ELECTED: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Last week at MN Ag Expo in Mankato, delegates to the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) annual meeting elected six farmers to the organization’s Board of Directors. Dana Allen-Tully, Jim Kanten, and D.J. VanKlompenburg were reelected to the board, and James Johnstad, Gregg Muehler, and Nathan Serbus were elected for the first time.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40VzzRT (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
WORKFORCE: From Sarah Thamer via MPR, VERBATIM: “Farming is tough, demanding work — something Aaron Brand knows all too well. The owner and operator of Brand Farms in Farmington, Minn., says these days, it’s been harder to find labor . . . Brand is one of about 400 farmers in Minnesota who currently depend on the H-2A visa worker program, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The program allows him to hire temporary migrant workers from southern Mexico to help with operations . . . Amid widespread changes to immigration policies, the program so far remains unaffected by President Trump’s recent orders and reforms.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/42DbSiy
ETHANOL: From Emma Nelson via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Omaha-based Green Plains is temporarily closing its Fairmont, Minn., ethanol plant, sidelining 55 workers amid an oversaturated market for the renewable biofuel. The biorefining company laid off employees Jan. 17, according to a notice filed Jan. 15 with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The company could rehire workers ‘if and when’ the facility reopens, which is Green Plains’ ‘intent at some point in the future when market conditions allow,’ the notice said. A Green Plains spokeswoman in Omaha attributed the closure to pressures from an over-supplied ethanol market, a weaker energy complex and elevated local corn basis levels — the difference between cash and futures prices — following spring flooding last year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EfRPfI
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3VZAwp9
DROUGHT: The new Drought Monitor reflecting data as of Tuesday shows no change from the previous week – 49% of the state remains in drought with nearly 88% listed as abnormally dry or worse. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3PP2Kzy
FORECAST: From Meteorologist Sven Sundgaard via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “While there doesn't appear to be a blockbuster storm coming to the Twin Cities, there is a chance for multiple systems to produce accumulating snow next week. Check out some of the models and how much snow they are dumping in Minnesota through Feb. 7.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4hhAzFH
TARIFFS: Via CBC News, VERBATIM: “Manitoba is one of Canada's biggest hog producers with millions being annually shipped to, and processed in, the U.S. So the threat of 25-per-cent tariffs being levied on Canadian goods, including the agriculture sector, is worrisome for farmers in southern Manitoba. ‘We obviously don't want it. Nobody really wants this or needs it,’ said John Nickel, who has nearly 6,000 sows — and piglets being born daily — at his two hog farms near Lowe Farm and Tolstoi. The hogs are sold to a farm in Minnesota, with Nickel sending a truck load there every week. He's not sure what the full extent of tariffs would do to his production but says it would be challenging to find an alternative market to sell the livestock.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EdRudu
CROP INSURANCE: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A farm management analyst is stressing the importance of crop insurance as farmers plan for the upcoming growing season. Kent Thiesse with the Green Solutions Group in southern Minnesota suggests risk management cannot be overlooked.” THIESSE: “We saw a good example last year that good crop insurance policies really saved a lot of people where we had a lot of crop loss due to excessive rain, flooding, and that type of thing.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4gD0E0V
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.-Elect Kari Rehauer
Rep.-Elect Wayne Johnson
Rep. Elect Julie Greene
Rep. Elect Keith Allen
Rep. Elect Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
NEXT MONTH: From Michael Johnson via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Wright County farmer and ag banker Linda Groos has several decades of agriculture experience to pull from, yet she still desires to learn more. That’s why she, along with an expected crowd of more than 200 other women, will gather at the annual Women in Ag Conference on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the The Park Event Center in Waite Park, Minnesota. Groos may not miss some of the early morning work involved in milking cows seven days a week that was part of previous career, but she does miss the camaraderie of the industry that she was once immersed in.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4glI7pt
NEXT MONTH: From Ryan Paris via KTTC-TV, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Department of Education are working to together to offer a statewide series of ‘Farm to Roadshow’ workshops, which will help those local connections thrive. These workshops will feature in-depth training for vegetable producers and help them develop crop plans, learn about controlling pests, washing, meeting wholesale customer demands and more.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gnNQLq
TILLAGE: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “An extension educator says the journey to reducing tillage begins at harvest. Jodi DeJong-Hughes is with the University of Minnesota. ‘Less tillage or no-till does not mean you don’t do any prep work. It starts off with the combine, you have to have a combine that spreads out the chaff all the way across the width of the combine pass. Because planters have to get through that residue the next year.’ She tells Brownfield planting with automatic down pressure helps.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hi6GVw
WILDFIRES: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that people recovering from the impact of recent wildfires and straight-line winds may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Approximately 81,477 households in 28 zip codes in Los Angeles County are estimated to be eligible for this relief to help with grocery expenses.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42FBiMj
FOOD SCIENCE: From Brooks Johnson via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “With so many major food companies headquartered in Minnesota, it’s no surprise the state has three times the concentration of food scientists and technologists as the national average. That must make for some great dinner parties.” QUOTE: https://fluence-media.co/4gs0F7A
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
RETIRING: From Kevin Schulz via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “Tom Hoverstad admits to being a curious type, and he says that every year, ‘I’ve seen something that I have never seen before’ . . . Although he will remain curious, Hoverstad’s official research for the University of Minnesota and for the region’s farmers will come to an end Feb. 3, when he retires from the only job he had after graduating from the university in 1982.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PZXmcW
RETIRING: From Julie Buntjer via Worthington Globe, VERBATIM: “After 26 years with University of Minnesota Extension, with the past 20 years being based at the Extension Regional Office in Worthington, Ag Business Management Educator David Bau is retiring at the end of February. During his career, Bau traveled across Minnesota to present workshops to ag land owners and renters about farmland rental rates, presented hundreds of ag marketing programs and worked with dozens of farmers in the southwest Minnesota adult farm management program.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40UmWGt
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