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:
SURVEYS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A market analyst expects a significant shift to more corn acres in the Western Plains and Upper Midwest this year. Matt Bennett with AgMarket.Net says a trend has emerged within planting surveys to growers and from talking with farmers during the winter.” BENNETT: “Whenever I get north of I-80 and farther west, I’ve asked in every room I’ve been in this winter how many of you are going to plant more corn as part of your rotation than what you did a year ago. And especially when I move into those areas I’ll tell you what, a lot of hands go up.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4l9o8y0
ROADS: Via Farm Bureau, VERBATIM: “The president of Minnesota Farm Bureau recently went before the House subcommittee on Highways and Transit to talk about rural highways, roads and bridges.” QUOTE: “I think our main message was just how important that rural infrastructure, bridges, highways, all of it, is to agriculture and rural communities. When you look at how food gets from our farms to consumers, that all takes place on a rural road or bridge.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3DMbHrb
SHIP-IT ACT: Via The Fence Post, VERBATIM: “At a House Transportation and Infrastructure Highways and Transit Subcommittee hearing on trucking today, Minnesota Farm Bureau President Dan Glessing said Congress needs to consider the benefits of the SHIP-IT Act, introduced last Congress by Reps. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., and Jim Costa, D-Calif.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42m7mUP
MORE: Via Farm Bureau, Glessings prepared comments for the committee. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4l7lxEB
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
TRADE: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins will visit six international markets in her first six months as Secretary to expand markets and boost American agricultural exports. At a time when the agricultural trade deficit is at nearly $50 billion following the previous administration’s little to no action in the international marketplace, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is working to diversify global markets, strengthen existing markets, and hold existing trading partners accountable for their end of the deal.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43BhpXr
TARIFFS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “An extension ag economist suggests farmers navigating trade uncertainty should explore additional market opportunities. Chad Hart with Iowa State University says tariffs are causing volatility and an added layer to risk management.” HART: “Trying to see how our markets do adjust to when these tariffs hit, and sort of do you have other avenues for growth beyond international trade.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4iOoUPq
NUMBERS: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “Minnesota farmers are good at what they do, regardless of what commodity they are producing. The state ranks in the top 10 in more than 20 ag products, with four coming on top in the country: sugar beets, turkeys raised, green peas and sweet corn for processing. Minnesota ranks No. 2 in hogs, wild rice, dry edible beans and spring wheat. The state’s farmers raise enough soybeans, sunflowers, canola, dry beans and oats to come in third in the nation in each of those commodities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Y9yZOq
BIRD FLU: Via Minnesota Senate DFL, VERBATIM: “On Monday, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced the detection of H5N1 avian influenza in a Stearns County dairy herd. Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development Committee Chair Aric Putnam (DFL-St. Cloud), issued the following statement about the outbreak.” PUTNAM: “The uncertainty around federal funds makes it even more important that we secure state resources to ensure the health and safety of Minnesota’s agriculture economy. The funds we allocated to test milk for avian influenza are vital in preventing further spread and protecting our dairy industry. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s quick action was essential to addressing the situation, but we must be prepared to support these long-term efforts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42lp5vD
MORE: Via KNSI-Radio, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is asking the legislature for $4 million to help combat the potential spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza within the state’s livestock population . . . The money will be used to test milk for avian influenza.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cjEGzq
SURVEY: Via DRG News, VERBATIM: “For the 18th time in the past 19 months (March 20, 2025), the overall Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) sank below the 50.0 reading in March, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy . . . Jeff Bonnett, President of Havana National Bank in Havana, Ill., said, ‘It appears that our farm operators should brace for yet another decrease in gross farm income, and I have not yet heard anyone cheering about ‘cheaper’ input prices for 2025.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hKIEC1
PORK: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Foreign animal diseases like African swine fever remain a serious threat to U.S. pork producers. Todd Selvik is a pig farmer from Waseca in south-central Minnesota.” SELVIK: “We have ASF as being a huge concern, really any foreign animal disease always weighs heavily on everybody’s mind.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4j7YZlm
DAIRY: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Minnesota dairy farmers are playing a key role in sustainability initiatives by working with consumer packaged goods companies to track carbon intensity and conservation efforts. Lucas Sjostrom, managing director of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association, highlighted the evolution of these efforts, which began in Wisconsin a decade ago.” QUOTE: “They made some farmer-led groups and tried to put the power in the hands of the farmer in controlling the narrative,” Sjostrom explained. “We think that the best avenue and least costly avenue for farmers adapting conservation practices is to be taught by other farmers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RrjfTc
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)
DROUGHT: The latest Drought Monitor reflecting data as of Tuesday shows little change over last week – 66% of the state remains in some form of drought. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3zN8TDo
FIELD CONDITIONS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Farmers in Minnesota and many other Midwest states are waiting for better conditions to begin field preparations for planting. University of Minnesota Extension crops educator Dave Nicolai says like last spring, there’s not a lot of snow cover. ‘That being said, we had some earlier precipitation which helped in terms of moisture. But we are still as of the current drought map in part of Minnesota, what we call a D1, which is a moderate drought.’ He tells Brownfield soils are warming, but there’s still frost in the ground.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3DSKanX
NEXT MONTH: Via Morning Ag Clips, VERBATIM: “Over the past few years, efficient agricultural irrigation has become a hot topic in Minnesota. In regions with sandy soils and limited precipitation, irrigation is a key component of production agriculture. Matching irrigation with crop water use has become more important to maintain profit and maximize groundwater resources. An understanding of the plant-water-soil relationship, proper irrigation system maintenance, and use of irrigation scheduling are just some of the tools irrigators use for cost-effective crop production. If you want to improve your irrigation use efficiency, the University of Minnesota Extension is offering the Minnesota Irrigator Program (MIP) to provide you with the information you need to make irrigation decisions in 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4496ZhE
CLAAS: Via The Minneapolis Egotist, VERBATIM: “CLAAS of America, a leader in high-performance harvesting equipment, tractors, and precision farming solutions, has selected Minneapolis-based CLUTCH to be their partner in driving growth and expanded revenue initiatives. CLAAS of America is the North American branch of CLAAS, a global agricultural machinery manufacturer founded in 1913 and headquartered in Harsewinkel, Germany. CLAAS operates in over 140 countries and has production sites across Europe, the U.S. and Asia.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4j2vJfS
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
100 YEARS: Via Minnesota Farm Bureau, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau recognize 77 Minnesota farms as 2025 Century Farms. Qualifying farms have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years and are 50 acres or more. Century Farm families receive a commemorative sign, as well as a certificate signed by Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau presidents and Governor Tim Walz.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/3FGSpEf
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