Improving Your Process, Enhancing Your Products, Increasing Your Profits
Interested in ordering winter wheat or rye foundation seed? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to contact MCIA now.
We will help you obtain seed from neighboring states. Order early for best availability!
Call 612-625-7766 and ask for Roger Wippler, Foundation Seed Services Manager, or email roger.wippler@mncia.org.
Attention wheat producers:
Each year the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council conducts a spring wheat survey. The information gathered from the survey will help Dr. Jim Anderson, University of Minnesota Spring Wheat Breeder, with his selection of new varieties that meet the needs of growers.
If you grow spring wheat in Minnesota, the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council asks you to help them gather this information by completing the survey.
The combined results will be put into a report that shows each variety as a percentage of all wheat acres in the state and regions of the state. The final report will be published in the fall issue of Prairie Grains magazine.
Please take some time to complete the survey, which is accessible online: https://mnwheat.org/council/2022-spring-wheat-survey.
Market volatility and pantry loading subsiding, industry growth shifting back toward historic trends, according to Organic Trade Association.
Washington DC (June 2, 2022)—Following an unprecedented year marked by pantry loading and supply shortages, the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) latest Organic Industry Survey shows consumers returned to more stable, buy-as-you-need shopping patterns in 2021. Between 2020 and 2021, organic sales surpassed $63 billion, with $1.4 billion (2 percent) total growth over the year. Food sales, which comprise over 90 percent of organic sales, rose to $57.5 billion (roughly 2 percent growth), and non-food sales reached $6 billion in sales (7 percent growth).
“Like every other industry, organic has been through many twists and turns over the last few years, but the industry’s resilience and creativity has kept us going strong,” says OTA CEO and Executive Director Tom Chapman, “In 2020, organic significantly increased its market foothold as Americans took a closer look at the products in their home and gravitated toward healthier choices. When pandemic purchasing habits and supply shortages began to ease in 2021, we saw the strongest performance from categories that were able to remain flexible, despite the shifting landscape. That ability to adapt and stay responsive to consumer and producer needs is a key part of organic’s continued growth and success.”
Fruits and Vegetables
Organic fruits and vegetables accounted for 15 percent of the total product market and brought in over $21 billion in revenue in 2021; an approximately 4.5 percent increase over 2020. Fresh produce and dried beans, fruits, and vegetables drove growth in the category, showing 6 and 6.5 percent growth over the year, respectively. Frozen and canned foods declined slightly as consumers reduced pantry loading.
Dairy, Eggs, and Meat
As any American will remember, staples like milk and eggs were among the first things to vanish off the shelves at the beginning of the pandemic. After hitting the highest growth rate in over a decade in 2020, the organic dairy and egg category unsurprisingly leveled off in 2021 as supply scares became less frequent. A tight market for organic feed and challenging international supply chains contributed to higher prices and lower total sales. Although organic dairy and eggs sales remained relatively flat through 2021, the category still outperformed 2019 sales by nearly 11 percent.
Despite unique supply chain constraints and the strict rules for raising organic poultry, livestock, and seafood, organic meat sales increased in 2021 by 2.5 percent, representing nearly $2 billion in annual sales. Organic poultry was the strongest performer in this category, with 4.7 percent growth and over $1 billion in sales.
Organic dairy, eggs, and meat are likely to be further bolstered by the recently finalized Origin of Livestock (OOL) rule and the pending Organic Livestock Poultry Standards (OLPS) proposed rule. The rule clarifies the standards for transitioning dairy livestock to organic milk production and aims to level the playing field for all organic dairy producers. Organic livestock and poultry producers are also eagerly awaiting the OLPS rule, which would update animal welfare regulations—particularly for organic egg laying chickens—to bring all organic production more in-line with consumer expectations and best practices.
Packaged and Prepared Foods, Snacks
Packaged and prepared organic foods experienced an overall decline of around 5 percent in 2021, representing a shift away from pantry loading and toward more measured purchasing patterns. The sub-categories that saw the most significant growth spikes in 2020—canned soups, nut butters, and pasta sauces—consequently saw the largest decreases in 2021. Organic baby food, which saw over 11 percent growth ($1.2 billion in sales) was the biggest bright spot in the packaged and prepared category in 2021. Baby food has traditionally been a strong point of entry for shoppers new to organic.
Snacks, the only organic category to contract in 2020, saw healthy growth of six percent ($3.3 billion in sales). With offices, gyms, schools, and many other destinations reopening, Americans were increasingly looking for healthy, organic foods on the go. Nutrition bars made the most headway in this category, with nearly 15 percent growth and over $1 billion in sales.
Beverages
Organic beverages experienced strong growth (8 percent, the highest of all major categories) over 2021 thanks to the category’s ability to remain nimble and adjust quickly to shifting consumer needs and habits. As Americans increasingly transitioned into hybrid and work-from-home models, at-home coffee sales received a significant boost. Organic coffee topped the beverage performance chart with more than 5 percent growth and over $2 billion in annual sales.
Breads and Grains
Organic bread and grains sales tapered off slightly in 2021 as the pandemic baking boom subsided, but sales were still strong at $6.2 billion overall. Frozen and fresh breads, the largest subcategory, saw a modest increase of 1.6 percent. Baking ingredients, pastas, rice, and other dry grains saw overall declines. This category may continue to struggle as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other serious domestic and international issues constrain supply chains.
Non-Food Products
In this category, fiber, supplements, and personal care products have been the most dominant performers; each saw growth rates of between 5.5–8.5 percent in 2021. Textiles, the largest non-food sub-category, represented 40 percent of the category’s total sales and brought in $2.3 billion in annual sales. Overall, non-food products saw six percent growth in 2021 and represented nearly $6 billion in sales.
“Organic’s ability to retain the market footholds gained during 2020 and continue to grow despite unprecedented challenges and uncertainty is a testament to the strength of our industry and our products,” says Chapman. “To keep organic strong, the industry will need to continue developing innovative solutions to supply chain weaknesses and prioritizing efforts to engage and educate organic shoppers and businesses.”
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For more information about the Organic Trade Association, visit: https://www.ota.com.
By Brad Barth, Board Chairman
A typical greeting from residents in the north country would go like this, “Greetings from the frozen north.” But this year it is, “Greetings from the super wet north.” As always in our profession, there are weather challenges all over our great state. This year is no exception. I have a few friends whose fields flooded so bad this spring they may not be able to seed much at all this year.
Normally, in northern Minnesota we seed our corn and wheat and then we go fishing and return to put in our soybeans. Well opening fishing has come and gone, and we are still maybe only half done with wheat. Things just got rolling here when we received three-plus inches of rain, which will set us back another week.
Lake of the Woods, on our northern border, is experiencing flooding not seen since 1950. I have heard of a threat from Rainy Lake: Given a perfect storm of events, it could cause an additional four feet of water to dump into Lake of the Woods. That’s a lot of water considering the lake is almost one million acres in size. This spring has created challenges all over Minnesota. I hope everyone can overcome the obstacles and have a great year.
I would like to take a moment to welcome the new staff members recently hired at MCIA, Keith Marti and Maddie Barkholtz. I am sure you will find your time working with the members and staff of MCIA to be rewarding.
I thoroughly enjoy my profession and enjoy meeting and interacting with all farming and seed professionals. The people I meet are always upbeat and have a positive attitude. Is the attitude because we realize how important our profession is? Is it because we get a lot of sunshine and outdoor time with fresh air and nature’s beauty? I may not be able to put my finger on the exact reason “our people” are so great but I am blessed to be a part of it.
I hope the weather straightens out for all and leaves you with a very prosperous 2022.
By Fawad Shah, President/CEO
Back in 2017, I gave a talk at my alma mater, the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan, regarding the U.S. seed certification system. During the Q&A, I was asked, Since seed companies already have stringent crop and seed quality standards, why is there still an interest in completing seed certification? My response was that the seed certification system is based on meeting international field and seed standards. The standards are regularly updated, while new standards are added to meet changes in seed production. And, finally, seed certifying agencies act as third-party, unbiased verifiers. For over a century, seed certification has played a significant role in supporting the future of agriculture by verifying that varieties are kept true to type.
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To no one’s surprise, agriculture is a weather-dependent enterprise. Today, more variable weather has become the norm. The severe drought of summer 2021 was particularly harsh for seed production. Our Minnesota farmers managed to endure. With a few pockets of rain showers, some had better luck than others. Even so, there was a valid concern about whether seed supplies would be adequate for the current production year. The 2021 winter was prolonged, with record snowfall and cold temperatures. For 2022, it is safe to say that we moved from winter to summer without spring in between.
This late in the season, we are still observing Minnesota rollercoaster weather; that is, a short duration of warm and hot weather followed by relatively prolonged cold and damp conditions. The weather continues to be a challenge for crop planting, especially in the northern part of the state, with multiple snowstorms and unusually wet conditions resulting in flooding in some areas. On May 19, there was a heavy hailstorm in the Cities. We will have to wait to see if crops were damaged. Continued wet conditions, statewide, kept a majority of farmers from getting into the field for a normal start to planting.
The delay in planting is causing worry that the optimum window for planting small grains crops is closing. The timeline for corn and soybean production is threatened as well. Delaying planting can negatively impact yields. However, some of the yield loss could be recovered with ideal growing conditions. According to Dan Lofthus, State Statistician, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, wet conditions are affecting farms across much of the state. “You know, sometimes we’ll have a real wet spring in a certain part of the state where the rest of the state is not experiencing those conditions,” said Lofthus. “This year, it’s pretty general across the state, I would say, and even beyond Minnesota. So, we’re not alone.”
As of May 8, Minnesota’s corn planting was 9 percent complete, compared to the five-year average of 81 percent, according to the USDA. Soybean planting was only 2 percent complete. In these challenging times, MCIA has extended inspection application deadlines with no late fees. This is one of things that MCIA can do to support producers, the future of seed production, and agriculture.
By Roger Wippler, Foundation Seed Services Manager
What a Difference a Year Makes
Who would have thought, after the drought last year, we would have been dealing with extremely wet conditions this spring? Overall, Foundation seed supplies and quality were not seriously impacted by the drought. Following is a summary of a busy and productive year.
Foundation Seed Sales
Late last fall, grain prices for wheat and oats were rising and had farmers thinking about planting more small grains. By late winter, the price of corn and soybeans had climbed, and planting plans remained in flux. The late wet spring resulted in more plans changing on the fly. It will be interesting to see how early planting intentions compare to actual acres planted.
Overall Foundation Seed sales increased 10 percent compared to 2021. Much of the increase was due to the release of the new Minnesota wheat release MN-Rothsay. Wheat sales totaled just over 5,400 bushels. The variety MN-Torgy also had good demand.
Oat sales were good with 6,300 bushels sold this year, up 6 percent over 2021. MN-Pearl and Reins were the most popular varieties. South Dakota released a new oat variety, SD-Buffalo, which may do well in Minnesota. Foundation barley sales maintained modest levels with 400 bushels sold.
Soybean sales are largely made up of food-grade types. We sold 2,100 units, down slightly from last year. The decline was primarily due to drought-related poorer yields at Rosemount.
Color Optic Sorter & Seed Conditioning
In late January, the Foundation Seed Program purchased a Meyer M1 RGB + Shape Optical Sorter. We were able to get the unit set up this spring. It has already proven to be a valuable asset when conditioning some of our foundation seed lots.
We have used it for both soybeans and barley to improve seed purity and quality. The smaller size machine was perfect for use on small quantities of breeder seed, prior to planting. We will continue to do additional training and look for ways to best utilize this equipment.
The University of Minnesota has released a new hard red spring wheat variety called ‘MN-Rothsay.’ The variety features excellent straw strength with a good combination of yield, protein, and disease resistance.
“MN-Rothsay has straw strength comparable to Linkert but has about 10 percent higher grain yield,” says Jim Anderson, University of Minnesota wheat breeder in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics. “The exceptional straw strength of Linkert was largely responsible for its 5-year reign from 2016–2020 as the most popular variety in the state, so our expectation is that MN-Rothsay’s higher grain yields, comparable or higher than other popular varieties, and improved disease resistance compared to Linkert will be attractive to growers.”
In addition to high yields, the protein level of MN-Rothsay is higher than other top yielding varieties along with good test weight and a good pre-harvest sprouting rating. MN-Rothsay has moderate overall disease resistance, with a very good score for leaf and stem rust, and a good Fusarium head blight (FHB) rating.
Prior to being formally named, MN-Rothsay was tested as MN15005-4. The line stood out in both state and regional trials including the Uniform Regional Nurseries trials, where it finished second in grain yield out of 33 experimental entries in 2018, eighth out of 34 in 2019, and had the best straw strength of all entries in both years.
Jochum Wiersma, University of Minnesota Extension Small Grains Specialist, stresses that, “The value growers place of straw strength cannot be overstated, making MN-Rothsay the logical choice to replace Linkert in the U’s line-up.”
MCIA certified seed growers received allocations of foundation seed of MN-Rothsay this spring. Despite the tough weather this spring, seed growers are excited about the new variety and will have seed available for planting next year. Look for a list of growers in the MCIA Directory this fall.
The new release is named in honor of the city of Rothsay, Minnesota, which is an area of the state with a long history of wheat production.
By Michelle Menken, Organic Services Manager
All crop and livestock applications are now due. Applications that we receive in June are late and a $100 late fee will be charged. The late fee will increase to $200 on July 1, so please get your applications in now. If we do not receive your application by July 1, we will start suspension proceedings. If you do not plan to apply, please contact the office and let us know. You will have to surrender your certification or we will have to suspend you for not reapplying.
We have been busy this past month reviewing files and getting them out to inspectors. Inspection season for crops and livestock has started. If you have an inspection date scheduled, please try to keep it. However, Covid is still around, so if you are sick, please contact the inspector to reschedule. We usually send at least two files to the inspector so they can do more than one inspection in a day and save on travel and mileage costs. If you cancel, the inspector will have to reschedule, and you may have to bear the entire cost of the trip.
We send out Initial Review Letters when we get your applications. Please review your letter to check if we need additional information. Some of the information may be needed before we can send your file to an inspector.
Organic Certification Specialist/Inspector Karen Gjelhaug is leaving us at the end of June to attend business school. We wish her well! We have hired Maddie Barkholtz, a graduate of the University of Minnesota’s animal science program, to fill the position. Maddie is also pursuing a master’s degree in public health with a focus on regenerative agriculture. She will be working in MCIA’s St. Paul office. In addition, MCIA’s new District 3 field supervisor, Keith Marti, will be taking the basic organic crop inspector training. Maddie and Keith may be visiting your farms with a trained inspector.
HEADS UP: The Origin of Livestock rule will be effective April 5, 2023. This means organic dairy animals that were transitioned will not be able to be sold as organic animals for slaughter or to another dairy farm after that date.
By Kris Folland, Field Services Manager
As of June 1, it is no secret that spring is still “here” in many parts of the state. With planting delayed, MCIA is also here—to serve our members. If you have any changes or questions about inspection or certification, please contact your MCIA field supervisor or the MCIA office.
As noted earlier in Propagation, Keith Marti recently joined the Field Services staff, filling our District 3 field supervisor position. Keith is a great addition to our staff! He already has boots on the ground, is conducting field inspections, and meeting MCIA’s members in southeast Minnesota.
As we know, summer will quickly transition to fall. So, remember that cover crops and anything planted as seed must follow all provisions of Plant Variety Protection, Minnesota Seed Law, and technology agreements. MCIA members with certified seed that is available for cover crop use may have opportunities for more sales this year.
The entire Field Services staff wishes you a safe and bountiful crop year. Remember, if you have questions give us a call, otherwise, we look forward to seeing you in the field this growing season!
By Chase Mowry
Seed Laboratory Services Manager
Seed samples tested by the Seed Laboratory during the 2021–22 fiscal year total 2,840, including 2,111 annual crop samples and 729 perennial crop samples. We will reset the numbers on July 1. The top three species tested this year were soybeans, perennial ryegrass, and wheat, in that order. Most samples submitted were for domestic certification, with a small increase from last season in service samples.
Overall, sample quality was very high. There was little disease present this year. Most abnormalities found in soybeans during evaluation of germination tests were classified as mechanical damage. This was likely due to variable weather conditions—a dry growing season coupled with late rainfalls prior to harvest, making the beans more fragile and susceptible to damage. Germination tests in small grains and corn yielded primarily high results. The lab also recently completed its fourth year working with UMN Associate Professor and Extension Agronomist Seth Naeve on his soybean foreign material project, identifying nearly 43,000 contaminants present in the 434 samples we examined.
The Seed Laboratory successfully completed its first onsite accreditation audit in early May for the USDA ASL (Accredited Seed Laboratory) program. (Last year’s audit was conducted virtually due to Covid restrictions.) The auditors found the laboratory’s Quality Management System, developed by staff, to be sufficiently maintained, meeting the USDA ASL Program and USDA Process Verified Program requirements. As a result, the Seed Laboratory has been granted continued approval, for an additional three years, for seed germination and physical purity testing of cereals and other crops, grasses, legumes, vegetable flowers and herbs, and trees and shrubs.
Early in June, I attended the AOSA/SCST (Association of Official Seed Analysts/Society of Commercial Seed Technologists) Annual Meeting, held in Chicago. The event provided me with the opportunity to attend various committee meetings, vote on new rule proposals, and discuss current issues encountered in seed testing. This year, results from a lab report audit working group, in which I participated, were presented. The working group provided feedback and suggestions on the Reports of Analysis submitted by participating laboratories.
During the summer, the Seed Laboratory will focus on accreditation items such as updating current SOPs and calibrating equipment for the upcoming season. In early June, we will send out a Seed Laboratory Customer Satisfaction Survey. This is a great opportunity for members to let us know how we did this past season. The survey will consist of a few questions regarding your experience(s). Respondents will also be able to make suggestions.
