WASHINGTON, DC: From Minnesota Corn via X, VERBATIM: “Great visits continue in D.C. for the 2025 Spring Fly-in.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/448SqL0 READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kXX4S9 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
$2.1 BILLION: Via Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s ethanol industry contributed $2.1 billion to the state’s gross domestic product in 2024, according to a new study by the University of Minnesota Extension. The study said 1.4 billion gallons of ethanol was produced in Minnesota last year, which in turn, generated $5.2 billion in economic activity and supported 18,434 jobs in the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41xHB2q
TRADE WAR: Via Mankato Free Press, VERBATIM: “Tariff talk dominates national chatter these days. In southern Minnesota, where agriculture and ag-related industries dominate the economy, the unease over tariffs is intense. Todd Marotz, head of production at Wakefield Pork in Gaylord and a member of the National Pork Producers Council, fears tariffs could be devastating to the state’s pork industry, which has just gotten back on its feet in the past year or so. ‘Last year pork exports were a bright spot. Exports added $66 in value per pig sold.’ Canada, China and Mexico were big buyers of Minnesota pork. Caesar Larson, who farms near Amboy and Lake Crystal, said farmers are worried about tariffs. ‘There is an uneasiness in the farm community because of the uncertainty. Export markets are very important to us,’ Larson said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hYCMVY
MORE: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “This stretch of America’s heartland sits far from any U.S. border, in a manufacturing hotbed on the edge of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. But its economy is global—plunging it into the nascent international trade war. Some businesses are already getting a jolt when needed raw materials fall under tariffs. There are winners and losers: Local companies buying materials domestically are taking business from rivals who have raised prices owing to import tariffs. Dairy farmers are expanding side ventures, fearing retaliatory tariffs from Mexico could pummel milk prices.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43ufbZK
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
PROCESSORS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture extended waivers for increased speeds while also moving to make the increases permanent. The federal agency also says it will stop requiring plants to submit worker safety data, though it’s still requiring companies to report injuries to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Some workers are worried about the move. Ruth Schultz is meatpacking director for the Minnesota chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union representing workers at JBS Pork Processing in Worthington. She said line speed regulations are there to protect workers, but also consumers.” QUOTE: “There’s fecal matter, there’s infections in some of these hogs that go by,” Schultz said. “If they’re flying past, how are you gonna see the contamination of the meat if their speed is too fast?” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42cU6ko
MORE: From UofM Extension via Farm Forum, VERBATIM: “Paul Sobocinski believes the best way forward through any challenge is to get organized. This has been his philosophy since his early farming days. It’s also the philosophy guiding his current work addressing the meat processing bottleneck in Minnesota. Across Minnesota, the demand for meat processing far outpaces the availability of meat processing facilities. There are several reasons for this imbalance, including consolidation in the meat processing industry, a lack of skilled workers, and business owners nearing retirement who are unable to transition their businesses. With fewer processors and processing slots, Minnesota farmers often have to schedule their processing a year or more in advance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42lJvol
FEEDLOTS: Via MPCA, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is opening the rule that regulates about 17,000 animal feedlots. This rulemaking will:
consider changes to improve land application of manure to address nitrates and fish kills.
establish additional technical standards to protect water quality and avoid fish kills.
address modern changes to livestock and poultry operations and business practices, account for new agency data services, and repeal outdated rule language.
These changes are necessary to protect human health and the environment.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hVyTkD
INCOME: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “Based on the data in the latest ‘2025 Farm Income Forecast’ that was released by the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) in February, U.S. net farm income is expected to increase by $41 billion or 29.5 percent above 2024 levels, following two years of sharp decline in 2023 and 2024. The 2025 net farm income is now estimated at $180.1 billion, which would be the second highest net farm income since 2010, only trailing the 2022 net farm income level of $182 billion. The projected significant increase in 2025 net farm income was mainly driven by a projected large increase in government farm program payments, much of which will be one-time payments resulting from American Relief Act (Continuing Resolution) that was passed by Congress late in 2024.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/427CTZq
DC: Via Marshall Independent, VERBATIM: “It might have seemed a little daunting at first. But a Cottonwood couple said speaking to members of Congress about agriculture earlier this month was an important task. ‘When we were talking with (Rep.) Michelle Fischbach, she said, ‘You guys are our eyes on the ground,’’ said Victoria Praus. Andrew and Victoria Praus of Cottonwood were part of a group of members of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation who traveled to Washington March 10-13. During their trip, MFBF members met with members of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation to talk about key concerns for farmers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42hFct5
FOOD ORDERS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled almost half of food shelf orders from Minnesota farmers under the federal Commodity Credit Corporation. The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families has placed orders for 78 truckloads of food so far in 2025, including for eggs, milk, chicken and dried fruit. It was for distribution to its statewide network of food banks, shelves and meal programs. However, according to an emailed statement from the department only 39 of these orders have been received so far. Five remaining pending orders have been purchased but not yet delivered.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3E3oW6S
GRANTS: Via clean energy advocacy publication Floodlight, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced late Tuesday it will release previously authorized grant funds to farmers and small rural business owners to build renewable energy projects — but only if they rewrite applications to comply with President Donald Trump’s energy priorities. The move has left some farmers perplexed — and doubtful that they’ll ever get the grant money they were promised, given the Trump administration’s emphasis on fossil fuels and hostility toward renewable energy . . . A Floodlight analysis shows the overwhelming majority of the intended recipients of this money reside in Trump country — congressional districts represented by Republicans. After hearing of the USDA’s latest announcement Wednesday, Minnesota strawberry farmer Andy Petran said he suspects many previously approved projects won’t be funded.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FMONjP
FINANCES: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Financial challenges are a concern as farmers embark on another growing season. Ag Ventures Alliance CEO Spencer Stensrude says many members are looking at very thin margins in 2025.” STENSRUDE: “I think farmers across the country in pretty much every crop are struggling with profitability, costs remain very high. Prices, uh, we’re hopeful about prices.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4iSdCcW
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)
TOUR: Via Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association, VERBATIM: “Twenty students from Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted High School toured Highwater Ethanol earlier today to learn about ethanol production.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4iMf9Rz
DEADLINE: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2025 crop year have until April 15, 2025, to revise elections and sign contracts. Both safety net programs, delivered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provide vital income support to eligible farmers who experience substantial declines in crop prices or revenues for the 2025 crop year. In Minnesota, producers have completed 89,471 contracts to date, representing 84% of the more than 106,000 expected contracts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43ARE9G
HERBICIDES: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Farmers are encouraged to stay informed as new herbicides enter the market. University of Minnesota Extension educator Eric Yu says products continue being developed to help combat resistant weeds.” YU: “We actually had a recent study where we found six-way resistant waterhemp populations here in the state, so we’re starting to lose some of (those) tools in the toolbox. So we want to make sure we’re up-to-date in terms of what we can replace those options with.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4lbJjzs
FERTILIZER: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “Many farmers and applicators will soon apply anhydrous ammonia (NH3) prior to planting or sidedress after planting. Even with a rush against time and the weather, safety should never be compromised. Accidents involving anhydrous ammonia have proven how dangerous and deadly the chemical can be when not handled properly.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/2QVCpEX
ENERGY: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release obligated funding under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) for 543 projects totaling $537 million in 29 states. This includes new projects approved within the first 100 days of the Trump Administration and advances President Trump’s January 20th Executive Order on Unleashing American Energy, underscoring our commitment to farmers, ranchers and small business owners in rural areas, and their essential role in building a stronger, more energy secure America.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FQ97ks
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
150 YEARS: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) is pleased to recognize 46 recipients of the Sesquicentennial Farm award for 2025. Since the program began in 2008, 623 families have received the honor. To qualify, a family farm must be in continuous family ownership for at least 150 years, be 50 acres or larger, and currently be involved in agricultural production.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lhg7Hw
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