NEXTGEN: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Meeting minds in the classroom and winning hearts. Minnesota Agriculture In The Classroom does that every day. Its recent 39th Annual meeting was a celebration of increasing impact in endeavors ranging from creating ag-centered lesson plans to bringing students to farms. Through these activities, MAITC aims to help kids become educated consumers, and to see the potential for themselves in agribusiness careers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pUHmJU (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
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TRADE MISSION: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The shutdown of the federal government has cut short a USDA trade mission to Taiwan. Minnesota Soybean Growers Association executive director Joe Smentek is on the trip and tells Brownfield details trickled in Wednesday evening. ‘We had a lot of people that we were talking with last night that were getting their emails that they were not essential, and phones stopped working. It was definitely interesting to be with some of those USDA folks over here while that was going on.’ He says the shutdown adds to the uncertainty farmers are facing.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4pNVO6x
SHUTDOWN: Via KMSP-TV, VERBATIM: “A lot of Minnesota farmers will be the first to feel the effects of the government shutdown that started Oct. 1. They’re missing some critical help just as harvest season has arrived . . . The USDA planned to furlough about half of its workforce, including 67% of employees at the Farm Services Agency and nearly everyone in Rural Development. Both have locked up their St. Paul offices, with much less polarizing shutdown messaging than what appears on the USDA and other federal websites.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gUooPv
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
DROUGHT: The new Drought Monitor reflecting data as of Tuesday shows 3% of the state has slipped back into formal drought status. 35% is abnormally dry or worse, up from 21% a week ago. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3PP2Kzy
SOYBEANS: Via Marshall Independent, VERBATIM: “While southern Minnesota farmers are excited about the success of this year’s harvest, anxiety still lingers. Sleepy Eye farmer Randy Krzmarzick said without the China market due to the Trump administration’s tariffs, this year’s harvest won’t compare to those of past years.” KRZMARZICK: “In the last 20 to 25 years, the U.S. increased soybean acreage by millions of of acres. A lot of it was in areas where soybeans weren’t grown before, due in part to genetic improvements that increased yields,” he said. “That was primarily built on the export market that was primarily to China. I had some of the best farming years of my life during the Biden years. Prices were high.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IQM3E5
MORE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Harmon Wilts farms in west-central Minnesota. ‘It’s as tough as I’ve ever seen it from the standpoint that the basis is so wide right now at about $1.15. Futures market isn’t good, the basis are wide. And a number of elevators are saying ‘hey we’ll take your beans, but you have to sell them the day you bring them in.’ So that leaves no upside potential.’ The Swift County grower tells Brownfield economic conditions are worsening.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Kxu3iy
THIS FALL: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota DNR is partnering with the Minnesota Forestry Association to host a fall webinar series to support woodland owners and forestry professionals with responding to recent storm damage in the Bemidji area. The webinars provide a chance for landowners to connect with experts and learn about resources that are available to them to help recover from storm damage, and manage their woods for the future.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3WmLmp4
SEEDING: Via KMSP-TV, VERBATIM: “Minnesota seasonal forest restoration efforts used a helicopter at forests managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). What they’re saying: DNR officials say a helicopter is contracted to aerially scatter the seeds when areas are ‘too remote or geographically difficult to reach with a crew on the ground.’ The seeds are mixed with clay, loaded into a hopper on the helicopter, and then evenly distributed above the trees, according to the DNR.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mSQBb5
ETHANOL: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Exports are expected to play a crucial role as U.S. ethanol producers look to remain profitable in 2026. Renewable Fuels Association chief economist Scott Richman says the outlook for next year is positive. ‘Producers remain optimistic, right now the export market is very good. And as long as we can sustain that, things will be good.’ Domestically, he tells Brownfield permanent year-round E15 would help the U.S. even the playing field with countries like Canada and India.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/46LnNLr
AG POLICY: Via Land Stewardship Project, VERBATIM: “Shea-Lynn Ramthun stood in a recently harvested oat field on her family’s farm near Cannon Falls last week and described to a couple dozen lawmakers a dilemma that’s all-too-common in the agriculture business: she had just successfully raised a bumper crop, only to run into the brick wall of not having access to buyers who will pay a good price . . . Ramthun’s Flying J Farm was one stop on a legislative tour sponsored by State Innovation Exchange (SIX), a group that works with state lawmakers across the country to connect and strategize together on how to move public policy that prioritizes the health of communities and climate action, among other things. Last week, 23 lawmakers from nine states — Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska, Illinois and Missouri — toured farms in southeastern Minnesota as part of a week of activities groups like SIX and the Land Stewardship Project were holding in the run-up to the 40th Anniversary Farm Aid festival Sept. 20 in Minneapolis. Many of the lawmakers participating in the farm tour serve on agriculture and natural resources legislative committees in their respective states.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nsj8VU
EXTENSION: Via Morning Ag Clips, 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/4nKQfUU
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: Via Mankato Free Press, VERBATIM: “Area farmers are progressing rapidly through this year’s harvest season, with an acceleration caused by unseasonably warm fall weather. They say unusual conditions have prompted earlier-than-usual starts and quicker turnarounds for both soybean and corn harvests across southern Minnesota. For St. James farmer Harold Wolle, harvest is well underway and the ‘crop maturity is advancing more rapidly than normal.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h49syv
SUGARBEETS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Unseasonably warm weather is slowing the sugarbeet harvest in west-central Minnesota. Noah Hultgren of Raymond says the local beet cooperative typically starts full harvest by the beginning of October.” HULTGREN: “With the warm weather that we’re having right now, they don’t like to store beets with that warm of temps. So they’re looking to push back full harvest to October 6th.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3VK7t8R
GRANT: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant. These grants support on-farm research and demonstrations that help farmers improve profitability and use resources more efficiently. Projects must take place on Minnesota farms, and grantees are required to share their results with others through final reports published in the MDA’s annual Greenbook. The Greenbook highlights creative, farmer-led projects and provides practical technical information, including management tips and personal observations from participants.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42prBAL
RAIL: Via news release from Truman-based Central Farm Service, VERBATIM: “Central Farm Service (CFS), a farmer-owned cooperative in Minnesota & Iowa, and long-time Union Pacific customer, announced its support for the proposed merger of Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Corporation. CFS believes this combination – creating America’s first coast-to-coast railroad – will improve agricultural logistics by providing more efficient rail service from the Midwest to more markets nationwide. The merged railroad will connect over 50,000 miles of track across 43 states under one system, enabling single-line shipments of farm products to reach distant destinations faster and more reliably.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WpKRuk
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
WYOMING: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The Great Pumpkin Trail, which made its debut in 2024, is returning for a second year. The team at Pinehaven Farm, which also operates the Dead End Hayride, is opening its pumpkin-packed attraction on Friday, Oct. 3, presenting a half-mile trail with more than 10,000 jack-o’-lanterns, according to organizers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/477Cxpo
JORDAN: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “Like trying to count kernels in a corn pit, Chi Lu can’t count the number of times she’s been to Ferguson’s Minnesota Harvest in Jordan. ‘A lot,’ Lu said, laughing. ‘A lot.’ On Wednesday, Lu played in the corn pit with her nephew, Lucas. It’s her third year coming to the 300-acre orchard and farm.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/479vxIA
BROOKLYN PARK: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Bear Bouwman, a farmer in his 20s, grew up working harvest festivals. He’s the general manager for Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze, which his father founded 16 years ago. Located at the southeast corner of Highway 169 and 109th Avenue near Brooklyn Park’s northern border with Champlin, the festival was perhaps best known for its corn maze. For many years, the maze was cut into a variety of shapes such as the Minnesota Vikings logo. However, this year, the corn maze is nowhere to be seen.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4o1jl26
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