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EDITORIAL
Drew Lyon, Ag Management Solutions
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Prairie Grains Prairie Grains
August-September 2024 | Issue 201 10
Against the Grain: Normal no more
From Fork to Farm: Ancient Grains Conference highlights global opportunities 20
Inspiring Future Change: Glenn Hjelle joins MWRPC
24
Removing the Stigma: Rural Minds addresses ag’s elephant in the room 26
Flyover Country: North Dakota Grain Growers mark 30 years of pioneering E-Tour
North Dakota Grain Growers Association 2401 46th Ave SE , Suite 204 • Mandan, ND 58554 701.222.2216 • Email: danw@ndgga.com Web: www.ndgga.com
South Dakota Wheat Growers Association 116 N. Euclid, Box 667 • Pierre, SD 58501 605.224.4418 • Email: wheatinc@midco.net
Montana Grain Growers Association
P.O. Box 1165 • Great Falls, MT 59403 • 406.761.4596 Email: erobinson@mgga.org • Web: www.mgga.org
Northland Community and Technical College 1101 Highway One East • Thief River Falls, MN 56701 218.683.8800
Agriculture’s latest futuristic venue opened this summer when the Peltier Complex was unveiled to the public. The home of the Northern Crops Institute is set to make the region a worldwide hub of agriculture innovation.
Read more on page 16.
Photo by Mark Askelson.
Normal no more
Over a lifetime of farming, it’s become clear to me that we can safely throw any notions of a “normal” growing season out the window. What’s up is down; down is up. Between the markets, weather and politics, it’s simply anyone’s guess at the start of the year how our crop will turn out.
This year has been no exception. Entering the 2024 growing season, farmers such as myself in northwest Minnesota were praying for rain after several seasons of abnormally dry precipitation (not to mention a historically mild winter). It appeared we were past due for an early start to planting. Then May arrived, and rain and hail poured down, followed by cool weather, keeping many of us out of the fields for weeks on end, hoping for warmer and drier days.
And this wasn’t unique to northern Minnesota: Growers to the south of us experienced similar conditions; our friends in southern Minnesota and parts of South Dakota endured flooding not seen in decades. These unpredictable conditions also underscore the dire need for improvements to the farm safety net in the next Farm Bill. The certainty the Farm Bill offers through crop insurance is critical to producers
when Mother Nature wreaks havoc.
If you’re like me, you’ve grown weary of hearing about the status of the next Farm Bill, but groups like the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) are making another push to bring this legislation across the finish line by year’s end. Depending on how harvest is faring, I hope to join my NAWG colleagues in September in Washington, D.C., to implore legislative leaders to work together to pass a new and improved Farm Bill in 2024. We can all agree that kicking the can down the road to 2025 is less than ideal; and with a new Congress coming in 2025, no one is chomping at the bit to start the process all over again. Of course, through all this is the upcoming Nov. 5. election, at all levels. The stakes are high. No matter your political stripe, I encourage everyone to make sure all legislators understand how important agriculture is toward improving our economy, environment and enhancing our national security. Even though rural representation in government seems to decrease with
each passing election, we must continue pressing the issue and reminding lawmakers that American farmers are feeding, fueling and clothing the world.
Of course, it’s also imperative that we support each other here in farm country. To that end, thank you to everyone who joined us for MAWG’s annual Golf Scramble and Shoot Out, or visited with Executive Director Brian Sorenson in August at Farmfest. We are also looking forward to the 2024 Prairie Grains Conference at the Alerus Center Dec. 11-12 in Grand Forks, N.D. At the conference, MAWG will hold its annual business meeting where board members are elected. MAWG continues to seek an at-large board member. Please consider representing your fellow wheat growers and joining the board.
No matter where you are farming, I wish all my fellow producers a safe and “normal” harvest! I look forward to seeing you at meetings and discussing our new normal.
Kevin Leiser farms in Fertile, Minnesota, and serves as president of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers.
The Best of the Worst
I’ve been meeting with farmers throughout the summer, and the best I can tell them is that they are the best of the worst. With commodity prices tanking, interest rates high and often prevent plant acres, finances do not look good. The farming economy is one of the worst we have seen in quite a few years.
We created balance sheets and cash flows in March, and things have only gotten worse. I cannot walk into a farm and say “Wow, things look great!” The best I can say is that they are the best of the worst.
Hopefully they didn’t hold old crop grain too long and made some forward sales when the market had a brief rally. Those decisions move them into the best of the worst category.
Maybe they got their crops seeded in a timely fashion, and we can leave yield expectations unchanged. For wheat yields, we may even be able to add a few bushels to expected production. Most likely wet conditions caused them to PP some acres, or they lost acres because of wet weather.
The only way to survive one of the worst farm economies is to make decisions that move you into the best of the worst category. Let’s talk about
Betsy Jensen is a Farm Business Management Instructor at Northland Community and Technical College. Follow her on X at @jensenbetsyr.
what some of those decisions might be going forward.
The first decision is not re-owning sales, especially in corn and wheat. Both crops have significant carrying charges, and that makes re-owning expensive. You can sell today, and re-own in a distant month for twenty five cents more. Don’t do that. Re-owning in a carry market is expensive.
If you deliver and price all of your wheat at harvest, go ahead and reown some bushels. More often I see farmers sell twenty percent of their production and try to get back to 100% ownership. Just walk away. You already own too much wheat. Do not add more risk to your farm.
Another mistake in a full carry market is rolling contracts. I’ll admit I have done it and I’ll also admit I cannot remember a time it has been profitable. Every time you roll a contract, you add the spread to your basis. Instead of a 30 under basis, you have 45, then 60, then maybe a 75 under basis. It is a bad idea. As a farmer I am always bullish so I really want to believe the rally is just around the corner. Instead I am stuck with a horrible basis contract.
At our summer ag teacher conference,
we developed a coping mechanism. Many of my colleagues farm on their own, and we all work with farmers who are upset with themselves for not making better decisions. We are all in the same boat together.
Whenever you start to kick yourself, say “I made the best decision with the information I had at the time.” We should have sold more on the rally. We should have planted fewer acres of one crop and more of another. We should not have purchased that piece of machinery. We should have bought that piece of land five years ago.
Farming is a series of decisions that look obvious in hindsight. Focus on making the best decision with the information you have today, and not looking back with regret. Farming does not look profitable for the 2024 crop, but let’s make decisions that put us in the best position in the worst economic conditions.
One of the reasons I love crop marketing is because every year is unique. What looks bearish right now could be bullish in a few weeks. We will still have opportunities for profits. When those opportunities arise, make the best decision you can.
Delivering results
MAWG’s ‘common sense’ approach makes a difference in St. Paul
By Drew Lyon
In a contentious 2024 Legislative Session fraught with partisan tensions, the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers (MAWG) activated all its available resources and worked with fellow ag groups and party leaders from both sides to notch farm-related policy wins in St. Paul.
“Overall, we were OK with how the session turned out,” MAWG President Kevin Leiser said. “We blocked some unnecessary regulations from becoming law. In our world, defending against bad policy is critical.”
Topping those defensive wins was preventing a proposed increase on fertilizer fees, which MAWG and numerous ag groups opposed.
“We didn’t feel it was fair to have our members in
northwest Minnesota pay for a fertilizer problem in the rest of the state,” Leiser said. “To us, that’s just common sense.”
MAWG also worked with lawmakers and farm groups on preventing language on drain tiling registration from becoming law, along with new pesticide definitions. Bruce Kleven, MAWG’s longtime lobbyist, credited legislative leaders, including Sen. Ag Committee Chair Aric Putnam, for protecting agriculture’s interests.
“The ag groups have really established a good working relationship with Sen. Putnam,” Kleven said. “He’s really developed an interest in the industry and how it works and how it functions and how he can help it. He’s really picked up the mantle.”
MAWG did support the extension of the Agricultural
Fertilizer Research and Education Council (AFREC), which was due to sunset in 2025. After much debate within the Ag Committee, lawmakers passed a five-year extension of the program, which invests a 40-cent per ton fertilizer fee toward improving soil fertility. The extension also included an expansion of the Council members, which includes representation from MAWG (Mark Jossund, chair of the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council, sits on AFREC).
In the Environmental Committee, MAWG was disappointed the supplemental bill included a modification of the definition of public waters. However, because the policy won’t take place until 2027, the ag community is intent on tweaking the bill in future sessions to create more regulatory certainty.
“We were all pretty disappointed with how that turned out,” Kleven said. “We’ll be working to change that starting in 2025.”
‘Responsive’ leadership
MAWG, which has represented wheat growers since 1976 was also heartened to see Sen. Gene Dornink, R-Browndale, propose an amendment, also supported by DFL Sen. Rob Kupec of Moorhead, that carved out an ag exemption to the safe and sick time bill from 2023. In the new language, ag employers with employees who work less than 28 days per year will no longer need to account for those employees’ sick and safe time.
“This will help a lot with farm employers during harvest,” Kleven said. “It was a little recognition that ag has some special circumstances.”
Kleven credited Leiser and MAWG’s annual bus trip to the Capitol in March for helping to shape lawmakers’ stances on farm policy. Having farmers explain to lawmakers how a policy impacts their farming operation and bottom line can make all the difference in legislators’ voting positions.
“The members appreciate folks taking the time to come in from their district,” he said. “They hear from them directly, and then the members get to ask them questions like, ‘How much insecticide do you use?’ And Kevin is really conscientious and puts a real effort into the position.”
Leiser added that he’s enjoyed working alongside Brian Sorenson in the months since Sorenson became MAWG executive director during the middle of the session in April 2024.
“He’s been great and responsive,” Leiser said. “Brian wants to do a good job for our members.”
In the months leading up to the Nov. 5 election, MAWG is hoping to host legislative leaders during campaign and harvest seasons and visit with candidates during Big Iron. For Kleven, the legislative offseason means keeping in contact with legislators and preparing for 2025. The entire state House is up for election, and Republicans need to flip four seats to regain the majority. While MAWG is nonpartisan and doesn’t endorse candidates, in general, farm advocacy groups typically favor split government.
“We’re happy to work with whoever is in leadership,” Leiser said, “but it just seems like you get the best ideas when both parties have to work together to come up with a compromise on the issues.”
The 2025 legislative session begins Jan. 14, 2025.
Because wheat checkoff dollars can’t be used for legislative ac tivities, the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers is fueled by membership support. Dues help sustain MAWG advocacy efforts on the road toward improving farmer profitability. Visit mnwheat.org/growers to choose the membership option that works best for you!
MAWG’s key legislative wins
· Protected crop inputs
· No new fertilizer fees
· Prevented drain tiling registration
· Safe and sick time exemption
· AFREC extension
GOV. WALZ NAMED VP CANDIDATE
The political outlook can change in the blink of an eye. In August 2024, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was named Kamala Harris’ Democratic running mate in the race for the White House. The governor is no stranger to Washington, D.C.: From 2007-2019, he represented Minnesota’s 1st District and sat on the House Ag Committee. If elected VP, Walz’s departure from state office would mean Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan becomes governor and Senate President Bobby Joe Champion would move to lieutenant governor.
And the winners are .....
Minnesota Wheat Open Golf Scramble Lakeside
Golf Club, Perham, MN
West Central Ag Servicves:
Diamond Sponsors: Bayer CropScience, UPL
Platinum Sponsors: AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Dakota Access Pipeline, Forum Communications Printing, MN Soybean Research & Promotion Council, Rural Community Insurance Services and Unity Bank
Gold Sponsor: Invision Ag
Silver Sponsor: Bremer Bank-Warren, Markit County Grain, RDO Equipment, SY Commodity Consultants and West Central Ag Services
Bronze Sponsors: Citizens State Bank-Roseau Universal Screenprint
The Minnesota Wheat Open Golf event is a way to say thank you to members and supporters of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers. Thank you for making these events a great success. The membership dues and sponsorships help raise the funds necessary to continue our work in St. Paul and Washington D.C. We are proud of our past successes and we continually work on issues important to wheat growers in Minnesota.
Thank you for supporting the 2024 MAWG Shoot Out
The annual MN Wheat Sporting Clay Shoot Out had 23 novice and advanced shooters participate. Growers and ag professionals enjoyed a beautiful day of shooting at the Northwest Sporting Clay course in Thief River Falls, MN.
(l-r) Brian Bertilrud and Sorenson
Annie Oakley Winner
(l-r) Brian Sorenson, MN Wheat Executive Director and Jesse Doyea
(l-r) Sorenson, Brian Bertilrud, Hunter Doyea, Vaughn Mulcahy and Jesse Doyea. Team sponsored by Border Bank.
MWRPC welcomes new board member FUTURECHANGE INSPIRING
By Izzy O’Rourke
A new perspective has arrived to the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council (MWRPC) Board of Directors.
Glenn Hjelle, a wheat, corn and soybean farmer from Barrett, Minn., joined the board in July, replacing retiring Director Scott Swenson.
The longtime farmer arrives with industry experience and a passion for conservation.
“I have farmed with my family for many years,” Hjelle said. “We farm about one-third of our land for each crop. We have slowly been transitioning to 100 percent no-till with cover crops over the last 10 years.”
Hjelle also has pollinator habitats spread across 150 acres called “prairie strips” along ditches and roads. It is a conservation practice that protects soil and water and provides a habitat for wildlife.
Before joining the MWRPC board, Hjelle volunteered for several organizations, including Farm Bureau, his local cooperative oil board, church council, the Sustainable Farming Association, Land Stewardship Project and Minnesota Soil Health Coalition.
Hjelle’s journey to becoming MWPRC’s Area 2 director started 12 years ago when he took on his first farm research project.
“A statewide study of profitability of minimum till or no-till cover crops versus conventional tillage is what my projects have been about,” Hjelle said. “We also take part in disease and weed management.”
Hjelle, who is very passionate about the agriculture industry, especially wheat, says he is excited about being on the board.
“I want my voice to be heard from my past experiences,” Hjelle said. “It is also important to promote MWRPC and the On-Farm Research Network projects.”
Funded by the Minnesota Wheat checkoff and crop research grants for more than a decade, the On-Farm Research Network conducts producer-funded, producerdriven research that investigates research topics in a large plot environment.
“It is very valuable to do research projects,” Hjelle said. “I am proud to do research on my own fields because it is really rewarding. The colleges do research, but it is also important to do local research.”
Hjelle said he was one of many Minnesota producers who endured a rough, soggy planting season. By summertime, his prospects for a bountiful harvest were brightening.
PRESERVING THE LAND
In 2021, Hjelle put his passion for conservation into practice when he enrolled his operation in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). Since becoming certified, Hjelle has earned three of MAWQCP’s five endorsements. Through using practices like cover crops and reducing his tillage, Hjelle is improving yields and cutting down on fuel use.
“Our crops are straightening out here,” Hjelle said. “We had a really tough start because we were wet and then we got another rain so that did not help. Thirty percent of our corn crop is not in the ground.”
The Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers (MAWG) and MWRPC are actively planning a strategy to address the evolving needs of wheat producers in the state.
“There has been a decline in [acreage] the last few years,” Hjelle said. “A lot more people are planting wheat this year because of how wet it has been. I do not think people realize how good it is for rotation. We need support from the government and the checkoff to keep improving. If you are a grower, it is important to support the Farm Bill. It is hard to convince people to rotate in wheat because it does not pencil up for everyone.”
Although Hjelle has not been to a meeting as a board member yet, he recently sat in on one and is eager about what’s on the horizon.
“I am looking forward to having input on situations,” Hjelle said. “I am in the middle of the state compared to most of the farmers that are farther north. The growing conditions up north are different than other parts of the state. We need to work towards making wheat profitable because it is a great source of protein per acre.”
Hjelle has previously enjoyed attending MWPRC and MAWG events, such as the Prairie Grains Conference and Small Grains Update.
“They are great conferences to attend,” Hjelle said. “I have been attending them even before I joined the board. I usually go in and read all the research papers a day early to see how projects went. It is also very important to network with people at the event.”
Hjelle shared his excitement about the new role and shared a motto that he lives by: “We are passing on our land and knowledge to the next generation and we need to take care of it, while also having a voice in the industry.”
Members of the MWRPC board of directors say they are looking forward to having Hjelle join the team and direct wheat checkoff funds
“He attended a meeting already that he did not have to be at and is highly recommended,” MWRPC Director Tim Dufault said. “He has a very high interest level and will be a great addition.”
It benefits everyone when we take care of the soil.
MOORHEAD FARMER ELECTED MWRPC CHAIR
It’s been a year of transition and growth for the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council.
After hiring a new executive director, Brian Sorenson, MWRPC elected its newest chair, Mark Jossund, during its June board meeting in Red Lake Falls.
Jossund replaces Tim Dufault, who remains on the board as Area 1 director.
Jossund lives in Moorhead and farms about 30 miles north across both northern Clay and southern Norman counties. Jossund and his wife, Brendy, rotate wheat, corn and soybeans on their fourth-generation farm that dates back to the 1880s. In 2021, the Jossunds were named Clay County’s Farm Family of the Year.
In his role with Minnesota Wheat, Jossund sits on the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council and represents MWRPC on U.S. Wheat Associates, the nation’s export market development organization.
MWRPC’S 2024-25 OFFICER TEAM
Mark Jossund – Chair
Peter Hvidsten – Vice Chair
Mikayla Tabert – Treasurer
Rhonda K. Larson – Secretary
The bottom line: Ag Water Quality Certified farms earn higher profitability
Numbers don’t lie. They tell a story.
Farmers enrolled in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) earn higher profits than non-certified farms, according to five years of data from the Minnesota State Agricultural Centers of Excellence.
The “Influence of Intensified Environmental Practices on Farm Profitability” study examines financial and crop and livestock production information from farmers enrolled in the Minnesota State Farm Business Management education program. The 126 MAWQCP farms in the study saw more gross cash farm income and net farm income in 2023 vs. non-certified farms. Looking at five-year average data, the average net cash income for MAWQCP farms was over $213,600 compared to nearly $163,000 for non-MAWQCP farms. Other key financial metrics are also better for those enrolled in the MAWQCP, such as debt-to-asset ratios and operating expense ratios.
The five years of data serves as an indicator of a positive return on investment for whole-farm conservation management that farmers implement to become certified.
“We now have continuous data that shows the Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program provides better economic outcomes on top of the benefits to our water and soil resources,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “With so many advantages to the MAWQCP, I encourage all farmers and landowners to look into certifying their land and contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District for more information.”
Details on the economic study are available at agcentric.org
“The MAWQCP producers participating in Farm Business Management can enhance farm profitability by benchmarking various aspects of their farm operations,” said Keith Olander, Executive Director of AgCentric, and Agricultural Partnerships. “This study shows that these producers operate
with a higher level of efficiency compared to their peers.”
Numerous Minnesota farm groups have been strong supporters of the MAWQCP from its inception. During international trade missions, farmer leaders tout the one-of-a-kind MAWQCP as an example of Minnesota’s sustainable farming practices.
“This isn’t a one-size-fits-all program,” said Wells farmer Darin Johnson, who enrolled in 2022. “You do have options. For us, it was a good fit. I’m a fourth-generation farmer and I want to make sure we’re keeping our land in better shape for the fifth and sixth generations.”
The MAWQCP puts farmers in touch with local conservation district experts to identify and mitigate any risks their farm poses to water quality on a field-by-field basis. Producers going through the certification process have priority access to financial assistance. After being certified, each farm is deemed in compliance with new water quality laws and regulations for 10 years.
Since the voluntary program’s statewide launch, 1,518 producers totaling over 1,095,000 acres have been certified across Minnesota. Those farms have added over 2,940 new conservation practices. New practices have helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 50,000 metric tons annually and have kept nearly 48,000 tons of sediment out of Minnesota rivers while saving 144,000 tons of soil and 60,000 pounds of phosphorous on farms each year. The conservation practices have also reduced nitrogen loss by up to 49%.
Farmers and landowners interested in becoming water quality certified can contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District or visit MyLandMyLegacy.com .
MWRPC makes connections with Brazilian trade team
By Sydney Harris Trade, trade, trade.
It’s the name of the game.
In July, the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council (MWRPC) welcomed a team of six Brazilian wheat traders to the Twin Cities, building the kind of relationships that lead to increased exports. Though Brazil doesn’t traditionally purchase hard red spring wheat, the Land of 10,000 Lakes offers plenty to buyers.
“Unfortunately, Brazil really doesn’t buy any spring wheat,” MWRPC Chair Mark Jossund said. “They’re typically buying 10 and a half protein wheat so if they do buy U.S. wheat, they’re buying hard red winter wheat. They came to Minnesota because of Cargill, CHS and ADM.”
Organized by U.S. Wheat Associates and attended by Jossund, MWRPC Director Kevin Leiser and Executive Director Brian Sorenson, the Brazilian delegation spent a significant portion of its time in the Twin Cities “talking shop” with the Minnesota-based ag powerhouses.
“They had good discussions about how they could better work with each other,” Jossund said. “The discussions were around how they could access the markets and they all exchanged information.”
Along with Cargill, CHS and ADM, the trade team visited Ardent Mills in Hastings and the University of Minnesota, where they met with Dr. Jim Anderson, a spring wheat breeder.
“It’s important for them to learn about variety development,” Sorenson said. “It helps for future export opportunities.”
But the main goal of the trade team? Developing relationships.
“The goal from MWRPC’s standpoint was to meet with these buyers to help them understand the quality and value of the hard red spring wheat produced here in Minnesota,” Sorenson said. “We wanted to spend time with them and help build relationships so that they have a better understanding of the quality and availability of our wheat.”
Even though the benefits of trade teams aren’t necessarily quantifiable, they are still vital to the
wheat industry.
“You can’t really view it as we’re selling X number of bushels,” Jossund said. “I can’t sit and tell our producers that, ‘Well, because of this trade team we sold 100,000 bushels.’ It doesn’t work like that. It’s about long-term relationship building.”
Comprising nine board members who are elected to direct Minnesota wheat checkoff dollars, MWRPC is committed to promoting Minnesotagrown wheat, aiming to expand international export markets. Hosting trade teams is just one avenue checkoff dollars are invested in to benefit Minnesota wheat producers.
“The Minnesota farmer produces one of the best classes of wheat with high protein, so we want to show that off,” Jossund said. “Even if it doesn’t translate into them buying, the trade teams can still see how committed we are to quality in the state.”
The Minnesota Wheat team visits with Brazilian wheat traders during a visit to the Twin Cities in July 2024. Representing MN Wheat, Jossund and Leiser, far left and Sorenson, far right.
2024 Minnesota Wheat Varieties
We would like to thank all of the Minnesota wheat producers who responded to our annual wheat variety survey. The results of this survey help guide the UMN spring wheat breeder, Jim Anderson, in developing suitable varieties for production in Minnesota.
The results of the survey depict what varieties are most important to Minnesota’s wheat growers.
Survey Findings:
• WB9590 was the most popular variety statewide, with 23% of the acreage planted in 2024.
• Second most popular was MN-Rothsay with 22% of the state's acreage.
• Third on the list was MN-Torgy at 12%, followed by SY Valda at 10% and WB9479 at 7%.
• In the northern growing regions of the state, WB9590 was the most popular variety with 27%.
• MN-Torgy was the most popular variety in the central growing region, with 26% of the acres planted.
• In the southern region, MN-Torgy was first on the list at 37% acres planted.
This survey is conducted from the check-off funds collected by the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council.
NCI’s new home opens; Bolley Agricultural Laboratory breaks ground
By Mark Askelson
North Dakota State University (NDSU) is well known for its dominance on the football field, but its true legacy is the basis of which it was founded: agriculture.
With its latest additions, the Peltier Complex and the forthcoming Bolley Agricultural Laboratory, NDSU is playing a leading role in agriculture’s future. In addition to the already existing Jack Dalrymple Agricultural Research Complex and the Animal Nutrition and Physiology Center, NDSU is building an empire of agricultural education along the 18th Street corridor in Fargo, N.D.
“Through it all since the beginning, agriculture has always been at the heart and soul of this institution, which began as the North Dakota Agricultural College,” said NDSU President David Cook. “With the opening of the Peltier Complex and the groundbreaking of the Bolley Agricultural Laboratory, you can look down 18th Street and now have a vision and agricultural education and research corridor that rivals any university in the United States.”
Peltier Complex Dedication
After two years of construction and $85 million worth of investments from the North Dakota State Legislature, commodity groups and private donors, NDSU held the dedication of the Peltier Complex on June 12, 2024, providing a new home for the globally reaching Northern Crops Institute (NCI). For more than four decades, NCI, which is chaired by Tim Dufault, a director with the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council, has promoted the use of northerngrown commodities through educational courses, research and technical assistance.
From a wheat perspective, the Peltier Complex will take many of the great strides that NCI accomplished in its former facility in Harris Hall and transform them to the next level.
“The Peltier Complex is a remarkable update and it’s going to dramatically improve the capacity and capabilities of the scientists and marketing specialists
that are tasked with measuring, analyzing and promoting the crop quality of North Dakota wheat,” said Aaron Kjelland, North Dakota Wheat Commission representative on the Northern Crops Council, which governs NCI.
The Peltier Complex boasts triple the space it had in its previous 16,000-square foot facility, which means more space for lab work and additional room to welcome visitors from across the globe. There will be a pasta, baking and soy foods lab – each of which are food grade to allow easy and safe distribution of the products produced in the labs.
“For the first time ever, we’ll have food grade baking and milling labs. So, in the old building when we baked a loaf of bread to test the quality of the crop, we weren’t allowed to sample it,” said Kjelland.
“It’ll be nice to finally have a capability to sample and distribute the products we’re creating.”
NCI’s reach is worldwide through shortcourses and educational programs that promote northern-grown
crops by connecting global customers, commodity traders, technical experts and professors for discussion and learning.
“We bring in people from all over the world to talk about the quality of our northern-grown crops and educate them about the procurement processes and how they can bring them to their country,” said NCI co-Interim Director David Boehm. “Last year alone we had 72 countries represented in our NCI programming and more than 3,400 people participated in our programming, both in person and virtually.”
Because of space constraints, the organization was limited in the size of the groups they could host at Harris Hall. Following the move to the Peltier Complex, NCI will be able to not just increase the size of their groups, but potentially host multiple programs at once.
Continued on page 18
and directors
Stakeholders
with the Northern Crops Council tour the Peltier Complex during its grand opening on June 12, 2024.
NCI co-Interim Director David Boehm delivers remarks during the Peltier Complex’s grand opening.
This new facility represents a beacon of agricultural innovation and opportunity. The work done in the Bolley Lab and Peltier Complex will pave the way for breakthroughs that will benefit the farmers and consumers.
-North Dakota House Speaker Dennis Johnson
The Peltier Complex will also be the home of NDSU’s food science, cereal science and meat science programs, along with the North Dakota Trade Office and USDA. The facility is specifically designed to increase collaboration amongst the different entities.
Bolley Agricultural Laboratory Groundbreaking
Just a few blocks north and a couple hours prior to the Peltier Complex dedication, NDSU also broke ground on a new, state-of-the-art agricultural research complex to be named after the school’s first football coach, seed scientist and all-around research pioneer, Henry L. Bolley.
The Bolley Agricultural Laboratory will be the home to several of the school’s research programs, including plant breeding, plant pathology, weed science agronomy, soil science and horticulture. With help from $87 million from the North Dakota Legislature and another $3 million in philanthropic donations, the Bolley Agricultural Laboratory will be NDSU’s largest non-athletic construction project to date.
According to Dr. Greg Lardy, who serves as NDSU’s vice president for agriculture, the new facility will address critical needs in plant breeding and varietal needs. These improvements will result in stronger varieties that are better suited for North Dakota growing conditions. It will also help address plant disease risk, provide much-needed laboratory space for horticulture and high-value crop research.
Just like the Bison football team needs an exceptional offense, defense and special teams to compete for a championship, the Bolley Agricultural Laboratory will be the final piece of the puzzle to become an agricultural research powerhouse. Lardy noted that there are four types of facilities needed for NDSU to maintain a competitive advantage and continue to meet the needs of their stakeholders.
“That includes greenhouse space for enhanced education and research,”
Thirteen participants from the U.S., Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa participated in NCI’s Pasta Production from Multiple US Wheat Classes course in summer 2024. This course was the first held in the Peltier Complex and covered the manufacturing of several classes of U.S. wheat. Minnesota Wheat Executive Director Brian Sorenson also delivered an opening keynote on U.S wheat production.
courtesy of NCI.
Lardy said, “which we have in the Jack Dalrymple Ag Research Complex, chemistry and molecular biology, which we have in various buildings across campus, end use quality laboratories, which we now have with NCI at the new Peltier Complex and last but not least, a field laboratory, which is the Bolley Agricultural Laboratory that we are breaking ground on.”
The Bolley Agricultural Laboratory will replace the decades-old research facilities across campus that weren’t designed for current research needs. The new lab will also encompass North Dakota’s diverse range of crops that are now produced throughout the region.
“Who would have thought we’d be growing grapes in North Dakota?” said Sarah Lovas, an agronomist, farmer and chair of the State Board of Agricultural Education and Research.
Every winning team needs to constantly develop new players and new leaders. Lovas heralded the Bolley Agricultural Laboratory as the type of winning facility for the region’s agriculture.
“These new facilities will offer an opportunity to recruit and retain excellent faculty, staff and students as
we move agriculture forward,” she said.
Worthwhile investments
For North Dakota House Speaker Dennis Johnson of District 15, coalescing support from fellow legislators for both the Peltier Complex and Bolley Agricultural Laboratory was easy to garner. Speaker Johnson stated at the groundbreaking and dedication that agriculture has always been the backbone of North Dakota because the industry sustains the entire Northern Plains region, fueling economies and shaping communities.
“This new facility represents a beacon of agricultural innovation and opportunity. The work done in the Bolley Lab and Peltier Complex will pave the way for breakthroughs that will benefit the farmers and consumers,” Speaker Johnson said. “As we look to the future, this lab and complex will serve as a catalyst for growth and innovation, it’ll provide fertile ground for new ideas to take root and flourish, and it will be a place where the next generation of agricultural leaders is nurtured, and the challenges of today are met with solutions of tomorrow.”
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The 2024 Ancient Grains Conference featured industry leaders from across the supply chain, including farmer Scott Swenson (upper right), who attended just prior to retiring as a director with the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council.
From fork to farm Ancient Grains Conference highlights
global opportunities
By Mark Askelson
Whether finding new markets across the globe or taking a page from growers in other countries, the 2024 Ancient Grains Conference highlighted how bakers, millers and farmers of ancient grains alike can connect on a global level. The conference was hosted by the Northern Crops Institute in Fargo, N.D., and was the last event held in Harris Hall before moving over to its new, state-of-the-art Peltier Complex. In one of his final days as a director with the Minnesota
Wheat Research & Promotion Council, Scott Swenson participated in the workshop.
SSGA: Connecting a global marketplace When it comes to finding new markets for specialty crops, especially non-GMO and food-grade soybeans, the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) is a leading voice for an industry that provides traceable, high-quality, varietyspecific crops to markets worldwide. Eric Wenberg,
executive director of SSGA, opened up the Ancient Grains Conference by showing how those same principles can apply when it comes to ancient grains as well.
Wenberg noted that one shining example of an ancient grain export is buckwheat, which is used primarily to make Soba noodles in Japan but is now expanding to Korea as well. The market for emmer is growing in Korea also, as the population looks for options to reduce its carbs from a primarily rice diet. Overall, the health benefits of the ancient grains are adding to the demand in Asian countries as they tend to view food as medicine and prefer the nutritional profile of ancient grains.
Growing buckwheat and emmer and expecting to be able to tap into foreign markets is not feasible. However, by working with SSGA and its highly traceable U.S. Identify Preserved program, growers may be able to contract their crop at a premium price.
“SSGA is not a promotional company,” Wenberg said. “We’re an auditing company that ensures the commodity meets IP standards and provides export certification, but we use that technical handling as a marketing tool.”
SSGA, which recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, can work with ancient grains producers to spot those niche markets and connect the grower with the end user. The discussions and contracting are typically done six to eight months ahead of planting. After harvest, the crop is cleaned, stored and shipped separately to ensure quality and traceability standards are met from fork to farm.
“It is the traceability that remains the reason buyers will pay more for what you grow,” Wenberg said. “Our vision is to create clean container loads of these crops and satisfy the international demand.”
Bringing Nu Life to sorghum
While sorghum isn’t very high up on the list when it comes to total acres planted in the U.S., across many parts of the world it is quite popular: 100 million people consume the cereal every day. But why isn’t sorghum widely consumed in the U.S.? That was the question posed by fourthgeneration Kansas farmer Earl Roemer before founding Nu Life Market, which grows, harvests, produces, mills and packages grain sorghum as a gluten-free alternative to traditional wheat products.
“When we started the company, it was all about gluten-free because consumer demand dictated it,” said Roemer. “Then the trend switched to non-GMO, which grain sorghum is also, so to check both those boxes is big for consumers.”
Along with non-GMO and gluten free, grain sorghum is also excellent for use in regenerative agricultural systems and does well in the drought conditions of the Great Plains states like Kansas and Nebraska.
Nu Life Market has the unique opportunity to have control of the product from start to finish as part of its identity preserved system.
“From a food safety standpoint, having the traceability from when the seed is planted until the flour is packaged, it’s invaluable,” Roemer said. “It’s important to us and our customers that we are there every
step of the way.”
One other box that’s been checked by Nu Life Market is providing a gluten-free alternative that tastes good. Roemer noted that they were able to develop a system of milling that reduced the “sandy mouth” feel that occurred with traditional gluten alternatives.
Products that Nu Life Market provides include flour for breads, pasta, pizza crusts, along with popped sorghum snacks, bran and meal.
Protecting Earth with ancient grains
During the Sustainability Panel, Lindsay Malone, assistant professor of Climate Smart Agriculture at NDSU, shared how producers can use ancient grains for sustainable and regenerative agricultural purposes. While they lack in yield potential and research is nominal compared to conventional crops, Malone says that they are seeing that trend shift positively as producers are adding ancient grains into their rotation to increase sustainability.
“Ancient grains tend to be much more resistant and grow excellent on marginal lands that most conventional crops struggle on,” said Malone.
More importantly to Malone is promoting the use of ancient grains as cover crops to reduce erosion from wind and water and help keep those valuable nutrients in the soil.
“The average wind erosion in North Dakota is about five tons of soil per acre annually,” she said, “which is only about the thickness of a dime, but by reducing tillage and promoting ancient grains as cover crops, we can protect and restore our soils.”
Also known as heritage grains, ancient grains are a vital food source for humans. Ancient grains can be classified as cereal grains, including wheat, barley, sorghum, oats, millet, rice and rye, in addition to pseudo-cereals amaranth, buckwheat and chickpeas. They’re also an oilseed, including flax, hemp, safflower and soybeans. Ancient grains are dietary staples for developing countries around the globe.
DOING THE RIGHT THING
Who is
Established in 1982, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is the technical advisor for the Farmers for Soil Health Program in MN, WI and SD. CTIC promotes the widespread use of economically and environmentally beneficial agricultural systems. Learn more at ctic.org or by viewing the organization’s X, LinkedIn or Facebook page.
CTIC is covering ground, enrolling growers in Farmers for Soil Health
While attending the 2024 MN Ag Expo, Mike Lindquist’s landlord visited the Conservation Technology Information Center’s (CTIC) booth on the trade show floor. While meeting with Dan Coffman, CTIC’s Minnesota-based soil health specialist, she became intrigued by CTIC’s partnership with Farmers for Soil Health Program, a farmerdriven program that incentivizes the use of cover crops.
Lindquist is an operator with Peine Farms in southeast Minnesota. The farm has previous experience planting cover crops; thus, partnering with CTIC and FSH made for an ideal pairing, both environmentally and economically.
“I reached out to Dan and figured out what the program had to offer, and we ended up implementing a lot of cover crops of our own ground,” says Lindquist, who farms with his father, uncle and brother in Cannon
Falls. “We’ve learned a lot and we’re very happy to promote cover crops.”
Lindquist, who raises soybeans, corn, canning crops and beef cattle on textured rolling hills in Hastings, said his cover crops withstood a wet planting season compared to other fields in his region.
“We’re really thankful,” he says. “We haven’t seen any issues with the cover crops at all, yield-wise. So that’s been great for us, and we’re able to work them into our system because we have livestock.”
By planting cover crops and terminating his cover crop prior to planting, Lindquist is using corn for feed earlier in the fall, along with improving his nutrient cycling, soil structure and weed control while preventing soil erosion. In addition, the USDA has approved a variance for Minnesota’s cover crop 340 practice standard exclusively for FSH enrollees,
meaning Peine Farms won’t have to change their rates.
“So far, cover crops have worked great for us,” Lindquist says.
Since partnering with Farmers for Soil Health in 2023, CTIC has made inroads with operations like Peine Farms by hosting webinars and exhibiting at ag-related events across the Midwest. The word is spreading: Since partnering with Farmers for Soil Health, CTIC has enrolled nearly 36 farmers and 323 fields across nearly 17,000 acres in Minnesota alone. CTIC also supports soil health specialists in South Dakota and Wisconsin with a goal to enroll 500 farms and more than 80,000 acres into FSH by 2026. With support from General Mills, CTIC added cover crop coaches, farmers with years of cover crop experience, who provide mentoring to farmers and technical assistance to soil health specialists.
Peine Farms, Cannon Falls, Minn.
Happy medium
After welcoming Coffman to his farm for a look at his operation and to run a mock account setup, Lindquist said the online enrollment process through FSH was smooth and efficient, providing a direct connection between farmers and end users.
“It’s been great to work with – very easy software online,” Lindquist says. “We’re trying to learn as we go and find that happy medium between conservation and productivity.”
Through CTIC and FSH, Peine Farms is earning additional financial incentives through their sustainability, including $50 per new acre of cover crops spread across three years. In the first year, a farmer receives $25 per acre, then $15 per acre the second year and $10 per acre in the third and final year.
“It’s a great incentive for us,” Lindquist says. “We’re trying to maintain profitability efficiency, but we also want to home in on our soil health erosion prevention. Planting cover crops is just the right thing to do.”
Farmers for Soil Health Program Details
• 2024 enrollment remains open at farmersforsoilhealth.com/
• It’s easier than autosteer!! Farmers can self-enroll but are encouraged to seek out a soil health specialist
• Program is a three-year commitment
The soy checkoff, pork checkoff and National Corn Growers Association launched Farmers for Soil Health, which advances the use of soil health practices like cover crops to improve farmer profitability and promote climate-smart practices.
CTIC and Farmers for Soil Health continue striving toward improving soil health by encouraging farmers to expand their cover crops adoption across 30 million acres in 20 U.S. states by 2030.
With roughly about 40% of farmers purchasing their cover crop seed in August, there’s no time like the present to begin enrollment. Cover crop enrollment for 2024 is now open through Feb. 28, 2025 (2025 enrollment is expected to open in March), and farmers can learn more by visiting farmersforsoilhealth.com/. Because most cover crop farmers are now starting to purchase seed for the upcoming year, August and September are optimal times to learn more about enrolling in Farmers for Soil Health.
“I couldn’t recommend it more,” Lindquist says. “Dan is great to work with and this program is helping our land and bottom line.”
• Currently, any crop fields with corn and soy in the rotation are eligible for transition incentives totaling $50 per new acre of cover crops across three years
• Signing incentives of $2 per acre are available for existing cover crops on corn and soybean fields
• The program requires participation in measurement, reporting and verification to demonstrate progress toward the program’s goal I COULDN’T RECOMMEND IT MORE. DAN IS
Removing the stigma
Rural Minds addresses ag’s elephant in the room
By Drew Lyon
Jeff Winton has a story to tell. The mental health advocate is traveling across the country on a personal mission to prevent suicides in rural communities. He knows the pain all too well: In 2012, Winton, who grew up on a dairy farm in upstate New York, lost his nephew, Brooks Winton, to suicide just a few hours after a joyous family wedding.
“He was the last person in our family who we’d ever thought was struggling,” Winton told the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) Board of Directors during NAWG’s 2024 annual meeting. “We had no idea he was struggling with mental illness or substance use disorder, or that he was contemplating suicide.”
In his role as founder and chairman of Rural Minds, Winton has shared the story of his nephew’s death countless times during meetings with advocacy groups. More than a decade since Brooks’ suicide, his uncle still chokes up recalling his final hug with his nephew and the moment he learned of Brooks’ decision to take his own life.
The shock reverberated throughout Winton’s family and community.
“It’s the worst thing that can ever happen to someone,” he said. “At that point, our world changed, our entire family changed. The dynamics in our family changed.”
NAWG CEO Chandler Goule invited Winton to speak after Rural Minds introduced the Rural Mental Health Resilience Program, a toolkit with free mental health information, resources and training to assist rural residents in improving mental health in their communities. NAWG is a supporter of the program, and Goule sits on the Rural Minds Partnership Council. Rural mental health awareness is also personal to Goule, who lost his brother to suicide.
“The stigma is still out there – not talking about depression or asking for help,” said Goule, who has joined Winton as a national advocate for rural mental wellness.
Removing the stigma around mental illness in rural America means addressing the crisis, not ignoring it. When Brooks died, community members were reluctant to discuss why and how he chose to end his life. Brooks’ family was advised to consider saying he perished in an accident or from a heart attack.
“They don’t want to talk about this epidemic,” Winton said.
Suicide rates are 64%-68%
higher among people living in rural areas compared to people living in large urban areas, according to the latest research from the CDC. Despite representing only 2% of the population, farmers and ranchers are nearly twice as likely to die by suicide compared to other occupations. Winton also highlighted that veterinarians experience high levels of suicide and depression.
Instead, the Wintons, led by Jeff’s late mother, Elaine, decided to lift the veil on rural mental health and confront some hard truths in rural communities, which encompass about 46 million Americans. Of those 46 million, about 25% of rural residents are suffering from a behavioral health issue. And in Winton’s small town, seemingly everyone had a story to tell about depression and addiction, either directly or through a loved one’s experiences.
Elaine Winton helped bring the topic out of the shadows. No more hiding.
“We’re not only going to talk about it, we are going to talk about it in detail,” Winton said. “This has been going on in this farming community for far too long. I can count on both hands and feet and other appendages how many families have gone through this, and now we’re going to talk about it.”
Rural Minds was created three years ago with a focus on the agricultural community. Since its inception, the group is looking to work with indigenous and Amish populations, the latter of which has a prominent farming presence in New York.
“We’re really focused on ensuring that the stigma gets addressed and that people are starting to feel comfortable to talk about this without being ashamed or embarrassed,” Winton said. “Mental illness is an illness like cancer or heart disease, and we’ve got to start treating it as such.”
Resources to save lives
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Part of the issue with confronting mental wellness in rural America is a result of a lack of resources, Winton said. About 75% of rural counties don’t support a psychiatrist, and rural health care facilities have 20% fewer physicians than in urban counties, while 80% of rural Americans lack access to a psychiatric nurse. And telemedicine can also be a barrier: About 30% of rural residents can’t access the internet.
Winton urged the NAWG board to remember a three-digit number – 988 – which is a national network of local crisis centers providing free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“Besides helping you in a crisis, they will also help you find local resources,” Winton said.
“It’s a starting point.”
In addition, millions of rural Americans are either uninsured or under-insured. However, many insurance companies offer patient assistance programs and community partners have also increased engagements. To complicate matters further, the opioid epidemic – which can lead to mental illness – has disproportionately affected rural communities.
“If a person has to decide between paying for their insulin or paying for an antipsychotic medication, they’re going to choose their insulin,” Winton said. “But there are a lot of programs that can help.”
The stereotype of the strong, silent type in farming must be eradicated, Winton said. Times have changed, and agriculture must continue bringing mental wellness to the forefront.
“We are in a race against time,” he said. “We’re striving to end the suffering, stigma and silence that surrounds mental illness in rural America.”
To learn more about free mental health resources and receive Rural Minds’ monthly newsletter, visit ruralminds.org.
FLYOVER COUNTRY
NDGGA’s E-Tour marks 30 years of constructive dialogue
By Drew Lyon
For 30 years, the North Dakota Grain Growers Association (NDGGA) has connected its state’s grower leaders with officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the annual “E-Tour.”
“It’s really incredible that NDGGA has been doing this for so long,” said NDGGA Executive Director Kayla Pulvermacher, who helped lead her first tour since joining the organization in 2023. “They were really pioneers of this whole concept, and now you see different states joining in on this.”
A common thread running through every tour is a unique chance for producers to break bread and make connections with agency regulators and give firsthand accounts of how modern agriculture operates.
To have access to a North Dakota state plane, a state official must be present. For this year’s E-Tour, North Dakota Deputy Agriculture Commissioner Tom Bodine attended to welcome participants and give an overview of North Dakota’s vast agriculture landscape and diverse climate.
“I like to be there and try to answer those questions to be sure they don’t have any misconceptions about what we do or why we’re doing it,” said Jim Pellman, an officer with U.S. Wheat Associates and a board member of the North Dakota Wheat Commission. “I was able to sit with them at dinner and answer questions about how many times a year we spray. “
Both farmers and EPA leaders say the dialogue during the tour is rooted in mutual respect and acceptance that both parties are merely doing their jobs the best they can.
“It’s great to put a face to the people who are writing the interpretations,” Pellman said. “Sometimes, we have preconceived notions of what the EPA folks are like, so it’s great to be there and be able to meet these people.”
Rick Buhl, EPA’s Region 8 director of the Land,
North Dakota wheat, corn and soy farmers find common ground with EPA leaders during the 30th annual E-Tour.
Chemicals and Redevelopment Division, is tasked with pesticide training and implementation. He said building relationships and learning more about farming operations were key to his participation.
“You have so many people farming who are working hard,” he said. “The fact that folks were taking their time to talk to us and show us the unique challenges they had, I thought that was really special, and just getting to know them on a personal level.”
New technologies
During the multi-day trip, farmers emphasized the importance of protecting crop inputs and underscored how cautiously those inputs are applied.
“I don’t want to leave them with the misconception that we’re always spraying,” said Pellman, who’s participated in several E-Tours. “We spray fungicide, and we’re doing burn down because we’re a minimum till or no-till operation.”
Discussion topics also included EPA’s herbicide strategy and the Endangered Species Act.
“We’re trying to give the EPA an idea of what spraying these crops looks like and that it’s not just a farmer putting as much chemical on a field as they can,” Pulvermacher said. “That’s costly, and as technology progresses, growers are really doing a great job of identifying and treating different weeds and pests.”
By visiting North Dakota farms and seeing the latest
technology, EPA officials say it’s a chance for a fresh perspective and appreciation.
“It’s powerful to hear the growers themselves talk about the technology, how they utilize it, and how technology fits into their farming systems,” said Rebecca Perrin, EPA’s Region 8 Ag Advisor. “They’re not just thinking about the technology in and of itself; it’s how does it get utilized in their unique environment and in their production system?”
The 2024 E-Tour, which also included members from North Dakota’s corn and soybean associations, began with an annual aerial view of North Dakota’s Prairie Pothole region.
“This does a really good job of demonstrating how not cookie cutter agriculture can be,” Pulvermacher said.
The tour wrapped up with stops at Hefty Seed and visits to NDGGA Director Jeff Mertz’s farm in Hurdsfield and North Dakota Corn Growers Association members Bill and Dan Price’s farm.
“I think we got a really great cross section of things to see and folks to talk to,” said Kaitlin Picone, EPA’s senior advisor of FIFRA Stakeholder Engagement. “The tour led to some great conversations.”
With her board gearing up for harvest, Pulvermacher was already brainstorming plans for the 2025 E-Tour.
“The details are really important for an event like this,” she said. “As an organization, the E-Tour is one of the most important things we do.”
RAY ARCHULETA: SOIL HEALTH SUPERSTAR
By Mark Askelson
You could give Ray Archuleta a lot of nicknames: “Soil Health Superstar,” “Deacon of Dirt” or “Cover Crop Commandant.”
Those names would all be very fitting. More simply, Archuleta is known as the “Soil Guy,” and rightfully so.
Ray Archuleta loves soil and preaches soil health like he’s leading a congregation. He’s also the star of a 2020 Netflix documentary, “Kiss the Ground,” narrated by actor Woody Harrelson. During his summer 2024 soil health tour through northwest Minnesota, Archuleta was trailed by a
Japanese film crew eager to share his message back home.
So, yeah, he’s kind of a big deal. But what is it about Archuleta’s message that has farmers flocking to learn more?
Archuleta, a Missouri native, spent 30 years working for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) before founding Understanding Ag, LLC and Soil Health Academy, LLC, to teach his principles for soil health on a national, and sometimes even international, scale. In July, Archuleta was the subject of a five-day soil health tour that stretched along Highway 75
in northwest Minnesota. His tour featured soil health assessments, demonstrations, farmer panels and a whole lot of Ray Archuleta.
The soil health expert shared his views on how traditional reductionism practices of tillage and chemicals to generate higher yields are depleting soil health. He also highlighted his belief that holistic approaches of biomimicry, emulating the models, systems and elements of nature to solve a problem are bringing restoration to soil and the earth.
“I strongly believe this will bring restoration to the planet,” Archuleta said. “It’ll restore our health, our
An audience in northwest Minnesota watches as Ray Archuleta gives a soil health demonstration.
climate, the animals, oceans and everything. It’s all connected. If we heal our soils, it heals everything else and fixes a lot of our problems.”
Archuleta is also a firm believer that by improving soil health through regenerative agricultural practices, such as cover cropping, diversity and grazing, producers could also reap the economic benefits of higher yields with fewer input costs. Less is more.
“Farmers are struggling. They have high input costs and minimal return. However, if you focus on ecology, you will benefit economically as well,” said Archuleta. “Less equipment, less fuel, less fertilizer, but higher yields. Sometimes it’s easier to lure people in with the economic message over the ecological message.”
According to Archuleta, conventional farming practices have depleted soils of much-needed natural nutrients
and microbial organisms it needs to thrive, but he doesn’t hold farmers responsible. Instead, he looks to producers as holding the key to saving our planet.
“We are all to blame on this. We created a system that’s very detached. We were never taught that agriculture should look and reflect nature and mimic it,” he said. “I’m convinced that agriculture alone can heal the planet.”
In conjunction with the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, Archuleta showcased a handful of demonstrations during the soil health tour that presented real life examples of how regenerative agricultural practices can prevent wind erosion, increase water quality, absorb moisture and hold nutrients in the soil.
Putting soils to the Haney Test
To get a better grasp of what the soil needs, first and foremost Archuleta recommends grabbing a shovel, digging up some ground and closely inspecting conditions and organic matter. However, to glimpse the real and precise data, he strongly encourages growers to test their soil. But traditional soil tests are not accurate enough to get the real nutrient profile; instead, he recommends the Haney Test, otherwise known as the Soil Health Nutrient Tool in the NRCS world.
The Haney Test is unique because it’s designed to simulate nature’s approach to soil nutrient availability as best can be done in a lab,
measuring both inorganic and organic matter in the soil. By examining both, the Haney Test allows farmers to reduce their nitrogen and phosphorus applications by taking into account the organic nutrients already present, which most other tests don’t detect.
“We can’t afford to keep applying fertilizer the way we have been. It’s costing us millions,” Archuleta said. “Three to five years with using the information from Haney test to better calibrate our soils will change your life.”
Making a change
While Archuleta humbly admitted that he’s a bit biased when it comes to soil health, and that not all practices work for all growers, his passion has found an audience. Farmers across the country are adapting to his teachings to save their soil and the planet.
With the potential for new regulations and policies, farmers need to be proactive. According to Archuleta, it’s time to change the conversation.
“Nobody likes to be pushed or talked down on,” Archuleta said. “Teach them first and don’t force it. Let’s work together as a collective and push the right narrative. How can we farm nature’s way so that we don’t hurt the planet?”
The views expressed by Ray Archuleta are not endorsed by the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers. However, his passion toward improving soil health is greatly appreciated.
Let the soils speak to us, because at the end, the real champion of this movement is not me, it’s the soils.
ACROSS THE PRAIRIE
By Prairie Grains Magazine staff
Producers appointed to Montana commodity boards
In July, the Montana Department of Agriculture announced appointments to the Montana Pulse Crop Committee (MPCC) and Montana Wheat and Barley Committee (MWBC).
The following appointments were announced to the five-member governor-appointed MPCC board:
• Chad Forest, Richland: Eastern District
• Todd Hansen, Gildford (reappointed):
Member At-Large
• Brian Aklestad, Vida (reappointed):
Member At-Large
Terms will run through July 1, 2027. MPCC’s mission is to invest in and deliver support for marketing, research, education and policy development programming that improves return on investment for the pulse producers of Montana.
The following appointments were announced to the seven-member, governor-appointed MWBC board:
• Cindy McKamey, Cascade: District 5
• Courtney Herzog, Rapelje: District 6
• Terry Angvick, Plentywood (reappointed): District 1
Terms will run through June 1, 2027. MWBC comprises seven board members. These members must be actively involved in farming while they represent producers in seven districts across Montana. In addition to these seven voting directors, there are three non-voting members: Montana’s director of the State Department of Agriculture, Montana State University’s dean of the College of Agriculture and a representative of the Montana grain trade.
MGGA names new policy director
The Montana Grain Growers Association (MGGA) has announced the hiring of Kera Birkeland as its policy director.
“Our No. 1 priority is to advocate for farmers, and we look forward to deepening our grassroots efforts
in order to influence ag policy,” said Alison Vergeront, MGGA executive vice president. “Kera will solely focus on policy and regulatory issues that our members are experiencing.”
Birkeland is a native of Great Falls, Montana, and was raised on a family farm. Over her career, Birkeland has started several small businesses and worked in a Utahbased law firm. More recently, Birkeland served in the Utah Legislature House of Representatives.
“This is an exciting step for our association as we’ve been working towards hiring this position for quite some time,” MGGA President Boyd Hellig said. “With Kera’s background and experience in the Utah Legislature, we look forward to expanding our ag policy efforts on both a national and state level.”
Agronomist joins SDSU Extension
In June, South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension welcomed Clarence Winter as a new agronomy field specialist. Based at West River Research and Extension in Rapid City, Winter will support crop producers in central and western South Dakota, focusing on soil fertility and cropping systems in dry climates.
“One of the great things about this position is having an unbiased approach to solving problems that farmers may have,” Winter said.
Winter grew up on a no-till farm near Martin, South Dakota. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in agronomy with a minor in precision agriculture and a master’s in plant science, both from SDSU. As a graduate research assistant at the Dakota Lakes Research Farm by Pierre, Winter studied phosphorus efficiency. His agronomy experience also includes research internships at ABG Ag Services in Toronto, South Dakota, the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Brookings and Pivot Bio.
“We are very excited to have him join the SDSU
Extension agronomy team to help producers find solutions to crop production issues in the central and western part of South Dakota,” said Sandy Smart, SDSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources senior program leader and professor.
U.S. Grains Council elects officers during summer meeting
The delegates of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) elected Verity Ulibarri of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) as chairwoman of its USGC Board of Directors at its 64th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in August.
Ulibarri operates a family farm in Grady, New Mexico, producing sorghum, wheat, forage crops and cattle while also working as the agribusiness relationship manager at American AgCredit. Ulibarri has served on the Council’s Board of Directors since 2020 and previously served as the chairwoman for USCP in 2020.
In addition to Ulibarri, the delegates elected Mark Wilson of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board as vice chairman and Jay Reiners of the Nebraska Corn Board as secretary-treasurer. Jennie Schmidt of the Maryland
Grains Producer Utilization Board and Curt Mether of Iowa Corn Growers Association were also elected as atlarge directors. Representing the Prairie Grains region, Minnesota Corn’s Jim O’Connor and Nathan Boll of the North Dakota Barley Council also sit on the Council.
“In my experience with the Council, we never have issues challenging the status quo – we push through existing boundaries and increase market share so that we build on what we have now and exceed current expectations – and I encourage each of you to continue that path forward,” Ulibarri said.
Farmers from Minnesota and North Dakota are represented on the U.S. Grains Council.
