In this Edition
Save the Dates
- MCPR Annual Golf Outing - August 7th, 2024
- CPM Short Course and MCPR Trade Show - December 10-12, 2024
Capitol Corner- State
- Governor Office
- MN Legislature
Capitol Corner - Federal
- Legislation Could Speed Up Domestic Fertilizer Production
- Senate Bill Adds Phosphate and Potash to Critical Minerals List
Industry Related News
- MDA Focused on Reducing Nitrates in Groundwater
- There's a New Way to Cash in on Your CI Score on the Farm, Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act
- The Tech Takeover: How Smart Technology Is the Driving Force Behind Today’s Application Equipment
- Farmers Say More Soil Moisture Needed Before Spring Planting
- Proposal Would Exempt Agricultural Pesticides from Law Banning Forever Chemicals (Maine)
- A Different Way to Incentivize Regenerative Agriculture
- ADM’s Re:generations Program is Meant to Help Producers Bridge that Gap
Partner News/Announcements
- MDA Reminds Farmers of Proper Bulk Fertilizer Storage
- ARA Webinars
- ResponsibleAg Webinar
- Minnesota Capitol Conversations with AgriGrowth
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MCPR Annual Golf Outing - August 7th, 2024
The 2024 MCPR Annual Golf outing will be held Wednesday, August 7th at The Wilds Golf Club, located in Prior Lake, MN.
Registration and lunch at the The Wilds Golf Club will begin at 10 AM. After lunch the shot gun start will take place at 11 AM. Dinner and awards will conclude the days event.
More information and registration information will be available soon! Keep an eye on your inbox.
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CPM Short Course and MCPR Trade Show - December 10-12, 2024
MCPR staff, Board of Directors and the University of Minnesota are already planning the 2024 CPM Short Course and MCPR Trade Show, that will be held December 10-12, 2024 at the Minneapolis Hilton hotel.
Be sure to mark your calendars!
Further information regarding programming and registration will hit your inbox late summer/early fall.
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Governor Office
The Governor’s Supplement Budget was announced on Monday, March 18.
Below are a few highlights.
Clean Water Legacy: Addressing Nitrate Contamination in Private Wells in Southeast Minnesota
The Governor recommends funding for immediate action to address nitrate contamination in private wells in eight counties in southeast Minnesota. This consists of a Clean Water Fund appropriation for conducting a well inventory and providing residents free well testing. A general fund appropriation is recommended for mitigation in wells found to have nitrate levels at or above the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L. Mitigation options include repair or replacement of contaminated wells or installation of home water treatment such as reverse osmosis systems.
- General =$4,091,000
- Clean Water = $2,790,000
Clean Water Legacy: Continuous Nitrate Sensor Network
The Governor recommends funding to develop a continuous nitrate monitoring network to allow local water managers to effectively target best management practices where nitrate reduction is most needed. The sensors will monitor approximately 60-80 locations across the state with historical elevated loads or increasing nitrate. This is a recommendation of the Clean Water Council.
Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI)
The Governor recommends a one-time increase to the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) program to support Minnesota’s dairy and livestock industries, including Livestock Investment Grants and grants for meat, poultry, egg and milk processing. Funds will remain available through fiscal year 2027.
Nitrate Treatment
The Governor recommends funding for in-home water treatment systems to remove nitrates from drinking water. This funding will be for private domestic wells with elevated nitrate and targeted to residents with a demonstrated financial need who could not otherwise afford to treat water or purchase an alternative drinking water source. Funds will also be used to provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to homeowners.
Clean Water Legacy: Nitrate in Groundwater
The Governor recommends, concurring with the recommendation of the Clean Water Council, additional funds to accelerate progress already being made in implementing the Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan. This additional funding would focus on eight counties in southeast Minnesota as a response to findings by the Environmental Protection Agency
Clean Water Legacy: Agricultural Best Management Practices Loan Program
The Governor recommends, concurring with the recommendation of the Clean Water Council, additional funding to help meet a large backlog of requests for low-interest loans for water quality-related purposes.
Extend Authorities for the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council
The Governor recommends extending the sunset date for the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council (AFREC) as well as the authority to continue to collect the fee on bulk fertilizer sales which is used to support the council. AFREC is responsible for improving fertilizer efficiency, farm profitability, and Minnesota’s environment through soil fertility research, technology development, and education. Under current law, the council will sunset at the end of fiscal year 2025 and the authority to collect the fee of $0.40 per ton will sunset at the end of fiscal year 2024. This recommendation would extend those authorities through the end of fiscal 2030 and fiscal 2029, respectively.
Rural Finance: Disaster Loan Program Expenditures
The Governor recommends allowing for the Disaster Loan Program to include additional cost of feed as a covered hazard during declared droughts. The Disaster Loan Program is administered by the Rural Finance Authority (RFA) as a part of the suite of loans under the Revolving Loan Account. This recommendation is budget neutral.
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MN Legislature
3/18/24 – Senate Ag Committee
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SF 3955 - Putnam: Agricultural growth, research and innovation program base funding increase
3/19/24 House Ag Committee
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HF 4989 (Pursell) Clean water, climate-start, and soil-healthy farming goals established; pilot program to provide financial incentives for farming practices in southeastern Minnesota created; fertilizer fee extended; data collection required; and money appropriated.
This bill would end AFREC and reroute the funding to this new program – MCPR opposes this funding strategy. Additionally, the goals are unrealistic. This bill appears to be more of an idea that needs additional work and review.
*The development of the Framework was led by the University of Minnesota Office for Soil Health and the Board of Water and Soil Resources based on discussions with representatives of public and private sector interests in Minnesota’s soil health.
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HF4044 (Jacob) - Property tax credit established for acres certified under Minnesota agricultural water quality certification program, and money appropriated. (This bill was referred to the House Tax Committee.)
3/19/24 House Environment Committee
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HF4322 (Vang) - Sustainable aviation fuel definition amended.
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HF4135 (Hansen) - Agricultural fertilizer research fee and program extended by one year, drinking-water fee established for nitrogen fertilizer and private well drinking-water assistance program, testing of biosolids for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances required, reports required, and money appropriated. (Only section 14 related to PFAS was heard – The remainder of the bill is under the jurisdiction of the House Ag Committee.)
3/20/24 Senate Ag Committee
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SF 4225 - Putnam: Minnesota Rural Finance Authority provisions modifications
Omnibus agriculture policy bill.
3/20/24 House Environment Committee
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HF4625 (Hansen) Report on state agency nitrogen fertilizer purchases required and reduction goal established.
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Legislation Could Speed Up Domestic Fertilizer Production
A bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate would streamline the permitting process for more domestic phosphate and potash production.
Ed Thomas with The Fertilizer Institute says, “We certainly do see a need for permitting reform. This is just a first step.” Thomas tells Brownfield they’ve been trying to increase the domestic supply of fertilizer by pushing for government policy changes. “One of those is getting USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) to list phosphorus and potash as critical minerals, and what that does for the industry is it really just helps permitting, so it kind of streamlines the process so that it’s a little faster, potentially.”
Thomas tells Brownfield that naming phosphorus and potash as critical minerals would allow one government agency to walk the permit through the approval process and stop the back-and-forth approval process. “Instead of 10-15 years for a permit to work its way through the process, we’re hoping to get it down to at least half that.”
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Senate Bill Adds Phosphate and Potash to Critical Minerals List
The Fertilizer Institute has praised the US Senate for introducing bipartisan legislation to include phosphate and potash on the final list of critical minerals of the Department of the Interior.
Introduced by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Thom Tills (R-NC), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Rick Scott (R-FL), the legislation will recognize the importance of ensuring a strong and sustainable domestic fertilizer supply for American farmers.
“We thank Senators Brown, Tillis, Baldwin, Marshall, Ricketts, and Scott for coming together and introducing this important legislation,” said TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch. “The majority of the world’s phosphate and potash resources are concentrated in only a few countries, leaving them open to supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical instability. The events of the past few years have shown us that food security is national security and now is the time to change how we talk about these vital resources.”
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MDA Focused on Reducing Nitrates in Groundwater (By Thom Petersen – MDA Commissioner)
Nitrate is one of the most common contaminants in Minnesota’s groundwater, and there are unique geologic features in parts of Minnesota that make the groundwater more vulnerable to nitrate contamination.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standard for nitrates is 10 milligrams per liter. Some public and private wells have nitrate levels that exceed that standard.
Public water systems regularly test for nitrates and ensure levels meet the EPA standard, while it is the responsibility of private well owners to test their wells. Human activities such as sewage disposal, livestock production and crop fertilization can elevate the level of nitrates in groundwater.
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There's a New Way to Cash in on Your CI Score on the Farm, Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act
As a farmer, Kelly Garret is extremely carbon conscious. He grows 7,000 acres of no-till crops and switched from applying synthetic fertilizer to using regenerative wastewater as plant food.
“I believe in being collaborative with Mother Nature, not in competition. And this is a collaborative effort,” says Garrett, who farms in west-central Iowa, near Arion.
There’s no doubt Garrett is a forward thinker. He says he was the first farmer in the U.S. to sell carbon credits. Now, he thinks there’s a new opportunity coming for farmers to possibly cash in on.
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The Tech Takeover: How Smart Technology Is the Driving Force Behind Today’s Application Equipment
If the start of 2024 is anything like the end of 2023, you won’t be able to open a magazine or turn on the television without hearing something about artificial intelligence or smart technology. Not only is agriculture not immune to the topic, manufacturers have embraced it and begun embedding it into equipment, mobile apps, and just about every other aspect of the industry.
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Farmers Say More Soil Moisture Needed Before Spring Planting
Midwest farmers say the mild winter might allow for earlier spring planting, but additional soil moisture is needed for a good start this spring.
Josh Manske, a farmer in northern Iowa, says soil conditions are drier than usual as spring fertilizer is being applied at his farm. But he’s trying to stay optimistic ahead of planting.
“They always say, when you plant in dust, bins will bust. Let’s hope that’s the case. It would be nice.”
Dan Glessing, a farmer in southern Minnesota, says the lack of snow and moisture over the winter is unusual.
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Proposal Would Exempt Agricultural Pesticides from Law Banning Forever Chemicals (Maine)
A proposal before the Maine Legislature would exempt agricultural pesticides from reporting requirements and a ban on products containing forever chemicals by 2030.
Supporters of the proposal acknowledged during a public hearing Monday that forever chemicals, the per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, are a problem but said the farming industry needs more time to figure out solutions.
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A Different Way to Incentivize Regenerative Agriculture
Time is a luxury farmers don’t often have.
It takes three to five years to see results from implementing regenerative agricultural practices, both in the field and in the ledger book. That gap of time before a return on investment is realized can often be a stumbling point for farmers who are considering implementing regenerative agricultural practices.
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ADM’s Re:generations Program is Meant to Help Producers Bridge that Gap
It’s not a carbon-credit program like many farmers may be familiar with, according to company officials. Instead, they say, it’s taking a more holistic approach to soil health and regenerative agriculture by paying farmers to execute regenerative ag practices on their farms.
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Partner News/
Announcements
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MDA Reminds Farmers of Proper Bulk Fertilizer Storage
Storage areas for dry and liquid fertilizer must be permitted
St. Paul, MN: Ahead of the planting season, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is reminding farmers of proper storage guidelines for bulk fertilizer.
Bulk liquid fertilizer can contaminate soil, surface water, and groundwater if a storage tank or pipe leaks. Dry fertilizer can also leach into the environment if it is placed on the ground and mixes with snow and rain.
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ARA Webinars
FIFRA 101: Introduction to the Complex Landscape of Pesticide Laws & Registrations
Join ARA and member firm Faegre Drinker on March 28 for a webinar introduction to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the use of pesticides in an ever-evolving regulatory landscape.
Learn about important regulations and requirements affecting nearly every part of ag retail, from pesticide registration, labeling, and packaging to applicator and end-user responsibilities.
Participants will end the webinar knowing more about the potential consequences and pitfalls from non-compliance, including site inspections, fines, and potential litigation risks.
Webinar speakers with Faegre Drinker include:
- Ross W. Johnson, partner;
- Matt Scott, associate; and
- Carlye Patterson, associate.
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ResponsibleAg Webinar
In this webinar, learn about ResponsibleAg’s process, benefits, and participant tools. Plus, participants will get a sneak peek at top issues found during ResponsibleAg audits and have the chance to ask their own questions.
Register to join ARA and Tim McArdle with ResponsibleAg on April 5 at 1 p.m. Eastern.
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Minnesota Capitol Conversations with AgriGrowth
Join AgriGrowth for our second update on the 2024 Minnesota Legislative Session. This complimentary virtual conversation is open to all AgriGrowth members and will include updates on legislation and policy that could impact the agri-food industry, as well as a discussion on the latest issues influencing Capitol politics.
This event is of no cost to attend and exclusive for AgriGrowth members, but advance registration is required.
March 27, 2024
12 p.m. - 1 p.m. CT
Virtual Via Zoom
April 24, 2024
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Virtual via Zoom
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Minnesota Crop Production Retailers | P: 763.235.6466
www.mcpr-cca.org
601 Carlson Parkway, Ste 450, Minnetonka, MN 55305
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