FBA: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Last week, USDA announced payment rates for commodities eligible for the new $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program that was announced by the Trump administration in early December. Corn will have a final payment rate of $44.36 per acre, USDA said. The rate is final and does not have a payment factor like the ECAP or SDRP programs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aa6Y0e (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
AG HEADLINES
AG ECONOMY: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “As 2026 ushers in a fresh start, agricultural economists say the U.S. farm economy has stopped sliding, but it’s far from fully healed. The December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows month-to-month sentiment is improving, but deep structural strain remains — especially in row crops. Meanwhile, livestock markets continue to provide strength. Crop producers face another year of tight margins driven by high input costs, weak prices and unresolved trade and policy uncertainty.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49bzuxv
ISSUES: Via House Ag Democrats, VERBATIM: “House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02) and Vice Ranking Member Shontel Brown (OH-11) sent a letter urging House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson to conduct rigorous examination of the most pressing issues facing farm country and hardworking Americans and calling for oversight of Trump administration actions affecting American agriculture as the 119th Congress begins its second session.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qlyUDt
MORE: From the letter, QUOTE: “Since our organizational meeting in January of last year, the Committee has held 20 full and subcommittee hearings. The vast majority of these were legislative hearings held in contemplation of future Committee action (e.g., reconciliation, crypto regulation, Grain Standards Act and CFTC reauthorization, the farm bill). Meanwhile, administration actions and other events that have created challenges for American agriculture have been ignored entirely by the Committee. These range from President Trump’s trade war with the world to the Department of Agriculture’s reorganization plan to animal disease outbreaks both here and close to home.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4jFmPqb
TRADE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The president of the National Milk Producers Federation says the U.S. and China must stay engaged in conversation if they’re going to keep trade on track. Gregg Doud, a former U.S. chief ag negotiator, helped broker the phase one trade deal.” DOUD: “After we did the phase one deal with China, we were talking to them every day. We were fixing all kinds of little knick-knack issues that kept the trains rolling and kept stuff moving. And then we didn’t, and now we’re back knocking on the door again. The Chinese are like, wait a minute, what, what’s going on here? You were here, then you’re gone and you’re back.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49FCPFf
AG CONNECTED
ETHANOL: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Ethanol accounted for 11.06% of the nation’s gasoline in October, marking the first time in history that the monthly ethanol blend rate has exceeded 11%, the Renewable Fuels Association said Tuesday, citing data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The RFA said the record-high blend rate reflects the growing use of E15 and flex fuels like E85.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jvAH6o
MORE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “U.S. ethanol stocks swelled to start 2026. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says the domestic ethanol supply of 23.652 million barrels was up 708,000 barrels on the week, but down 496,000 on the year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pzjLNH
TREES: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “Beginning on New Year’s Day, Minnesota began a 3-year phaseout of rowan mountain ash tree sales, because the non-native tree can overtake forests and suppress natural regeneration.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3NiLwfT
WOLVES: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Nearly $200,000 was paid out for damages to livestock caused by wolves in fiscal year 2025, according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Some of those costs are carryovers from the previous year, as there were not enough funds to cover all costs in 2024. The reports from the Agriculture Department, shared with the Minnesota Legislature in December, show that some areas of northern Minnesota recorded their highest damage claims in the last five years.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qaSJgz
DEER: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Minnesota hunters harvested 186,203 deer during the 2025 hunting season, a 9% increase from 2024 and 5% above the five-year average, according to preliminary figures from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources . . . Hunters submitted nearly 14,000 deer samples for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing in 2025. CWD was detected in 117 deer statewide, with most cases in southeast Minnesota.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4aPl47s
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
GRAIN MARKETS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Grain futures are rallying on Wednesday after failing late in the session on Tuesday. Darin Newsom, senior market analyst with Barchart, says the grain complex may be some rebalancing by hedge and index fund traders to start a new year and with grains under valued. The soybean and wheat markets are also oversold after soybeans lost nearly $1.40 off the November highs and soft red winter wheat futures just hit contract lows last Friday. So these two markets were due for a corrective bounce.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45vNnnU
PASTURE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A southwest Minnesota cattle producer says pastureland is difficult to acquire. Ryan Vos and his family operate a 2,000 head feedlot near Hadley.” VOS: “We are in cropland, it’s funny because pastureland is so non-existent down there. If there’s grassland that you see, the majority of that is either CRP, state-owned or federally-owned. So for us, finding pasture is very very hard to rent. Now buying pasture is even harder yet.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4q7GjGh
EDUCATION: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “Recognizing a statewide need, University of Minnesota Extension began hosting one-day workshops on farm transfer and estate planning for families in 2004. In 2018, Extension partnered with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to add one-and-a-half-day retreats for deeper family discussion. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture also has become a partner. Half-day workshops offer an overview of the technical aspects of farm transition and estate planning, while longer retreats are designed for multiple generations of a family to come together to plan.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49IWWCp
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)
NUTRITION POLICY
NEW TODAY: Via USA Today, VERBATIM: “New US dietary guidelines released Wednesday echo past advice, but also include nods to US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement — urging Americans to prioritize protein and ‘healthy fats’ and limit their consumption of ultraprocessed foods and added sugar . . . The latest update includes images of an inverted pyramid that puts meats, cheese and vegetables in the widest part at the top, flipping a longstanding visual of the American diet and moving away from the circular MyPlate.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sCh4hd
MORE: From HHS via Facebook:
MORE: Via USDA, from Secretary Brooke Rollins, QUOTE: “At long last, we are realigning our food system to support American farmers, ranchers, and companies that grow and produce real food. Farmers and ranchers are at the forefront of the solution, and that means more protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains on American dinner tables.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4px8T2F
MILK: Via Harvest Public Media, VERBATIM: “For more than a decade, Americans have been steadily drinking less milk each year. But the latest federal data show sales of milk beverages turned around in 2024, increasing by 358 million pounds or just under 1 percentage point from the previous year to 43.2 billion pounds. It’s the result of a resurgence in sales of whole milk, which have been trending upward since 2014.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YXW0E6
PERSONNEL MOVES
USDA: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced a new slate of presidential appointments to key positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/3Ytz0g8
MORE: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today congratulated Dr. Seth Meyer for his years of service to our country and announced Dr. Justin Benavidez as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Chief Economist.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qMNLH4
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
NEXT WEEK: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota Extension and Southwest Research & Outreach Center will host the 2026 Winter Crops Day and Research Update on Thursday, January 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at SWROC in Lamberton.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bn8psA
GUIDANCE: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Behind every successful operation stands a team of dedicated and talented leaders who make pivotal decisions daily that aid in the overall success of that dairy farm. At the 2025 Milk Business Conference, two remarkable farm managers, Jason Anderson, with Double A Dairy in Idaho, and Brandon Beavers, with Full Circle Jerseys, in Texas spoke about essential skills and approaches needed to manage complex agricultural enterprises effectively.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LuxO98
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