CROP PROGRESS: From Minnesota Corn via Instagram, VERBATIM: “Corn yields when crop prices are low. Get a growing season update from farmer and MCGA member Chris Kahler.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bHdQ5g (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
WE STILL NEED RAIN
DROUGHT: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Persistent heat and limited rainfall continue to challenge crops across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. DTN meteorologist John Baranick says the region entered the growing season with a moisture deficit that has continued to worsen.” BARANICK: “We didn’t have a whole lot of snow cover over the winter, so that didn’t put us in great shape to start spring.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4i60PWA
NOTE: The next Drought Monitor is due out tomorrow – watch for it in Thursday’s lunch take and in this newsletter on Friday. See last week’s HERE: https://fluence-media.co/3zN8TDo
RAIN: Via DTN, VERBATIM: “Drier-than-normal conditions across Minnesota were relieved in the last two days of July when a storm provided a steady show with anywhere from 3 to 7 inches of rain across the state, leading nearly everyone growing corn and soybeans to declare it a ‘million-dollar rain.’” READ/MAP: https://fluence-media.co/4wYzGd1
SOUTH OF US: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “A dangerous round of severe weather sweeped across the Midwest Tuesday. The storms brought potentially life-threatening impacts from Chicago to northwest Indiana and into Ohio. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Chicago says 100+ mph winds were recorded in a storm that moved through Portage, Ind., Valparaiso, Ind. and Chesterton, Ind. just before noon.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4zguuTf
ECONOMIC AID: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says there should be a clear path for additional economic aid for farmers. The Iowa Republican tells Brownfield lawmakers want to address rising ag input costs resulting from the war with Iran.” GRASSLEY: “When we appropriate money to replenish war material that’s been shot up during the Iran war, there’s $12 billion in that same bill for farmers, and I think that’s going to go through without controversy.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bLZYqk
FUNDING: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “Minnesota schools, early childhood education (ECE) centers, and licensed in-home family childcare providers can now apply for funding to bring more locally sourced foods to kids’ plates. Funding is available through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Farm to Kids Programs, formerly known as the AGRI Farm to School and Early Care Grant Programs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xD1rYy
MORE LEADERS. MORE IDEAS. COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION. You are invited to attend Compeer Financial’s complimentary Rooted & Rising: Rural Forum this September 14-16 as leaders from across rural communities come together to strengthen the towns we call home. The event brings together community champions, local officials, nonprofit partners and business leaders to explore strategies that strengthen rural economies and expand opportunities. You’ll join more than 30 speakers and fellow leaders for practical ideas, inspiring stories and meaningful connections focused on economic development, workforce, housing, entrepreneurship and community leadership. We encourage you to invite a colleague, community partner or fellow rural changemaker to join you. Registration will remain open as space allows. Secure your seat at no cost today at www.Compeer.com/RuralForum. (SPONSORED: Compeer Financial)
BY THE NUMBERS
CROP REPORT: Via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “The WASDE report included the agency’s updated 2026/2027 production estimates for U.S. corn, soybeans, and wheat. USDA pegged corn yield below its previous estimate and the average trade expectation . . . Similarly, soybean yield was pegged lower month-over-month and below the average trade expectation, while production increased . . . USDA’s estimate for wheat production was in line with the average trade expectation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3UdP6LM
MORE: Via USDA, the report. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4zjElry
WHEAT: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “U.S. wheat prices are improving amid continued disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. University of Minnesota Extension grain market economist Ed Usset says Ukraine is anticipating a significant reduction in exports.” USSET: “And it’s a big issue for us not only here in the north country, because Ukraine and Russia are major wheat exporters. They export the hard red wheat, which is direct competition for Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4gdB849
TRADE: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “We welcomed a delegation from Taiwan today to meet with MDA leaders & our International Marketing team. As a top trade partner for MN, Taiwan is an important market for ag exports like corn & soybeans. Visits like these help grow new opportunities for Minnesota agriculture.” PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/4wSi6an
DC + AG
USDA NUMBERS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “For decades, American farmers and market analysts have set their watches by USDA’s monthly reports, and in recent years, they’ve questioned whether the numbers those reports produce actually reflect what’s happening in their fields. Now, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has tapped a farmer to fix it by modernizing how USDA collects and processes that field and crop data. Kip Tom, the Indiana grower who went on to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture under the first Trump administration, has been given a new assignment and a tall task: modernize the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the USDA agency responsible for the crop production, yield and acreage data that moves markets every season.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4gtTbUN
FARM BILL: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Farmers Union is prioritizing the Conservation Title of the next farm bill. MFU vice president Anne Schwagerl says they will continue to advocate to lawmakers during the August recess.” SCHWAGERL: “Really advocating strongly for the things that we care most about, namely I want to protect the conservation dollars that are in (the Environmental Quality Incentives Program). Our bread and butter of federal conservation funding, and not rob Peter to pay Paul and move that out into other programs.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/45Wmvx4
KLOBUCHAR: Via American Ag Network, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar says she remains committed to working with Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman to advance a new Farm Bill, despite last week’s committee vote failing to move the legislation forward . . . On Tuesday, Klobuchar also won the DFL’s nomination for Minnesota governor. When asked whether Klobuchar’s posture on SNAP might be shaped by her political future during a press call on Friday, Chairman Boozman declined to speculate and instead defended their working relationship.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45qj2qx
IN THE FIELDS
SEED BUDGET: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Tight margins have many farmers already considering their 2027 crop budgets. Scott Beck, President of Beck’s Hybrids, says research shows seed purchases typically make up 12 to 14% of a producer’s annual input costs.” BECK: “The value of seed being the most consistent in a cost per acre and it delivers the most value in terms of the revenue increase that you’ll see because new releases each year bring more yield, more disease tolerance.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4g79zJo
THREATS: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins hosted an event at Moore Air Base in Texas to announce new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), reinforcing a whole-of-government commitment to protect the nation’s food, agriculture, and veterinary systems from emerging threats like New World screwworm (NWS).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45WnRrE
CORN DISEASE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “An extension plant pathologist sees a shift in the corn disease spectrum. Daren Mueller with Iowa State University says when fungicide use started to become common, the main pathogens were northern corn leaf blight and gray leaf spot.” MUELLER: “And those are diseases that survive in the residue and they sort of hit that lower canopy and move up. And you sort of have this predictable, mid-season if you see it, and we can scout and make a decision during the season. That’s shifted.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4x6SJ4P
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
LIVESTOCK SALES: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “Are you getting ready to sell your show animals? Be prepared for the sale barn by using our small ruminant marketing record book to document important information. Request your free copy today!” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3S17qqX
FARM KIDS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “As school starts earlier and state fairs hold their late-summer slots, farm kids across America face an impossible choice: Show livestock and honor family legacy or show up for practice and keep their spot on the team.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wtlSpI
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