In this Edition
Less than a Month until the 2024 MCPR Annual Golf Outing!
MCPR Update
- MCPR Executive Director Update
- MCPR Visit to West Central Ag Services – Ulen, MN
Capitol Corner - Minnesota
- After Request From Governor Walz, 22 Counties Approved For Federal Disaster Declaration: 20 Additional Counties Currently Under Review
Capitol Corner - Federal
- Serious Negotiations Needed For New Farm Bill
- Biden Assails Project 2025, A Plan To Transform Government, And Trump’s Claim To Be Unaware Of It
- In Blockbuster Term, Supreme Court Boosts Its Own Sway: The Conservative Majority Flexed Its Influence Over Federal Government Actions And Policies
Industry Related News
- What does Supreme Court Chevron Doctrine Ruling Mean?
- Precision Agriculture Survey: Ag Retailers Share What They Think About AI, Drones and Other Technologies
- Revolutionizing Agriculture: The Role of AI in Shaping the Future of AgTech
- Ag Economy Barometer Declines Slightly In June
- U.S. Economy Adds 206,000 Jobs In June, Unemployment Rate Ticks Higher
- Banish Burnout: How to Move from Stress to Success
Partner News/Announcements
- U of MN Extension - Minnesota Crop News
- Disaster Assistance Available From USDA
- Nutrients: What's in our Rivers?
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Less than a Month until the 2024 MCPR Annual Golf Outing! |
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Wednesday, 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.
Pricing:
Single Registration: $220 per golfer includes: golf, cart, lunch, dinner, refreshment ticket and raffle ticket.
Foursome Registration: $880. Includes same as above for each golfer.
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Interested in Sponsoring?
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Sponsorships will go fast!
2024 Sponsorship Opportunities
DINNER SPONSOR - $1800 – ONLY 1 STILL AVAILABLE!
Includes: signage in clubhouse, signage at sponsored hole with company logo, opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole, recognition in the onsite handout, linked large logo on the MCPR website, and foursome.
LUNCH SPONSOR - $1500 – ONLY 1 STILL AVAILABLE!
Includes: signage in clubhouse, signage at sponsored hole with company logo, opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole, recognition in the onsite handout, linked medium logo on the MCPR website, and foursome.
SNACK & BEVERAGE CART SPONSOR - $1200 – ONLY 1 STILL AVAILABLE!
Includes: signage in clubhouse, signage at sponsored hole with company logo, opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole, recognition in the onsite handout, linked small logo on the MCPR website, and foursome.
HOLE SPONSOR WITH FOURSOME - $1000
Includes: signage at sponsored hole with company logo, recognition in the program, company name on MCPR website, opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole, and foursome.
HOLE SPONSOR - $500
Includes: signage at sponsored hole with company logo, recognition in the onsite handout, company name on MCPR website and opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole.
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MCPR Executive Director Update
I hope everyone enjoyed the Independence Day Holiday and the July 4th weekend. During the first half of the week, my family visited the Park Rapids/Walker Lakes area. It was great to golf at area courses, walk the Heartland Trail and boat around Bear Island and Headquarters Bay of Leech Lake. At the end of the week, we visited Emmetsburg, IA, for a family reunion. We enjoyed connecting with family we hadn’t seen for years. We even did a bit of drive-by farming as we checked on the wet conditions on our family farms.
During our travels across the state, we couldn't help but notice the impact of standing water on many fields and some localized flooding. We're hopeful that a few days of warm, dry weather are on the horizon for this week.
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MCPR Visit to West Central Ag Services – Ulen, MN
While up in NW MN, I visited the West Central Ag Services facilities in Ulen, MN. It was good to be back in the Red River Valley. I graduated from NDSU in Fargo and grew up in Bemidji, so I have traveled extensively in the region and have some favorite backcountry roads where you can see the transition from the valley to the rolling hills of lakes country and pine forests.
I appreciated the opportunity to visit with Rick Walker, MCPR Board Chair and West Central Ag Services Head of Operations, Brad Fronning. I was struck by the scope and scale of the facilities in Ulen and learning about the diversity of crops they support. It is always interesting to hear about how each location operates and learn more about the challenges and opportunities they must address.
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West Central Ag Servies HQ, Rick Walker and Brad Fronning |
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West Central Ag - Seed Operations |
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Red River Valley Ridge Line |
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After Request From Governor Walz, 22 Counties Approved For Federal Disaster Declaration: 20 Additional Counties Currently Under Review
On Saturday, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan announced that 22 counties have been approved for a federal disaster declaration by FEMA for severe flooding over the last two weeks – with 20 additional counties under review. The declaration will provide resources to reimburse communities for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and repair and replacement of damaged infrastructure.
"I’ve seen the damage across our state firsthand – it’s going to take a united effort at every level of government to quickly rebuild and recover. This assistance is going to make all the difference in that recovery," said Governor Walz. "I’m grateful to our partners in the federal government for doing their part, just as Minnesotans have done theirs, filling tens of thousands of sandbags, checking in on their neighbors, and volunteering their time."
"Our state has seen severe flooding over the last two weeks and Minnesotans have been hard at work to help their neighbors recover," said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. "Luckily, more help is on the way thanks to President Biden approving our request for a federal disaster declaration."
On Tuesday, Governor Walz traveled to Mankato to visit the Rapidan Dam and provide updates on flood conditions and recovery efforts. The Governor was joined by emergency management staff.
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Serious Negotiations Needed For New Farm Bill
Ag lobbyist Randy Russell says not much progress has been made on the new farm bill in the U.S. House or Senate.
“The leadership ultimately has to get into a room and each give a little bit if we’re going to get a compromise.”
Russell says House Ag Committee leadership is still trying to secure bipartisan support for the bill passed in committee last month and Senate Ag Committee leaders are far apart on how to fund more farm in the farm bill.
He says there are three areas of the bill that need a compromise, starting with the nutrition title and then “the $20 billion that was included in the Inflation Reduction Act and then, thirdly, the title one updates on crop insurance and reference prices where significant updates are proposed.”
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Biden Assails Project 2025, A Plan To Transform Government, And Trump’s Claim To Be Unaware Of It
MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025, a massive proposed overhaul of the federal government drafted by longtime allies and former officials in his administration, days after the head of the think tank responsible for the program suggested there would be a second American Revolution.
“I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump posted on his social media website. “I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”
The 922-page plan outlines a dramatic expansion of presidential power and a plan to fire as many as 50,000 government workers to replace them with Trump loyalists.
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In Blockbuster Term, Supreme Court Boosts Its Own Sway: The Conservative Majority Flexed Its Influence Over Federal Government Actions And Policies
The Supreme Court closed out a term Monday full of blockbuster decisions on gun control, abortion and criminal charges against former presidents, but legal experts say the most impactful rulings may be those where the conservative majority flexed its influence over federal government actions and policies.
The justices extended their own power over other branches of government and the lower courts, even as they declined to go as far as some Republican-backed litigants and conservative lower courts, those experts say.
Aziz Huq a law professor at the University of Chicago, said the Supreme Court decided most issues in a way that gives them more sway over policies.
“What is distinctive here is that the consequence, the aftereffect, of these decisions is to dramatically increase the discretionary authority of courts, and in particular, the Supreme Court, at the cost of other constitutional actors’ authority,” Huq said.
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What does Supreme Court Chevron Doctrine Ruling Mean?
In late June, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that overturns the long-established Chevron doctrine and sets the stage for more contentious policy development and review. And the new farm bill could be a first test of how the ruling plays out in reality as legislation move forward.
The Chevron doctrine was named for a Supreme Court case dating to 1984, establishing the principle that federal courts would defer to federal agencies for reasonable interpretation of ambiguous statutory provisions.
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Precision Agriculture Survey: Ag Retailers Share What They Think About AI, Drones and Other Technologies
New forms of digital technology are making their presence known on farms and the businesses that support them, according to data from 2024 Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey. These include new applications of automation, using UAVs/drones for input applications, and of course artificial intelligence (AI) — where everyone wants to play now! Who is using them, and why?
Understanding their use and value can seem more complicated than our more familiar precision practices. In recent years we have reported mostly on long-time, foundational precision ag — yield monitors/mapping, GPS guided precision soil sampling, variable rate applications, satellite/aerial imagery, auto guidance, all originating in the 1990s. With many of the foundational technologies either maturing with widespread adoption or in a state of stagnation, for the 2024 survey we decided to focus more on the new and what is possibly headed our direction.
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Revolutionizing Agriculture: The Role of AI in Shaping the Future of AgTech
Editor’s note: In a recent blog on MentorMate.com, software development entrepreneur Sebastian Ortiz-Chamorro explores AI’s role in reshaping agriculture, tackling challenges like market volatility, and driving sustainable growth. Here’s a summary of that article:
The integration of technology into agriculture, or AgTech, has significantly evolved in response to the increasing global population and climate change challenges. AI technologies are now transforming agriculture by optimizing processes and improving efficiency, from predictive analytics to autonomous machinery. These advancements allow farmers to make data-driven decisions, maximizing crop yields and reducing resource usage. Despite its potential, AI adoption in agriculture faces challenges such as market volatility and environmental shifts, emphasizing the need for accurate information and proactive measures.
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Ag Economy Barometer Declines Slightly In June
An ag economist says farmers are less optimistic about the future.
Jim Mintert with Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture tells Brownfield farmer sentiment declined in the latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.
“It was really attributable to some weaker expectations about the future, the future expectations index fell five points and it was 11 points lower than it was this time last year,” he says.
He says the weaker sentiment is part of a widespread trend in ag.
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U.S. Economy Adds 206,000 Jobs In June, Unemployment Rate Ticks Higher
The U.S. economy added 206,000 jobs in June, the Labor Department said on Friday.
Why it matters: Job gains were in line with economists' expectations, but the report showed signs the labor market is cooling off. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.1%, the highest since November 2021.
Job gains in the past two months were weaker than initially known: The Labor Department said there were a combined 111,000 fewer jobs added in April and May.
By the numbers: Government, health care and construction are among the sectors that added the most workers.
Average hourly earnings, a gauge of how quickly pay is rising, were up 0.3% in June and up 3.9% compared to the same time last year.
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Banish Burnout: How to Move from Stress to Success
Once at a family reunion, while listening to her mother ceaselessly complain about their relatives, Janice Litvin was struck with a powerful realization: She was prone to the same pattern of negative thinking as her mother, which drastically increased her stress levels.
“I have a decision to make,” she realized. “I can go on and be that negative person that’s always complaining, or I can make a change.”
Litvin's epiphany that day launched her journey into promoting self-care and wellness in the workplace. She now speaks on burnout and mental health, runs workshops, and has published a book—the Banish Burnout Toolkit—to combat burnout and encourage wellness at work.
In her book, Litvin describes how 66% of U.S. workers reported feeling burned out in 2018, a figure that spiked to 79% in 2021. “We are in a burnout crisis,” she told attendees of her June 25 session at the SHRM Annual Conference & Expo 2024 (SHRM24) in Chicago.
Litvin pointed out that the World Health Organization defines burnout as “an occupational syndrome caused by chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Employees experiencing burnout complain of exhaustion, migraines, reduced immune functioning, and high blood pressure.
Litvin offered three strategies from her book:
- STOP stands for “Stop. Take a breath. Observe. Proceed.”
- Know Your Stress, Spin Your Stress.
- Set Healthy Boundaries.
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Partner News/
Announcements
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U of MN Extension - Minnesota Crop News
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Disaster Assistance Available From USDA
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Nutrients: What's in our Rivers?
How are the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in Minnesota's major rivers changing? Please join us on Monday, August 12, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. for an information session called "River Nutrient Levels - Updating Minnesota's Nutrient Reduction Strategy."
Speakers from the U.S. Geological Survey, Metropolitan Council, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will explain the ongoing water quality monitoring efforts in rivers near Minnesota's borders. They will discuss the types of data collected and how the data are used to determine changes in river nutrient levels. They also will provide insights into how far the nutrient levels will have to come down before meeting nutrient reduction goals.
These experts, researchers, and scientists are among 50 people working to complete a 10-year update to the Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Established in 2014, this strategy guides our state's efforts to reduce nutrient pollution.
Excessive nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, pose a significant problem for Minnesota’s lakes and rivers as well as downstream waters including the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, and the Gulf of Mexico. When nutrient levels exceed natural conditions, they can cause excessive algae growth, low levels of oxygen, toxicity to aquatic life, and unhealthy drinking water.
Minnesota's Nutrient Reduction Strategy revision and update process will take more than a year to complete. Events like this one are designed to keep you updated throughout the lengthy revision process. Watch for web postings, emails, and additional informal information sessions like this event.
The public will be invited to submit comments on the draft revision during the second half of 2025.
Who should attend: Anyone interested in the state’s efforts to reduce nutrients in our waters, including partners from agricultural, business, wastewater operators, environmental communities, and the general public.
Format: Information session with Q&A.
How to register: No advance registration required. Join via the Event Link.
Please share this announcement with others who might be interested.
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Are you following MCPR on social media? Make sure you like and follow us so you don't miss out on events, what's happening with our members and the latest news impacting Minnesota’s agricultural retail sector!
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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