Ag Input Costs Soften – With lower commodity prices, farmers are penciling out their costs for 2025. CoBank Lead Economist for Farm Supply and Biofuels Jacqui Fatka is seeing ag retailers provide extra financing options for the farmers who need them. Fertilizer, pesticide, and fuel expenses are down nearly ten percent year-over-year. Farmland values remain strong and farmers who own land rather than rent it have an advantage. It is a time of the ‘haves and have-nots.’ “There is a definite difference between those producers who are capitalized and own their own farmland versus maybe the younger or new beginning farmers who don’t have as much owned land and haven’t been able to use those high years pay off their debt quick and then use that as collateral building forward.” Fatka says there will be pressure for farmland rents to come down slightly. Listen to the full interview.

Land Values Defy the Odds – While land values often follow the fundamentals, that has not been the case lately. “You look at commodity prices, interest rates and what has happened in the last 12-18 months and they have kind of defied that,” said Kyle Nelson, Farmers National Company. “You can point to the stability and even strength that we’ve seen in the last year because there’s a little more confidence as opposed to ten years ago when we had the last cycle.” Nelson expects land values to remain steady overall in the short term.

Tight Margins Forecast for ’25 – University of Missouri Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center Director Alejandro Plastina says net farm income could drop over 20 percent 2025. “We are seeing lower crop receipts because of lower crop prices, and particularly for 2025, lower livestock receipts that might bring net farm income down again into next year,” Platina told RRFN. “Luckily, we are also expecting lower production expenses, but I’m not sure if those production expenses will be enough to offset the decline in crop receipts and livestock receipts.” Plastina advises farmers to plan for the financial downturn.

Late-Planted Soybeans Deliver Good Yields – Sykora Harvesting has finished the soybean harvest at Wheaton, Minnesota. “The late-planted beans were really good, 50-to-60 bushels, which is good beans in this area,” said Dennis Sykora. “The later-planted beans were in the upper 30s and low 40s range.” Corn is next for Sykora’s crew. “The early corn is going to be very good. With the good weather and we’ll be wrapping up in this area in about two-to-three weeks.”

Pioneer Agronomy Update – In the latest Pioneer Agronomy Update, Pioneer Strategic Account Manager Brent Sorenson said this is the perfect time to assess what worked this past year and what needs to be tweaked. “Getting the most out of the digital data you gathered for this year is an important first step. Granular Insights from Pioneer is a digital tool that can pull of your planting, application and harvest data from multiple platforms into one place.” Listen to the report.

Finish Line in Sight for Schemper Harvesting – Holdrege, Nebraska-based Schemper Harvesting is done with soybeans and moved on to the corn harvest. Jared Schemper thinks they’ll be finished in just a couple of weeks. Schemper says the corn and soybean quality has been very good, but hail had its impact. “We had a lot of 70-bushel of soybeans and we had a few quarters that got a bunch of hail on it that only made about 40. The quality is very good. The corn that’s been hailed on is making about 180 (bushels per acre) and a lot of the good corn is making 220-to-230. That’s probably about normal.”

Transitioning From Soybeans to Corn – The soybean harvest is ending for Barney, North Dakota farmer Mike Langseth. “We should finish in the next couple of days,” says Langseth. “We didn’t get planted until June so it’s just been slow getting ripe until it froze this week.” After soybeans are finished Langseth expects to slowly start getting into the corn harvest.

Soybeans Shine, Canola Yields Solid – Kennedy, Minnesota farmer Rob Rynning has parked the combine for the year. “The soybeans were better than we thought; we were thinking maybe mid-30s and they ended up over 40 (bushels per acre),” said Rynning. “The canola was also good. That was maybe slightly less than expected, but still a very, very good crop.” Rynning is waiting for the weather to cool before starting the fall nitrogen application. “We’ve done one field, but we didn’t want to get too aggressive because of the warm temperatures coming up.”

Late-Season Dryness Influences Harvest – Chad Ulmer, who farms at Fullerton, North Dakota, is at the halfway point for his corn harvest. “The yield’s exceptional but it’s pretty dry.” Ulmer said the soybeans needed one more shot of rain in late August. “Everyone thought that the beans were made when we had that big rain in August, but it turned out that we did need one more.”

Strong Yields in New Rockford – Farmers in the New Rockford, North Dakota area are seeing some impressive soybean yields. “We’ve got a lot of stuff in that mid-40 range and I’ve seen some fields that have gotten into the 70’s,” says Dave Gehrtz, district sales manager, Proseed. “Farmers are starting in the corn now and finding the same results there.” Gehrtz says the drowned-out spots are dragging the fields down but the good parts are bringing the average up.

From One Crop to the Next – With the soybean harvest wrapping up, the combines moved right into corn. “For the elevators, it’s been a little bit of a difficult transition because we’ve gone from one crop right into the next,” said Stu Letcher, executive vice president, North Dakota Grain Dealers Association. “There’s indications that we could start to see some issues, which is concerning.” With different crops being brought to elevators at the same time, Letcher said the rail systems may start to fall behind.

Dry Conditions Impact North Dakota Crop – Western North Dakota continues to experience extremely dry conditions. Anthony Mock, who farms near Braddock, says the corn is a lot drier than it usually is. “The first field we took off averaged 13.3 moisture, which this time of year is usually not the case.” He was fortunate not to encounter much disease pressure this year due to the dry weather. Overall, Mock is pleased with the yields of his soybeans and corn.

Managing Corn Moisture – As harvest season progresses, North Dakota State University Extension Ag Engineer Ken Hellevang addresses the moisture variation of the corn crop. While grain dryers can effectively reduce moisture content, they do not equalize it. “If we put that in a grain bin, grain tends to segregate depending on size and density. And so if we have variations, there’s a concern that we could still end up with a pocket of high moisture corn in one area of the bin that then could lead to storage problems,” Hellevang warns. Hellevang encourages farmers to prioritize field drying. Learn more about considerations for drying corn here.

Decision Made on ACSC Unharvested Acres – American Crystal Sugar Company General Agronomist Joe Hastings reports ACSC growers will leave about three percent of their max planting tolerance in the field. “We’re leaving a little bit out in the field, but growers are able to harvest up to 80 percent of their preferred stock shares.” Last year, ACSC growers left eight percent of their planted acres in the field. A record crop is anticipated with yields of 32.4 tons per acre. “Sugar content is phenomenal; we’re looking at the 19 (percent level) right now.”

Dealing With the At-Risk Acres – Red River Valley sugarbeet farmers have enjoyed strong yields and high sugar content this year. However, that means some acres unharvested. Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association Executive Director Harrison Weber said a lot goes into that decision. “They look at things like the long-term weather forecast and what will the La Nina bring this winter? How efficient are the factories currently running and what are the projections for the rest of the year? Sugar content also plays a role in that.”

Beet Stock Values – As the American Crystal Sugar Company beet harvest starts to wrap up, the beet stock trading season is in its early stages. According to Acres & Shares broker, Jayson Menke, the first brokered sale of the season was September 11. For the season to date, 824 shares for been brokered for an average price of $5,608.86 with a trading range of $5,550 to $5,650. On a weekly basis during the fall through spring trading season, Menke tracks brokered sales from the three beet stock brokerage firms and provides a weekly beet stock snapshot.

‘Best Crop I Ever Had’ – Freezing temperatures on Tuesday morning resulted in only a minor change in the way Curt Knutson harvested beets. “We ran a couple of defoliators, one in front of each harvester.” That allowed Knutson to keep harvesting through the night. “I think it may be the best crop I ever had,” Knutson added.

Sweet Boost in Sugarbeet Quality – The sugarbeet harvest faced delays due to the recent heat. St. Thomas, North Dakota farmer Tom Kennelly notes that the dry weather boosted sugar content. “We have really nice sugar; it’s probably the best I’ve seen in a while, with yields in the low 30s.”

SMBSC Harvest Update – After several brief heat shutdowns, Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative is hopeful they can finish the harvest without further interruptions. “We are very confident of our beet storage down here,” says Cody Bakker, ag strategy manager, SMBSC. Yields across the growing region are varied, but Bakker expects the average to settle in the mid to upper 20-ton range. “What we’re seeing at the end here is well into the 30’s. Guys kind of saved their best beets for last.”

Potato Harvest Nears Completion – Nokota Packers is in the final stretch of the potato harvest. “We’re probably about 80 percent done and for the most part it’s gone really well,” said Carissa Olsen, president and CEO, Nokota Packers. With average to above average yields, Olsen said it is a nice change from the recent dry years.

Solid Quality for Sunflowers – National Sunflower Association Executive Director John Sandbakken is pleased with the early harvest progress. “We’re about on pace with the five-year average, but ahead of where we were at this time last year.” As for the crop quality, Sandbakken is optimistic. “So far, the oil quality has been very good, though I haven’t heard much about oil content yet. Yields are ranging from average to above average.”

Wait for Cooler Soil Temperatures – According to NDSU Extension Soil Science Specialist Brady Goettl, farmers should delay fall nitrogen applications until soil temperatures cool down. “My best recommendation for making sure that nitrogen stays available and is economically going to make an impact next year is to just hold off on that application.” Goettl has received numerous inquiries about the late-season heat wave and its impact on the nitrogen application. “Once soil temperatures start to drop below that 50 degrees threshold in the morning, we can start confidently applying anhydrous ammonia.”

Fertility Decisions – Nitrogen fertilizer products have been on a downward trend. “They’re basically down 50 percent across the board from where they were the spring of 2022,” said Bryon Parman, agricultural finance specialist, North Dakota State University Extension. Phosphorus and phosphate fertilizers have not seen a similar downward trend, mostly due to tariffs creating a floor price. Parman said it is time to make fertilizer decisions for the 2025 crop. “Fertilizer prices are typically lowest in a calendar year in the fall. While it’s tough to make planting decisions early, you can save quite a bit of money that way.”

Dry Bean Scene – In this week’s edition of the Dry Bean Scene, Carl Jodock of Northwood, North Dakota and Tom Kennelly of St. Thomas, North Dakota highlight the past growing season. Topics include yields, weed control and more. Click here to listen.

Favorable Forecast Boosts Brazil’s Crop Planting Prospects – After a long year with severe drought conditions, Brazil is finally entering its wet season. Nutrien Ag Solutions Senior Science Fellow Eric Snodgrass says Brazil’s forecast is looking good for planting. “We are expecting more rain early in the growing season for central and western Brazil, which are their big producing areas,” said Snodgrass. “I think the big question will be by the time we get into the first week of November, are they 70 percent done with planting or 90 percent done with planting? All that will be determined by the rains that are coming.” Portions of Brazil have already received moisture, which should help with planting. “Overall, I’d say that the forecast is relatively favorable for Brazil in the near term for the rest of October and November.”

Fielding Questions – With the October USDA WASDE Report in the rearview mirror, it is time to focus on the fall marketing plan. In this edition of Fielding Questions, AgCountry Farm Credit Services Marketing Education Specialist Cody Didier offers his thoughts on the grain market. With the current farm financial situation, Didier said it is more important than ever to know your breakeven levels. Click here to listen to the Fielding Questions podcast.

Farm Bill, Financial Assistance on Wish List – During a tour of Arkansas farms, Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman said two things need to happen in the lame-duck session after the election. Number one, Boozman said a new farm bill needs to pass. Secondly, Boozman said farmers need an immediate financial assistance package.

A Call to Action – The farm bill is one of many issues that must be addressed after the election. “No one wants to kick this into 2025, because it doesn’t get any easier in ’25,” said Tom Sell, managing partner, Combest, Sell and Associates. “The budget problem is more difficult in ’25 and other political issues will be on the table like tax reform. They want to get it done in this lame duck session. From the farmers’ perspective, they need to get this done.” In addition to the farm bill, Congress will likely consider disaster relief for those affected by recent hurricanes. There will be attempts to add assistance for those hurt by agricultural disasters in 2023 and 2024. A bill called the FARM Act would also provide financial aid for the 2024 crop year as a bridge to the new farm bill. Sell said lawmakers need to hear from farmers about the issues impacting their operations. “Tell them what is important for your farm, whether that is disaster because of crop losses, whether that is just because of the economic realities in lining up finances for the 2025 crop year or what are the important parts of the farm bill from your perspective.”

MFU Minute – In the weekly update from the Minnesota Farmers Union, MFU President Gary Wertish speaks about the importance of trade relationships. Wertish was part of a news briefing this past week in a discussion about tariffs. Listen to the update.

Farm Bill Optimism Fades – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley does not expect a new farm bill to pass during the lame-duck session. During an event in Des Moines, Grassley said Congress will only be in session for two weeks in November and three weeks in December and he doesn’t think there is enough time to complete the farm bill.

Tariffs Cost Agriculture – Farmers will likely bear the burden of a tariff-based approach to trade. That conclusion came from research conducted by the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association and North Dakota State University. The study found a negative impact on U.S. corn and soybean prices while South American farmers would benefit from higher exports. A trade war would also have a ripple effect on the rest of the U.S. economy.

Corn Matters – Minnesota Corn Growers Association Past President Richard Syverson discusses tariffs and the potential for a trade war with China in this week’s Corn Matters. Corn Matters is a presentation of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. Corn Matters can be found here.

Tariff Talk Seen as Overblown – There has been a lot of rhetoric about tariffs recently. Pluto Commodities market analyst Domenic Varricchio thinks it’s much ado about nothing. “A lot of these tariffs that they’re harping on wouldn’t go into effect if the countries wind up buying the agricultural products from us,” said Varricchio. “Like the Phase I trade deal that was put in place, if China winds up buying $35 billion of agricultural goods from the U.S. tariffs don’t go into effect because China held up their end of the bargain.”

Stepping Up for Science-based Regulations – A coalition of nearly 300 state and national farm groups is standing up for a science-based regulatory framework for agriculture. The coalition claims misinformation has been spread by government officials in recent weeks. A letter to House and Senate agriculture committee leaders urged Congress and federal regulators to reject any attempt to undermine the existing risk-based and science-based regulatory system. The coalition includes commodity groups, Farm Bureau, the Agricultural Retailers Association and more.

MFBF Minute – Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation Foundation Director Ruth Meirick can be heard in the latest MFBF Minute as she previews next month’s annual meeting. Click here to listen.

Providing Feedback on Biofuel Tax Incentives – Agriculture and biofuel groups have submitted comments to USDA regarding climate-smart agricultural practices in producing biofuel stocks. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association calls for timely guidance for the 45Z Clean Fuel Production tax credit. If those guidelines aren’t in place by January 1, Minnesota Corn board member Richard Syverson said it could impact crop decisions. The American Coalition for Ethanol encouraged USDA and the Treasury Department to work together on the production practices necessary for the biofuel tax credits. ACE also wants individual conservation practices to be allowed, rather than a bundled approach.

Biofuel Industry Seeks ‘Rules of the Road’ – The Clean Fuel Production tax credit was included in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act and is meant to incentivize the production of clean fuels, like ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel. Minnesota Biofuels Association Executive Director Brian Werner said the guidelines for these tax incentives are scheduled to be released by the beginning of the year. “It’s really challenging to make investments or get capital financing for these investments at the (ethanol) plants that will reduce the carbon intensity of the finished ethanol if we don’t know what the guidance is and we don’t know what the rules of the road are going to be yet.” To secure the carbon emission reductions from the farm level, the government is now demanding an all-or-nothing bundled approach. “You have to do no-till, cover crops and efficient nitrogen fertilizer, all three of those practices on the same acreage and that’s not workable for a lot of Minnesota farmers.”

Excitement Builds for the FFA Convention – The 97^th National FFA Convention and Expo will welcome nearly 70,000 individuals to Indianapolis this week. “It’s a really exciting time for us to see all these future leaders in agriculture and what difference they’re going to make in their communities,” said Kristy Meyer, communications manager, National FFA Organization. FFA members will be engaged in competitive events, networking, days of service, delegate sessions and entertainment opportunities. Stay tuned with the Red River Farm Network for coverage from Indianapolis.

North Dakota FFA Heads to National Convention – North Dakota FFA will be represented at the National FFA Convention and Expo this week. “We have over 230 individuals including members, individuals, chaperones, and guests representing North Dakota,” says Nikki Fideldy-Doll, state advisor, North Dakota FFA. Members from across the state will compete in a number of contests throughout the convention. “North Dakota tends to have quite a bit of success at the National Convention so follow along because I know that’s going to be the case again this year.” You can follow along with coverage from the Red River Farm Network or access FFA Live for livestreamed events. 

Stiefvater Seeks National Office – A Salem, South Dakota FFA member is a National FFA candidate. Ella Stiefvater will be competing at the National FFA Convention. “The program that National FFA has developed is a legacy that anyone would be proud to be a part of and just to have the chance to be a part of it is incredible.” Stiefvater plans to continue to tell the story of American agriculture long after her time in FFA. “I hope to go into farm broadcasting,” said Stiefvater. “Going through school (at South Dakota State University) as an ag communications major, I’m trying to bring agriculture into the spotlight.”

Making an Impact – Former Minnesota State FFA Reporter Miriana Eiden will be vying to be a National FFA officer in the week ahead in Indianapolis. She remembers meeting a national officer when she was a high school freshman. “The impact that one little can have that changes the trajectory of somebody’s life is so cool and if I can have that impact on people and bring everyone else up, I would love that.” Eiden is from Buffalo, Minnesota and a student at South Dakota State University. “As someone wearing the blue jacket representing FFA members, a point that I like to drive home is there a future in agriculture and the future is so, so bright,” said Eiden. “We are the next generation that will produce the food and run the world”

North Dakota’s Fire Recovery – The road to recovery will be long for North Dakota farmers and ranchers affected by the fires this fall. “As dry as it is there is still that fire danger of something reigniting,” says Julie Ellingson, executive vice president, North Dakota Stockmen’s Association. “So there’s that worry and stress still out there.” Ellingson says it will be a while before anyone knows exactly how much loss and impact there will be. For recovery resources or to donate to the Out of the Ashes fire relief program you can visit the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association website. 

MN Beef Update – Minnesota State Cattleman’s Executive Director Kaitlyn Root joins this week’s Minnesota Beef Update with information about the upcoming Minnesota State Cattle Industry Convention. Click here to listen.

Ensuring Safe Water Quality After the Fires – Water quality can be an issue after wildfires such as those in western North Dakota. “When something burns it releases different chemical components,” said Miranda Meehan, livestock environmental stewardship specialist and disaster education coordinator, North Dakota State University. Using water quality testing can ensure that water is safe for livestock. “There may be sediment in those water sources or ash, fire retardants and other things that may be impacting the quality.” Meehan says all water sources are worth testing in order to be proactive about possible quality concerns. Find out more on the NDSU website.

Heavier Cattle Hit the Market – Lower feed costs may encourage feedlots to keep cattle longer, resulting in heavier carcass weights. “They’re putting on enough weight to amount to the equivalent of about 20,000-to-25,000 more head per week,” said Tim Petry, livestock economist, North Dakota State University Extension. Petry notes that beef production is on pace to match last year, which explains why cattle prices are expected to remain firm.

Feeder Cattle Volumes Increase – The fall cattle run is gaining momentum. “We had 6,200 (head) on the market,” says Mobridge Livestock co-owner Casey Perman. “This past week, we’ve seen prices rise $15-20 (per hundredweight) compared to the previous week.” While Perman doesn’t anticipate such increases every week, he does expect decent demand throughout the fall run.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – In this week’s edition of What’s Hot, What’s Not in Markets, Martinson Ag Risk Management President Randy Martinson reports cattle prices continue to push into levels that were not expected. The Dow and S&P 500 are also at record highs. What’s not hot? “I’d have to go with soybeans,” said Martinson. “Soybeans are testing their support levels; they break through these levels, they’ll likely come down to test contract lows.” Listen to the report.

Fertilizer Sector Monitoring Hurricane Milton Recovery – The fertilizer market continues to wait for official word on phosphate production in Florida following Hurricane Milton. StoneX Vice President of Fertilizer Josh Linville believes production was “relatively unscathed,” but it will take time for workers to finish the cleanup at their homes and return to work. With the fall application season on top of us, any time without production will be a negative. Linville said there are rumors of shipping delays, but no cancellations.

Testing Kura Clover’s Effect on Corn Production – Continuous corn demands a lot of nitrogen. A  researcher at Purdue University, Yichao Rui, is evaluating a perennial cover crop, Kura clover, that he hopes can reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers. “If we can successfully find a cover crop that can fit into a condensed corn system all year round and fix the nitrogen issue that can help provide ecosystem services that are much needed for continuous corn production.” The research has found that Kura clover systems can help reduce nitrogen leeching into tile systems and into the groundwater.” Surviving the winter and avoiding competition with row crops are some of the challenges Rui is finding. “You want them to supplement, provide some complementary services, but not be too dominant in a way that’s competing for resources.”

Job Opportunities in Agriculture – Check out the Job Opportunities in Agriculture tab on the Red River Farm Network website. The Kittson County Farm Service Agency in Hallock is hiring a full-time program technician. This position supports the FSA programs administered at the local level. Contact Nathan Johnson for the Kittson County job. The East Polk County Farm Service Agency in McIntosh also has two positions open with great pay and benefits. If you have ag jobs to fill, contact the Red River Farm Network for more information.

Chinese Economic Growth Remains Below Target Level – The Chinese economy expanded at a rate of 4.6 percent this past quarter. Growth has averaged 4.8 percent for the year, below the official target of five percent. Since late September, the Chinese government has introduced a series of measures to stimulate the economy.

Dollar Index’s Relevance is Questioned – The strength of the U.S. dollar is often cited for its influence on agricultural trade. NDSU Crops Economist Frayne Olson feels the U.S. Dollar Index is misleading. “When we talk about trade, we’re really worried about exchange rates, but that’s not what the index is. It’s a composite or a basket of other currencies.” Olson said the dollar index is heavily weighted to European currencies and not other major trade partners. “Japan is included and Canada is included, but Mexico is not. China is not; Korea is not. It misrepresents what’s happening in the world trade.”

Canola Minute – Northern Canola Growers Association Executive Director Barry Coleman is featured in the weekly Canola Minute. USDA issued its 2024 production forecast and said canola production would be record high. North Dakota canola production will also be record high this year. Listen to the report.

Potato Council Challenges EPA Decision – The National Potato Council has issued comments to the Environmental Protection Agency on its interim decision to eliminate the use of an on-farm potato seed treatment called mancozeb. The group said the assumptions made by the agency about potato planting are not accurate and distort the outcome of the EPA modeling.

Innovation at a Faster Pace – Major ag chem companies invest time and money to deliver products with new active ingredients to market. The most recent estimate is $300 million and 13 or more years. Vive Crop Protection CEO Darren Anderson says his company’s Highest Velocity Commercialization Engine can speed up the processing, going from concept to launch in just four years. “It also allows us to develop a tool for farmers that are growing a crop that some of the big companies don’t go after because the opportunity is too small.” Vive’s Highest Velocity Commercialization Engine focuses on existing active ingredients, leveraging it with its proprietary nanotechnology platforms. “We’ve got 30 different products in development that we expect to launch between now and 2030,” said Anderson. “The first example of that is a product we launched this past year in sugarbeets for cercospora control called Phobos FC; it is an improved version of prothioconazole which is in Proline.”

Collaboration for Syngenta and AI Firm – Syngenta Crop Protection and Taranis are partnering on an artificial intelligence-driven agronomy tool. This collaboration is designed to give ag retailers faster, more precise service to their farmer customers.

NCB Co-op 100 Released – CHS again leads the list of the 100 top cooperatives in the country. CHS had 2023 revenues of $45.6 billion. The National Cooperative Bank releases the Co-op 100 each year. The agricultural cooperatives in the top ten include Dairy Farmers of America at #2, Land O’Lakes at #3, CoBank is seventh and AgriBank is eighth. Notable ag co-ops on the list include Aberdeen-based Agtegra at #19 with revenues of $2.9 billion. Basin Electric Power Cooperative at Bismarck is 21^st with $2.8 billion. American Crystal Sugar Company is #30; Associated Milk Producers Incorporated is #43 and Bongaard’s Creameries is 96^th. Click here to see the entire list.

Dairy Dispute – Bloomington, Minnesota-based Old Home Foods is suing Kemp Foods over a breach of contract. Kemps, which is headquartered in St. Louis Park, plans to stop making Old Home products at its LeMars, Iowa plant at the beginning of 2025. A co-packing agreement between the two companies was in place until May 31, 2025. Old Home Foods produces cottage cheese, sour cream and chip dips. In the lawsuit filed in federal court, Old Home Foods claims an early end of the deal would force it out of business.

Steffes Auctioneers Expands North of the Border – West Fargo-based Steffes Auctioneers is expanding into Canada with the acquisition of Bruce Schapansky Auctioneers of Tisdale, Saskatchewan. Bruce Schapansky Auctioneers has been in business for more than six decades.

Glenn to Retire, O’Connor to Lead Seed Business Unit – Effective December 1, Judd O’Connor will take over as the Corteva executive vice president for the seed business unit. O’Connor will succeed Tim Glenn, who will be a strategic advisor until his retirement in early 2025. O’Connor has been with Corteva and its heritage companies for 25 years, serving most recently as the president of its North American business.

Snee to Lead Meat Institute – The Meat Institute has elected its new officer team. Hormel President and CEO James Snee will serve as the Meat Institute’s incoming chairman in 2025. Snee has been a member of the board since 2017.

Robinson Returns Home – Scott Robinson has been named the chief information officer for Rob-See-Co. Robinson’s background includes time at the Department of Energy and managing his own software development company.

Top 10 Cattle Industry Leaders Under 40 – Cattle Business Weekly is out with its annual top ten list of cattle industry leaders under the age of 40. The honorees include Russ Twedt, a Red Angus breeder at McHenry, North Dakota; Nate Knobloch, who is part of the Riverview LLP leadership team at Morris, Minnesota; Austin Berwald, a Red Angus breeder north of Brookings, South Dakota; Hank Wonnenberg, an Angus breeder at Gregory, South Dakota; South Dakota State University Associate Professor of Ruminant Nutrition Zach Smith and Faith Livestock Auction owner Dace Harper. The list rounds out with cattle industry professionals from Montana, Nebraska and Kansas.

Harden, Freeman Inducted into 4-H HOF – Fifteen individuals were inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame this week. The honorees include Krysta Harden and Dorothy Freeman. Harden was the USDA deputy secretary from 2013-to-2016 and now serves as the president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Freeman served as the Minnesota State 4-H director, retiring in 2018.

Nolan Passes – Former Minnesota Congressman Rick Nolan, 80, has died. Nolan served in the House from 1975-to-1981 and again from 2013-to-2019. The 32-year gap between terms in Congress is the second-longest in history. The DFL’er was a member of the House Agriculture Committee. Nolan also served as president of the U.S. Export Corporation and the Minnesota World Trade Center.