In this Edition
Reminder: 2024 MCPR Annual Golf Outing Registration Open!
MCPR Update
- MCPR Executive Director Helgen Visits United Farmers Cooperative (UFC)
- SCAM ALERT: Minneapolis Hilton Hotel Reservations
Capitol Corner - Federal
- ARA Action Alert! Urge the US Senate to Pass the 2024 Farm Bill
- Ag Secretary Vilsack Has A Clear Message For Farm-State Lawmakers On Passing A New Farm Bill: 'Get Realistic'
Industry Related News
- Catastrophic Flooding in Minnesota Leaves "entire communities under feet of water" as Lakes Reach "uncontrollable levels"
- Crop Insurance Considerations After Excessive Rainfall
- ARA Deems Supreme Court Decision Reversing Chevron Defense as Good News for Ag Retail
- What Could Agriculture Accomplish with AI on its Side?
- How This One Technology Helped a Michigan Farmer Cut His Herbicide Use by 60%
- Tar Spot Management Critical With Wet Conditions Prevalent
- Driven by Downturn, Machinery Brands Announce Layoffs
- The Four Pillars of Effective Hiring in Agribusiness
- Agriculture Losses Hit Minnesota’s GDP
Partner News/Announcements
- MDA - Flood Resources
- EPA Issues Final Cancellation Order and Updates to Existing Stocks Provisions for Several Chlorpyrifos Products
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Reminder: 2024 MCPR Annual Golf Outing Registration Open! |
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Wednesday, August 7th 2024
The 2024 MCPR Annual Golf outing will be held Wednesday, August 7th at The Wilds Golf Club, located in Prior Lake, MN.
Registration and lunch at the The Wilds Golf Club will begin at 10 AM. After lunch the shot gun start will take place at 11 AM. Dinner and awards will conclude the days event.
Pricing:
Single Registration: $220 per golfer includes: golf, cart, lunch, dinner, refreshment ticket and raffle ticket.
Foursome Registration: $880. Includes same as above for each golfer.
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Interested in Sponsoring?
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Sponsorships will go fast!
2024 Sponsorship Opportunities
DINNER SPONSOR - $1800 – ONLY 1 STILL AVAILABLE!
Includes: signage in clubhouse, signage at sponsored hole with company logo, opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole, recognition in the onsite handout, linked large logo on the MCPR website, and foursome.
LUNCH SPONSOR - $1500 – ONLY 2 AVAILABLE!
Includes: signage in clubhouse, signage at sponsored hole with company logo, opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole, recognition in the onsite handout, linked medium logo on the MCPR website, and foursome.
SNACK & BEVERAGE CART SPONSOR - $1200 – ONLY 1 STILL AVAILABLE!
Includes: signage in clubhouse, signage at sponsored hole with company logo, opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole, recognition in the onsite handout, linked small logo on the MCPR website, and foursome.
HOLE SPONSOR WITH FOURSOME - $1000
Includes: signage at sponsored hole with company logo, recognition in the program, company name on MCPR website, opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole, and foursome.
HOLE SPONSOR - $500
Includes: signage at sponsored hole with company logo, recognition in the onsite handout, company name on MCPR website and opportunity to host game/contest at sponsored hole.
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MCPR Executive Director Helgen Visits United Farmers Cooperative (UFC)
I recently traveled to Winthrop to visit with UFC Vice President of Agronomy Jim Carlson. The team at UFC offered to host a legislative tour and briefing at their facilities. Legislators often find these types of informational tours a great way to learn more about ag issues and build relationships with key industry leaders in a more relaxed setting away from the stresses of the State Capitol. If you are interested in hosting a legislative tour, please contact Lee Helgen at lee@mcpr-cca.org to discuss possible dates and locations.
I enjoyed learning more about UFC and its plans for improving services and creating new revenue streams. I appreciated the opportunity to hear more about the impact of the wet spring on its operations and see the amount of product that is still available for field application. We also discussed legislative and regulatory issues, such as the potential for increased fertilizer taxes, legislative interest in nutrient management, and proposals to ban various pesticides. I would welcome the opportunity to visit other ag retail locations and hear from your team about key priorities and ways MCPR can continue to add value. Please feel free to contact me at lee@mcpr-cca.org.
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On an overcast day, MCPR Executive Director Helgen visited UFC Headquarters in Winthrop |
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UFC – Fertilizer Plant in Winthrop |
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With wet field conditions, UFC staff take care of some needed equipment maintenance |
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SCAM ALERT: Minneapolis Hilton Hotel Reservations
MCPR has been made aware of a scam by NTA, contacting past exhibitors and sponsors to reserve hotel rooms for the 2024 CPM Short Course and MCPR Trade Show. Online reservations (or call-in reservation information) will be posted to the MCPR website around Labor Day.
A member was called and payment was requested to be made over the phone. A follow-up email (see below) was also sent. Please be advised, MCPR will send hotel information when we begin marketing for the 2024 event.
If you have any questions in the meantime, please reach out to Jessi Brunelle, jessi@mcpr-cca.org or (763) 235-6473, with questions.
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ARA Action Alert!
Urge the US Senate to Pass the 2024 Farm Bill
The House Agriculture Committee delivered on their promise to get a bipartisan Farm Bill out of committee in 2024. Now we need the Senate to move as well.
We ask that you please alert your senators to take action to pass a 2024 Farm Bill.
Specifically, ARA would like to recognize the work done to address key issues on behalf of you, our members. Here are just a few of the ARA policy priorities that are included in the House bill which passed out of committee and we hope the Senate will likewise include these important policy priorities:
- Crop Insurance Updates
- Technical Service Provider (TSP) reforms
- Language ensuring that EPA OPP and State Lead Agencies have the exclusive role in regulating pesticides
- Agricultural Labeling Uniformity Act language to reaffirm EPA’s risk-based role regarding pesticide regulation
- Eliminates NPDES pesticide general permit requirements
- Codifying a plant biostimulant definition
- Listing of potash and phosphate as critical minerals
- Additional funding for ag research
By sending a message to your senators, you are having your voice heard as a constituent and that is very important! Please let them know that passage of the Farm Bill is critical to American agriculture.
-Agricultural Retailers Association
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Ag Secretary Vilsack Has A Clear Message For Farm-State Lawmakers On Passing A New Farm Bill: 'Get Realistic'
During an interview with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on AgriTalk Thursday, the focus was on the farm bill. He was asked to start with Title I regarding the differences between the Republicans and Democrats relative to the farm bill negotiations. Are those differences negotiable? Vilsack’s response:
“I don't think we're close to getting a farm bill done until the folks who are negotiating the farm bill are realistic about what's doable within a constrained resource environment. The Republican proposal, whether it's the House version or the Senate version, essentially requires a significant amount of additional [funding] coming into the farm bill, in order to pay for all of the various promises that have been made from reference prices to crop insurance premium assistance to all the other proposals that are contained in those bills. It can amount to over $50 billion of additional resources that CBO identified within the existing farm bill or new money coming in.”
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Catastrophic Flooding in Minnesota Leaves "entire communities under feet of water" as Lakes Reach "uncontrollable levels"
Flooding that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has described as "catastrophic" has taken over much of the state, leaving "entire communities under feet of water."
Officials in Waterville said their area is experiencing the worst flooding in its history and that the Minnesota National Guard has been activated to help with the toll. Walz declared a peacetime emergency for the state over the weekend, which allowed the National Guard to deploy.
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Crop Insurance Considerations After Excessive Rainfall
Kent Thiesse explains that the type Federal Crop Insurance policy and level of insurance coverage that a farm operator is carrying will affect replant and crop management decisions. Read more from Kent here.
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ARA Deems Supreme Court Decision Reversing Chevron Defense as Good News for Ag Retail
The ARA President & CEO Daren Coppock released a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in "Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo" to reverse the Chevron defense.
For the past 40 years, the Chevron doctrine has provided an opportunity for federal regulatory agencies to expand their regulations beyond the intent of Congress. If Congress was not specific in limiting an agency’s authority in statute, Chevron provided deference to the agency in interpreting its own authorizing statute.
This decision from the Supreme Court is important because it will require an agency to have specific statutory authority in order to submit private citizens or businesses to a regulatory requirement.
"We are proud to have been part of the amicus brief filed last year requesting the Supreme Court to consider this case. For our member companies who operate under these regulations, the clarity and certainty that result from this change are very valuable.”
Related News
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What Could Agriculture Accomplish with AI on its Side?
For decades, we’ve had the most talented scientists in the industry. Now, machine learning is making them even more impactful. From the way we develop products, to the way we engage with our stakeholders, AI is informing the future of agriculture.
Digitalization has become one of agriculture’s most exciting frontiers through advances in application technology and data science. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a core technology in powering the digital transformation of agriculture, which helps tackle climate change and ensure global food security.
Agriculture leverages AI technologies like machine learning (ML), computer vision, and data analytics to improve various farming processes. It helps in precision farming, crop monitoring, pest detection, yield prediction, automated harvesting, and optimizing resource usage like water and fertilizers. AI enables farmers to make data-driven decisions, resulting in increased productivity, reduced costs, and more sustainable farming practices.
AI plays a pivotal role for our company in revolutionizing agriculture. We use AI and data science to develop better seeds, more desirable plant traits and bring new crop protection solutions to market faster. AI is the foundation for agronomic recommendations that support crop management decisions such as when to plant and irrigate, that is tailored to the farm so that more can be produced from the same piece of land and more people can be fed without starving the planet.
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How This One Technology Helped a Michigan Farmer Cut His Herbicide Use by 60%
Settled just south of Holland, Mich., it’s always busy on Scenic View Dairy. This time of year, with 2,000 head of cows being milked and a couple thousand acres of crops in the field, it’s bustling more than ever.
“The crops look pretty good this year,” says Brian Geerlings, a partner in Scenic View Dairy. “We got off to a little bit of a slow start with a cooler spring, but we've got some heat right now that's really making crops turn around, and they're looking good.”
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Tar Spot Management Critical With Wet Conditions Prevalent
A technical agronomist says conditions have been favorable for the development of tar spot in corn fields.
Channel’s Derek Whalen says the disease thrives in wet conditions with high humidity. “Unfortunately, with all the stress we’ve been dealing with so far in the Midwest with excess moisture, lots of replant situations, and drowned out areas, all that moisture has also helped to promote the growth and development of tar spot.”
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Driven by Downturn, Machinery Brands Announce Layoffs
John Deere and CNH Industrial to lay off hundreds from U.S. manufacturing facilities.
With 2024 net farm income expected to drop by 25%, the agricultural machinery and equipment industry is tightening its belt. Major equipment brands including John Deere, CNH Industrial and AGCO have reported 10%-plus year-over-year revenue declines in quarterly earnings reports. At least in part because of low revenue, layoffs have been announced at manufacturing plants across the Midwest.
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The Four Pillars of Effective Hiring in Agribusiness
Culture — Are they a natural fit for this organization’s culture?
Behavioral — Are they a good, natural fit for the role?
Performance Profile — Will they use their skills and get the job done?
Skills — Do they have the basic skills to do this job?
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Partner News/
Announcements
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MDA - Flood Resources
Flooding can have many impacts to homes, businesses, livestock, and crops. There are resources to prepare for flooding and for those affected by floodwaters.
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EPA Issues Final Cancellation Order and Updates to Existing Stocks Provisions for Several Chlorpyrifos Products
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a final cancellation order for Corteva’s chlorpyrifos product “Dursban 50W in Water Soluble Packets” and three Gharda chlorpyrifos products, and an amendment to the existing stocks provisions for two Liberty and three Winfield chlorpyrifos end-use products. The Agency has also updated the frequently asked questions about chlorpyrifos on its website.
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Follow MCPR on Social Media! |
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Are you following MCPR on social media? Make sure you like and follow us so you don't miss out on events, what's happening with our members and the latest news impacting Minnesota’s agricultural retail sector!
Does your organization or company have news or a press release that you would like to share with the MCPR’s membership? If so, please contact MCPR - lee@mcpr-cca.org.
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Minnesota Crop Production Retailers | P: 763.235.6466
www.mcpr-cca.org
1020 Innovation Lane, Mankato, MN 56001
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