MN Wheat Weekly Update
USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report (MN)
Click Here for Full Report
- 84% Spring Wheat Emergence – 2 wks ahead of 2020 & 16 days ahead avg
- HRS Conditions: 0% Very Poor, 0% Poor, 22% Fair, 63% Good, 15% Ex.
- Top Soil Moisture: 14% very short, 37% short, 48% adequate, & 1% surplus
- Sub Soil Moisture: 9% very short, 31% short, 58% adequate, & 2% surplus
Other Items of Interest
Developments in the Wheat Industry: Tackling Wheat Digestibility
May 19, 2021 at 12:00 – 1:15 PM CT
Please join AURI on May 19th at 12:00 pm (CST) at the Minnesota section of IFT’s Silent Auction for a discussion on “Developments in the Wheat Industry: Tackling Wheat Digestibility.” University of Minnesota researchers Dr. George Annor and Dr. James Anderson along with food entrepreneur Brian LaPlante of Back When Foods, Inc. will cover insights from research funded through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Grant.
REGISTER HERE
For more information, and to follow this research, visit: www.auri.org/agri.
Seeking Cooperators for the Small Grain Pest and Disease Survey
The University Minnesota Extension has conducted a small grains pest and disease survey for more than a decade. This effort has been funded by your check-off dollars to inform producers and the research community of the presence of disease and pest problems, a first step to effective and timely management.
Rather than relying on random fields, we plan to visit only fields that you have volunteered, and we have written permission to scout. I ask your cooperation by volunteering some of your wheat fields now.
We will select a subset of all submitted fields such that we have a good representation across the region. We will inform you if one of your fields has been selected. Our scouts will visit only the selected fields this coming summer. The anonymous data will be used to generate the weekly pest, and disease updates in cooperation with NDSU. Unfortunately, we cannot share the data we collect in your fields with you individually.
The form will ask for your name, the latitude and longitude of the field in decimal degrees, the previous crop in that field, and asks whether you agree to grant the University of Minnesota Extension permission to enter the field.
Thank you for considering this request. Simply follow the link o submit your field.
Sin-cereal-y,
Dr. Jochum Wiersma, UMN Small Grains Specialist and Dr. Jared Goplen, UMN Extension Educator – Crops
National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) Update
Mariah Wollweber
NAWG CEO Promotes Jake Westlin
- This week, NAWG CEO, Chandler Goule, promoted Jake Westlin to Senior Director of Policy and Communications. Jake joined NAWG in October 2019 and has been a key part of NAWG’s policy team and has managed a host of projects during his tenure. Through Jake’s six years working with Capitol Hill and his work on two farm bills as part of Senator Heitkamp’s (D-ND) legislative team, he has brought a fundamental understanding of agricultural policy to NAWG. Additionally, from his time at Forbes Tate Partners as a research and policy analyst, Jake has an extensive background in agriculture, public lands, as well as food and nutrition policy. In Jake’s new role, he will oversee the policy and communications team and continue being a voice for wheat growers on the Hill.
NAWG Supports BASF’s New Crop Protection Technology
- BASF is working hard to help farmers with their crops. Their Teraxxa and Teraxxa F4 Seed Treatments eliminate wireworms attacking cereal yield. Featuring a new active ingredient, Broflanilide, these seed treatments outperform and outlast neonicotinoid insecticides, so that cereal crops have the best chances to succeed. Visit their website to learn more about the benefits of Teraxxa and Teraxxa F4 Seed Treatments.
USDA Releases May WASDE Report
- USDA released the May 2021 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report. The outlook for U.S. wheat is for smaller supplies, higher domestic use, lower exports, and reduced stocks. For global wheat, the outlook is for larger supplies, higher consumption, increased trade, and marginally higher stocks. The projected global trade of wheat is a record 202.4 million tons. Read the report here.
Join Farm Journal Foundation for a Discussion on Agricultural Climate Change Solutions
- Please join Farm Journal Foundation’s virtual event on May 20, 2021, to discuss the launch of a new report: “How U.S. Agriculture Can Be Part of the Climate Change Solution” that examines how U.S. farmers could significantly reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and help mitigate climate change. The event will feature remarks from Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and William Hohenstein, Director of USDA’s Office of Energy and Environmental Policy. The report is co-authored by Dr. John Reilly of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change and Dr. Stephanie Mercier from Farm Journal Foundation. Register for the online event here.
US Wheat Associates, Weekly Price Report
Michael Anderson
- After climbing each week for more than a month, all futures prices closed lower for the week CBOT soft red winter (SRW) futures shed 46 cents to close at $7.27/bu. KCBT hard red winter (HRW) futures were down 76 cents to end at $6.51/bu. MGE hard red spring (HRS) futures dropped 44 cents to close at $7.45/bu. CBOT corn futures dropped 87 cents to end at $6.85/bu. CBOT soybean futures shed 18 cents to close at $16.03/bu
- Commercial Sales: View the most recent USW Commercial Sales report here.
- In the 50th week of marketing year 2020/21, U.S. wheat commercial sales of 30,300 metric tons (MT) were below trade expectations of 49,700 MT to 53,783 MT. Year-to-date commercial sales for delivery in 2020/21 total 25.5 million metric tons (MMT), 7% lower than last year. USDA expects total 2020/21 U.S. wheat exports will reach 26.2 MMT even with last year if realized.
Weekly Harvest Report (Erica Oakley)
- Welcome to the first Harvest Report for the 2021/22 U.S. wheat crop. Hard red winter (HRW) harvest is just underway in Texas. Samples of HRW and SRW are expected to begin arriving in the coming weeks; initial grade and crop quality data should be available early to mid-June. Click for Full Report
U.S. Drought Monitor
- Drought conditions deteriorated in much of the northwest, including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. The region experienced its third driest April on record. North Dakota recorded its driest 9-month period on record, and Colorado recorded its driest 12-month period on record. Areas of north-central Texas saw minor improvements after the rain this week, but the Texas Panhandle saw worsening drought conditions.
Industry Updates
MN Farm Bureau Federation IMPACT
Tax Aggie Coalition Urges Congress to Protect Sound Tax Policy
- Earlier this week the Tax Aggie Coalition sent a letter, signed by 41 national and regional agriculture organizations including AFBF, to House and Senate leadership to express significant concerns about legislative proposals that would jeopardize the future of family-owned farm and ranch businesses.
- As members of Congress work to implement President Biden’s American Families Plan, the coalition urges lawmakers to enact commonsense policies that preserve a sustainable and vibrant business climate for rural America through the preservation of long-standing tax code provisions. These provisions are fundamental to the financial health of production agriculture and the businesses that supply its inputs, transport its products, and market its commodities.
- News release
Clean Car Rule Update
- Last week, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) released their report on the Clean Car rule. The report indicates the rule can continue to move forward.
- The role of the ALJ was to determine, independently, whether or not MPCA has the statutory authority to adopt the Clean Car Rule. The ALJ approved the rule and recommended its adoption.
- MFBF submitted comments expressing concerns with the rule that were referenced in the ALJ’s report. “MFBF acknowledges that the rule does not explicitly impact the use of biofuels in Minnesota, but has significant about the long term implications this could have and strongly encourages the use of policies and programs to increase the use of biofuels as the leading way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
- In the legislative arena, there is still ample debate and discussion on the Clean Car rule. The Republican-led Senate continues to strongly oppose the rule. A majority of the discussions have taken place during the conference committee on the omnibus environment package. Senators on the conference committee refused to move the legislation forward without language to halt the implementation of the rule.
Tax Update
- This week, the federal government released an interim final rule to provide guidance to states on how American Rescue Plan dollars can be spent. The guidance suggests the state can fully conform with federal tax policy regarding Paycheck Protection Program loans and unemployment benefits without fear the federal government will return later to claw back the funds.
- The Republican-led Senate passed PPP loan forgiveness as standalone legislation already this session. The guidance could mean the DFL-led House could adopt the Senate position on PPP loan forgiveness in conference committee negotiations.
- Another important tax provision, full conformity to Sec. 179, was recently discussed in the conference committee on taxes. Chairman Marquart (DFL-Dilworth) and Chairwoman Nelson (R-Rochester) discussed identical language to tighten down Sec. 179 conformity that was passed in an October special session last year. The language clarifies that no state Sec. 179 is required for property placed into service before 2020 if the federal deduction is for tax years beginning in February 2020. The clarification language addressed concerns left unaddressed from the previous legislation action.
- MFBF supports PPP and Sec. 179 conformity. MFBF is working closely with Chairman Marquart and other members of the conference committee to advocate the importance of these provisions.