RMA cuts prevent-plant payments
The USDA Risk Management Agency has made changes that will cut prevented planting payments slightly beginning in 2017. The factor for determining payments for acres that can’t be planted will be reduced from 60% to 55%. “We are disappointed in the decision by USDA’s RMA to reduce risk management protection for our corn farmers,” said Chuck Klosterman, chairman of the North Dakota Corn Growers Association. But the reduction is less than what was originally on the table.  

Northern Soybean Expo is Feb. 7
The 2017 North Dakota Soybean Expo is Feb. 7 at the Holiday Inn in Fargo. Pamela Ronald is one of the keynote speakers for the Northern Soybean Expo. She is a University of California, Davis, plant geneticist and co-author of the book "Tomorrow's Table — Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food." She’ll talk about the history of agriculture genetics, challenges facing agriculture today, and the promising potential, limitations and sustainability of various technologies. She will provide this overview in the context of genetically improved crops available to farmers in less-developed countries. Learn more about the Northern Soybean Expo at ndsoybean.org/press-releases/2017-northern-soybean-expo.

North Dakota ‘Cornvention’ is Feb. 8
The North Dakota Corn Growers annual convention — called Cornvention — is Feb. 8 in Fargo at the Holiday Inn. KQLX Radio meteorologist Mick Kjar will present his weather outlook for the growing season. North Dakota State University Extension soil health specialist Abbey Wick; farmers Terry Wehlander, Delamere, and Scott Huso, Sharon; and crop consultant Mark Huso, Sharon, will appear together on a “Getting Started in Soil Health” panel. Peterson Farm Brothers, Assaria, Kan., who have made a series of videos promoting farming, will present “Advocating for Agriculture through Social Media.” Bill Wilson, North Dakota State University ag economist, will deliver a presentation called “Dynamic and Structural Changes in World Commodity Trading and Logistics.” For more information, see ndcorn.org/cornvention2017.

ND Grain Growers expect tough sledding on farm bill
“The noise on the street in Washington, D.C., is that we will have tough sledding [in writing the next farm bill],” writes John Weinand, president of the North Dakota Grain Growers, in the organization’s latest newsletter. “There are many so-called conservation groups that seem to think they know more about our job than we do.”

Record yields for all wheat classes
The 2016 U.S. growing season was very good across most of the major wheat production regions, leading to record yields across all classes — winter, spring and durum— according to a report from the North Dakota Wheat Commission. Winter wheat yields jumped to 55.3 bushels per acre, nearly 13 bushels above the last two drought-plagued years, and even above trend lines. The crop benefited from abundant precipitation and cool April and May temperatures in the major hard red winter region, as well as in the Pacific Northwest. Spring wheat reached 47.2 bushels per acre, just exceeding its previous record of 47.1 bushels per acre set in 2013. Much improved yields across the Pacific Northwest region and Montana, combined with continued strong yields in North Dakota and Minnesota, drove the record. For durum wheat, exceptional yields in Montana and northern North Dakota supported a national yield of 44 bushels per acre, equal to 2009 and 2015 levels. Producing a record yield was not expected in 2016, considering that the desert durum crop, where irrigated yields typically exceed 100 bushels per acre, accounts for only 15% of the national durum crop compared to the more usual 25% to 30%. 

2 Dakotans reappointed to Native America farming council
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reappointed Sarah Vogel, a Bismarck attorney and former North Dakota agriculture commissioner, and Tawney Brunsch, executive director of Lakota Funds (Oglala Sioux), Kyle, S.D., to the Council for Native American Farming and Ranching. The council provides recommendations to the secretary of agriculture on changes to U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations and other measures that would eliminate barriers to program participation for Native American farmers and ranchers.

N calculator app available
The North Dakota nitrogen calculators for corn, spring wheat/durum and sunflower are available in one free app that can downloaded on Android phones through the Google Play Store. Search for “North Dakota crop nitrogen calculators” and install. An app for iPhones is in the works. North Dakota State University Extension Service developed the nitrogen calculator app.