SEVERE WEATHER: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Keeping safe during severe weather is a skill like playing a sport or a musical instrument, according to Kevin Reed, Deputy Director of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Practicing Safety for the state of Minnesota . . . Thinking through the different scenarios of how you would respond to emergencies at different times of day and in different locations, and then planning accordingly, has a proven track record of preventing harm.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4j9h8jl
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
TARIFFS: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “Tariffs are making life more expensive for John Pihl. He's been farming in Northern Illinois for more than 50 years. ‘These tariffs are going to affect everything. It'll affect our parts — it's just across the board. Which is going to hurt everything,’ he said. Not only do tariffs affect the cost of farm supplies, but they also raise the risk of retaliation against exports of U.S. crops: a double-whammy for farmers like Pihl.” PIHL: "It's a good way to lose your customers," he said. "And I think we'll probably lose more on this round too, because I know that Mexico is our biggest importer of corn. But this time, they may figure out that they can get corn from South America just as easily as from the U.S." LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/44orW8s
MORE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Soybeans are Minnesota’s largest export, $2 billion annually, more than taconite and medical devices. Some beans get trucked to elevators on the Mississippi River. But the largest share are loaded on rail cars and shipped to the Pacific Northwest for transport on freighters to Asia . . . soybean farmers rely on foreign markets, none more than China, where the high-protein crop largely feeds livestock.” QUOTE: “I am very confident that this is effectively an embargo,” said Jason Ward, a market analyst with Northstar Commodity. “It doesn’t matter [if the tariff is] 84 percent or 9,000 percent. It’s not going to get purchased.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jcygEW
MORE: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and 18 of her colleagues have sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer seeking information on the Administration’s tariff agenda. The lawmakers want to determine if an analysis was done to consider the tariffs’ impact on agriculture.” KLOBUCHAR: “Are you looking at just what the President wants to do that day or are you actually looking at how this affects farmers?” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4ik6vJl
MORE: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “[Jenna Untiedt] is the retail manager for her family's 54-year-old vegetable farm, which supplies all of the sweet corn for the Minnesota State Fair. But she's never seen a spring like this one, and she reached out to KARE11 in hopes of explaining how the global trade war is taking root right here.” UNTIEDT: "We had six phone calls Monday morning about tariffs affecting products we use on a daily basis and as much as we think we're a local farm, we use products from around the world to bring our customers fresh and local goods," she said. "We use soil to start all of our transplants that all comes from Canada, most fertilizers and chemicals that are used in agriculture, very little of it is produced within the United States. I was looking at seeds yesterday, and we get a good portion of our seeds from China too." WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4jwJIuv
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
THIS WEEK: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A farmer in south-central Minnesota hopes to begin planting this week. Todd Selvik grows corn and soybeans near Waseca. ‘I think our plan, we just talked about it this morning, is kind of wait-and-see. The soil temperatures haven’t quite gotten to the right temperature for our corn and soybeans. We talked a little bit about getting some beans in if the weather allows.’ Speaking to Brownfield Monday, he said there are benefits to planting soybeans early.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Y19wa5
INCOME: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Minnesota farmers are bracing themselves while planning for the 2025 crop year after experiencing declining net farm incomes in 2024. According to new data from the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State, the median net farm income for Minnesota farms statewide dropped to $21,964 in 2024 — the lowest level this century. Farm incomes have dropped significantly since 2022, leaving many farmers in a challenging financial position.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jCo88d
AG ECONOMY: Via Mankato Free Press, VERBATIM: “Minnesota farmers and agribusinesses produces a whopping $26 billion annually and make up about 15% of the state’s economy. Tariffs and a slowdown in the ag economy would be a blow to the state, said panelists at a forum in Mankato Friday. Brett Feldman, who grew up in Renville and now is a credit analyst at United Prairie Bank in Mankato, said rural communities like his hometown are dependent on ag. The top three employers in town are all agriculture related. ‘So if things go down (in the ag economy) it hurts everyone.’ Beyond the direct ag jobs in town, Feldman said a poor ag economy means people will go out to eat less and spend less on other things in the community.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42T7xGz
CUSTOM RATES: From farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “Due to the high cost of investment in farm machinery, an ever-increasing number of farm operators are hiring other farm operators to provide some or all of their machinery resources for their farm operation. This is especially true with new and younger farm operators, as well as with children that decide to start farming with their parents. In addition, some land investors are choosing to operate a farm themselves rather than cash renting the land another farm operator, thus hiring a farm operator under a custom farming agreement.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Y16GBX
SOIL MOISTURE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Planting should pick up in the Upper Midwest this week. Wayne Schoper with South Central College in Mankato, Minnesota says soils are warming and there’s decent moisture.” SCHOPER: “I’ve been hearing that the tiles have been running, when you go in the drainage ditch you can see some water out there. So things are coming along.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3G3yyPx
GARLIC & LAMBS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Mark Anema and Kate Ritger met at a garlic harvest party. He was looking for land to realize a dream. She was running a community supported agriculture venture for the Sisters of St. Benedict in St. Joseph. Together they started a small farm near Watkins growing produce and garlic. That partnership has worked pretty well, growing over seven years into marriage, a baby and now lots of lambs on the way.” READ/PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/42dgYBu
SPEED LIMIT: Via WJON-Radio, VERBATIM: “The maximum speed limit for farm equipment on Minnesota roads has changed. Governor Tim Walz signed into law Senate File 1360 which increases the speed limit for certain pieces of farm equipment to 35 miles per hour. Under the old law, some agricultural and livestock equipment had a speed limit of 30 miles per hour and others had a limit of 35 mph. The new law standardizes the speed limit and makes law enforcement and compliance easier.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3G5mfT7
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)
DAIRY: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “New data indicates dairy product sales grew along with consumer trust in 2024. Midwest Dairy board chair Charles Krause, a dairy farmer from Minnesota, says their annual report highlights collaboration with startup businesses and expanded retail engagement.” KRAUSE: “We continued with our partnerships with places like Pizza Ranch to offer value meals, but we also offered promotions that included recipes and retail campaigns so people could buy that food at the store and cook a little more economically at home using dairy products for their families.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/44oEzjR
USDA: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced the latest slate of presidential appointments, bringing new leadership to key roles within the Department. These appointees have been selected to implement President Trump’s America First agenda at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), ensuring the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers remain a top priority.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/3Ywv12x
SCULPTURE: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “At 63 years old, Mike Orr is finally dedicating time to a passion he once had to set aside . . . So, instead of putting his feet up in retirement, he went back to school to learn welding. Not to pick up a trade, but to reignite his creativity. Orr now spends his days in his South Haven, Minnesota studio, crafting sculptures from scrap metal. Most of the material comes from farm auctions — old tractor parts, chains, tools, and rusted pieces of iron that others would discard.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4lKdHBo
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
EGGS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The skyrocketing cost of eggs is forcing a popular community arts event in Duluth to go largely egg-free. In past years, the Northern Expressions Arts Collective has hard-boiled as many as 900 eggs for its Egg-splosion event. They set up different dyeing stations, teaching different techniques including tie-dyeing and marbling. Then, at a field in back of the community center, they awarded trophies to who could launch an egg the farthest using a wrist rocket.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cywZ8C
PRIZE: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Siehl Prize for Excellence in Agriculture. This prestigious award honors individuals and teams who have made extraordinary contributions to agriculture, including advancements in production, agribusiness, and knowledge dissemination.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4ieuObu
Copyright © 2025 Fluence Media, All rights reserved.
As someone who subscribed, or as a member of the Minnesota AgriGrowth Council you are receiving this email.
Our mailing address is:
Fluence Media
PO Box 270031
Golden Valley, MN 55427