FIELD TALK FIELD TALK PODCAST Dr. Scott Jensen is the Republican candidate for governor in Minnesota. Dr. Jensen recently joined Lynn Ketelsen to address some of the concerns he sees for rural Minnesota.    LISTEN NOW FOLLOW LFN HERE LFN on F A C E B O O K LFN on T W I T T E R LFN on YouTube Farm News September 28, 2022 FIRST FALL FROST Many areas of Minnesota experienced first frost of the fall season early Wednesday. Temperatures dipped into the upper 20s and low 30s across much of the state Wednesday morning. Minnesota Assistant State Climatologist Pete Boulay says the last week in September is when many areas of the state get their first frost. Listen Boulay also says the drought areas of Minnesota have gradually worsened as September has been a warm, dry month. However, there is still time before soils freeze for rain to recharge the soil moisture.  CROP CONDITIONS USDA's latest crop condition report estimates 49% of Minnesota's corn crop is mature with 1% harvested. USDA says 61% of soybeans are dropping leaves and 4% has already been harvested.  ON THE LOOKOUT FOR TAR SPOT University of Minnesota researchers are encouraging farmers to be on the lookout for tar spot. Tar spot of corn has continued to develop in many fields across southeastern and into central Minnesota. With the exception of some areas in southeastern Minnesota,, tar spot levels have not affected yields. Fields at greatest risk of yield loss due to tar spot are those fields where rains have been frequent and tar spot has developed in previous years.  NEW COMPEER CEO Jase Wagner has been named as the organization’s next president and chief executive officer. Wagner will officially assume the role on January 1, 2023.The change in leadership comes as current President and CEO Rod Hebrink is set to retire in January 2023. Wagner, who moves into the role from his position as chief financial officer at Compeer, has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, including 13 years within the Farm Credit System. RURAL VOICE EVENT Dozens of rural leaders gathered in Cannon Falls Tuesday night for a Rural Voice discussion on how to improve patient care in rural Minnesota. The Rural Voice series, developed by three Minnesota Initiative Foundations that serve Greater Minnesota along with Compeer Financial, featured three town hall meetings moderated by MPR's Kerri Miller. The conversations focused on entrepreneurism, workforce readiness, and health care in rural Minnesota.  The Rural Voice events were livestreamed and recorded for broadcast at another date. John Monson, Compeer Financial chief mission and marketing officer says the event was designed to get varied perspectives on issues related to rural health care. Listen MPCA TWEET DRAWS REBUKE A tweet from the Minnesota Pollultion Control Agency that recommends residents go meat-free for a day because animal agriculture contributes to greenhouse gas emissions drew a swift rebuke from lawmakers, including Rep. Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake. Hamilton says the tweet, which has since been deleted, sends a bad message. Listen HPAI CASES GROWING Late summer, early fall cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza continue to increase across Minnesota and now have impacted about 20 flocks. Minnesota Board of Animal Healtehr Senior Veterinarian Shawna Voss says it's a concern that the peak of fall waterfowl migration has not yet occurred. Listen Voss says this is a stressful situation for poultry farmers and she urges growers to take care of themselves as well as their birds.  KOHLS TO HEAD UP STATE TURKEY ORGANIZATIONS Ashley Kohls is the new Executive Director for the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council. Kohls previously served as the Executive Director for the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association and most recently, as the Vice President of Government Affairs for Nebraska Cattlemen. Kohls assumes her new duties September 28.  COST SHARE FOR GRAIN STORAGE Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $20 million in cost-share assistance available to help farmers in Kentucky, Minnesota, South Dakota and surrounding areas to rebuild storage facilities damaged by devastating natural disaster events in 2021 and 2022. This assistance will help producers who were hard-hit by disasters and are currently struggling with a lack of available grain storage have the resources they need as they head into the 2022 crop harvest.  This assistance from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will be designed to help producers in Minnesota and South Dakota affected by severe thunderstorms and winds that swept through these states in May 2022 and July 2022.   GRAIN FACILITY SAFETY FUNDS AVAILABLE The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has funds available to help farmers with the cost of grain storage safety equipment. Falls and entrapments are frequent hazards in grain bins and other storage facilities. Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Peterson says the state has up to $2,400 per farm available to help farmers install protective equipment. Listen MN SOYBEAN DAY Minnesota Governor Tim Walz proclaimed Sept. 24 as Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) Day in Minnesota. The MSGA is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2022. MSGA president and Lake Benton farmer Bob Worth says the organization began with a meeting in Sleepy Eye in 1962. Worth says among the MSGA's most notable accomplishments is the development, growth and acceptance of biodiesel. Listen Upcoming Events Oct. 2-7                World Dairy Expo, Madison WI Oct. 6                    GreenSeam Global Workforce Opportunities Event, Mankato Oct. 12-14            U.S. Grains Council Export Exchange, Minneapolis Oct. 26-29           National FFA Convention, Indianapolis Dec. 1                    GreenSeam Rural Forum, Mankato Farm Fun Fact Frost was expected this week over may areas of Minnesota, which is about normal for the state. We all know that frost is just the beginning of our slide into winter. The earliest recorded measurable snowfall in Minnesota came September 14, 1964 in International Falls.