FARM BILL: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) is grateful to House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and members of the committee for their work to advance the Farm Bill. While Congress made key improvements to the farm safety net as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in summer 2025, a full, comprehensive Farm Bill remains essential to ensuring the success of corn farmers and American agriculture. An updated farm bill that reflects present-day conditions is especially critical as farmers contend with high and rising input costs, low commodity prices, and weather and market volatility.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42t3iBL (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
A BUSY FRIDAY FOR AG
LLOYD: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Arguably the most famous bachelor turkey in all of Minnesota is a handsome idiot named Lloyd. Lloyd has a global Facebook fan base of about 48,000 who’ve followed his ridiculous exploits on the farm, such as cluelessly romancing basketballs, sticks and other inanimate objects. Never in his eight years has he been spotted properly mating with an actual turkey. His owner is determined to see if he could learn new tricks in his older age and find true companionship.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nc1Pcw
ROTISSERIE CHICKEN: After the 2026 farm bill passed in the U.S. House yesterday, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan criticized Rep. Angie Craig for voting against a bipartisan amendment that would allow SNAP recipients to buy hot rotisserie chickens. The amendment passed 384-35, and Rep. Tom Emmer was the only other Minnesota lawmaker who voted against it. FLANAGAN: “I think letting SNAP recipients have hot rotisserie chicken is good, actually. … If you’re siding with Tom Emmer, you’re probably on the wrong side.” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/3QGO6ya
MORE: Via news release from Rep. Craig, QUOTE: “Along with other members of Democratic leadership, I voted against it to send a message that the amendment does not go far enough to expand SNAP-eligibility, and we will continue to push the Senate to include a further expansion in the final version of the bill. There is no question that SNAP recipients need access to more hot food options, but this amendment was pushed by big grocers and retailers and the chicken industry. We can do better.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RfnKTW
FARM BILL: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “An American Soybean Association board director expects a long road ahead for the farm bill despite its passage in the U.S. House. Speaking to Brownfield just before the House passed its version of a skinny farm bill Thursday, southwest Minnesota farmer Bob Worth said he’s been optimistic the House could pass a farm bill this spring.” WORTH: “We could have a bigger problem on the Senate side than we do on the House side. The Senate side is not going to be very easy because the nutrition program is very big on the Senate side.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4unChvi
MORE: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “The farm bill debate blurred some of the traditional party-line policy positions. A pesticide labeling provision maintaining support for the federal regulatory system over state courts was rejected, brought down a coalition that included MAHA Moms and the advocates for states’ rights. Policy Solutions President Jay Truitt also points to market consolidation, which would have been a Democratic talking point in the past.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t75Vnq
E15: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “When Congress returns from recess May 12, advocates hope E15 will get another chance in Washington. The measure was removed from the Farm Bill Wednesday following heated debates. Legislation to allow year-round, nationwide E15 sales is now moving forward as a standalone bill. If the bill passes the House, it will likely be reintegrated into the broader Farm Bill.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dnhEbV
MORE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota farmer is frustrated by continued uncertainty with year-round nationwide E15. Rob Tate of Cannon Falls tells Brownfield.” TATE: “The analogy that’s been given before is it’s a little bit like Lucy holding the ball for Charlie Brown and she moves it at the last minute on him. I think we feel a little bit that way, but we’re still hopeful something can get done here in the near future.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/42GB3zg
EMISSIONS: Via Civil Eats, VERBATIM: “Republicans succeeded at passing an amendment that would roll back emissions standards on farm equipment, which they said were driving up costs for farmers. The vote on that amendment was divided more on party lines, with 206 Republicans voting in favor and 8 against, and 205 Democrats voting against, with 8 in favor. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-Minnesota) said the amendment was a distraction from larger issues hurting commodity farmers, including fuel and fertilizer price spikes caused by the Iran war and lost markets due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QAsinU
HEADWINDS: Via Axios, a laundry list of various challenges facing Minnesota’s farmers and indicators of their impacts, including a rise in calls and texts to the Minnesota Farm & Rural Helpline. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n4nJ1f
FERTILIZER: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The escalating price of fertilizer looms large as farmers begin the 2026 growing season. Chris Edgington grows corn and soybeans near St. Ansgar in north-central Iowa and says most growers in his area buy the bulk of their nitrogen needs in the fall or early winter.” EDGINGTON: “So most people are feeling pretty good about where they’re at for this year. But the conversation has already started about what price point it’s going to take for the retailers to fill up for summer and into next fall, and those numbers are up substantially.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4n5Ytrm
GLOBAL TRADE BOLSTERS AG ECONOMIES: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Each year, Minnesota’s exports of corn, ethanol, corn-fed meat, and dried distillers grains (DDGS) alone support over 11,500 jobs and add billions to the state’s economy. They also help ensure that consumers around the world have access to affordable protein and dairy products. In May, during World Trade Month, Minnesota Corn celebrates that important role trade plays in all our lives—in the U.S. and abroad. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4dqEqB1 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn)
LIVESTOCK
PSEUDORABIES: Via DTN, VERBATIM: “The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed Thursday cases of pseudorabies in a small commercial swine facility in Iowa, which traces to animals received recently from a herd in Texas. This is the first detection in commercial swine since its eradication in 2004.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t9GiTa
BEEF: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Consumers hungry for protein are still buying beef, but the meat’s producers from the farm to the butcher shop know it’s too expensive . . . The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a criminal investigation to determine if large meatpackers, which process farmers’ cattle and sell it to grocery stores, engaged in criminal anticompetitive conduct, the Wall Street Journal reported April 20. President Donald Trump accused these companies in November of driving up prices for consumers. Minnesota commodity giant Cargill is among the four major meatpackers controlling most of the American beef-processing market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eTIESq
DAIRY: From MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen via X, VERBATIM: “Good to see Governor Walz has signed SF3832 authored by Sen. Kupec and Rep. Nathan Nelson known as the DAIRI bill that gives additional assistance to dairy farmers who enroll in the federal DMC program.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4w12Wj6
MORE: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “The state’s Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Relief Initiative program (DAIRI) gives additional financial assistance to dairy farmers who participate in the Dairy Margin Coverage program. That is a federal Farm Service Agency program that provides financial support to dairy farmers when the margin between milk prices and feed costs is low. Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish expressed his support in the bill.” WERTISH: “We appreciate that this program is targeted at family-sized dairy farms,” he wrote in a letter to House members. “That will ensure that the money goes further to keeping more farms in business.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w5wfBa
USDA: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services mission area announced its intention to introduce the Food and Nutrition Administration. This shift will include a reorganization and relocation, all to move program leadership and staff from Washington, D.C. to hub and program compliance locations across the U.S. This shift in customer service will not disrupt program execution nor any endeavor to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse across USDA’s 16 nutrition assistance programs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4um0zpm
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
STUDY: Via UofM CFANS, VERBATIM: “New research from the University of Minnesota offers encouraging news for specialty crop growers interested in pollinator-friendly production. The study was conducted in summer 2025 by Research Fellow Gigi DiGiacomo and Dr. Chengyan Yue as part of a larger project, Buzzing with Potential: Exploring Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Pollinator Services. The research found that consumers are willing to pay meaningful premiums for produce grown using practices that support pollinators — particularly when those practices are clearly communicated at the point of sale.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n1DPZz
SURVEY: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A recent survey by a dairy producers’ group shows farmers want to know how their farm data is used by processors and others in the supply chain. Sherry Bunting with the American Dairy Coalition says Dairy Management Inc. and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy have asked USDA to collect more farm data for their sustainability modeling.” BUNTING: “Water usage, in addition to what’s already surveyed on irrigation to get into, you know, how much water the cattle are drinking, parlor washdown, any reuse of that water, as well as more detailed feed ration components.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4w3iGCh
CRP: Via USDA FSA, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can enroll in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP) starting May 4, 2026, through May 29, 2026. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers Grassland CRP, a voluntary working lands conservation program that enables participants to conserve grasslands while also continuing most grazing and haying practices.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dj1ocU
DROUGHT: The new Drought Monitor reflecting data as of Tuesday shows recent rain helped – 95 of the state is now in formal drought status, down from 21% a week earlier. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3PP2Kzy
GOODHUE CTY: Via Lavender, VERBATIM: “Rows of lavender stretch across the landscape at Liten Bekk Farm, where a once-overgrown property is being transformed into a hub for sustainable agriculture and community connection. What began as a shared vision among three partners has quickly evolved into a multifaceted operation rooted in restoration, food production and giving back to the surrounding community.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49kPBZ6
RESILIENCE: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “Ag Conservation Services Manager Brad Jordahl Redlin joined a panel on climate-resilient agriculture hosted by the MinneAg Network. At MDA, we’re proud to administer programs that help farmers improve soil health and protect water.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4uqU2dh
YARD CARE: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “Every spring, Minnesotans step outside to perform the same ritual: rake the lawn, plan the garden, and grab a bag of fertilizer to help the yard wake up from winter. What most people don’t realize is how much this last step can affect the water around us.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nc0baQ
WILDFIRES: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today issued a new Secretarial Memorandum and letter directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service to heighten national wildfire readiness, accelerate community-focused risk reduction, and strengthen firefighter health and safety for the 2026 fire year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n4ppYA
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
THIS WEEKEND: Twin Cities farmers markets kick off their season. KARE-TV has a list. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4n7veED
THIS MONTH: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We recognize the historical and ongoing contribution these groups have made to agriculture in Minnesota, and recognize the way these cultures strengthen our communities.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4tKTqPw
ROBOT DOGS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “According to the National Equipment Register, $300 million to $1 billion in heavy equipment is stolen every year. Other threats such as feral hogs can rob the ag industry of $1.6 billion in a single year as well, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. However, a new four-legged, robotic companion could help solve these issues. Taking the form of a dog, the Asylon DroneDog, a robotic and autonomous security system, is stepping up to the plate.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4nn8W1X
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