PLASTIC: From Jonathan Eisenthal via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Advanced materials firm Valerian Materials is creating a new molecule that will be used to make recyclable plastic derived from corn. The young company has taken a significant step towards commercialization, following a pilot plant scale production run funded by a grant from Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42BTI0B (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
E15: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee is working to ensure Congress picks up where it left off on passing year-round E15. Iowa Republican Randy Feenstra tells Brownfield language allowing nationwide sales of fuel blended with 15 percent ethanol year-round was initially part of a lame duck spending bill in December.” FEENSTRA: “It was ready to go and we just had to vote on it, it was like 30 minutes away from being voted on and then the whole bill fell apart. It was so disappointing, we had that thing teed up. We were working for months, and I kept it under closed doors because I didn’t want it to blow up.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4jJB3pI
TRUMP: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Dairy, corn, soybean and alfalfa farmer Dan Glessing, who serves as president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau’s board of directors, told MPR News host Cathy Wurzer the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, negotiated during the first Trump administration, was a ‘nice template’ for free trade. The concepts of set trade and tariffs concern Glessing and his peers. However, he was willing to roll the dice as farmers turned out for President Donald Trump in November.” QUOTE: “We knew that there was a risk,” Glessing said. “But when those calls and negotiations happened yesterday, I think that just kind of goes to show what this administration is thinking of getting people to the table and having some real conversations.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3EjRVD5
MORE: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A state commodity group leader is encouraged by reports tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Mexico are being suspended for a month. Minnesota Soybean Growers Association president Darin Johnson tells Brownfield the Trump administration has shown it will use tariffs as a trade tool.” JOHNSON: “Seems like tariffs, it’s more of a lever that you can pull to start the negotiating process. So just that there in itself hopefully moves us one step forward in the negotiating process.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/40E1tjK
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
CAPITOL: From Minnesota Farmers Union via X, VERBATIM: “Today, 70+ MFU members met w/ @GovTimWalz, @AGEllison, @MNagriculture Commissioner
@ThommyPetersen, and legislators to advocate for our top legislative priorities this session, including Affordable healthcare; Right to Repair; Investments in climate resilience.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4jE4md8
AWARDS: Via NCBA, VERBATIM: “The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced today that Downey Ranch in Wamego, Kansas, is the 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) National winner. The award, which annually recognizes the outstanding stewardship practices and conservation achievements of cattle producers, was presented to Barb Downey and her husband, Joe Carpenter, during CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EtzNHe
MORE: Via MNSCA, VERBATIM: “Little Timber Farms in Blackduck, Minnesota, was recognized today by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) as a regional winner of the 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). Seven regional awards were presented to recipients during CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WQo4IV
MARKETS: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “It’s been a volatile first month of the year for grain markets. Shane Holtorf with Iowa-based Logic Ag Marketing says 2024 ended quietly.” HOLTORF: “Not much volatility in the markets, you were able to buy options (contracts) pretty cheap. We’ve seen those start to explode in prices as the volatility has come back into play.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4aKTUMQ
ENTREPRENEURS: From MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen via X, VERBATIM: “Started day at Capitol listening to @GovTimWalz & Sheletta Brundidge at Black Entrepreneurs Day. @MNagriculture has seen growth in new black owned food companies in the past few years & works closely on providing food safety, marketing & more assistance.” PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/3CGQzSz
LAND: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “A surge of agricultural land sales wrapped up 2024 and extended into January. Over the past few weeks, statewide reports indicated that row crop land sales exceeded 200 transactions. Most of these sales are private, taking place either between family members or as private transactions from landlords to tenants. In many instances where a tenant has a close relationship with the landowner, the land is offered to the tenant first when it comes time to sell, often at a favorable price. These amicable sales seldom reach public listings and are more common in areas where landowners have strong ties to their communities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40OoT6k
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep.-Elect Kari Rehauer
Rep.-Elect Wayne Johnson
Rep. Elect Julie Greene
Rep. Elect Keith Allen
Rep. Elect Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
From morning take…
TARIFFS: via AP News, VERBATIM: “China announced retaliatory tariffs on select American imports and an antitrust investigation into Google on Tuesday, just minutes after a sweeping [10% tariff] on Chinese products imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect. … China said it would implement a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas products as well as a 10% tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars imported from the U.S. The tariffs would take effect next Monday. … Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming days.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hFPtFq
RESPONSE: Rep. Angie Craig was interviewed on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ yesterday to discuss how tariffs will affect farmers and consumers. CRAIG: “The cost of food is going to go up at a time when you can’t go to the grocery store without paying a hundred bucks just to walk through the door. … We have to acknowledge that not all of this administration’s objectives are wrong…but we have to be there to fight and point [issues] out because our family farmers are depending on us.” CLIP: https://fluence-media.co/4jNfa8Q
MORE: via a DFL Sen. Aric Putnam statement, PUTNAM: “Minnesota’s agriculture community and our entire economy will be hit hard by the decisions President Trump is making about international trade. … I will hold a committee hearing Feb. 17 [to] hear from our friends in agriculture about how federal interactions will impact farms and rural communities. … I urge President Trump to actually listen to our farmers and consider the harm tariffs will cause to Minnesotans and our agricultural economy.”
Sign up for morning take…
DROUGHT: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The prospect of drought does not seem to be influencing agronomic decisions as farmers prepare for the 2025 growing season. Stine Seed president Myron Stine says some growers are concerned about dry soils heading into the spring.” STINE: “Ironically, I don’t see them making huge changes based on just that at this point. I think right now, people are looking at the different commodity numbers on corn and soybeans and trying to decide ‘do I go all corn maybe? Or what do I do there?” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/412NLZd
TOMORROW: The new Drought Monitor will be released. Watch for it in lunch take.
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
4H: From MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen via X, VERBATIM: “Great to visit with 4Hers including Owen Johnson from my home county Pine today at the Capitol as part of @UMNExt day at the Capitol! I was a proud member of the Chanhostlers 4H club when I was his age!” PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/3WPFuFE
EDEN PRAIRIE: From Stuart Sudak via Eden Prairie Local News, VERBATIM: “Eden Prairie’s evolution from farmland to suburb wasn’t just a shift in landscape – it was a transformation of daily life. For Janet Holasek Worrall, whose family farm once stood at Baker Road and Highway 62 – now the site of Life Time Fitness Crosstown – preserving that history became a personal mission. Her book, ‘A Czech Farm in Minnesota,’ published in December 2024, traces her Czech ancestors’ immigration to Minnesota in the 1850s, their settlement in Hopkins and Eden Prairie, and a century of farming the land.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EooRKZ
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