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Ag groups seek tax policy permanence
From Brownfield Ag News
Nearly 270 farm organizations are asking Congress to permanently extend several expiring tax provisions important to agriculture.
Chuck Conner with the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives says there’s about $5 trillion in tax increases that take effect at the end of the year without congressional action.
Full story.
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President Trump signs EO designating potash a critical mineral
From Brownfield Ag News
The Fertilizer Institute is optimistic President Trump’s executive order recognizing potash as a critical mineral could help increase access to the product.
Vice president of Government Affairs Ed Thomas says the goal is to spur domestic production.
Full story.
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92% of ag economists say the U.S. is already in the middle of another trade war
From Farm Journal
President Donald Trump hasn’t been shy about using tariffs as a negotiating tool. As he cracks down on fentanyl and illegal border crossings, he’s also pushing to restore what he calls fairness in U.S. trade relationships and countering non-reciprocal trading arrangements.
Full story.
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Five farmers went to the West Wing of the White House to save glyphosate. Here’s what they said and learned
From The SCOOP
It was one of the most contentious confirmation hearings in President Donald Trump’s cabinet. Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s quest to become Health and Human Services Secretary included a confirmation hearing during which Kennedy said he wants to help farmers transition to no-till and away from heavy chemical usage. Five farmers had the chance to combat those claims at the White House last week, all in an effort to save glyphosate, a 50-year-old chemistry that farmers have relied on for decades as a tool for weed control.
Full story.
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National Ag Day: Despite challenges, agriculture has a lot to celebrate
From FarmProgress
Minnesota farmers are good at what they do, regardless of what commodity they are producing.
The state ranks in the top 10 in more than 20 ag products, with four coming on top in the country: sugar beets, turkeys raised, green peas and sweet corn for processing.
Full story.
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At the Capitol, we are in deadline week and there is crush of bills being heard
For more information about the deadlines click here
- 1st and 2nd deadline - April 4 at 5 p.m.
- 3rd deadline - April 11 at 12 noon.
The Senate Ag Committee heard SF 2788, which would amend the pesticide handler requirements that passed last session. The bill would state “a handler may engage in preapplication activities that involve the mixing and loading of a restricted use pesticide under the supervision of a licensed pesticide applicator.” The bill refers to the Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, section 171.201. MCPR is continuing to monitor this bill and sent in a letter of support for making this change.
SF 1840 / HF 1524 – The 4R Bill was heard in the Senate Judiciary committee and passed and referred to the Ag Committee for further consideration. At this point in the process, we are working to see if we can get this incorporated into the omnibus bill. Given the Ag Committee budget targets, we may need to scale back the proposal to be more of a pilot project as a way to build support moving forward.
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Ag exports at risk if fees imposed on Chinese-built ships
From Brownfield Ag News
Several ag organizations say a proposal from the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office to impose fees on Chinese-built ships would harm U.S. agriculture.
“The consequences would basically be little, if any, ag exports from the United States,” says Chuck Conner with the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.
Full story.
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Expert predicts 60% chance of Midwest drought in 2025
From FarmProgress
Eric Snodgrass puts chances of a significant Midwestern U.S. drought in 2025 at 60%. The Illinois-based atmospheric scientist participated in a recent webinar sponsored by Compeer Financial.
Full story.
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WinField United shares 4 agronomic insights for 2025 growing season
From The SCOOP
Before most planters start running, the agronomic team at WinField United is sharing takeaways from its research programs.
Every year, data is aggregated from the Innovation Center in River Falls, Wis., and nationwide Answer Plot field locations. The goal of the analysis is to provide insights on input decisions, return on investment and agronomic performance.
Full story.
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Bayer loses Georgia Roundup case
From Brownfield Ag News
A Georgia jury has awarded more than $2 billion in compensation and damages to the plaintiff in a Bayer Roundup case.
The plaintiff, John Barnes, originally filed suit in 2021 against Monsanto claiming the glyphosate-based herbicide caused his cancer. Reports indicate the order from the Georgia jury is one of the largest-ever Roundup settlements.
Full story.
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Avoid pre-plant tillage if it’s wet
From Brownfield Ag News
An extension corn agronomist says one tip for a successful planting season is avoiding pre-plant tillage when soils are too wet.
Jeff Coulter is with the University of Minnesota.
Full story.
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Adjuvants increasingly important role in crop protection
From CropLife
When times are tough and money is short, it’s adjuvants that are often left out of the input plan. Given the role adjuvants play, dropping them from the routine might be a mistake.
“Adjuvants are a critical ag tool used to maximize spray droplet performance,” says Dan Karlik, Vice President, Adjuvants Unlimited. “While vast improvements in adjuvant technology have occurred over the years, growers are still not utilizing them to an optimal extent.”
Full story.
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New Holland launches IntelliSense Sprayer Automation
From CropLife
New Holland has introduced IntelliSense Sprayer Automation, the most comprehensive application automation solution on the market and a factory offering for new Model Year 2026 Guardian series front boom sprayers: the SP310F, SP370F and SP410F. The system can be used on a wide spectrum of crops — from corn, soybeans and cotton to pulse crops and small grains like wheat and canola — with an unprecedented list of full-season application functions, including herbicide, fungicide, plant growth regulator, nitrogen and harvest aid. This technology is accessible with no annual subscription requirements or per-acre fees.
Full story.
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13 fertilizer spreaders designed to innovate in 2025
From CropLife
Manufacturers of fertilizer spreaders continue to innovate. Peruse through this year’s lineup of units and you’ll find several new upgrades and enhancements to the latest models on the market. Take GVM’s 2025 X-Series Prowler, for instance. It boasts one of the industry’s highest-capacity spray systems at 1,800 gallons and has the largest spreader body with 13 tons of capacity, according to the company. Or how about RBR Enterprise’s totally redesigned cab for 2025.
Full story.
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Agricultural industry leaders debut ESA Workplan resource
From Agricultural Retailers Association
ARA, CropLife America (CLA), and the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA) are pleased to announce the release of a new resource designed to assist farmers and agricultural retailers in navigating the forthcoming changes to pesticide labels under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Endangered Species Act (ESA) Workplan.
Full story.
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Are nutrient management plans working? Here’s what the latest water quality data shows
From Successful Farming
As a sixth-generation farmer, Jeff O’Connor has seen his family farm change through the generations. The one common thread is a love of taking care of the land.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard my family say, ‘Take care of the land, and it’ll take care of you,’” the Kankakee, Illinois, farmer said. “It’s made it easier for me to look at different ways to take care of the land as we learn more about the science behind what goes on in the soil.”
Full story.
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U of MN Extension - Minnesota Crop News
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Certified Crop Adviser
The Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) program is a membership service of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA). Any public, commercial or independent adviser, who counsels farmers, ranchers or other agricultural entities and can meet the rigorous standards of the CCA program is encouraged to participate.
Certified Crop Advisers – CCA Exams
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The third exam window registration will open on July 2, with exams given Aug. 6-20.
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The fourth exam window registration will open on Oct. 1, with exams given Nov. 5-19.
Exam Resources & Study Materials
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Click here to view the Minnesota CCA Study Guide.
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Click here to view the Exam Performance Objectives
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Click here for International CCA Exam preparation materials.
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Interactive Maps: Demonstrations
If you want to listen to the March 21 webinar on Interactive Water Quality Maps from the Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy, you can:
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View the webinar recording.
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Explore six interactive maps.
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Provide feedback or volunteer for focus groups using the survey that will stay open through March 31.
Minnesota's Nutrient Reduction Strategy was originally published in 2014 and is undergoing a 10-year update. Public comments will be sought on the revisions in summer 2025. The Nutrient Reduction Strategy compiles the latest science, research, data, and recommendations from all sources.
Please share this announcement with others who might be interested.
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