COUNTIES: From Minnesota Corn via Instagram, VERBATIM: “Summer photo collection--county corn grower association edition. Thanks to Minnesota’s county corn growers for all that you do!” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4pN6HWc (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
SURVEY: Via Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “The past few years have been challenging for farmers in the Ninth District. Growing pressure is borne out in the Minneapolis Fed’s Ag Credit surveys, which show slumping incomes and worsening financial conditions over the last two years.” QUOTE: “Farmers … are suffering this year,” commented a North Dakota farm lender on a recent survey. “If prolonged into 2026, we could see some fail.”
“The number of farm operations filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 12—the section of the Bankruptcy Code specifically for farms—increased in the first two quarters of this year, according to statistics from U.S. Courts (see Figure 1). However, this increase comes off of a very low floor, and the overall level is still very low. Only nine farms in the Ninth District filed for bankruptcy in the second quarter.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nZ4nKc
FUNDING: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), in partnership with local and regional organizations, has been awarded $11.16 million through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to expand conservation practices on irrigated agricultural land across the state. The funding, provided through the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), will support a five-year project focused on improving irrigation efficiency, protecting groundwater resources, and promoting sustainable nitrogen management in 25 counties statewide.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WdDXZb
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
THIS WEEK: Via news release from the Governor’s office, VERBATIM: “Governor Tim Walz today declared September 29 – October 5, 2025, as Soybean Week in Minnesota, highlighting the critical role soybean farmers play in Minnesota’s economy and the growing challenges they face from federal trade policy.” WALZ: “Soybeans are Minnesota’s largest agricultural export and the heart of our agricultural economy – but our soybean farmers are confronting a crisis they haven’t seen since the 1980s,” said Governor Walz. “They’ve produced a bumper crop this year, just to find out they have nowhere to sell their harvest thanks to Trump’s trade policies. Minnesota’s got the best beans in the world – I encourage Minnesotans to stand with our farmers and continue to advocate for federal trade reform.” PROCLAMATION: https://fluence-media.co/4nsVF7b
TRADE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota farmer who recently hosted the Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee says trade was a focus during the visit. Joel Schreurs welcomed Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar to his Lincoln County farm last week. ‘The biggest thing that we talked about was the lack of trade into China, and specifically the beans that normally go to the Pacific Northwest.’ Schreurs has been involved with state and national soy grower associations and currently serves on the U.S. Soybean Export Council executive board. He tells Brownfield the lack of export business is weakening prices.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/46KZj5e
STEAK: Via news release from Cargill, VERBATIM: “Cargill today released its first-ever ‘State of Steak – Foodservice Edition’ report, a comprehensive look at how consumer expectations for steak are evolving across the foodservice landscape. Built on new proprietary research, the report highlights the emotional and economic significance of steak – and the growing pressures on operators to get it right . . . To help operators navigate these shifting expectations, the report dives into the specific factors shaping today’s steak experience – from changing consumer preferences and definitions of quality to the operational challenges restaurants face in delivering consistently exceptional steak.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42k0KpP
20 YEARS: Via Minnesota Soybean, VERBATIM: “In 2002, following several years of strong, forward-thinking leadership from MSGA and research funded by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC), the historic biodiesel law was passed in the Minnesota Legislature. Minnesota’s biodiesel processors were required to produce 8 million gallons of B100 in production sites before the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) gave final approval. Three biodiesel plants were built in Minnesota between 2002-2004 (the Minnesota Soybean Processors, based in Brewster, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary), more than enough to meet the production requirement. The law officially took effect three years after the legislation on Sept. 29, 2005, when B2 pumps were implemented around the state. With implementation, Minnesota became the first state to require a biodiesel percentage in their diesel fuel.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4numtUw
PAYMENTS: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “Crop producers across the United States are dealing with either negative or very tight cash flow situations due to continued low commodity prices and high crop input costs. USDA is projecting record national average corn and soybean yields in 2025; however, even that will not be enough to offset the negative margins in crop production that exist in most areas. As a result, crop producers have had to rely on several rounds of various government payments to help sustain the cash flow in their farming business. Farmers in areas that had very poor yields in 2024 benefitted from the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) payments that were paid a few months ago, and could receive potential 2024 corn and soybean ARC-CO payments in October this year. Last Spring, all producers of eligible crops received 2024 Economic Community Assistance Program (ECAP) payments. USDA has now announced that farmers will receive an additional round of 2024 ECAP payments.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mEor3m
NEXTGEN: Via Albert Lea Tribune, VERBATIM: “United South Central students on Thursday got to learn about farm safety and awareness during the school’s FFA Farm Safety Program. Held at the USC High School, the event was led by FFA students and community members with the goal to raise awareness of the many dangers that can occur in rural Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3KLlPmR
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)
CROP PROGRESS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A farmer in southern Minnesota anticipates harvesting an average crop. Brent Mohn grows corn and soybeans near Lakeville and says growing conditions were close to normal this summer.” MOHN: “We’ve had rain (and) haven’t seemed to have a lot of excessive rain. Areas around us, for once, got it instead of us. Which I think we all can feel that way some days that we’re always the target, but have to remember the years that you’re not.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4gLfynr
OATS: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Farmers in southeastern Minnesota are staring down the prospect of storing thousands of tons of oats with no profitable place to send them. If that doesn’t change soon, fewer farmers might grow the crop next season and beyond, dashing the hopes of water quality advocates who see oats as a proven way to reduce nitrate pollution. ‘The only way to make this work is to have buyers,’ said Martin Larsen, who farms oats, corn and soy outside Byron. ‘We’re sitting on nearly all our oats.’ The self-styled ‘Oat Mafia’ Larsen co-founded collectively planted 6,000 acres of oats this year, but ran into trouble before harvest. La Crosse Milling Co., which planned to buy some of the group’s crop, didn’t have room for the whole harvest. The next best place to sell the oats would take them at 50 cents less per bushel.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3VJkfV1
FERTILIZER: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Soil fertility is a major consideration as farmers think about crop management in 2026. Iowa State University Extension agronomist Angie Rieck-Hinz says the high cost of fertilizer is a concern.” RIECK-HINZ: “Sometimes the idea of not putting fertilizer on is not the best decision. So all the agronomists, the retail (and) extension agronomists, we’ve been having a lot of conversations with people about where to get the most bang for your buck on your fertilizer dollars.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4nYKP8F
FARM AID: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen admitted he got a little choked up watching Farm Aid finally come to his home state.” PETERSEN: “I was a little emotional, actually, to think about it,” Petersen said. “I grew up in the ‘80s in the Farm Crisis and I’ve kind of worked through all of this my whole life.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IkL7ru
RESTAURANT: Via Star Tribune, news that south Minneapolis restaurant Brim is opening a second location in Edina. VERBATIM: “Just like the original, the new Brim is grounded in local sourcing. Chicken and eggs come from Larry Schultz Organic Farm, vegetables from members of the Hmong American Farmers Association, and breads, always gluten-free, are from local bakers Heaven and Sift.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gIfggQ
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
FOAM: Via Marshall Independent, VERBATIM: “An initiative to provide soy-based firefighting foam to Minnesota fire departments continued this year, with Lyon County fire departments receiving donations of SoyFoam. ‘It’s a huge asset to fire departments,’ said Tracy Fire Chief Dale Johnson III. Johnson said the Tracy Fire Department has had a chance to use SoyFoam at a couple of different kinds of fires this year, and it worked well. This spring, the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council started a campaign to give more than 40 Minnesota counties a chance to donate pails of soy-based firefighting foam to local fire departments. The Lyon County Corn & Soybean Growers donated SoyFoam to the Minneota, Ghent, Marshall, Lynd, Russell, Balaton, Garvin, Tracy and Cottonwood Fire Departments, the MSR&PC said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46Or2Sp
Copyright © 2025 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