HARVEST: From Minnesota Corn via Instagram, VERBATIM: “As corn harvest winds down and farms wrap up field work, we continue to check in with farmers across the state. Today, meet Rebecca Sip, who grows corn, soybeans, wheat and sugar beets with her sister, younger brother, and parents on their family farm near Ada. Rebecca is also a member of the Norman County Corn & Soybean Growers Association Board of Directors.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/3YyeiLt (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
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RIVER: Via U.S. Army, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is closing its Minneapolis locks for the season to all navigation Sunday, Nov. 3. Corps staff are closing Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam, and Lock and Dam 1, to commercial and recreational vessels. Navigation will continue on the Mississippi River south of Lock and Dam 1, until Dec. 9, when maintenance will begin on three locks and dams within the St. Paul District.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f8MvIT
JET FUEL: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Federal policy will likely make or break market opportunities for sustainable aviation fuel production. CoBank economist Jacqui Fatka says SAF could generate demand for domestic grains and oilseeds similar to the ethanol and renewable diesel markets. ‘But a lot of things have to come in line for this to be successful for the goals of reducing those emissions, but also that goal of helping provide a new revenue stream back to rural America.’ She tells Brownfield tax incentives like 45Z have the potential to push the SAF market forward.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Av1FJb
MOORHEAD: From Dan Gunderson via MPR, VERBATIM: “A Washington D.C. based company has announced plans to built a sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Moorhead. DG Fuels said it has a patented system to use agricultural and timber waste to create low carbon fuels. The company said cellulosic biomass is used to generate hydrogen and synthetic aviation fuels.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eiCZSb
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NEXT YEAR: Via Campus Reform, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota’s Extension department is set to host the state’s first-ever LGBTQIA+ farming conference on March 8, 2025, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The event, ‘Ag for All,’ was announced on Facebook on Oct. 22 and advertised as ‘A convergence of LGBTQIA+ agriculturists in Minnesota.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fuvyZ2
FUNDING: Via Lakefield Standard, VERBATIM: “Mark Rose of rural Alpha is just one several southern Minnesota farmers planning a more energy-efficient future thanks to federal funding secured through the work of the state’s two U.S. senators. Jackson County-based Mark Rose Farms Inc. is one of 36 Minnesota farms and small businesses across southern Minnesota — and one of 76 across the state — to receive a share of nearly $7.9 million in federal funds earmarked for the installation of clean energy technology. Rose plans to use the federal grant funds to purchase and install an energy-efficient grain dryer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eaUeEU
BIRD FLU: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Kensington, Minnesota turkey grower Erica Sawatzke was part of an impact and issues forum hosted by the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association in Arlington, Virginia this past week. The focus was on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.” SWATZKE: “Being a turkey producer, something that we have rallied around for almost ten years is to be able to vaccinate our turkeys for High-Path Avian Influenza so that was one of the stronger messages that I brought.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YS3ERa
FARM BILL: From Chuck Abbott via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “The lame-duck session of Congress offers a last chance to enact the new farm bill this year, but it would require compromise on a number of nettlesome policy disputes and an agreement among House and Senate leaders on how much to spend, said farm policy experts. The bill could also be sidetracked by overarching issues such as passing a government funding bill, they cautioned. Neither chamber has made much progress on the farm bill, now 14 months overdue. The House Agriculture Committee approved a Republican-written bill in May that is $33 billion over budget. Leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee have written farm bill outlines but have not drafted legislative language.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fuT1sV
WATER QUALITY: Via UofM Extension, VERBATIM: “Dana Allen-Tully, a third-generation dairy farmer near Eyota, started experimenting with cover crops almost 10 years ago. 2024 was the best year yet. ‘We harvested double what we ever have for yield per acre,’ she says. Allen-Tully, former president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, plants a cereal rye cover crop after harvesting corn silage in late summer. The cover crop gets established in the fall, then returns in the spring, when she harvests the cover crop to feed her cows. After that, she can plant a new crop.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eiuR3Q
(DISCLOSURE: Minnesota Corn is a sponsor of Fluence Media)
CHANGE: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “A significant rain event ten years ago prompted a change in farming practices for the Feikama family in southwest Minnesota. As we learn from Becky Feikema, the transition was successfully made to strip tillage and cover crops. Feikema also highlights Farmers for Soil Health and a documentary that is sharing the family’s story in a very unique way.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ef40Ws WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fAKxkh
LOANS: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) commodity loans on harvested corn, soybeans and wheat were regularly used by farm operators in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, as well as from 2015 to 2019, as a grain marketing tool. The use of CCC commodity loans dropped off considerably from 2008-2014 and again from 2020-2022, when grain prices reached their highest levels in many years. As farmers finish up the 2024 harvest season, the use of marketing assistance loans (MAL’s), which are the same as CCC commodity loans, has taken on more significance as an option in setting up post-harvest grain marketing plans for corn and soybeans.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3AsZbLk
WEEDS: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Herbicide-resistant weeds could be making their presence known this fall. Corteva Agriscience Enlist field specialist Mark Mongen says weed resistance can develop quickly or slowly depending on the weed species and other factors.” MONGEN: “If conditions are good and you made timely herbicide applications and you still don’t get control, that could be a sign of resistance.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/40tWtA1
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
MEDIA: From Shelby Lindrud via West Central Tribune, VERBATIM: “When the production crew for the documentary series ‘My Town’ set out earlier this year, its mission was to find and tell the success stories of rural America. Written, directed and hosted by former Twin Cities newscaster and third-party candidate for Minnesota governor Cory Hepola, the series visited seven rural communities in the Upper Midwest. One of those highlighted communities was Willmar.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48CbTUX
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