First Stage of U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement Announced – During the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the first stage of the new trade agreement between the U.S. and Japan. This agreement would level the playing field for U.S. agricultural products against competitors. “Japan will open new markets to approximately $7 billion in American agricultural products,” said Trump. “Japanese tariffs will be significantly lower or eliminated entirely for U.S. beef, pork, wheat, cheese and wine. It’s a huge victory for America’s farmers and ranchers and that’s very important to me.” In the next two weeks, the two countries will work out more details. The first stage of the agreement is expected to be finalized by January 2020. The agriculture-related provisions of the agreement can be found here.

The Next Steps in the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement – U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Steve Censky tells the Red River Farm Network the final details are being worked on for the first stage of the U.S. and Japan trade agreement. This will happen within the next two weeks. “It’s very common with trade negotiations where you reach an agreement on the terms and the final language needs to be scrubbed by legal counsels on both sides and then, we move forward.” The trade agreement will be done in stages so it doesn’t have to be vetted through Congress. This allows agreements to move quickly. Censky says implementation on this sector could take place in early 2020. Listen to the interview.

A Level Playing Field for U.S. Wheat – Wheat growers are pleased with the reduction in tariffs in the new trade agreement between the U.S. and Japan. U.S. Wheat Associates President Vince Peterson says the details are simple for wheat. “The implementation is the same for the tariff schedule Australia and Canada’s wheat is subject to. That was what was agreed to under the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” says Peterson. “We’re all on the same playing field.” Peterson says there is also a relatively small, but country specific quota, reinstated in the agreement. “We gained that back, a competitive foothold in the marketplace, which puts us exactly where we need to be.”

MFU Minute – Farmers need trade certainty, especially when it comes to new trade agreements. Hear from Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish in the latest edition of the MFU Minute.

U.S. Potato Industry Seeks Fresh Market Access to Japan – In the limited U.S. and Japan trade agreement, National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles said tariff gains are recaptured for U.S. potato products. “We didn’t want to be at a disadvantage in trade.” The U.S. potato industry is seeking market access for fresh and chipping potatoes to Japan. According to Quarles, the trade negotiations could provide the leverage needed to open up the markets. “It will probably take several years to get that done, but it needs to start somewhere,” explained Quarles. “There are negotiations happening in Tokyo. We’re hopeful those negotiations will come back with a clear signal from the Japanese they’re ready to start opening the market.”

Trade Talks Scheduled – Senior trade officials from the United States and China will return to the bargaining table October 10 and 11. The Chinese Commerce Ministry has also indicated “considerable” purchases of U.S. pork and soybeans are being made ahead of those trade talks.

Minnesota Beef Update – With Congress back in session, there is a big push from cattlemen to pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Learn more from Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director Ashley Kohls in the latest Minnesota Beef Update

‘Top-Up’ Payments to be Paid in October – Farmers who filed a prevented plant claim will automatically receive a ‘top-up’ payment. A 15 percent plussed up payment will be made to farmers with Yield Protection and Revenue Protection with the Harvest Price Option. Those without the Harvest Price Option will receive 10 percent. “This has been such a tremendously tough year for producers and frankly, insurance guarantees aren’t as high as we’d like them based on the low commodity prices,” said Martin Barbre, administrator, Risk Management Agency. Barbre says the crop insurance companies will begin making the ‘top-up’ payments in mid-October. “I applaud the companies for stepping up and signing this agreement to bring these important funds to their producers.” House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson praised the USDA announcement, saying it will provide direct help to farmers without additional paperwork.

Moving Through a Low-Margin Era in Agriculture – “A low-margin era for agriculture can be attributed to technology and volatility.” That quote came from  Dr. David Kohl’s message to bankers at the Ag Credit Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota. “Supply is exceeding demand worldwide,” Kohl went on to say. “Technology and information is getting in the hands of better managers, which suppresses the margin.” The American economy is setting itself up for a recession. According to Kohl, this isn’t all bad for agriculture. “When the general economy is in recession, ag tends to do well. A recession often lowers the value of the dollar and lowers interest rates.” Hear from Kohl in this interview.

The Economy and Trade is Concerning for K-State Ag Economist – Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, agricultural economics professor at Kansas State University, is concerned about two things in agriculture; the American economy as it sits today and the ongoing trade wars. “The American Economy is growing very slowly and there is the possibility of a recession,” says Flinchbaugh. “The big problem facing agriculture is trade wars. China, Mexico and Canada are our top three customers, so it’s difficult to sell products with a trade agreement.” During Flinchbaugh’s presentation, a banker at the Ag Credit Conference asked the simple question: Who will win the trade war, the U.S. or China? “When you lose sales overseas, it’s like losing sleep. You never get it back. There is no way to win it.” Listen to the interview.

“Hunkering Down” for the New Normal in Agriculture – As bankers gathered at the Ag Credit Conference, the economy and its financial impact on those in agriculture were the talk around the room. With low commodity prices, University of Minnesota grain marketing economist Ed Usset says farmers need to have a “hunker down” mentality. “I personally think corn and soybeans have probably put in their harvest lows.That doesn’t mean a bull market is on its way, but that means maybe it doesn’t get any worse.” For farmers putting grain in the bin, Usset encourages them to put a number on it. “What are you waiting for? If there is a 30 to 40 cent rally, are you ready to take advantage of it?” Usset shares more in this interview.

What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets – Advance Trading risk management advisor Tommy Grisafi offers his perspective on What’s Hot, What’s Not in the Markets. Issues addressed include the wet harvest and a volatile stock market.

Quality Remains a Big Factor for Wheat – Wheat quality is a bigger than expected challenge at harvest this year. North Dakota Wheat Commission Policy and Marketing Director Jim Peterson says the low falling numbers are concerning. “Traditionally, the falling number specification is 300 seconds. Typically, above that it is pretty sound wheat. There’s not a lot of enzyme activity breaking down the starch,” says Peterson. “Getting below 250 seconds, farmers can get lots of challenges in making specialty products. It doesn’t have the starch quality for those products.” Peterson advises farmers segregate the wheat by quality. “It’s going to be different for every producer, depending on what they have.”

Pioneer Agronomy Update from Washburn, ND – Most years by this point in time, the Washburn, North Dakota has dried up. However, there is still a lot of green to be seen this year. River Ag owner Clark Price says the rains in August and September are helping the corn finish. “It is getting to be really close, if not already, to black layer. There just isn’t any physical evident on the cob, yet,” says Price. “Both the corn and soybeans are pretty well done, so a frost won’t hurt them.” The sunflowers in western North Dakota have thrived this growing season. But the wet conditions this fall are favorable for late-season head and stem diseases. “There is some head scelortinia showing up in confection varieties,” says Pioneer field agronomist Larry Lunder. “But, it’s not a surprise to see this happening.” Take a look at the crop in this Pioneer Seeds Agronomy Update video.

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.

ND Farms Inundated With Rain as Harvest Continues – Farmer continue to struggle with harvest in northeast North Dakota. NDSU Extension Specialist Lesley Lubenow says the wheat quality is deteriorating. “Falling numbers are key. I’ve heard there are a few elevators not accepting wheat anymore,” says Lubenow. “Farmers have to make challenging decisions, like finding alternative storage for their crops once it is harvested.” Canola harvest is also being slowed by wet weather. “The region is inundated with rain. It’s hard to go when it’s wet. The people who swathed canola are having an easier time than those direct combining.”

Dry Bean Scene – It was a rough start to the kidney bean and navy bean harvest for Perham, Minnesota farmers. However, a stretch of warm and dry weather allowed for some of the harvest to progress. 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.

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.

Beet Crop is Looking for a Sugar Boost – There have been some growing challenges for the sugarbeet crop, which has impacted sugar content. Betaseed sales manager Lynn Dusek says it should still be a fairly average beet crop. “We took off some strip trials this past week and sugars are coming back from the quality lab at upper 16s or low 17s; let’s hope for some drier weather to maybe boost the sugar content up a bit.” Yields in the upper 20 to low 30 ton range are being seen.

Propane Prices Could Jump as the Corn Comes Off – Much of the Midwest is facing a late-maturing corn crop. That has farmers making grain drying plans for a high-moisture crop this fall. “With that later harvest, a couple different things will occur,” says Ryan Meyer, senior account manager for propane marketing, CHS. “Cooler weather brings home heat into the mix. Also, farmers are going to try and get that crop off quicker than usual to dry it before winter hits.” Meyer says farmers should fill their tanks early while prices are low. The increased demand for propane during harvest, coupled by the winter months to follow, could push prices higher. There are additional global implications disrupting farms domestically. “With the attacks of the Saudi Arabia oil refineries, we’ve seen the energy complex move up quite a bit.” Hear more from Meyer.

Prioritize Fields for Harvest – Farmers are prioritizing fields at harvest. Stalk and ear shank integrity are the most important factors to keep corn standing in fields, according to Dekalb Asgrow Technical Agronomist Eric Nelson. “As growers think about what hybrids to leave in the field, they can consider stalk integrity. Which hybrids have stalks that lend themselves the best for staying in the field as long as possible?” Nelson says corn progress is relatively even across maturities. “There doesn’t seem to be a big maturity gap from the early hybrids in the plot to the late hybrids in the plot. They were planted the same day, but there’s not a lot of gap from the least mature to the most mature right now.”

Crop College – As farmers prepare for the corn and soybean harvest, fields should be prioritized. Hear from Peterson Farms Seed agronomist Adam Spelhaug in this episode of Crop College.

Soil Test After Wheat Harvest – Once wheat harvest is complete, getting a good soil test is important. The Mosaic Group Technical Sales Manager Sherry Koch says there’s lots of nutrients that could be deficient. “Making sure we test for the basics like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, along with micro-nutrients like zinc and boron,” says Koch. “In some areas we have good crops coming off and other areas, not so good crops.” Koch says nutrients like phosphorus, potassium and zinc don’t move much within the soil profile and they could be a good investment. “Phosphate prices are close to $100 cheaper than they were one year ago. If we can get nutrients down this fall, this takes the load off getting everything applied during the spring. Then, you can focus on getting more mobile nutrients in the soil. That gives farmers broader spectrum.”

Average Tonnage for the Nebraska Silage Harvest – U.S. Custom Harvesters Incorporated Vice President Glen Jantzen is chopping silage near Columbus, Nebraska. “We’re getting along pretty good. There was some mud as we got started. The last few weeks haven’t been bad,” he says. “Every now and then, we get a shower that shuts us down for one day, but we aren’t getting three or four inch stuff.” Jantzen says tonnage is about average compared to other years. “Most of the corn looks pretty good. There’s one crew working that had a drowned out crop. Everything else is average to above average.” This Harvest Hotline update is made possibly by U.S. Custom Harvesters, Incorporated, AgCountry Farm Credit Services and the North Dakota Mill.

Harvesting Silage in Wet Conditions – There is growing concern about silage harvest in the Northern Plains, as many fields remain flooded and saturated. The continued wet conditions may leave little opportunity for harvest before corn dries down past desired moisture levels or a frost occurs. According to South Dakota State University Extension, silage should be chopped when the plant is 32 to 38 percent dry matter and moisture ranging from 55 to 70 percent. Farmers and ranchers unable to chop silage at the ideal harvest time can harvest earlage or a drier silage. Read more from SDSU Extension.

Livestock Producers Should Monitor Hay and Grain Quality – Heavy rainfall this summer and fall has left hayfields and ditches flooded, leaving bales at risk for mold and other issues. The more water covering the bales, the more damage or loss of nutrients occurs. “In a low-lying area where water stands, that water infiltrates into the bale and wicks up into higher areas of the bale,” says Karl Hoppe, livestock systems specialist, NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center. “More than likely there is going to be a lot of mold in those bales.” Hoppe encourages livestock producers to monitor feed grain for ergot and vomitoxin. “Know what type of toxin is there and how to handle it.” Listen to the interview.

Fall Cattle Run Begins – The fall cattle run is starting across the Northern Plains. Hub City Livestock Auction owner Dennis Hellwig says there was a good run this past week. “We sold about 4,800 yearlings with 300 calves. The last two weeks, there are lots of yearlings moving,” says Hellwig. “The 900 pound cattle are bringing decent funds. The fat cattle are coming up a bit this week. Meat prices are going down, but that will level off a bit. Fat cattle could get higher into the spring time.”

Focus on Pasture Repair This Fall – Cold and wet weather conditions prohibited proper development and timely weed control in pastures this past year. Corteva Agriscience field scientist Scott Flynn says when soils stay cool and saturated, the amount of root development is restricted. “That results in weak stands. In the fall of the year with weak stands there is an opportunity to tune up pastures,” says Flynn. “Fertilizer applications in the fall stimulate root growth and tiller development, which builds up the pasture for the coming year.” Flynn notes annual weeds are typically the easiest to gain control of. Fall is an ideal time to tackle thistles, perennial invasive weeds and winter annuals that get in the way of pasture recovery. More information in this interview.

Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report Released – The September 1 inventory of hogs and pigs was a record high 77.7 million head. That’s up three percent from last quarter and up three percent from one year ago. “We are in a growth industry,” said Joe Kerns, president, Kerns and Associates. “The most pronounced number for me was the number of pigs saved per litter is a new record 11.11.” To offset record supplies, analysts indicate more than 26 percent of U.S. pork production will need to be exported.

TransFARMation: Ag Commissioner Responds to Tough Farm Economy – Farmers and ranchers are enduring a difficult economy. Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen sees signs of farm stress every day.  “Farmers are in the fifth year of a downturn economy and it’s eating into their equity. There are a lot of farmers struggling financially,” says Petersen. That is taking a toll in farm country. Petersen is fielding calls from farmers and ranchers looking for answers. “One of the first things I do is ask if they’ve talked to a farm advocate and go from there.” Hear from Petersen in this TransFARMation episode.

Another Attempt to Delist Gray Wolf – Minnesota Representatives Collin Peterson and Pete Stauber have introduced legislation to return the management of the gray wolf to state control. Management of gray wolves was transferred from the state to federal level after a 2014 court ruling. Farm Bureau, Farmers Union and a variety of livestock groups responded, saying delisting the gray wolf is a priority.

Managing the Gray Wolf – Managing the gray wolf continues to be a priority for the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association. Executive Director Ashley Kohls says the association is focused on the rule-making process. “The comment period closed in July. We have weekly discussions with the Department of Interior to keep the gauge on where they are with comments for the outcome.” Kohls says there were about 2.5 million comments submitted for the rule. “The agency is telling us it is favorable for the actual de-listing of the wolf. We hope it will continue to trend that way. We’re paying close attention, but it will likely be December before we know.”

SD Corn Comments – The U.S. and Japan have signed a trade agreement that will increase market access for agricultural products. Get the details in this week’s Corn Comments, a feature from the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council.

Government Stays Funded Through November – On Thursday, the Senate passed legislation to extend government funding through November 21. South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds isn’t pleased it’s a continuing resolution. “Continuing resolutions are never good, because they’re based on the previous year’s funding. They do not allow for new contracts to continue,” says Rounds. “Any of those contracts that were enforced can be honored, but at last year’s rate. With regard to funding agriculture-related activities, I think we’ll be ok.” Farmers will continue receiving Market Facilitation Program payments.

Diving into Crop Insurance Claims – Late-season crop damage and harvest quality issues have farmers digging deeper into their crop insurance policy. Low falling numbers is taking over this year’s spring wheat harvest story. Based at Devils Lake, AgCountry Farm Credit Services senior insurance specialist Evan Markestad says there is a discount factor table for insurance purposes. “For falling numbers 300 and below, that discount factor comes into play. There has also been some vomitoxin south of here, so both of those could lead to a substantially reduced crop insurance yield.” This time of year, it’s rare for a large amount of hail claims come through the insurance office. However, after a late-season storm rolled through central and northeast North Dakota, many farmers are finding hail-stricken fields. Markestad has been busy with those claims as well. Listen to the story.

There’s Time to Make Good ARC or PLC Decisions – The sign-up period for the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage farm programs is open until March 15, 2020. With signup deadline is next spring, NDSU Extension Farm Management Specialist Andy Swenson is advising farmers to wait. Swenson says farmers can get more clarity on prices and yields by waiting. “We really have a lot of information to make decisions.” Swenson says because time is in a farmer’s favor, take advantage of it. “With crop prices where they are, PLC could be the way to go in most all of the crops. We’ll get a good feel for prices and if they’ll trigger a payment and the level of the payment,” says Swenson. “On the ARC-Co side, we’ll have a better feel if we wait and we’ll know yield.”

Crop Protection Companies Adjusted to the Unusual Season – Widespread planting delays this past spring forced farmers to go from Plan A to Plan B to Plan C. BASF Senior Vice President for Crop Protection Paul Rea says the erratic spring season also impacted input suppliers. “We’re probably carrying more inventory than we would have liked,” said Rea. “We had more interest in the post herbicide technology than expected, but we were able to supply the market.” Rea says this past growing season did result in more demand for fungicides. “With the heavy moisture load, there was strong interest in fungicides; when farmers got a crop in, they wanted to protect it.”

Canola Growers Advised to Lengthen Crop Rotation – Clubroot is a serious disease problem for canola farmers. Garth Hodges oversees the global canola business for BASF and says agronomic practices must be adopted to control clubroot. That includes lengthening the crop rotation. “Snow is not a rotational crop and so lengthened rotations would help a lot.” Canola volunteer weeds found in crops, like wheat or peas, should also be controlled.

ND Farmers Markets and Growers Association Update – Late-season crops are finally coming into season, which means there is still a lot of produce left to choose from. Hear from Minot Farmers Market marketing coordinator Ann Olson in the North Dakota Farmers Markets and Growers Association Update.

Operation Weed Eradication – BASF has launched a new approach, moving away from ‘managing weeds’ to on-farm weed eradication. Vice President of U.S. Crop Agricultural Solutions Scott Kay says a different mindset is needed. “That last weed in the field is probably the strongest weed; it is the most capable weed and it is probably the most genetically resistant weed in the field. We need to take that last step to eradicate it from the field.” If you let that weed go to seed, it can produce 500 million seeds and become a long-lasting issue. “Accepting that one weed means you’re going to live with having to control weeds them across the farm; we want to change the dialogue.” Farmers are spending three-and-a-half times more than what they did just ten years ago trying to control weeds. Scott says that warrants a fresh look at weed eradication.

Transitioning to a New Generation of Ag Bankers – Over 175 bankers from across the state gathered in Bismarck for the North Dakota Bankers Association Ag Credit Conference.  A full slate of topics top of mind in agriculture were covered, ranging from depressed commodity prices to market access. North Dakota Bankers Association President and CEO Rick Clayburgh says the timeliest issue is this year’s harvest challenges. “From a banker’s perspective, we’re working with producers to get them out of the 2019 crop year and into 2020.” Clayburgh adds it’s been a while since there has been these types of challenges. “A lot of ag bankers have retired over the past few years.There aren’t many lenders who’ve gone through these difficult times since the 80s.” Listen to the story.

MN 4-H Agronomy Program Available Statewide in 2020 – The Minnesota 4-H agronomy program will be available statewide starting in 2020. The program familiarizes 4-H youth with crops grown in Minnesota and the career opportunities available in crop production. More information on the program is available on the Minnesota Extension website.

BASF: An Emphasis on Innovation – The recent history has been a time of significant change in the seed, crop protection and traits business . It was just over a year ago when BASF acquired assets from Bayer, including its seed business, seed treatment and a digital farming platform. “I think we have become a significant player with a good portfolio around seed and crop protection,” said Saori Dubourg, who is a member of the BASF executive board with responsibility for the ag solutions business. Dubourg said the integration was accomplished in a positive way for growers. The regulatory trends are only getting more stringent. Dubourg says that means new innovations have to have lasting value. “Europe, at the moment, has a much more critical discussion led by consumers and in the United States, there are different elements that are more important than others. There is no global understanding of sustainability criteria and that makes it very challenging for the industry, but also for growers.” BASF highlighted innovations at a global media event, including the Revysol fungicide platform and hybrid wheat.

MN Corn Matters – Farmers can stay connected with the latest corn growers news through a weekly e-newsletter and text message updates. Hear more from Minnesota Corn Growers Association Public Relations Manager Brent Renneke in this edition of Corn Matters.

Meatless Burger Gets a Trial Run at McDonald’s – McDonald’s is the latest quick-serve restaurant chain to test plant-based burgers. Beyond Meat produced a special meatless product for McDonald’s and it is being tested in about 30 Canadian stores. The sandwich is called the PLT, which stands for plant, lettuce and tomato.

Extension Program Brings Awareness to Opioid Misuse – A new program addressing rural opioid misuse has been developed by North Dakota State University and South Dakota State University Extension. “Strengthening the Heartland” focuses on the difficult conditions in farming, which are considered risk factors for prescription opioid abuse. The effort is divided into two programs, one for adults and the other for teens. Print and online resources regarding opioid misuse are available at on the SDSU Extension website.

Cargill Releases 1Q Report – Cargill reports first quarter net earnings of $915 million, down from just over $1 billion one year ago. Profits were influenced by poor soybean export sales and processing margins. Cargill’s North American beef business enjoyed significant gains.

Donation Made for SDSU Precision Ag Center – Corteva Agriscience is donating $600,000 for South Dakota State University’s new precision agriculture facility. This donation will help expand facilities for student learning and engagement with precision agriculture tools. Corteva will receive the naming rights to the student atrium of the new Raven Precision Agriculture Building.

Torgerson Leading Associated Potato Growers – Associated Potato Growers Incorporated, a Red River Valley-based potato cooperative, has a new CEO. Mike Torgerson, a former manager at the Grafton APGI plant, is now in the role as of September 16. Former CEO Bryan Miller resigned to accept a different job.

Ducks Unlimited Adds Agronomist – Ducks Unlimited has added Emily Schwartz as a field agronomist at the company’s Great Plains Regional Office in Bismarck, North Dakota. Schwartz will deliver and adapt Ducks Unlimited’s new soil health programs.

Grove Succeeds Ronsberg at Crystal Seed – Tyler Grove has been named as the new general manager of Crystal Sugarbeet Seed. Grove has been the general agronomist at American Crystal Sugar Company for the past five years and will succeed Larry Ronsberg, who retired. Joe Hastings has been transitioning into the role of general agronomist since early June.