In this Edition
MCPR News
- MCPR golf outing a hole-in-one
- MCPR seeking feedback on MDA RUP license requirement
Capitol Corner - Federal
- Klobuchar, White and Fraser take the stage at Farmfest
- How selection of Gov. Tim Walz as Harris’ running mate is playing
Industry Related News
- Governor Walz proclaims Farm Family Recognition Day
- Submit comments about chlorpyrifos cancellation orders
- EPA Announces Next High Priority Chemicals for Risk Evaluation
- AI could be ‘the next thing’ to move agronomic recommendations forward, says ag retailer survey
- DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends
- Fertilizer Prices Continue Downward Trend in First Week of August 2024
- CHS partners on $440 million grain terminal in Brazil
- CHS and AgVend Forge Collaboration to Enhance Ag Retailer Experience
- Leadership Advice: Ask For Honest Feedback
Partner News/Announcements
- U of MN Extension – MN Crop News
Upcoming Events
- Have your say: Department of Agriculture seeks legislative input
- 2024 Environmental Congress
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MCPR seeking feedback on MDA RUP license requirement
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division sent a letter dated Aug 1, 2024 regarding mixer/loader/handler licensure requirements related to pre-application activities of restricted use products (RUP). MDA staff is working to develop additional guidance and a FAQ. The MDA staff have indicated a willingness to work with industry to address concerns where possible. MCPR requests that member organizations share questions and specific examples or concerns that we should bring to MDA’s attention. Please share your thoughts, questions, suggestions and specific examples with MCPR Executive Director Lee Helgen (lee@mcpr-cca.org) to be incorporated into our feedback to MDA.
In the coming days, we anticipate several opportunities to engage with MDA staff to explore options and discuss implementation strategies. For now, you can continue to operate business as usual. Currently, MDA is not expecting immediate compliance and understands the need for the industry to have some lead time to adjust and work through some implementation concerns.
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MCPR golf outing a hole-in-one
The annual Minnesota Crop Production Retailers (MCPR) golf outing scored a hole-in-one, bringing together members and industry professionals for competition and camaraderie to support MCPR initiatives. More than 80 golfers enjoyed the outing on Aug. 7 at The Wilds Golf Club in Prior Lake, Minn.
Prizes were awarded to the group with the lowest total team score and for individual contests. The low team score winners were Andy Clauson, Mark Thompson, Matt Lawerance and Daron Van Helden. Game winners included Roderick Hedner forclosest to the pin (hole #3); closest to the cooler (hole #5) winner was Justin Lewis; Glen Moe scored closest to the pin on hole #11 and Matt Moore won on hole #18 with longest putt.
The outing was sponsored by TDS Trucking, Ziegler Ag Equipment, Helena Agri-Enterprises, NACHURS, AMVAC Chemical Corp, BASF Corporation, Bayer CropScience, LP, intRAtrain and inspectiTRAC, Nutrien, Stueve Construction, LLC, Titan Machinery Inc, Valent USA LLC and Vive Crop Protection.
MCPR’s Board of Directors and staff are thankful to everyone who turned out for the outing, as well as to our generous members who sponsored the event.
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Klobuchar, White and Fraser take the stage at Farmfest
A crowd swelled out both sides of a large shed on a family farm in southwestern Minnesota for the first, maybe only, debate featuring Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Royce White, the GOP-endorsed, controversy courting candidate running for her Senate seat.
Farmfest is a summer ritual for farmers, rural residents and politicians, and Klobuchar — seeking her fourth term — opened by touting her support for federal farm policies, especially given falling corn prices, weather turbulence and avian flu.
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How selection of Gov. Tim Walz as Harris' running mate is playing
Donald Trump’s campaign and Republican lawmakers slammed Vice President Kamala Harris for selecting Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, calling him a “wannabe” West Coast liberal. Democrats, however, hailed the pick as aligning the party’s urban and rural voters. Reactions that poured in Tuesday described Walz, a National Guard veteran and former teacher and coach who represented a rural Minnesota district in the House for six terms, as a strong balance against Harris’ time as a prosecutor in San Francisco and California attorney general.
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Submit comments about chlorpyrifos cancellation orders
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced more cancellation orders for several chlorpyrifos products.
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) is asking for feedback on the impact these pesticide registration cancellation announcements are having on your business operations and for farmer customers. Email ARA Senior Vice President of Public Policy & Counsel Richard Gupton (richard@aradc.org) with comments.
The EPA issued a final order terminating food processing plant (food and non-food area) uses for Chemstarr’s chlorpyrifos product “Chlorpyrifos 61.5% MUP” and food uses for Tide International’s chlorpyrifos product “Chlorpyrifos 4 EC.” They are also cancelling two Central Garden & Pet chlorpyrifos products, Equil Chlorpyrifos ULV 1 and Equil Chlorpyrifos ULV 2. These orders come after EPA’s final cancellation order in June for 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.
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Governor Walz proclaims Farm Family Recognition Day
Gov. Tim Walz declared Aug. 8, 2024, as Farm Family Recognition Day in the state of Minnesota. In a Facebook post announcement, he said “We owe them our full support to keep feeding Minnesota and the world.”
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AI could be ‘the next thing’ to move agronomic recommendations forward, says ag retailer survey
Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to improve things like agronomic recommendations and input application accuracy, but it’s not likely to replace the actual agronomists, says the 2024 CropLife/Purdue Precision Survey.
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EPA announces next high priority chemicals for risk evaluation
On July 24, EPA announced the five chemical substances being proposed to designate as High-Priority Substances.
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DTN retail fertilizer trends
Fertilizer prices continue downward trend in first week of August 2024
The average retail price of all eight fertilizers tracked by DTN continued to decline during the first week of August 2024, according to sellers surveyed by DTN, although none of the prices experienced a significant move, which DTN designates as 5% or more.
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CHS partners on $440 million grain terminal in Brazil
The Minnesota-based cooperative has formed a joint venture with Brazilian rail giant Rumo
CHS is partnering with a Brazilian railroad to build a $440 million grain terminal at Latin America’s largest port. The Minnesota-based agriculture cooperative announced a 50/50 joint venture with the Rumo railroad operator on Thursday to construct the terminal at the Port of Santos, south of São Paulo. The proposed facility would handle up to 9 million tons of grain and 3.5 million tons of fertilizer annually.
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CHS and AgVend forge collaboration to enhance ag retailer experience
CHS, the nation’s leading agribusiness cooperative, is announcing a new agreement with AgVend, the leading provider of digital enablement solutions for agribusiness. This first-of-its-kind collaboration enhances the digital connection between the AgVend Network, which partners with 25% of the North American ag input retail market, and CHS, through streamlined workflows and increased visibility directly connected to the AgVend platform.
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Leadership advice: Ask for honest feedback
Since receiving his Masters of Entomology from the University of Arkansas, Keith Vodrazka has served over 20 years in a number of U.S. and global agribusiness roles. Today, he’s leading Evoia, a biostimulant business that uses fire to turn waste wood chips into biochar and then extracts the plant beneficial compounds for use as a liquid seed treatment. It’s an entrepreneurial startup with big plans and different leadership challenges than he experienced during his days in big agribusiness.
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Partner News and Announcements
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U of MN Extension – MN Crop News
Crops Events
Nitrogen Smart Online
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MDA seeks input before next legislative session
Two virtual public input sessions offer chance to share ideas
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is gathering ideas as the agency considers the state’s next biennial budget, and we want your input. Farmers, businesses, and others impacted by food and agriculture systems are all invited to share policy, funding, and program suggestions.
The MDA is hosting two virtual public input sessions where people can share their ideas directly, in addition to an online form for written submissions open through August 16, 2024.
The two sessions will take place on Zoom. Participation is free, but registration is required. The sessions are scheduled for:
The Minnesota Legislature appropriates funds for the MDA and related agricultural activities through a two-year budget bill that is part of the state’s overall government funding.
State budgets are set in legislative sessions that take place in odd-numbered years and are sometimes revised during sessions in even-numbered years. The next legislative session begins on January 14, 2025, and will determine the next two-year state budget.
Information about the MDA’s mission, leadership, and responsibilities is available here.
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2024 Environmental Congress
This year’s 2024 Minnesota Environmental Congress will be hosted by board members and state agencies across four locations in Minnesota. Event host Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) aim to gather Minnesotans to discuss local environmental issues and the actions being taken to address them. Participants will have a chance to hear from state agencies, then discuss with their neighbors and provide feedback on the state’s efforts.
September 23 - Brainerd, MN: Climate Resiliency and Adaptation
September 24 - St. Cloud, MN: Developing Minnesota's Green Economy
September 25 - Saint Paul, MN: Climate Action Framework
September 26 - Mankato, MN: Managing Water Pollution
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MAWRC 4R Field Day to be held Aug. 15
The Annual 4R Field Day will be held Aug. 15, 2024 at Johnson’s Rolling Acres, 24486 Bear Paw Road, Peterson, MN.
This free event will highlight the soil and nutrient stewardship of farmers in Southeast Minnesota. The program includes comments from MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen, groundwater and nitrate basics, and farmer-led discussion on innovative practices being employed in the region.
This field day is offered due to the generosity of our sponsors:
- The Fertilizer Institute
- Mosaic
- Corteva Agriscience
- Yara
- ETS- makers of the Soil Warrior
- MN Department of Agriculture
- Driftless Area Ag Alliance
- Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center
- MN Farm Bureau
- MN Farmers Union
- MN Corn
- MN Milk
- MN Pork
- MN State Cattlemen
- Minnesota Turkey
- MN Crop Production Retailers
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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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