MNLEG: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “At the top of our priority list, is an old priority, the buffer property tax exemption. 2025 marks ten years since the passage of the Minnesota buffer law requiring vegetative buffers along public waters and public drainage ditches. Farmers are 99.8% compliant with the law despite no financial assistance to come into compliance. To add insult to injury, farmers are still taxed on those acres at regular ag land rates as if those acres were still in production. Finally, the State Legislature has mustered the political will in the past to appropriate money for buffer implementation and compliance. Since 2017 the state has spent $95 million through a combination of general fund and Clean Water Fund appropriations to local governments to ensure compliance with the law.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3CgcL5W (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
EGGS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Bird flu is forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens a month, pushing U.S. egg prices to more than double their cost in the summer of 2023. And it appears there may be no relief in sight, given the surge in demand as Easter approaches. The average price per dozen nationwide hit $4.15 in December. That's not quite as high as the $4.82 record set two years ago, but the Agriculture Department predicts prices are going to soar another 20 percent this year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Ec1jJ8
MORE: From John Lauritsen via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “According to the USDA, a bird flu resurgence killed more than 17 million egg-laying hens in November and December. That has egg suppliers struggling to get grocers and customers what they need. The result is record-high prices at some stores.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3Cxo75t
MILK: From Brooks Johnson via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “If bird flu is lurking undetected on Minnesota’s dairy farms, the state is determined to find it. Starting in February, milk from each of Minnesota’s 1,625 permitted cow farms will test once a month for H5N1, the virus commonly called bird flu that began infecting cattle last spring. Milk haulers already collect samples for routine testing while loading tankers at dairy farms, and portions of those raw milk samples will go to the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab for H5N1 tests.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40SQRPC
POLICY: Via National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, VERBATIM: “NASDA’s members-led Board of Directors chose five issues to serve as the organization’s primary policy focus for 2025. They include the farm bill, food systems, pesticide regulations, PFAS and state cooperative agreement funding. NASDA CEO Ted McKinney remarked on the significance of these issues for 2025.” MCKINNEY: “NASDA members have specified these areas as necessary to work on to best support farmers, ranchers and communities nationwide,” said McKinney. “Further, we believe these areas represent critical opportunities where state departments of agriculture can lead impactful change and champion effective policy solutions this year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PTng22
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
FARM BILL: From Currey McCullough via RFD-TV, VERBATIM: “This year’s American Farm Bureau Convention and Trade Show is in full swing. Thousands are in attendance, and policy is top of mind. President Zippy Duvall used his time on the stage to reassure farmers and ranchers they are pushing the new Congress to pass a five-year farm bill.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3WDa0CD
MORE: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “According to Minnesota Farm Bureau President Dan Glessing, agriculture needs to hold Congress’ feet to the fire and finish the farm bill.” GLESSING: “You look at the farm bill and see how old and obsolete it is; the inflationary pressure, the input prices, all of that has increased so dramatically that realistically we need an updated farm bill so those numbers make an actual relevant point.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jDMgYC
MORE: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The farm bill is driving discussion among many state and national ag organizations. Minnesota Corn Growers president Jim Kanten tells Brownfield it was a major topic during their association’s annual meeting last week. ‘We talked about several different things, farm bill is one of the issues that we’re going to be working on.’ He tells Brownfield he’s optimistic a new farm bill will be passed once Congress completes budget reconciliation.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/40InGgW
(DISCLOSURE: Minnesota Corn is a sponsor of Fluence Media)
FARM BUREAU: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Farm Bureau vice president Carolyn Olson says during the American Farm Bureau delegate session Tuesday, her organization will have the opportunity to debate nine policy recommendations. ‘We submitted 22, nine were accepted into the delegate session.’ Speaking to Brownfield Saturday during the AFBF Convention in San Antonio, she said the recommendations range from EMS credits to biofuels.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Q21JUN
MORE: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) President Dan Glessing was re-elected to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Board of Directors during the AFBF Annual Convention held in San Antonio. Glessing was re-elected by delegates from the Midwest region to serve a two-year term.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WH8S0O
CWD: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in wild deer in two new Minnesota deer permit areas. Two adult male deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease in two deer permit areas without previous confirmed cases of the disease. One adult deer was harvested in deer permit area 266 near Hawley in Clay County, and the other adult deer was harvested in deer permit area 701 near Greenfield in Hennepin County.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4jA3lTk
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)
NEXT MONTH: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “University of Minnesota Extension educator Susanne Hinrichs says the 9th Women in Ag Conference hosted by Extension and the Minnesota Farm Service Agency is important in many ways.” HINRICHS: “Not only because conferences are live, they’re real people, bringing people together, that’s an important piece.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/40TJAz1
AWARD: From Rusty Halvorson via KFGO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Dustin and Katie Wiese of Cass County were named national runners-up for the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Achievement Award, which was announced at the closing general session of the AFBF Annual Convention in San Antonio.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EfxNlH
From morning take…
RECOMMENDED: via a Rep. Brad Finstad press release, VERBATIM: “Today, Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01), Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06), Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), and Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) announced their nominations for candidates to fill appointed state roles within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to administer Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Rural Development (RD) programs.” The nominees are Kurt Blomgren for FSA State Director, Dave Ladd for Rural Development State Director, and eight people for State Executive Committee: Jim Kukowski, Scott Winslow, Joel Mathiowetz, Pamela Uhlenkamp, Charlie Radman, Jason May, Cody Suter, and Rob Casey. READ: https://fluence-media.co/40QDK1d
Sign up for morning take…
MARKET: From Chandler Jackson via KAAL-TV, VERBATIM: “Farmers from across Minnesota gathered in Albert Lea Tuesday to talk shop and oats as a new small grains market begins to take shape. Small grains, like oats, used to have a major market in Minnesota, but newer crops have changed the landscape. ‘As agriculture has shifted and changed into what is now, the traditional commodity market of corn and bean rotation, that eliminated a very important market for the small grains,’ said Shea-Lynn Ramthun.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3CGnoii
COVER CROPS: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Farmers in the Upper Midwest might be wondering how mild winter conditions could impact cover crops. University of Minnesota Extension crops educator Liz Stahl says there’s concern a lack of snow and temperatures above freezing will result in some germination.” STAHL: “And then, you know hey it’s Minnesota (and) we could return back to cold temperatures, could we get some winterkill (or) things like that. So that’s really hard to say, what is the weather going to continue to do.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/40EWDTo
DRY: From Alexis Johnson via Hoodline, VERBATIM: “As Minnesota faces another dry winter, alarm bells are softly ringing for the state's agricultural prospects. Jeffrey Strock, a soil expert from the University of Minnesota's Southwest Research and Outreach Center in Lamberton, highlights recent findings that suggest a continuation of less-than-ideal moisture levels.” STROCK: “Two years ago, we measured 67.4 inches of snow with 5.4 inches of water equivalent at the Southwest Research and Outreach Center from October 1 through April 30. Last year was historically warm and dry, with only 22.5 inches of snow and 1.8 inches of water equivalent in the same time period." READ: https://fluence-media.co/4glJR2a
OAT MAFIA: From MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen via X, VERBATIM: “This morning in rural Alberta Lea for LSP Small grain markets workshop. Packed house to hear from Landon Plagge who is working w/ the ‘oat mafia’ to build a new oat processing plant in area.” PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/40Ax4D5
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BOOKS: From Chris Hewitt via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Are sugar beets the new acai? Starring in two hot novels in the past six months suggests that the Minnesota vegetable is on a hot streak. Louise Erdrich’s ‘The Mighty Red’ was set in a town dependent on beets, with a prominent character whose best thinking occurred while she hauled them in her truck (Erdrich has written about the crop before and even named ‘The Beet Queen’ after it). Now comes the debut novel by Margie Sarsfield, which takes a deeper dive — literally, it turns out — into the species whose scientific name is ‘Beta Vulgaris.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40TPFLV
HISTORY: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “Minnesota families who have owned their farms for 100 years or more are invited to apply for the 2025 Century Farm Program. Produced by the Minnesota State Fair in conjunction with the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, the Century Farm Program was created to promote agriculture and honor historic family farms in the state. More than 11,000 Minnesota farms have been honored since the program began in 1976.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aCtFIp
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