FERTILIZER: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Even before fertilizer price and supply issues escalated due to the conflict in the Middle East, Minnesota’s corn farmers had been struggling with stubbornly high input prices, especially fertilizer. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) has a history of advocating for long-term, permanent solutions to address record fertilizer costs, but the Middle East conflict has accelerated efforts. Economic relief will not be realized overnight, but recent announcements from legislators should build a foundation for addressing fertilizer price volatility.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bJxBcK (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
AG HEADLINES
INPUTS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A farmer in southern Minnesota says surging fertilizer prices should not have much impact this spring. Brad Kluver grows corn and soybeans near Northfield.” KLUVER: “Thankfully we had had a lot of our input costs priced in before, I mean there was volatility all the way through, but that’s definitely accelerated in recent time here. So our plans haven’t necessarily changed.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4sRoaOs
E15: From Senator Amy Klobuchar via X, VERBATIM: “At Bushmills Ethanol in Atwater to highlight the need to increase biofuels in our fuel supply. With the administration’s war with Iran driving up gas prices, I’ll keep pushing for year-round E15 to lower prices at the pump and support Minnesota farmers.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/418LevR
MATH: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Adding war in the Middle East to an ongoing trade war equates to the math not working for farmers. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have deterred China from buying vast amounts of U.S.-grown grains and soy as well as forced the Eastern power to instead purchase from Brazil. All this while the price of grains has fallen in recent years, and the U.S.-started Iran war has endangered a major trade route for fertilizer ingredients. ‘There’s not a producer in agriculture around the world that won’t be impacted,’ said CHS CEO Jay Debertin of the continuing conflict.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4doA0uz
WOMEN: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “In recognition of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, the 28th annual Women in Agricultural Leadership Conference underscored the essential role women play in the ag industry. Strong leadership today is building a more resilient ag future for tomorrow!” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/41EsAfx
AGRONOMIST: Via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “Susan Hart’s career in agronomy was sparked by one simple accident on her family’s small west-central Minnesota farm when she was in elementary school. As a field agronomist for Stine Seed, Hart supports growers in western Minnesota, North Dakota, and northern South Dakota. She is also a member of the Successful Farming Crop Crew, a cohort of agronomists who share real-time, boots-on-the-ground insights from their territories during the growing season.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bL752H
CO-OPS: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Farmer-led cooperatives could play a larger role in helping Minnesota agriculture adapt to climate change while strengthening rural economies, according to a new report from the Minnesota Farmers Union. The findings were presented during a March 18 webinar, ‘Farmer-Led Solutions: Investing in Cooperatives for a Changing Climate,’ highlighting lessons from the group’s Cooperatives for Climate grant program.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cjo8sL
ETHANOL: From MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen via X, VERBATIM: “Great to hear that after nearly 4 years of being idle, the Luverne, Minnesota Agri-Energy plant started back up today producing ethanol. Was great to visit a couple of weeks ago, congrats to all.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/414jvMW
CHAVEZ: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “In the days and weeks since the New York Times released an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by civil rights figure Cesar Chavez, tributes to Chavez have been removed or changed nationwide . . . In Minnesota, actions to remove his name were swift. The state legislature unanimously approved repealing Cesar Chavez Day in the state, instead recognizing farm workers.” QUOTE: “I think this is a confounding story that a man who’s been a hero is now revealed to have been an abuser and an exploiter,” labor historian Peter Rachleff said. “It opens a door to a new level of understanding.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bNjfrW
VODKA: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota spirit is topping the national stage. Prairie Organic Vodka, produced by Phillips Distilling Co., has been named Best Vodka in America in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards from Newsweek. Crafted in Princeton using organic, non-GMO corn sourced from Midwestern family farms, Prairie has long positioned itself as a leader in ingredient transparency and sustainability. That approach is resonating more than ever, as consumers increasingly look for spirits that prioritize both quality and responsible sourcing.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v5TURw
GALA: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Foundation for Agriculture welcomed 330 attendees at its fifth annual Ag Day Gala on National Ag Day, March 24. The event took place at the North End Event Center on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and brought together agriculturalists across the state to honor farming and ranching in Minnesota and the impactful role the sector plays in the state’s economic growth.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/413sUV3
PRODUCTIVE FARMS, STEWARDSHIP GO HAND IN HAND. via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Corn farmers are demonstrating that productive agriculture and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Through widespread adoption of practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, crop rotations, and targeted nutrient management, farmers have improved soil health, reduced erosion, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and protected water quality across millions of acres in Minnesota. That’s all while implementing advances in seed genetics, fertility management, and precision technology that have improved on-farm productivity.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4stHjG5 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn)
CROP DECISIONS
USDA: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the March 2026 Prospective Plantings report Tuesday, and with no major surprises, the story this year may not just what farmers plan to plant, but how few farmers actually responded. Only 37.6% of producers participated, marking the lowest response rate in the survey’s history. For NASS, the implications go beyond a number. According to Lance Honig, chair of the Agricultural Statistics Board, the low participation highlights a growing trust gap between farmers and the agency.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sTqODy
CORN: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “An ag economist says it was not a surprise USDA forecast U.S. corn acreage above most pre-report expectations. Megan Roberts with Compeer Financial tells Brownfield many farmers had their planting intentions set by the end of last fall.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4m7BzQ3
(DISCLOSURE: Compeer is a Fluence sponsor)
SPECIALTY CROPS: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “In the specialty crops, barley acreage intentions nationwide are up two percent. In North Dakota, barley acreage is projected to be in line with last year, while acreage will decline two percent from last year in Minnesota and South Dakota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mah8SA
OATS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Oat seeding is underway in south-central Minnesota. Good Thunder area farmer Sam Ziegler tells Brownfield he used a high-speed disc on corn stubble last fall in preparation for his first year of growing oats.” ZIEGLER: “And it really set the ground up very well for just planting directly into it this spring. So we no-till drilled it and conditions were really well, it was dry enough on the top and firm enough because we didn’t do any sort of deep tillage. And seed went into moisture.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4v5Vi6G
AGENCY NEWS
MOVE: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service announced it will move its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, and begin a sweeping restructuring of the agency to move leadership closer to the forests and communities it serves. For an agency whose lands, partners, and operational challenges are overwhelmingly concentrated in the West, the shift represents a structural reset and a common-sense approach to improve mission delivery.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bQoFRq
GRANTS: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Value-Added and Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing (MPEM) Grants. These reimbursement grant programs provide funding for eligible applicants to invest in equipment and physical improvement projects that support expanding processing capacity, market diversification, and market access for Minnesota agricultural products.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v3VTpl
GRAZING: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum today announced new actions aimed at boosting the supply of American born, raised, and harvested beef by supporting American ranchers with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will strengthen coordination, cut bureaucratic red tape, and deliver immediate, tangible support for America’s farmers and ranchers who rely on public lands. Building on the USDA’s recently released Grazing Action Plan, the agreement formalizes collaboration between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to ensure more efficient, transparent and responsive grazing management across federal lands.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41an6ZT
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BIN SAFETY: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “According to Purdue University’s nationwide report, there’s a concerning trend where the total number of grain dust explosions decreased in 2025, but the severity of those incidents—measured by injuries and fatalities—increased significantly. There were seven grain dust explosions reported in the U.S. in 2025, a slight decrease from the nine reported in 2024. However, despite fewer incidents, the human toll was higher.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ts0EHP
SUSTAINABLE: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “We’re proud to host The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSPS) first annual Regional Sustainable Agriculture Initiative meeting in St. Paul this week. GSPS works across borders to grow the region’s economy & protect the world’s largest system of surface fresh water.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4tfF7BU
SOIL HEALTH: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Research at the University of Minnesota is finding farmers implementing soil health principles can start spring field management sooner than their conventional counterparts. Extension soil health specialist Anna Cates says practices like reduced tillage create better physical structure for soil to manage water.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tn3a1Z
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