WOLLE: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Harold Wolle, Jr., knew it was a precious opportunity, and he had to make the most of it. He had a U.S. Senator in his combine. He had a chance for one-on-one conversation with one of the nation’s most influential lawmakers. It’s an experience Wolle has had twice, hosting both Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Tina Smith on his St. James, Minnesota, farm during his term as president of National Corn Growers Association, from fall 2023 to fall 2024.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3VeYJac (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
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WILD RICE: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The Iron Mining Association of Minnesota (IMA) invited the community to the Discovery Center in Chisholm Tuesday to discuss acceptable sulfate standards in waters used for wild rice production. In the early 70s, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) declared that waters used for the production of wild rice can’t contain more than ten milligrams of sulfate per liter. That standard has sparsely been enforced, and the IMA is hoping it stays that way.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fIxYV7
SOLAR: From Fox Business via YouTube, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins recalled her younger days spending summers in Minnesota. ROLLINS: “Back then it was corn field after corn field, soy, soy. Now you drive that same drive and it’s all solar panels, solar panels, solar panels, solar panels. What has happened, especially under the Biden administration, the Green New Deal, is they’re using taxpayer dollars to basically incentivize farmers to take farmland out of production.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/45H61bT
MORE: From Public Notice newsletter publisher Aaron Rupar sharing the interview via Threads, RUPAR: “Brooke Rollins lies out her ass on Fox Business. Minnesota is not overrun by solar panels.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4lAKKX2
BACKGROUND: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins alongside Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Senator Bill Hagerty, Representative John Rose, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, announced USDA will no longer fund taxpayer dollars for solar panels on productive farmland or allow solar panels manufactured by foreign adversaries to be used in USDA projects. Subsidized solar farms have made it more difficult for farmers to access farmland by making it more expensive and less available.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4786cPS
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
STATE FAIR: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “Fairgoers of all ages can connect agriculture to their daily lives with educational, engaging, and interactive activities and games at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) exhibit at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4721LGd
FLOWERS: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “If you’ve been to the Minnesota State Fair—even once in, say, the last 116 years—chances are you’ve seen its canna lilies, even if your overstimulated brain didn’t fully register them. These tall, tropical, primarily red and orange flowers—which conveniently bloom the brightest in late August’s hottest days—have been part of the Minnesota State Fair’s landscape since the early 1900s, when the fair’s first greenhouse manager, George Rudolph, fell for the garden displays at the Paris Exposition and brought the concept back home.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41ey1SG
DAIRY: Via KNOX-Radio, VERBATIM: “Do you know which farm the milk in your fridge came from? Smaller dairy farms in Minnesota said they are increasingly worried it is not from their cows but rather, factory farms. They are ratcheting up organizing efforts to ensure rural economies get a fair shake . . . Keith Ellison, Minnesota’s Attorney General, said his office is interested in making use of antitrust laws to prevent small farms from selling off their land.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mV8ztW
TRADE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says China has a lot of leverage in trade negotiations with the U.S. The Iowa Republican tells Brownfield the Chinese are dependent on imports for food and food products like soybeans.” GRASSLEY: “Because they’re never going to be able to produce enough to support their people, now that’s a positive for the United States. The negative is the need that we have for rare earth metals, particularly for making magnets. That gives China some leverage.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3VgMTfL
MARGINS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “An ag lending specialist understands farmer concerns about tight crop margins. Paul Kohls with Compeer Financial says many growers are looking at a big crop this fall.” KOHLS: “There are some spots where things are not as rosy, but obviously the price side is a real challenge right now for producers and it causes a bit of anxiety. What we want people to do is focus on what they can control.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4oRYjo7
(DISCLOSURE: Compeer is a Fluence sponsor)
SOIL HEALTH: Via University of Minnesota, VERBATIM: “University of Minnesota Twin Cities scientists and partners are working with 40 organic vegetable producers to implement cover crops in their high tunnel systems and improve soil health for long-term productivity. High tunnels are covered structures used by farmers to extend farming seasons. Cover crops are plants that are grown in the off-season to enhance soil quality, and in this experiment, they are being chosen for their nitrogen-fixing qualities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47FJApT
4-H: Via UofM Extension, VERBATIM: “Across Minnesota, food shelves are facing unprecedented demand. In response, the 4-H Food Partner Challenge is empowering young people to make a difference. Funded by Compeer Financial, the grant program provides 4-H clubs with $500 to enact youth-led projects in partnership with local food assistance programs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mvVffQ
SCHOLARSHIPS: Via Austin Herald, VERBATIM: “An Adams teen was one of over 20 from around the state to be named a recipient of the Minnesota State Fair Scholarship.
Andrew Timm was among the 22 recipients of the scholarship for $1,000. These scholarships are available to rural youth or those enrolled in an agriculture program in 2024-25. In addition, $2,000 scholarships are awarded to people of any age entering a skilled trade career or furthering their training. In total between the two scholarships, there were 25 recipients of the Minnesota State Fair Youth Scholarship and Trade Scholarships.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HLy0iq
CATTLE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A crop and livestock producer from northwest Iowa sees risk and opportunity in the cattle market. Jolene Riessen grows corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and runs a custom feedlot near Ida Grove. She tells Brownfield a local sale barn recently sold 700-pound feeders for nearly $400/cwt and that’s not sustainable for most producers.” RIESSEN: “It would take a very sharp pencil to be able to figure a break even on those, that you’re making money. That’s some pretty tight margins there. But if you think that the corn price is going to go lower, than I’d imagine you’re going to be okay.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4lyIW0Z
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)
GRANTS: Via Clean Energy Resource Teams, VERBATIM: “CERTs awards seed grants to communities for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across Minnesota. Since 2006, we’ve awarded over $1.98M to 509 projects. We call these seed grants because they are small amounts of money meant to get a project started and inspire others to support the project. Projects have previously received $5,000-10,000 to spend on labor expenses.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/45FvTEW
SCHOOL MEALS: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “Minnesota schools, early childhood education (ECE) centers, and licensed in-home family childcare providers looking to serve locally sourced meals can apply for funding now through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Farm to School and Early Care Grant and Local Tots Cost-Share programs. The grant and cost-share program both offer reimbursement for local food purchases of Minnesota grown and raised foods. The MDA expects to award approximately $1.35 million through our FY 2026 AGRI Farm to School and Early Care programs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oGujLP
SOYBEANS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Soybean aphid pressure is spotty across southern Minnesota. Syngenta agronomist Tim Dahl says hot weather has helped limit populations. ‘I would say western Minnesota probably has more aphids. That’s kind of the spot.’ University of Minnesota Extension crops educator Dave Nicolai tells Brownfield wet, humid conditions have also contributed to fewer soybean aphids this summer.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Hlm2Mz
KAY: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “Rachel Visser has come a long way since growing up in Hutchinson without a background in agriculture. In fact, this past year as Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Visser has traveled Minnesota as an advocate for the state’s more than 1,800 dairy farms and farm families.” VISSER: “By the end of the summer, I will have concluded about 90 events” since being crowned the night before the 2024 Minnesota State Fair kicked off, she says, “with 23 of those events being in the month of June Dairy Month.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mvWN9E
CORN: Via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Corn season is here again, and lucky for us we don't have to search for it — it's everywhere. From farm stands on corners to grocery stores and area farmer's markets, you can find sweet niblets all around. This is turning out to be an especially good corn year, says Mark Timm of Fairview Farms. ‘We had a slow start because of the weather but now it's full speed ahead.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45GpYiT
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BABIES: Via University of Minnesota, VERBATIM: “For roughly 20 years, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary (CVM) students and faculty have volunteered at the extremely popular CHS Miracle of Birth Center, a collaboration between the University, FFA, and Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association. Every year, more than 200 animals including calves, lambs, piglets and chicks are born (or hatched) there over the course of the fair's 12 days.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mSuySf
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