A Weekly Update from the Red River Farm Network
Monday, October 14, 2024
Fire Marshall Investigating Historic Fires in Western ND – Nearly 111,000 acres have burned in this wildfires across western North Dakota. After surveying the damage a week ago, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum said it will be a long recovery process. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” It’s too early to know, but Burgum said Saturday, October 5th may go down as one of the worst combined fire days in the history of North Dakota. A total of 89,000 acres were burned in the Ray, Alamo and Tioga areas of Williams County with the fire 100 percent contained. Nearly 12,000 acres have burned in the Bear Den Fire east of Watford City and the blaze is 75 percent contained. The Elkhorn Fire near Grassy Butte is 75 percent contained and impacts over 10,000 acres. The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services reports the Double Ditch Fire north of Bismarck is 100 percent contained and impacted 2,300 acres. Two lives have been lost in these fires.
Animal Health Risk from Wildfires and Smoke – North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has activated the Hay Hotline and a Rancher Relief Hotline. Even if livestock weren’t lost in the wildfires, Goehring said there is an increased risk for health complications such as pneumonia. “Sometimes it’s a week or two afterward when you start losing livestock and that’s simply because of the event that took place previously,” said Goehring. “The Feds have not always been good about responding to those things,” but Goehring said the state will advocate for that support. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture is working with NDSU Extension to assess the agricultural losses due to the wildfires.
Addressing Livestock Losses – The fires in western North Dakota have caused devastating losses. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association is collecting information about missing and found livestock in the affected areas. “We have heard of anecdotal stories of serious livestock losses as well as things like farmsteads and fences and other infrastructure,” said Julie Ellingson, executive vice president, NDSA. Resources for those affected by the fires can be found on the NDSA website.
Out of the Ashes Wildfire Relief Fund Established – The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association and North Dakota Stockmen’s Foundation have launched a disaster relief fund to help offset losses from the fires in western North Dakota. “Everybody that’s here isn’t out of danger yet even though these fires are put out,” reports North Dakota Stockmen’s Foundation President Jason Lieseth. An initial contribution of $50,000 has been made in the Out of the Ashes Wildfire Disaster Relief Fund and invites others to contribute to the effort. The money raised will be distributed in its entirety to North Dakota cattle ranchers this winter after going through an application and nomination process. Donations can be made online.
Documenting Loss: Key to Disaster Assistance – The Farm Service Agency has disaster programs available for those farmers and ranchers affected by the fires in western North Dakota. Documentation is necessary to utilize the assistance programs. “A picture is worth a thousand words so before you start fixing fences, take a picture of what that burned-up fence looked like first,” said Marcy Svenningsen, executive director, North Dakota State FSA. There are resources out there to help you decide what to document but Svenningsen suggests you keep as much documentation as possible and ask yourself “how would I prove what I’m doing to somebody so that I could be reimbursed for it?”
Discretion Will be Given – Documenting the losses from the wildfires is important, but FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux said discretion will be taken. “Whatever records a producer has, we will work with them to try to make sure they get the assistance they need.” Ducheneaux says there have been instances where the house burned down with all the records so a judgment call was needed. discretion is necessary in those instances. The FSA has numerous programs available, but “they’re no good to them if they can’t get in the door.”
Recovery Includes Livestock Disposal – Livestock losses are mounting from the fires in western North Dakota. The disposal of the animal carcasses be part of the cleanup process. “This is going to be one of the first priorities once everything is extinguished,” said Mary Keena, livestock environmental management specialist, North Dakota State University Extension. The three suggested disposal methods include burying, composting, or a landfill. You can find more resources here.
Lame-Duck Session May Deliver for Agriculture – Once the votes are counted and the election is over, lawmakers will return to Washington, D.C. for a lame duck session. The plate will be full for Congress, but Pro Farmer consultant Jim Wiesemeyer expects help to be on the way for farmers and ranchers. “We’re going to get a hurricane disaster bill and maybe even a farm financial transition payment,” Wiesemeyer told RRFN. “You’ll see financial assistance for the ag sector because it is hurting right now.” According to Wiesemeyer, the odds are rising for passage of a new farm bill this year. “Either Trump or Harris want to have as much done in the lame-duck as it possibly can to hit the ground running in their new administration.” In an interview with RRFN, Wiesemeyer discusses the importance of the rural vote in the presidential election, his thoughts on control of the House and Senate and tax policy.
Dairy Needs a Strong Safety Net – While the year has been generally good for dairy producers, Associated Milk Producers Incorporated Chairman Dave Peterson stresses the importance of a farm bill, especially for the Dairy Margin Coverage plan. “We don’t want to forget that because of the year we’ve had. We might as well face it, two years ago, it kept a lot of farms in business.”
Competition and Fairness – USDA has released an interim report on competition and fair market practices in the meat sector. The trend of increased market concentration is continuing with the top four meatpackers. The report identifies hidden fees and anti-competitive pricing strategies in the beef market. As a result, the Agriculture Department plans to step up its enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act. USDA will also look for ways to improve price discovery in the fed cattle market. That includes focusing on alternative marketing arrangements, including forward contracts or custom feeding under packer ownership.
NCBA Calls White House Event ‘Misguided’ – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is criticizing an agriculture event hosted by the White House. This event promoted competition and transparency in agriculture, including the cattle market. In a statement, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane said it was “a pep rally” to promote the Biden agenda “with animal rights activists front and center.” Lane said the Administration should be dealing with more immediate problems affecting cattle producers, including the hurricanes and wildfires.
Promoting Competition in Ag Supply Chain – In a meeting with a group called Farmers and Ranchers in Action, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack outlined ways to address competition in the seed and farm input business. The goal is to increase transparency and improve researcher access to seed germplasm.
Job Opportunities in Agriculture – Check out the Job Opportunities in Agriculture tab on the Red River Farm Network website. The East Polk County Farm Service Agency in McIntosh has two positions available. The two full-time program analysts are positions supporting the FSA programs administered at the local level. Starting annual salary ranges from $39,576 to $77,955 per year depending on qualifications. Positions with FSA offer benefits such as health insurance, life insurance, 401(k) plan, paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, and flexible work schedules. Find out more on the Job Opportunities in Agriculture tab on the Red River Farm Network website.
New NCGA President Takes Message to the White House – During a White House meeting on competition in agriculture, National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. said farmers are dealing with a difficult economy. Hartman called on the Biden Administration and Congress to take action on tax credits to expand the market for ethanol and sustainable aviation fuels. Hartman also spoke about the importance of the farm bill.
Tax Exemptions Sunset at the End of ’25 – The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will expire at the end of 2025. That jeopardizes the estate tax exemption, stepped-up basis and bonus depreciation. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association surveyed members about the potential change in the tax structure. “If Congress fails to act and the estate tax relief reverts back to that $5 million (exemption) for individuals and $10 million for couples, that is going to hit 61 percent of our producers so that’s huge,” said Kent Bacus, executive director of government affairs, NCBA. With all the pressures facing farm and ranch families as they transition to the next generation, Bacus doesn’t want them punished for their hard work. Bacus said there is a knowledge gap in Congress on this issue with less than half of the members still in Congress from when the tax cuts were made in 2017.
A Weather Shutdown – The Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative sugarbeet harvest shut down for a portion of the past week while it waited for cooler temperatures to return. “A lot of areas have just kept doing rounds of preharvest at a small amount just to keep factories running,” said Carson Klosterman, Wyndmere, North Dakota, who was harvesting corn in the meantime. “We have a good crop out there, it’d be nice to be able to put them on the shelf in good shape so they don’t spoil.”
Sugarbeet Harvest Paused for Heat – American Crystal Sugar Company shut down sugarbeet harvest on Tuesday morning because of the heat. the beet lifters were back in action Friday night. “We’ve been fortunate that we’ve had run time already,” said Travis Pederson, agronomy manager, ACSC. “With the dry conditions and warm weather, we’ve seen an uptick in the sugar content which would be expected.” Pederson also says the yields are in the low to mid-30 ton per acre range so far.
Sugarbeet Delay Lead to Productive Fall – The delays in sugarbeet harvest have allowed farmers to catch up on other projects this fall. “As far as shutdowns go, heat is the best because you’re still able to do other things,” said David Thompson, East Grand Forks. “We’ve got fertilizer down for next year’s sugarbeet crop. We’re getting the fertilizer down for next year’s wheat crop.”
A Tale of Two Crops – With sugarbeet harvest well underway, NDSU/University of Minnesota Sugarbeet Agronomist Tom Peters says it’s a tale of two harvests. “The yields are very strong this year, especially in the northern end of the (Red River) Valley where we had pretty consistent rains. We’ll see some field averages in the 40-ton areas.” Early-season excessive rains in the southern part of the Red River Valley will likely have a negative impact. Peters expects sugar content to be okay. “They were modest in the beginning, but they’re starting to creep up a little.”
Beet Harvest Campaign Resumes – Dan Younggren, who farms in Kittson County, was ready to return to the sugarbeet harvest after a few days off for the heat shutdown. “It’s hard to complain about the weather when it’s 80 degrees.” When harvesting started back up, Younggren said they’d be returning to nice field conditions. While Younggren is hopeful to be able to continue without any more major shutdowns, he said the next problem could be cold conditions. “However, you can usually surf through a cold down to 29/28 degrees and still keep harvesting.”
Tough Beet Harvest in Southern Minnesota – The Red River Farm Network’s own Randy Koenen harvested sugarbeets in southern Minnesota this past week. Dry conditions made for tough digging conditions. “I’ve always said I hated digging beets in the mud, but when you can’t see where you’re going because of the dust I’m thankful for GPS because without that you wouldn’t know if you were on the row or not.” said Koenen. “I’m guessing our best beets are 21-22 tons, it could be a little more but for the most part, it’s been pretty poor. The worst field has been just over eight tons.” That field was in Renville County where it was inundated with rain all year.
Managing the Harvest Schedule – Its been said soybeans are made during the month of August. Mayville, North Dakota farmer Brent Kohls had a couple nice August rains that gave his beans a boost. “The corn also seemed to root in and benefit from that late-season moisture,” said Kohls. “It’s just been a long time without rain now so we’re just keeping an eye on the corn and trying to prioritize harvest to determine what fields might have more stalk integrity problems to go get first.” The weather has pushed drydown in the corn. “Obviously, with the heat and the wind we’ve had, the moisture levels have certainly come down.” Kohls had some corn that dropped six points in moisture over the course of one week.
Full Swing Harvest – Harvest is in full swing for nearly the whole region. “In our region, we have sunflowers, soybeans, and corn left for the majority,” says Karmen Hardy, agronomist, Proseed. “Farmers are starting to get into the corn, depending on if they’re finished with their soybeans.” The variability throughout the summer has caused variable yields throughout the region, but Hardy says soybeans are very decent. Sunflowers are still a few weeks away if they are being left to dry down without desiccating.
Nebraska Soybean Harvest Nearing the Finish – Jeff Paplow Harvesting is finishing up on soybeans in northeast Nebraska. Foreman Stefano Schmidt says dry weather has affected the quality. “We’re just finishing up on some irrigated beans here and it’s been hit or miss. We’ve had some 60-bushel beans around and it’s really dry at the moment. Some loads have gone in at seven moisture.” The combines will roll right into corn once the soybean harvest is complete, Paplow Harvesting is based at Roscoe, South Dakota.
Off the Charts – With late planting and the cool and wet weather in June and July, a late harvest season was anticipated. “We got that really above average spell of weather in September and October and all of a sudden we were off the charts for drydown in corn; we were losing well over a point of moisture per day in many places,” said Grant Mehring, technical agronomist, Dekalb Asgrow. Conditions have been ideal for crown rot and stalk rot. As a result, corn is very susceptible to snapping off low on the plant. Prioritizing those corn fields would make sense, but Mehring said it may not matter with all the wind we’ve had. The bushels are “extremely satisfactory” with Mehring citing averaged in parts of southeastern North Dakota “like 240 bushels an acre with pretty dry corn, 17-18 percent moisture.” Listen to the interview.
Central ND Harvest Advances – Peterson Farms Seed Regional Agronomist Kelsey Pellman says soybean harvest in central North Dakota has kicked into high gear. “Some guys had a tough start in the spring and a few guys had a dry spell that hit mid-summer so people weren’t entirely sure what to expect, but yields have been very good.” Combines are also moving in corn. “Moistures are dropping pretty quickly with the warm weather and the winds that we’ve had lately.”
Smooth Harvesting – The open weather has allowed the combines to run with limited delays. “For us, it’s been going really well; I can’t complain,” said Gaylen Affield, Breckenridge, Minnesota. “Obviously, you have a few hiccups along the way, but that’s normal. We’re about 50 percent done with our corn.”
Pioneer Agronomy Update – As the soybean harvest wraps up, it is a good time to monitor for SCN. “If you have fields or small spots in fields where yield was reduced from what you were expecting and you’re having a hard time explaining why, it might be a good idea to test those areas for soybean cyst nematode,” said Cole Ehrlin, strategic account manager, Pioneer. SCN is a leading cause of yield loss nationwide. If SCN is suspected, your Pioneer representative can outline sampling procedures. Click here to listen to the Pioneer Agronomy Update.
Tar Spot Threatens Corn Yields – Tar Spot is a newer disease in the United States, only arriving in 2015. “Tar Spot has led to some pretty big yield losses, as much as 50 bushels,” said Andrew Friskop, plant pathologist, NDSU Extension. “We don’t have as much host resistance where most of our management tools are being relied on right now as fungicide applications.” The fungal disease can be difficult to identify. “Your best chance to start looking for it is in any late planted corn or maybe some corn that has really long maturity. As the name describes, you’re looking for black spots. What you’re going to see is maybe one tar spot lesion per every 50-or-100 plants. It’s pretty low as far as frequency, so have some patience.”
MN Corn Matters – Blair Hoseth, a Mahnomen farmer, represented Minnesota Corn when the United Kingdom Ambassador made a visit to the Twin Cities. Learn more about that event and the opportunities for Minnesota agriculture in Corn Comments. Corn Comments is a presentation of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. Click here.
Potato Harvest Success – Potato harvest is rounding out around the region. “We’ve got one late quarter of yellows which will be ready in a few days but other than that we’ve been done,” says Tom Campbell, Grafton, North Dakota. A few timely rains at the beginning of harvest helped the harvest go smoothly. “If it wouldn’t have been for that, it would have been pretty dry, but it made it a good harvest.” Campbell says the crop was above average overall.
Above-Average Canola – While the majority of the canola crop has been harvested. Carpio, North Dakota farmer Pat Murphy says it was an above-average crop. “I think we’re anywhere from 2,100-2,200 to that 2,600-2,700 (pound per acre) range.” Murphy says about 95 percent of the crop was straight harvested which influenced the yields.
Canola Minute – Here’s the latest Canola Minute from the Northern Canola Growers Association. This week, Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman joins us to talk about insect monitoring. Listen to the report.
Tattoo Your Backside – University of Minnesota Extension Economist Ed Usset is advising farmers to sell into any rallies seen in the grain market. He’s firm about this view. “Don’t do it in permanent ink, but tattoo ‘sell rallies’ on your backside and keep that in mind in the months ahead.”
Supply vs. Demand – Predicting the future is difficult. That is complicated in the grain markets because there are so many variables. NDSU Crops Economist Frayne Olson says many farmers tend to focus on supply-side issues, often ignoring other indicators. “The problem is there’s like seven or eight of them and they’re all moving at the same time and sometimes, they move in opposite directions. The solid number that we know is when we actually sell some grain, when we make a sale. That’s confirmation about what’s happening, not rumor or possibility, but fact.” Olson advises growers to pay attention to demand as a way of determining short-term price direction. “Have we been selling corn into the global markets? If we have, that means that we are competitive and that we do have an underlying base that we can work from. If we’re not getting those sales, then I get worried because that means that we’re too high-priced.”
Ho-Hum Report – USDA made no change in the soybean ending stocks from last month and dropped the corn carryout from 2 billion bushels to 1.99 billion. Wheat ending stocks totaled 812 million bushels, down from 828 million in September.
Nominal Changes Made in Crop Production Estimates – The USDA crop production estimates are all within trade expectations. Corn production is forecast at 15.2 billion bushels, up from 15.1 billion in the September report. Corn is predicted to average 183.8 bushels per acre, up two-tenths of a bushel from last month. Soybean production is estimated at 4.6 billion bushels, up marginally from September. Soybean yields are expected to average 53.1 bushels per acre, which is in line with last month.
Only Small Adjustments Seen in MN Crop Production – In Friday’s crop production report, USDA said Minnesota corn yields are expected to average 183 bushels per acre. That’s unchanged from September and down two bushels per acre from a year ago. Soybean yields are forecast at 48 bushels per acre, down one bushel from September and unchanged from a year ago. Minnesota canola yields are expected to average 2,500 pounds per acre. Sugarbeet yields are predicted to average just under 31 tons per acre. Dry bean production is expected to be up eight percent from last year with an average yield of 2,000 pounds per acre.
NASS Updates ND Projections – The October crop production report forecasts North Dakota corn yields to average 144 bushels per acre and average soybean yields at 38 bushels per acre. Both totals are up slightly from last year. Canola production is up 11 percent and would be record high if realized. North Dakota canola yields are projected to average 1,880 pounds per acre. Sugarbeet yields are estimated at 30.7 tons per acre. Dry edible bean production is forecast to be up 31 percent from a year ago with an average yield of 1,650 pounds per acre. North Dakota sunflower production is down 47 percent from a year ago with an average yield of just under 2,000 pounds per acre.
A Record SD Corn Crop Forecast – As of October 1, South Dakota corn production is forecast record high with a projected average yield of 163 bushels per acre. Soybean yields are expected to total 47 bushels per acre. Sunflower yields are forecast just shy of 2,000 pounds per acre.
What’s Hot, What’s Not in Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson said the wheat market has a positive story to tell. “We continue to see a war premium built in with the escalation of the war between Ukraine and Russia and with what’s going on between Iran and Israel.” Harvest pressure in the U.S. is on the negative side of the market.
Ukrainian Ports Under Attack – In the past week, Russia attacked Ukrainian grain shipments and port infrastructure five times. The Ukrainian foreign minister said global food security is at risk due to these civilian attacks. Grain exports on the Black Sea were approaching levels seen before the war, but that has backed off with the recent missile attacks.
Time for Budget Planning – Harvest dominates the schedule and the mindset at this time of the year. However, Farmers Business Network Director of Finance Sales T.J. Wilson says it is also time to be building out a budget and a marketing plan for next year. “Cash flows are going to be very tight again next year so I think it is extremely important for producers to understand where they are and where they want to be at the end of next year.” The farm economy is in a difficult position. “We’ll likely see some backward equity movement for producers,” said Wilson. “Luckily, land values have been strong and look pretty strong for next year.” To build a budget, Wilson advises farmers to consider their best and worst-case scenarios.
Maximizing Crop Insurance Benefits – Crop insurance claims are likely to be plentiful this year with the wet spring and periodic hail storms. Due to depressed prices, farmers can utilize crop insurance at a greater percentage of the APH yield. “We’re below that spring price. What that means is that if you have an 85 percent crop insurance policy, you’re going to start hitting crop insurance at about 92 percent of your APH yield,” explains Kent Thiesse, farm management analyst. Insurance will kick in at different yields depending on your coverage rate. “Your best source of advice or information is your crop insurance agent.”
FOMC Minutes Released – The minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee’s September meeting have been released. Fed officials debated the size of the interest rate cut, before settling on a half-point interest rate reduction. In its projections, the fed-funds target is in a range of 3.25-to-3.5 percent by the end of 2025.
Inflation Rose More Than Expected – The Labor Department is reporting the consumer price index rose 2.4 percent from a year ago. That’s after a 2.5 percent increase in August. The inflation number was above trade expectations.
Mexican Trade Delegation Visits NoDak – A Mexican trade delegation received a behind-the-scenes look at North Dakotan corn production last week. “Members from all areas of ag are visiting from Mexico just to get a better understanding of where their commodities come from and questions they have about their corn,” said Carson Klosterman, chair, North Dakota Corn Utilization Council. “We’ve had some great conversations on the quality of the corn.” Klosterman says hosting the Mexican delegation also opens up the possibility of expanding export markets. “There’s always room for growth on the whole feedgrain side and also ethanol. It’s quite eye-opening how much these other countries are hungry for higher grades of ethanol.”
Burgum Leads South Korean Trade Trip – North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is on the first day of a trade mission to South Korea. A memorandum of understanding was signed to establish a partnership in energy technology research and development. Fargo-based Bobcat is part of the South Korean Doosan Group and Burgum will meet with Doosan Bobcat CEO Scott Park later this week.
Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s Dry Bean Scene, Johnstown Bean Company General Manager Dylan Karley says the edible bean harvest is coming to an end. Listen to the report.
Fall Calf Run Kicks Off – The fall calf run is underway at Stockmen’s Livestock Exchange in Dickinson. “After this week, we’ll go two sales a week on the new crop calves,” said co-owner John Fischer. “It’s going to be about 2,500-3,000 (head) on Tuesdays and anywhere from 4,000-5,000 (head) on Thursdays.” Fischer expects to see most bred heifers going to town because the prices are ideal.
A Steady Summer Cattle Run – The cattle flow through Rugby Livestock never slowed down this summer. “Normally, our slow times are June, July and August,” said Cliff Mattson, owner. “This year we didn’t really get a slow time for a lot of the weigh-up cows.” The cattle numbers backed off at the beginning of September and Mattson said he hasn’t seen the typical increase happening at this time of year. “It seems like the weather always dictates when we start getting busy and I think that might be around the corner.”
Beef Production Raised, Pork Output Lowered – Total red meat and poultry supplies were raised from last month in today’s USDA supply/demand report. Beef production was raised with an increase in cattle slaughter and heavier dressed weights. Pork production declined, influenced by a slower pace of slaughter and lower weights. Both broiler and turkey production were lowered. The 2024 milk production forecast was lowered slightly with milk output on a per-cow basis down from the last report.
Poultry Company Bankruptcy Strands 1.3 Million Chickens – A Fairfax, Minnesota-based poultry company, Pure Prairie Poultry, closed its doors last week. Bankruptcy forced the closure of the company’s processing plant in Charles City, Iowa, impacting dozens of contract growers and 1.3 million birds. These contractors are located in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. “It’s a lot of stress, especially for the farmers, as they try to figure out what to do with the chickens,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “We were able to get feed to help them limp along for a few days, which was important, but we’re nearing the end of the line for some of these birds.” Hard at work for the past two weeks, Petersen says finding solutions has not been easy. “It’s a difficult situation because there’s also liens on the chickens by several companies that have frankly held up some of the solutions that may have been there for those birds so the department continues to work on trying to find homes for these chickens.”
October is Co-op Month – Co-op Month is celebrated during October to raise awareness about a trusted, proven way to do business. The theme for this year’s Co-op Month is ‘The Future is Cooperative.’ 2025 will be recognized as the International Year of Cooperatives. With Associated Milk Producers, Inc and its Dinner Bell Creamery and the North Dakota Farmers Union, RRFN recognizes the role of cooperatives during this special occasion.
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, Adam Spagenski, a dairy farmer in Becker County, is featured. Spagenski was recently in the state water quality program. Listen to the report.
Cali E15 Bill Will Not be Heard in Special Session – The California State Senate will not take up a proposal to speed up the state’s move to a 15 percent ethanol blend. A bill that would have required the California Air Resources Board to expedite its review of a move from ten percent to a 15 percent ethanol blend passed the State Assembly. However, a key committee refused to hear the bill during the current special legislative session. The issue will need to wait until California’s next regular legislative session.
South Dakota Carbon Capture Law on the Ballot – An initiative covering the regulation of the carbon dioxide pipeline will be on South Dakota’s ballot this November. Referred Law 21 addresses Senate Bill 201 which requires regulation of the carbon dioxide pipelines used in carbon capture and storage systems. South Dakota Corn Growers Association Executive Director Danita Murray said the benefits are numerous for both corn growers and the environment. “I think that there’s a broad spectrum of folks that might be interested in this. From those who are perhaps interested in sequestering carbon so that there are fewer greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to those who are interested in helping to ensure that some of the federal tax credit that’s moving out the door from Washington, D.C. from the Inflation Reduction Act, goes to the right programs.” Murray describes the big takeaway as the lack of a relationship with imminent domain. “I think there’s a misconception out there that folks who are opposed to the pipeline have been clever about and that is there is no tie between imminent domain and Senate Bill 201, meaning voting yes for law 21, has absolutely no impact on whether or not imminent domain is going to be used in South Dakota for the CO2 pipeline.”
Bringing Together Aviation and Agriculture – The annual UAS Summit in Grand Forks brought together aviation and technology groups from around the country. “This is an opportunity for the Grand Forks region to really showcase all of the emerging developments here in the UAS industry,” said Kevin Hatcher, business development manager, Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation. “It allows us to showcase collaboration through Grand Sky, our legislators, UND and the technology sector.” With agriculture and aviation playing such vital roles within the region, Hatcher said it’s only natural for them to work together. “You can think of drones being able to do crop spraying or monitoring and surveillance for crop moisture or soil moisture, it’s exciting to say the least.”
AURI Update – The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute hosts an ag innovation podcast with Dan Skogen that discusses Minnesota agriculture. The newest episode will air on October 16th showcasing AURI’s virtual assistant AVA. Find out more in this update from AURI.
UAS and AI for ‘Actionable Data’ – The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Summit hosted a panel discussion covering food security using UAS and AI. The panel featured NDSU researchers, Grand Farm and the private sector. “We collect data and push it to our end-user or that farmer; farmers need less data, more actionable information,” said Doug McDonald, flight operations manager, iSight RPV Services. McDonald believes there are numerous benefits to drone surveillance in farmers’ fields. “If we’re able to give them good information, their input costs go down. Less fuel, less seed, less fertilizer, less pesticides. Some of that kind of real-time information with high-quality images really makes a difference.”
NDSU Project Uses AI and Drones for Weed Control – A collaborative project between NDSU researchers and drone companies is exploring the possibility of detecting and identifying harmful weeds in fields. “Palmer Amaranth is a very damaging weed that can grow three-to-six inches per day and can spread up to one million seeds,” said NDSU Associate Professor Rex Sun. “The most dangerous part is that Palmer Amaranth does not have any efficient spray solutions, it is resistant to herbicides and glyphosate.” This is where Sun, who specializes in AI technologies, comes in. “We do research using AI to identify the weed species and the crop species for the farmers and then also detect disease and other applications in precision agriculture.” The project will soon move into its second phase. “The second step after detection is how can we treat the issue. I think we are doing some really beneficial things for the farmers.”
New Virtual Assistant Tool Launched – Minnesota’s Agricultural Utilization Research Institute has a new virtual assistant tool called AVA. AURI Director of Business Development Jason Robinson said this tool supports farmers and entrepreneurs. “Specifically, it is meant to answer some of those most commonly asked questions about starting or running a food business with a specific focus on providing answers to business development and food safety or science questions.” Robinson said AVA is different than other artificial intelligence chatbots on the internet because it only uses information curated by AURI. Listen to the full interview.
H-2A in the Courts – Ag groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Potato Council, have filed a lawsuit against the Labor Department and its new H-2A rule. The rule, which was imposed in April, prevents employers from retaliating against H-2A visa holders who try to form or join a union. A court ruled this provision was unconstitutional in August, but did not issue a national injunction.
Making the Best Better – North Dakota 4-H State Ambassador Savanna Lebrun gives credit to the Ramsey Country Extension Agents for her growth into leadership roles within 4-H. “I’ve learned anything from courtroom parliamentary procedures and laws to county laws and how the county government works, all the way up to how the state works.” Lebrun says her skills have helped her out in her collegiate clubs at North Dakota State College of Sciences where she has stepped into the secretary position of the welding club.
A 4-H Journey – Ramsey County 4-H member Mathea Nelson is a North Dakota 4-H State Ambassador this year. Nelson will help with activities such as the state fair, the Extension Youth Conference and retreats while still being involved in her local 4-H events.”No matter what you’re doing, you can always learn a little bit and that little bit can help you go a long way.”
4-H: Once-In-A-Lifetime Experience – Breckin Anderson is a Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador from Wilkin County who has been heavily involved in the organization. His involvement has led him to to the National 4-H Congress event in Georgia. “You meet with other states and figure out how 4-H is running in other states and it sheds some light on what you could change,” says Anderson. While growing up in town, Anderson’s 4-H experiences started with showing cattle and eventually entering into leadership roles. Anderson says his leadership opportunities will help him in the future. At the state fair, Anderson gave tours to a group of Ukrainian kids and University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham, which he thought were once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Growing 4-H for the Future – The National 4-H Council plans to increase the impact of 4-H from six million to ten million young people by 2030. “We see a unique opportunity with having educators and mentors in every county to reach down to that last milepost and help every kid that needs us,” said Heather Elliott, senior vice president and chief development officer, National 4-H Council. The 4-H Council will utilize three key strategies to reach this ambitious goal. The first is finding greater opportunities for academic and career pathways forward for the youth. The second is investing in the educators. The third is “how we mobilize that network at the state, local, and federal level to all surround young people and focus on how we help them.
Food Safety Task Force Appointed – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has appointed the members of the state food safety and defense task force. The appointees include Wholesale Produce Supply Vice President of Food Safety Steven Foster, Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation Director Ruth Meirick, Home Chef Vice President of Food Safety Stanley Osuagwu, Association of Food and Drug Officials Research Director Carrie Rigdon, Hennepin County Supervising Environmentalist Julia Selleys and Buddy’s Kitchen Vice President of Food Safety Thomas Webber.
Albrecht Retires – Ray Albrecht has retired as a senior merchant with the Cargill Agricultural Supply Chain. Albrecht worked for Cargill for 22 years as an agronomist/barley buyer and later as a territory manager and seed merchant. He also spent time as an agriculturist at the American Crystal Sugar Company.
SD Mourns Death of Senator Tim Johnson – Funeral services for former South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson will be held Friday, October 18th in Sioux Falls. Johnson spent five terms in Congress and three terms in the Senate. While in the House during the 1980s farm crisis, Johnson introduced the legislation that reorganized the Farm Credit System. During his career, Johnson also put his stamp on numerous farm bills and was a driving force behind the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2005. Johnson was 77.
Last Week’s Trivia- Johnny Cash had a #1 song with Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down.’ Keith Rekow of Dairyland Seed wins our weekly trivia challenge. Runner-up honors belong to Brian Fuder of the Red River Retention Authority, Keith Finney of Tharaldson Companies, Lee Hutchinson of Farm Credit Services of Mandan and Harvey farmer Bill Ongstad. Trivia honors also belong to Jim Altringer of Dakota Plains Ag, Peter Carson of Carson Farms, Kevin Praska of Stone’s Mobile Radio, retired controller Evonne Wold, Pisek farmer Ernie Barta, Ron Dvergsten of Northland Farm Business Management and Mark DeMay of Detroit Lakes.
This Week’s Trivia-Alabama is the first in an alphabetical list of the 50 U.S. states. What state comes at the end of the list? Send your answer to don@rrfn.com.
RRFN Upcoming Events | |||
October 14 - October 16 | National Agri-Marketing Association Fall Conference - Minneapolis, MN | ||
October 17 - October 19 | Tomorrow’s Top Hands Beef Leadership Summit - Bismarck, ND | ||
October 17 - October 20 | MN Beef Expo - St. Paul, MN | ||
October 17 | MN Youth Beef Experience Program - St. Paul, MN | ||
October 18 | NDFB Foundation Harvest to Harmony Gala - Fargo, ND | ||
October 19 | Dakota Feeder Calf Show and Feedout - Turtle Lake, ND | ||
October 23 - October 26 | National FFA Convention - Indianapolis, IN | ||
October 24 | Space Ag Conference - Wheatland, ND | ||
October 25 | NDSU Outlook Conference for Ag Lenders - Fargo, ND | ||
November 6 - November 7 | Crop Outlook & Int’l Canola and Durum Forum - Minot, ND | ||
November 6 - November 7 | Northern Canola Growers Association Canola Expo - Minot, ND | ||
November 7 | MN Ag & Food Summit - Minneapolis, MN | ||
November 8 | ND Junior Angus Association Meeting - Bismarck, ND | ||
November 9 | ND Angus Association Annual Meeting - Bismarck, ND | ||
November 9 | ND FFA Foundation Blue & Gold Gala - Fargo ND | ||
November 12 | SDSU Swine Day - Brookings, SD | ||
November 12 - November 15 | National Agriculture Bankers Conference - Milwaukee, WI |
Contact RRFN | Don Wick (701) 795-1315 |
Randy Koenen (701) 795-1315 |
Tyler Donaldson (701)-795-1315 |
Melissa Hammer (701)-795-1315 |
RRFN Affiliate Stations | |||
Aberdeen, SD – 105.5 FM | Ada, MN – 106.5 FM | Bagley, MN – 96.7 FM | Bemidji, MN – 1300 AM |
Benson, MN – 1290 AM | Bismarck, ND – 1270 AM | Bismarck, ND – 1270 AM | Casselton, ND – 103.9 FM |
Crookston, MN – 1260 AM | Devils Lake, ND – 103.5 FM | Fergus Falls, MN – 1250 AM | Fosston, MN – 1480 AM |
Glenwood, MN – 107.1 FM | Grafton, ND – 1340 AM | Jamestown, ND – 600 AM | Langdon, ND – 1080 AM |
Mahnomen, MN – 101.5 FM | Mayville, ND – 105.5 FM | Roseau, MN – 102.1 FM | Rugby, ND – 1450 AM |
Thief River Falls, MN – 1460 AM | Wadena, MN – 920 AM | Warroad, MN – 92.5 FM | Worthington, MN – 730 AM |
FarmNetNews is a production of the Red River Farm Network. RRFN is based in Grand Forks, North Dakota and provides news to farmers and ranchers across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.