NEXTGEN: From Minnesota Corn via Instagram, VERBATIM: “This fall the Winona County Corn Growers Association made a donation to the @lewiston_altura_ffa. The Winona County Corn Growers run one of their Variety Plots on the Lewiston-Altura FFA’s field. This allows students to get hands-on experience by aiding the Winona County Corn Growers in managing the plot. Students help with everything from planting to harvesting.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4f6OYT7 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
FARM BILL: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “Senior agriculture lawmakers are still battling over a deal to extend the current 2018 farm bill. And time is running out. Lawmakers are facing down a Dec. 31 deadline when key farm programs expire. Democratic and Republican negotiators agree they have to attach a one-year extension of the current 2018 farm bill to the year-end funding stopgap Congress needs to pass before Dec. 20. But negotiators are locked in a tense back and forth over the details of the agreement, and what extra farm aid funding they may include.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f8LRdA
TAXES: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is engaged as Congress prepares to write a new tax bill in 2025. NCBA president-elect Buck Wehrbein says there are several provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that expire next year. ‘We call it the death tax, the estate tax, that that stays where it is or is improved upon. And (Congress) is talking about some other deductions and things like that, and if we can get the bill as it stands now that is a good thing.’ The Nebraska custom feedlot operator tells Brownfield those tax provisions were important to President-elect Trump during his first term.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/41xlZEK
BIRD FLU: Via Los Angeles Times, VERBATIM: “Health officials in Marin County are investigating a possible H5N1 bird flu case in a child. Officials have been investigating since last week and are working with the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine how the child was exposed.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41JIYwP
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TRADE MISSION: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “USDA is hosting an historic trade mission to Africa. Minnesota Soybean Growers Association executive director Joe Smentek is on the trip and says the first stop was Morrocco. ‘In Casablanca, talking to folks there. And the USDA set that trip up, so we had what as their largest delegation to Africa ever.’ Representatives from nearly 50 U.S. agribusinesses and trade groups and 14 state departments of agriculture are participating.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/41lLYz9
MORE: From MN Soybean Growers via X, VERBATIM: “Joe Smentek & @MNAgriculture's @afvaubel North African trade mission continued w/ a visit to Soyven, Egypt's top soy crush facility that often purchases 80% US soy. The group then toured @Cargill's Port of Alexandria facility, an offload destination for Soyven's soy, corn & wheat” PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/3ONwoVj
PROFITABILITY: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “Ask a farmer what their profit levels from crop farming were in 2024, and many of the answers in the Upper Midwest will likely be something like ‘worse than anticipated’ to ‘disappointing’ to ‘right down terrible’. Any of those answers could be correct, depending on where the farmer is located and how the heavy rains early in the growing season and the dry weather later in the growing season affected crop production in the area. The other big factor in farm profitability in 2024 was where farmers were positioned in the grain markets during the year, as well as the type and level of crop insurance coverage that was in place on the 2024 crop.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4g5zG2a
WINTER: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “There are winter feed quality concerns in the Upper Midwest. Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association president Jake Thompson says there was a lot of moisture this spring, but the summer was dry.” THOMPSON: “So from the cattle perspective when we’re looking at it, we had pastures that performed well (and) had a lot of forage produced. But we struggled to get a higher-quality forage, and I think that was a pretty common theme across the state.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/49wkvfW
CLIMATE: From UofM Extension’s Britta Greene via West Central Tribune, VERBATIM: “As we prepare for the years ahead, it’s critical for communities to have locally specific information on temperature, precipitation, and other variables to understand how they might be impacted — and how they can prepare. That’s why the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership has released top-line climate change summaries for nine geographic regions in Minnesota, using data from the climate mapping and analysis tool launched earlier this year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gqaumZ
TOMORROW: Via Brainerd Dispatch, VERBATIM: “Building on Minnesota’s history of conservation, a new collaborative program aims to connect women land stewards to each other and to local conservation resources. Minnesota Women in Conservation is launching this new initiative with a series of ‘Learning Circles’ throughout the state, including one 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZrIIPZ
THIS MONTH: Via Worthington Globe, VERBATIM: “Minnesota West Community & Technical College - Pipestone campus, will host an informational meeting for landowners and beginning farmers that rent or plan to sell ag assets (including land) to beginning farmers at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 23 in Room 103.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3DgPZut
GREENHOUSES: Via Ingstad Media, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) will partner with five farms in Greater Minnesota to conduct research and outreach on the newest farm scale deep winter greenhouse design. This project, supported by a Minnesota Department of Agriculture program, brings together small- and medium-scale fruit and vegetable growers in Minnesota with University of Minnesota researchers and designers to develop the next generation of innovative, sustainable winter food production technology.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4g7pNB6
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
AI: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “AI is nothing new for U.S. hog farmers, as some report its use since the 1930s. The management method has created a more productive, consistent end product. AI also has helped produce pork more safely. Of course, the AI referred to here is artificial insemination, which allows producers to tap into top genetics, without the need to house and handle boars that can become feisty when ‘in the mood.’ Another AI — artificial intelligence — also has been around for quite some time, and adopting what this AI world offers has potential to bring an entirely new level of efficiency to swine production.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3OKz4mT
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