Invasive weeds make yet another first appearance in southeast Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has positively identified the invasive weed Palmer amaranth in Winona County.
It’s official. Palmer Amaranth has made its first appearance in Winona County down in southeast Minnesota. (Photo from MDA.org)
The MDA was contacted by crop consultants after they discovered several suspect plants in a soybean field. MDA staff scouted the area and removed 20 Palmer amaranth plants, which were then confirmed as Palmer by genetic testing. The field has since been treated with a herbicide application, and follow-up scouting by the MDA did not find any new invasive weeds. The site will be monitored for three years for any new Palmer amaranth.
The MDA is trying to determine the source of the invasive weed.
Now is the time when Palmer amaranth becomes visible in agricultural fields. The MDA is asking farmers, crop consultants, and agronomists to report any suspicious plants to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Arrest the Pest line at 1-888-545-6684 or arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us.
If you’re one of the fortunate ones who haven’t seen Palmer Amaranth show up in your fields, here’s a quick refresher on identifying the plant, courtesy of Purdue University.
Since it was first discovered in the state in 2016, Palmer amaranth has been found in nine Minnesota counties, including Winona County. Details of previous finds can be found on the MDA website.
Palmer amaranth is listed as a noxious weed in Minnesota. All above and below ground parts of the plant must be destroyed, and it cannot be moved. The weed is also listed as a prohibited weed seed in the state. This means no Palmer amaranth is allowed in any seed offered for sale in Minnesota.
Left uncontrolled, a single female Palmer amaranth plant typically produces 100,000-500,000 seeds. It is resistant to multiple herbicides, can cause substantial yield losses, and greatly increase weed management costs in soybeans and corn.
Honest talk can get you in so much trouble these days, primarily because no one wants to hear it. I bet you knew right away I was referring to politics, right?
Politics is not my choice of prime topics to write about these days. It’s positively exhausting and you’re going to get a guaranteed argument just because you dared to criticize someone from the same political party as any potential reader that comes across your site. However, sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me. After all, you know what curiosity did to the cat, right?
We have an awful lot of people who’ve spent decades working here. Based on the last several decades, does their body of work say they’re working for the people who elected them or for their own appetites? Let’s try a little honest talk and say no. So why do we keep voting for them over and over? (Photo from ncoa.org)
I didn’t vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in the last election. My attitude toward both political parties is less-than-trusting. I voted for the third-party candidate because I thought he was the most qualified, even though I knew he’d never win. Was that wasting my vote? Depends on who you ask, I guess. However, I held my head high leaving the polling location because I voted my conscience.
I wish more people would vote for the best candidates, rather than just check the “R” or “D” boxes behind each candidate’s name, regardless of the position they’re running for. Minnesota is awful at that. Go back in history to find out how long Democrats have had primary control of state government. It’s longer than you think.
But I digress. That’s not my main point here.
As a non-Trump voter, I’ve been marveling over the past four years at the level of hate for the guy, simply because he’s not a member of the political elite. I’m not a big fan of his, primarily because of the way he’s handled U.S. agriculture, which is something near and dear to my heart, over the past four years. However, when you look at American politics these days, something is standing out as a bigger problem than the guy in the Oval Office.
Democrats (and more than a few Republicans) will list off all the reasons the U.S. is in trouble because of the current president, and frankly, there are some things I’ll agree with. However, my question is how much trouble can one guy be when he’s been in office for four years compared to people who’ve been in power for multiple decades? Well, that got me wondering about the shysters who’ve been in Congress for a long time and how they can call Trump our biggest problem?
According to The Stacker Dot Com website (all of these numbers are from late last year, so you do the math from there), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has been in the Senate for almost 35 YEARS. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has been in the House for just over 32 YEARS! Dianne Feinstein of California (boy, she appears to be quite honest and upfront, doesn’t she?) has been in office for just shy of 27 years. Heck, the 49th-longest-tenured member of Congress is David Price, who represents North Carolina, and he’s been in office “only” 23 years.
Even more insane is the fact that the longest-tenured member of Congress is Republican Don Young. He’s been in office for almost HALF-A-CENTURY at 48 years. Republican Pat Leahy of Vermont has been in office 45 years!
Are we just lazy? That’s not a rhetorical question, either. I’m looking for an answer because people can’t seem to grasp the fallacy of sending the same people over and over into government. Have you ever heard the cliché “absolute power corrupts absolutely?” It’s a cliché for a reason. It’s true. More honest talk here; You cannot look at Washington, D.C. today and not see the corruption on BOTH sides of the aisle.
But I digress, again. My question is this; How on Earth can Trump be our biggest problem when these morons have been in office for DECADES and had a chance to show real leadership and fix at least SOME of the problems we are dealing with now? Do you honestly think that they’re going to fix our problems NOW, as opposed to decades ago when they took office? Why is right now any different from the last 20, 30, or even 40 years?
Surely you can see the dangers inherent in keeping the same people in power for long periods of time, right? Eventually, those people begin to expect it. If they don’t have to worry about being elected because we keep sending them to DC, do they REALLY work for us anymore?
Maybe we need to send some of these people who’ve spent all this time in Congress packing. Is it even remotely possible that when they’re yelling about Trump to the mainstream “media,” they’re trying to distract you from something else they don’t want you to know about? That’s a rhetorical question because it’s exactly what they’re doing.
These long-time “leaders” have had their shot. Politicians have been padding their pockets and sowing division in this country for decades. They throw money at problems instead of trying to actually do some good. Here’s some really honest talk; It’s past time for some new ideas and new blood.
Dicamba products; So can Minnesota farmers use it or not? That Ninth Circuit Court Ruling last week left a lot of producers in limbo. Here’s the latest update from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
Upon further review of state law and while awaiting guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the ruling of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals regarding dicamba products, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture will continue operating under existing pesticide program authorities. According to Minnesota law, an unregistered pesticide previously registered in the state may be used following the cancellation of the registration of the pesticide.
At this time Minnesota farmers can use XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology (EPA Reg. No. 524-617), Engenia Herbicide (EPA Reg. No. 7969-345), and DuPont FeXapan with VaporGrip Technology (EPA Reg. No. 352-913) while following all federal and Minnesota label requirements. (Tavium Plus VaporGrip Technology (EPA Reg. No. 100-1623) was not part of the two-year federal registration and can still be used according to the label). The Department does not anticipate taking enforcement action against those who continue to appropriately use these products. This may change at any time pending additional guidance from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“The Circuit Court of Appeals decision to revoke the use of these products was, unfortunately, very untimely for our farmers as many had already purchased the herbicide for this growing season,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Timing is critical for farmers to apply the products and our further interpretation of Minnesota law allows us to use these products.”
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is keeping things as they were with regards to farmers using Dicamba products. They’re awaiting further guidance from the EPA before making a final decision. As of right now, it’s business as usual. (Photo from thecounter.org)
As a reminder, all dicamba pesticide applicators in Minnesota must follow use instructions on the product label including the timing restrictions below. Dicamba products cannot be applied to dicamba-tolerant (DT) soybeans in Minnesota if any of the following conditions has occurred. Whichever cutoff time occurs first will determine whether a person can apply a given product to DT soybeans until June 20, 2020.
Forty-five (45) days after planting. The federal labels for XtendiMax, Engenia, FeXapan, and Tavium prohibit application more than 45 days after planting.
Once the R1 growth stage begins (beginning bloom). The federal labels for XtendiMax, Engenia, and FeXapan prohibit this. The R1 stage is when at least 1 flower appears on the plant on any node on the main stem.
After the V4 growth stage. The federal label for Tavium prohibits application after the V4 growth stage.
After June 20, 2020. The Minnesota Special Local Need (SLN) label, which must be in possession of the applicator at the time of application, prohibits this for all four dicamba products. The SLN labels are available on the MDA website at mda.state.mn.us/24c
In Minnesota, all four dicamba products are “Restricted Use Pesticides” for retail sale to, and for use only by, certified applicators who have complete dicamba or auxin-specific training.
Warmer weather and longer days mean it’s time for farmers’ markets to open for the season. At your local farmers’ market this year, customers will still be able to support Minnesota farmers markets and the state’s producers by purchasing all of their favorite produce and products, with a few new changes to ensure everyone’s safety.
Minnesota Farmers’ Markets have been deemed an essential business and market vendors and managers are working hard to plan a safe and successful season. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Shopping the Farmers’ Market during COVID-19 guide helps customers know what they can do to ensure a safe market visit too.
Market shoppers should expect that things will look a little different this year at the market. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers’ markets have implemented new practices for protecting the health and safety of vendors and customers. These new practices may include physical barriers to separate customers and vendors, limits on the number of people in the market at one time, or pre-pay and pre-ordering systems. Despite these changes, the markets are still a great way to find local and fresh food, as well as celebrate the growing season!
Minnesota has more farmers markets than ever before. (photo by localharvest.org)
“Now is a perfect time to discover your local farmers market,” said Maple Grove Farmers Market Manager Kirsten Bansen Weigle. “During this time, many of us are looking for foods grown locally with minimal handling. That’s what you’ll find at your local market! Please connect with favorite markets online to learn about their COVID-19 response plans and how to be a safe market shopper.”
Eager customers can expect a bounty of early spring crops at the market: from rhubarb to leafy greens, spring onion, and asparagus, there is fresh produce to enjoy at the market already. Many vendors are also selling local products from Minnesota farms like maple syrup, baked goods, meat, eggs and cheese.
It’s easy to find a nearby farmers’ market by searching the Minnesota Grown Directory, which has 192 farmers’ markets and more than 1,000 total farm and market listings. Directory users can search by product, city, zip code, or look along a route to discover local foods and products for sale near them.
The Minnesota State FFA Convention went virtual this year, but was no less exciting for a large number of students wearing blue jackets from all over the state. (Photo from KEYC.com)
The Minnesota state FFA Association’s convention is a culminating event for thousands of FFA members, agricultural education teachers, and supporters each spring. The virtual convention was filled with moments of celebrating student and chapter successes, gaining education and leadership experiences, and thanking partners and supporters.
“The goals of our convention never changed; the delivery changed,” said Lavyne Rada, Minnesota state FFA regional director. “We are proud to have celebrated the accomplishments of our students and teachers this year.”
The association’s 91st convention highlighted the importance of agriculture education across nearly 200 Minnesota schools where 270 teachers provide students with classroom instruction surrounding agriculture, food, and natural resources. Those courses allow these same students to take on work-based learning projects known as Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects as research, entrepreneurial or placement efforts and earn awards and degrees through membership in FFA. FFA and SAE are integral components of school-based agricultural education.
Next year’s Minnesota state FFA leadership team. (Photo from morningagclips.com)
“When it became clear our convention would be virtual this year, our team of state officers and leaders rose to the challenge,” said Juleah Tolosky, Minnesota FFA executive director. “The result surpassed our expectations both from a participation perspective and from the way the convention components came together.”Tolosky said the success of FFA’s leadership component was very clear during the adjustments made by student leaders to adjust convention activities due to COVID-19.
“I can not say enough about the six individuals on our Minnesota state FFA State Officer team and the maturity with which they accepted their disappointment in not celebrating their year in person, and the creativity they brought to bear in designing the virtual event,” said Tolosky.
Educational Experiences
Forty interactive virtual workshops, panels, and tours provided more than 500 students and 100 supporters an opportunity to engage as they learned about agriculture, leadership, college and careers. Opportunities were further expanded through viewership of online award ceremonies and keynotes highlighting the achievements of the Minnesota FFA’s top members.
Agricultural education is a foundational component of FFA. That is why the convention also included recognition of 24 high school seniors who plan to pursue agricultural education at colleges next fall, with the intent to enter the classroom. These students were part of a workshop called “Tagged to Teach Ag.” A signing event identifying the students and featuring Minnesota Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker can be viewed on YouTube.
“Those commitments are key to the future education of students,” said Paul Aarsvold, president of the Minnesota Association of Agriculture Educators (MAAE) and an agriculture teacher/FFA advisor at Plainview-Elgin-Millville.
“Demand for these teachers is higher than what we have been able to fulfill in the past few years,” said Aarsvold. “The wide area of subjects taught in agricultural education makes this curriculum highly valuable to future success in the workforce.”The FFA State Convention was supported by contributions from more than 100 companies, organizations and individuals who invest in the future through agricultural education. Those funds, made through the Minnesota FFA Foundation, assist with award programs as well as operations related to putting on the event.The virtual Minnesota FFA Convention is archived on YouTube.com/MinnesotaFFA, on mnffa.org and on the Minnesota FFA Association social media platforms.
About Minnesota FFA
FFA is a national organization developing students’ potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education with more than 700,000 members in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Minnesota FFA Association represents nearly 11,000 members and 200 high school chapters across the state. Agricultural education engages students through hands-on learning in the classroom, work-based learning opportunities known as Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects, and FFA activities.
You can learn more about the experiences of FFA members and supporters by visitingwww.mnffa.org andwww.ffa.org.
Randy Roeker of Loganville, Wisconsin,, pictured here with country music star WIllie Nelson, is the man behind the Farmer Angel Network in Wisconsin. (Photo from Facebook.com)
“Farmer Angel Network.” It just seems like something weird to say because you don’t typically use the words “farmer” and “angel” in the same sentence. However, the old saying that “necessity is the mother of invention” is a true one. More than half a decade of struggle in the agricultural industry has taken a big toll on farmers, so the Farmer Angel Network began in Wisconsin to give producers a safe place to talk about what they’re going through.
Randy Roeker is a Loganville, Wisconsin-based farmer who started the Farmer Angel Network after going through struggles of his own early in his farming career, a career that began shortly before the recession began in the late 2000s. It hit him hard.
A Growing Dairy Farm
“I started out milking 50 cows here,” he recalled. “Around 20 years ago, we decided to expand the operation. We kept growing and eventually we were milking around 190 cows in a 50-stanchion barn. At that time, we decided to build a new operation, so we built a new milking parlor.
“Then, of course we’d just finished building the new place when the recession hit in 2008,” Roeker said. “The anxiety got so bad for me and I got a bad case of depression. I thought I’d be the last person to come down with depression, and when I did, my thought was ‘I never want this to happen to anybody’ after I got through it.”
At one point, Roeker says they were milking close to 300 cows and losing roughly $30,000 a month. He had heard figures of other farmers losing $60-$100 a cow.
Farmer Angel Network Begins
Ten years later, Roeker decided to put together a meeting in his local church in Loganville. Little did he know how much his meetings would get noticed. At the first meeting, they were interviewed by someone from the Wisconsin State Journal. That report was released on the Associated Press Network and the story wound up all over the country.
“We next had Soledad O’Brien of the weekly syndicated talk show Matter of Fact send a correspondent up here and they interviewed everyone at our meeting,” Roeker said. “Right after that, NBC News with Lester Holt was out here at my farm, so we made NBC News talking about the work we are doing.
“What we’re doing is designed to help farmers overcome the mental challenges associated with farming,” he said. “We talk about different topics to help see these guys through the tough times. Those tough times, unfortunately, affected one of my neighbors so badly that he took his own life.”
Mental Health Struggles and Farmer Suicide
Roeker said the suicide hit him hard. The farmer who took his own life was a member of Roeker’s church. That unfortunate event took the Loganville farmer back to where he’d been ten years earlier. “I remembered feeling so alone, I didn’t have anyone to turn to, and my family had no idea what to do with depression,” he recalled. “I happened to see my therapist the very next day after the suicide and told her it’s now my calling to help other farmers.”
Roeker, pictured here in his dairy that was built just before the recession of the late 2000s, decided two years ago that his calling in life was to help other farmers avoid the severe case of depression he went through. (Photo from Facebook.com)
Farmers are self-reliant and independent people who don’t typically want to talk to others about the tough stuff they go through. However, Roeker says he gave them a safe environment to talk in and they’re taking advantage of the meetings. “One of the things we stress is it’s okay to talk about stuff like this,” Roeker said. “We need to shed the stigma of depression in farm country.”
That’s tough to do when dairy farmers are having to dump their milk and hog farmers are unfortunately having to euthanize hogs because there’s nowhere to send them to be processed. “Luckily, we’re not having to dump our milk here, but I do have several friends across the country that are and it’s just a shame,” he said.
“That’s why it’s so important to talk about anxiety and depression because all producers, no matter what crops they grow or livestock they raise, are going through the stress,” Roeker said, “and they just don’t know which way to turn.”
People can find out more about the Farmer Angel Network on their Facebook page. You can also find Randy Roeker on Facebook. “I’ve been talking one-on-one to people from all over the country who see my name in the media and reach out,” Roeker says, “I welcome that because I’ve been through it and I don’t want anyone else to feel so alone that they can’t reach out and talk.”
Overcoming Farmer Reluctance to Talk About Depression
Little by little, Roeker thinks people in his area are getting over the stigma of talking about depression and struggles. Still, it’s a work in progress. He says farmers have driven to his meetings from several hours away, likely because at least some of them don’t want their neighbors to know about their struggles. One thing Roeker would like to see is the Farmer Angel Network spread to other communities and even other states.
“I’ve talked to at least five people about starting these meetings in their own communities,” he added. “Everyone needs to talk out their problems and when we get together like this, it’s a safe setting with like-minded people.”
Minnesota FFA will be recognizing 91 years of success in school-based agricultural education as the organization will hold its annual Minnesota FFA convention virtually May 19-21. Organization leaders will use a virtual format to conduct a portion of the activities which normally take place during the State FFA Convention held in late April at the University of Minnesota.
“We are proud to provide an experience that can be accessed in real time, along with an opportunity for all students to take part in interactive workshops and panels, while recognizing student involvement and leadership,” said Juleah Tolosky, Minnesota FFA executive director.
The FFA Career and Leadership Development events which are an important part of a typical Minnesota FFA State Convention will not be held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the virtual format will include award ceremonies honoring individual success in Supervised Agricultural Experiences (i.e. Work-based Learning) within Agriscience projects, as well as Proficiency Awards, State FFA Degrees and State FFA Stars.
The FFA will also celebrate excellence in community service, agricultural literacy efforts and overall FFA chapter program excellence. Significant contributions of supporters will be honored through the Minnesota FFA Alumni Hall of Fame and Minnesota FFA Foundation recognition programs.
The convention, with Illuminate as its theme, will feature keynote speeches from FFA state and national officers, as well as the announcement of the 2020-2021 Minnesota FFA officer team. Convention content will be available on the Minnesota FFA YouTube Channel and will be shared on the organization’s Facebook and Instagram pages. “Changing the format of the event allows us to recognize students before the end of the school year and to eliminate financial or regulatory barriers that may have prevented students or entire programs from being able to participate,” said Tolosky.
Here’s a little throwback to last year’s opening session of the State FFA Convention.
“The current pandemic and its associated challenges also provided an opportunity for the current student officers on FFA chapter, region and state levels to take part in executive-level decision-making and practice servant leadership,” said Tolosky.
The FFA State Convention begins at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19. The Minnesota FFA Convention app, which supplies links to convention events, will be available beginning Friday, May 15 and can be downloaded at https://crowd.cc/mnffa2020 or https://crowd.cc/s/3M8i0. Additional details and the convention schedule can also be found at mnffa.org.
About Minnesota FFAFFA is a national organization developing students’ potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education with more than 700,000 members in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Minnesota FFA Association represents nearly 11,000 members and nearly 200 high school chapters across the state. Agricultural education engages students through hands-on learning in the classroom, work-based learning opportunities known as Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects and FFA activities. You can learn more about the experiences of FFA members and supporters by visitingwww.mnffa.org and www.ffa.org.
Here is the audio podcast with Ryan Martin that you can download to your computer. You can also play it on your mobile device. Just his the play arrow on the left.
Frost in the forecast is rarely a good thing in farm country during any season outside of winter. In an ideal world, the only exception is a killing frost after corn states hit black layer. Of course, we don’t always live in an ideal world, do we? Ryan Martin of Warsaw, Indiana, is a long-time agricultural meteorologist who says the threat of some frost damage will begin this weekend.
“The days most in question are Friday night, May 8, into Saturday morning,” he said. “The axis of the coldest air will come across eastern Minnesota, Wisconsin, east-to-northeast Iowa, northern Illinois, most of Indiana, as well as all of Michigan and Ohio. This is the zone where we’ll see temperatures at 30 degrees or colder.”
He said the coldest air looks to hit Michigan and Ohio this weekend, where we could see some big impact on soft red winter wheat, especially in Ohio. The frost timing is not good as wheat has woken up out of winter dormancy and is moving forward through its growth stages.
“The wheat is at the jointing stage and anytime the crop gets further into its growth, that means the wheat is a little more susceptible to cold temperatures,” Martin said, “depending on how much the temps fall and how long they’re under a certain threshold.
“If wheat is just breaking dormancy and you get a cold snap, you have to be under 28 degrees anywhere between three and five hours,” he added. “When we get into the jointing stage and further along, wheat can barely handle 30 degrees for an hour or two. That’s where the issue lies on wheat this weekend.”
Ryan Martin, Hoosier Ag Today meteorologist, says the fast pace of planting in 2020 is going to slow down for a few days due to cooler than normal temps in farm country. (Photo YouTube.com)
Corn and soybeans will hopefully be a different story. Based on the crop planting progress and emergence reports, Martin, Chief Meteorologist for the Hoosier Ag Today Radio Network, is much more optimistic about those crops being able to survive the freezing temps.
“Illinois leads the way with nine percent of its corn crop emerged,” he said. “In most areas, the growing point of the crop is still going to be below ground, so I don’t think it will mean anything for corn and soybeans on mortality. What it does do is slow down that incredibly fast-paced planting season we’ve seen in many states.”
A couple of other examples include Iowa, which was on a record planting pace during the last planting update, while Minnesota just to the north is no slouch either on planting progress. The Purdue University meteorology graduate says all of the “good stuff” that comes with early-planted corn gets slowed down and “stunted” because of the frost/freeze over the weekend and the extended run of below-normal temps that won’t end till the middle of next week.
“Cold air moved out of Canada and focused on the Great Lakes, Upper Midwest, and the northeastern United States,” Martin said. “However, there’s an interesting twist ahead in the forecast for the next seven-to-ten days. We’ll start to see temperatures in the below-normal areas start to moderate on May 13 through 15.
“Things will take a drastic switch after that,” he added. “We’ll see above-normal temps in the Eastern Corn Belt, while the Plains may drop down below normal through the last part of May. There’s a lot of air currents, different movements here, different patterns trying to emerge, and it all has to do with where polar air is shifting to this time of year.”
It’s been a bit of an unusual spring so far for many reasons, but I’m just talking about the weather. What we’ve seen so far in terms of temps and precipitation has been very different from recent years. There’s no question, a lot of states have seen temperatures consistently lower than what they normally expect.
“Big swings in spring temps aren’t unusual,” says Martin. “We’ve certainly seen them before. I think the reason it’s coming home to roost a little bit more and has people scratching their heads is the degree of change from the last several years.
“We’ve had pretty dog-gone decent springs over the past handful of years,” he recalled. “We’ve come out of winter early and been able to hit the ground running based on the temps. Last year, precipitation was a big problem, but the temperatures were still decent. This year is the first out of the past five or so that’s really showed us the kind of variability we can see in the spring.”
Ryan will do custom forecasts for your radio and TV stations. Check out his work at www.weatherstud.com.
Farmer optimism is in the dumper and there is no nice way to say it. COVID-19 and its economic impact, low commodity prices, trade wars, and weather have made life even more challenging. DTN found out that farmer optimism is at a record low. They’ve been doing a tri-annual survey of farmers for several years and this spring’s Agricultural Confidence Index hit an all-time low mark.
DTN Editor-in-Chief Greg Horstmeier says farmers optimism hit an all-time low in their triannual Agriculture Confidence Index. (Photo from rushvillerepublican.com)
The baseline for their survey is 100. Everything below 100 is pessimistic, and any number above 100 is considered optimistic.
“We do our survey in the spring, just before planting,” said DTN Editor-In-Chief Greg Horstmeier. “We also do one at harvest, and then our final survey is in December, which is basically farm tax time. The drop in the index from the last time we did this in December is not a surprise, given everything that’s going on.
“It was a record-sized drop down to an index reading of 67,” he added. “That’s a 97-point drop, which is even more remarkable because we’re hearing that agriculture is moving on as normal. Everyone is either getting ready to or heading out into the field, so that big of a damper on the survey results is surprising.”
Horstmeier said spring is typically the most optimistic time of the year for farmers. New crops are going into the ground, which automatically means a fresh start, especially if the year before was as tough as 2019. Low optimism in the spring isn’t unusual. What’s unusual about this survey is how pessimistic farmers are about the future outlook.
The future outlook is typically very optimistic during the spring survey. “This year, that index reading was 73, which means it dove hard into negative territory,” Horstmeier said. “That was the big takeaway for me. Not only does the current situation have farmers in a pessimistic state of mind, but they don’t have a lot of promise for the foreseeable future.”
Another thing that really stood out was just how prevalent the pessimism is in different sectors of agriculture. It didn’t matter what farmers grew or how big their operations were, either. Even in down years, there’s typically difference worth noting.
“We typically see at least some differences between, for example, livestock and crop producers,” Horstmeier said. “We’ve also seen regional differences, such as the Midwest may be less optimistic than farmers in the Southeast. The pessimism was across the board, regardless of location, income level, the crops they grew, and what kind of enterprises they had.”
Speaking of Midwest farmers, in this year’s survey they showed the most pessimism currently, yet they also had the most optimism for the future. Southeastern farmers were more optimistic about their current conditions (89) but felt less optimism for their future (56).
DTN also conducts a similar survey of agribusinesses. The index level came in at a just-above-neutral 104. Agribusinesses rated their current conditions at a slightly pessimistic 85. However, they were above neutral when looking at the future, coming in at 118.
Prevented planting, cover crops, and a wet fall taught farmers across the Midwest a lot of lessons going into 2020. The South Dakota NRCS has put together a short film
In this discussion, farmers and specialists go over some of the lessons learned in 2020.
Wet August 2019 conditions prevented some cover crops from being planted; farmers were left weighing up terminating covers in the fall or leaving them to overwinter and provide spring growth; the perspective of experienced cover croppers on their attitudes to reseeding of covers (e.g., buckwheat) and how they deal with them.
Cover crops and prevent plant acres in 2019; the South Dakota NRCS documented some lessons learned from last year and how they apply to the 2020 crop year. (Photo from NPR.org(
“Growing Resilience” is intended to help farmers and ranchers gain insights into 2020 crop year thinking from eight farmers and several technical specialists from the South Dakota NRCS and SDSU. Filmed in late-February 2020 in Mitchell and Crooks, SD, these recorded conversations offer candid comments on issues they faced on 2019 Prevented Planting acres, and how their soil improvement journey makes their fields more resilient.
These short video stories provide farmers and ranchers with ideas and options to consider now and for future growing seasons. Additional resources, including technical guidelines, are available on our website at www.sd.nrcs.usda.gov > Soils > Growing Resilience with Soil Health.Specialists with the USDA NRCS are respecting social distancing and are available by phone or email for answering questions. Please visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator to find the latest COVID19 operational status and a directory with your local office and employee contact information.
Please feel free to “like and share” on your favorite social media!
Initiated by the USDA NRCS with a Partnership Work Group. Produced by the University of South Carolina in collaboration with the USDA NRCS serving South Dakota.
The views and opinions of the farmer participants expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
