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This week on AgweekTV, North Dakota ranchers cut out the middle man and sell their own quality beef. Our Agweek Corn & Soybean Tour will check out crop conditions in North Dakota and Minnesota. A $1 million technology partnership involves North Dakota ag powerhouses and the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. And we'll visit a farmer who shares his love for canola through social media.

WELCOME TO AGWEEK TV, I'M EMILY BEAL.

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN TRAVELING AROUND THE REGION TO CHECK UP ON THE CROP ON OUR AGWEEK CORN AND SOYBEAN TOUR.

WE CONTINUE THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA, WHERE JENNY SCHLECHT FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SOYBEAN CROP .

IT'S OUR AGWEEK COVER STORY.

JENNY: THANKS, EMILY. I'M SOUTHEAST OF MEDINA, NORTH DAKOTA WITH ZACH PERLEBERG FROM PDL AGRONOMY. AND ZACH, THIS AREA HAD KIND OF A LATE PLANTING SEASON. WHAT HAS THAT MEANT FOR THE SOYBEAN CROP AND SOYBEAN ACRES?

Zach Perleberg: SO THE ACREAGE, I WOULD SAY, IS PROBABLY PRETTY AVERAGE AS FAR AS THAT GOES. MAYBE A LITTLE LESS. JUST BECAUSE OF THE WET SPRING, WET FALL WE HAD FROM LAST YEAR.

JENNY: AND WHAT KIND OF DISEASE OR PEST PRESSURES ARE WE SEEING OUT HERE?

Zach Perleberg: SO THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE DISEASE PRESSURES WE USUALLY HAVE ON A NORMAL YEAR WOULD BE WHITE MOLD, SUDDEN DEATH SYNDROME. AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE CHARCOAL ROT IN THIS AREA. WITH IT BEING DRIER, WE'RE NOT SEEING AS MUCH WHITE MOLD INSECTS WITH IT BEING DRIER. WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE GRASSHOPPERS. I'VE HAD QUITE A FEW CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE HAD TO SPRAY FOR GRASSHOPPERS, ESPECIALLY IN FIELDS LIKE THIS WITH TREE STRIPS.

THEY SEEM TO LIKE TO BE IN THERE.

JENNY: HOW ABOUT WEEDS? WE HAD KIND OF A WEIRD YEAR WITH SOME WETNESS EARLY AND NOW WE'VE DRIED OUT. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING THERE?

Zach Perleberg: WEEDS HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN AN ISSUE THIS YEAR. WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF WATER AND AND KOCHIA IN OUR AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING EARLY ON, ESPECIALLY THE KOCHIA EARLY ON. AND THEN THE WATER HEMP LATER IN THE YEAR.

JENNY: AND ANY ESTIMATES YOU HAVE FOR THE YIELD AROUND HERE?

Zach Perleberg: WELL, THAT'S ALWAYS A GUESS WITHOUT ACTUALLY GOING AND LOOKING. I WOULD SAY I SEE A LOT OF 25, 30 BUSHEL BEANS IN OUR AREA.

JENNY: AND HOW WOULD THAT COMPARE TO AN IDEAL TOP END YEAR?

Zach Perleberg: OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? TAKE OUT LAST YEAR WITH THE DROUGHT WE HAD. BUT THE YEARS BEFORE THAT, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF 35 TO 45 BUSHEL BEANS.

JENNY: THANKS ZACH ON THE AGRI CORN AND SOYBEAN TOUR I'M JENNY SCHLECHT.

JEFF: I'M JEFF BEACH ON THE AGWEEK CORN AND SOYBEAN TOUR. WE'RE NEAR MENTOR, MINNESOTA, TALKING WITH FARMER JOHN SWANSON. JOHN, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOUR GROWING SEASON HAS GONE SO FAR THIS YEAR.

John Swanson: WHILE WE STARTED OUT VERY WET WAY, WE ARE PLANTING BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE WEEKS LATER THAN NORMAL. AND THEN WE HAD SOME REALLY BIG WIND STORMS THAT DIDN'T HELP FOR GETTING GOOD STAND ESTABLISHMENT. EARLY PART OF JULY TO LAST FRIDAY WE WERE BASICALLY NO RAIN IN THIS IMMEDIATE AREA. BUT WHERE WE'RE STANDING TODAY, WE HAVE IRRIGATION AND IRRIGATION CAN MAKE UP FOR THE LOST WATER FROM ABOVE ANYWAY.

JEFF: IS THERE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE YIELD POTENTIAL BETWEEN YOUR IRRIGATED AND YOUR NON IRRIGATED CROPS?

John Swanson: WELL, THE LAST YEAR WAS NEARLY 200 BUSHELS AN ACRE.

JEFF: WILL THAT DIFFERENCE IS SUBSTANTIAL THIS YEAR, DO YOU THINK?

John Swanson: IT WON'T BE NEAR AS BIG THIS YEAR.

JEFF: DO YOU SEE WHAT THE YIELD POTENTIAL IS YET? DO YOU HAVE ANY ESTIMATES ON YIELD POTENTIAL YET?

John Swanson: WELL, I HAVEN'T REALLY TAKEN BUT WE WE CAN LOOK HERE AND SEE WHAT WE DO HAVE. I GOT A CHART THAT I USE THAT CAN GIVE US A KIND OF A PRETTY GOOD ESTIMATE. SO WE COUNT OUT 23.7 FEET AND THEN IF WE COUNT THE NUMBER OF EARS AND THEN WE'LL COUNT THE NUMBER OF KERNELS AROUND THE EAR, AND THEN WE COUNT THE LENGTH OF IT.

WE HAD 28, SO IT WOULD BE ABOUT 170 BUSHEL. PRETTY DECENT CORN FOR THIS FOR THIS FAR NORTH. IF WE LOOK A LITTLE BIT AT THE EAR YOU SEE VERY BEGINNING OF DENTING STARTED.

JEFF: WHAT DO YOU NEED TO FINISH OUT THIS CORN CROP NICE AND STRONG THIS GROWING SEASON?

John Swanson: WE NEED SOME HEAT, WARM DAYS AND WARM NIGHTS AND THAT'S WHAT THE FORECAST IS SAYING. I MEAN, WE NEED SOME MORE TIME.

YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT OUR COVER STORY IN AGWEEK MAGAZINE OR ON

AGWEEK.COM

THE RED RIVER VALLEY POTATO CROP IS SHAPING UP TO BE ONE OF THE BEST IN YEARS.

FARMERS AND RESEARCHERS GATHERED NEAR LARIMORE, NORTH DAKOTA FOR THE NORTHERN PLAINS POTATO GROWERS ASSOCIATION'S FIELD DAY. ALTHOUGH THE CROP IS LOOKING GOOD, RESEARCHERS ARE

CONCERNED ABOUT A NEW POTATO DISEASE CALLED RUBBERY ROT.

Andy Robinson: WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, THAT'S NEW TO OUR AREA, AND SO WE'LL TRY TO GET A HANDLE ON THAT, HELP GROWERS UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS. ALSO SEE HOW WIDESPREAD IT IS.

DESPITE THE THREAT OF THE NEW DISEASE, AND A LATE START PLANTING, THE CROP IS LOOKING GOOD.

Donavon Johnson: WE'VE HAD A GREAT SUMMER, A WARM SUMMER THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO CATCH UP ON SOME OF THOSE HEAT UNITS. AND SO GENERALLY SPEAKING WHAT I'M HEARING IS ABOUT A WEEK BEHIND NOW, SO THERE'S BEEN SOME CATCHUP. WE'VE HAD GOOD MOISTURE. WILL WE BE HAVING A BUMPER CROP? NO. BUT PRODUCTION IS GOING TO BE BETTER THAN WHAT WE'VE HAD THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, EVERYBODY'S PRETTY POSITIVE.

THE EARLY HARVEST FOR PROCESSORS IS UNDERWAY, THE MAIN HARVEST WILL START LATER THIS MONTH.

THE MINNESOTA AG DEPARTMENT IS TAKING AN UNPRECEDENTED STEP TO TRY TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF PALMER AMARANTH.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS LAUNCHED AN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN TO HELP FARMERS AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THE NOXIOUS WEED. IT WAS FOUND IN THE STATE IN 2016, AND THE AG DEPARTMENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT IT SPREADING IN FROM NEIGHBORING STATES, PARTICULARLY COUNTIES ALONG THE NORTH DAKOTA BORDER. THE AD CAMPAIGN IS DESIGNED TO TEACH FARMERS ABOUT THE RISKS OF THE WEED, AND GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Denise Thiede: SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SHARE IS, WHERE ARE THE RISKS WE KNOW, AND WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MINIMIZE THAT RISK TO YOUR BUSINESS.

Anthony Cortilet: IT'S ALL HANDS ON DECK BASICALLY MOVING FORWARD. AND I'M HOPING THIS AD CAMPAIGN WILL STIR UP MAYBE SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO IT.

THE MINNESOTA AG DEPARTMENT ALSO HAS A NEW "REPORT-A-PEST" SYSTEM, FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY HAVE THE WEED.

COMING UP ON AGWEEK TV, NDSU AND GRAND FARM GET A MILLION DOLLARS, TO DEVELOP PRECISION AG TECHNOLOGY.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: CRARY AND FULL POD 2022, FARMERS MUTUAL OF NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA SOYBEAN COUNCIL, NORTH DAKOTA CORN COUNCIL, MINNESOTA SOYBEAN, AND GERINGHOFF

PRECISION AG IS GETTING A BIG BOOST IN NORTH DAKOTA.

A FEDERAL APPROPRIATION OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS WILL CREATE A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN NDSU, THE GRAND FARM AND THE U.S.D.A.'S AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE. THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR GRAND FARM IS AN INCUBATOR FOR AG RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF THE AG RESEARCH SERVICE, MARLEN EVE, SAYS HE'S THRILLED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP, AS USDA SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON WAYS TO HELP FARMERS AND RANCHERS MAKE DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS.

Marlen Eve: IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY DRIVE FORWARD PRECISION AG, AND THE USE OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, GEO-SPACIAL DATA WITHIN THE AG SECTOR TO IMPROVE DECISION MAKING, SUSTAINABILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY.

MARK WATNE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION, AND A MEMBER OF THE GRAND FARM BOARD, SAYS THIS IS AN IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT, COMPARABLE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM.

Mark Watne: THIS IS INVESTING IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS GOING TO ENABLE US TO BE ABLE TO LEAD THE WORLD IN MANY INSTANCES, OR AT LEAST CATCH UP TO SOME OF THE WORLD WHERE THEY'VE ADOPTED THIS, SO NORTH DAKOTA IS POSITIONED WELL TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT TASK.

THE ONE MILLION DOLLAR APPROPRIATION WILL GO THROUGH THE USDA ARS.

TWO CATTLE RANCHERS HAVE STARTED MEAT BUSINESSES IN NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. THEY HOPE TO MAKE BETTER USE OF THEIR OWN LIVESTOCK, AND MAKE MORE MONEY.

Tanner Elshaug: THERE'S SOME RED ANGUS IN THERE, BUT MAINLY BLACK ANGUS.

TANNER ELSHAUG RAISES ABOUT 500 HEAD OF CATTLE ON HIS RANCH NEAR DEVILS LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA . LIKE A GROWING NUMBER OF RANCHERS, ELSHAUG WANTED TO CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN, AND MAKE MORE MONEY, BY MARKETING HIS MEAT DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS. HE ALSO SELLS BISON AND PORK THAT HE RAISES. HE TAKES IT TO A NEARBY PROCESSING PLANT, THEN SELLS IT AS HIS SHOP IN DEVILS LAKE.

Tanner Elshaug: I'M THE GUY TAKING IT TO THE BUTCHER SHOP, THERE'S NO TRUCKING INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ME. THE FEED LOT'S ME. THE ANIMAL'S MINE. I'M MAKING ALL THE MONEY OFF THAT ANIMAL, INSTEAD OF FIVE, SIX , SEVEN OTHER PEOPLE MAKING THE MONEY.

We sliced those down last night.

THOMAS SOLWEY IS ANOTHER RANCHER WHO DECIDED TO SELL HIS OWN MEAT. HIS BUSINESS IS ABOUT SIXTY MILES FROM ELSHAUG, AND BOTH STARTED THEIR COMPANIES IN 2021. SOLWAY AND HIS BROTHER OWN CUSTOM KUT MEAT IN CARRINGTON. THEY BUILT A 40 BY 80 FOOT USDA-CERTIFIED PROCESSING PLANT . THEY, ALONG WITH OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, PROCESS MEAT THEY RAISE ON THEIR RANCH, AND FOR SOME AREA RANCHERS.

Thomas Solwey: WE PRIMARILY DO CUSTOM PROCESSING. WE DO CUSTOM EXEMPT AND WE ARE A STATE INSPECTED FACILITY. WE GET A FEW CLIENTS THAT COME IN FOR FARM TO TABLE RETAILERS, RANCHERS THAT TRYING TO BROADEN THEIR PROFIT MARGINS, SO TO SAY. TRYING TO GET RID OF THE MIDDLE MAN.

SOLWAY SAYS HIS PRODUCTS ARE POPULAR, AND THEY COULD LIKELY DOUBLE THEIR PRODUCTION, IF THEY COULD FIND MORE EMPLOYEES.

SOLWAY RECENTLY TOOK PART IN A BEEF INDUSTRY WORKSHOP FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT THE CARRINGTON RESEARCH EXTENSION CENTER. IT WAS A CHANCE TO PROMOTE CAREERS IN AG, WHILE TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT CATTLE AT THE SAME TIME.

Jeff Gale: WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO ENCOURAGE OUR YOUTH ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.

FOSTER COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT JEFF GALE PUT THIS JUNIOR BEEF PRODUCER WORKSHOP TOGETHER FOR TWO REASONS. HE WANTS TO PROVIDE THESE TEENS WITH EXPERIENCE THEY CAN TAKE HOME AND USE ON THEIR FARM OR RANCH, AND ALSO TO GIVE THEM IDEAS ABOUT CAREERS IN THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY.

Jeff Gale: I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, I REALLY HAD NO IDEA ABOUT SOME OF THE JOB POSSIBILITIES THAT WERE IN FRONT OF ME. IT WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, INTO MY SECOND YEAR OR THIRD YEAR OF COLLEGE BEFORE I SAW SOME OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

THE RESEARCH CENTER HAS HELD EVENTS LIKE THIS FOR STUDENTS BEFORE, BUT WITH A FOCUS ON AG PRODUCTION. EXTENSION LIVESTOCK SPECIALIST KARL HOPPE WAS ONE OF THE PRESENTERS. HE AGREES THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT JOBS IN AG.

Karl Hoppe: IT DEALS A LOT MORE WITH NOT ONLY AGRICULTURE AND CATTLE PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT IN THE TOTAL PART, BUT IT REVOLVES AROUND SOME OF THE CAREERS AND JOBS INVOLVED IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION.

THE STUDENTS ALSO VISITED THOMAS SOLWAY'S MEAT PROCESSING FACILITY, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEAT SCIENCE. SOLWAY HOPES EVENTS LIKE THIS CAN HELP ATTRACT MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO AG BUSINESS.

Thomas Solwey: 7:56 WE'RE PROBABLY DOWN TWO PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE COULD EASILY TO TWO FULL TIME POSITIONS, SO I LIKE TO PROMOTE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

Jeff Gale: I HOPE THIS IS A PROJECT WE CAN CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.

AT THE WORKSHOP, THE STUDENTS ALSO LEARNED ABOUT COMPOSTING AND CATTLE BREEDING.

AHEAD ON AGWEEK TV, A NORTH DAKOTA CANOLA GROWER PROMOTES HIS CROP, ON TIK TOK...

WHAT CAN THE REGION EXPECT FOR WEATHER AS IT OFFICIALLY HEADS INTO THE AUTUMN MONTHS?

HERE'S JOHN WITH OUR AGRI-WEATHER OUTLOOK.

FARMERS ARE OFTEN LOOKING FOR A WAY TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND HELP SPREAD THE STORY OF AGRICULTURE. I VISITED A FARMER IN ROLLA, NORTH DAKOTA WHO DOES JUST THAT, WITHOUT EVER LEAVING HIS CANOLA FIELD.

Hey, what is up? Farm Tok! Happy Monday evening from north central North Dakota.

4313 2:37 Tim: It basically has connected a lot of people in agriculture that I think was much needed, but nobody knew how to do it.

TIM MICKELSON NEVER EXPECTED TO CONNECT WITH OTHER FARMERS WHEN HE DOWNLOADED THE TIK TOK APP, BUT AFTER POSTING A VIDEO ABOUT CANOLA, HE WAS WELCOMED INTO WHAT HE CALLS FARM TOK.

Tim: And then I realized within one month that there were a lot of farmers on TikTok. So then I fell into the hashtag or the group of Farmtok, it has been just a blast.

There's a lot of pods per plant and the pods are getting thicker which means the seed is filling out within the pod.

MICKELSON TAKES HIS 9,000 TIK TOK FOLLOWERS TO HIS FAVORITE CANOLA FIELD ONCE A WEEK THROUGHOUT THE GROWING SEASON, AND HE HIGHLIGHTS HOW THE CROP IS DOING AND ANY OBSTACLES IT MAY BE FACING.

It's maybe like a fourth or a third of the size of a BB.

AND, HE SAYS HE HAS LEARNED A LOT HIMSELF BY BEING A PART OF THE FARM TOK COMMUNITY.

Tim: I thought, I wonder what that guy is doing for planting or this, or I wonder what he does with his combine or how does he do the no-till operations?...

Pretty much full bloom across the board! There is some earlier stuff that is actually winding down and getting a little dim.

...And it's kind of funny because when tik tok came about and you when you follow the other farmers on farm tok, TikTok basically completed the dots for all those questions.

MICKELSON ALSO THINKS TIK TOK ALSO ALLOWS FARMERS TO CONNECT STRAIGHT TO THE AMERICAN CONSUMER AND SHOW THEM EXACTLY WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM. HE SAYS TIK TOK IS AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE TOOL IN HELPING SPREAD THE STORY OF AGRICULTURE.

And if we pull the plant, here's what it looks like.

Tim: the farmers on farm tok tik tok have done a really good job taking the u.s. consumer into the fields with them.

MICKELSON WAS ELECTED TO THE U.S. CANOLA GROWERS BOARD TWO YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN A PART OF THE NORTHERN CANOLA GROWERS BOARD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

STILL AHEAD ON AGWEEK TV, WE'LL MEET MINNESOTA'S PREMIER PUMPKIN PRODUCER...

A MINNESOTA MAN IS THE PRINCE OF PLUMP PUMPKINS.

TRAVIS GINGER IS AN AG TEACHER IN ANOKA, BUT HE'S ALSO A WORLD CLASS PUMPKIN GROWER. HE SHOWED OFF ONE OF THIS YEAR'S EFFORTS AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR. HE KNEW HE WAS DESTINED FOR GOURD GREATNESS WHEN HE WAS JUST 14. THAT YEAR HE GREW A 447 POUND PUMPKIN, AND HE'S BEEN GROWING THEM FOR 28 YEARS. IN 2020 HE GREW THE HEAVIEST PUMPKIN IN NORTH AMERICA, THE THIRD LARGEST IN THE WORLD, WEIGHING IN AT 2,350 POUNDS. HE SAYS IT WAS STRESSFUL GETTING IT TO CALIFORNIA, SINCE THE PUMPKINS MUST BE PERFECT TO QUALIFY. IN FACT, HE SAYS IT'S PRETTY STRESSFUL GROWING THEM.

Travis Gienger: LITERALLY EVERY MORNING AND EVENING I SPRAY AND FERTILIZE. AND ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY I CAN LOGIN OFF MY PHONE AND WATER FOURTEEN TIMES A DAY, FERTILIZE FOURTEEN TIMES A DAY IF I WANTED.

GIENGER SAYS HE'S LIKE TO RETIRE FROM COMPETITIVE PUMPKIN GROWING, BUT HIS WIFE IS ENCOURAGING HIM TO CONTINUE.

STORIES YOU'LL ONLY SEE ON

AGWEEK.COM

AND IN AGWEEK MAGAZINE THIS WEEK...

SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA FARMERS ARE LEARNING TO IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH THROUGH COMPOSTING.

AND NORTH DAKOTA AND MINNESOTA HAVE HAD THEIR FIRST NEW CASES OF AVIAN INFLUENZA IN MONTHS.

WE APPRECIATE YOU WATCHING AGWEEK TV.

REMEMBER TO CHECK US OUT DAILY ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIK TOK TO KEEP UP ON ALL YOUR AG NEWS. HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

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