NEXTGEN: From Minnesota Corn via Instagram, VERBATIM: “The Yellow Medicine Corn and Soybean Growers have been hard at work in their local community this month! Yesterday, the group signed up 21 FFA students from Yellow Medicine East school to be the newest members of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. In addition they presented a check for $750 to help the chapter offset some of the expenses that the school district doesn’t cover, such as attendance at field days.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4a0LdPY (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
THE STATE OF AG
WARNING: Via Ag Wired, VERBATIM: “A bipartisan group of former leaders of America’s major agricultural commodity associations and biofuels organizations, farmer leaders, and former senior USDA officials, have issued a stark warning to Congress about the deteriorating state of the farm economy, calling current conditions a potential ‘widespread collapse of American agriculture.’ In a letter released today to the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, twenty-seven former agricultural executives and officials with decades of experience detailed how current Administration policies have harmed the farm economy and the need to take substantial action.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4r27uCS
HEMP: Via RFD-TV, VERBATIM: “A pending change to the federal definition of hemp could disrupt U.S. fiber and grain hemp markets, even though those sectors are not the primary targets of the new rule. Unless delayed, the revised definition takes effect on November 12, 2026, tightening compliance standards and reshaping the broader hemp economy that supports industrial production.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4adfN7K
GRAIN MARKETS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “South America could soon add more fuel to the recent rally in grain prices. Market analyst Michael Cordonnier with Soybean and Corn Advisor says there’s momentum from President Trump’s announcement that China plans to up its commitment of U.S. soybean purchases.” CORDONNIER: “That’s been the impetus for the price increase for soybeans. But now the market is paying attention to the dryness in Argentina, and just most recently the quality issues for soybeans out in Mato Grosso.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4r4sY29
WINTER ON THE FARM
CROP DECISIONS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “In a year when U.S. farmers might wonder if they should finally blink on corn, Scott Irwin is predicting many won’t. The University of Illinois agricultural economist believes growers will lean into growing corn once again. ‘I think my overall bottom line is we’re probably going to end up with more corn acres than we were thinking a few months ago,’ he says. That will likely be the case, he notes, even though the 2026 soybean-to-corn price ratio slightly favors soybeans and enterprise crop budgets indicate soybeans will be more profitable than corn.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rGCwQV
PESTS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Recent cold weather is not expected to have much impact on overwintering crop pests in the Upper Midwest. University of Minnesota Extension pest management specialist Anthony Hanson says temps plummeted below minus 20 degrees toward the end of January.” HANSON: “And that’s kind of about the time of year when people might be hoping that we’re going to have some pests dying back because of the cold.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4agrFpp
AG RESOURCES
MONDAY: Via The Bemidji Pioneer, VERBATIM: “To help landowners recover from the June 21 windstorm, the Minnesota Forestry Association is partnering with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to host a monthly series of Zoom webinars. The first will take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4komXuv
FEB 24: Via Forum, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Farmers Union will host an event in Barnesville about how state and federal leaders can strengthen rural communities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3MgbDEf
NEXT MONTH: Via The News Leaders, VERBATIM: “Landowners can learn how best to protect their land for the long term through conservation easements by attending the Minnesota Family Woodland Stewards Conference March 13-14 at St. John’s University.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4r26bUr
$152 MILLION: Via Compeer, VERBATIM: “Compeer Financial’s board of directors has approved the distribution of approximately $152 million in patronage payments to its member-owners, returning a significant share of the cooperative’s 2025 earnings to the people and businesses it serves. The first round of patronage payments, totaling $52 million, was issued to member-owners this month.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4qujnAI
(DISCLOSURE: Compeer is a Fluence sponsor)
GRAIN STORAGE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A farmer in southeastern Minnesota is planning additional grain storage. Glenn Groth raises corn and soybeans in Winona County.” GROTH: “We’re kind of staying the course in most aspects of the farming operation, we do plan to build more grain storage in the next year. Just giving us more flexibility in terms of marketing.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bGinWf
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
SURVEY: From GreenSeam via Facebook, VERBATIM: “The State of the Agricultural Ecosystem survey closes February 13. We encourage businesses and organizations connected to food and agriculture in Minnesota to take the survey and share it with colleagues or connections across manufacturing, supply chain, research, education, energy, and professional services.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/3MgueQy LINK: https://fluence-media.co/4kuz8pS
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