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Enews
April 16, 2024
In this Edition

Capitol Corner- State
  • Nitrate Battle Would get an Additional Boost under Minnesota Governor's Recommendations 
  • Legislative Activity the week of April 8-12 
  • Upcoming Legislative Action 

Industry Related News
  • Dicamba Updates
  • What Holds Back No-till, Cover Crop Adoption? 
  • Top 10 Ag Retailers With the Most Revenue in Precision Ag Services 
  • The Four Pillars of Effective Hiring in Agribusiness 
  • What’s New With Agriculture Drones? 

Partner News/Announcements  
  • Anhydrous Safety Should be Top Concern This Spring 
  • MDA Pesticide & Fertilizer Management Division (PFMD) 
  • Minnesota Law Requires Retailers to Post the MPCA’s Treated Seed Disposal Guidance in a Conspicuous Location 
  • BWSR Awards more than $17 Million in Soil Health Grants 
  • How The Mosaic Company Is Elevating Soil Health and Crop Nutrition
  • Bayer Leads New Coalition to Advocate for Farmers’ Access to Glyphosate and Other Crop Protection Tools  
Capitol Corner
STATE
Nitrate Battle Would get an Additional Boost under Minnesota Governor's Recommendations 
The $3 million in funds would be used to purchase water systems at a cost of about $2,600 per household. Funding will be targeted to residents with a demonstrated financial and water quality need. 

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recommends a $3 million general fund request in 2025 for in-home water treatment systems to remove nitrates from drinking water. This is in addition to a framework of plans in place and in motion toward addressing nitrate issues in the state highlighted by the EPA in 2023. 

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Legislative Activity the week of April 8-12 

LCC Subcommittee on Water Policy (4/8/24) 
The subcommittee met virtually on Monday, 4/8. The committee reviewed proposed legislation related to water policy, including the AFREC renewal. The report linked below includes the presentation slides. 

MN House Ag Committee (4/11/24) 
  • HF 3411 (Fischer) Minnesota Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council fee extended for the agricultural fertilizer research and education account. 
 
  • Informational hearing on the DE1 to HF 4989 (Pursell) Clean water, climate-start, and soil-healthy farming goals established; pilot program to provide financial incentives for farming practices in southeastern Minnesota created; fertilizer fee extended; data collection required; and money appropriated. 
HF 4989 -- DE1 Pursell.pdf - 4/9/2024 (which is proposed to be amended by the A3) 

HF 4989 proposed to create a new program, “KARST REGION CLEAN WATER, CLIMATE-SMART, AND​ SOIL-HEALTHY FARMING PILOT PROGRAM,” that would provide direct payment to farmers who implement several of the outlined farming practices related to "Clean water, climate-smart, and soil-healthy farming." 

This pilot program is funded by redirecting the $.40 per ton fertilizer fee revenues that the AFREC research projects to fund this new program. MCPR is opposed to this funding mechanism and advocates for a clean renewal of AFREC and extending the sunset date for 10 years. 
Upcoming Legislative Action 

MN Senate Ag Committee (4/15 to 4/17) 
 
S.F. 5365 Putnam Agricultural provisions modifications and appropriation 
 
S.F. 3955Putnam Agricultural growth, research and innovation program base funding increase 
  • Omnibus agriculture finance bill.  
 
  • SF 3955 (Putnam) is the vehicle for the Committee’s omnibus finance bill. The Committee intends to walk through the DE amendment and take testimony on Monday, 4/15. The Committee will hold member discussion, consider further amendments, and take a final vote on Wednesday, 4/17. 
 
House Ag Committee (4/15 to 4/18) 
Chair Vang indicated that she intends to post the House Omnibus bill (in the form of a deleted everything amendment to a vehicle bill), on Monday, 4/15. 
The committee will walk through the bill and take testimony on Tuesday, 4/16.   

Proposed amendments are due by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, 4/17. 

The committee members will discuss and mark up the bill on Thursday, 4/18. 
 
House Environment Committee (4/15 to 4/17) 
Walk-through and Public Testimony of Delete-All amendment to HF3911 (Hansen) Environment and Natural Resources Supplemental Finance and Policy Bill on Tuesday, 4/16. 
 
*An author’s delete-all amendment to HF3911 (Hansen) will be posted on Monday, April 15, 2024. The deadline to submit amendments to the Committee Administrator is 7:00 pm on Tuesday, 4/16. 
 
No action will be taken during this meeting. Action will be taken on amendments and the bill on Wednesday, 4/17. 
Industry Related News
Dicamba Updates  
Here are some comments from Dave Voller, Business Representative, BASF 
“The EPA Existing Stocks order was very clear on how retailers and distributors were to handle their existing stocks. Here is the email that BASF retailers received. 

BASF acknowledges the U.S. EPA’s EPA Order for the Disposition of Existing Stocks (the “EPA Order”) issued on February 14, 2024, that conditionally allows the use of existing stocks of Engenia® herbicide by growers and commercial Applicators, as well as the sale and distribution of Engenia herbicide that was packaged, labeled, and released for shipment prior to February 6, 2024. 

BASF suspended selling and shipping Engenia herbicide on February 6, 2024, while awaiting further direction from the U.S. EPA. Based on EPA’s February 14, 2024 Order, BASF will continue to not sell or distribute Engenia herbicide in the United States. 

Many farmers rely on over-the-top applications of dicamba as a valuable tool to control resistant weeds. These weeds can significantly impact yields as they compete for the same water and nutrients as the crop, which can lead to significant financial harm to the farmer. Most soybean and cotton farmers have made seed and chemistry purchase decisions and, in some cases, are preparing to plant their 2024 crop in the coming weeks. As a result, the EPA Order should enable those soybean and cotton farmers who rely on over-the-top dicamba to use Engenia herbicide to control resistant weeds for the 2024 season. 

BASF continues to review the Court’s Order and is assessing its legal options and remains committed to working with the EPA and other stakeholders to identify workable, durable weed control solutions for dicamba-tolerant crops and serving its customers by offering effective crop protection solutions. 

Please reference https://www.engeniaherbicide.com/update.html for further information. 
 
Below are some notes from Robby Vander Veen, Field Sales Representative Bayer Crop Science Crop Protection. 

“The interpretation we’ve provided groups commercial applicators & custom applicators together, stating that they can both sell and invoice XtendiMax up until the use date. We also defer to the local crop protection retailer for how they define movement of product, and how they should be classified. 

If a retailer does not offer commercial application – they are not considered a commercial applicator and must comply with the appropriate May sale date for their region.  

Even if the grower is going to be applying the product themselves, but their purchase is to come from a retailer that is classified as a commercial applicator, that grower will be able to still buy product up to the appropriate June use date.”  

 
For more information on Tavium, check out the information provided on Syngeta’s website https://www.syngenta-us.com/herbicides/tavium-application-stewardship.  
What Holds Back No-till, Cover Crop Adoption? 
Farmers and other ag professionals share what they believe it will take for more operations to adopt no-till and cover crops. 

Get 10, 100 or 1,000 farmers together who believe no-till and cover crops are the right way to farm. This question will come up: How can we get more people to change their attitudes about no-till and cover crops? 

Is there a definitive answer? Probably not. But there are lots of opinions about why no-till and cover crops are one of the best-kept secrets in agriculture. 
The following people addressed this question at a recent workshop: Ken Rulon, no-tiller, Hamilton County, Ind.; Pat Karst, vice president of Halderman Farm Management and Real Estate Services, Wabash, Ind.; Alan Weber, ag economist with the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture and a farmer; Diana Rulon, Hamilton County no-tiller and liaison for the Indiana Smart Agriculture Work Group; Dan DeSutter, no-tiller, Attica, Ind.; and Brenda Sermersheim, no-tiller and ag lender in Dubois County, Ind. 

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Top 10 Ag Retailers With the Most Revenue in Precision Ag Services 
While our annual CropLife 100 ranking is based on sales from crop inputs (e.g., seed, fertilizer, crop protection products) and custom application, it doesn’t include other key categories such as precision ag services and products. And yet we still track this additional information to help us get a more complete understanding of the revenue portfolios of the largest ag retailers in the country. As it turns out, our audience really wants to know this critical information, too. 

  
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The Four Pillars of Effective Hiring in Agribusiness 
The interview and selection process can be challenging for many managers. It can be downright daunting considering a new study by Forbes that confirms 70% of job applicants admit to lying on a resume, and 76% have exaggerated items in their cover letter! 

Therefore, just because candidates appear great on paper does not mean they will perform well in your open position. Studies like this and increasing employee turnover rates (the annual percentage of employees leaving an organization) confirm that a resume and an interview focused on the role and past experiences are no longer enough to get a feel for a candidate’s true potential in your organization. 

The Four Pillars include: 
  • 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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What’s New With Agriculture Drones? 
Judging by the winter trade show circuit, drones are making greater inroads into farm country than ever before. 

The agricultural drone market is on the upswing. The latest research by Drone Industry Insights projects the overall market to expand from $3.6 billion in 2024 to $5.7 billion by 2030. 

Farmers in particular are starting to take notice and consider drone technology more often. In the past it was more of a niche tool commonly used by agronomists and consultants. 

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Partner News/
Announcements  
Anhydrous Safety Should be Top Concern This Spring 
The MDA offers safety tips for those maintaining equipment and applying and transporting NH3 

St. Paul, MN: Many farmers and applicators will soon apply anhydrous ammonia (NH3) prior to planting or sidedress after planting. Even with a rush against time and the weather, safety should never be compromised. Accidents involving anhydrous ammonia have proven how dangerous and deadly the chemical can be when not handled properly. 

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MDA Pesticide & Fertilizer Management Division (PFMD) 
This newsletter provides information about the MDA Pesticide & Fertilizer Management Division (PFMD) events, programs, policies and regulations. 
Minnesota Law Requires Retailers to Post the MPCA’s Treated Seed Disposal Guidance in a Conspicuous Location 
Treated seed includes any seed that will be planted for the purpose of growing live plants to which a substance has been applied, such as insecticide or fungicide. Minnesota law requires that treated seed offered for sale be labeled to indicate it has been treated. Minnesota law also requires retailers to post the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) treated seed disposal guidance in a conspicuous location at any Minnesota location where treated seed is sold. The guidance is available at: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/w-hw4-51.pdf.  

The Minnesota Seed Regulatory Program (SRP) at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) conducts inspections at all facilities where seed is all sold, conditioned, and transported in Minnesota. During inspections, seed inspectors have been documenting that the treated seed disposal guidance document is posted in a conspicuous location; if not, they provide a copy and ensure it’s posted. Many sites already have the guidance document posted when the inspector arrives, indicating awareness of the new requirement. The SRP predicts over 200 inspections will have been completed by the end of the seed inspection season, which spans from January through May. More information about the MDA’s Seed Regulatory Program can be found at: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/buying-selling-seed-minnesota
BWSR Awards more than $17 Million in Soil Health Grants 
39 local governments selected to receive funding to support increasing capacity for soil health programs. 

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) awarded more than $17 million in grant funding to 39 soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) to support soil health efforts throughout the state. 

The grants will fund supplemental staffing to boost local expertise related to soil health initiatives. 

“Soil and water conservation districts play a key role in helping landowners understand and adopt soil health practices such as no-till, cover crops and rotational grazing,” BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke said. “These grants will increase our local partners’ capacity to provide these services in their communities.” 

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How The Mosaic Company Is Elevating Soil Health and Crop Nutrition 
Recently, The Mosaic Company hosted members of the agriculture community in Florida to tour their phosphate operations, visit a 1,600-acre reclamation area, and learn more about the company’s Advanced Crop Nutrition (ACN) program, which is supported by Mosaic Biosciences’BioPath and PowerCoat. These two biological fertilizer components are formulated with proven strains of PGPR — Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria — that increase nutrient availability, uptake, and utilization. 

Following are excerpts of my conversation with Keith Byerly, Commercial Sustainability Lead, The Mosaic Company, and Matt Sowder, Director of Field Operations, Mosaic Biosciences. 

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Bayer Leads New Coalition to Advocate for Farmers’ Access to Glyphosate and Other Crop Protection Tools  
Grower and industry groups from across the country have joined together to support a new coalition, the Modern Ag Alliance, to protect American farmers’ access to critical crop protection tools farmers need to ensure a robust and affordable food supply. Working alongside federal and state policymakers, more than 60 diverse agriculture organizations, led by Bayer, have aligned to voice their support for legislative solutions that ensure consistency in labeling and the continued domestic availability of innovations for farming. 

The Modern Ag Alliance is working with agricultural partners and policymakers across the country to reinforce the importance of science-based regulation. Specifically, the need to ensure any pesticide registered with the EPA – and sold under a label consistent with the EPA’s own determinations – is sufficient to satisfy requirements for health and safety warnings.​ 

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