Staff photo by Fritz Busch Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture Thom Peterson talks at the Ag Outlook forum at Farmfest Wednesday.

GILFILLAN ESTATE — A panel of state and national agricultural leaders discussed a variety of concerns and things to be thankful for at Farmfest’s Ag Outlook forum Wednesday.

Challenges include flooded cropland, low crop prices, poultry and dairy disease, hindering regulations, and labor and trade issues.

Good news items included fully funded crop insurance and providing better producer opportunities with it.

Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Peterson said reports are that there are 460,000 acres of prevented planting (failure to plant an insured crop with proper equipment by the final planting date) in Minnesota and that 42% of the state corn crop is rated poor to fair.

Peterson said disaster assistance loans are available.

USDA Undersecretary of Agriculture Robert Bonnie said crop insurance continues to be fully funded.

He said all climate-smart programs are voluntary with incentives for partnerships that can help build markets and improve the climate.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small said there are opportunities to meet the challenges of flooding and low commodity prices by expanding markets to other countries and creating sustainable aviation fuel.

“We’re here to ensure farmers are treated fairly in foreign markets. We need to expand markets in the Middle East and Southwest Asia,” she said.

Small said new, more energy-efficient grain dryers can help farmers save diesel fuel and they’re safer to use.

“More flexible USDA farm loans can help farmers who didn’t qualify for loans in the past,” she said.

Farmers can contact their local Farm Service Agency or visit farmers.gov/loans for farm loan tools.

American Farm Bureau Managing Director of Government Affairs Ryan Yates said Washington issues are often crippled by partisan politics.

“Anti-immigration challenges include people who won’t work with us on it until the border crisis is solved,” Yates said.

National Turkey Federation Chairman John Zimmerman of Northfield called for getting rid of old regulations and re-opening trade agreements.

North Star Commodity grain marketing analyst Mark Schultz said he thinks $4.40 is a good corn price. He said $10.90-$11 November bean prices may be as good as it gets.

“My advice is store beans and sell corn because I don’t think it’ll keep very well,” Schultz said.

He said more tariffs will hurt trade.

“Agriculture does better when Democrats are in office,” Schultz said.

Minnesota Biofuels Executive Director Brian Werner called for national access to E15 (88 octane gasoline). He said national production is at a record high and supply and demand is climbing.

“We’re on track to export more than 1 billion gallons to Canada,” said Werner.