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AgweekTV Full Show: House Ag leadership, wind energy, Mann Lake, Soil Health Minute, legislative outlooks

AgweekTV full show for Jan. 9-10, 2021

This week on AgweekTV we will find out the agenda of the new House Ag Committee leadership. We will talk about the future of wind energy in North Dakota. We will visit a one stop shop for all your bee-keeping and poultry needs. On the Soil Health Minute, we will talk about reducing tillage and how to change your mindset to make it work. Finally, with State Legislative season kicking off in the region, we'll preview their ag agenda.

COMING UP ON AGWEEK TV

WE'LL FIND OUT ABOUT THE AGENDA OF THE NEW HOUSE AG COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP.

TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF WIND ENERGY IN NORTH DAKOTA...

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Emily Beal: WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT HOW ONE BUSINESS IS A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR BEEKEEPING AND POULTRY NEEDS.

Abbey: On the Agweek Soil Health Minute, we'll talk about reducing tillage and how to change your mindset to make it work.

AND STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS KICK OFF IN THE REGION, WE'LL PREVIEW THEIR AG AGENDA.

WELCOME TO AGWEEK TV, I'M MICHELLE ROOK.

WE KICKED OFF 2021 AT THE 37TH DAKOTA FARM SHOW IN VERMILLION. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE FIRST SHOW OF THE YEAR AND THE TRADITION CARRIED ON EVEN WITH THE PANDEMIC,

BECAUSE OFFICIALS WITH MIDWEST SHOWS SAY THE EVENT SUPPORTS AN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY. THE NEWLY REMODELED DAKOTADOME HOSTED MORE THAN 240 VENDORS, MANY OF WHOM UNVEILED NEW PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES. CROWDS WERE DECENT DESPITE COVID AND THE MOOD WAS POSITIVE DUE TO THE IMPROVING AG ECONOMIC CLIMATE.

John Riles: You know everybody's here kind of featuring you know, what's new, what the focus is. I think grain prices are up a little bit. That's a positive when you're hosting a farm show and so that's nice to see.

RILES SAY THEY HOPE THAT TRANSLATES INTO IMPROVED SPENDING AMONG AG BUSINESSES.

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A NEW CONGRESS MEANS NEW FACES BUT THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE THIS YEAR IN THE HOUSE AG COMMITTEE. RANKING MEMBER MIKE CONAWAY DID NOT RUN FOR RE- ELECTION AND CHAIR COLLIN PETERSON WAS DEFEATED. SO WHAT WILL THE NEW LEADERSHIP AGENDA BE? AGRI-PULSE'S SPENCER CHASE REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON.

Spencer Chase: The House and Senate are back in session for the 117th Congress, which officially kicked off on January 3rd. Democrats remain in the majority with familiar faces like Nancy Pelosi filling key positions. But the House Ag Committee will have new leadership. With former committee chair Collin Peterson of Minnesota losing his reelection effort, Georgia Democrat David Scott will take the committee gavel with an aim to maintain the panel's bipartisan tradition. He says addressing climate change will be a major priority under his leadership.

Scott: So if we don't get a handle on this with the right information and get it out of being this political football that's being thrown, it is our farmers who are suffering the most and who benefit the most.

Spencer: The committee will also have a new Republican ranking member, Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania. He says the bipartisanship on the committee should continue, but wants to see a quick focus on the next farm bill.

Thompson: Yu know, it's time to start hearing from USDA directly, to hear from farmers and ranchers and folks within rural communities. With the last farm bill, what's working, what's not working, what, you know, no longer needs to be addressed and what has not been attended to as of yet?

SC: The rest of the committee roster will be determined at a later date. Reporting in Washington for AgWeek TV, Spencer Chase, Agri-Pulse.

THE SAME GROUPS THAT SUCCESSFULLY WON A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE 2018 DICAMBA REGISTRATIONS HAVE FILED ANOTHER LAWSUIT CHALLENGING EPA'S LATEST ROUND OF APPROVALS.

THE NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS WILL AGAIN CONSIDER WHETHER EPA VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW REGISTERING NEW DICAMBA LABELS IN OCTOBER 2020, AFTER THE SAME COURT VACATED THREE REGISTRATIONS ON THE HERBICIDE JUST FIVE MONTHS EARLIER. THE SUIT ECHOES THE PLAINTIFF'S PAST SUCCESSFUL CASE.

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MEANWHILE, FARMERS WITH SOYBEAN YIELD LOSSES FROM OFF-TARGET DRIFT THE PAST SIX YEARS CAN FILE CLAIMS AS PART OF A $400 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH BAYER.

SOUTH DAKOTA'S 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION KICKS OFF ON JANUARY 12. WHILE THE FOCUS WILL BE ON THE STATE BUDGET, COVID AND MARIJUANA, THERE WILL BE A HOST OF ISSUES ON THE AG AGENDA.

THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING A MERGER OF THE AG DEPARTMENT AND DENR, WHILE THE STATE IS OFFERING POLICY TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, INCLUDING GIVING FARMERS A BREAK ON PROPERTY TAXES FOR INSTALLING RIPERIAN BUFFER STRIPS.

Hunter Roberts: That underlying property tax incentive law, we're looking at ways to improve that, while also providing a new project-based solution that provides producers on a voluntary basis an incentive to follow those guidelines.

ROBERTS SAYS THEY'RE WORKING ON INTERSTATE MEAT SHIPMENT AND ASSISTING SMALLER MEAT PROCESSORS TO EXPAND AND GET FEDERALLY INSPECTED.

NORTH DAKOTA LEGISLATORS ARE SET TO TACKLE GRAIN DEALER REGULATION, DRAINAGE, AND CAFO ISSUES.

STATE SENATOR LARRY LUICK, CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE AG COMMITTEE, SAYS THE LEGISLATURE WILL LOOK AT CLARIFYING PROTOCOLS FOR CONFINED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS AND ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS. HE'D LIKE TO SEE THE RULES FOR SETBACKS UNIFORM ACROSS THE STATE, RATHER THAN SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES AMONG COUNTIES AND TOWNSHIPS.

Sen. Larry Luick: So that everybody is on the same page, within their counties to, and townships, to get these either negated or approved.

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LUICK SAYS HE EXPECTS MUCH OF THE TESTIMONY IN THE 2021 SESSION TO BE ONLINE BECAUSE OF COVID.

IN MINNESOTA, THE LEGISLATURE CONVENED THIS WEEK, WITH MANY KEY AG ISSUES AT PLAY.

STU LOUREY, A LOBBYIST FOR THE FARMERS UNION, SAYS THEIR TOP ISSUE, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS, IS HEALTHCARE. MANY FARMERS BUY HEALTH INSURANCE ON THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET, WHICH IS QUITE EXPENSIVE, SO THEY WANT A MORE AFFORDABLE SOLUTION.

Stu Lourey: YOU KNOW, I THINK WE COULD MAKE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN MINNESOTA WITH THE MINNESOTA CARE BUY-IN OPTION SIMILAR TO WHAT THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED IN 2019. IF WE COULD FLIP A SWITCH AND CHANGE SOMETHING AND MAKE A REAL MATERIAL DIFFERENCE FOR OUR FARMERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, THAT WOULD BE IT.

HE SAYS OTHER MAJOR ISSUES FOR THEM WILL BE INCREASING CAPACITY FOR MEAT PROCESSING, PROMOTING BIOFUELS AND PANDEMIC RECOVERY.

AHEAD ON AGWEEK TV, THE NORTH DAKOTA LEGISLATURE MAY MAKE A MAJOR SHIFT IN SUPPORTING RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES LIKE WIND.

WELCOME BACK.

A NORTH DAKOTA FARMER AND LAWMAKER THINKS THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION COULD BE A TURNING POINT FOR WIND DEVELOPMENT IN THE STATE, HOWEVER, IT COULD COME AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES LIKE ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL.

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MIKKEL PATES REPORTS IN THIS WEEK'S AGWEEK COVER STORY ON THIS COMPLEX SITUATION.

Rep. Mike Brandenburg: THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT OUR CONSUMERS, OR THE BUYERS OF THE POWER, ARE WANTING RENEWABLES.

MIKE BRANDENBURG HAS REPRESENTED CONSTITUENTS IN SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS. HE'S WORRIED COAL INTERESTS WILL PUSH POLICIES THAT WILL MOVE ENERGY CO-OPS OUT OF STATE TO GET THEIR DESIRED WIND AND RENEWABLE SOURCES, HARMING THE STATE'S AG PROCESSING ALONG THE WAY.

Rep. Mike Brandenburg: YOU KNOW, I FEEL BAD FOR THE COAL PEOPLE, I WISH IT WASN'T HAPPENING TO THEM. I WISH WE WERE ALL PROSPERING.

BUT HE SAYS THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, COAL IS A MORE EXPENSIVE FORM OF ENERGY THAN SEVERAL RENEWABLE OPTIONS. HE WARNS THAT WHAT HE CONSIDERS A FUTILE EFFORT TO KEEP COAL JOBS IN FIVE COUNTIES WILL DRIVE LARGE POWER COMPANIES OUT OF THE STATE, FORFEITING CURRENT AND FUTURE AG PROCESSING INVESTMENTS THAT BENEFIT THE REST OF THE STATE.

Rep. Mike Brandenburg: YOU'VE GOT NOT ONLY PEOPLE SAYING "WELL WE DON'T WANT WIND. WELL THEN WE JUST AS WELL SAY AND WE DON'T WANT AN ETHANOL PLANT IN FALKIRK, WE DON'T WANT A SOYBEAN PLANT IN SPIRITWOOD AND WE DON'T WANT A BIODIESEL PLANT IN DICKINSON.

WHERE WIND DEVELOPMENT IS GOING FORWARD IN THE STATE, CONTRACTS ARE BOTH AN OPPORTUNITY AND A DILEMMA FOR FARMLAND OWNERS AND FARM OPERATORS. DAVID BARNICK FARMS NEAR JAMESTOWN. DURING THE 2020 HARVEST, TWO COMPETING WIND DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES APPROACHED HIM WITH CONTRACTS TO INSTALL WIND TOWERS ON HIS LAND FOR A PROPOSED PROJECT IN LAMOURE AND STUTSMAN COUNTIES.

David Barnick: I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE THE SLOW, CAUTIOUS APPROACH AND YOU KNOW, TRY TO DO MY HOMEWORK AND RESEARCH AND TELL MY LANDLORDS, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE A GREAT THING, IT MIGHT BE A WONDERFUL THING. BUT LET'S TAKE OUR TIME, BECAUSE THE CONSEQUENCES ARE GOING TO LAST FOREVER.

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IN LAMOURE COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA, THIS IS MIKKEL PATES FOR AGWEEK.

YOU CAN READ MORE ON THIS IN THE NEXT AGWEEK MAGAZINE, OR AT AGWEEK.COM .

THERE HAS BEEN GROWING INTEREST IN "BACKYARD FARMING" FOR YEARS, BUT THE PANDEMIC REALLY KICKED IT INTO HIGH GEAR. MANY PEOPLE ARE SPENDING THEIR TIME AT HOME GARDENING, AND ADDING BEES OR EVEN CHICKENS.

EMILY BEAL VISITED A MINNESOTA BUSINESS THAT SUPPLIES PROFESSIONALS AND HOBBYISTS WITH EVERYTHING THEY NEED.

Jenna Prososki: WE JUST WANT TO BE THAT ONE STOP SHOP WHERE ANYBODY CAN GET WHAT THEY NEED FOR THEIR BACKYARD HOBBIES.

JENNA PROSOSKI LOVES SEEING THE BOOMING INTEREST IN URBAN FARMING. IT'S A GOOD HOBBY, AND IT'S GOOD FOR BUSINESS. SHE'S THE SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER AT MANN LAKE LIMITED.

Jenna Prososki: IF YOU WALK THROUGH OUR STORE, WE REALLY DO HAVE A UNIQUE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO INTO JUST YOUR FARM SUPPLY STORE, AND YES, THEY HAVE LITTLE SECTIONS FOR BEES, THEY HAVE LITTLE SECTIONS FOR CHICKENS, BUT YOU WALK INTO OUR STORE, AND IT'S EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED FOR KEEPING THESE ANIMALS.

MANN LAKE STARTED IN A GARAGE NEARLY FORTY YEARS AGO, AND HAS GROWN STEADILY SINCE THEN. THE COMPANY DOES A LOT OF THEIR OWN MANUFACTURING OF BEE AND CHICKEN SUPPLIES, TO ENSURE THE HIGHEST QUALITY. THEY HAVE 270 EMPLOYEES IN HACKENSACK, WITH SEVEN DISTRIBUTION CENTERS AND FIVE PRODUCTION FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

Dave Peterson: WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE THAT HAVE WHAT THE BEEKEEPER NEEDS WHEN THEY NEED IT. THAT'S PARAMOUNT FOR US. UNSURPASSED CUSTOMER SERVICE IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN WHAT WE DO.

FOR ALL YOUR BEEKEEPING AND POULTRY NEEDS, MANN LAKE HAS YOU COVERED.

Jenna Prososki: IT'S HELPING US GROW IN WAYS THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WERE POSSIBLE.

WITH AGWEEK, I'M EMILY BEAL IN HACKENSACK, MINNESOTA.

THEIR PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE AT MANN LAKE.COM , OR ON AMAZON.

COMING UP ON AGWEEK TV, WE'LL MEET A FARM FAMILY WORKING TO IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT ON THEIR LAND. AND LATER ON, IN THE SOIL HEALTH MINUTE, SOME TIPS FOR REDUCING TILLAGE ON YOUR LAND.

JANUARY WEATHER HAS CONTINUED WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES, BUT BELOW NORMAL PRECIP AND THAT'S BECOMING A CONCERN IN THE REGION. WILL THAT STRETCH INTO SPRING? HERE'S JOHN WITH OUR AGRI-WEATHER OUTLOOK.

PHEASANTS FOREVER HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN PRESERVING AND IMPROVING THE HABITAT THAT BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE NEED TO THRIVE.

A KANSAS FAMILY IS WORKING WITH PHEASANTS FOREVER, AND THE UNITED SORGHUM CHECKOFF, TO IMPROVE THAT HABITAT, ALONG WITH IMPROVING THEIR SOIL HEALTH AND BOTTOM LINE.

Garrett Love: A HOPE AND A DREAM AND SOME GROUND THAT WE'RE STANDING ON RIGHT NOW.

GARRETT LOVE'S DAD GREG WASN'T A FARMER, UNTIL HE BOUGHT THIS FARM WHEN GARRETT WAS THREE. IT STARTED AS TWO QUARTERS IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS. IT'S GROWN TO TEN THOUSAND ACRES OF CORN, BEANS, WHEAT AND SORGHUM. AND IT'S ALL DONE WITH AN EYE TO THE LAND.

Greg Love: CONSERVATION TILLAGE AND WORK WITH OUR DIFFERENT ROTATIONS WITH MORE RESIDUE ON THE GROUND IS JUST HUGE IN PRESERVING OUR SOIL, AND THAT SOIL IS OUR FUTURE.

GREG LOVE, AND NOW GARRETT, HAVE ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN CONSERVATION.

Garrett Love: PROTECTING THE SOIL, PROTECTING THE MOISTURE THAT WE HAVE. HE WAS ONE OF THE EARLIER FARMERS TO MOVE TO MINIMUM TILL AND THEN TO NO TILL. THAT'S BEEN A HUGE PLUS FOR OUR PRODUCTION, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN REALLY GOOD FOR THE WILDLIFE. WE HAVE COVER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO THEY STARTED CREATING WILDLIFE HABITAT ON THEIR LAND. A BIG PART OF THAT PLAN IS THEIR SORGHUM CROP. IT'S A WATER EFFICIENT CEREAL GRAIN THAT LEAVES A LOT OF RESIDUE THAT PROTECTS THE SOIL. IT CAN GROW IN A DROUGHT, AND GAME BIRDS LOVE IT. SO THAT ALL ADDS UP TO GOOD CONSERVATION EFFORTS. THE SORGHUM CHECKOFF HAS BEEN A GOOD PARTNER.

Kira Everhart-Valentin: WE ALSO WANT TO BE SUPPORTING OUR GROWERS AS THEY CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THEIR PRACTICES, LOOK FOR THOSE BETTER WAYS TO DO THINGS, THINGS THAT ARE GOOD FOR THEIR FARMS, THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THAT ARE GOOD ALL AROUND.

Chris McLeland: WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND AGRICULTURE ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.

CHRIS MCLELAND WORKS WITH CONSERVATION PARTNERS AND LANDOWNERS LIKE THE LOVES, TO HELP LANDOWNERS IDENTIFY GOOD SPOTS FOR HABITAT, AND THEN IMPLEMENT IT.

Chris McLeland: WE CAN REALLY MAKE A BIG IMPACT FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND HELP THEM BE MORE PRODUCTIVE. WE WANT HEALTHY STRONG BOTTOM LINES AND WE WANT TO SEE HABITAT ON THE GROUND.

THE LOVES STARTED TURNING SOME OF THEIR CORNERS AND OTHER SMALL, UNPRODUCTIVE AREAS TO GRASS FOR PHEASANT NESTING AREAS.THESE CORNERS, COUPLED WITH SORGHUM, PROVIDE PHEASANTS WITH FOOD, SHELTER AND WATER. AS AN ADDED VALUE FOR THEIR FARM, THEY BRING HUNTERS IN FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.

Garrett Love: BEING ABLE TO GENERATE SOME EXTRA INCOME, THAT'S PRESENTED MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BE BACK WORKING ON THE FARM.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, THE LOVE FAMILY WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT CONSERVATION PRACTICES THAT BENEFIT THEM, AND WILDLIFE..

Garrett Love: IF THE WIND BLOWS IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR FUTURE WITH IT. // 16:33 A LOT OF WHAT WE DO FOR LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY IS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. MY FIVE YEAR OLD ALREADY SAYS SHE'S A FARMER.

NEAR MONTEZUMA, KANSAS, THIS IS ROSE DUNN FOR AGWEEK.

Coming on the Soil Health Minute, we'll talk about reducing tillage and how to make it work for your operation.

THE AGWEEK SOIL HEALTH MINUTE IS SPONSORED BY THE NORTH DAKOTA CORN COUNCIL

CONSERVATION TILLAGE SYSTEMS AND SOIL HEALTH CONTINUE TO GROW IN INTEREST. HOWEVER, IN THIS MONTH'S SOIL HEALTH MINUTE, ABBEY WICK ASKS AN EXPERT ABOUT HOW TO HELP PRODUCERS STILL APPREHENSIVE ABOUT MAKING THE CHANGE.

Abbey: This week for the Agweek Soil Health Minute, I get a lot of questions about reducing tillage and can we do it in the Northern Plains. So I went to one of the experts, Anthony Bly, who is a field soil specialist at SDSU. And Anthony, I just want to ask you, you know, we hear so much about why reduced till can't work in the Northern Plains. Can you tell us what evidence you have, or why you know that it can work?

Anthony Bly: WELL THE BIGGEST THING FOR ME IS JUST LOOKING AROUND. THERE ARE SEVERAL EXAMPLES THROUGHOUT MINNESOTA, NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTH DAKOTA WHERE PRODUCERS ARE MAKING IT WORK. WE NEED TO TURN TO THEM AND USE THEIR EXPERIENCES AS A JUMPING POINT TO START IT ON OUR OWN FARM.

WHERE DOES SOMEBODY GET STARTED WITH THESE PRACTICES?

WELL YOU KNOW, I THINK OF SOUTH DAKOTA, MY HOME STATE, AND OUR SOIL HEALTH COALITION AND NRCS HAS DEVELOPED A MENTORING NETWORK. AND THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD EXAMPLES OF HOW THAT MENTORING NETWORK HAS FUNCTIONED, AND IT'S THERE BECAUSE THOSE PRODUCERS ARE WILLING TO HELP OTHER PRODUCERS THAT HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS. AND SO I JUST RECOMMEND, YOU KNOW, FIND SOMEONE THAT'S DOING IT IN YOUR AREA, AND JUST MAKE FRIENDS AND LEARN FROM THEM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO EXPERIENCE AS YOU EMBARK DOWN THAT ROAD.

Abbey. Great. Well thank you, whether you're looking at NDSU resources or SDSU resources to me it's all the same. And to get the most information you possibly can. So thank you Anthony for joining us on the Soil Health Minute.

THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF AG WEEK TV.

REMEMBER, FOR ALL YOUR AG NEWS, GO TO AG WEEK.COM , AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AS WELL. HAVE YOURSELF A GREAT AND SAFE WEEK.

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