A Weekly Update from the Red River Farm Network
Monday, September 23, 2019
Thanks! The list of subscribers for this FarmNetNews e-newsletter continues to grow. If know someone who would benefit from this weekly update, send a note to don@rrfn.com. In this edition, you’ll find information on crop conditions, policy news and more. Congrats to RRFN’s Megan Ternquist who participated in the National Press Foundation’s Food and Agriculture Fellowship this past week in St. Louis. RRFN will be in North Carolina to begin this week for BASF’s global media event.
Weekend Rains Result in Overland Flooding – Weekend rains resulted in overland flooding in portions of eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Rainfall totals include nearly 6.5 inches at Binford, ND, 4.75 inches at Hurdsfield, ND, 4.35 inches at Grand Forks, ND, 3.9 inches at Roseau, MN, 3.8 inches at Cavalier, ND, 3.4 inches at Warren, MN and 3.1 inches at Greenbush, MN. According to the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network, Harvey, ND received 2.8 inches of rain since Friday. Langdon, ND had 2.1 inches; Jamestown, ND had 1.75 inches and Fargo, ND had .41 inches.
A Long Way to Go with the ND Harvest – U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc. President J.C. Schemper is in Langdon, North Dakota harvesting crops. “We have five machines that sat all last week because of the rains. The wheat harvest is about half complete across the county and canola is probably 30 percent complete,” says Schemper. “There’s a long way to go with harvest in North Dakota.” Quality is a big concern with the remaining wheat. The canola has been running about 2,500 pounds per acre. Schemper has another crew harvesting high moisture corn in western Kansas. “That is running 30 to 33 percent, but moisture may dry with the high winds. We’ve had dryland fields at 140 bushels an acre and irrigated land at 220 to 240 bushels an acre.”
A Drawn-Out Harvest in Southwest, MN – It was a drawn-out wheat harvest in southwest, Minnesota for Carolyn Olson. The Cottonwood, Minnesota farmer, who specializes in organic and food-grade production, describes this year’s wheat crop as not so stellar. “A hail storm that rolled through really dinged our yields. This year, I think our average was down to 15 bushels per acre. Our field history is 55 bushels per acre, so quite a bit less.” With a disappointing wheat harvest, Olson has high hopes for the corn and soybeans. However, there is still a lot of green leaves left in the fields and the rain hasn’t turned off. “We were feeling pretty nervous, but are feeling better now that it got warmer. We are holding out for a late frost and a beautiful fall.”
Spring Wheat Stressed by Cold Temps – The spring wheat crop has been stressed throughout this growing season. Problems began this spring with bacterial leaf streak. That was followed by scab and a series of wetting and cooling events. “I want to stress the cooling events,” said Troy Sayler, regional commercial manager, WestBred Wheat. “There is a thing called late maturity alpha amylase; when your wheat is mature and you get a really cold weather event, it causes the wheat to break dormancy and you start to lose falling numbers.” Approximately one month ago, the northern tier of counties in North Dakota had unusually cool temps with lows in the upper 30s. Sayler says the early harvested wheat was not affected.
Practice Caution When Drying Wheat at Harvest – For farmers harvesting high moisture wheat, NDSU Extension agricultural engineer Ken Hellevang says caution is needed when using a high temperature dryer. “Typical recommendations are the higher the moisture, the longer the wheat ends up being in the dryer and the lower the dryer temperature needs to be,” says Hellevang. “General recommendations are based on a traditional cross flow dryer. We’re talking 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 16 percent moisture. If we’re at that 17 to 18 percent moisture, the temperature probably needs to be reduced down to around 130 degrees Fahrenheit.” This will greatly lengthen the drying time. “If we go hotter than that, we’ll start damaging the milling quality.”
Canola Minute – It’s been a slow start for canola harvest in the Minot, North Dakota area. Hear about that harvest from Northern Canola Growers Association President Pat Murphy in the latest Canola Minute.
American Crystal Sugarbeet Harvest Resumes – American Crystal Sugar Company general agronomist Joe Hastings says the recent warm temperatures were a challenge during the pre-pile harvest. “We’ve been pre-piling between the rains.” Hastings says sugar content is good so far. “It’s hanging in the 16.5 percent range for the Red River Valley average. In the south, there are lower sugars in the sugarbeets and in the north, the sugar is higher. The reverse is happening for yields.”
Average to Slightly Above Average Sugarbeet Crop – Near Ada, Minnesota, famers are pre-piling sugarbeets. Farmer John Brainard says conditions are a little sticky in the fields. “I think we are average or just slightly above average at pre-pile. It’s hard to tell, but the tonnage could be good in our area. The sun helps.” The full harvest campaign begins in the first week of October. Soybean harvest isn’t far away either. “We usually end up harvesting sugarbeets and soybeans at the same time. The soybeans are maturing quickly with the warm, dry weather. I’m thinking by the end of next week we could start soybean harvest.”
Crop College – What does recent warm weather mean for the maturing crop? Hear from Peterson Farms Seed agronomist Adam Spelhaug in this episode of Crop College.
Fresh Red Potato Harvest Begins Near Buxton, ND – Potato harvest is beginning around the Buxton, North Dakota area. NoKota Packers President Steve Tweeten says the rain slowed things down. “This week’s temperatures are making it so potato growers can’t dig full days. It’s too warm, but the quality of the potatoes coming in looks nice. Early indications are for a good crop at an average or slightly above average yield.” Growers will continue to watch the temperature and moisture.
Harvestability Coming into Play This Fall – A stretch of warm weather in the Northern Plains was welcomed by farmers. A majority of the soybeans are turning color and dropping leaves. Some of the early-planted beans have even been harvested. Syngenta Agronomy Services Representative Jason Snell says harvestability is a concern, especially in the southern Red River Valley. “Just getting the equipment across the field will be a challenge. Very wet feet late in the year can lead to increased stalk integrity issues, even for soybeans.” Higher than normal heat unit accumulations have occurred last week, which is favorable for corn. Snell says that helped move the milk line down, which allows the corn to dent. “We’re looking at an average of about 25 days before the corn reaches black layer in a lot of fields. That black layer will yield moisture in the 25 to 30 percent range.” Listen to the story.
What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – Advance Trading risk management advisor Tommy Grisafi outlines the key factors in the trade with ‘What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets.’ The surge in hog prices, higher crude oil prices and the weather are all big stories this week.
The Corn Has a Chance to Finish – In the Ulen, Minnesota area, West Central Ag Services Territory Sales Manager Clyde Kringlen says wheat harvest is wrapped up for the most part. Falling numbers and other quality issues were the main harvest story. “Now the challenge is sorting through which varieties did the best. Are those results comparable to previous yield data when planning for the 2020 season?” The corn and soybeans welcomed the stretch of warm weather last. Kringlen says western Minnesota gained about 60 to 70 head units over a three day span. “I looked at an 85 day corn variety planted mid-May late last week. In my opinion it needs two to four days more to make it,” says Kringlen. “The top cluster that is usually lost on soybeans is there and looks very good.”
Corn Maturity Still a Big Concern for Farmers – Warm temperatures will help boost corn maturity. NDSU Extension Cereals Agronomist Joel Ransom says the corn crop will gain some much-needed growing degree units. “These warm days are beneficial, but there aren’t enough of them yet. I think our growing degree units were about 200 to 300 behind normal,” says Ransom. “We got planted late, so that doesn’t help. This time of the year, it’s harder to add too much.” Ransom says crop maturity is the number one concern for farmers. “Can we fill kernels and make the most of the yield potential out there? We do have a reasonably good crop out there in most cases,” says Ransom. “The second concern is if we get to black layer, we have a long way to go to dry down. The later we get in the season, the longer it will take to dry down.”
Dry Bean Scene – After a streak of cool and wet weather, farmers in North Dakota and Minnesota are finally rolling with dry edible bean harvest. Get the details in the Dry Bean Scene, made possible by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association, UPL, FMC, Johnstown Bean Company, Central Valley Bean Cooperative and SRS Commodities.
Stronger Commodity Markets Expected Once Combines Run – S & W Trading market analyst Andy Shissler thinks farmers will see stronger commodity markets once the combines start to run. “In Iowa and Illinois, the corn will have a difficult time getting to black layer. We’re going to have 28 percent moisture corn and it won’t dry down.” Shissler doesn’t expect a big chunk of the corn crop to reach maturity. “2009 was similar as we stayed at 28 percent moisture and it was a problem. We never got the heat units. I think the USDA is way off on their yield. It’s hard to guess an immature crop,” says Shissler.
Analysts Looking for a Market Catalyst – Funds are holding record or near record short positions in wheat, soybeans and corn, which could lead to a big move higher in the grains if there is a market catalyst. Northern Crops Marketing and Investments President Brad Paulson says challenging weather could help the wheat market. “The quality problems are getting worse, not better in spring wheat areas. We have heavy rains in the forecast. Any wheat left in the field will get worse, not better.” Trade and harvest reports are also being closely watched. “Who knows? Maybe there will be a deal reached in October. However, a lot of times, when you least expect things to happen, it does.”
State Media says Trade Talks are Good – China’s state media is saying China did not cancel planned farm visits due to a breakdown in trade negotiations. According to a Sunday report, China’s senior agricultural official told the state media there was a good outcome from the negotiations and the two sides had thorough and candid communications. However, no reason was given for the cancellation.
It’s “Only a Start” with Soybean Purchases – The latest development is China will exempt U.S. soybeans, pork and other agricultural commodities from punitive tariffs. “From what we understand, a limited number of companies in China have been given a limited quantity of soybeans they are able to purchase tariff-free for October to December shipment from the United States,” explains U.S. Soybean Export Council Jim Sutter. That is positive news for the U.S. agriculture industry. There have been purchase contracts recently recorded. “We expect to see more of those,” says Sutter. “However, this is only a start and is all contingent on removal of the trade war.” Listen to the interview.
MFBF Update – Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation President Kevin Paap recently spent time on Capitol Hill, where trade was the big topic. Hear from Paap about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in this edition of the MFBF Update.
A Window of Opportunity Ahead for the USMCA – The trade agenda is starting to gain traction in Washington D.C. According to the Russell Group President Randy Russell, there’s a window of opportunity for Congress to take up the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement before the end of the year. It may no longer be a matter of if the USMCA is ratified, but when. Russell says there are positive developments in discussions. “The Trump Administration responded back to the Democrat’s request on the House side of what they’re willing to do on key issues such as labor, environment and pharmaceutical issues. I think we’re starting to see differences narrow,” says Russell. “The other side of this is the clock is ticking. It’s hard to see Congress vote on this past the end of the year.” South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson says there’s no real reason why Congress couldn’t ratify the USMCA this month. “It’s been nearly 300 days since the administration finished its work. It’s time for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to put this on the floor.” Additional efforts are underway to rally support for the agreement. Listen to the story.
Agriculture Secretaries Rally for the USMCA – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue joined former agriculture secretaries Tom Vilsack, Dan Glickman and John Block to rally support of the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement. Tom Vilsack, who is now the chief executive officer for the U.S. Dairy Export Council, said it could be a challenge for the U.S. dairy industry if the agreement isn’t ratified. “Our Mexico market is still in good shape. The challenge though is if we don’t get the USMCA through, we’ll still face a very closed dairy market in Canada.” One of the concerns from House Democrats is labor provisions. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said there are enforceability consequences in the USMCA to ensure labor concerns are addressed. “We had the same fear when we renegotiated the sugar agreement with Mexico in 2017, but Mexico has lived up to that. We think the same thing could happen here.”
Optimism Expressed for Ratifying the USMCA – At the Heritage Foundation on Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence called on Congress to ratify the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement. “By demonstrating our ability to unify our economy with our neighbors to the north and south, we’ll only strengthen the president’s hand as we demand China end the trade abuses characterized in the decades of the past.” On Capitol Hill, North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer said everyday there is more good news on the USMCA. “I’m optimistic this fall we’ll have the USMCA done,” said Cramer. “The USMCA plus the bilateral trade agreement with Japan, just adds to our leverage with China.” At this time, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the White House still hasn’t met the Democrat’s demands on labor and environmental reform.
United Fresh Produce Association Members Meet in Washington D.C. – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue addressed farmers at the United Fresh Produce Association meeting in Washington D.C. this past week. Black Gold Farms CEO Eric Halverson participated in the meeting and said Perdue highlighted trade situation. “They’re doing what they can, but some of it is waiting to see what happens.” For potato growers, it’s also important to work out the details on the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement. “We want to get this ratified, because there are other specific items we want to work on with Mexico,” explained Halverson. “Increasing our market access to the country is restricted. That’s the top item on the agenda for potato growers.”
An Eagerness to Get USMCA Ratified Soon – North Dakota Corn Growers Association Executive Director Lisa Hochhalter was in Washington D.C. this past week to rally for the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement. “Our group reiterated how important it is to get this agreement ratified.” Hochhalter says opinions vary on how close a vote may be in Congress. “It depends on who you talk to and the people I talked with said they were waiting for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring it up and others were waiting on U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on the working groups. They didn’t really give us a specific time, but the main thing we heard is they want to get it done by the end of the year.”
Doggett: Ethanol Slowdown Impacting Corn Supply/Demand – Over 15 ethanol plants across the Midwest have announced closures in recent months, while many others are cutting production. During the slowdown, corn and ethanol organizations are awaiting final word from the Trump Administration on if ethanol gallons lost as a result of Environmental Protection Agency small refinery waivers will be replaced. “Obviously our farmers deliver corn to a lot of those plants. If the plant isn’t accepting any corn, you have to find another market for it,” says National Corn Growers Association President Jon Doggett. In addition, many ethanol plants are farmer-owned. “You have 2,000 people in a county that put money into an ethanol plant so they have a place to deliver grain, and those folks are really hurting right now.” Listen to the interview.
Ethanol Groups Eager to Hear a Solution for Small Refinery Exemptions – Ethanol supporters are eager to hear from President Trump on what will be done to address small refinery exemptions. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley recapped a recent White House meeting. “We went in (to the meeting) with a simpler plan. If it comes out on paper the way the White House seemed to agreed with us, then we have a win-win situation,” said Grassley. “A win for small refineries, legitimately getting a waiver, but any waived gallons need to be put back in.” Grassley says he will wait and see what comes from the EPA, but he also thinks President Trump could make an announcement sooner rather than later. “I would speculate the president is tired of dealing with this. He’s more or less said so many times, even when we were back in the White House talking about E15.”
Wheeler Discounts Ethanol Demand Destruction – EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler spent time in front of a congressional committee Thursday. At that hearing, Wheeler said the ethanol industry has not faced demand destruction due to the small refinery waivers. Wheeler also said he did not know when President Trump would announce plans dealing with the controversial small refinery exemptions.
MN Corn Matters – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has formed a new biofuels council. Hear more from Minnesota Corn Growers Association President Brian Thalmann in this edition of Corn Matters.
Pork Board Remains Optimistic About Trade Deals – Signing of a trade agreement between the U.S. and Japan could happen during the United Nations General Assembly later this month in New York. “Japan is the most important market, by value, for U.S. pork,” says National Pork Board Chief Operating Officer John Johnson. “Right now the European Union, Canada and Mexico have an advantage over the U.S.” Johnson goes on to say the big trade deal to seal is with China. “Their domestic pork supply is collapsing because of African swine fever, which is a huge marketing opportunity for the U.S. Until the tariffs are out of the way, we’re kind of a last resort supplier.” Listen to the story.
House Agriculture Subcommittees Discuss Disaster Aid – In a House Agriculture Subcommittee hearing on disaster aid, USDA Undersecretary Bill Northey addressed the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program Plus and the Market Facilitation Program. “In addition to WHIP+ are payments for milk loss and stored grain losses. Also, all producers with flooding or excess moisture related prevent plant claims in 2019 will receive a payment of 10 to 15 percent of their indemnity.” Northey said the Market Facilitation Program sign-up is also going well. “As of the beginning of this week, we have more than 346,000 applications and $4 billion has been paid to producers.”
Rural Perspectives – USDA has announced new details about the disaster aid program. “What will probably get the most attention is a program to address all of the prevent plant issues,” says AgCountry Farm Credit Services market education specialist Katie Miller. “Hopefully they can provide some sort of backstop, at least from whatever funds are left after everything else is paid.” Hear more from Miller in the Rural Perspectives podcast, made possible by AgCountry Farm Credit Services.
Abuse Cited for Wetland Determination Appeals – American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall is urging USDA to change its appeals process for wetland determinations. The letter follows a recent federal court decision that found fault with the NRCS appeals process. Duvall said farmers and ranchers are “being denied due process as part of an abuse of discretion by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.”
Market Volatility a Top Discussion at Stockmen’s Convention – While the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association celebrated their 90th anniversary, President Dan Rorvig said market volatility is a major topic of discussion. “We addressed some of that in policy meetings. In our general session, we also visited with market analysts, shedding some light on what’s ahead.” Trade was also a big focus. “Uncertainty is never good. We hear bits and pieces. We did a good piece of business with the European Union not long ago and Japan is looking for our product, too.”
Packer Margins are Concerning – The impact of the fire at the Tyson packing plant in Holcomb, Kansas is on the minds of North Dakota cattle producers. CattleFax market specialist Troy Applehans told North Dakota Stockmen’s Association members at their annual convention slaughter numbers are holding stable, but there is a lot of concern with packer margins. “It’s concerning when packers make that much money. Cattle packers making money hasn’t been completely due to cattle prices going lower,” Applehans explained. “Beef prices went up in conjunction with that. A lot of beef buyers probably attributed more to that excess margin to the packer than the cattle feeder.”
Fewer Cattle on Feed in September Across the U.S. – USDA says the number of cattle in the nation’s feedlots as of September 1 was 10.9 million head. That’s down one percent from last year. August placements totaled 1.9 million head, nine percent less than one year ago. Marketings during August totaled 1.9 million head, down two percent from last year.
Protecting Your Cattle Investment – De Smet, South Dakota cattle producer and attorney Todd Wilkinson headlined the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association education series at their annual convention. Wilkinson says there are a lot of little things than can be done to protect a producer’s investment. “We have thousands of dollars invested in animals. Get a contract if you’re placing cattle into a feed yard or anything you’re involved in,” says Wilkinson. “Talk to your lender about where you’re going to place your cattle and then talk to that operation. Make sure they’re familiar with the requirements.” Wilkinson says avoiding misunderstandings will go a long way. “When times get tough, we need to make sure everyone is on the same page.”
Minnesota Beef Update – The Minnesota Beef Council partners with the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Program. Learn more from Katie Davis in the latest Minnesota Beef Update.
Challenges and Opportunities Ahead for U.S. Beef – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has named Senior Vice-President of Government Affairs, Colin Woodall, as its new CEO. Woodall succeeds Kendall Frazier, who announced his retirement earlier this year. In an interview with the Red River Farm Network, Woodall said there are many challenges and opportunities ahead for the U.S. beef industry. “The opportunities are there from the consumer. There are many new cuts of beef available, which bodes well on demand.” There’s also potential for new trade agreements. Woodall says by the end of the month there could be a formal trade agreement between the U.S. and Japan. “Japan is a very important market. When President Trump took us out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), that meant competitors had a lower tariff, giving them some of our market share. This new agreement will level the playing field. When we can compete on a level playing field, we can beat our competitors.” Woodall will be based in the Denver, Colorado office. Listen to the interview.
Support for Cash Accounting – An IRS decision could prevent some farms from using cash accounting. A coalition of commodity groups, the National Council of Cooperatives and Farm Bureau wants Congress to intervene. Since 2017, the IRS said a farm or ranch, set up as an LLC or S Corp, could lose the right to use cash accounting if less than 65 percent of the ownership is held by active farmers.
DMC Sign-Up Extended to Friday – Sign-up for the Dairy Margin Coverage program will be extended to Friday, September 27 . Farm Service Agency Acting Administrator Steve Peterson explains the program. “The 2018 Farm Bill lowered the premium levels, but increased coverage levels. In the first tier of five million pounds, farmers could have coverage levels up to $9.50. That’s a significant difference from the 2014 Farm Bill levels authorized,” says Peterson. “Also, Dairy Margin Coverage is the difference between the all-milk price and actual feed cost. There’s a difference in comparing to those coverage levels the producer will elect. It will allow producers to get paid on the pounds of production they have, based on whatever percentage of production they want covered under the program.”
USDA Investigation Welcomed by SD Lawmaker – Following the Tyson Foods fire in Holcomb, Kansas fire, the cattle market has been extremely volatile. South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson went to the House floor Thursday, saying cattle producers have suffered serious economic losses. “That’s why I was grateful to see the USDA, under the Packers and Stockyards Act, open up an investigation into the cattle market.” Johnson said this investigation will determine if there have been any unfair trade practices or market manipulation.
U.S. Swine Slaughter Inspections Get an Update – For the first time in more than 50 years, swine slaughter inspections in the U.S. are getting an update. According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, the modernization includes new requirements for microbial testing and a new inspection system called the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System or NSIS. NSIS requires facilities sort and remove unfit animals before slaughter along with trimming and identifying defects on carcasses before official inspection. Hog establishments can choose if they will operate under NSIS or traditional inspection. Read more about the updates.
Ag Energy Alliance Pleased with Court Decision on Line 3 – The Minnesota Supreme Court has denied all opposition petitions for the Line 3 replacement. Enbridge now has the ability to resume the permitting process. “It is the most studied pipeline in Minnesota history,” said Chris Tiedeman, Minnesota Agriculture and Energy Alliance. “We’re hoping next calendar year, they can replace this line.” Tiedeman emphasized Line 3 replacement is a safety issue. “It’s also better for the environment; the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission determined it is the best option for our environmental protection.”
ND Stockmen’s Association Celebrates 90 Years at Annual Convention – The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association celebrated 90 years at their annual convention in Minot. NDSA Executive Vice President Julie Ellingson said the organization is excited to celebrate the milestone. “We’re proud of being able to sustain the organization since the 1920s.” Ellingson said the possibility of market manipulation following the Tyson plant fire in Kansas is top of mind for cattle producers going into fall. “We’re pleased to see Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue authorized the investigation into the situation and we understand he’s taking our suggestion to expand the investigation. It looks at the entire beef supply chain. It won’t be a quick progress,” she explained. “Data collection could be at least one month. We probably won’t see anything until the end of the year.”
Bridging the Gap Between Farmers and Consumers – From the view of United Soybean Board CEO Polly Ruhland, innovation, sustainability and bridging the gap between farmers and consumers are all important to the future of agriculture. “Like all people, consumers are interested their own lives and what they need,” says Ruhland. “When they say ‘I need this out of my food,’ it’s important to involve those consumers in farming that is not just telling them, but showing them agriculture in ways that help fill their needs.” From the farmers’ perspective, without consumer demand there would be no need to grow soybeans or other crops. Ruhland says USB is ensuring that demand remains strong. “We’re looking at industrial-based uses for soybeans such as asphalt, straws, adhesives and carpeting.” Hear from Ruhland in this interview.
engAGe: Building a Community – Three years ago, Zeorian Harvesting owner Tracy Zeorian was looking for a way to connect with others during harvest. That’s when the HarvestHER community was born. “Sometimes, when you get those nudges, you just ignore them. This one I couldn’t ignore, so I began a Facebook page in June 2016. I thought ok, now I have this page, what will I do with it?” The community continues to evolve, helping others grow in their relationships. Learn more about building a community in the latest engAGe: a series for women in agribusiness episode. EngAGe is presented by AgCountry Farm Credit Services, the North Dakota Grain Growers Association and Corteva Agrisciences. Listen to the latest episode.
SD Collegiate Farm Bureau to Host Leadership Event – The South Dakota State University Collegiate Farm Bureau will host its first ever Collegiate Farm Bureau Experience October 11 through the 13 at the SDSU Campus in Brookings, South Dakota. SDSU Collegiate Farm Bureau Member Rebekka Paskewitz says the theme of the event is “Learn, Grow and Lead,” focusing on professional development and networking skills. “We’ve had the chance to build up membership,” says Paskewitz. “It’s a newer sector of the traditional foundations of Farm Bureau and what they stand for within policy, representing farmers and representing professional individuals.” The event will focus on college students who would like to sharpen their leadership skills. “We want it to be a transforming leadership conference. Curious agriculturalists in the college agriculture sector who want to grow and network with those around them are also invited.” Get more information on the event.
ND Farmers Market and Growers Association Update – It’s the best time of year to harvest crops, as they can be preserved ahead of the frost. Learn more from Rolling Hills Farm owner Jaci Cutforth in the North Dakota Farmers Markets and Growers Association Update.
Cargill to Shut Down Turkey Plant – Cargill will close its fresh and frozen turkey production facility in Waco, Texas in November. Cargill will continue to operate the cooked meats portion of the facility, which produces pre-sliced deli products. Cargill is the third largest turkey processor in the country, behind Butterball and Jennie-O.
CFTC Fines Iowa Trader – The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has fined an Iowa commodity trader $1.25 million for making unauthorized trades, causing customers to lose millions of dollars. Nathan Harris, who was a trader with Kooima & Kaemingk in Sioux Center, Iowa, made the unauthorized trades between 2012 and 2014. At least 12 customers lost a total of $10.3 million.
SD Corn Comments – South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is calling the 2019 weather challenges the largest disaster in state history. Get the details in this week’s Corn Comments, a feature from the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council.
Guilty Plea for SD Feedlot Operator – A South Dakota feedlot operator allegedly operated a scam where he would resell the same cattle repeatedly and collect feed bills from customers for non-existent cattle. The case against Bob Blom reportedly involves 30,000 head of non-existing cattle, valued at more than $30 million. Blom, who operated a feedlot at Corsica, South Dakota, also pled guilty to writing bad checks. In addition to 180 days in jail, Blom was ordered to pay $135,000 in restitution to a Lehr, North Dakota cattle buyer. A payment plan of $275 per month was set up, which means it would take about 40 years to pay off the debt.
Rogge-Fidler to Lead Farm Foundation – The Farm Foundation board has selected Shari Rogge-Fidler as the president and CEO. Most recently, Rogge-Fidler was CEO of Family Farms LLC; an Illinois farm management firm. Rogge-Fidler succeeds Constance Cullman, who left the Farm Foundation to lead the American Feed Industry Association. The Farm Foundation is an agricultural policy institute, focused on non-partisan collaboration in the food, fiber, feed and energy industries.
Leland Recognized as NDSA Top Hand – McKenzie County cattleman Melvin Leland was honored with the most prestigious award at the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, the Top Hand, at its banquet Saturday evening. Leland previously served as the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association President, National Red Angus Association of America President and is currently serving as North Dakota State Board of Animal Health Chairman.
Hille Selected as NDSA Brand Recorder – Stephanie Hille is the new brand recorder for the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association. In this role, Hille maintains the state’s brand records. Most recently, Hille was a veterinary technician at the Mandan Veterinary Clinic.
RRFN Upcoming Events | |||
September 23, 2019 - September 25, 2019 | SD Farm & Ranch Stress Summit - Oacoma, SD | ||
September 25, 2019 - September 27, 2019 | Women in Agribusiness Summit - Minneapolis, MN | ||
September 26, 2019 - September 27, 2019 | ND Bankers Association Ag Credit Conference - Bismarck, ND | ||
September 27, 2019 - September 28, 2019 | SD Sheep Growers Association Convention - Spearfish, SD | ||
September 28, 2019 | MN State Hereford Tour - Holloway, MN | ||
October 1, 2019 - October 5, 2019 | World Dairy Expo - Madison, WI | ||
October 4, 2019 - October 5, 2019 | ND Lamb & Wool Producers Annual Convention - Bottineau, ND | ||
October 17, 2019 - October 19, 2019 | Women in Sustainable Agriculture Conference - St. Paul, MN |
Last Week’s Trivia- Batman’s crime-fighting partner is Robin. Edgeley-Kulm agriculture instructor Anna Kemmer wins our trivia challenge. Randy Knudsvig of First State Bank, Laurie Hoffman of VistaComm, Todd Good of AgCountry Farm Credit Services and Dan Filipi of American Federal Bank earn runner-up honors. The ‘first 20’ rounds out with retired North Dakota Farmers Union economist Dale Enerson, Sherry Koch of Mosaic, Dean Nelson of Kelly Bean Company, Vincent Restucci of R.D. Offutt Farms, Bob Lebacken of RML Trading, Jody Sathoff of CHS, Marc Kimball from the Office of Senator Tina Smith, Troy Sayler of WestBred Wheat, Peter Carson of Carson Farms, Jim Altringer of CHS Dakota Plains Ag, Troy Presser of Presser Red Angus, Jon Farris of BankWest, Brad Hertel of Meridian Seeds and Mark Bernard of Agro-Economics.
This Week’s Trivia- Stratus, cirrus, cumulus and nimbus are examples of what? Send your answer to don@rrfn.com.
Contact RRFN | Don Wick (701) 795-1315 |
Randy Koenen (701) 795-1315 |
Whitney Pittman (701) 795-1315 |
Tyler Donaldson 701-795-1315 |
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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.