AG EXPO: From MN FFA Foundation via X, VERBATIM: “Great two days exhibiting at AgExpo in Mankato! Thank you to event sponsors @MNSoybean and @MNCorn for supporting ag and FFA. MN FFA State Officers Paisley & Keeley connected with sponsors and shared an inspiring message at the dinner program.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/49C5paF (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn Growers Association)
FIRST…
It’s really really cold out there. University of Minnesota Extension has a page full of guidance and other resources for farmers. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4qID7RS
DC + AG
USDA FUNDING: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The head of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is trying to make sense of why USDA has threatened to freeze funding for the state. Commissioner Thom Petersen tells Brownfield the Trump administration sent a letter to MDA earlier this month to announce it was freezing $129 million.” PETERSEN: “It’s tough to be kind of singled out somewhat. A lot of that is some of the fraud situation that has happened in Minnesota.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3NZMfmu
E15: Via National Corn Growers Association, VERBATIM: “Corn growers were dealt a setback today when the U.S. House of Representatives voted to advance a funding bill without inclusion of language that would allow for the year-round sale of E15.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/3YVNxl0
MORE: Via YouTube, a response from NCGA President Jed Bower. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3Zsspmn
BACKGROUND: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “After reaching a compromise deal on E15 between the petroleum industry and biofuels groups, the coalition has been working for the last few months to build support in Congress to include an amendment on year-round E15 in the appropriations bills to continue funding the government after Jan. 30. Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association says they were surprised when the Senate version did not contain that language and instead kicked it over to the House.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4r4JLSc
MORE: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Additional farmer aid and year-round E15 weren’t included in the appropriations package being considered by Congress, and the chairman of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee says it doesn’t appear they will be added. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson tells Brownfield both policies need more time. When it comes to year-round E15 legislation ‘we still have some folks who don’t understand the full benefit of it and pushed back on it. I think we can work those things out.’” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bO60Y4
MORE: Via House Agriculture Committee Democrats, from Rep. Angie Craig, CRAIG: “The Republicans’ government funding bill does not include additional farm aid that farmers urgently need; it rejects year-round E15; and it leaves food assistance hanging by a thread and our states facing down a looming budget crisis due to the unfunded mandates in the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’ Today’s vote was a chance to address rising costs, support American families and create domestic market opportunities for our farmers. Family farmers continue to get screwed by this administration. It’s time to call it what it is.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3M2BaR6
HEALTH INSURANCE: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “The enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that many Americans, including farmers, relied on to purchase health insurance are gone, having expired at the end of December . . . More than a quarter of the agricultural workforce purchases health insurance through the individual marketplace, according to an analysis from KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News. That 27% rate is much higher than the overall population’s — only 6% of U.S. adults have non-group coverage.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bMRyQ6
MARKETS
GRAIN: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Grain markets ended mostly higher on Thursday with wheat leading the gains. Randy Martinson with Martinson Ag says wheat saw support on a combination of technical buying or short covering and the market was adding some weather premium. Frigid temperatures are forecast for the entire winter wheat belt and that is gaining the attention of some traders as funds are net short in the wheat market over 120,000 contracts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45sj3e5
EXPORTS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Corn, sorghum, and soybean export sales all roared to marketing year highs during the week ending January 15th. The USDA says most of those corn sales to were unknown destinations and Japan, while China and unknown destinations led the way on both beans and sorghum.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LQBjHl
CATTLE: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “Live and feeder cattle futures were weaker to start Friday as the market was seeing some profit taking and caution ahead of the USDA Cattle on Feed Report. Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the reason is even though the placement estimate is at 93% of a year ago the market could get a surprise. He says this report will finally compare to a time period when the border was closed to Mexican feeder cattle imports.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46bNBkm
GOVERNMENT UPDATES
SCREWWORM: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the launch of the New World Screwworm (NWS) Grand Challenge. This funding opportunity marks a pivotal step in USDA’s comprehensive strategy to combat NWS and prevent its northward spread . . . As part of the Grand Challenge, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will make up to $100 million available to support innovative projects that enhance sterile NWS fly production, strengthen preparedness and response strategies, and safeguard U.S. agriculture, animal health, and trade.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49XcC3X
BIRD FLU: Via UofM CIDRAP, VERBATIM: “A large turkey producer in Meeker County, Minnesota, was the site of one of the avian flu outbreaks the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) noted last week. In the past 30 days, APHIS has confirmed avian flu in 67 flocks across the United States, including 18 commercial flocks and 49 backyard flocks. A total of 1.48 million birds have been affected.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4r8xhJh
DAIRY: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is opening its Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Relief Initiative (DAIRI) program to provide financial assistance to eligible Minnesota dairy producers enrolled in the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program offered though the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3M2GQun
FOREIGN OWNERSHIP: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is launching a new online portal to streamline reporting of transactions involving U.S. agricultural land by foreign persons, which can include businesses and governments, under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA). The new online portal is part of a broader effort to strengthen enforcement and protect American farmland as USDA continues its implementation of the National Farm Security Action Plan.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49DxsGP
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)
EXPERT GUIDANCE
ROOTS: Via Ag Web, VERBATIM: “As corn yields climb across the U.S., farmers face a growing challenge: managing the massive amount of crop residue left behind. But within that challenge is an opportunity, according to University of Illinois researchers. Their work indicates that farmers who pair their tillage practices and residue management strategy with the root architecture of their specific corn hybrids can boost yield even more.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49Q7RsW
STRIP TILL: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The lead commercial agronomist with Precision Planting says farmers looking to cut input costs should consider strip till. Jason Webster says the practice allows producers to band nutrients precisely where the crop can access them.” WEBSTER: “Then I’ve got multi-bands of fertilizer.” He says, “I’ve got the first one with the dry fertilizer underneath that plant. We come in then with the planter with additional bands of liquid. When it’s all said and done, I’ve got six bands of fertilizer before the corn plant even comes up. Beans, we’re doing the same thing with beans.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4r2s8CC
NITROGEN: Via Farm Progress, VERBATIM: “While activist and antifarmer voices seem to dominate too many conversations about nitrogen applications for crop production, Minnesota farmers are leading a quiet revolution to improve efficiency and reduce environmental effects due to nitrogen fertilizer use. Those antifarmer voices are especially loud in the ear of regulators as they call for increased regulation. Their message would have one believe that all farmers overapply nitrogen, whether from commercial fertilizer or manure.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49UilaE
MORE ON FERTILIZER: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota farmer concerned about the high cost of fertilizer is using history as a guide. Ryan Mackenthun grows corn and soybeans near Hutchinson.” MACKENTHUN: “I looked at my past performance on my farms. I pulled ten-year fertilizer history from my farm of what I put on the last ten years, and wondering what do I really need to get out there this year because of the cost of inputs? So you really have to run those numbers.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4qD6yEX
2026 AG EXPO
KLOBUCHAR: From Sen. Amy Klobuchar via Facebook, VERBATIM: “I joined agriculture leaders from across the state today in Mankato for the Minnesota Ag Expo. Minnesota farmers are the backbone of our economy, and we must ensure they have what they need to thrive—strong markets and stable trade policies.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/49RKUWl
LIVE AT THE EXPO: Via UofM Extension, a rundown of topics covered on Let’s Talk Crops from the MN Ag Expo this week. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jX4GUP
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
WHEAT: From MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen via X, VERBATIM: “Starting the day in -18 degrees in Fertile, Minnesota meeting with Kevin Leiser outgoing Minnesota Wheat Growers President Kevin Leiser & family. Always appreciate his input!” PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/3YVUceY
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