In this Edition
MCPR Update
- MCPR Annual Golf Outing - Just Over a Week Away!
- Certified Crop Advisors – Looking for Testimonials
- Crop Update: Minnesota Conditions Variable
Capitol Corner - Federal
- Biden Passes the Torch: 5 Takeaways from His Historic Address
- Republican Leaders Urge Colleagues to Steer Clear of Racist and Sexist Attacks on Harris
- House Republicans Pass Bill Cutting EPA Funding by 20 Percent
- What To Know About Project 2025’s Plan For Agriculture, And How It Could Lead To ‘Real Chaos’
Industry Related News
- The Scoop Podcast: Need To Know Regulatory Updates
- CropLife – Showcase Retail Facilities
- Precision AI Unveils New Spray Drone: Is This the Dawn of a New Era in Crop Input Application?
- U.S. Economy Grew 2.8% In Second Quarter, An Unexpectedly Robust Strengthening
- Survey Shows Continued Decline in Rural Economy
- John Deere Dismissing Significant Portion of Global Salaried Workforce
- Canadian Railway Strike Poses Threat to Global Supply Chain
- Navigate the Carbon Landscape
Partner News/Announcements
- U of MN Extension – MN Crop News
- Draft Insecticide Strategy to Reduce Exposure of Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Species and Designated Critical Habitats from the Use of Conventional Agricultural Insecticides
- 4R Field Day – August 15, 2024
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MCPR Annual Golf Outing - Just Over a Week Away!
Grab that set of clubs and swing on into the Minnesota Crop Production Retailers (MCPR) 2024 Annual Golf Outing Aug. 7 at The Wilds Golf Club in Prior Lake.
“The MCPR golf event is a great opportunity to connect with friends and colleagues,” said Lee Helgen, MCPR executive director. “We are excited to be at the beautiful Wilds Golf Club for this year’s event.”
MCPR will kick off the week with a board meeting Aug. 6 at the Wilds Golf Club.
“It serves as a venue to bring our members together and provide them with a mid-year update as far as what’s going on with MCPR, including legislative updates,” said Arnie Sinclair, vice chair of MCPR. “We continue to see the organization grow and it’s just a great gathering point for our members.”
Don’t consider yourself a pro golfer? No problem. Commonly referred to as Minnesota’s Crown Jewel, the Wilds stretches more than 7,000 yards with generously wide fairways for golfers of all skill levels.
Participants have the option to register as an individual golfer or as a foursome. Registration kicks off at 10 a.m. with lunch to follow. Shot gun start is at 11 a.m. followed by dinner and an awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m.
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Certified Crop Advisors – Looking for Testimonials
The Certified Crop Advisers (CCA) encourages CCAs to help promote the program by submitting a testimonial. The program is seeking information from CCAs on career benefits or opportunities having this designation has provided. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts about the value of being a CCA!!
If you give permission, your testimonial may be used in marketing and trade show materials.
Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to being a Certified Crop Advisor!
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Crop Update: Minnesota Conditions Variable
In the midst of the dog days of summer, crop conditions and outlook is looking variable around Minnesota.
Overall, the USDA NASS Crop Progress & Condition report for Minnesota rates 57 of the soybeans as good to excellent and 58 percent of corn good to excellent. Small grains are faring a bit better, with 80 percent of the barley crop good to excellent; 79 percent of oats and 82 percent of spring wheat good to excellent.
Doug Becher, retail sales agronomist with Brevant Seeds reports seeing good progress on crops in his region of southeastern Minnesota. A lot of corn is tasseling and after a slow start, soybeans are now progressing better. Crops west of I-35 are highly variable due to the excessive rain this spring, with significant drowned out areas, uneven tasseling in corn and visible signs of nitrogen loss.
Increased moisture has led to more diseases in corn this year. Tar spot is already being found in some areas along the Mississippi River and moving north and west. Adult Corn Rootworm beetles are emerging, with some areas experiencing significant root feeding. Becher recommends performing root digs to diagnosing these pests.
Justin Schroeder, general manager with Central Counties Coop and MCPR treasurer, reported that rain and drainage problems continue to hamper crop conditions in central Minnesota. Growers aren’t too optimistic about yields. Many parts of Kandiyohi and Meeker counties received more rain Sunday, with some spots receiving as much as three inches.
Growers started applying Insecticide and fungicide on both corn and soybeans last week. Over 90% of the corn in the area has tasseled and beans are flowering. One bit of good news is that sweet corn harvest will start very soon!
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Biden Passes the Torch: 5 Takeaways from His Historic Address
A wistful but proud President Biden used last night's Oval Office address to explain to the American people why he deserved a second term — but chose, in the end, not to seek one.
Why it matters: With 180 days remaining in office, Biden delivered what's likely to be remembered as the most consequential speech of his presidency, regardless of what happens in November.
"I revere this office, but I love my country more," Biden said in his first official remarks since withdrawing from the race Sunday and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
5 takeaways
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Republican Leaders Urge Colleagues to Steer Clear of Racist and Sexist Attacks on Harris
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican leaders are warning party members against using overtly racist and sexist attacks against Vice President Kamala Harris, as they and former President Donald Trump’s campaign scramble to adjust to the reality of a new Democratic rival less than four months before Election Day.
At a closed-door meeting of House Republicans on Tuesday, National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., urged lawmakers to stick to criticizing Harris for her role in Biden-Harris administration policies.
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House Republicans Pass Bill Cutting EPA Funding by 20 Percent
House Republicans on Wednesday passed what is expected to be the final government funding bill before August recess, proposing steep cuts for the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget for fiscal year 2025.
The annual Department of Interior and EPA funding bill passed 210-205 late Wednesday. Democrats have come out in staunch opposition to the measure over proposed cuts to the EPA and other areas like the National Park Service, the Smithsonian and National Gallery of Art.
The bill’s narrow passage comes as House Republicans’ ambitious hopes of passing all 12 annual government funding bills by the August recess have crumbled. House leadership canceled votes on three other funding bills this week, including yanking one off the floor at the last minute Tuesday night, and announced Wednesday they would begin their annual summer recess a week early.
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What To Know About Project 2025’s Plan For Agriculture, And How It Could Lead To ‘Real Chaos’
Steep increases in logging. An end to federal environmental enforcement for farms. Work requirements for food aid. Fewer school meals for children. And the demolition of the network of farm subsidies that have backstopped Big Ag since the New Deal.
These are some of the sweeping changes that would be made to American agriculture under Project 2025, the controversial battle plan conservative groups have prepared to guide the next Republican administration.
The vision for agriculture laid out in Mandate for Leadership, the nearly 1,000-page manifesto that outlines Project 2025, is a very long shot — even if Republicans retake the entire government, experts told The Hill.
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The Scoop Podcast: Need To Know Regulatory Updates
The Agricultural Retailer Association’s Richard Gupton and Hunter Carpenter discuss the latest policy and regulatory updates from Washington, D.C. on The Scoop podcast.
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CropLife – Showcase Retail Facilities
CropLife magazine's Retail Facilities Report features the ultimate blueprint for plant building and expansion. Suppliers provide an update on some recent construction projects — new facilities and significant upgrades — at ag retailers across the country.
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Precision AI Unveils New Spray Drone: Is This the Dawn of a New Era in Crop Input Application?
The landscape of drone technology in agriculture continues to evolve, particularly as it relates to crop protection applications. The growth in agricultural drones is fueled by the need for precision farming, regulatory advancements, cost efficiency, environmental concerns, and proven performance. A notable innovation is the Stratus AirSprayer by Precision AI, a “flexwing” drone system that departs from conventional rotary and fixed-wing UAVs. The Stratus AirSprayer, powered by a gasoline engine, boasts a longer flight time of up to five hours, higher payload capacity, and greater efficiency. It addresses the limitations of rotary and fixed-wing drones, such as limited battery life and payload, and complex downwash dynamics.
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U.S. Economy Grew 2.8% In Second Quarter, An Unexpectedly Robust Strengthening
Fresh data from the Commerce Department on Thursday showed that gross domestic product grew at a 2.8 percent annualized rate.
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Survey Shows Continued Decline in Rural Economy
The latest Rural Mainstreet Index has declined for an eleventh consecutive month.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says weak agriculture commodity prices and declining exports contributed to weakness in the economy.
“China for example, their economy’s just moving sideways to down and of course that means they’re buying less of our soybean imports,” he says.
Goss tells Brownfield credit conditions are also tighter.
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John Deere Dismissing Significant Portion of Global Salaried Workforce
As a depressed farm economy continues to roll on – many ag economists are projecting bearish demand for equipment, commodities and inputs to last well into 2025 – salaried employees with John Deere are anxiously awaiting news regarding their employment status with the equipment manufacturer today.
Many employees were instructed to work from home through July 26, and online sources on the Reddit thread r/johndeere are sharing the unfortunate news that John Deere is moving forward today with another round of mass layoffs.
Online sources say the layoffs cut across a wide swath of John Deere global corporate and administrative divisions.
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Canadian Railway Strike Poses Threat to Global Supply Chain
A strike at the country’s two largest rail networks would disrupt production and deliveries across a wide variety of industries.
Canadian businesses that rely on rail shipments dodged a bullet recently, though perhaps only temporarily, when the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) paused a looming strike at Canada’s two major railroads while it reviews the potential impact of a strike on public safety.
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Navigate the Carbon Landscape
Discover our comprehensive resource hub packed with insightful articles, engaging farmer interviews, informative videos, captivating podcasts, and more. This extensive multimedia library empowers you to navigate the carbon landscape and seize opportunities for your farm.
Gain valuable knowledge, hear first-hand experiences, and explore innovative strategies to enhance your agricultural operations.
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Partner News/
Announcements
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U of MN Extension – MN Crop News
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Draft Insecticide Strategy to Reduce Exposure of Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Species and Designated Critical Habitats from the Use of Conventional Agricultural Insecticides
Created by the Environmental Protection Agency
The draft Insecticide Strategy (IS) describes the analyses conducted to estimate exposure and assess 1) the potential impacts, both directly and indirectly, of an insecticide to listed species groups and 2) the extent of mitigations needed to reduce population-level impacts on the listed species groups. The draft IS is informed by a mitigation support document that includes various measures in a menu to reduce exposure to listed species from spray drift, runoff, and erosion. These mitigation measures apply to conventional agricultural pesticides covered by both the draft IS and Herbicide Strategy. Finally, the draft IS provides information on identifying the geographic extent of mitigation and describes the implementation plan for the Strategy.
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4R Field Day – August 15, 2024
The annual 4R Field Day will be held August 15, 2024 at Johnson’s Rolling Acres, 24486 Bear Paw Road, Peterson, MN.
This free event will highlight the soil and nutrient stewardship of farmers in Southeast Minnesota. The program includes comments from MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen, groundwater and nitrate basics, and farmer-led discussion on innovative practices being employed in the region.
This field day is offered due to the generosity of our sponsors:
- The Fertilizer Institute
- Mosaic
- Corteva Agriscience
- Yara
- ETS- makers of the Soil Warrior
- MN Department of Agriculture
- Driftless Area Ag Alliance
- Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center
- MN Farm Bureau
- MN Farmers Union
- MN Corn
- MN Milk
- MN Pork
- MN State Cattlemen
- Minnesota Turkey
- MN Crop Production Retailers
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Does your organization or company have news or a press release that you would like to share with the MCPR’s membership? If so, please contact MCPR - lee@mcpr-cca.org.
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Minnesota Crop Production Retailers | P: 763.235.6466
www.mcpr-cca.org
1020 Innovation Lane, Mankato, MN 56001
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