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MCPR Summer Golf Event
The 2025 annual golf outing will be held Thursday, August 14 at The Wilds Golf Club in Prior Lake, MN.
Watch your inbox for further details and registration information in the coming months!
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Donald Trump sworn in as president
From Politico
Donald Trump took the oath of office as the nation’s 47th president at 12:02 p.m. on Monday, marking a historic comeback for a president who has promised to disrupt Washington even more so than he did during his first term.
Full story.
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Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) delivered remarks at the start of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony
From CBS News
Watch
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Trump returns to power after unprecedented comeback, emboldened to reshape American institutions
From The Minnesota Star Tribune
Donald Trump began erasing Joe Biden's legacy immediately after taking office as the nation's 47th president, pardoning nearly all of his supporters who rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and issuing a blizzard of executive orders that signal his desire to remake American institutions.
Full story.
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Trump to lay out trade vision but won't impose new tariffs yet, official says
From Reuters
President Donald Trump did not immediately impose tariffs on Monday as previously promised but said he was thinking about imposing 25% duties on imports from Canada and Mexico on Feb. 1 over illegal immigrants and fentanyl crossing into the U.S.
As he was sworn into office, Trump stopped well short of a swift tariff action against the two U.S. neighbors, but directed federal agencies to investigate persistent U.S. trade deficits and unfair trade practices and alleged currency manipulation by other countries.
Full story.
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Trump’s executive orders: What they mean for farmers
From Farm Progress
In case you haven’t heard, Donald Trump is back in the Oval Office on a mission to revamp the government. During his more than 2,800-word inauguration speech (the longest in nearly 100 years), the 45th and now 47th president vowed to make the United States the envy of every nation.
Full story.
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Key Takeaways from Brooke Rollins’ Confirmation Hearing for Agriculture Secretary
From The Scoop
Brooke Rollins, President Trump’s nominee for Agriculture Secretary, addressed several issues during her confirmation hearing on Jan. 23 in an attempt to position herself as a supporter of diverse agricultural interests and commit to protecting producers.
In her opening statement, Rollins outlined several key priorities for USDA if confirmed, as is expected:
- Rapid deployment of disaster and economic assistance authorized by Congress.
- Addressing current animal disease outbreaks.
- Modernizing and realigning USDA.
- Ensuring long-term prosperity for rural communities.
Full story.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces Key Slate of Presidential Appointments
From U.S. Department of Agriculture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the names of the following individuals who will hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C. These appointees have been selected to implement President Trump’s America First agenda, ensuring that the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers remain a top priority.
Full story.
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President-elect fills key leadership posts at USDA
From Brownfield
President-elect Donald Trump has announced several picks to fill key roles at the USDA.
Luke Lindberg, the president and CEO of South Dakota Trade, an organization that helps companies with international trade issues, has been named Undersecretary for trade and foreign ag affairs. In a post on Truth Social Thursday, the incoming president said Lindberg will “work to make sure American farmers and ranchers get the smart trade deals they deserve”. Lindberg’s father-in-law is Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota. Lindberg will replace Alexis Taylor, who is headed to the International Fresh Produce Association next month to serve as its chief global policy officer.
Full story.
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MN Supreme Court rules on Minnesota House quorum, voiding GOP actions thus far
From KARE 11
A Minnesota Supreme Court ruling has cleared up a major point of contention in the ongoing drama at the Minnesota House of Representatives.
The Court ruled Friday that the Minnesota Constitution requires 68 members to be present in the House to constitute a quorum to conduct business. Since the start of the legislative session last week, Republicans have been conducting business with only its 67 members present, as all DFL members have boycotted the session thus far.
Full story.
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Walz proposes slimmed-down 2026-27 state budget, sales tax changes
From Session Daily
This is an odd-numbered year, and so the Legislature is constitutionally required to craft a budget to fund the state government for the next two fiscal years.
Gov. Tim Walz took a major first step in that process Thursday by announcing his proposed 2026-27 biennium budget, which totals $65.9 billion in General Fund spending. This is a slimming down from the $70.7 billion General Fund appropriations for the current 2024-25 biennium.
Full story.
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Walz urges lawmakers to end a power struggle upending the Minnesota Legislature
From ABC
Gov. Tim Walz urged lawmakers Thursday to end a power struggle that has disrupted the first week of Minnesota’s 2025 legislative session, but expressed support for House Democrats’ boycott of the chamber to block Republicans from wielding power.
House Republicans hold a temporary 67-66 majority until a special election to fill a vacant seat on Jan. 28. Democrats, who have refused to attend the session since it opened Tuesday, contend a quorum under the state constitution requires 68 members to be present and that the House cannot conduct any business without a quorum.
Full story.
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Unforced errors put DFL House in worse-than-a-tie position, but GOP’s high hopes for a majority could end in court
From Minnpost
If the Minnesota House was a tennis match, what has happened to the once-majority DFL caucus would be described as unforced errors.
It was the voters in a handful of districts that turned their four-seat majority into a 67-67 seat tie with Republicans. But since then, the 2025 session has been knocked on its head by a pair of missteps that the DFL House and a pair of DFL elected officials can’t blame on anyone else.
Full story.
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MN Elected Officials and Key Contacts
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Next Level Nitrogen Management With Three Modes of Action
From Ag Web
With three modes of action to increase nitrogen use efficiency, N-Finity from Loveland Products is now available at Nutrien Ag Solutions retail locations.
The introduction of N-Finity is an extension of Nutrien’s “purpose-built approach” to biologicals, and it brings three ways to improve nitrogen management in a single product and application.
Full story.
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USDA: Corn Production Down, Soybean Production Up in 2024
From CropLife
Corn production declined, while soybean production increased from last year, according to the 2024 Crop Production Annual Summary released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
U.S. corn growers produced 14.9 billion bushels in 2024, down 3% from 2023. Corn yield in the United States is estimated at 179.3 bushels per acre, 2.0 bushels above 2023 and a record high. Area harvested for grain, at 82.9 million acres in 2024, is down 4% from 2023.
Full story.
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Precision Planting introduces spraying, scouting options
From Farm Progress
Want to control weeds better and perhaps save money too? The folks at Precision Planting believe their upgrades for sprayers can help achieve those goals. SymphonyVision is a new product family that upgrades the currently available SymphonyNozzle PWM system. There are two different options: SymphonyVision Rate and SymphonyVision Spot.
Full story.
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Is There A Silver Lining Beyond “Insanely High” Phosphate Prices?
From Ag Web
Looking ahead to 2025’s growing season, StoneX’s Josh Linville understands why farmers have delayed fertilizer buys to see if product prices come down. But he doesn’t advise being too optimistic.
Full story.
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Make Fertilizer Decisions With Confidence and Insight
From Ag Web
There’s no doubt farmers are hunting to cut costs in 2025 — and one of the targets to trim is fertility.
“If your fertility is in good shape, there’s probably room to pull back a little bit,” says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal field agronomist. “If you’re going to cut back on fertility for next year, let the soil test do the talking.”
Full story.
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John Deere Fires Back at FTC Lawsuit
From Crop Life
Manufacturers of fertilizer spreaders continue to innovate. Peruse through this year’s lineup of units and you’ll find several new upgrades and enhancements to the latest models on the market. Take GVM’s 2025 X-Series Prowler, for instance. It boasts one of the industry’s highest-capacity spray systems at 1,800 gallons and has the largest spreader body with 13 tons of capacity, according to the company. Or how about RBR Enterprise’s totally redesigned cab for 2025. Upgrades include a more spacious and quieter cab, featuring increased headroom and advanced noise reduction, ensuring comfort during long hours in the field. And then there’s the new feature for this year’s version of the Trident 5550 combination applicator from Case IH. The unit now offers a Dry Hi-Flow variant that nearly doubles the hydraulic output of the standard chassis.
Full story.
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13 Fertilizer Spreaders Designed to Innovate in 2025
From The Scoop
There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.” This quote from Vladimir Lenin is particularly relevant as globalism, the dominant economic system of the past several decades, faces radical transformation entering 2025.
Full story.
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How Insecticides Are Shaping the Future of Agriculture
From CropLife
Insecticides have played a pivotal role in modern agriculture, safeguarding crops from harmful pests that threaten food security. As the global population continues to rise, farmers are under increasing pressure to maximize yields and ensure sustainable farming practices. Today, insecticides are evolving with advancements in biotechnology, precision agriculture, and environmentally friendly formulations.
Full story.
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U of MN Extension - Minnesota Crop News
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Webinar: Family Farms, the Endangered Species Act, and Our Environment
- EPA Herbicide Strategy and ESA Mitigation
Fri, Jan 31, 2025 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CST
- Join us for a webinar featuring Stanley Culpepper, Ph.D., Extension Weed Scientist with the University of Georgia, covering details of the EPA’s Herbicide Strategy, ESA mitigation requirements, and how you can prepare your operation.
REGISTER NOW
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ARA Webinar: H-2A vs H-2B 101: What Your Business Needs to Know
As the labor landscape continues to pose challenges, more businesses are turning to H-2 visas to solve their shortages—ensure you have the tools to be successful with these highly regulated programs.
Learn the in's and out's of both the H-2A and H-2B programs for employers in the live webinar hosted by ARA and másLabor on Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. EST. Subject matter experts will discuss the requirements, barriers to entry, and best practices for employers, including pertinent current events.
REGISTER
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