E15: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “MCGA remains committed to securing an E15 legislative fix in the coming months. Notably, we are optimistic that last week’s package requires a new council to submit legislative recommendations to Congress by Feb. 15 and for Congress to consider E15 legislation by Feb. 25. While not an excuse for inaction, those immediate deadlines set the stage for meaningful movement on E15 language.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t5GhAL (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
BIOFUELS
TRUMP: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “President Trump is throwing his support behind year-round sales of high-ethanol gasoline amid significant congressional debate over the issue.” QUOTE: “In the campaign, I promised to support E15 all year round,” Trump said during a speech in Iowa, referring to high-ethanol gas, called E15 for its ethanol content of up to 15 percent. “I am trusting Speaker Mike Johnson [R-La.], who’s great, and [Senate Majority] Leader John Thune [R-S.D.], who’s great … to find a deal that works,” he said, adding that Congress “will be sending me a bill very shortly, supporting year-round E15 to my desk very quickly, and I will sign it without delay.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rhX0Px
MORE: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “The president framed year-round E15 as a key part of his broader strategy to expand markets for U.S. corn, support rural communities, and strengthen domestic energy production.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t30GGA
REACTION: Via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “Iowa Sen. Zach Wahls, a Democrat who is running for U.S. Senate in 2026, said in a news conference organized by Defend America Action the Trump administration’s inaction on E-15 fuel ‘is causing so much frustration and anger among Iowa corn growers,’ and that tariff policies have caused already input costs for farmers to increase further. Wahls said Trump has shown he cares more about ‘bailing out Argentina’ and supporting U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s financial backers than he cares about Iowa farmers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q3vF2o
MORE E15: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The director of the Minnesota Biofuels Association suggests certainty on year-round nationwide E15 could expedite renewable volume obligations for 2026 and 2027. Brian Werner tells Brownfield E15 legislation could include changes to EPA’s small refinery exemption process.” WERNER: “Which I think would also help us to kind of better forecast what the potential RIN impacts will be from the SRE program. Being able to kind of forecast that while including E15 I think would just give all market participants more certainty about what the volumes are going to be.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/45AfLW4
TAX CREDIT: Via Biodiesel Magazine, VERBATIM: “The White House Office of Management and Budget on Jan. 23 concluded its review of a proposed rule to implement guidance for the 45Z clean fuel production credit, according to information posted to the agency’s website . . . According to information posted to the OMB website, the proposed rule was modified during the review process and is now moving forward.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a0OTQx
POLITICS
DAIRY: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “The road to the 2026 midterms runs directly through the dairy aisle. At the International Dairy Foods Association Dairy Forum in Palm Springs, Calif., Morning Consult’s lead U.S. politics analyst, Eli Yokley, delivered a high stakes briefing on the cultural forces currently driving the American voter. From the surprising bipartisan popularity of the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement to a softening public stance on agricultural labor, Yokley’s data outlines how the dairy industry can leverage its position at the intersection of nutrition and necessity to navigate an increasingly complex political landscape.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rbXqHg
IMMIGRATION: Via DTN, VERBATIM: “Gary Wertish, president of the Minnesota Farmers Union, said activities by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers may be concentrated in the Twin Cities but affect other parts of the state as well.” WERTISH: “There’s going to be a direct effect that it is going to have on agriculture,” Wertish said. “We have a shortage of workers now in some plants, but the restaurant industry has been hit the hardest because you have workers who are afraid to go to work -- even if they have legal status.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LTEgqG
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
DROUGHT: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The lingering drought continues to cause challenges for some Midwestern farmers. ‘Most years well have some springs running or tile outlets where we can get water in winter, but this year we’ve been hauling water for the last three of four months.’ David Wessel raises cattle and row crops in Cass County, Illinois.” WESSEL: “We’re gonna need some timely rains to get that groundwater recharged, but for the crops moving in, I’m not a concerned level yet because last year we had a little drier year and still had a good crop.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bqJjJC
MORE: The most recent Drought Monitor shows 60% of Minnesota abnormally dry or worse with 30% in formal drought. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3PP2Kzy
BEETS: Via Red River Farm Network, VERBATIM: “Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative Board of Directors Chairman Nate Hultgren says a combination of disease pressure, excess moisture, and weak sugar prices made 2025 one of the most difficult years growers have faced. Speaking at the American Sugarbeet Growers Association annual meeting in Indian Wells, California, Hultgren described Cercospora leaf spot as devastating for Southern Minnesota fields.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45w6Yoc
AWARDS
MEDIA: Via New Ulm Journal, VERBATIM: “A familiar voice in regional agriculture took center stage Monday as Jim Bartels was honored by the New Ulm Farm-City Hub Club with its Service to Agriculture Award, the organization’s highest recognition.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t60E0H
ANDERSON: Via Voice of Alexandria, VERBATIM: “State Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, recently received two separate awards for his leadership on behalf of farmers. A family farmer himself, Anderson is also a longtime member of the House Agriculture Committee and currently serves as chair. He earned awards from Minnesota Corn and the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association during the MN Ag Expo at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato Jan. 20-21.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Oa4WUB
(DISCLOSURE: Minnesota Corn is a Fluence sponsor)
INPUTS
LAND: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “Uncertainty and variable attitudes are vibrantly ringing in the new year in 2026. The farmland market has been up and down like a wave over the past year, and from our perspective, the choppiness has intensified in the past few months.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Z8k8UH
FERTILIZER: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Phosphate fertilizer prices are not expected to come down in 2026. Samuel Taylor, senior farm inputs analyst with Rabobank, says the Trump administration’s tariffs are keeping phosphate prices elevated.” TAYLOR: “From about Liberation Day onwards, you can basically see some of the phosphate imports, the DAP in particular, literally just flatline.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4qO7vKJ
WATER: Via UofM Extension, VERBATIM: “Today on the show we join a panel of 5 specialists, practitioners, Extension educators to discuss nitrates and water quality in southeast Minnesota. What is the current situation with nitrates and water quality in southeast Minnesota? Is the situation improving over time? What are some key factors affecting nitrate concentrations? What should growers in the region be thinking about in terms of nitrogen best management practices?” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bW3mQ6
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
SUPER BOWL: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “Super Bowl parties often feature takeout, delivery and foods that are served over several hours. To help prevent foodborne illness, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is reminding fans to keep food safety in play on game day.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NUjE1Y
CURLING: Via Painterland Sisters, VERBATIM: “Painterland Sisters, the mission-driven dairy brand founded by fourth-generation organic regenerative dairy farmers Stephanie and Hayley Painter, has partnered with USA Curling’s Women’s Team representing the United States at the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The collaboration brings together two sister-led teams united by shared values of resilience, performance, and purpose whether it’s on the ice, the farm, and beyond.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q7Wq65
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