AG BILL: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota House of Representatives has passed its omnibus agriculture and finance bill, legislation that will fund the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and other state programs and initiatives during the 2026-27 biennium. Sponsored by Reps. Paul Anderson (R-Starbuck) and Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul), HF2446 passed the House last Thursday by a 130-3 vote. Its Senate companion, SF2458 is sponsored by Sen. Aric Putnam (DFL-St. Cloud) and will be heard by the full Senate [today].” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cRKYpY (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
On Saturday we launched our first premium publication. The Fluence Brief, they will be released 3-4 times a month and dive deeper into the business, economic and political dynamics of the Midwest. First one is gratis, but then we’ll have a fee. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cQw43r
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
MNLEG: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The House has passed a $172 million ag finance bill as the Minnesota Legislative Session hits the home stretch. Minnesota Farmers Union government relations director Stu Lourey says legislators face a May 19th adjournment . . . Lourey says MFU welcomes proposed funding for the state’s ag emergency account, new investments for farm-to-school, and further investments in farm business management, as well as farm safety and rural mental health. He expects the Senate to pass its ag finance bill soon, setting the stage for a conference committee to finalize details.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3YR4VaM
MORE: Senate Agriculture Chair Aric Putnam talked with Minnesota Senate Media about the bill and how outside forces are making legislators’ jobs more challenging. PUTNAM: “We have no idea what the federal government’s going to do. They say they’re going to one thing one week and something else the next. And it has had some pretty significant consequences on agriculture. We’ve already lost $1.4 billion in soybean futures values.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4lOEa0t
MORE: As of this writing, the full Senate was scheduled to take up the agriculture, broadband and rural development bill this afternoon. From Senate Media Services via YouTube, WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4iJQg8h
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
CHARGES DROPPED: Via DTN, VERBATIM: “The U.S. secretaries of Agriculture and Homeland Security on Wednesday shined a spotlight on a South Dakota ranch family that had been facing federal charges under the Biden administration over a fencing dispute with the U.S. Forest Service. Republican officials leveled charges of extreme government overreach by the previous administration with attempts to ‘make felons out of farmers.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44RNdrt
ANTIBIOTICS: Via UofM CIDRAP, VERBATIM: “A coalition of food safety, public health, and consumer advocacy groups are urging Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to curb the use of antibiotics in the meat industry. In a letter sent last week, the Food Animal Concerns Trust and 36 other organizations called on Kennedy to take four actions to reduce the amount of medically important antibiotics used by US farmers for food-animal production, which accounts for nearly two thirds of all medically important antibiotics sold in the United States. The groups have been warning for several years that widespread use of these antibiotics—which are also used in human medicine—in cows, pigs, and poultry is accelerating the antibiotic-resistance threat.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/437GDM9 LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/43aQdOg
MAHA: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited Texas with U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to discuss food security and learn how America’s farmers are working to Make America Healthy Again. During the visit, Secretary Rollins met at the Texas A&M Beef Center to provide an update on the status of the New World Screwworm.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4k2QKaZ
BIRD FLU: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “With high pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks occurring regularly for more than three years in the upper Midwest, those involved in the day-to-day fight understand this is a long-term battle with no easy out. It's tiring to deal with as it jumps from avian to mammals and back again — each time kicking concerns up a notch. Across the country, the virus has affected 168 million birds since February 2022.” QUOTE: “Influenza viruses are just frustrating,” South Dakota State Veterinarian Beth Thompson said. “To be honest. It doesn't matter if we're talking about swine influenza, other influenza, they're a smart virus, and they'll figure things out.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iEwkne
NEXT MONTH: Via Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis surveys farm lenders across the Ninth District quarterly to check the pulse of agriculture in this heavily rural region. Join regional economist Joe Mahon for a live webinar to discuss the latest results—gathered as spring planting was underway—on farm incomes, land values, and the impacts of interest rates on farm finances.” AGENDA: https://fluence-media.co/3YTW7ko
PAYMENTS: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced a second round of payments coming this week for specialty crop producers through the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, providing up to $1.3 billion in additional program assistance. U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) already delivered just under $900 million in first round payments to eligible producers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Gwj32V
WIND: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “Kenny Blumenfeld has heard the question from people such as farmers, foresters and construction workers who work outside: ‘Has it gotten windier in the past few years compared to the past?’ Blumenfeld, a senior climatologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, says that question actually has two answers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jC1hKl
MORE: Via KARE-TV, information about Monday’s tornadoes and their aftermath. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3GwkT3P
FFA: Via Minnesota FFA, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s 96th State FFA Convention began [Monday] at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis with the theme Stand as One. The opening session featured FFA Hall of Fame and Honorary State FFA Degree recognition, and state officer retiring addresses. The session, sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, was preceded by Career Development Events and a reception for FFA alumni and supporters.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cW7XAt
MORE: See the organization’s Press Releases page for more updates from the convention including the Tuesday release which includes awards and newly-named officers. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3RGIFwk
MORE: Via Brownfield, a pair of stories highlighting the next generation of agriculture:
TEACHERS: “More than 20 Minnesota FFA students pledged to become ag teachers during the Minnesota FFA Convention Tuesday. Twenty-two Minnesota FFA members signed with nine universities and technical colleges during a ceremony to demonstrate the students’ intention to join the ranks of teachers who have instructed, coached, and mentored them.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cV9l6h
ST PAUL: “For the first time an urban chapter has been named the Premier FFA Chapter in Minnesota. Highland Park Senior High ag teacher and FFA advisor Harley Brown says the St. Paul school launched its FFA chapter ten years ago and has grown into one of the top chapters in the state.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3EFjBmB
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep. Kari Rehrauer
Rep. Wayne Johnson
Rep. Julie Greene
Rep. Keith Allen
Rep. Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
100 DAYS: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “In the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has taken action to support the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and put Farmers First at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).” ROLLINS: “We have had an action-packed first 100 days of President Donald J. Trump in the White House. At USDA, I have made bold changes to improve the lives of American producers and consumers. I look forward to continuing our work to bring America into a new golden age of prosperity, with American farmers and ranchers leading the way.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/436K8Cy
MAPLE GROVE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A $132 million manufacturing campus — where companies will transform crops into industrial chemicals otherwise made with petroleum and often sourced from overseas — is coming to Maple Grove. The demonstration-scale facility will be the first and flagship location for nonprofit BioMADE, which aims to build a national network of plants to bridge the gap between prototype and production, kickstarting the country’s bio-industrial economy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lThNab
PLANTING: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “#Plant25 kicked into gear this past week, with 4.1 suitable days of fieldwork resulting in 1/4 of estimated corn planted, 1/3 of estimated oats, and close to 1/2 of estimated sugarbeets, according to today's @usda_nass crop progress report.” NUMBERS: https://fluence-media.co/4jYiugN
OATS: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Kevin Connelly, a third-generation dairy farmer in Olmsted County and proud founding member of the Oat Mafia, wrapped up planting his portion of food-grade oats on April 17. Along with raising oats on his farm in Byron, Connelly raises corn, soybeans, alfalfa, grass hay and other forages for the cows. This year, Connelly said his farm planted just over 120 acres of oats, which is slightly down from last year. ‘We're just getting rotation set, so next year we'll be about 40% over that,’ Connelly said of the 120 acres. He said it took him about eight days to plant all the oats, but the rest of the Oat Mafia has been planting throughout the month of April . . . Unlike the real mafia, there aren't any no-show jobs or hijacked trucks, and the Oat Mafia relies on the sharing of equipment to succeed in their goal of producing high quality food-grade oats.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iL0ANA
GRAIN PRICES: From farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “In the past eighteen months, there have been very few good opportunities for farmers to market corn and soybeans at favorable levels. This has resulted in a large amount of grain being sold below breakeven levels, as well as a significant amount of the 2024 corn crop being still in storage on farms across the Midwest. This has also left farmers with some very difficult grain marketing decisions for both the grain that is still in storage, as well as for the 2025 crop that is currently being planted. The continued low corn and soybean prices resulted in greatly reduced profit levels for Midwest crop producers in 2024, and has lowered profitability prospects for 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jU1o3t
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
GRANTS: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded more than $1 million in grants to schools and early care providers through its Farm to School and Early Care Grants program. This funding supports the purchase of Minnesota-grown and -raised foods, creating market opportunities for local farmers and improving the quality of school and early care meals across the state.” QUOTE: “When schools and early cares serve local food, everyone benefits – our farmers, our kids, our communities, and our economy,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “We are proud to help schools and early care providers incorporate more local food into their meals. Minnesota kids deserve the best, and Minnesota farms can provide the best.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4k2RxIZ
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