CANADA: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Last week Executive Director Adam Birr joined a group of state corn executives on a U.S. Grains & Bioproducts Council mission trip to Ottawa, Canada to learn more about Canada’s Clean Fuels Regulations (CFR). The CFR has been a significant driver for biofuels demand in Canada. Due in part to Minnesota’s proximity to our neighbors to the north, over 99% of the state’s ethanol exports are destined for Canada.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46IbhOc (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
TRADE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee suggests Trump administration trade policies are devastating the ag economy. Minnesota Democrat Angie Craig tells Brownfield farmers are hurting and need help. ‘This is exactly what I predicted was going to happen as a result of across-the-board tariffs. The tariffs have inflated the input costs, they’ve reduced demand, and they’ve shut us out of markets. It’s squeezing farmers from all sides.’ She says the $10 to $13 billion the administration is supposedly considering paying farmers isn’t enough.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3WBtVkE
SOYBEANS: Via The Guardian, VERBATIM: “At the Purfeerst farm in southern Minnesota, the soybean harvest just wrapped up for the season. The silver grain bins are full of about 100,000 bushels of soybeans, which grab about $10 a piece. This year, though, the fate of the soybeans, and the people whose livelihoods depend on selling them, is up in the air: America’s soybean farmers are stuck in the middle of a trade war between the US and China, the biggest purchaser of soybean exports, used to feed China’s pigs.” QUOTE: “We are gonna have to find a home for them soybeans some time soon,” said Matt Purfeerst, a fifth-generation farmer on the family’s land. “They won’t stay in our bins for ever.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4718RsR
STARTUP: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Farming may seem old-fashioned to many, but that hasn’t been true for years. Tractors steer themselves, software crunches crop data and agriculture now ranks among the most technologically advanced industries. Yet inside barns and homes, many farmers — especially those running smaller operations — still plan their seasons the old-fashioned way: with notebooks and binders. Against that backdrop, Glencoe farmer Matthew Fitzgerald wondered if there might be a better way. His solution evolved into a business: Farm Flow, a digital planning platform now being tested by farmers in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Montana.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q380jR
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
DROUGHT: The area of the state in drought more than quadrupled in the past week. 12% is now in drought with 57% abnormally dry or worse. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3PP2Kzy
SOYBEANS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Dry conditions and disease pressure are expected to increase soybean cyst nematode populations going into 2026. BASF seed treatment product manager Jeremiah Mullock says areas of late season drought are favorable for SCN reproduction.” MULLOCK: “And so we’ll see areas where that nematode population is probably higher than we would’ve expected. Conversely, we’ve also seen areas where SDS has started to show up. In those areas we know that SDS and SCN are kind of linked together.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3KKG44e
OCT 30: Via AgriGrowth, VERBATIM: “Economic data from the first quarter of 2025 showed that Minnesota’s GDP decreased by 2.42% from the previous year, driven by mounting challenges in the agriculture industry. Minnesota’s agriculture and food sector has been a cornerstone of the state’s economic growth, often mitigating or cushioning recessions. To strengthen our agriculture and food economy, change is required. Minnesota AgriGrowth’s fall summit will continue the hard questions being asked at kitchen tables and board rooms: ‘How do we build a robust agriculture and food economy in Minnesota by 2040?’” AGENDA: https://fluence-media.co/3L2utxu (SPONSORED: AgriGrowth)
MARGINS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A west central Minnesota farmer is looking for ways to improve margins for next year. Noah Hultgren grows corn, soybeans, sugarbeets, edible beans, and alfalfa near Raymond in Kandiyohi County.” HULTGREN: “We’re real tight with some of the inputs that we’re looking to put in. Even with some of the promises from some of the coops from cheaper fertilizer, for instance, we’re going to hold off on some of those things just to get through the year.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/470fdbL
BIRD FLU: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Avian flu flared up in Minnesota poultry operations last month after a nearly eight-month reprieve, forcing farmers to depopulate eight turkey barns. A vaccine exists for this highly pathogenic avian influenza, which could be used against the nearly four-year outbreak that has wiped out 9.2 million birds in Minnesota alone. But if American chickens and turkeys are vaccinated, other countries may not buy them. The fear among importers is that vaccinated birds might not show symptoms of an infection, allowing the virus to spread across borders undetected.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/432km1S
OCT 23: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “Residents in and around Mille Lacs County can get their private well water tested for free at a one-day clinic hosted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) in partnership with the Minnesota Well Owners Organization and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ohWobi
WATER: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “Quality of the water in Minnesota’s rivers and streams is improving. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency evaluates waters across the state every 10 years, and the most recent report, released in September, shows improving biological conditions on rivers, streams and ditches across 37 major watersheds.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nRaBfA
CLIMATE: From MPCA via X, VERBATIM: “Commissioner @KesslerKatrina2 joined @MNagriculture Commissioner @ThommyPetersen and leaders from @MNSoyGrowers, @MNFarmersUnion, and @mncorn to discuss the climate-smart food systems initiative. This work is expanding successful climate solutions.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4nR9xIC
JUDGES: Via University of Minnesota, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota’s Soil Judging Team is a student organization housed within the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) that offers hands-on learning in soil science, land evaluation, and environmental fieldwork. Students on the team practice describing, classifying, and interpreting soils in real-world settings, often working directly in soil pits to evaluate properties like texture, structure, and drainage.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48Yol3j
BIODIESEL: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the state biodiesel law. Bob Worth, who farms in southwest Minnesota, was president of the Association when the blending mandate went into effect in 2005. ‘Twenty years ago we implemented the B2 mandate, which means that all diesel in the state of Minnesota had to have 2 percent biodiesel in it.’ At the time he tells Brownfield Minnesota was the only state that required a biodiesel percentage in their diesel fuel.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4odCzlm
SURVEY: Via Farm Forum, VERBATIM: “This summer, Extension spent time visiting with members of the Southwest Minnesota Farm Business Management Association across the region. These conversations offered a candid look at the current season—its ups, downs, and the decisions farmers are grappling with.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mWTVlm
POTATOES: Via Ag Update, VERBATIM: “Groundwork has begun on a new potato processing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota, that could reshape potato markets across the Upper Midwest. Belgian company Agristo has started site work on its first U.S. plant and expects it to be fully operational by 2028. Crews have begun groundwork and plan construction through June 2027 and commissioning to follow. The operation is expected to employ about 200 people at start-up and eventually increase staff to around 300.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oefezY
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)
HARVEST: From MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen via X, VERBATIM: “Thanks to @mnwheat VP Austen Germoulus and family for taking a quick break from harvesting to visit with us today on their farm near Borup, MN, yields looking good.” PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/4nLPMlG
ROOTWORM: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Corn rootworm continues to be a problem for southwest Minnesota farmer Joel Schreurs. ‘We rotate (crops), and that’s what we’ve been doing rotating every other year and then adding more SmartStax corn to that farm. But this coming year we’re going to have to with full-traited corn because it just keeps moving across the farm.’ He tells Brownfield the rootworm pressure started small.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3WxpnvH
RCR: Via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “Red crown rot (RCR) continues its march across the Midwest, with the first confirmed case in Minnesota. The soilborne soybean disease known to weaken plants and cut yields was detected in a Rock County field in August, according to Dean Malvick, University of Minnesota plant pathologist.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47jkT1Z
PORK: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Pork producers continue to recover from historic losses in 2023. Compeer Financial certified appraiser Chester Donkers tells Brownfield negative margins resulted in many contract growers losing business.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qadutu
(DISCLOSURE: Compeer is a Fluence sponsor)
CAMP SNOOPY: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Camp Snoopy lives large in the memories of a certain generation of Minnesotans. The Peanuts-themed amusement park at the Mall of America has been gone for decades, but many still remember flipping off their shoes to jump in the giant Snoopy inflatable. They recall swinging high in the air on the kite-eating tree ride. And they remember that in those days before cellphones were widespread, they would meet up at the red Snoopy dog bowl fountain when it was time to head home. That giant bowl, as it turns out, ended up at a Minnesota pumpkin farm, where it is enjoying a happy second life as a corn pit.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3VVT21z
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
4-H: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “The Wabasha County 4-H dairy judging team of Blake Siewert, Ashley and Emily Mellgren and Nolan Kruger took home top spots in the Minnesota State Fair and World Dairy Expo this year. The team participated in several competitions this summer to prepare for the Minnesota State Fair and World Dairy Expo, including the Winona County Fair, Fillmore County Fair and Steele County Fair. Kayla Sexton coached the team and said she decided to coach a dairy judging team after growing up participating in the competition herself.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h4XqF7
FARM HEROES: Via news release from Pivot Bio, VERBATIM: “Pivot Bio, one of the most innovative agtech companies in the world, today announced the launch of Pivotal People – Inspired by Real Farm Heroes, a new series that shines a light on farmers whose courage, determination, and innovation are transforming agriculture in big and small ways. The series celebrates unsung heroes who remind us that farming is not just about growing crops, it’s about growing hope, resilience, and community.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/476Gk5j
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