Agriculture | Field 2 Field

October 21, 2020October 21, 2020

Minecraft – Dairy Industry Thinking Outside the Box

Minecraft. The chances are good that you know what it is if you have kids. Would it surprise you if I said the dairy industry was thinking outside the box and turning to a video game such as Minecraft to help promote its products? Dairy Management Incorporated held a press conference recently to announce a partnership with four of the most influential gamers in the world to promote itself to people in “Gen Z (early teens to early 20s).”

The idea started growing late in 2019 when the dairy industry found out that per-capita dairy consumption hit its highest level in 60 years. America hasn’t consumed this level of dairy products since 1960, so the question is how to keep this trend going into the future? Dairy Management Incorporated CEO Tom Gallagher says you reach out to younger people on platforms where they already engage with each other.

Dairy industry sustainability is another key driver in the new idea. “The businesses of dairy, such as the co-ops, the processors, and the manufacturers, have collectively set the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050,” Gallagher said.

“Dairy Management’s role in that is to support the environmental science, communications, and other relationships in achieving that goal,” he added. “While sustainability is important, it also has to be profitable for the industry. We are working on several different test cases on various farms to prove that profitability is possible, or what might need to change to make sustainability profitable.”

Gallagher said there is no sustainability without profitability. Without improving sustainability, farmers and the entire industry will likely be subject to very pejorative regulations in the future. It’s a chance for the industry to be proactive and avoid excessive regulations.

So how does Minecraft fit into the discussion? DMI had five college interns over the past summer who were in their low 20s and MBA students. DMI gave them the challenge to figure out how they would promote dairy sustainability to Gen Z if they had 10 million dollars to do the job. The students came up with the idea of promoting dairy through the video games that Gen Z plays.

Joanna Hunter is the Executive Vice President of Communications with DMI, who says the dairy industry will work with four of the most well-known Minecraft gamers in the world. It’s a chance to reach the Gen Z audience through a platform they’re already engaging in.

“We are going to work directly with four gamers who combine for more than 120 million followers,” she said. “Each of the influencers will take part in a virtual visit to dairy farms of different sizes and locations across the country, and every farm will have its own sustainability practices.

“After that virtual visit, the gamers will take what they learned and build a dairy farm in Minecraft,” Hunter added. “They may challenge each other, or they may challenge their followers to build the best dairy farm.”

The overall goal is for the gamers to engage others in that sustainability story and how dairy farmers are working hard to bring a nutritious and sustainable product to their audience. The gamers will be putting out dairy-related content through November. Hunter says it’s a great time to use the platform for a unique two-way engagement with the intended audience.

This kind of work doesn’t get off the ground without direct support from dairy farmers. Aric DeJager owns and operates Icon Holsteins in Kersey, Colorado. His role will be to provide on-site dairy farm education for the four gamers through FaceTime. Like a lot of folks older than Gen Z, he’s learning about Minecraft from younger relatives.

“I’m learning a lot about the scale of this from my nieces and nephews,” he said. “I’m just figuring out exactly how popular this stuff is. These gamers will have 40 million young and impressionable people watching them build their dairy farms on Minecraft. I’m really excited to see how this goes forward from here.

“I think this is a great step in the right direction,” Jager added.

Gallagher says things are changing, and the industry has to change with the times. The days of three cable TV channels are over, and it’s a new generation of marketing.

“Things like traditional television and cable news just don’t present the same marketing opportunities they once did,” Gallagher said. “We have to go where the people are. Over the next year, we’re going to test some new things, including Minecraft.

“Through GenYouth and Fuel Up to Play 60, we’ll be doing some things with NFL Madden,” he added. “Retailers are starting to create their own media cloud as the more traditional forms of advertising have declined in their reach a bit. Companies like Quaker have gone to 70 percent digital advertising, with more and more retailers following suit.

“As retailers continue to test their own channels, we’ll be doing more and more testing with them,” Gallagher added.

“I think this is a great step in the right direction,” Jager added.

Gallagher says things are changing, and the industry has to change with the times. The days of three cable TV channels are over, and it’s a new generation of marketing.

“As retailers continue to test their own channels, we’ll be doing more and more testing with them,” Gallagher added.

October 8, 2020October 8, 2020

Organic industry looking for help against fraud

Organic farming in the U.S. is a blossoming business opportunity for farmers across the country. Overall industry sales totaled $1 billion in 1990 when the nation’s organic laws passed, and then reached a recent high of $55 billion. Unfortunately, there are some unintended loopholes in the regulations that allow non-organic products to be labeled as organic. The industry is concerned about the effect on the credibility of their label.

The Organic Trade Association is one of several groups working on closing the loopholes and making enforcement of the regulations more uniform. They’ve been working on it since 2017 when the Washington Post reported on 36 million pounds of fraudulently labeled soybeans that entered the United States.

“We started our legislative work in 2018 when the new farm bill went into effect,” said Gwendolyn Wyard, the Vice President of Regulatory and Technical Affairs. “That gave the National Organic Program the support, funding, and the authorization to do its work.”

The USDA released a proposed rule last July designed to detect and deter the kind of fraud the industry is fighting. The National Farmers Union points out that millions of dollars of non-organic products have been intentionally mislabeled and sold in the U.S. The scale of the problem is large and requires equally large solutions.

Wyard says this is the largest single piece of rule-making since the USDA organic regulations first went into effect in 2002. She calls it a complete overhaul of the rules that will strengthen the oversight and enforcement of rules governing the production and sale of products. “It will close gaps in the supply chain and strengthen regulations to prevent fraud,” Wyard added.

“We must do this, and we do it right,” she said. “Shoppers need to know that organic standards are strong. Fraud takes the value out of the supply chain and hurts producers wherever they farm. We rely entirely on consumer trust.”

Here’s the rest of the conversation.

August 11, 2020August 11, 2020

CFAP commodities list expands at USDA

CFAP continues to expand its assistance to American farmers and ranchers.

“We are standing with America’s farmers and ranchers to ensure they get through this pandemic and continue to produce enough food and fiber to feed America and the world,” Perdue says. “That is why he authorized this $16 billion worth of direct support in the CFAP program and today we are pleased to add additional commodities eligible to receive much needed assistance. CFAP is just one of the many ways USDA is helping producers weather the impacts of the pandemic. USDA is leveraging many tools to help producers, including deferring payments on loans and adding flexibilities to crop insurance and reporting deadlines

Background:

USDA collected comments and supporting data for consideration of additional commodities through June 22, 2020. The following additional commodities are now eligible for CFAP:

· Specialty Crops – Aloe leaves, bananas, batatas, bok choy, carambola (star fruit), cherimoya, chervil (French parsley), citron, curry leaves, daikon, dates, dill, donqua (winter melon), dragon fruit (red pitaya), endive, escarole, filberts, frisee, horseradish, kohlrabi, kumquats, leeks, mamey sapote, maple sap (for maple syrup), mesculin mix, microgreens, nectarines, parsley, persimmons, plantains, pomegranates, pummelos, pumpkins, rutabagas, shallots, tangelos, turnips/celeriac, turmeric, upland/winter cress, water cress, yautia/malanga, and yuca/cassava.

· Non-Specialty Crops and Livestock – Liquid eggs, frozen eggs, and all sheep. Only lambs and yearlings (sheep less than two years old) were previously eligible.

· Aquaculture – catfish, crawfish, largemouth bass and carp sold live as food fish, hybrid striped bass, red drum, salmon, sturgeon, tilapia, trout, ornamental/tropical fish, and recreational sportfish.

· Nursery Crops and Flowers – nursery crops and cut flowers.

Other changes to CFAP include:

· Seven commodities – onions (green), pistachios, peppermint, spearmint, walnuts and watermelons – are now eligible for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act funding for sales losses. Originally, these commodities were only eligible for payments on marketing adjustments.

· Correcting payment rates for onions (green), pistachios, peppermint, spearmint, walnuts, and watermelons.

Additional details can be found in the Federal Register in the Notice of Funding Availability and Final Rule Correction and at www.farmers.gov/cfap.

Producers Who Have Applied:

To ensure availability of funding, producers with approved applications initially received 80 percent of their payments. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will automatically issue the remaining 20 percent of the calculated payment to eligible producers. Going forward, producers who apply for CFAP will receive 100 percent of their total payment, not to exceed the payment limit, when their applications are approved.

Applying for CFAP:

Producers, especially those who have not worked with FSA previously, can call 877-508-8364 to begin the application process. An FSA staff member will help producers start their application during the phone call.

On farmers.gov/cfap, producers can:

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that his agency is making more commodities eligible for assistance under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The USDA is also extending the application deadline for the program to September 11. After the agency looked through over 1,700 public comments and other data, the move means more farmers and ranchers will get the assistance they need to help keep their operations afloat through tough times.

“We are standing with America’s farmers and ranchers to ensure they get through this pandemic and continue to produce enough food and fiber to feed America and the world,” Perdue says. “That is why he authorized this $16 billion worth of direct support in the CFAP program and today we are pleased to add additional commodities eligible to receive much needed assistance. CFAP is just one of the many ways USDA is helping producers weather the impacts of the pandemic. USDA is leveraging many tools to help producers, including deferring payments on loans and adding flexibilities to crop insurance and reporting deadlines.”

Background:

USDA collected comments and supporting data for consideration of additional commodities through June 22, 2020. The following additional commodities are now eligible for CFAP:

· Specialty Crops – aloe leaves, bananas, batatas, bok choy, carambola (star fruit), cherimoya, chervil (French parsley), citron, curry leaves, daikon, dates, dill, donqua (winter melon), dragon fruit (red pitaya), endive, escarole, filberts, frisee, horseradish, kohlrabi, kumquats, leeks, mamey sapote, maple sap (for maple syrup), mesculin mix, microgreens, nectarines, parsley, persimmons, plantains, pomegranates, pummelos, pumpkins, rutabagas, shallots, tangelos, turnips/celeriac, turmeric, upland/winter cress, water cress, yautia/malanga, and yuca/cassava.

· Non-Specialty Crops and Livestock – liquid eggs, frozen eggs, and all sheep. Only lambs and yearlings (sheep less than two years old) were previously eligible.

· Nursery Crops and Flowers – nursery crops and cut flowers.

Other changes to CFAP include:

· Correcting payment rates for onions (green), pistachios, peppermint, spearmint, walnuts, and watermelons.

Additional details can be found in the Federal Register in the Notice of Funding Availability and Final Rule Correction and at www.farmers.gov/cfap.

Producers Who Have Applied:

Applying for CFAP:

On farmers.gov/cfap, producers can:

· Download the AD-3114 application form and manually complete the form to submit to their local USDA Service Center by mail, electronically or by hand delivery to their local office or office drop box.

· Complete the application form using the CFAP Application Generator and Payment Calculator. This Excel workbook allows customers to input information specific to their operation to determine estimated payments and populate the application form, which can be printed, then signed and submitted to their local USDA Service Center.

· If producers have login credentials known as eAuthentication, they can use the online CFAP Application Portal to certify eligible commodities online, digitally sign applications and submit directly to the local USDA Service Center.

All other eligibility forms, such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be downloaded from farmers.gov/cfap. For existing FSA customers, these documents are likely already on file.

All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Visitors are also required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be working with our producers in the office, by phone and using online tools. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020

Minnesota sweet corn is ready and waiting

Minnesota sweet corn is one of our biggest summer traditions, right up there with grilling, baseball, and back-to-school commercials.

The freshest Minnesota sweet corn is now available from local growers around the state. The recent heat has led to a great crop of sweet corn and many growers say harvest is going to be fantastic.

Here’s a way to combine a couple big Midwest summer traditions, both sweet corn and grilling.

“Our sweet corn looks fantastic!” said Brian Schiltgen, of Schiltgen Farms in Afton, Minnesota.

The season starts in late July and continues through early September. Veteran farmers often plant in stages so they can offer fresh corn throughout the second half of summer.

Eating this summertime favorite just after it has been picked ensures the best flavor. As time passes after harvest, the sugars in the corn convert to starch and the sweet flavor diminishes.

You’ll find the freshest sweet corn in the state when you buy directly from a Minnesota farmer. Locally grown corn is often available at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and as well as at retailers who feature local produce.

The Minnesota Grown director is a great place to find sweet corn, farmers markets, and everything in between. (Photo from minnesotagrown.com)

Be sure to call ahead or look up a farm or farmers’ market online to confirm any adjustments due to COVID-19. Best practices include wearing a mask, social distancing, and washing hands frequently when you visit a farm or farmers’ market.

The Minnesota Grown Directory is available in print and online, and is a great resource for finding local farmers or farmers’ markets. The 2020 Directory includes 91 sweet corn growers and 195 farmers’ markets. Free, printed copies of the Directory may be ordered online or by calling 1-651-201-6469.

July 31, 2020July 31, 2020

Seed Packages still coming into Minnesota

Seed packages that Minnesotans didn’t order are still coming into the state in steady numbers from China. Many of the seeds are non-invasive species. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t carry some kind of a pest or disease with them.

This is what a typical package of the mystery seeds with a Chinese postmark look like. (Photo from the MDA)

Reports are still coming into the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) that say citizens continue getting unsolicited seed packages in the mail. To date, over 700 Minnesotans found the seeds in their mailboxes and reported it to the MDA.

The packages contain a variety of seeds. Seed analysts at the MDA Laboratory say some of the seeds are cosmos, radish, mung bean, juniper, basil, cucurbit, and zinnia. Seeds like these are not invasive plants. However, they can carry disease and pests can hide in packaging. The unsolicited seeds likely haven’t gone through proper inspection channels to enter the country legally. The labels typically say something like jewelry is inside.

The MDA is working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the issue. Minnesota is sending all the collected seeds to the USDA for additional identification and destruction. Federal officials are investigating the source of the seeds, and the USDA is currently referring to the situation as a “brushing scam.” In that type of scam, people get unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales. Their latest statement on the seed packages can be found here.

Those receiving the packages have indicated they either never made an online seed order or they purchased seeds online earlier in the year but never got them. Their order information indicates it is still unfulfilled.

Minnesotans should take the following steps to deal with unsolicited packages of seeds.

Save the seeds and the package they came in, including the mailing label.
Do not open the seed packets.
Do not plant any of the seeds.
In case the package is already open, place all materials (seeds and packaging) into a tightly-sealed plastic bag.
Contact the MDA through this form (mda.state.mn.us/unlabeledseeds).

If you have planted the seeds you received, please destroy any plants that have germinated. Plants and soil aren’t eligible for most trash collection. However, in this unusual situation, pull up the plants, double bag them and the surrounding soil, and dispose of everything in the trash. Do not compost the seeds, plants, or soil. Please notify the MDA if you have disposed of any seeds or plants through our contact form.

You should always buy seeds from a reputable source. Minnesota law says all seeds sold in the state need correct labels. People selling seeds need to have a permit from the MDA. You can look up seed permit holders on the MDA website. Never plant unlabeled or unknown seeds.

July 31, 2020July 31, 2020

Nitrogen fertilizer restriction begin September 1 in MN

Nitrogen fertilizer is a valuable tool in a farmer’s soil management toolbox. Farmers need to know there are some restrictions on that tool coming soon.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) reminds farmers and landowners that beginning September 1, 2020, applying nitrogen fertilizer in the fall and on frozen soil will be restricted in areas vulnerable to groundwater contamination. This applies to Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMAs) with elevated nitrate levels. Vulnerable groundwater areas include coarse textured soils, karst geology, and shallow bedrock. Approximately 12 to 13 percent of Minnesota’s cropland is vulnerable to groundwater contamination. The Groundwater Protection Rule website shows vulnerable groundwater areas and a list of exceptions to the restrictions.

A short video on the fall restrictions and links for additional information are available on the MDA website. The MDA is holding a webinar on August 12, 2020, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. to answer questions. The video and webinar details are available online.

The nitrogen fertilizer restrictions are part of the Groundwater Protection Rule. The rule minimizes potential fertilizer sources of nitrate pollution to the state’s groundwater and works with local farmers to prevent nitrate contamination in public water supply wells.

For more information, please contact Larry Gunderson at 651-201-6168, Larry.Gunderson@state.mn.us.

July 27, 2020July 27, 2020

Mystery Seeds Entering the U.S. from China

“Mystery Seeds.” The first thing that came to mind was a possible title for a “Scooby-Doo” episode. Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any stranger, people in at least 10 states have received packages with a Chinese postmark and a label that says some kind of jewelry is inside. However, it’s a different story after they open the box.

What these Americans are receiving is an unsolicited package of seeds. States like Minnesota, Louisiana, Utah, Virginia, Kentucky, Washington state, and others are reporting similar situations. One thing to get out of the way right away is that under no circumstances should anyone plant those seeds.

“We’re uncertain what those seeds may be and why people are receiving packages they didn’t send for,” says Denise Thiede, Seed Unit Supervisor with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. “Until we know more, we’re encouraging people to contact us because of the risk those seeds may pose to Minnesota agriculture and our natural landscapes.”

Washington state just recorded its first known case of an unsolicited seed shipment late last week. I talked with Karla Salp, the Public Engagement Specialist with the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Not one but two Washington residents picked up seeds in the mail they didn’t order from China.

“One of those residents sent us a picture of the seeds so we could see what they were talking about,” Salp says. “We thought they looked a lot like some kind of citrus seeds, while the labels said the packages contained some sort of jewelry.

More “Mystery Seeds” from China. (Photo from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture)

“Initially, we had been telling folks who received the seeds to report it to USDA,” she said. “They handle reports of agricultural smuggling. “The social media post advising people to contact USDA has been seen by over 30 million people. We’re sure that USDA knows all about the problem now.”

So, the Washington Ag Department is asking their residents to put the seeds in a Ziploc bag and put them in their regular trash. Do not putt them in something like a compost pile. “Most of the packages have another package within them,” Salp says. “The seeds are often in a second package inside the shipping container. Residents need to leave the seeds inside the sealed container. Do not open them up, and definitely do not plant them.”

Each state will have its own directions for residents who receive the seeds through the mail. The Minnesota Ag Department says don’t throw away the package or its contents and do not plant the seeds,. After that, contact the Arrest the Pest line at 888-545-6684. They’ll need your name, contact info, and the date you received the package.

Minnesota officials will then coordinate shipping the package and its contents to the MDA Seed Program. The MDA is currently working with the USDA’s Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance Program on identifying and destroying the seeds.

Salp says putting unknown seeds in U.S. soil could be problematic.

“It could be a combination of any of those three reasons I just listed,” she added. “It could be an invasive species that also carries a specific plant disease. These are some of the serious reasons that things like this need to go through the proper channels at the border if they’re a plant-based product.”

The USDA is working with federal and state agencies to investigate these unsolicited packages.

“We are also working with various online retailers to address some of these issues as well,” Salp said.

July 21, 2020July 21, 2020

Invasive weeds found in Winona County

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.

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.

June 23, 2020June 23, 2020

Honest talk from a non-Trump voter

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?

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 49^th-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.

June 8, 2020June 8, 2020

Dicamba products update for Minnesota farmers

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 9^th 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.”

dicamba 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.

For questions, e-mail Josh Stamper at Joshua.Stamper@state.mn.us.