SCHOLARSHIPS: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Corn is excited to announce its 2025 scholarship recipients. Marie Carr of Blue Earth, Natalie Clemenson of Zumbrota, Hannah Highum of Peterson, and Keeley Runge of St. James will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship this year. Since 2019, Minnesota Corn has awarded college scholarships to young adult members as part of its mission to strengthen rural communities and support future generations of farmers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3F7xABq (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
TARIFFS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Farmers and meat producers across the U.S. can expect the new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China and the retaliatory action from those countries to hurt their bottom lines by billions of dollars if they stay in place a while, and consumers could quickly see higher prices for produce and ground beef. But some of the impact on farmers might not be felt until the next harvest and some products might actually get cheaper in the short run for consumers if exports suffer. And the price of corn, wheat and soybeans accounts for relatively little of the price of most products. Plus, President Donald Trump could offer farmers significant aid payments, as he did during the trade war with China during his first administration, to offset some of the losses. In his address to Congress Tuesday night, Trump argued that agricultural imports hurt American farmers and asked them to ‘bear with me again’ as he seeks to protect them.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bAkHvR
MORE: Via DTN, VERBATIM: “Trump said U.S. farmers should be ready to sell more of their products at home.” QUOTE: "Our farmers, starting on April 2, there may be a little bit of an adjustment period," Trump said about the date for more tariffs taking effect.
"To our farmers, have a lot of fun, I love you too." READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bs5xss
MORE: Via MSNBC, Senior Contributing Editor Michele Norris said the President’s message to farmers shows he doesn’t understand something she learned traveling through the Midwest. NORRIS: “They will have signs on the side of the farms that say, ‘We feed the world.’ That is how they see themselves. And he does not understand that, he doesn’t respect that aspect of their work. And one of the things I heard today from someone I was talking with in Minnesota said they don’t think he respects them as entrepreneurs.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4koftYb
MORE: Axios has reaction from farmers in several Midwest states, including from 6th generation Minnesota soybean grower Mary Lundell. LUNDELL: "We're a global economy," she said. "You can't just focus on interior and the U.S. only. That's just not realistic in today's world." READ: https://fluence-media.co/4habwDJ
MORE: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley tells Brownfield lawmakers will likely request some sort of assistance for affected farmers, including pork producers who finish imported iso-wean pigs from Canada.” GRASSLEY: “I think a big tariff on those pigs would be catastrophic for pork, and I’ll bet you we’ll be asked for exemptions on that.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/41GZay9
ICYMI… morning take had comprehensive coverage of the President’s address to Congress as well as reaction from Minnesota farmers to tariffs. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4kujjyP
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
USDA: From Sky Chadde via Investigate Midwest, VERBATIM: “Since taking power Jan. 20, the Trump administration has quickly frozen funding and fired federal workers en masse. USDA terminations started Feb. 13, the day Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was sworn in. Rollins welcomed the quasi-governmental Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk, to find parts of the USDA budget to cut. Terminated employees helped farmers build irrigation systems, battled invasive diseases that could “completely decimate” crops that form whole industries and assisted low-income seniors in rural areas in fixing leaky roofs. That work will now be significantly delayed — perhaps indefinitely — as remaining employees’ workloads grow, the employees said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QJ4Gu7
MORE: Via USDA, from Secretary Brooke Rollins, QUOTE: “We are returning the Department of Agriculture to its core mission of supporting farmers and ranchers. I am proud to work with the Department of Government Efficiency to streamline inefficiencies across the Department….At the same time, I understand that this review process has caused concern among some of your farmers who participate in longstanding USDA farm programs. In many instances, they had no way of knowing whether these programs were funded through the farm bill or through IRA funds. We are working to review these programs as quickly as possible.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3F5ts4Z
BIRD FLU: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Turkey Growers Association is pleased with USDA’s plan to address highly pathogenic avian influenza. Executive director Ashley Kohls says many of the items listed in the department’s five-point strategy have been discussed among the poultry industry for several years.” KOHLS: “Largely since 2015, but it’s refreshing to have the current USDA leadership want to talk about this more broadly within the agency instead of folks just within the poultry industry discussing it.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3XtxXN6
DISASTER RELIEF: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “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
RIGHT TO REPAIR: From Michael Johnson via Forum, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison updated farmers and supporters Tuesday, March 4, in a farm shop in rural Donnelly on two lawsuits his office is pursuing related to agriculture consolidation and right to repair. He wanted to share what his office is doing but also to hear from farmers that were struggling against these issues. ‘It is damn hard, excuse my language, to put together a strong anti-trust case without someone being willing to say, ‘This is happening to me,’’ Ellison said in the crowded shop space, hoping to hear from attendees that may be willing to share their story. Several farmers shared their stories of negative impact they're feeling related to those topics.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3F394kO
URBAN AG: From Noah Fish via Agweek, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation welcomed a variety of urban farmers and organizations at its second annual Urban Ag Conference on Feb. 22 at St. Paul College. Minnesota Farm Bureau Communications Director Rachel Reisig said the lesson from year one of the conference was that the space for urban farming discourse in Minnesota needed to be bigger.” QUOTE: "There was so much energy and enthusiasm and excitement for this event that we learned we had to move to a bigger location," Reisig said. "We were able to welcome more attendees, more networking and more resources available to connect with urban farmers and just provide a better venue and a better space and a better experience for everyone involved that wants to be a part of it." READ: https://fluence-media.co/41lvoxE
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)
MOTH: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and partner organizations are proposing to manage spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) infestations this summer in nine counties across eastern Minnesota. Spongy moths are ranked among America’s most destructive tree pests and can cause significant environmental and economic impacts . . . Residents in proposed treatment areas and the public are invited to attend an informational meeting to learn more about the insect and the treatment methods.” SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/3QJNnsz
CORN: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “In the latest Corn Matters, University of Minnesota Extension Communications Specialist Jack Wilcox discusses resources available for northern Minnesota corn growers.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bvw0VZ
PRICES: Via Morning Ag Clips, the average prices Minnesota farmers received in January for corn, soybeans, spring wheat, hay, and milk. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/41q3CzZ
PROFITABILITY: Via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “What is the single most important thing you can do to operate profitably? Turns out, there is no one silver bullet. Profitability lies hidden in the many nooks and crannies of a farming operation.” QUOTE: “Profitable producers are experts at efficiency; they do everything just a little bit better than average,” said Garen Paulson, University of Minnesota Extension educator in farm business management. “They can produce top crops at lower cost without sacrificing productivity. If you can manage many costs just a little bit better, our research shows that these small improvements really add up.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QMv2v0
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
FEEDING: From Michael Johnson via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Despite some exceptionally cold temperatures this winter, Jared Luhman, a cow-calf producer at Dry Creek Farms in Goodhue, Minnesota, was able to enjoy a relatively average year of cattle production. He credits it to the genetics of his cattle that can handle the cold and maintain performance on the lower-cost feeds he is able to provide. Luhman shared tips on winter feed costs for beef production during a speaker session at the Central Minnesota Farm Show in St. Cloud on Tuesday, Feb. 25. He was one of several speakers who were part of the new educational series hosted by the Sustainable Farming Association. Luhman shared his extensive trials with feeding that includes bale grazing with grass and corn stalks; grazing in corn stalks and sorghum; and even shipping cattle to graze corn stalks in Nebraska.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3D5pNDK
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