Opening of registrations for milk margin coverage

Dairy farmers can enroll in 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage, a major safety net program offered by the USDA that provides producers with price support to help offset differences in milk and feed prices.

Registration for this year’s DMC began on February 28 and closes on April 29. For those signing up for DMC 2024 coverage, payments can begin as early as March 4, for any payments triggered in January.

The USDA Farm Service Agency has revised the DMC regulations to allow eligible dairy operations to make a one-time adjustment to established production history. This adjustment will be made by combining the previously established additional production history with the DMC production history for dairy farms that participated in the additional milk margin coverage in a previous coverage year. DMC was also authorized through 2024. Congress passed an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill requiring these regulatory changes to the program.

The USDA also offers other risk management tools to dairy producers, including the Protection of dairy income which protects against a drop in dairy income (yield and price) and against Livestock gross margin which provides protection against loss of milk market value, minus feed costs. DRP and LGM livestock insurance policies are offered through the Risk Management Agency. Producers should contact their local crop insurance agent for more information.

For more information about DMC, visit DMC webpage or contact your local USDA service center.

Lincoln County grower elected secretary of soybean export council

Lincoln County farmer Joel Schreurs took another step in his leadership belt when he earned a position on the executive committee of the U.S. Soybean Export Council.

“I’ve been a long-time advocate for the soybean industry and agriculture, and I’ve been working on agricultural trade policy since I started,” says Schreurs, who first became involved with Minnesota Soybean when he participated in a trade mission See for yourself. in New Orleans. “Business can be intimidating, but also very rewarding. »

In his previous role with the American Soybean Association, Schreurs served on USSEC and helped lead the organization’s long-standing mission of creating markets for the United States around the world. After completing his third term with the ASA in December, Schreurs will continue to have a voice within USSEC: at the organization’s annual meeting at the Commodity Classic in Houston, he was elected to represent the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council within USSEC and will serve as its secretary.

Schreurs farms soybeans, corn and alfalfa with his daughter and son-in-law in Lincoln County. He is a longtime agricultural leader and has served on numerous agricultural boards, including the Lincoln County Corn & Soybean Growers Association and the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association. In addition to nine years of advocacy with the ASA, Schreurs is also a former vice president of the Soy Transportation Coalition.

Drought Management Series

The MN Grazing Lands Conservation Association, in partnership with the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, is hosting a series on drought management in various locations across Minnesota.

The first in the series will take place on March 18 in Spring Valley, and the next ones on March 19 in Canby; March 25 in Detroit Lakes; March 26 in Brainerd and an April date to be determined in Barnum.

Each event will include a discussion on drought planning and management; drought stress on animal health; alternative forages for grazing and drought plans, as well as a producer roundtable.

Visit the AMGLCA website for more information on the drought management series, as well as other events taking place throughout the year.

Survey focuses on corn and soybean BMPs

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture encourages farmers to participate in its annual pesticide and fertilizer survey. This year, the survey will focus on best management practices for corn and soybean producers. The data collected helps MDA track awareness, adoption and use of nitrogen and pesticide BMPs, and provides guidance for education and research programs.

The mail survey is sent to the 7,600 Minnesota farmers selected for this project. Farmers who have not returned their questionnaire by mail will be contacted by telephone after March 15.

The survey is conducted for MDA by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service from their regional offices.

Minnesota farmers may receive calls from multiple agencies and companies conducting various surveys this time of year, but the information collected from this survey is essential for research and education purposes.

If you have questions about MDA’s annual survey or would like to view results from previous surveys, visit MDA website. Growers can also call the Minnesota Department of Agriculture at 651-955-4066 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Forum of new uses

The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute and its partners, Compeer Financial and Avisen Legal, are bringing together a slate of speakers focused on the bioindustrial value chain for a forum on new uses from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. April 9 at Mayo Health System Event Center. in Mankato, Minnesota.

The day will highlight market challenges and opportunities in bioindustrial innovation. The sessions will focus on producer activities, entrepreneurial efforts, end users and investor perspectives to highlight industry activity and trends. The day’s programming will be followed by a networking reception. Several networking breaks and 30-minute lunches will provide ample opportunities to connect with attendees. Additionally, AURI’s Agricultural Innovator of the Year Award will be revealed at the event.

Visit The AURI website for more information and to register for the event.

Funds available to boost sales of livestock products

Minnesota livestock processors looking to start, modernize or expand their business are encouraged to apply for the Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation Grant for Meat, Poultry, Egg and Processing milk.

Funded by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the goal of the MPEM grant is to increase sales of Minnesota-raised livestock products by investing in equipment and physical improvements that support processing, capacity, market diversification and market access.

The MDA plans to award up to $750,000 in MPEM grants in 2024, using a competitive review process. The maximum reward amount is $150,000 and the minimum reward amount is $1,000. Grantees are responsible for 50% of the first $50,000 of project expenses and 75% of total remaining costs above $50,000.

Individuals (including farmers), businesses, agricultural cooperatives, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, local government units or tribal governments that intend to be or are engaged in The slaughter or processing of livestock are eligible for the MPEM subsidy. Projects focused on meat and poultry processing, including slaughtering, will be prioritized in this funding round.

Grant applications will be accepted until 4 p.m. on April 9. For more information and to submit an online application, visit the AGRI website. Meat, Poultry, Egg and Milk Processing Grant webpage.

This call for applications for MPEM grants follows a previous round of applications announced in fall 2023. Recipients of the 2023 MPEM grants will be announced at an early date.

MPEM grant funding is made available through MDA. AGRI program, which administers grants to farmers, agribusinesses, schools and more throughout the state of Minnesota. The AGRI program exists to advance Minnesota’s agriculture and renewable energy sectors.

Summer Beef Tour

The Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Summer Tour will be hosted by the Northwestern Stockmen’s Association on June 25 in the Thief River Falls area.

Tour stops will include feedlot and cow-calf operations, a robotic dairy farm and DigiKey Electronics, among others.

Registration is $25 per person before June 1 and $10 for students.