MCR&PC: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Three Minnesota farmer-leaders have been re-elected to the Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council, the 11-member body that oversees the Minnesota corn checkoff. Jordan Goblish, Gary Prescher, and Chad Willis will each serve another three-year term on the council.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/42I47pH (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
E15: Via news release from Rep. Angie Craig, VERBATIM: “Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig urged the Administration to lower prices at the gas pump by allowing the nationwide sale of E-15 this summer. In a bipartisan letter to President Donald Trump, Rep. Craig and her colleagues asked the Administration to extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver from June 1 through September 15, 2025.” QUOTE: “Extending the nationwide sale of E15 can again bolster our nation’s energy resilience by adding billions of gallons of ethanol to the nation’s fuel supply, lowering the cost of gas for American families at a time when prices are already too high,” the Members continued. “As affirmed when you first allowed for year-round E15 in 2019, and those approved for the summers afterward, the sale of higher blends of biofuels during the summer months supports the domestic fuel supply, reduces consumer costs, and promotes American biofuels and agriculture feedstocks.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jFbAgc
MORE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesotans could pay 5 to 30 cents more at the pump this summer because the state opted into year-round ethanol blends. The reasons are complicated, but come down to President Donald Trump’s administration allowing states to individually decide whether they wanted to sell E15 ethanol blends during the summer months. Only six states, including Minnesota, plus half of South Dakota, opted to expand to year-round use of E15.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cLczZV
TARIFFS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association hopes tariffs imposed by the Trump administration will result in greater access for U.S. beef exports. Executive director Kaitlyn Root says there are trade barriers that inhibit global business.” ROOT: “Some examples, Australia has sold roughly $29 billion in beef to American consumers in the past 20 years. Meanwhile, (the U.S.) has not been able to sell even $1 of fresh U.S. beef in Australia due to non-scientific barriers.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4cPJEEe
MORE: Via KAXE-Radio, VERBATIM: “Rachel Gray of northern Beltrami County was born and raised on the cattle ranch she is now leading as a fourth-generation rancher. With her son and young grandchildren, they’re on six generations of caring for cattle and the land on which they raise them at Little Timber Farms. Gray, 52, said the cattle industry in the region has seen a lot of changes over the generations, and with a constantly changing tariff situation, may see even more.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iAnLKr
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
PLANTING: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The USDA says corn planting is underway in Minnesota. The latest weekly crop progress and conditions report shows 9% of corn was planted as of Sunday, which is 2% ahead of last year, and 5% ahead of the five-year average. Soybeans were 3 percent planted, a couple of days behind last year but ahead of the five-year average of 1 percent.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YFbpJB
AG SECRETARY: Via KVRR-TV, VERBATIM: “In her first two and a half months since being in office, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins took part in an Agriculture tour. Her first stop took place in the heart of the Red River Valley at NDSU for a roundtable with AG producers and farmers . . . At the roundtable many shared their concerns for the changing shift in the farming industry. With the ongoing trade war, farmers are concerned what battles lay ahead for them and where business will go.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/42qJbVp
MORE: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins joined Senator John Hoeven, who serves as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, Governor Kelly Armstrong, and North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture Doug Goehring for a visit to North Dakota. During the trip, Secretary Rollins got direct feedback from the state’s farmers as work proceeds on the next farm bill, learned firsthand about North Dakota’s leadership in precision agriculture technologies, and toured American Crystal Sugar.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jL9Vps
DEADLINE: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “Last Call: Hemp License Applications Due April 30! Planning to grow or process industrial hemp in Minnesota in 2025? Sumbit your application for a license by April 30!” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/447T2AS APPLY: https://fluence-media.co/3EBfDeA
NEXTGEN: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A farm business management instructor suggests younger farmers are more inclined to plant soybeans early. Kristina McVicker with South Central College in Mankato, Minnesota says growers are interested in the practice.” MCVICKER: “What I am seeing on farm is more so the younger generation pushing for getting those beans planted right away. And maybe if they can’t necessarily convince the other generations that this might be something worthwhile, maybe we do like one or two fields.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jmZyZ4
HYDROPONICS: Via WXOW-TV, VERBATIM: “This Earth Day, students at Winona Senior High School are proving that you don’t need a field to grow fresh food — just a little water, some seeds, and a whole lot of curiosity. Inside the school’s cafeteria, six indoor hydroponic towers are growing close to 200 pounds of lettuce each month.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4jOYwFe
MILK: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “The Food and Drug Administration is suspending a quality control program for testing of fluid milk and other dairy products due to reduced capacity in its food safety and nutrition division, according to an internal email seen by Reuters. The suspension is another disruption to the nation's food safety programs after the termination and departure of 20,000 employees of the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the FDA, as part of President Donald Trump's effort to shrink the federal workforce.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Ev5ArB
FOOD COLORING: Via IDFA, VERBATIM: “Dairy food companies are stepping up to make America healthier by announcing a significant commitment that will reshape school meal menus across the nation for 30 million children. Today, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced the IDFA Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment, a voluntary, proactive pledge to eliminate the use of certified artificial colors in milk, cheese, and yogurt products sold to K-12 schools for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs by the start of the 2026-2027 school year, or July 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jJzRlf
From morning take…
BIOFUEL: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Researchers at the University of Minnesota say they’re planning to plant more crops that can be converted to airplane fuel. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency officials gathered next to a field of bright-green pennycress at the University’s St. Paul campus to announce $75,000 in state funding for the U of M’s research into sustainable aviation fuel. … MPCA Commissioner Katrina Kessler said sustainable aviation fuel is a way to cut down on emissions from transportation — Minnesota’s biggest source of pollution.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EABm6m
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FLOWERS: Via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Flower power isn't just a slogan from the '60s. Today, the expression comes from building a community, and that’s exactly what the Southeast Minnesota Flower Farm Consortium (SEMNFFC) is trying to help bloom. The Consortium includes a variety of local flower farmers including agritourism businesses, larger field-type farms and some growers with greenhouses. Currently, the Consortium includes 17 participants.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42WxqpP
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. Kari Rehrauer
Rep. Wayne Johnson
Rep. Julie Greene
Rep. Keith Allen
Rep. Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
WORKFORCE: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “If you’re considering hiring a teenager to work on your farm or with your agribusiness, it’s important to know the laws and regulations of employing youth. There are several operations in agriculture that have been identified by the Federal government as being particularly hazardous for children under the age of 16.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Gi5wvF
FFA: Via Minnesota FFA, VERBATIM: “On Monday, April 28, the Minnesota FFA Association will proudly announce a historic milestone: 451 FFA members have earned their State FFA Degrees, more than twice the number of only four years earlier. The achievement represents the dedication and excellence of Minnesota’s young leaders in agriculture, food, and natural resource studies.”
RETIREMENT: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Jim Molenaar, farmland access and succession teams coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, has a line he likes to use when farmers ask him what's the right age to start planning for retirement. ‘The day you start farming would be the best day to start planning that you're going to retire from farming,’ he said. That planning can include an IRA, which Molenaar said isn't on the radar for most farmers but can really be helpful decades down the road when a source of income is needed. He said generally, farmers start thinking about transition and succession planning when they're in their 50s.” QUOTE: "Sometimes that's too late," Molenaar said. "If we knew the day we were going to die, it would be a lot easier to plan." READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lFjE2x
WEEDS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Weeds are taking advantage of more spring-like weather across the Midwest. Central Iowa farmer Corey Hillebo says he first noticed some broadleaf weeds during a warmup in March.” HILLEBO: “Especially around the edges, around some tile intakes, things of that nature. We are strip-till, so we are conscious of that and making sure we get the right burndown products in when we’re getting our pre’s on.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/42XvLQT
CONSERVATION: Via Pork Business, VERBATIM: “Ask Minnesota pork producer Dave Mensink what shapes his conservation practices take at the farm gate and he’s got a quick answer. Circle. Mensink Farms in Preston, Minn., is one big circle of production, with pork square in the center. On their crop land, he and wife, Tracie, grow corn and mill it on site to feed the pigs that go out the door each year. Then they use the manure to fertilize the corn. It’s pretty simple, really.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EBmWTx
COVER: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Agriculture released this month what could be the last round of state funding to expand the market for Minnesota’s continuous living cover crops. The department announced that $431,637 will go to 10 new projects in 2025 under the Developing Markets for Continuous Living Cover Grant Program. The funding goes to early commercial development of value chains and markets for continuous living cover crops and cropping systems which include regenerative poultry, winter camelina, Kernza perennial grain, hazelnuts, elderberries and more.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iO6EVH
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
THIS WEEKEND: Via Thrifty Minnesota, VERBATIM: “Waldoch Farm Garden Center located in Lino Lakes is hosting an Open House this weekend. It’s sure to be fun for the whole family with balloon artists, baby lambs, plant a pansy for kids, door prizes and more!” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GmNpow
EASTER: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins joined the 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn alongside American egg producers.” READ/PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/3EnDuOZ
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