SPRING: From Minnesota Corn via Facebook, VERBATIM: “Planting season is in full swing at the Guentzel family farm in Kasota! As of last week, Angela Guentzel reported that corn planting was almost done for the season. She said field conditions have been good and that last week’s rain gave them a much-needed break. Meanwhile, up in Belgrade, John Mages was still waiting to begin planting as of last week. He said he’s optimistic heading into the season and hopeful that corn prices will rally. Wishing Minnesota farmers a safe week of planting!” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/3RiVqQE (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
THE POLITICS OF AG
2026 ELECTION: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Southern Minnesota farmers Jason Lohmann and Mark Legvold are making their case to voters that firsthand agricultural experience is what rural districts need at the Capitol. Lohmann and Legvold and are some of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidates this year that come with production agriculture backgrounds. At a small farmer roundtable in Faribault last month, the two farmer candidates listened more than they spoke to Doug Kleese and his wife Mary, who farm in Kenyon/Zumbrota; Deb Hogenson from Waseca, who sold her family farm after her husband got sick; and Tessa Parks of Northfield, who farms with her husband, Wyatt.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w9SK82
FARM BILL: Via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “Agri-Pulse’s Oliver Ward, Kim Chipman, and Lydia Johnson reported that ‘all eyes are shifting to the Senate following the House passage of a farm bill [April 30]. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, R-Ark., is targeting the end of May or early June for a bill markup as Democrats prepare for fights on pesticides and food assistance.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f1Nm0x
HOUSE BILL: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee says there were many twists and turns on the way to passing the farm bill. Minnesota Republican Brad Finstad tells Brownfield negotiations in the days leading up to a full House vote ran late into the night.” FINSTAD: “It wasn’t a straight line, it wasn’t even close to a zig zag line, it was all over the place. It was a crazy, wild, sleepless week. Most days about two hours of sleep is all we got.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4nbjwsv
AID PACKAGE: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Lawmakers are working to deliver additional financial support for farmers as economic pressures continue across agriculture. Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee Chairman John Hoeven says the proposal builds on the current Farmer Bridge Assistance Program and could total tens of billions of dollars.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f0GiRO
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
DROUGHT: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Dry conditions last month fueled a fast corn planting pace along with drought concerns in southwest Minnesota. Bob Worth of Lake Benton says there’s been a lack of soil moisture since last fall.” WORTH: “We had a very dry winter, so we had nothing, it was dry. When we worked the ground this spring it was absolutely mellow, it was the most beautiful ground conditions we’ve had. But there was not much moisture in there either.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4uxJGZ7
ICYMI… We shared the latest Drought Monitor last week. It shows great improvement over the prior week. However, the southwest corner of the state, where Worth farms, is still seeing drought. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3PP2Kzy
COLD: Via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “A historically warm April pushed planters ahead of pace across much of the Midwest, but a cooler turn in the forecast is raising new questions about early corn and soybean stands . . . The same warm April that pushed planting ahead also means more acres are in the ground, while much of the northern Midwest remains within its typical frost window. Average frost-free dates range from mid-May in northern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to late May in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. That means early-planted fields in those areas could be exposed to cold injury.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42iv8jU
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)
MARKETS
OVERVIEW: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Soybeans and corn were higher early Monday, wheat started lower then bounced. Cattle and hogs were lower.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4wapf63
EXPORTS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “U.S. export inspections were larger than last year. The USDA says corn continued to leave U.S. ports at a fast pace during the week ending April 30th, reflecting the strong global demand about three quarters of the way through the marketing year. Soybean inspections were solid but continue to trail the year ago pace because of lower demand from China. Sorghum was sharply higher thanks to comparatively better demand from China for that commodity. Wheat inspections were up modestly on the year, remaining on track to meet USDA projections.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nbWUIu
GRAIN MARKETS: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “In the past 2-3 years, there have been very few good opportunities for farmers to market corn and soybeans at favorable price levels. This has resulted in a large amount of grain being sold below breakeven levels, as well as a significant amount of the 2025 corn crop being still in storage on farms across the Midwest. This has also left farmers with some very difficult grain marketing decisions for both the grain that is still in storage, as well as for the 2026 crop that is currently being planted. In recent weeks, there has been a bit more optimism, with some improvement in corn and soybean prices.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nbGOP4
E15: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “U.S. Congressman Don Bacon says persistent opposition is standing in the way of year-round E15 legislation. ‘We have some Republicans who hate E15 for the wrong reasons,’ he said. ‘They think we’re trying to force people to use E15. We’re not. We’re trying to remove a regulation that prevents E15 from being sold year-round.’ E15 was recently left out of the farm bill that cleared the full U.S. House.” BACON: “We have some people who think (E15) hurts the ag industry, which is outdated thinking. They don’t realize the distiller grains that come out of ethanol are more highly sought after than the actual corn.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/48HBZHg
HEADWINDS
MENTAL HEALTH: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Farming is one of the industries with the highest risk for suicide. Mental health experts say financial pressures are a common reason why. A recent survey of farmers from Purdue University found that the ‘percentage of producers who expected good times in the next five years was 37 percent, which is 12 percent lower than the share reported in March 2025.’ Bad crop prices from trade turmoil with China, and now, increasing operating costs stemming from the Strait of Hormuz’s closure, have continued to squeeze farmers’ margins.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42a0xFc
DAIRY: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Four separate lawsuits have been filed, claiming the federal milk marketing orders unfairly harm organic dairy producers. Organic farmers and cooperatives want an exemption from the federal milk marketing order program, and some farmer members are seeking damages from the government.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4cQGD8q
FUNGICIDE: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering the U.S. public an opportunity to help shape the future of agricultural safety, unveiling a draft Fungicide Strategy designed to balance the needs of American farmers with the protection of the nation’s most vulnerable wildlife. The proposal marks a significant step in the agency’s effort to meet its dual mandates under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tjRrRp
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
OATS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A farmer in west-central Minnesota is adding oats to his crop rotation this year. Noah Hultgren of Raymond says the small grain is in the mix along with sugarbeets, corn, soybeans, kidney beans, vegetables and alfalfa.” HULTGREN: “We’re growing oats for the first time in 35 years or so, we’re going to try that and see how that goes. But nice to have another crop that we’re having in the rotation.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4ushc2D
APPOINTMENTS: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “Congrats to Hannah Bernhardt who has been appointed to our Rural Finance Authority (RFA) Board & Harold Wolle who has been reappointed for another term. The RFA is the state’s ag lender, offering low-interest loans for a variety of farm activities.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3PgqUGB
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