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FIELD TALK

FIELD TALK PODCAST


Minnesota's gubernatorial race will be heating up in the coming months with numerous candidates seeking the state's highest office. Recently Lynn Ketelsen talked with Kendall Qualls, one of the candidates running for governor.
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Spring weather conditions have kept most Minnesota farmers out of the fields and anxiously waiting for improvement. While the late start isn't ideal, famers may still be able to achieve maximum yield potential 
 
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Farm News

May 4, 2022
PLANTING DELAYS CONTINUE
Spring field work remains scattered at best around Minnesota as most areas of the state remain wet and cool. USDA planting progress reports show only a small percentage of spring wheat and sugarbeets in the ground, while corn and soybean planting has yet to begin. 

University of Minnesota Extension Corn Agronomist Jeff Coulter says even though planting is about two weeks behind, there is still time for farmers to achieve strong yields. He cautions against getting into the fields before the soil is fit. Coulter also says farmers don't have to worry about switching to hybrids with a shorter maturity until May 22. Despite the late start, the potential for a good crops remains. Listen

FIVE ELECTED TO MINNESOTA SOYBEAN COUNCIL
Five Minnesota soybean farmers have been reelected to the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council. Thank includes chair Joe Serbus of Bird Island and vice chair Tom Frisch of Traverse County. Treasurer Gail Donkers of Faribault and Lake Wilson farmer Gene Stoel were  reelected by their farming peers. Glen Groth of Ridgeway was elected to his first full three-year term. He was appointed to the Council following the death of Rob Hanks in 2019.

DROUGHT RELIEF IN COMMITTEE
There is just under three weeks left in the 2022 Minnesota legislative session. Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation Public Policy Director Amber Glaeser says drought relief bills have been passed by both the House and Senate. The measure is now being negotiated in conference committee. She says there are similarities and differences between th two versions. Listen

E15 INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES
Starbuck farmer and state representative Paul Anderson says efforts to fund infrastructure upgrades to increase E15 availability were unsuccessful at the Minnesota legislature. He says rapidly rising gas prices hurt the effort, however, he's optimistic that the issue will be addressed in the next session. Listen

AVIAN INFLUENZA
Minnesota has a reported 68 cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. Migratory bird movement is still identified as the major cause of the spread, which has now affected more than 2.7 million birds. The Board has also extended the temporary ban on poultry shows and exhibitions until June 1. 

FARMFEST WOMAN FARMER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS
The deadline for submitting a nomination for the Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year is May 20. The Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year Award honors the hard-working female farmers from across Minnesota who selflessly give their time to growing the crops and raising the livestock needed to feed the world. Farmfest marketing manager Niki Jones describes who fits the criteria. Listen

Nominations are due by May 20 and can be submitted at Farmfest.com. 
CRP SIGNUP
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting more than 2 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and landowners through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup, which included nearly 31,000 acres in Minnesota. This is the first of the program’s multiple signups occurring in 2022. With about 3.4 million acres expiring this year, Vilsack encourages producers and landowners to consider the Grassland and Continuous signups, both of which are currently open. Minnesota Farm Service Agency Director Whitney Place says there are other program signup deadlines looming. Listen

VILSACK TO MINNESOTA 
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will be in Crookston this weekend. Secretary Vilsack will deliver the keynote address at the University of Minnesota Crookston’s commencement ceremony on May 7. 

SOY CRUSH PLANT APPROVED
The Casselton, North Dakota city council this week approved the construction of a $400 million soybean processing plant. North Dakota Soybean Processors is a joint venture of Minnesota Soybean Processors and CGB Enterprises. The facility will process approximately 42.5 million bushels of soybeans annually. The plant is expected to draw soybeans from North Dakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota. Construction could begin as early as this summer. 

ON-FARM COLLABORATORS NEEDED
The University of Minnesota Extension is looking for soybean farmers to participate in on-farm research. Extension is looking for 100 farmers to fill out an online survey providing information about their production practices and provide them with corresponding yield maps. In addition, Extension is looking for 10 farmers to volunteer their farm for bi-weekly scouting throughout the 2022 growing season.

North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP) is supporting a multistate and multiyear project to develop a decision tool for U.S. soybean farmers that uses data collected through online surveys plus limited ground-truthing on selected farms. By amassing three years of data (2022-2024) on important variables of a field’s productivity, data can be related to farm profitability outcomes. After successful validation in 2024, the tool will be converted to an online cropping system decision tool. This will be an open source, big data tool with the potential to provide farmers field level information for optimal cropping systems and management practices that can increase farm profitability. By including Minnesota farmer data while building this tool, it ensures that the tool will be calibrated for use by Minnesota farmers. Interested farmers should contact their local Extension educator for additional information.
 

Upcoming Events


May 20:         Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year nomination deadline
June 8-10:    World Pork Expo, Des Moines, Iowa

Farm Fun Fact

May is Beef Month, honoring the contributions of the nation's beef industry. U.S. per capita consumption of beef in 2020 was 58.4 pounds, according to Statista. 

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