ATHLETES: From Minnesota Corn via Facebook, VERBATIM: “Great job by our team today of highlighting Minnesota Corn to the athletes participating in the Special Olympics USA Games! Wishing all the participating athletes the best this week in their competitions. Make sure to visit the Minnesota Corn tent at the Fredrikson Fan Zone in Blaine!” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4oIw0Zn (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
FARM BILL PROGRESS
SENATE: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Senate Republicans unveiled the text of a sweeping five-year farm bill Tuesday afternoon that omits Democrats’ stated top priority. Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in a statement that this legislation would ‘increase investments for rural communities and foster a more resilient agriculture sector.’” QUOTE: “I’m proud to put forward this discussion draft that reflects the input and priorities of Republicans, Democrats, and most importantly, rural America,” Boozman wrote. “This bill is built for the people who feed America, and I look forward to continuing conversations with my colleagues about how we can best serve them and the communities they call home.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xLl5Cn
MORE: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “Senate Republicans’ farm bill proposal rejects Democrats’ demands to delay a planned shift of some food aid costs to states, according to three people familiar with the plans — jeopardizing hopes of winning bipartisan support for the package. Democrats say they will oppose a farm bill that doesn’t push back a requirement that will soon force some states to pay for some Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, a provision included in the domestic policy megalaw Republicans passed last year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4b2kORF
MORE: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Not all 12 farm bill titles were addressed in the One Big Beautiful Bill, so Farm Bill 2.0 is critical to get a permanent bill in place. It builds on those farm safety net investments but makes updates to conservation, rural development and farm credit programs. The proposal also expands on the Working Families Tax Cuts farm safety net provisions, further improving existing commodity, dairy, standing disaster and crop insurance programs while also addressing specialty crops.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wc6HSc
REACTION: Via House Ag Democrats, from Ranking Member Angie Craig, QUOTE: “Farmers and working people need real solutions that will open markets, bring down costs and make everyday life less expensive. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to negotiate a truly bipartisan farm bill that serves the needs of farmers and families and stands a chance of becoming law.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uZiTVo
WHEN: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Washington, D.C. analyst Jim Wiesemeyer believes it will be a tight fit to get the farm bill through the Senate Ag Committee before the July fourth recess.” WIESEMEYER: “Both the House and the Senate really don’t have that many congressional days left before the November third elections.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xIlyp7
SNAP: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the annual Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rates (PER), which measure how accurately states determine who is eligible for SNAP and how much they should receive. The national payment error rate for fiscal year (FY) 2025 is 10.62%, far surpassing the congressional threshold of 6%.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uPJHqV
E15: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A south-central Minnesota farmer who owns shares in a local ethanol plant is encouraged by congressional movement on year-round nationwide E15. Tim Waibel grows corn and soybeans near Courtland and says he was pleasantly surprised when the House passed E15 legislation.” WAIBEL: “We have eight House seats in the state of Minnesota, four Democrats and four Republicans, and they all voted for it. So kudos to our representatives from the state of Minnesota knowing that E15 is a big deal not only for farmers but for the state’s economy.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4w825fB
(DISCLOSURE: Tim Waibel is a member of the board of Minnesota Corn, a Fluence sponsor)
LEGISLATION: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Representatives from Minnesota Farmers Union met with area farmers and electoral candidates at the Fergus Falls Public Library on June 23, recapping what did and did not occur during the most recent legislative session. Farmers from north of Breckenridge to north of Perham, Hitterdal, a transplant from Missouri, and local farmers were joined by former senator Dan Skogen, Minnesota House of Representatives 9A candidate Nick Hanson and Senate District 9 candidate Krystyne Knutson, among others, as the agricultural wins and losses were recapped.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44ujV0C
WAR: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “The possible end of the Iran war is still being discussed. But is it too late for farmers in the U.S. who have been hit particularly hard by an increase in fuel and fertilizer costs? The president of the Minnesota Farmers Union says he’s skeptical about promises from the Trump administration that the Ag industry will be helped by current peace negotiations with Iran. Farmers Union President Gary Wertish told Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Morning News Tuesday that he’ll believe it, when he sees it.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4akgAVv
PROUD TO CHAMPION ATHLETES EVERYWHERE: Minnesota’s 24,000 family corn farmers may come from different fields than the athletes participating in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, which are set for June 20-26 in Minnesota. But they share the same values, including dedication, hard work, and perseverance. This summer, Minnesota Corn salutes the talented athletes participating in the games. We’ll be cheering them on from our fields as they shine in yours. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn)
MARKETS
PRICES: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “After a down day on Tuesday the grain markets were higher early Wednesday a result of short covering according to Lane Akre, economist with Pro Farmer. However, he thinks the market has also taken out too much weather premium.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4eCmmCX
EXPORTS: Via DEED, VERBATIM: “Minnesota exports of goods were valued at $5.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026, slipping 8% (down $504 million) compared to the first quarter of 2025, according to data released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) . . . Exports in Q1 fell sharply to North America (down 23%), with gains to Mexico (up 18%) offset by steep declines to Canada (down 41%). Asian markets dipped 3%, with mixed performances across markets, including a slide of 23% in exports to China.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43Qz2Bt
CHINA: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “The latest NDSU Agricultural Trade Monitor reviews the U.S.-China Phase One trade agreement. It says U.S. ag exports to China reached a record $38 billion in 2022. That’s up from $9 billion during the trade war in 2018.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QFuJFR
MORE: Via NDSU, from the report:
FULL REPORT: https://fluence-media.co/4f07JL3
CORN: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “History is not on the side of higher corn prices anytime soon. University of Minnesota Extension grain market economist Ed Usset says he recently analyzed the behavior of corn futures in late spring and early summer going back to 1990.” USSET: “And what we’ve seen is like a 12 to 14 percent price decline from the May high in December Corn to the June low. And I’m like ‘wow, that’s a big decline.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4vueDOH
RAW MILK: Via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “The food safety topic du jour is unpasteurized, or raw, milk. In recent years, interest in raw milk — and the market for it — has grown, as ProPublica reports, with the nation’s health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., having said he consumes raw milk, too. Pasteurization — a process required for the vast majority of dairy products on U.S. grocery store shelves — kills off bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses. In recent years, pathogens in raw milk have sickened thousands of Americans. MDH said it sees 60 to 80 reportable disease cases annually in Minnesotans who drank raw milk.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aLWUKc
CROP UPDATES
CONDITIONS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Crop conditions declined over the past week in Minnesota. Corn dropped one percentage point in USDA’s latest weekly crop update to 79 percent good to excellent, while soybeans went from 80 to 76 percent good to excellent. University of Minnesota Extension crops educator Ryan Miller tells Brownfield moisture has been variable so far.” MILLER: “So some people are sitting with plenty of rainfall and have had timely and frequent rain, and other folks have had a little bit less. So that’s kind of created a couple of issues for the people who didn’t have as much rain.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4eIIUly
NOTE: Look for this week’s Drought Monitor Thursday in lunch take and Friday in ag take.
MORE: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “For the most part, corn and soybeans battled through frost and early crusting on Johnson Farms near Wells, Minn. Darin Johnson was concerned during a May 13 visit about field conditions after planting wrapped up in early May. ‘It worked out, for the most part, really quite well. We had a lot of soybeans that had some crusting issues, [and] a little bit of corn. We saw more of it in soybeans,’ Johnson said during a June 10 visit.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4erElgG
COOL CROPS: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “With the cool temps, it has been a good year for the wheat, barley, and canola crops. ‘Those three crops look exceptional at this point,’ said Jason Hanson, Rock and Roll Agronomy. Weed control has been a priority.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eIX4mS
MANURE: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “On many farms, manure is still treated as a waste product to be hauled off when time allows. On Shawn and Mike Feikema’s third-generation operation in southwest Minnesota, near Luverne, it’s the engine that fuels their family’s crops, shapes land purchases and helps underpin the long-term profitability of the entire business.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oIGRT7
TAR SPOT: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A stretch of cool, wet weather is resulting in early detections of tar spot in several Corn Belt states. Syngenta agronomic service representative Logan Dinkla says the crop disease has been confirmed in Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/43YuKrE
RGS: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “On Tuesday’s Crop Watch, RRFN caught up with Pioneer Field Agronomist Kristie Sundeen at Pekin, North Dakota. With the corn, ‘we are seeing some rapid growth syndrome that’s showing up right now; it’s just starting to unfurl.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uNSjyd
FUNGICIDE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “As disease pressure ramps up across the Corn Belt, many growers are trying to determine the return on investment for fungicide. Tyler Harp with Syngenta tells Brownfield research indicates an application when the corn plant is tasseling pays the most dividends.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4fYVQWR
DICAMBA: From MDA via X, VERBATIM: “Reminder: Over-the-top use of the three approved dicamba products (Engenia, Stryax, and Tavium) on dicamba-tolerant soybeans ends on June 30 for everywhere in MN north of Interstate 94. It ended on June 12 for everywhere south of I-94.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3SuUAB0
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
MARKETS: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “There’s something uniquely Minnesotan about a farmers market. From neighborhood parks to bustling city plazas, each unique stop brings communities together and puts a pause on the busy lives we’re all living. Whether it’s a quick stop or a full afternoon, each market brings its own version of Minnesota charm and fresh products, no matter the season.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/3Sqm3UE
BIRDS: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Bobolinks were calling across Rock Dell Forage Farms on June 9, evidence of a wildlife shift that began when John Meyer walked away from row crops. Meyer, a regenerative grazier who farms south of Rochester, hosted the ‘Feathers on the Farm’ field day, welcoming farmers, conservationists and consumers to tour pastures that now support dozens of grassland bird species where few existed before.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w35QmE
Copyright © 2026 Fluence Media, All rights reserved.
As someone who subscribed, or as a member of the Minnesota AgriGrowth Council you are receiving this email.
Our mailing address is:
Fluence Media
PO Box 270031
Golden Valley, MN 55427