December 23, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Valley. This is Aglife. My name is Bob Quinn.
With you for the next hour're talking about agricultural production
here in the valley and all across the country. More
on the farmer Bridge Assistance Program with Rod Bain this morning.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Myriad of challenge is faced by farm producers at recent months.
Led to this recent announcement by President Donald Trump, the.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
United States will be taking a small portion of the
dollars we receive in tariffs, twelve villion dollars in economic
assistance to American farmers.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
The farmer Bridge Assistance Program oversee by the Agriculture Department, will.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Provide much needed certainty to farmers as they get this
year's harvest to market and look ahead to next year's crops,
and they'll help them continue their effort to low food
prices for American families.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Agriculture Secretary Brook Rawlins explains.

Speaker 4 (00:44):
The money will move by February twenty eighth of twenty
twenty six, but by the end of this month, So
just in the next couple of weeks, every farmer that
is able to apply for it will know exactly what
that number looks like. So as you are going to
your lender as you are working to ensure an understanding
what you can plant for next year, you will have
that number in hand.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Undersecretary for Fire Production at Conservation, Richard Fordyce ads that
to determine payments to row crop growers, FBA.

Speaker 5 (01:12):
Uses a straightforward, uniform formula based on planet acres, cost
of production data, and lossby forecasts to model economic losses
for the twenty twenty five crop year. Payments will cover
a portion of those modeled losses, scaled to fit within
the dollars available.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
Pre Filled applications will be utilized for FBA.

Speaker 5 (01:31):
I want to stress this program is simple, proportional and fair,
with no complicated factors, no carving up producers by proper region.
If you plan an eligible crop and you've taken a hit,
you'll receive support.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
The Undersecretary ads.

Speaker 5 (01:43):
Producers should ensure their twenty twenty five acres reports are
accurate by December nineteenth at five pm Eastern time, because
those acres are the basis for payment calculations. Commodity specific
payment rates will be released later this month.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
While a love a billion of the twelve billion dollars
IT assistance focuses on road crop growers and their commodities.

Speaker 5 (02:02):
The remaining one billion dollars will be reserved for commodities
not covered under the Road Crop Program, including specially crops,
and USDA is working to ensure that that support is
targeted appropriately.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Broad Bain reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington,
d C.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
Farm us Ahead. This is Aglife, Bob Quinn. Here were
some farm news this morning. Friends, Eligible farmers and ranchers
are now invited to apply for specific disaster relief Chad
Smith as the details.

Speaker 6 (02:30):
The American Relief fact passed in late twenty twenty four
authorized the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program, and applications for farmers
and ranchers are now open. Danny Munch, an economist with
the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the program provides relief
from natural disasters that occurred in twenty twenty three and
twenty twenty four.

Speaker 7 (02:51):
The first stage of STRP compensated growers with existing crop
insurance or non insured disaster A systants plans, while the
second stage is intended to fill all the remains gaps
for farmers who still haven't received compensation, so that includes
uninsured crops, which often includes specially crops. It includes value
loss crops on farm storage losses, milk losses, as well
as providing some payments for folks who had shallow losses

(03:13):
as well as quality losses.

Speaker 6 (03:14):
Munch said this program shares some similarities with previous disaster
assistance programs, but also some key differences.

Speaker 7 (03:22):
This second stage matches whipplus much more closely, which had
a much more substantial documentation requirement, and there was a
lot of variation across crops. There is no progressive factoring
like in EARP twenty twenty two, which drastically reduced prices
farmers received each crop, and each loss category has its
own calculation. That means they're going to be going through
quite a lot of calculations to come up with their

(03:43):
final number.

Speaker 8 (03:43):
Munch said.

Speaker 6 (03:44):
There are still some details we need to learn, but
visiting with your local FSA office is the best first step.

Speaker 7 (03:51):
Given how complex the program is, many FSA offices are
far behind in understanding how the calculations work. Really, make
sure all your usual FSA forms are on fireile A
big piece of this is going to be remaining understanding.
As all these staff people learn how the program works.

Speaker 6 (04:05):
You can learn more on the market intel page at
fb dot org. Chad Smith, Washington.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
Well Friends. Multiple countries brought in large grain harvests during
the recent growing season. While that's normally good news, Tanner Mke,
the lead economists for grains and oil seeds at Cobank,
said the large crops and trade tensions have led to
excess grain supplies around the world high level.

Speaker 9 (04:30):
First of all, across the entire grains and oil scenes space.
Really the theme that is over supply. We've had record
crops here in the US. We've got a record crop
forthcoming in South America. We've had record crops and record
yields all over the world really, and so trying to
find new markets is of utmost importance. That's a challenge

(04:51):
obviously when we have trade uncertainty. The trade war that
we've had recently with China upended a lot of our exports,
particularly for soybeans and also other commands like grain sorghum
that are highly dependent on the Chinese market and other
specially crops. But really soybeans are the high dollar export.
That's the number one export from the US over to China.

Speaker 1 (05:10):
A lot of industry speculation revolves around the future trade
relationships between China and the US and what they may
look like.

Speaker 9 (05:18):
We've obviously here the last few weeks, since at the
end of October, been wondering about what this relationship looks
like going forward between the US and China. Since we
had a trade truce, we call it a trade truth
because we can't really call it an agreement. We haven't
seen anything signed. There's no trade document formalizing anything whatsoever
that we can confirm, so as results, we just kind

(05:40):
of have to go off of what we're hearing and
seeing from the marketplace. China is back in the market
buying soybeans from the US after having been absent for
several months.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
There are some market fundamentals in China that may impact
soy demand in the short term.

Speaker 9 (05:53):
The slowing economy, Port consumption is down, They have an
oversupply of hogs and they are shrinking their hog herd,
and so that's going to be impacting their crush margins
and the demand for soybean meal and so crush margins
in China right now are negative. That's not a signal
that we want to see. If we're going to be
bullish on exports to China, we need that to reverse
We're going to have the private Chinese crushers.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
Buying Tyler mke of Co Bank with us this morning,
and that report courtesy of the back Roads of Illinois podcast.

Speaker 10 (06:23):
Well Friends.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
Leaders of the House Agriculture Committee say Congress may need
to step in with at least ten billion dollars in
additional aid for US farmers, beyond the twelve billion Farmer
Bridge Assistance program recently announced by the Trump administration. House
ag Committee Chair Glenn Thompson out of Pennsylvania said the
administration's program, while helpful, does not go far enough to

(06:44):
support all sectors of agriculture. Farm News this morning, you're
listening to Aglife.

Speaker 11 (06:50):
It's another AG news update, tai cattle supplies, improving grain logistics,
and shifting specialty crop strategies. More After this.

Speaker 12 (07:00):
At the American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention in Denver,
we caught up with Michael Gerghi from Student Loan Advisor.

Speaker 13 (07:07):
I think the biggest thing to remember when it comes
down to student loans and student loan forgiveness is that
you have to be very, very vigilant because it really
can be one of the biggest empowering choices of your
life to go out and get this degree inside of
the veterinary field, or it can be a tremendous roadblock
if it's not managed properly. So we really try and
encourage that as the overarching theme and the top line
piece of advice that we give the books.

Speaker 12 (07:26):
There's more valuable information on AVMA dot.

Speaker 11 (07:29):
Org Ladas Cattle on feed report confirming tighter supplies with
no surprises. Placements did fall sharply and feed lot inventories
did decline here every year. It reinforces expectations for continued
cattle market support into early next year. Texas feed lot
numbers remain under added pressures. The Mexican border stays closed

(07:53):
to feeder cattle due to New World screw worm concerns,
further restricting the place basements now in grain markets. Transportation
conditions showed modest improvement rail volume surging, barge movement rebounding,
and diesel prices easing, helping offset seasonal logistics, and that

(08:14):
despite uneven export loading and lingering river constraints. Beyond road,
crops and livestock specialty producers adjusting as well. Eastern wineries
continue gaining ground in a flat wine market by leaning
into direct to consumer cells and local agriturism models offering

(08:37):
a template for value added resilience in rural communities. It's
another agnews update.

Speaker 14 (08:45):
Hey there the subrah Hello, Hello, huh hey, y hey
la Hi.

Speaker 15 (08:52):
It takes a lot of voices to create the sound
of us. The Why welcomes all the time with open
arms from career readiness to save spaces. The Why is
there no matter who we are. Now more than ever,
they need your support, support your local Why today, The
Why or better.

Speaker 14 (09:11):
Us read by members of the Why.

Speaker 11 (09:15):
American Cattle News Today will take a look at the
latest Cattle on Feed report. More after this.

Speaker 12 (09:24):
At the American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention in Denver,
we caught up with Michael Gerghi from Student Loan Advisor.

Speaker 13 (09:31):
I think the biggest thing to remember when it comes
down to student loans and student loan forgiveness is that
you have to be very, very vigilant because it really
can be one of the biggest empowering choices of your
life to go out and get this degree inside of
the veterinary field, or it can be a tremendous roadblock
if it's not managed properly. So we really try and
encourage that as the overarching team and the top line
piece of advice that we give the books.

Speaker 12 (09:50):
There's more valuable information on AVMA dot org.

Speaker 11 (09:54):
Oliver's slope is with blue line futures. In Chicago.

Speaker 16 (09:58):
At the closed February lifecare features two dollars and forty
cents hire the two thirty eighty for the week. That
was a dollar twenty five higher, which marked the fourth
consecutive week of games. March Feeder cattle features gained four
dollars and eighty cents, settling at three thirty nine forty
for the week. That was five dollars and thirty two
cents hire. Like live cattle, that was the fourth straight

(10:18):
week of games. Over on the outside February, Leen Hoggs
finished the day thirty seven cent hire, which put them
right near unchanged on the week. There was a cattle
on feed report this afternoon right after the close. That
report showed cattle on feed at ninety seven point nine
percent that was slightly below the average essement of ninety
eight point three percent. Placements were reported at eighty eight

(10:39):
point four percent, below the average antle assessment of ninety
two point four and marketings eighty eight point two percent,
largely in line with expectations. This morning's wholesale box bief
report was firm sow choice cuts up three sixty one
to three sixty eighty nine, in select cuts at three
dollars and fifty seven cent hire to three forty seven
to fifty four. Yesterday's day, the livestock summary from the

(11:01):
USCA showed liveseer prices at two twenty eight twenty two.
That's appairently stating with what we saw throughout the week.
Dailey slaughter was reported at one hundred and twenty three
thousand head, which put the week today total at four
hundred and seventy two thousand. That's about twelve thousand had
less in the same period last week and last year.

Speaker 11 (11:18):
Well price reports influenced by muddy pin conditions in Nebraska
and Iowa, causing some sellers to accept bids at two
twenty eight two dollars lower dress prices though up to
to three dollars three fifty seven to three fifty eight
in the same area. American Cattle News.

Speaker 17 (11:40):
This is Dairy Radio Now with Bill Baker.

Speaker 18 (11:46):
On this installment of the Up Level Dairy podcast, we
hear from former Texas dairy manager Manny Salsado, who created
his own solution software to save time and increase efficiency.
How did that all begin?

Speaker 19 (11:57):
About ten twelve years ago is when the clouds started
really come into fruition. It was easier to be able
to grab information, put it into the cloud, and be
able to do whatever you wanted with it. Back in
the day, you basically had to store it on a
local hard drive and then most of the time the
data processing that it would take these computers could handle it.

(12:17):
When the cloud opened up, whatever information I wanted and
look at it however I wanted to look at it.
So the cloud was a big piece of why some
of the systems that exist today exist today. And so
now that they're able to see on a computer or
on a phone or on a tablet how they're performing,
everything started moving in the right direction. So, like to

(12:38):
give you an idea, we started grabbing information like a
zero to fifteen seconds by shift right, or the percent
milk in two minutes. Every employee could then see based
on the position they were at the rotary, our flow
rates got a lot quicker, So we were basically milking
the cow out quicker based on the information of what
the milkers were getting, and so they started getting competitive
amongst themselves, and before you know it, we saw a

(12:59):
drop of some matter excel. We saw more efficiency in
the parlor, we saw less mass itis cows. And this
is basically because these guys were all logged into the
system that would show them how they were performing, and
that was a huge benefit to the farm at the time.

Speaker 18 (13:12):
He explains how he created it and came up with
the name Dairy Performance Network.

Speaker 19 (13:16):
To me, I wanted farms to perform better, and I
wanted to create a network for them to bring all
the data together, and that's how we came up with
the name. Most of the people that we work with
now and even people in the dairy industry called DPN.
Hardly anybody ever calls a dairy Performance Network. The platform
that we basically provide for these dairies we call dairy Stash,

(13:37):
and so if you go to our website, you'll see
that Dairy Performance Network has a tool called dairy Stash,
and dairy Stash is basically what brings all the data together.
But yeah, that's kind of how I came up with
the name. We currently have about six people working for
us now, these guys are either ex dairy farmers like
myself or computer guys like myself that either grew up
on a dairy, were herdsman on dairy brad cow and

(14:00):
just happen to like the data space, like the technology
side of things. And so yeah, we're all working towards
a common goal to help these farmers with their solutions.
And it's very difficult because every farm has different technologies
and as new startups come up, new technologies come up.
There's not something out there that's just cookie cutter that
you can plug in and brings everything together. So we

(14:21):
have to take the time to understand what these technologies
are and what the farmers want. And so we're on
farm and we're starting to build everything for them. There's
a lot of going down from the guy bringing up
bringing the cows up to the parlor, to the owner
to the manager. Right, so we customize basically everything that
the farmer wants, the owner wants, the manager wants, the

(14:45):
herdson wants, and the guy bringing up the cows.

Speaker 20 (14:48):
Right.

Speaker 19 (14:49):
It's streamlining it and customizing it for what they want
down to the smallest detail. And so that's why our
approach isn't just hey, let's go in and essentially sell
this thing that's saying, Okay, what are the problems that
you have, and this is the solution that we have
for you, right, and so we start building it from
the ground up.

Speaker 18 (15:07):
Basically, for those listening, how can they get in touch
with you and learn more about the Dairy Performance Network.

Speaker 19 (15:13):
So they can reach out to our Facebook, our Instagram
if you go to Dairy Performance Network on LinkedIn. We
can also email support at dpnconnect dot com. If you
go to our website dpnconnect dot com or Dairyperformance Network
dot com, you'll be able to contact us right there.

Speaker 18 (15:27):
Former Texas dairy manager Manny Salsado on a recent Up
Level Dairy podcast Our thanks to Peggy Coffee with Up
Level Dairy podcast and if you'd like to hear that
in its entirety, just head to up Level Dairy dot com.
Here's dairy farmer Hank Wagner and his daughter Laura with
another simple miracle moment.

Speaker 21 (15:45):
I know when we hear about the idea of giving
all kinds of negative thoughts or experiences come to mind.
Someone is after my money, Are they really in need?
Or why don't they get a job?

Speaker 8 (15:55):
It is in our nature as humans to want to
give and do good.

Speaker 21 (15:58):
And all of us have something to give and that
goes far beyond our finances. Each one of us is
filled with talent, knowledge, experiences, and wisdom. I believe that
we should always be looking to give some of that
good stuff that is on the inside of us to others.

Speaker 22 (16:12):
When choosing good places to give, ask yourself, are you
feeling pressured to give?

Speaker 8 (16:17):
And what does my intuition say.

Speaker 18 (16:19):
That's Hank Wagner and Laura Rod's, author of the book
Simple Miracles for More Go to become better leaders dot.

Speaker 14 (16:26):
Com almond innovations and shipping around the world. It's big.
I'm Patrick Kavanaugh with the California Trina Report, part of
that vastag information network. Clarice Turner as the president and
CEO of the almed Border California.

Speaker 23 (16:44):
We're constantly working on the innovation side of things to
try to create new supply chain streams and bring more
value back to the growers. Healthier future is what we're
all about.

Speaker 14 (16:55):
For the growers as well as the consumers of almonds.

Speaker 23 (16:58):
And our team feels intically, very very fulfilled by that mission.
I've sold a lot of things in my career, including
pepsi and tacos and booting bread and lots of things.
And this is the healthiest product I've ever sold, and
it is you know, a great pleasure to do that
all around the world and know that you are truly
helping to improve human health.

Speaker 14 (17:16):
And Turner said, the almond industry is still experiencing strong
global demand.

Speaker 23 (17:21):
We just had the third largest shipping year ever. We
shipped out two hundred and twenty million pounds a month
to over one hundred countries around the world. So what
I love about that is that's driven by our global
market development, our research, communications, environmental stewardship, campaigns, partnerships, and
all the things that we do to boost global demand.
The great thing those that were diversified and we're not

(17:44):
caught in some of the positions where some crops get
themselves into by being overly dependent on any one country.

Speaker 14 (17:50):
Almonds, indeed, are a unique crop.

Speaker 24 (17:52):
The best place to reach a farmer with a farming
solution message is when they're well farming. It's easy to
find them. During the day a most farmers are behind
the wheel of the pickup truck or farm equipment with
the radio on listening to this station for the AG
Information Network of the West News. So reach real farmers
right here, right now as they listen to what's important

(18:13):
to their farm operation. Give us a call and we'll
connect you with our local farming community. They trust us,
so they'll trust you. For the last forty years, the
AG Information Network has been the source of news for
farmers and ranchers. Yet we have never seen such an
assault on farming and our food supply as we do today,
from fuel to fertilizer. Farmers are facing unprecedented economic challenges.

(18:36):
This is why agriculture news that farmers receive comes from
the AG Information Network, reaching coast to coast, deep roots
and farming. In decades of reporting, the AGG Information Network
trusted and transparent journalism for generations.

Speaker 14 (18:50):
With the AG Information Network, I'm Patrick Cavanaugh.

Speaker 25 (18:53):
Welcome to AG Life. I'm Dwayne Merley with your farm news.

Speaker 2 (18:57):
Hooyd City is at icotic Christmas symbol. Yet how did
it become such? Robin Butterbaugh of South Dakota State University
Extension says there is an obvious connection.

Speaker 26 (19:08):
It blooms in the month of December as the nights
are lengthening.

Speaker 2 (19:12):
With a story of a Mexican woman picking a bouquet
of roadside flowers on the way to a Christmas even
nativity scene, presenting the arrangement at the display, only for
the PoID setias to bloom right on the spot.

Speaker 26 (19:25):
And so after that it became adopted as part of
Christmas decorations in nativity processions, and the colors of red
and green became more associated with Christmas.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
While originally called quetla so o'che by the Aztecs, the
modern name is tied to a US ambassador to Mexico
who brought point setias to our country in the early
eighteen hundreds for cultivation and gift giving, Ambassador John point
set It.

Speaker 26 (19:50):
Originates in Mexico and Central America and it was cultivated
by the Aztecs prior to colonization. They use it for
different ceremonial decorations, dyes, and for medicine, and it started
to become used and associated with Christmas after Christianity came
and they built different chapels. And a young woman was
traveling to visit a nativity scene at a chapel on

(20:12):
Christmas Eve, but didn't have any gifts, so she gathered
this bundle of plants from the roadside to form a
bouquet and then put it on the Nativity scene. And
interestingly enough, the legend has it that the flowers then
bloomed bright red and it was then known as the
Florida nochebuena or the Christmas Eve flower. The US ambassadors
to Mexico in about eighteen hundred John Pointsett became interested

(20:33):
in the plant and brought some back to his greenhouse
where he started to cultivate them, and that's where the
name point Setti it came about. The original name in
Aztec is quetla shoshi. And so as the point Setia
became distributed throughout the US in cultivation at greenhouses, it
just became extremely popular.

Speaker 2 (20:51):
Rod Bain, reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington.

Speaker 22 (20:55):
D C.

Speaker 25 (20:56):
Soybean sos memotobes had multiple life cycles throuto s angle
growing season. Indigo has a brand new product called Nomora
that disrupts the life cycle before eggs hatch. Brian Randall,
senior agronomy lead for Indigo, talks about the new product
and how it works.

Speaker 20 (21:15):
Nomora is a microbialc treatment. It's a biotomata site. It's
brand new this year. It's a flowable powder or planner
box treatment, so it's really easy for farmers to apply,
and it works by preventing SCN eggs from hatching, which
is really important because SCN has multiple life cycles throughout

(21:35):
any growing season, and so by disrupting that life cycle,
we can really reduce the overall pressure out there. SCN
is the number one yield robbing pessts and Soybean's one
point five billion dollars yield loss every year, and so
we're excited to be able to offer such a powerful
tool to the American grower.

Speaker 25 (21:52):
Nomura offers a significant reduction in CN egg hatch.

Speaker 20 (21:57):
So with Nomora, we're seeing a six sixty eight percent
reduction in acatch. If you're out there and digging those roots,
you're going to see larger tap roots, more healthy, robust
root systems in general. And what's really exciting over the
synthetic alternatives is that we're not seeing the phytotoxicity or
the halo effects. All of that helps contribute to that

(22:20):
plant just being healthier, more robust.

Speaker 25 (22:22):
Randal talk about how Nomura compares to chemical seed treatments.

Speaker 20 (22:27):
Nomora is a biological and so that makes it a
lot difficult for a pest like sen to be able
to work around the active like we see in some
of the synthetic alternatives. So we don't have the phytotoxicity,
we don't have the halo effects, and overall we are
comparable or have yields or performance over what the chemical

(22:49):
control is offering, which is great when we're talking about
using a biological where we're also really tuned into how
it's helping the soil. So Nomora actually recruits plant growth,
promoting bacteria that helps with the overall plant development and
that also in turn helps with yield.

Speaker 25 (23:06):
He said. The product is ready to go for twenty
twenty six.

Speaker 20 (23:10):
Growers can work with their local retailers to get Nomura.
It's an EPA register product. It's available this year. They
can also visit our website at indigoag dot com. On
that website you'll find your nurse retailer and your local
Indigo representative AGAM.

Speaker 25 (23:28):
That is Brian Randall, the senior agronomy lead for Indigo.
You are listening to AG Life where we speak farm.
Thank you for being with us today. I'm Dwayne Merley.

Speaker 27 (23:40):
It's time for California AAG today on the ag Information
Network i AM Haley ship Well. After several challenging years,
the California almond industry is beginning to regain its footing.
That cautiously optimistic outlook was evident at the fifty third
Annual Almond Conference, which also are the seventy fifth anniversary

(24:02):
of the Almond Board of California. The theme Cultivating a
Healthier Future pointed to a forward looking approach grounded in innovation, stewardship,
and growing global demand. During the State of the Industry session,
ABC President and CEO Clarice Turner addressed the industry's progress
and priorities, saying that we remain focused on growing demand

(24:26):
for California almonds, both domestically and globally. Signs of recovery
are emerging as supply and demand move closer to balance.
Total almond acreage has declined for the fourth straight year,
yet the industry recorded its third largest shipping year. Grower
returns also improved, rising from the dollar sixties per pound

(24:50):
for the twenty twenty three crop to the two dollars
thirties per pound for the twenty twenty four crop. According
to Board chair Bombs Lvira, that's roughly forty percent increase.

Speaker 28 (25:02):
Increasing your alman yield can seem like a tough nut
to crack, but it doesn't have to be. Protect your
crop with Maravon Funge's sided bloom for added resiliency against frost,
long lasting, broad spectrum disease control, and proven yield results.
See that wouldn't tough at all. Maravon Funge A side

(25:23):
number one a bloom for all the right reasons. Always
read and follow label directions.

Speaker 24 (25:30):
The best place to reach a farmer with a farming
solution message is when they're well farming. It's easy to
find them during the day, as most farmers are behind
the wheel of the pickup truck or farm equipment with
the radio on, listening to this station for the AG
Information Network of the West News. So reach real farmers
right here, right now as they listen to what's important

(25:50):
to their farm operation. Give us a call and we'll
connect you with our local farming community. They trust us,
so they'll trust.

Speaker 27 (25:57):
You with California at today on the AG Information Network,
I am Haley's ship Bob Quinn.

Speaker 1 (26:03):
Here are some farm news this morning friends. Special report
this morning, the removal of tariffs on phosphate imports is
expected to provide price relief and make the nutrient more
affordable for farmers. Stephanie Hoff has a special report for
US this morning.

Speaker 22 (26:18):
Farmers are facing big decisions around inputs, especially fertilizer, amidst
tight margins. Today we're checking in with how recent policy
changes are finally providing some price relief on phosphate. For example,
Ben Pratt joins US. He's vice president of public affairs
with the Mosaic Company, and he kicks us off today
with what the fertilizer market looks like.

Speaker 29 (26:39):
Well, we think recent policy decisions in the United States,
with the removal of tariffs on imports of phosphates is
in particular, is going to provide some relief for farmers
on pricing, and we're seeing that already, so we would
expect phosphate to be more available. It's been very tight
in the US recently, so we would expect phosphate prices
to come down from the very high levels they've been recently.

(27:02):
That said, global demand for phosphate is still very high
for lots of different reasons, including industrial uses in batteries,
and so phosphate supply will continue to be tight. The
other nutrient that we deal with at mosaics potash, and
we think potash prices are affordable for farmers now and
that the free flow of potash into the US, mostly

(27:24):
from Canada in our case, will lead to continuing affordability
for potash. So overall, understand that fertilizer affordability has been
tough for farmers, especially in light of crop prices in
recent times, but we see some hope for some relief
on the horizon.

Speaker 22 (27:42):
In twenty six you mentioned we rely so much on
other countries, right importing phosphorus, bringing in potash from Canada.
Is there any work to boost domestic production of these
things that are we even able to do that?

Speaker 8 (27:55):
It's really tough to boost domestic production.

Speaker 29 (27:58):
For example, if we build a new phosphate mind takes
several years and billions of dollars to get that mine
up and running. It's even more expensive for phosphor potash
because it's so deep in the ground. So boosting actual
domestic production is tough. I will say the recent decision
by the federal government to include phosphorus and potassium on
the Critical Minerals list is helpful and it's sort of

(28:22):
memorializes these minerals as a critical to the food security
of our country, and we hope that that should at
least speed up things like federal government permitting to allow
us to produce more quickly.

Speaker 22 (28:33):
Is that the point of being on that list as
a critical mineral is that the processes get sped up.
What exactly is the benefit of being on that list, Well.

Speaker 8 (28:41):
We hope that's one of the benefits.

Speaker 29 (28:43):
I think just the recognition that these minerals are critical
to food security in the country, when in the past
they've been excluded from the list because they were looked
at as industrial minerals when really most of the phosphate
that's mined and created in the world goes to fertilizer
and helps the world. So just the recognition that these
things are critical to US food security and US national

(29:05):
security are a good starting point where it leads us
from there, we'll see.

Speaker 22 (29:09):
The reason I ask about the grand picture of fertilizer
in twenty twenty six is that I want you to
maybe provide some intel for our growers what should be
going through their mind when it comes to planning for
their growing season.

Speaker 29 (29:23):
Well, the biggest thing to me is that the twenty
twenty five crop for most regions of the United States
was big and with a big crop, a lot of
the nutrients that went to the field have been removed,
and so they growers if they want to achieve the
same kinds of yields as they did in twenty five,
they're going to need to apply nutrients. So I guess

(29:45):
the calculus needs to be when to buy, but they
do need to buy, and they need to apply because
the soils are in need of good balance nutrition.

Speaker 22 (29:54):
Mosaic sells products to to kind of unlock maybe some
of the nutrients that you already have in the ground,
something you see farmers embracing.

Speaker 29 (30:03):
Yes, the mosaic biosciences business is relatively new for us.

Speaker 8 (30:06):
New in the last few years.

Speaker 29 (30:08):
We are demonstrating the efficacy of those products, and really
what we're after there is nutrient use efficiency, helping more
of the nutrients that farmers apply to fields find their
way into the plants and less of it lost either
to the soil permanently or to other parts of the environment.

Speaker 8 (30:24):
Really promising technologies.

Speaker 29 (30:26):
We have done the field work to demonstrate that they work,
and I think we have the big advantge for Mosaic
compared to a lot of the smaller participants in that space.
Is that we have the distribution capability and we know
the farmers and retailers out there that can get this
stuff in the farmer's hands and show.

Speaker 8 (30:44):
Them how to use it.

Speaker 22 (30:44):
Ben Pratt, along with US vice President of Public Affairs
with the Mosaic Company, underscoring that both policy relief and
use efficiency can help growers strengthen their profitability this year.

Speaker 12 (30:57):
I'm Stephanie Hoff farm US.

Speaker 1 (30:59):
You're listening WAG Life.

Speaker 30 (31:02):
From the Egg Information Network. I'm Bob Larson with your
agribusiness update. Sean Sawa, formerly of Clovis, California, was sentenced
to eighteen months in prison for his role in stealing
millions of dollars worth of canola intended for livestock feed.
The Department of Justice says from twenty fifteen to seventeen,
Sala and co defended Richard Best, sold four point eight
million dollars worth of canola from international food processors and

(31:25):
sold at for a windfall. Best pleated guilty in October
and faces up to twenty years and a fine of
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The Food and Agriculture
Climate Alliance welcome the USDA's announcement of a seven hundred
million dollar regenerative Agriculture pilot program. It's a farmer focused
initiative designed to advance voluntary conservation and expand practical soil

(31:46):
health and water management efforts. The pilot's focus on measurable
outcomes will help strengthen confidence in the environmental benefits of
long standing conservation and regenerative practices. And The USDA's plan
to relocate thousands of staff members and can solid eate
dozens of offices has received overwhelmingly negative feedback. Government executive reports, employees, lawmakers,

(32:07):
and stakeholders say it could lead to brain drain due
to a loss of employees not wanting to relocate, which
may mean significant disruptions in farm support programs. USDA intends
to move a large number of employees to five regional
hubs around the country and slash other regional offices.

Speaker 28 (32:22):
Increasing your almand yield can seem like a tough nut
to crack, but it doesn't have to be. Protect your
crop with Maravon Fung's sided bloom for added resiliency against frost,
long lasting, broad spectrum disease control, and proven yield results.
See that wasn't tough at all. Maravon Funge a side

(32:44):
number one in bloom for all the right reasons. I
always reading follow label directions.

Speaker 24 (32:50):
For over forty years, the agg Information Network has been
providing news and information for the most important industry in
the world, agriculture. The Egg Information Network gives you war
world wide updates from local producers to regional organizations, from
major crops like wheat and corn, to animal agriculture to
especially crops like apples, almonds, and cherries. We report on

(33:10):
stories that mean the most to you online at aginfo
dot net. The Egg Information Network trusted in transparent journalism,
lasting for the next generation.

Speaker 10 (33:19):
From the Egg Information Network, I'm Bob Larson with today's
agribusiness update. Bob Quinn here to wrap up aaglie for today. Well,
Canada's grocery stores will see a new code of conduct
next year. Dennis Guy has a report. A grocery sector
code of Conduct comes into full effect on January first,
within Canada's highly concentrated grocery sectors. Designed to make the

(33:41):
country's retail food supply chain more transparent. The new code
comes into full effect after about five years of development.
Although its implementation began earlier this past summer. Similar grocer
chains of conduct are in place in other countries, including
the United Kingdom and Australia, which also involves standards meant

(34:02):
to guide how retail grocers and their vendors interact. This
voluntary code of conduct was first investigated after food prices
and product stockpiling rose sharply in the early days of
the COVID pandemic. Historic supplier fee concerns and the imbalance
of retail clout within Canada's highly concentrated grocery sectors have

(34:25):
also been a concern for decades. Eighty percent of Canada's
retail grocery sector is dominated by just five national grocer chains,
with three of those holding a fifty percent share of
the total grocery market across the country. Karen Proud is
the new President and Chief Adjudicator in the Office of

(34:45):
the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct, based in Ottawa. Proud
says that consumers should not expect grocery prices to drop
simply because this new code is in place. She explains
that the code is mostly about level a playing field.

Speaker 31 (35:01):
All of the grocers and suppliers came together and agreed
upon this grocery Code of Conduct, and our office is
tasked with enforcing the code, working with the different parties
to address issues that might arise. When you think about inflation,
this grocery code is not going.

Speaker 9 (35:20):
To fix that.

Speaker 31 (35:21):
We're going to focus on education and making sure that
people are ready for the code to really be fully enforced.

Speaker 17 (35:27):
Food chain analyst Sylvain Charlesbois at Dellahousie University thinks this
is especially good news for the smaller independent grocers and
suppliers who have always struggled to survive in a large
corporate grocery chain environment in Canada.

Speaker 32 (35:43):
So all five major grocers I've actually signed on. The
other good news independent grocers. We are likely to increase
chances for grocers to survive across the country. They'll have
access to more choices offering different products. So let's hope
that this works and I think it will actually increase
investments in Canada over time.

Speaker 17 (36:03):
This new grocery Code of Conduct should help Canadian farmers
who have had problems dealing with or getting their products
on the shelves of their local and regional grocery stores.
Karen Proud says she hopes that fresh market farmers and
all grocery store suppliers will find this new code helpful
in their business dealings.

Speaker 31 (36:24):
There are farmers selling directly to grocery stores and there's
quite a few of those. Understanding the code and how
it applies to them. I think is really key, and
this code is really about the business to business relationships.
We are here to help with providing resources to anyone
who deals directly within the supply chain to make sure

(36:46):
they have the tools within the code that are going
to help them in their business dealings.

Speaker 17 (36:51):
Reporting from Canada, I'm Dennis Guy.

Speaker 1 (36:54):
With that friends amount of time for today, thanks for
joining us. Back tomorrow morning with another edition of Bag Life.