ATRAZINE: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized its biological opinion on Atrazine, determining that this key crop protection tool does not jeopardize the continued existence of threatened or endangered species. The decision clears a major regulatory hurdle before the Environmental Protection Agency can complete the registration review process for Atrazine. The outcome reflects years of engagement by farmers and grower organizations who have consistently advocated for decisions grounded in sound science, real-world data, and practical farming experience.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Tuv3so (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
A BUSY WEEK AHEAD
NEXT WEEK: Via KROX-Radio, VERBATIM: “Minnesotans are invited to celebrate the bounty of the harvest season during National Farmers Market Week, August 2-8. Governor Tim Walz has proclaimed the week Farmers’ Market Week in Minnesota, joining the nationwide celebration of farmers’ markets and the farmers, vendors, and communities that make them possible.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fxnx8E
NEXT WEEK: Via Farmfest, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins will be a featured speaker at the Farmfest Forums during this year’s Minnesota Farmfest. Secretary Rollins will address the audience gathered in the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center on Tuesday, Aug. 4, beginning at 10:10 a.m.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3S2fNCu
NEXT WEEK: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “Remember: We’re offering free, onsite well water testing for nitrates Tuesday through Thursday next week at @MNFarmfest near Redwood Falls. Bring a sample from your tap to our tent and learn more about our programs while you’re there!” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4pRPj3c
THIS MONTH: Via Linder Farm Network, VERBATIM: “The Steele County Agribusiness Luncheon scheduled for Friday, August 14, from 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at the Owatonna Eagles Club will feature Congressman Brad Finstad and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson. Representatives Finstad and Thompson will discuss the Farm Bill, federal agriculture policy, and the issues shaping the future of rural America.”
FARM BILL: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “Senate Republicans will include language to permanently allow year-round sales of E15 fuel in the farm bill they plan to mark up next Thursday, according to two people familiar with the plans. The E15 language that senators are planning to attach to their package is a scaled-back version of the bill the House passed in May. The House bill narrowed exemptions for certain small refiners, a provision that became a sticking point for some GOP senators.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h9dIij
MORE: Via The Fence Post, VERBATIM: “The Office of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., the ranking member on the committee, did not respond to a request for comment. Senate Democrats have said the bill must address the question of delaying a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that requires states to pay a portion of the cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits based on each state’s payment error rate.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yS6SUQ
WORKFORCE: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Representative Michelle Fischbach is supporting legislation from House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson to modernize the H-2A agricultural guest worker program. Fischbach said the bill would streamline timelines, allow labor certifications to remain valid for three years and make other changes requested by farmers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fPBgGF
THE FEDS: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiative to recruit veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses into mission-critical careers that protect America’s food supply, strengthen rural communities, and defend the nation’s agricultural security.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45xSPWS
DAIRY: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Food & Water Watch and the Land Stewardship Project sued the state of Minnesota Thursday over a decision to allow a Morris mega-dairy to expand without a more rigorous environmental review. Riverview wants to expand West River Dairy from 7,855 cows to almost 19,000 cows, making it the biggest dairy in Minnesota. The new dairy would create roughly the same amount of waste as a city of 750,000, and, according to the plaintiffs, at least 66,000 tons of additional greenhouse gas emissions yearly.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pUVgwm
AG INFRASTRUCTURE
DROUGHT: As of Tuesday, 76% of the state was in formal drought status, up from 48% a week earlier. 95% – nearly the entire state – was listed as abnormally dry or worse. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3zN8TDo
MORE: MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen shared the latest Drought Monitor via X, adding, QUOTE: “@MNagriculture watching closely as more counties will be added to USDA disaster declarations which open emergency loans & grazing.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3Fz82gD
A LITTLE HELP: From North Dakota State Climatologist and NDAWN Director Daryl Ritcheson via X, a map showing North Dakota and Minnesota rain totals from Thursday into Friday. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/4pS5uxh
LAND: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Farmland values in North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin increased 1.2 percent over the past six months and are up 4.2 percent from a year ago, according to the latest farm real estate benchmarking study from AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fLZa64
CRUSH CAPACITY: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “ADM says it will be making upgrades at four existing plants in the next three years, adding 700,000 metric tons of annual crush capacity . . . ADM says the expansion would create demand for more than 25 million additional bushels of soybeans annually.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bSY0Es
MARKETS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Cattle futures were slightly higher early Friday, hogs and soybeans 2-sided. Corn and wheat lower.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4xbsuJY
BEEF TOUR: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota state cattlemen’s summer beef tour made a stop at a farm near Lake Benton, Minnesota that breeds champion stock red angus. It’s one of nine stops on the tour.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/450KoTT
IN THE FIELDS
STORAGE: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “‘Where are we gonna put all the grain when harvest starts?’ That’s the question John Tuttle with Brock says more commercial grain handlers are asking as the 2026 harvest approaches. The pressure is building from several directions: high old-crop corn stocks, soft commodity prices, flat storage capacity growth and a narrowing construction window for permanent storage projects.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45wQqf9
RUST: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “An agronomist is concerned as southern rust continues moving north. Grant Harms with Corteva Agriscience says the corn disease is blown in from the south and has been detected in Iowa.” HARMS: “So knowing that we have southern rust history in these regions of the bread basket doesn’t mean that we’re going to have it, but if we could prevent it for when it does show up. That’s where we like to use fungicides to prevent those diseases from getting out of control and costing yield.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bjpz9Y
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BIOFUELS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A group of researchers at Purdue University are looking to expand the use of biofuels in traditional diesel engines. Dr. Greg Shaver, professor of mechanical engineering, says the Purdue Biofuels Consortium is focused on creating new market opportunities for farmers.” SHAVER: “The idea is to be able to take a great fuel like ethanol and blend it together with conventional diesel fuel and biodiesel and use that in an engine that can also still be capable of running diesel fuel,” he says. “A key goal here is to increase the value of these fuels that will directly affect farmers in the state of Indiana.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4pSPnjh
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