PLASTIC: From Jonathan Eisenthal via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Advanced materials firm Valerian Materials is creating a new molecule that will be used to make recyclable plastic derived from corn. The young company has taken a significant step towards commercialization, following a pilot plant scale production run funded by a grant from Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42BTI0B (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
TARIFFS: From Christopher Vondracek via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A trade war with America’s neighbors was, seemingly, put on the backburner earlier this week. But farmers aren’t breathing any easier. ‘This is another way to drive a few farmers off the farm,’ said Gary Wertish, a Renville County farmer and president of the Minnesota Farmers Union, speaking on the ramifications if President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico. Months ahead of the spring planting season, Wertish said many farmers are worried negotiations will fall apart and the plan postponed a month this week will be reinstated by Trump and place tariffs on Canadian goods, including fertilizer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42Wylaa
MORE: From Senator Amy Klobuchar via Threads, VERBATIM: “I was at the Minnesota Farmers Union to make it clear: these tariffs won’t lower the price of groceries, gas, or housing—they’ll raise them. They’re bad for our economy and will hit the average American family with a $1,000+ tax increase each year.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4aQQWqn
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
CLARIFICATION: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture clarified today that the Foreign Agricultural Service is continuing activities for projects funded by the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Childhood Nutrition Program and the Food for Progress Program.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jKDFn8
MORE: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “On Wednesday, Reuters reported the program and other U.S. food aid programs had been halted as part of the Trump administration's pause on international assistance, despite a waiver for life-saving aid.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40QCBpk
ROUTE 1: Form Beret Leone via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “It's not harvest season in Minnesota, but a local organization is working to support and build up Black and Brown farmers across the state year-round. ‘We can literally put these things anywhere,’ Marcus Carpenter, founder of Route 1, said about the retrofitted shipping container that is equipped with advanced hydroponic technology. In the middle of its first Minnesota winter, the 320-square-foot modular farm produces as much food as four acres of traditional farmland.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4173s1w
FUNDING: Via Washington Post, VERBATIM: “Farmers report missing millions of dollars of funding they were promised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, despite promises from the Trump administration that a federal funding freeze would not apply to projects directly benefiting individuals. On his first day in office, President Donald Trump ordered the USDA to freeze funds for several programs designated by President Joe Biden’s signature clean-energy and health-care law, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The freeze paused some funding for the department’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which helps farmers address natural resource concerns, and the Rural Energy for America Program, which provides financial assistance for farmers to improve their infrastructure. Farmers who signed contracts with the USDA under those programs paid up front to build fencing, plant new crops and install renewable energy systems with guarantees that the federal government would issue grants and loan guarantees to cover at least part of their costs. Now, with that money frozen, they’re on the hook.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aSHFy2
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.-Elect Kari Rehauer
Rep.-Elect Wayne Johnson
Rep. Elect Julie Greene
Rep. Elect Keith Allen
Rep. Elect Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
FUTURES: Via Bloomberg, VERBATIM: “Grain and oilseed futures eased Friday as traders waited for more clues on demand after agriculture markets rallied earlier in the week when the US delayed tariffs on Canada and Mexico.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Xj6jCv
DECISIONS: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “April 15 is the deadline to sign-up for the 2025 farm program at local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices throughout the United States or online at on the USDA FSA website. Eligible producers are able to choose between the price-only ‘Price Loss Coverage’ (PLC) and revenue-based ‘Ag Risk Coverage’ (ARC) farm program choices. The ARC program choice includes both the county-yield based ARC-CO program choice and the ARC-IC program, which is based on farm-level yields. In recent years, corn and soybean producers have tended to lean toward ARC-CO over PLC for their farm program choice. Farmers may want to ‘push the pencil’ or run the farm program calculators a bit more this year to determine their best farm program choice for 2025, especially for corn.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42ORNpy
BENSON: From Victor Stefanescu via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “CNH, which makes Case IH agricultural equipment, is cutting 175 jobs at its plant in the central Minnesota city of Benson. Case IH may be the largest employer in Benson, a city of about 3,500 about 2.5 hours west of Minneapolis, interim City Manager Rob Wolfington said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3CyW2eh
COMPEER: Via Compeer Financial, VERBATIM: “Compeer Financial and its board of directors announced plans to distribute approximately $187 million in patronage payments to member-owners in 2025. This month, member-owners received the first round of payments, totaling $52 million.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4huxDp3
(DISCLOSURE: Compeer is a Fluence sponsor)
SYRUP: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “Some maple syrup producers might be concerned about winter warm-ups and sap flowing early. Most large producers in northern Minnesota base their schedules on the calendar— tap in February to be ready by March 1. Producers in the Twin Cities or farther south can be 10 days to two weeks ahead of that schedule.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hv52jG
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
HISTORY: From UofM Extension’s Katie Drewitz via Fillmore County Journal, VERBATIM: “The 2025 Minnesota Century Farm recognition program and 2025 Minnesota Sesquicentennial Farm recognition program applications are now open! The annual application deadline is the first Monday in March.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hNXgB6
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