NITROGEN: How does Nitrogen Smart help corn farmers? WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/41Yj6Ms (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
AN ESPECIALLY BUSY TIME
THIS WEEK: Via CNBC, VERBATIM: “A Supreme Court case and a bill moving through Congress this week are set to test the bonds of Republicans and the Make America Healthy Again movement, following a near rupture in February over the weed killer glyphosate. The court will hear a case Monday to decide whether federal law preempts state-level lawsuits alleging glyphosate, the chemical in Bayer’s herbicide Roundup, causes cancer. And the U.S. House is expected to take up the farm bill this week, a massive agricultural policy measure that includes new protections for the chemical.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mX1fiL
PLANTING: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Farmers’ harvests in 2025 were mostly unprofitable, and many growers are expecting to again lose money this year. And that’s not just because of the war’s impact; the prices for crops continue to flag, and President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war is limiting international buyers. As a result, officials expect farmers to grow fewer acres of crops across the state this year compared to last year.” QUOTE: “I think farmers by nature are optimistic — if we weren’t, we wouldn’t be farming,” said Rob Tate, a corn and soybean farmer in Cannon Falls, Minn. “So we do have hope that at some point in time, things will get better. But right now, this is a tough spot for most of our producers to be in.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t3Lesp
FERTILIZER: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the Trump administration will unveil a sweeping set of fertilizer initiatives this week, warning that surging input costs are putting intense pressure on American farmers. Speaking at a Missouri farm on Friday, Rollins told those in attendance that fertilizer has become an issue of national security, which is why she says this week’s announcement will be broader than just USDA, also including EPA, Department of Energy, Department of Commerce and Department of the Interior.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49bMzpY
E15: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “Groups representing ethanol producers, farmers, and fuel retailers urged Congress on Thursday to allow gas stations to sell higher-ethanol gasoline blends year-round to combat the higher pump prices that have persisted since the start of the war in Iran. The groups are supporting an amendment to the omnibus Farm Bill that would allow, but not require, fuel retailers to offer gasoline that contains 15% ethanol for sale nationwide on a year-round basis. That blend, known as E15, is typically barred during summer months due to smog concerns.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eM6WxJ
MORE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Ranking Member Angie Craig tells Brownfield she’ll be fighting hard in the Rules Committee to get nationwide, year-round E15 included. ‘If you’re going to make policy decisions that decimate our export markets, it’s incumbent upon us to support decisions that expand our domestic markets. And E15 is just such a clean way to do that.’ However, she says questions remain about the cost of the new E15 solution.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3OsBtpN
PRODUCTIVE FARMS, STEWARDSHIP GO HAND IN HAND. via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Corn farmers are demonstrating that productive agriculture and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Through widespread adoption of practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, crop rotations, and targeted nutrient management, farmers have improved soil health, reduced erosion, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and protected water quality across millions of acres in Minnesota. That’s all while implementing advances in seed genetics, fertility management, and precision technology that have improved on-farm productivity.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4stHjG5 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn)
BY THE NUMBERS
OATS: Via Ag Update, VERBATIM: “Oats were once a major Minnesota crop, with about 4 million acres planted annually on average until the early 1960s. But in 2025, oats accounted for only 195,000 planted acres in Minnesota, and those oats were used mostly for livestock feed and straw bedding. Meanwhile, corn planted in 2025 covered more than eight million acres in the state. But with a new $68 million food-grade oat mill expected to start accepting its first loads in August, a new market may be emerging for farmers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ubuQqT
REPORT: Via UofM Extension, VERBATIM: “Minnesota farmers experienced a modest financial rebound in 2025, as net farm incomes improved from the extremely low profit levels recorded in 2024. According to newly released data from the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the median net farm income for Minnesota farms increased to $66,518 in 2025. While this income level remains below the long-term average for the past century, it represents a meaningful improvement over the previous year. Improved profitability allowed the average Minnesota farm to make modest gains in working capital and net-worth growth during 2025. Strong livestock earnings, above-trend crop yields, and government assistance programs all contributed to improved financial performance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mVCALo
EXPORTS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “U.S. export inspections generally reflected decent demand during the week ending April 23rd. The USDA says corn fell below a year ago but remains ahead of the pace needed to meet the record export projection for the current marketing year. Sorghum and soybean inspections were faster than last year, with China leading the way for both. While wheat was down on the year, global demand for U.S. wheat is holding up well in the face of relatively high prices and a large world supply.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4u81s4Q
CATTLE: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Live and feeder cattle futures are higher on Monday for a third day. Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says some of the recovery is technical in nature as the June live cattle bounce off of key support and the 38% retracement level around $243.00 last Thursday. Part of the bounce also came as fears subsided regarding a possible reopening of the border to Mexican feeder cattle imports.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eJcf0P
TURKEY: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The turkey industry is paying close attention to competition from other proteins. Minnesota Turkey Growers Association executive director Ashley Kohls says beef demand is strong despite high retail prices.” KOHLS: “If you are a beef producer right now you are loving life, but it’s reflective of what consumers are also seeing in the grocery store. So is there opportunity for turkey to position itself as kind of a center of the plate protein in an environment in a grocery store where the price pressure may lean in our favor.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/48VUvM2
A MIXED BAG OF AG
FFA: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Minnesota FFA tested a new approach to address a persistent shortage of agriculture teachers, launching its first agricultural education career development event at this year’s state convention. The invitational competition, held April 20 at the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul, challenged high school FFA members to step into the role of an agriculture instructor by designing lesson plans, teaching peers and defending their instructional decisions before judges. The effort is aimed at strengthening a fragile pipeline into the profession.” QUOTE: “There is a huge demand and need for qualified agricultural education teachers nationwide,” said Kirby Schmidt, an assistant teaching professor in agricultural education at the University of Minnesota, who served as a judge in the event. “How can we build a pipeline? How can we create more positive experiences for young people to experience ag education as a possibility?” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mPzRms
PAYMENTS: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “USDA announced that eligible farmers will receive additional Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) payments in the coming weeks through Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. The additional payments will essentially double any SDRP payments that farmers received previously. A total of about 16 billion dollars was available for the SDRP program, as part of the farm disaster assistance funds that were allocated by Congress in December of 2024. The SDRP payments were initiated to offset crop losses that producers incurred in both the 2023 and 2024 crop years.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mTfEwj
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
CREAMERY: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “The trip to Redhead Creamery in Brooten winds through central Minnesota farmland, past windmills and rolling fields—but what awaits is one of a kind. Co-owner and cheesemaker Alise Sjostrom says it’s the only place in the world where dairy farming, cheesemaking, and distilling spirits from whey happen in one location.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4d9f8a4
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