RULES: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Wetlands and agriculture have long had a fraught relationship in Minnesota—from early homesteading through the 1980s, swamps, sloughs, and wet areas were drained by systems of ditches and tiles. Since then, new state and federal laws have protected remaining wetlands from drainage, most notably through the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) and the Swampbuster rules enforced by NRCS, a division of the USDA. Recently, Minnesota has enacted significant revisions to WCA and is in the process of creating new regulations to implement those changes to WCA. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association has teamed together with water and drainage attorneys at Gislason & Hunter, LLP to evaluate those proposed changes and ensure the interests of Minnesota farmers are heard.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lIrZ4M (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
DC: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “A unique blend of veteran Minnesota soybean advocates and fresh faces traveled in July 2025 to Washington, D.C., for the American Soybean Association’s (ASA) summer Hill Visits. Some of Minnesota’s farmer leaders, like George Goblish and Bob Worth, walked around the halls and chambers of the House and Senate buildings with a familiar ease. But for others, like Raymond DeMars and Rebecca Sip, who both represented Minnesota as last year’s class of the ASA Young Leaders, Capitol Hill gave them a chance to learn from the best and get their toes wet advocating on behalf of Minnesota’s nearly 26,000 soybean farmers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IFgzjN
FARM BILL: Rep. Angie Craig was interviewed on The Powers That Be Podcast. She talked about the recent passage of the reconciliation bill and the impact she says that will have on efforts to pass a Farm Bill. CRAIG: “I have been clear from the start that if Republicans cut the nutrition title of the Farm Bill, which is what we consider them having done, that it is going to be difficult to get 100 to 150 Democrats… impossible, I’m going to say that, to get 100 to 150 Democrats to vote for the skinny Farm Bill that GT’s talking about.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/44GqIFF
MORE: Craig also talked about the bills with Puck, CRAIG: “Republicans have busted up the coalition that always found a way to get a Farm Bill across the finish line. Can you imagine a situation where Democrats, in reconciliation, decided to cut $168 billion out of crop insurance or reference price titles? Do you think Republicans wouldn’t be a little bit pissed off? So I think we need some time.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46V6rxj
CANADA: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The Commissioner of Agriculture for Minnesota is concerned U.S. farmers could be harmed by trade tensions with Canada. Thom Petersen tells Brownfield corn exports to Canada have been strong.” PETERSEN: “They kind of like our corn in those feedlots in Alberta taking that. But then also that pork piece, but Canada really a big issue. I’ve been meeting a lot with our different ministers up in Saskatchewan (and) Manitoba.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/40x2YkO
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
SPANDEX: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “In the not-so-distant future, the stretch in yoga pants will come from Midwestern corn. Qore, a Cargill joint venture, opened a $360 million plant in Eddyville, Iowa, this month that can turn corn sugar into a building block for spandex and many other consumer products. ‘We’re bringing the farm to fashion,’ said Qore CEO Jon Veldhouse. The plant’s signature product, Qira, is identical to fossil fuel-derived 1,4-butanediol (BDO). Spandex-makers often import BDO, typically sourced from coal or natural gas, from China.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lFOqb9
CHINA: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “U.S. sorghum is in the crosshairs as China responds to tariff threats by the Trump administration. U.S. Grains Council CEO Ryan LeGrand says Chinese buyers are looking elsewhere.” LEGRAND: “China imported about 70 percent of the U.S. sorghum crop prior to the recent tensions between our two nations, and they’ve just stopped buying sorghum.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4f41FQr
REPORT: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “The USDA World Supply and Demand (WASDE) Report released on July 11th included a slight decrease in the projected 2025 corn production, based on the small decrease in the estimated 2025 U.S. corn acreage that was in the June 30th USDA Crop Acreage Report. USDA also indicated a slight reduction in the anticipated corn ending stocks for the current 2024-25 marketing year, which ends on August 31, 2025. The combination of these factors resulted projected lower corn ending stocks for both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 marketing year. Corn futures prices on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) showed very little reaction to the WASDE report and continued to react to favorable growing conditions across much of the Corn Belt, resulting in corn futures prices being down slightly following the release of the report.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lIo9sC
SOYBEANS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Soybean gall midge larvae have been found in southeast Minnesota. University of Minnesota Extension entomologist Bob Koch says the detection in Dakota County indicates the pest is spreading eastward.” KOCH: “There have been detections over the years across much of southwest Minnesota and almost into the Twin Cities Metro area, with a detection from sweet clover which is one of the alternative hosts. And that was last year in Hennepin County, and then now this year in Dakota County.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/40XdAcM
THURSDAY: Via West Central Tribune, VERBATIM: “A sustainable ranching practices tour and information session will be conducted at Clear Springs Cattle Company in Starbuck, Minnesota, on Thursday, July 24, according to a news release.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46lWTLD
WILD RICE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Wild rice, called manoomin in Ojibwe and psíŋ in Dakota, grows nowhere in the world like it grows here. Minnesota produces the most wild rice in the world. That includes natural wild rice and its domesticated cousin, cultivated wild rice, which often sparks impassioned debates at the Legislature, particularly over research funding. The land of 10,000 lakes creates shallow shorelines that make a perfect environment for the sacred plant rooted in Anishinaabe prophecy. But once bountiful east of the Rocky Mountains, the state grain is getting harder to find in its natural habitat. Climate chaos, pollution and invasive species culminated in one of the poorest harvest years in recent memory for much of the northland in 2024.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/410eLIo
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)
NEXT YEAR: Via Farm Bureau, VERBATIM: “The Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Leadership Conference brings together over 1,000 members to learn, share and grow together for service in both Farm Bureau and their communities. There will be great speakers, breakout sessions, tours and evening events that offer opportunities to develop as leaders and network with others from across the country.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46mktrF
DISEASE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Hot and humid weather has a north Iowa corn and soybean farmer on edge about disease pressure. Casey Schlichting of Clear Lake tells Brownfield white mold was a problem a year ago.” SCHLICHTING: “Very, very evident on the yield monitor, but very small (and) very random spots. But yeah, with the ground as sticky as it is right now and just the heat we’re getting, it’s going to fester between them rows in the corn and the beans.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/44RgeDv
BEEF: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Anyone firing up the grill this summer already knows hamburger patties and steaks are expensive, but the latest numbers show prices have climbed to record highs. And experts say consumers shouldn’t expect much relief soon either. The average price of a pound of ground beef rose to $6.12 in June, up nearly 12% from a year ago, according to U.S. government data. The average price of all uncooked beef steaks rose 8% to $11.49 per pound.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44Hk7L6
NEXTGEN: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Teenagers will return to their home farms this summer knowing more about tractor safety and how to minimize their risk of common farm hazards. University of Minnesota Extension's Youth Tractor and Farm Safety Training teaches students 14 years old and older about safe equipment operation and general farm safety.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4m2aBI3
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
REAL ESTATE: Via RE Journals, VERBATIM: “Mankato, Minnesota-based True Real Estate launched True Land, a new division focused exclusively on agricultural and recreational land transactions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/415Tyg9
FARM FAMILY: Via KROX-Radio, VERBATIM: “The Chris & Sarah Klawitter family of Crookston has been named Polk County’s “2025 Farm Family of the Year” by the University of Minnesota. Christopher and Sarah Klawitter launched Kountry Korner Floral, their specialty cut flower operation south of Crookston, in 2022.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4m926Ly
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