PLANTING: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “After decent planting weather the week of April 13, corn growers in south central and southwest Minnesota slowed their planting roll over the weekend as temps dropped down to the 30s and 40s, and precipitation arrived. With sun and fair weather at the start of this week, growers are going full speed ahead to take advantage of a window of dry weather.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48i68Nf (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
AG BILL: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Senate ag committee passed its version of an ag policy bill on April 15, while the House hit a snag with its version. The House Agriculture and Finance Committee’s version, HF 3548, failed to pass, in what House ag committee co-chair Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, said was the first time he could remember a policy bill being stopped in its tracks in the committee process. It comes at a time when the House is evenly split between Republican and DFL members. While the committee aligned on nearly all issues, the snag came in the vote on an amendment that aims to ban the use of the herbicide ingredient paraquat.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mJH3Rh
MORE: Red River Farm Network talked with MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen about the situation. PETERSEN: “There’s not a lot of money in that bill, but there are some of the ideas to fund some of the wolf and elk damage that we need to catch up on; there are some tweaks to our Rural Finance Authority. There are important things that help the department and agriculture run better, but I’m not sure we’re going to get that done.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sTAFrP
DAIRY: From MNHouseInfo via X, VERBATIM: “#mnhouse votes 129-4 to pass SF3832, which would make more dairy farmers eligible to apply for Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Relief Initiative grants managed by the Department of Agriculture. The bill now goes to the governor.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tzseU4
TAX CREDIT: Via Biodiesel Magazine, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota House of Representatives Taxes Committee on April 8 heard testimony in support of a bill that aims to expand and extend the state’s existing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit, which was established in 2023.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4u6Uj4X
DC: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The senior director of national affairs with the Nebraska Farm Bureau says there are a lot of questions surrounding two pieces of ag legislation. Jordan Dux says the U.S. House could begin debate on a skinny farm bill next week. ‘What amendments will be allowed? What will they look like? There is still a lot of debate from the Democrat side of the aisle of what the SNAP program changes made in the One Big Beautiful Bill will look like. That has some certain political controversy there.’ And, he tells Brownfield, ‘On the Republican side of the aisle, there is still a lot of questions on whether or not we should attach year-round E15 to this bill. There are some Republicans that want to pull out the fix we have for Prop 12.’” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4w2RVht
SPRING CONDITIONS
NOT PLANTING: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Planting is underway and spring conditions have been good across much of Minnesota. But even so, some farmers are electing to sit out a year. ‘It’s very dry for April 20. We have great field conditions, dry soil, the frost is out of the ground,’ said Ryan Mackenthun . . . Steve Zenk shares Mackenthun’s optimism, but with a volatile market, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture farm advocate is noticing a trend: more farmers are leasing out their property instead of farming it themselves.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4e8NT0t
FIELDWORK: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Spring fieldwork is just beginning for southeast Minnesota farmer Ryan Buck. ‘We’re just kind of getting rolling here, we’ve done a little bit of light tillage on some sod that we picked up on some new ground. Otherwise we haven’t done much.’ The Goodhue County corn and soybean grower tells Brownfield soils are drying out after a wet first half of April.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4eIsJ9o
EXTREME WX: Via Harvest Public Media, VERBATIM: “The March blizzard, which dumped more than four feet of snow in portions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in just 48 hours, melted just as quickly with April’s warmer temperatures. Heavy rainfall then flooded rivers, causing water to overtop dams. Brad Rippey, a meteorologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, says severe weather events like these are becoming more common and more intense as the climate changes.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4sO0uJQ
FREEZE DAMAGE: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Illinois wasn’t the only state where soybeans were hit by frost. Weather reports from Monday and Tuesday indicate a late-season cold snap brought frost and freezing temperatures to at least four additional key soybean-producing states, impacting parts of Iowa, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. According to the USDA Crop Progress report released on April 20, roughly 12% of the national soybean crop had been planted. States like Illinois and Indiana were slightly ahead of their five-year averages, making crops there more vulnerable to this specific frost event.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/493eHLX
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)
NEXTGEN
FFA: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota FFA Convention opened its doors early Monday morning for the Career Connections event. Thousands of students gained access to numerous universities, tech schools and agribusinesses.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cs7p6S
OUTGOING PRES: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Outgoing Minnesota FFA state president Cameron Addington calls serving the past year a dream come true.” ADDINGTON: “I grew up around FFA. My mom was on state staff, so I’ve been coming to the Minnesota FFA Convention since I was about three weeks old. And getting to grow up around the state officers and seeing the blue jackets around Mariucci Arena each year is always really special. and now getting to be here as a state officer and serve this past year, it’s been a dream come true.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4n3ZlNn
STARS: From Minnesota FFA via Facebook, VERBATIM: “Congratulations to our 2026 Minnesota FFA State Stars! These outstanding members have poured countless hours into their Supervised Agricultural Experiences and tonight their hard work was recognized! We believe that the dedication and passion these individuals bring to agriculture, food, and natural resources is exactly what the future of our communities need.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4u8VCAp
HALL OF FAME: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “MDA Commissioner @thommypetersen was inducted w/ 7 others into the @mnffaalumni Hall of Fame Class of 2026 at the 97th annual state convention at @umnnews. The selection committee noted his career as ‘Minnesota agriculture’s ‘head cheerleader.’’” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4cXbsbk
ASGA: Via KFGO-Radio, VERBATIM: “The American Sugarbeet Growers Association (ASGA) is proud to announce that after a competitive search process, Zack Clark has been named incoming CEO and Executive Vice President, beginning September 8, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4u0ma6B
CHALLENGES
REPORT: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “Mirroring the sentiment of farmers across the U.S., Minnesota agribusinesses are cautious about the current agriculture atmosphere, according to GreenSeam’s 2026 State of the Agricultural Ecosystem Report. High input costs, increasing taxes, labor issues and burdensome regulations remain constraints on businesses in the state’s agricultural ecosystem, which stretches beyond those who raise the crops and feed livestock.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4e8UUOR
ROAD SAFETY: Via Marshall Radio, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Transportation is reminding drivers and farm equipment operators to use caution on roadways this spring as planting season gets underway. MnDOT said farmers rely on highways to move equipment between farms and fields, especially on rural two-lane roads through early summer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ct3LcM
MARKETS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Corn futures were higher Tuesday and early Wednesday with help from the soybean and bean oil markets and with an eye on weather. However, Bryan Doherty with Total Farm Marketing says the corn market is at a crossroads at least the new crop contracts.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4mNkxXN
EGGS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The layer industry is concerned about low egg prices. Steve Taylor with Indiana-based MPS Egg Farms says the market has softened significantly since peaking in early 2025.” TAYLOR: “We’ve just come off one of the highest egg markets we’ve ever had, and now we’re going to one of the lowest egg markets we’ve ever had. So it’s a really tough transition, but it’s something that we’ve been used to.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Qldn0J
CANADA: Via Cargill, VERBATIM: “Cargill’s canola processing facility in Regina, Saskatchewan is now operational, strengthening market access for Western Canadian farmers and helping meet growing global demand for food and low-carbon fuel solutions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4txaTLi
LAB-GROWN: Via Ag Daily, VERBATIM: “U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week on the rise of lab-grown meat products and what role the federal government will play in regulating them. Speaking during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Rounds pointed to concerns from farmers and ranchers about cell-cultivated products entering the food supply and being marketed as traditional meat.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48fKxou
GRANTS: Via Cannon Falls-based Sweet Harvest, VERBATIM: “Sweet Harvest Foods, the largest producer of raw, unfiltered honey and parent company of Nate’s Honey and Nate’s Hives, named three recipients of the inaugural Nate’s Hives Research Grant Program, awarding more than $120,000 in total grants and reinforcing its commitment to advance the long-term success and sustainability of honey bees and the honey industry through science, innovation and collaboration. The awardees were research grant proposals from Auburn University, Montana State University and Purdue University.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vEQm8Z
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
FORAGING: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Mushroom hunters are rejoicing at the start of the foraging season, with the state’s first morel sightings. Spring rain has led to some morels peeking out of the ground in southern Minnesota, though they are still quite small, said Peter Martignacco, president of the Minnesota Mycological Society. The state needs more rain for the highly sought-after mushrooms to grow.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tUFUZe
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