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✅ Why It Matters (to You): This is more than emergency relief — it’s a buffer that gives you room to make agronomic decisions based on ROI, not panic. For growers who rely on poultry litter, cover crops, and biological fertility, it’s a chance to double down on systems that reduce synthetic costs and build soil health for the long haul.
OTHER STORIES
UMN’s Forever Green Initiative Pushes Perennial & Cover Crops Forward
👉 News: University of Minnesota’s Forever Green program is expanding trials of winter-hardy annuals and perennial crops to improve soil, reduce inputs, and offer economic upside. Univ. of Minnesota
✅ Why It Matters: These species are designed for northern climates—making cover crops and soil health more practical for Upper Midwest operations.
Your Move: Monitor pilot results. Use edge acres to trial crops like winter camelina or Kernza that deliver both soil benefits and emerging markets.
📖 Read more on Farm Progress
Scrutiny Builds Around What Counts as 'Regenerative'
👉 News: A recent report calls out regenerative ag programs that allow heavy tillage, synthetic fertilizers, and herbicides—warning that these practices may dilute the meaning of “regen” and erode consumer trust. The New Lede
✅ Why It Matters: As “regenerative” becomes a buzzword in supply chains, programs that permit business-as-usual practices risk greenwashing—and may drag down the value of the term for legit growers.
Your Move: Be specific. If you’ve reduced synthetic inputs, added poultry litter, or built living cover—track it. Third-party buyers, certifiers, and even your own community are starting to ask what regen really means.
OCTOBER: 🍂 Cooler temps & dry skies = narrowing post-harvest prep window.
💧 Soil Moisture Watch: Topsoil is locking up. Uncovered fields are seeing rapid moisture loss and compaction risk. Without residue or cover, winter erosion is a real threat.
CBOT NUMBERS
CORN
DEC ’25: 4.40 ⅜ | MAR ’26: 4.48 0
Summary: Corn futures strengthened this week—Dec. and March contracts posting solid gains. Improved export demand and tightening global supply helped support the market.
Outlook: Basis remains the key profit driver. If your local bids are holding firm, this is a smart window to lock in margins on a portion of 2025 production. Charts look steady, but don’t assume a post-holiday rally.
SOYBEANS
JAN ’26: 10.87 ⅛ | MAR ’26: 10.98 ⅛
Summary: Soybeans slipped across contracts, reflecting ongoing weakness in export demand and no major shifts in USDA projections. Brazil’s planting delays haven’t created enough concern to lift prices yet.
Outlook: With limited upside and global demand still soft, now’s the time to manage risk rather than hope for a rally. If your basis is strong, consider scaling in sales.
WHEAT
DEC ’25: 5.36 ⅛ | MAR ’26: 5.34 ¼
Summary: Wheat stayed essentially flat, with heavy global stocks continuing to cap any upward momentum. Weather concerns abroad haven’t been strong enough to move the market.
Outlook: If storage costs are rising and your basis is reasonable, this may be your cleanest exit before January pressure sets in.
Source: AgWeb Futures (as of Dec 9, 2025)
EVENTS
Minnesota Organic Conference
Jan 9–10, 2026 | 📍River’s Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud, MN
A cornerstone winter event for organic, regenerative, and transitioning growers. Sessions include fertility strategies with compost and litter, soil biology, market outlooks, and systems for reducing synthetic inputs.
More Info
Ag Expo 2026 (MN Corn & Soybean Growers)
Jan 28–29, 2026 | 📍Mayo Clinic Event Center, Mankato, MN
One of Minnesota’s premier winter agriculture events, featuring market outlooks, policy discussions, agronomy sessions, and a full exhibitor floor covering fertility, equipment, and soil-health technologies.
More Info
Small Grains Winter Workshop Series (UMN Extension)
Jan–Feb 2026 | 📍Multiple Locations Across Minnesota (Rochester Feb 18)
A winter workshop series focused on wheat, oats, barley, and integrated rotations. Expect updates on disease management, fertility planning, winter survival, and the economics of adding small grains to corn/soy rotations.
More Info
Ground Work—A Soil Health Event Series
Feb 12, 2026 | 📍Stewartville, MN
Join Return for our inaugural soil health gathering. We'll be hosting Mitchell Hora, and other local producers to explore the bottom line on soil health. Learn more about the role of poultry litters as part of an ongoing soil-building, margin-growing system.
Strip Till Makes Dollars and Sense
Feb 18–19, 2026 | 📍Lamberton & Lake Benton, MN
A two-day, two-location workshop series focused on the economics and management of strip-till systems. Sessions cover soil-health impacts, input savings, nutrient placement, and yield/ROI comparisons — with farmer case studies and technical guidance. Hosted by the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition.
More Info
Let’s Talk Soil, Live.
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