JET FUEL: From Minnesota Corn via Facebook, VERBATIM: “MCGA Senior Public Policy Director Amanda Bilek testified in the Minnesota State Senate Taxes Committee in support of SF1312. Sponsored by Senator Ann Rest, this bipartisan bill would increase funding for the state’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit from $2.1 million to $10 million and extend the credit from 2027 to 2029. The legislation is sponsored by Representative Greg Davids in the State House.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3DpwIrd (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
MORE: From Minnesota Senate Media Services via YouTube, Bilek’s testimony. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3QLjcBv
MORE: Via Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus, VERBATIM: “Minnesota is poised to be a global leader in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production, and Senator John Jasinski (Faribault) is making sure the state seizes that opportunity with a bill (SF 1312) that offers a significant expansion of tax credits to grow the SAF industry, create thousands of jobs, and provide new markets for Minnesota farmers. The bill passed the Senate Taxes Committee on Thursday with bipartisan support. Senator Jasinski presented the bill to the committee, which is chief-authored by Democrat Senator Ann Rest (New Hope).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h5Nn0Q
MORE: Via Minnesota Senate DFL, from Senator Ann Rest, QUOTE: “An expanding Sustainable Aviation Fuel industry is a real opportunity for our state because it will open up new markets for Minnesota farm products, and will create new jobs,” Sen. Rest said. “I am very pleased that DFLers and Republicans worked in partnership to move a nation-leading tax credit through my committee and will continue to do so as it works its way through the Legislature. This improvement to the credit that we passed in 2023 will keep our state leading the way in production of SAF.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41DwnKO
(DISCLOSURE: Delta Air Lines is a client of Fluence)
SURVEY: Via Modern Ag Alliance, VERBATIM: “Modern Ag Alliance’s inaugural sentiment survey confirms that Minnesotans strongly support maintaining farmers’ access to critical crop protection products like glyphosate. This support extends across party lines, with majorities of Republicans and Democrats siding with farmers on nearly every question asked. Trial lawyers, who are driving American agriculture toward a crisis by attacking farmers’ tools, have extremely low levels of trust among Minnesotans. Meanwhile, farmers enjoy high levels of public trust.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4boBhyG
WATER: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association is engaged with legislators on water regulations. President Darin Johnson says concerns over the state’s public water inventory carried over from last year’s legislative session.” JOHNSON: “That did not quite end where we wanted it to, and we’re just really looking for regulatory certainty on it. Because with the maps the way they are for the state of Minnesota, it does open up some potential lawsuits for our farmers in the state of Minnesota.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3D4x1rB
THIS MONTH: From UMN Nutrient Management via X, VERBATIM: “Join us March 13 in Rochester. Topics include: - How N behaves in the environment and how it gets into water - The dynamics of groundwater recharge in SE MN - BMPs for both commercial fertilizer and manure, based on local research - On-farm N mgmt research results in SE MN” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/4ilIvpk
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
TARIFFS: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “In most years during the late Winter months, farm operators focus on Spring planting decisions for the coming crop year and look for favorable opportunities to market their anticipated corn and soybean production. However, in 2025, an additional item on the mind of many farmers is the threat of potential tariffs on goods and services that are traded between the United States with Canada, Mexico, and China. Many items that the U.S. imports from the three countries could potentially be affected by the added tariffs on a wide range of goods and products, including some items that impact agriculture production. Probably the biggest concern for ag producers is the possibility of retaliatory tariffs that may be placed on U.S. agricultural products are being exported to Canada, Mexico, and China.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43m9xZr
MORE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Mexico and Canada have vowed to retaliate by slapping their own tariffs on U.S. goods, setting the stage for a potential North American trade war. ‘Canada and the United States have had free trade for 35 years now and this will be the single most turbulent element of our trading relationship since 1989, so it's very worrying,’ said Beth Richardson, the Consul General of Canada to the U.S. in Minneapolis. Richardson told Minnesota Now host Nina Moini that she’s had business and agricultural associations calling her with concerns.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/43lNkuH
DISASTER RELIEF: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “Yesterday evening, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins delivered remarks at Commodity Classic, where she announced the Department’s plan to distribute the economic and disaster aid passed by Congress late last year. She also walked the trade floor and met with leaders of the four primary commodities represented at the event: corn, soybean, wheat, and sorghum.” QUOTE: “The state of the Ag economy—especially for row crop producers—is perhaps the worst it’s been in one hundred years,” said Secretary Rollins. “Fortunately, the era of economic malaise and decision paralysis ended the day President Trump took the oath of office. Working alongside each of you, we are going to chart a new course for American agriculture.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3F4sQwo
SWINE: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “An official with the National Pork Board is encouraged by efforts to eradicate endemic swine diseases in the U.S. Brett Kaysen is senior vice president of producer and state engagement. ‘For example, pseudorabies. There was a time when pseudorabies and hog cholera really decimated our pig farmers’ profitability and their pigs. We’ve proven as farmers, if we’re committed and we’re united to eliminate some of these endemic diseases, we can do that.’ He tells Brownfield that doesn’t minimize the threat posed by foreign animal diseases.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3F6kcgX
EGGS: From Teagan King via St. Cloud Times, VERBATIM: “Minnesota's local egg producers are facing pressure from the rising egg prices nationwide and continued threat of bird flu. Many of the area's egg producers and poultry farmers have raised prices or changed farming practices, as the average cost for a dozen Grade A eggs reached $4.95 last month. In the Midwest, some prices reached $7.47 per dozen, according to USA Today. Windhaven Farm in South Haven is one of several farms in the area that has been facing additional challenges. They already had some protective measures against bird flu from previous years, Alex Green, one of Windhaven's owners, said, but it is still front of mind in many situations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3DbEAg5
THIS MONTH: Via Land Stewardship Project, VERBATIM: “Please RSVP for the 2025 Family Farm Breakfast + Lobby Day on Thursday, March 13, in Saint Paul at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill. Join us for breakfast as we ground ourselves in good food and community and bring our voices to our legislators!” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41DMecl
THIS MONTH: Via Agri-Pulse, VERBATIM: “Join us for the Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit on March 17 in Washington, D.C., for a day of thought-provoking discussions surrounding this year’s theme – ‘Navigating Taxes, Trade and Technology: What's Ahead for Food & Agriculture?’ There will also be plenty of time for networking with speakers and other industry leaders after the program.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h6K1e9
BEEF: From Christopher Vondracek via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “In Minnesota’s north country, a former kindergarten teacher-turned-rancher carefully walks forward on muddy, thawing ground toward a knot of dark heifers. They stare with curious white faces. One high-ended cow trots away awkwardly, a classic signal that she’ll soon be calving. ‘That one shaking its tail? That one’s probably calving, too,’ said Rachel Gray, fourth-generation northern Minnesota farmer. She starts counting. ‘One, two, three, there’s probably four in here calving.’ The remote woods north of Bemidji is beef country. And for the first time in a decade, the ranchers raising the livestock that get turned into hamburgers and steaks like their profit margins.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41odESf
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.-Elect Kari Rehauer
Rep.-Elect Wayne Johnson
Rep. Elect Julie Greene
Rep. Elect Keith Allen
Rep. Elect Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
LAND: From Charmayne Hefley via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “According to data compiled by the Successful Farming team, more than 5,600 acres of Minnesota farmland are set to be auctioned in March 2025. Listings range from single tracts of 40 acres to a multi-parcel auction of over 1,800 acres.” READ/MAP: https://fluence-media.co/4boVVyE
NETHERLANDS: From Noah Fish via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Department of Agriculture's deputy commissioner was on a business development and trade mission trip to the Netherlands with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in mid February. Walz led the Feb. 17-19 trip through the Netherlands with stops in Eindhoven, The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Delft, with the goal of showcasing the state as a top destination for business investment, developing new partnership opportunities and strengthening existing ties and investments. Minnesota Department of Agriculture Deputy Commissioner Andrea Vaubel said it was a successful trip.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3F62b2s
FARM BILL: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Over the weekend, the Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota soybean grower groups caucused together to make sure the region was united for the American Soybean Association policy meetings. Minnesota Soybean Growers Association President Darin Johnson said the farm bill was again part of the discussion.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4inmLtd
THIS MONTH: Via Worthington Globe, VERBATIM: “Women from the breadth of Minnesota’s agriculture community are invited to share their stories with legislators and key leaders March 24 at the Minnesota State Capitol for Women in Ag Day.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3D2jssI
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
MDA: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Andrea Vaubel grew up in Verona, Wisconsin, just outside of Madison. After college, policy and politics became her focus. That includes time in Washington, D.C. working on the staff of then-Congressman Tim Walz. ‘That’s when I really fell in love with ag policy,’ remembers Vaubel. ‘He was on the ag committee, represented southern Minnesota and there’s so much to do with agriculture there.’ For the past 12 years, Vaubel has been at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and has been the deputy commissioner since September 2018.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/43hbyq1
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