|
Staffing News
Thank you, Jessi
On behalf of the Board and Members, join us in thanking Jessi Brunelle for her outstanding service over the past 17 years. Jessi has made significant contributions to the ongoing success of MCPR. We greatly appreciate her positive energy, organizational skills, excellent customer service, and deep commitment to MCPR. We wish her all the best in the next phases of her career. Thank you!
Please note: Jessi’s last day with MCPR is February 13. We have engaged the staff team at our association management company, Ag Management Solutions, and they have a solid transition plan in place. If you have general MCPR questions or need assistance, please feel free to send a note to the info@mcpr-cca.org or call the front desk at 763-235-6466 or contact MCPR Executive Director Lee Helgen lee@mcpr-cca.org.
| |
|
~ from Jessi
Hello MCPR Members,
It is with mixed emotions that I announce this as my final week of employment with MCPR. There is so much that I have learned in the 17 years I’ve been with this organization. I will miss all the positive interactions I’ve had with so many great people over the years, but the time has come for me to move forward in my next opportunity. I am very appreciative for all the opportunities I’ve been given and for all the amazing people I was fortunate enough to work with along the way.
My focus will be turning towards the sports field maintenance company that my husband and I own and operate. I am excited to take everything I’ve learned from this organization and put it to use assisting customers and helping improve sports fields for communities all over the state.
Jessica Brunelle
| |
|
Senate ag committee unanimously advances Rollins nomination
From Farm Progress
The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry voted 23-0 in favor of advancing Brooke Rollins’ nomination for secretary of agriculture. She must now clear a full Senate vote before officially being installed at USDA.
Baring any last-minutes surprises, Rollins is expected to easily receive enough votes.
Full story.
| |
|
Farm Bill, Pesticide Regulations Among Key Priorities As NASDA Sets Its Federal Policy Focus for 2025
From CropLife
NASDA’s members-led Board of Directors chose five issues to serve as the organization’s primary policy focus for 2025. They include the farm bill, food systems, pesticide regulations, PFAS and state cooperative agreement funding. NASDA CEO Ted McKinney remarked on the significance of these issues for 2025.
Full story.
| |
|
USDA ordered to scrub climate change from websites
From POLITICO
Agriculture Department employees have been ordered to delete landing pages discussing climate change across agency websites and document climate change references for further review, according to an internal email obtained by POLITICO.
Full story.
| |
|
USDA stops payments on climate program
From The Fence Post
The Trump administration has stopped payments to entities involved in the Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities initiative that was the centerpiece of the Biden administration’s climate change activities at the Agriculture Department, Agri-Pulse has reported.
“In a letter dated Monday to the Iowa congressional delegation obtained by Agri-Pulse, the Iowa Soybean Association says, ‘USDA has suspended all farmer and program reimbursements. This suspension puts the program and its participating farmers at risk.’ The letter warned that farmers participating in its project are ‘contractually owed $11 million’ for practices the growers implemented in 2024,” the article said.
Full story.
| |
|
Trump and Mexico's president say tariffs will be delayed for one month after talks
From NBC News
Days after he announced a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, President Donald Trump agreed to delay them for one month after the leaders of Canada and Mexico announced moves to ramp up security at their borders — averting, at least for now, tariffs that could have driven up prices for U.S. consumers and stalled the countries' economies.
Full story.
| |
|
U.S. fertilizer industry seeking tariff exemption for potash and nitrogen from Canada
From realagriculture
The organization that represents U.S. fertilizer producers, wholesalers, and retailers is calling on the Trump administration to exempt Canadian fertilizer products from the tariffs set to take effect on Feb. 4.
“The Fertilizer Institute stands ready to collaborate with the Trump Administration to spur growth in the fertilizer industry, support U.S. agriculture, and ensure affordable food prices for everyday Americans,” says Corey Rosenbusch, president and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), in a statement issued Feb. 2.
Full story.
| |
|
Minnesota House Democrats end boycott; legislating to finally begin, three weeks late
From Minnesota Reformer
Minnesota House Democrats will end their three week boycott of the legislative session after Republicans agreed to a key demand that Rep. Brad Tabke, DFL-Shakopee, will retain his seat after winning a close victory in the south metro and a court challenge to the contest.
The 66 Democrats have thus far refused to appear at the Capitol, which denied the 67 Republicans a quorum — the minimum number of members required to conduct business — after the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that 68 are needed. One seat is currently vacant because Democrat Curtis Johnson resigned after a judge said he did not live in his district. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party is expected to win a special election to replace Johnson on March 11, bringing the chamber to a 67-67 tie.
Full story.
| |
|
MPCA announces updated water permits now available to large feedlot operators
From Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) today took another step forward in addressing nitrate pollution statewide by issuing updated water permits for about 1,000 large feedlot operations. These permits take effect when the current ones expire.
Finalizing the new general federal and state permits is the culmination of a consultative process between the MPCA and other state agencies, farmers, agriculture and environmental advocates, Tribal Nations, and concerned Minnesotans. The MPCA held an extended, 71-day public comment period from June 24 to Sept. 3, 2024. There were 183 comments received during the public comment period, and all were considered when finalizing the permits.
Full story.
| |
|
7 Key Details To Know: New Endangered Species Act Herbicide Standards
From AgWeb
“This topic is one that can get very technical very quickly. It can be a very deep topic, and there’s a lot of nuances,” says Kyle Kunkler, director of government affairs at the American Soybean Association.
He’s referring to EPA’s Final Herbicide Strategy, which puts forth new guidelines for herbicide registration and use per the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Full story.
| |
|
Minnesota to be a leader in producing sustainable aviation fuel
From Linder Farm Network
| |
|
5 Tips for Bigger Corn and Soybean Yields in 2025
From The Scoop
World-record farmer Randy Dowdy is no stranger to big yields and big expectations. Through his work with Total Acre, a business he founded with Virginia farmer David Hula, he encourages farmers to ask the right questions and use data to back up decisions in their quest to unlock yield potential on their own farms.
Full story.
| |
Transformative Moments: Biofuels Policy and Trade Are Global Gamechangers
From Ag Web
When Susan Stroud talks with farmers, she focuses on a readiness for change.
“We need to embrace it instead of be so resistant because we’re constantly seeing changes we go through,” she says.
In her regular commentary for No Bull Ag, Stroud highlights the current trends and transformative moments with the key drivers for market movement.
Full story.
| |
Important risk management decisions loom
From Brownfield
Farmers will be making a lot of important risk management decisions over the next two months.
Farm business management analyst Kent Thiesse with the Green Solutions Group says the spring crop insurance price is set in February.
“So if we do get some strength in the market here, due to South America (or other factors), that certainly would help our risk coverage because the higher the guaranteed price it makes it even more attractive.”
Full story.
| |
State legislation supporting crop management tools introduced
From Brownfield
The communications lead for Bayer Crop Science says several state legislatures are considering proposals in support of critical crop management tools for farmers.
Jess Christiansen says bills supported by Bayer and the Modern Ag Alliance, a group of over 90 ag industry groups and businesses, in states like Missouri and Iowa would reinforce the EPA’s health and safety warnings.
“If a company like Bayer, or any other company, goes through the regulatory process, which is really robust in this country,” she says, “and those companies label the products based on the finding of those reviews, then we’ve satisfied the requirement for health and safety warnings.”
Full story.
| |
Iowa lawmakers try again to shield pesticide companies from lawsuits
From Iowa Capital Dispatch
In a cramped Senate meeting room, Iowa senators voted 2-1 Wednesday to advance a bill that would defend pesticide companies from lawsuits based on failure to warn claims.
The same bill was put forward last year and is again supported by Bayer, which manufactures the pesticide RoundUp, and is opposed by environmental groups and the Iowa Farmers Union.
Bayer has faced a series of lawsuits where plaintiffs allege the product caused their cancer, though the company maintains its product and the chemical glyphosate is not carcinogenic.
Sen. Mike Bousselot, chair of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee, said Senate Study Bill 1051 means “you shouldn’t be able to sue a company for having a label that is appropriately following all the rules for labeling.”
Full story.
| |
Landus and TalusAg deliver first local green ammonia production in North America
From Hydrocarbon Processing
- Located in Boone, Iowa, the first-of-its-kind facility enables local green ammonia production that is reliable, cost-competitive and sustainable
- The innovative solution ensures resilience in the domestic fertilizer supply chain to support American farmers
Landus, an Iowa-based agriculture solutions company, and TalusAg, an agriculture technology company, have successfully commenced commercial green ammonia production with the first and only modular systems in North America. Local, domestic production of green ammonia enabled by TalusAg’s rapidly deployable systems ensures cost-competitive, reliable and sustainable fertilizer supply for American farmers.
Full story.
| |
|
Government Payments Drive U.S. Farm Income Surge in 2025
From Ag Web
The U.S. farm sector is poised for a significant increase in net farm income in 2025, primarily driven by an unprecedented rise in government payments, despite a decline in overall farm revenues.
According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, net farm income is forecast to reach $180.1 billion, up $41.0 billion from 2024, while net cash farm income is projected to hit $193.7 billion, reflecting a $34.5 billion increase.
Full story.
| |
|
U of MN Extension - Minnesota Crop News
| |
|
Webinar: 4R Nutrients in Action: Real-Time Tissue Analysis for Season Changing Insights
- Tue, Feb 11, 2025 2:00 PM EST (1:00 PM CST) | CCA Approved for 0.5 CEU Credit in Nutrient Management
-
Register
| |
See what's happening on our social sites: | | | | |
