THIS MONTH: From Minnesota Corn via Instagram, VERBATIM: “Attention farmers: The Minnesota Trade Policy Academy is coming to the University of Minnesota’s Hormel Institute in Austin on March 18th. This unique, hands-on event is designed for Minnesota corn growers who want to learn how global trade impacts their operation and how to advocate to support our farm economy.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4rbKdO9 MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4sv69oG (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
DC + AG
FARM BILL: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The leader of an ag organization expects an uphill battle to pass a new farm bill despite progress in the U.S. House. Minnesota Farmers Union president Gary Wertish says while he’s pleased the House Ag Committee advanced a bill.” WERTISH: “It’s still going to be a challenge. When the House passed their big budget bill last July, it really broke apart the (farm bill) coalition. So yes, it passed out of the House Ag Committee but it’s still going to be hard to get that passed on a full floor.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4snGMVA
FINSTAD & CRAIG: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Rep. Brad Finstad, R-1st District, slammed Rep. Angie Craig, D-2nd District, during a marathon meeting of the House Agriculture Committee this week, saying the Democrat was playing politics with farm policy because she is running for a U.S. Senate seat.” QUOTE: “The fact is we have a ranking member who is running for higher office who is ignoring the fact that her fingerprints are on a lot of things in (the legislation,)” Finstad said. “Now she is running away from that. This is political theater and it’s unfortunate it’s crept into a committee hearing where we have a really good product.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4leCNrZ
ANIMAL HOUSING: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The National Pork Producers Council says the industry could be one step closer to regulatory certainty with the advancement of the farm bill. CEO Brian Humphreys says relief from inconsistent animal housing laws -including Prop 12 – is long overdue.” HUMPHREYS: “Agriculture and the U.S. pork industry has been asking for this for several years now. This is not a want. It is a need.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3OUU6Cv
MARKETS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Grains futures were higher led by wheat on money flow and a push from higher crude oil according to Allison Thompson with the Money Farm.” THOMPSON: “The energy markets are obviously the big headline. We’re still getting a lot of geopolitical headlines from the Middle East. And obviously, what does that do to crude? So crude’s been the first one to move, as it should be, not a surprise, but it should also help our grains. Obviously, biofuels come into play. We’re also dealing with some trade and what happens to supply and logistics if this continues to play out longer. And I think that’s what we’re starting to see the market play out, is that maybe this is going to be a little bit longer than a couple of weeks.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46MpM34
WIND: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Minnesota has more wind energy than we can handle, and a project in southern Minnesota wants to use the leftover capacity to power the first local, commercially available ammonia fertilizer . . . A three-organization partnership wants to create a clean-energy source of ammonia for farmers in southern Minnesota. For them, the local wind surplus is an opportunity masquerading as a problem.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4syfxrG
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
DROUGHT: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “About two-thirds of the state is experiencing abnormally dry conditions or some level of drought. In the southwestern part of the state, the drought-affected area is widening. It’s a fact that concerns Assistant State Climatologist Pete Boulay. He says precipitation in those southwestern regions is falling behind what’s considered normal.” QUOTE: “It’s not necessarily really a dry time of year,” Boulay said. “They got bare ground down there for a lot of places. It’s early March. So, you know, something you’ve got to be concerned about if we don’t get any more moisture.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4aUZkqp
MORE: The latest Drought Monitor reflecting data as of Tuesday shows 68% of the state is now abnormally dry with 36% in formal drought status. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3PP2Kzy
PLANTING: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A worsening moisture deficit concerns a no-till farmer in south-central Minnesota. Rochelle Krusemark grows corn, soybeans, and sorghum in Martin County and says cover crops suffered from dry conditions last fall.” KRUSEMARK: “The best growth we got was from the triticale that we seeded right after we chopped the sorghum for the cow feed because it was a little earlier and we got a little shot of rain about a week and a half after we seeded it. So that grew a little bit.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4ulYuL9
WEEDS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Several companies have announced new weed-control tools for row-crop growers’ use in the upcoming season. Here is a brief summary of the technologies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rVpL5v
FEEDBACK
SURVEYS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “As acreage surveys begin arriving in farm mailboxes across rural America, skepticism about USDA production numbers is still echoing through coffee shops, grain elevators and market commentary. Farmers, economists and segments of the grain trade have openly questioned recent estimates, particularly after sharp market reactions to the January report and a large uptick in USDA’s corn acreage estimates in 2025. For the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), that skepticism presents a deeper concern than short-term volatility. If doubts about accuracy discourage participation in farmer surveys, it could weaken the very foundation of the reports critics are scrutinizing.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cyzXMj
EXTENSION: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota Extension Crops Teams wants to hear from row crop farmers, forage producers and agriculture professionals who work with producers. We would like to better understand the educational needs and wants of our row crop and forage producers to better customize our educational programs to your interests and preferences.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46LMN6b
AG PRODUCTS
E15: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A U.S. Congressman from South Dakota on the Rural Domestic Energy Council says a solution for nationwide, year-round E15 could be coming soon. ‘I think we’re getting really close to having a release.’ Dusty Johnson tells Brownfield the details will come from the council co-chairs, but ‘I think we have a good work product that will hold up to scrutiny.’” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4b9f4Vs
LOCAL FOODS: Via West Central Tribune, VERBATIM: “The vibe among local foods proponents who gathered on the University of Minnesota-Morris campus on Feb. 23 was upbeat, and that comes after last year’s news of the loss of federal support. ‘We’re seeing some new momentum right now, and the people in this room have the potential to increase that,’ said Kate Seybold, who works in agriculture marketing and development for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. She was speaking as a panelist at the local foods forum, and responding to a question on whether the battle to increase both the production and the consumption of local foods is being won or lost.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ueO8MW
HICKORY OIL: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “For generations, a bitter taste has defined the yellowbud, or bitternut, hickory. The heart-shaped nuts are high in tannins, compounds that make the raw nut so astringent, [UofM horticultural science professor Brandon Miller] says, ‘if you were to eat it, you’d spit it out.’ That’s one reason bitternut hickories haven’t been a part of our global food system for more than 200 years. Historical references suggest Native Americans made hickory nut oil for thousands of years. European settlers used it, too—as lamp oil, potentially. But Miller believes the nut could position Minnesota at the forefront of a new specialty oil industry, one that offers small farmers a niche market, builds resilience into the food system, and complements olive oil.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40AfbF3
NITROGEN: Via Minnetonka-based Pivot Bio, VERBATIM: “Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading innovative agtech companies, has lowered prices again and increased production of its nitrogen-fixing products to help U.S. farmers meet their crop nutrition needs as spring planting season ramps up in the face of skyrocketing global nitrogen prices.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47gfCYA
ANHYDROUS: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesota farmers may soon be buying locally sourced fertilizer that’s better for the climate. Anhydrous ammonia is a popular nitrogen-based fertilizer widely used by corn and soy growers. Minnesota farmers purchased more than 200,000 tons of the product in 2024. But using anhydrous ammonia comes at a cost . . . The Minnesota Made Ammonia Coalition announced its launch March 5, with a goal of establishing a local supply chain of anhydrous ammonia to be sold to farmers for fertilizer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bpnc5H
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
TOMORROW: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “Hope to see you at the second annual Ag for All Conference tomorrow, March 7, in Waite Park! Brought to you in partnership with @UMNEXT and @umnCVM.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4lci6x7
FFA: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Minnesota is gearing up for the 100th anniversary of FFA. Minnesota FFA Foundation executive director Val Aarsvold says there will be a year-long celebration in 2028 culminating in the milestone.” AARSVOLD: “We went to the state legislature and we did receive a Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Funds grant, so we will use that as a way to really celebrate and capture our rich history.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3MNaKDx
Copyright © 2026 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