MCPR Enews March 24

March 24, 2025

Amy Robak, CentraSota Co-op, and Rep. Bobbie Harder present about HF1524 - The “4R Bill” - to the Minnesota House Agriculture Committee on March 17.

4R bill referred to Judiciary Committee

HF 1524 – The Minnesota House Agriculture Committee heard the 4R Bill, passed it out of committee and referred it to the Judiciary Committee. The bill provides for an incentive structure to support ag retailers in becoming 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certified. The bill also provides a mechanism for 4R certified ag retailers to get paid up to $0.50 per acre for implementing 4R practices and receive bonus payments for using Certified Crop Advisers. The bill is designed to be a voluntary, incentive-based approach leveraging the 4R best management practices.

Given the state’s financial forecast, it may be a difficult year to secure funding, but the bill provides an opportunity for MCPR to talk about the good work going on across the state and provides legislators with policy options to consider.

The Federal Reserve sees tariffs raising inflation this year and keeps key rate unchanged

From AP News

The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday and signaled that it still expects to cut rates twice this year even as it sees inflation staying stubbornly elevated.

Federal impoundment lawsuits could reshape ag

From Brownfield Ag News

The director of the National Agricultural Law Center says several lawsuits around the U.S. president’s ability to impound Congressionally approved funds could reshape agriculture.

TFI applauds Trump action on fertilizers

From The Fertilizer Institute

The Fertilizer Institute praised President Donald Trump for signing an Executive Order that continues his long-standing recognition for the importance of fertilizers to farmers and the overall U.S. agriculture economy.

The president’s action ensures that Canadian and Mexican imports of fertilizers meeting USMCA preference status will be subject to no duty while this round of tariffs remains in effect. Additionally, the EO further establishes that potash imports from Canada and Mexico lacking USMCA preference status will be subject to a reduced import tariff of 10 percent.

Minnesota House and Senate far apart on ag budget funding

From Brownfield Ag News

The Minnesota House and Senate are far apart on agriculture budget funding.

Senate Ag, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development chair Aric Putnam says his committee has been very diligent and thoughtful about spending.

MN Senator Eichorn submits resignation after felony arrest

From Fox 9

Minnesota Senator Justin Eichorn submitted a letter of resignation after he was arrested and charged in federal court with a felony. The swift resignation came before his Senate colleagues were set to vote to expel Eichorn - which would have been the first in Minnesota’s history.

The Scoop Podcast: Co-op leads the way with using selective spraying

From The Daily Scoop

Now with more than two full years of experience in the field, Jeff Crissinger and the team at Nu-Way K&H Cooperative are ready to share their takeaways and insights on how selective spraying is changing custom application.

The future of U.S. ag exports

From Brownfield Ag News

A USDA official says the current trade deficit is problematic for the U.S. ag economy.

Acting deputy secretary of trade and foreign affairs Jason Hafemeister says the U.S. continues to import more products than it exports.

Goodbye, La Niña? Eric Snodgrass dissects what the shift means for weather this spring and summer

From Ag Web

La Niña is weakening, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) expects neutral conditions to develop in the next month. But even with La Niña fading, meteorologists are still concerned about drought this spring and summer.

BASF launches real results yield challenge to show benefits of performance-driven fungicides

From CropLife

Over the last 20 years, BASF fungicides have protected an estimated 30 billion bushels and 260 million acres of corn and soybeans. As commodity prices and environmental pressures increasingly factor into farmer decision making, only an estimated 45% of corn and soybean acres were protected by fungicide applications in 2024.

As a result, BASF is launching its largest yield challenge ever, the Real Results Yield Challenge, providing farmers and their local retailers greater access and support to stage yield trials with Veltyma, Revytek and Revylok fungicides across all key geographies.

Yamaha Ag Q&A: When can growers buy farm robots? North America rollout explained

From The Daily Scoop

Yamaha is a Japanese legacy automotive and motor sports giant known the world over, but many aren’t aware that the company also has a long and storied history in ag tech.

In late January, the manufacturer announced the launch of Yamaha Agriculture, a new U.S.-based company that will focus on delivering autonomous equipment and AI-powered digital solutions.

2025 farm incomes expected to be propped up by aid

From Brownfield Ag News

Paul Mitchell, the director of the Renk Agribusiness Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says the USDA projects 2025 farm incomes to be higher than recent years.

However, he says there’s a caveat to that. U.S. farmers are in line to receive billions of dollars in disaster and economic relief assistance.

Here’s how much you can receive per acre from $10 billion USDA payment

From The Daily Scoop

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced new information about the first round of direct payments for farmers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP).

The program will help producers offset some of the impacts of increased input costs amid falling commodity prices. ECAP payments are based on planted and prevented plant crop acres for the 2024 crop year. Assistance will be calculated using a flat payment rate for the eligible commodity multiplied by the eligible reported acres. For acres reported as prevented plant, ECAP assistance will be calculated at 50%. These payments are separate from the $21 billion in proposed natural disaster aid payments, which will be rolled out later this year.

Four steps to better weed control in 2025

From Farm Progress

Getting a jump on weed control is critical as farmers aim for clean fields all growing season. It’s especially important to think ahead for soybean herbicide applications, as there tends to be shorter application windows compared with corn herbicides.

Inside the farm equipment auction boom: Why sprayer demand isn’t slowing down

From AgWeb

Find out why sprayers are having a moment right now and hear from a farm economist who thinks there could be light at the end of the trade war tunnel for farmers.

The real story behind Canada’s 250% dairy tariffs

From Farm Progress

Trump's recent comments reignite long-standing U.S.-Canada dairy trade tensions. Uncover the complexities of the USMCA agreement, its impact on American dairy exports and what's really at stake for farmers in this ongoing international dispute.

Greenleaf Technologies launches updated NozzleCalc app with advanced features

From CropLife

Greenleaf Technologies, a leader in agricultural spray technology, has announced the release of an updated and expanded version of its popular NozzleCalc app. Originally launched in 2014, the app has been rebuilt from the ground up to include industry leading features to help farmers and applicators get the best results in the field.

U of MN Extension - Minnesota Crop News

Weekly Digest - March 20, 2025

Minnesota Crop Production Retailers

1020 Innovation Lane

Mankato, MN 56001

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