sugarbeet crop was good. “The growing and harvest seasons were not without ups and downs.” The joint annual meeting will not only look back at the 2021 crop, but what’s happening in the sugar industry. Rockstad says regulations are a big challenge for sugarbeet growers. “We are often focused on the next farm bill coming up in 2023, but our focus has been divided on seeing a successful farm bill and regulation on chemicals. Weed pressures are increasing and the EPA is trying to take tools out of our toolbox not replaceable with anything.”

Acres & Shares: Beet Stock Values – Last week, 115 American Crystal Sugar Company beet shares were brokered at $4,400 per share. This information is provided by Acres & Shares which on a weekly basis compiles sales data from all broker websites and combines it.

DOJ Challenges Sugar Industry Merger – The U.S. Justice Department is challenging United Sugar’s proposed acquisition of Imperial Sugar Company, citing antitrust concerns. Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter said this merger would eliminate “aggressive competition” in the refined sugar industry. United Sugar is a marketing cooperative that includes American Crystal Sugar Company, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative and Wyoming Sugar Company. A lawsuit challenging the DOJ decision is expected.

U.S. and Mexico Take Additional Steps to Open Fresh Potato Market – The U.S. and Mexico are moving forward with a rulemaking process allowing the U.S. to export fresh potatoes to all of Mexico. This follows a ruling in favor of the U.S. from Mexico’s Supreme Court seven months ago. National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles said the U.S. potato industry’s been working behind the scenes to see the regulatory process start. “There’s been a public posting of what’s called a requirement sheet, the broad foundation of how exports will take place. That’s accompanied by an operational work plan, the nuts and bolts of how potato shipments will be inspected and how they’ll be inspected. We’re hoping in a few short months we may have established access to this export market.” Opening this market could expand potato exports by 50 percent each year. In a statement, the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association said expansion of this market will directly and indirectly help potato growers in the Northern Plains.

Canada Halts Potato Exports from Prince Edward Island – To prevent the spread of potato wart, a fungus affecting fresh potatoes, Canada will restrict potato movement from Prince Edward Island to other Canadian provinces and the United States. The fungus is present on two different farms in the province. All potato exports from that area of Canada are suspended until further notice and the equipment used in fields in the province will have new restrictions before coming into the United States. The National Potato Council says if potato wart is transmitted to the U.S., the country’s potato industry would likely lose access to all international fresh potato markets.

We’re All Ears: Taking the CO2 Out of Corn – Carbon markets are becoming a hot topic in agriculture. Farmers can be paid for implementing good conservation practices. Syngenta’s Head of Sustainable and Responsible Business Liz Hunt says planting cover crops and no-till are two great solutions to sequester carbon in the soil. “We can assign a value to that. Those are measured in a carbon dioxide equivalent. Then, those credits are sold through registries to companies seeking to reduce their footprint.” Hunt says there are different programs and offers available that reward farmers who are already implementing good conservation practices. “I would also encourage farmers, is there something else they could add to their already good practices that can help make them better than they already are?” Check out this episode of the “We’re All Ears” podcast on Podbean, the Golden Harvest website, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast and Spotify.

MN Beef Update – Happy Holidays! Minnesota Beef Council’s Director of Industry Relations Royalee Rhoads wishes farmers and ranchers a good time with friends and family this time of the year. Hear more in this week’s Minnesota Beef Update.

Opportunities Ahead for U.S. Dairy Exports – One bright spot for dairy industry is the export demand. The USDA is forecasting dairy product exports to increase $200 million in Fiscal Year 2022, reflecting strong global import demand and tightening competitor supplies. American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist Roger Cryan also has optimism for dairy export growth potential. “About 15 to 16 percent or more of U.S. milk is going overseas in the form of dairy products. A lot of that are dry products that can be used to make and process other products overseas. We also export lots of cheese to Mexico. The future for dairy is bright in the long-term.”

Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Confirmed in MN Turkey Flock – Routine testing by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health found H5 low pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial turkey flock in Kandiyohi County. H5 LPAI does not pose a risk to public health or food safety. The Board of Animal Health quarantined the flock and continues to monitor and test the flock. State Veterinarian Dr. Beth Thompson says testing birds before they go to market is standard procedure for poultry flocks to verify only healthy birds are sent to market.

MN Farm Bureau Minute – Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation’s newly elected president Dan Glessing is looking forward to the new year of service. Hear more about Glessing’s goals in the latest Minnesota Farm Bureau Minute.

Hours of Service Waiver Extended in ND – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration approved North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum’s request to extend the hours-of-service waiver for commercial truckers hauling livestock feed and water to livestock producers impacted by lingering drought conditions. Under the new extension, the waiver will remain in effect through December 24 or the end of the emergency, whichever is earlier..

ND Ag Researchers Awarded APUC Grants – The North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Commission grant program is being used for six projects totaling more than $462,000. Included in the funding is $38,299 to NDSU’s Department of Plant Sciences to conduct research with a novel sorting machine to sort soybeans based on their physicochemical composition and improve the quality of final products. AIC Energy Corp., was awarded $60,000 to offset costs associated with licensing for a new patent pending technology process that will allow more flexibility with new equipment that will be used to refine sustainable aviation and renewable diesel fuels.

Canola Minute – The Northern Canola Growers Association’s annual Canola Expo will be held in-person on December 14. Hear more about it from Executive Director Barry Coleman in this week’s Canola Minute.

Rural Broadband Grants Available from USDA – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking applications for grants and loans to help rural areas get high speed internet. There’s $1.5 billion available in the USDA’s ReConnect Program. Those applying must commit to building facilities capable of providing broadband speeds at a certain level and USDA will consider the economic needs of the community to be served. Applications must be submitted through the USDA’s Rural Development’s application system online.

Equipment Sales Remain Strong for Titan Machinery – Titan Machinery is reporting third quarter net income of $21.8 million, that’s based on revenues of $454 million for the quarter that ended October 31. Year-over-year third quarter equipment sales were up 37 percent to $329.8 million. Titan Machinery Chairman and CEO David Meyer says the ongoing strength of the broader agriculture sector continues to fuel demand for equipment. Equipment demand grew 37 percent in the third quarter. Read more.

Northern Ag Expo Returns to In-Person Event – The Northern Ag Expo will be held Tuesday and Wednesday. North Dakota Agricultural Association’s Stu Letcher says there’s a great lineup of speakers and topics for this in-person event. “On Tuesday, we’ll cover the Northern Plains weather and what’s ahead for seed traits and get a marketing outlook. Former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson will also talk farm policy.” On Tuesday afternoon, there will be a fertilizer market outlook. Letcher says fertilizer pricing and availability remains a concern in North Dakota. “Even if farmers want fertilizer, they may not be able to get it. Normally, this time of the year, if farmers see a price increase they can hang on and in the spring, prices fall. That’s not the case currently.” On Wednesday, discussions will focus on possible estate law change, farm policy and an update from the Farm Service Agency.

MN Wheat Minute – The Prairie Grains Conference is coming up in December. Minnesota Wheat’s Vice President of Operations Coreen Berdahl previews the event in this week’s Minnesota Wheat Minute.

Western Minnesota Farmer Now Serving as MFU VP – After serving as the Minnesota Farmers Union secretary for five years, Anne Schwagerl of Browns Valley is the organization’s new vice president. Anne and her husband raise organic corn, soybeans, oats and kernza. They also have a small herd of pastured hogs that they direct market to consumers. Schwagerl values the focus Farmers Union puts on local foods. “COVID 19 really exposed how brittle our food system is and accessing quality meat processing has been such a challenge for the producer, my farm included.” Shwagerl sees opportunities for all parts of Rural America to work together. “I think there’s more that unites us than what divides us, despite what our politicians may be trying to tell us.”

Tobin Joins NDSU Extension at Carrington – Collin Tobin is now working at the North Dakota State University’s Carrington Research Extension Center as an animal scientist. Tobin will focus on backgrounding and feedlot nutrition utilizing alternative feed resources. Tobin has bachelor and master’s degrees in plant science at South Dakota State University and a PhD in range science from New Mexico State University.