NCGA: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “This month, Ohio farmer Jed Bower began his term as board president for the National Corn Growers Association. Like all presidents, Jed will serve a one-year term as leader of the organization. I have enjoyed getting to know Jed over the years, and I have seen his commitment to this organization and its members firsthand. I recently asked Jed five questions to help EiW readers learn more about his background and his goals for the organization.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47CbDGn (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
SHUTDOWN: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “The Agriculture Department will reopen about 2,100 county offices all across the country Thursday despite the ongoing government shutdown to help farmers and ranchers get access to $3 billion of aid from existing programs. The USDA said each Farm Service Agency office will have two workers who will be paid even though the government remains shutdown. These offices help farmers apply for farm loans, crop insurance, disaster aid and other programs. Thousands of other federal employees like air traffic controllers are working without pay during the shutdown.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ngn6A0
CROP REPORTS: Via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “The USDA was expected to publish the 29th Crop Progress report of the growing season [Monday], but the report was not published for a third week because of the continued government shutdown. The shutdown has affected three of the four expected October reports from USDA. Just five more reports are anticipated after today for the 2025 season: one more in October, and four in November. In lieu of data from USDA, here are progress and condition estimates from other industry sources.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nhhyFm
FINANCES: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Farmers’ finances are in peril. In the midst of trade wars and low commodity prices, loan defaults are rising among Minnesota producers. In fact, defaults have doubled in fiscal year 2025 compared to the previous year, according to University of Minnesota Extension data. Rising defaults mean more farmers asking mediators for help negotiating loan terms with lenders. ‘Mediators are neutral facilitators. We’re kind of glorified referees,’ said Mary Preisler, program director of U of M Extension’s Farmer-Lender Mediation program. By state law, mediation services must be offered to farmers who have defaulted on a loan of over $15,000.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4nY8VRn
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
BEEF: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced a suite of actions to strengthen the American beef industry, reinforcing and prioritizing the American rancher’s critical role in the national security of the United States. Since 2017, the United States has lost over 17% of family farms, more than 100,000 operations over the last decade. The national herd is at a 75-year low while consumer demand for beef has grown 9% over the past decade. Because increasing the size of the domestic herd takes time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing now to make these markets less volatile for ranchers over the long term and more affordable for consumers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nCqaXD
ARGENTINA: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The executive director of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association says there are concerns about President Trump’s proposal to import beef from Argentina. Kaitlyn Root tells Brownfield the federal government should not be trying to influence beef prices. ‘And they should instead let the free market work.’ She says Argentina has a deeply unbalanced trading relationship with the United States.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/47BMFHc
PROTEIN CATALYST: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Citing a rapidly growing demand for protein products, a Minnesota-based coalition announced Tuesday that it will pursue a three-part strategy to expand Minnesota’s private sector role in creating and producing protein products. The effort is being launched by MBOLD, which is an alliance of companies and nonprofit organizations focused on taking bold approaches to challenges in Minnesota’s food and agriculture sectors. MBOLD receives staff support from Greater MSP, an economic development organization that’s based in downtown St. Paul.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42Tp4iF
OCT 30: Via AgriGrowth, VERBATIM: “Economic data from the first quarter of 2025 showed that Minnesota’s GDP decreased by 2.42% from the previous year, driven by mounting challenges in the agriculture industry. Minnesota’s agriculture and food sector has been a cornerstone of the state’s economic growth, often mitigating or cushioning recessions. To strengthen our agriculture and food economy, change is required. Minnesota AgriGrowth’s fall summit will continue the hard questions being asked at kitchen tables and board rooms: ‘How do we build a robust agriculture and food economy in Minnesota by 2040?’” AGENDA: https://fluence-media.co/3L2utxu (SPONSORED: AgriGrowth)
TRADE: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Standing in front of harvest equipment on a fifth-generation family farm, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz met with Minnesota farm leaders on Oct. 15 to highlight how ongoing trade tensions and tariffs are hurting soybean producers and rural economies. Farmers Matt and Jim Purfeerst hosted the roundtable on their family’s grain and cattle operation near Faribault, where Walz and leaders from the Minnesota Farmers Union, Minnesota Farm Bureau and Minnesota Soybean Growers Association discussed the impacts of the Trump administration’s trade policies and possible solutions to ease the strain on producers. The Purfeerst family farms about 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans and raise Angus show cattle. Walz said their operation represents the kind of family-run farms that form the backbone of Minnesota agriculture.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47lWO9y
MARGINS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “As harvest rolls across Minnesota, farmers are seeing strong yields in both corn and soybeans. But those big harvests come with an old problem — low prices and limited storage. During a recent University of Minnesota U.S. Farm Report College Roadshow stop in Minneapolis, experts Ed Usset, grain marketing specialist, and Pauline Van Nurden, Extension economist with the university’s Center for Farm Financial Management, break down what this means for farm profitability heading into 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42RpENL
STORAGE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Many farmers are maximizing grain storage because of low harvest prices. Wanda Patsche grows corn and soybeans near Welcome in south-central Minnesota. ‘We put grain in every little nook and cranny that we had on the farm, so we had some smaller bins that we typically may not have used in the past that we used this year. So we were able to have enough storage for all the crops.’ She tells Brownfield holding onto grain will be key with margins for next year extremely tight.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/474l3dz
YIELD: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “In Southern Minnesota farmers are done with the soybean harvest and are quickly moving through corn with the help of Mother Nature. While the corn crop in other areas of the Corn Belt has fallen short of the hype, that wasn’t the case for Mike Madsen of Heron Lake, who was in a garden spot. ‘We seen things we’ve never seen on yield monitors before,’ said Madsen. This fall, Madsen is having the corn harvest of a lifetime.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47mdaPB
DISEASE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Red crown rot, a fungal disease that hides in soil, rots soybean roots away and destroys part of the bean’s leaf tissue, has been found in Minnesota. And there’s no cure for it. Dean Malvick, a University of Minnesota Extension disease researcher, said when a Rock County farmer sent samples for testing in September, he was confounded.” MALVICK: “At first, we were questioning whether it was really [red crown rot],” Malvick said. “Because it hadn’t been detected anywhere near that location.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hm54Lz
SEEDS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A soybean cyst nematode specialist says selecting the right seed varieties is crucial when it comes to managing the pest. Jeremiah Mullock with BASF tells Brownfield the two most common native traits growers use are PI 88788 and Peking.” MULLOCK: “We’ve seen over the last few years some developing resistance to that main source of 88788, meaning that SCN is overcoming that and becoming resistant. We’re losing additional yield, and or nematode populations are increasing. So when possible, seek out alternate sources of resistance such as Peking.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/47eryuB
LEAFHOPPER: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “The corn leafhopper has been detected again in Minnesota, this time during the 2025 growing season. The insect was found in one corn field in Waseca County, where adults of the corn leafhopper were captured on yellow sticky traps placed on corn plants at the R5-R6 stage. University of Minnesota researchers deployed yellow sticky traps from June through September, but adults were only captured in September. They could be found on both the top and bottom sides of corn leaves.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4njb4pE
SOYBEANS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Soybean prices began the week higher on prospects of U.S. and China trade negotiations progressing. Iowa State University Extension economist Chad Hart says President Trump’s optimistic tone about a potential deal over the weekend gave the market a spark.” HART: “Any whisper we hear about China, the market is definitely reacting. So it’s definitely volatility-inducing.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/48IdSsJ
DRONE: Via Alexandria Echo Press, VERBATIM: “A team of computer science and mechanical engineering students from the University of Minnesota won the Small Farm Technology award at the Farm Robotics Challenge , a national competition for college-level student teams tackling real-world agricultural problems using advanced robotics. The University of Minnesota team’s design project, titled ‘FarmGuard’s Multi-Robot Deer Deterrence System,’ aims to scare deer away from farms to prevent loss in crops.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4htT0rK
SOIL HEALTH: Via Dakota News Network, VERBATIM: “As farmers consider adopting soil health practices, it’s important to understand the implications for their operations. By exploring the impacts these management changes have on different aspects of their system, farmers can make the most informed decisions for their businesses and families. Cover crops and reduced tillage are some of the most widely adopted soil health practices. One management technique that often gets overlooked is crop and livestock integration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JpaiJK
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)
PUMPKINS: Via Harvest Public Media, VERBATIM: “Joe Adkins calls his home ‘The Pumpkin House.’ His front door and shutters are painted orange. The dining room walls are adorned with ornate pumpkin paintings. But the backyard garden behind his suburban Chicago home is where The Pumpkin House really earns its name. Towering over a blanket of vines are several massive orange gourds, as big as a small car.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nWR4u0
TEACHER: Via Mille Lacs Messenger, VERBATIM: “Central Lakes College Meat Cutting and Butchery Instructor Jess Feierabend has been named 2025 Post-Secondary Educator of the Year by the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. He will be recognized at the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation Awards Banquet on Nov. 21. Feierabend is also invited to participate in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 107th Annual Convention in Anaheim, CA in January.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JlIiXv
DAIRY: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Increasing milk supplies are pressuring dairy prices. Compeer Financial ag economist Megan Roberts says there’s more inventory year-over-year. ‘So as we look at the most recent September USDA milk production, report, we’re seeing a 3.3 percent increase in milk production during August 2025.’ She tells Brownfield demand for dairy products is strong.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nWSVPu
JUDGES: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “Minnesota reigned supreme at the dairy judging contests at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., as the University of Minnesota beat out 15 other colleges in the 104th National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. A team of Minnesota 4-H’ers also took top honors in the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. The UMN team’s victory marked the third year in a row a Les Hansen-coached team took top honors at the World Dairy Expo contest.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4o77twb
MORE: From MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen via X, VERBATIM: “Congrats Wabasha Co. 4H & @University of Minnesota dairy judging teams! Minnesota dairy judges best in the nation at high school, college levels.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4o4H6qL
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
AMBASSADORS: Via UofM Extension, VERBATIM: “Minnesota 4-H is pleased to announce and welcome the 2025-2026 Minnesota 4-H Agriculture Ambassadors! These youth were selected from a competitive pool of applicants. Each was chosen for their passion for 4-H, agriculture and their commitment to being a role model for 4-H youth across Minnesota 4-H.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4opPC32
Copyright © 2025 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