NORTH CENTRAL
North Central Farmers Elevator Solutions for Your Success
NCFE Partners With SD Center for Farm and Ranch Business Management North Central Farmers Elevator (NCFE) is helping to bring business management courses to farmers and ranchers across the region. The cooperative is partnering with Mitchell Technical Institute (MTI) as expansion of its Farm/Ranch Business Management Program continues. “We consider this an invaluable investment especially for beginning farmers and ranchers,” says NCFE general manager Keith Hainy. “In addition to strengthening their financial planning skills, the program has the potential for making a significant difference in the profitability of their operation.” NCFE is also offering first semester scholarships to beginning farmers and ranchers from its trade territory that enroll in the program. The cooperative will fund two scholarships from each of its
locations for 2012. Scholarship applications are due Dec. 16 and are available at all locations or by calling 800-584-9286. Applicants must commit to at least a twosemester enrollment in the program. First-year curriculum topics include: goal-setting, balance sheet and financial ratio training, and risk management/marketing. Current issues relating to production ag management are also reviewed. Most instruction is conducted monthly, one-on-one, with the instructor at the student’s farm site. Not your typical oncampus course, the highly individualized study areas are developed to meet the individual needs of each student. A grant to seed the program at MTI was received from USDA. Other industry partners besides NCFE that have provided funding include: Farm Credit Services of America, South Dakota Wheat Commission, South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, and South Dakota Pork Producers Council. For more information, go to mitchelltech.edu/ sdcfrm. s
Construction of the new NCFE office is on schedule with completion targeted for mid-March 2012.
See us on the web at www.ncfe.coop
NOVEMB E R 2011
VOLUME 17 • NUMBER 4
Annual Meeting Schedule
Tuesday, November 29 Father Bormann Hall—Ipswich Dinner: 12–1 p.m. Speakers: 1–2:30 p.m.
• Mike Kvistad, Agribusiness Consultant • Steve Krikava, Land O’Lakes, Director of Government Affairs • Mark Gerhardt, MTI, VP for Development and Industrial Relations and Dawn Melikant, MTI, Farm/ Ranch Business Management Instructor
Business meeting: 2:30 p.m.
Director Elections Phillip Shanley and Larry Vetch are unopposed in their districts. Lynn Deibert and Duane Wald are nominated in the northwest district. All active members in the northwest district will be mailed ballots in mid-November along with voting instructions and a return envelope. The confidential ballot must be returned to the corporate office by 9 a.m. on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. A teller committee will count the votes. Results will be reported at the annual meeting.
New Partnership an Innovative Fit By KEITH HAINY, General Manager
We are extremely excited about our new partnership with Mitchell Technical Institute, and bringing college-level educational opportunities to our beginning producers through the newly expanded SD Center for Farm/Ranch Management. With our mission of providing high-quality services and products that grow member profitability and success, this could not be a better and more innovative fit. We urge you to take advantage of this program, or encourage producers you know to enroll. Fall harvest was essentially non-stop from soybeans all the way through corn, with good yields from both crops. The no-break aspect between the two harvests was challenging, but the dedicated effort by employees helped our facilities manage. The additional handling and storage assets that were put in place in 2010 were certainly put to the test and proved their worth. We’ll have to wait for another year before testing our additional drying capacity since minimal grain had to be dried this year. It’s also been a very good season for fall fertilization, with equipment and manpower covering fields as soon as soybeans were harvested. One of the bigger challenges this harvest was not in the field. Instead, we were affected by the very severe shortage of petroleum throughout the Midwest, during a time when demand was great. Several key pipelines were out of commission. Suppliers had to haul significant distances just
to get product. That added up to additional pressures on existing pipelines, causing extremely long lines at terminals. Through all this, we’ve continued to grow our petroleum business. During the first two months of our new fiscal year, petroleum volumes were up 63%. That’s an amazing achievement considering the shortage pressures. I want to commend this division for their efforts in keeping product available for our producers. We want to thank customers that took part in the recent agronomy department survey. We learned a lot from it, including that our performance is in the top third of all participating retailers. While we’re pleased with that outcome, our intent is to use results as a continued tool for improvement and utilization of better understanding customer needs. There is much going on at your cooperative in the next few months. I hope to see many of you at our Nov. 29 annual meeting in Ipswich. Your cooperative works best with as many participating in the process as possible. Please join us for lunch, outstanding speakers, and the business of your cooperative. We are also finalizing our winter meeting schedule. Several board members and grain marketing manager, Mike Nickolas will be joining me as we travel to all locations to meet as many patrons as possible. We’ll discuss potential bylaw changes, along with talking about the business of your cooperative, as we near my retirement and Mike’s extremely capable transition as your new general manager. I wish each and everyone a joyful holiday season as we enter into the special times of Thanksgiving and Christmas. s
Getting Ready for Winter By Steve Benning, Shop Manager
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With Thanksgiving nearing, we know that winter can’t be too far behind. Our technician team is available to service and winterize your equipment and vehicles. We have multiple antifreeze products, including RV antifreeze. For those needing a pusher axle, now’s a good time to get that lined up on your semi. We still have a few Great Dane flatbeds available, which work well ©2011 North Central Farmers Elevator. All Rights Reserved.
for hauling hay this winter and serving as sprayer tenders next spring. Finally, we have several technician openings at our Ipswich and Leola shops. Our truck and auto centers provide some of the best and most complete service in the area, and offer great employment opportunities. Contact me for more information or to apply. s
Published in partnership with VistaComm® (www.VistaComm.com).
Propane Service Specialists By Terry L. Heinz, General Manager, North Star Energy LLC
The North Star Energy service reputation continues to spread. We sometimes receive phone calls from non-customers needing help with a propane problem. We’ve gained some new customers this way and have distinguished ourselves from the competition by our extraordinary customer service. While propane continues to be our core business, we offer so much more. We have a complete line of heating and cooling products and solutions. Right now, the season is right to think about a toasty fireplace for your den. We carry Heat-N-Glo™ units, with a style and size that can fit your budget and living space. With our main office in Selby, our service area stretches north to Strasburg, ND, west to Mobridge, east to Aberdeen, and south to Redfield and Faulkton. Our bulk facilities are located at the Sun Terminal in Ipswich, Leola, Bowdle, Selby, and Pollock. Two service technicians are based in Bowdle and Ipswich. We have drivers in Pollock, Selby, Leola, and a part-time driver in Faulkton. To contact us for service, propane, or any product question, call 877-754-8673. s
Promoting Safety at New Levels
By Andy Clemen, Safety Coordinator
On November 4 at the Aberdeen Civic Center, NCFE provided Liberty Rescue Tube demonstrations at the annual South Dakota EMT conference. Over 500 EMTs attended this event. The first of five grain bin safety and rescue classes began at Lake Area Technical Institute (LATI). I instruct each class, demonstrating and training students on the use of the Liberty Rescue Tube, and its value in preventing fatalities in flowing grain accidents. LATI course instructor and firefighter Erick Wientjes says this about safety: “I tell our students that I run into burning buildings for a living, yet agriculture is one of, if not the most dangerous occupation in the country. We need them to think before they act. LATI has deemed this so important that we have ag safety classes every day for the whole semester.” Being recognized as a safety resource across the region is very gratifying. We consider it a privilege being able to promote safety and being an advocate for accident prevention. Please join with us to help make agriculture a much safer industry and way of life. s
NCFE truck driver Jeff Berreth was named the October 2011 Driver of the Month by the South Dakota Trucking Association. Jeff has driven over 1.5 million miles for NCFE, and never had a chargeable accident. He is now eligible for the South Dakota Truck Driver of the Year award, which will be selected at the group’s September 2012 annual meeting, in Rapid City.
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Taking the Ultimate Field Trip
By Matt Christopherson, Agronomy Marketing Manager, and Lane Mielke, Sales Manager of you are already using anyway—you just need to take Seed, Fertilizer, Chemicals, Agronomy the time to evaluate the crop paks and services, Fuel, General Inputs order your inputs For more information call: to qualify. Contact your nearby sales Ipswich—Jennifer Geditz: 605-426-6813 agronomist for exact Joe Zikmund: 605-426-6819 pak details and how Highmore—Rachelle Werdel: 605-852-2558 to qualify for great awards or the amazJava—Celeste Lux: 605-649-6291 ing Hawaii trip. End-of-the-year available for the 2012 crop year. prepays are well underway. Lock-in Terms include an attractive interyour inputs and application rates est rate on all loan applications now for the best value, with payreceived before Jan. 15, 2012. This ment due Jan. 6, 2012. If you have comprehensive loan package helps questions as you finalize your orders, you lock-in input costs to maximize don’t hesitate to call your agronomist. income potential and reduce risk. NCFE and the Cooperative Finance Thank you for your 2011 business. Association (CFA) also have an We look forward to working with you outstanding financing program in 2012. s
NCFE/CFA Financing
This year Emerald Extras is offering its executive grower tour of Hawaii. Consider it the ultimate in field trips. The get-away will have all the beachside luxury you’d expect of a Hawaiian vacation, but will also have ag tours of the island, agronomy, and marketing, along with great camaraderie with producers across the nation. The trip will be held Jan. 12–16, 2013. Enroll by Dec. 16, 2011, to be eligible for this trip-of-a-lifetime. Talk to your sales agronomist about the Emerald Extras Executive Pak options. Emerald Extras also has other grower award programs available. Emerald program awards are earned by purchasing qualifying categories of crop protection and seed products. They are inputs many
A new service now offered by NCFE is strip-tilling. Our Dawn Pluribus strip till system is on a Wil-Rich toolbar, with a Horsch Anderson air cart.
NCFE Welcomes New Seed Sales Manager To meet the needs of its trade territory, NCFE has hired Cresbard native Joel Vetter as seed sales manager. Working with the sales agronomist team, Joel will coordinate and manage the cooperative’s seed inputs. Joel has an ag business degree and was most recently a district sales manager for a regional seed company. “The agronomists and location managers are already doing an outstanding job when it comes to seed,” says Joel. “But the growth of NCFE and just the overall importance of this input is reason enough for specialized concentration of your seed investment.” s
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Settlement Reached With OSHA By KEITH HAINY, General Manager
NCFE has reached a settlement agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in response to the October 18, 2010 grain entrapment accident at Warner. A reduced fine of $100,000 will be paid to OSHA, with citations reduced to two willful and four serious violations. Last April, OSHA had proposed an initial judgment calling for a $378,000 fine and citations for six willful violations. We chose to contest that proposal because of our documented and longstanding workplace safety culture, and training efforts. We then began dialogue with OSHA in negotiating for a much lower fine paid directly to the federal government. Instead, we sought a settlement that would emphasize dollars invested in local safety outreach efforts, providing your co-op an opportunity to expand its safety mission. The case settlement details include a multi-year media campaign with WNAX radio, promoting farm safety across its large rural listening area. NCFE will
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also buy five more Liberty Grain Rescue Tubes , which was the device actually used in the successful rescue at Warner. We will continue training local fire departments on their use, and with the tubes already in place, NCFE will have one within 15 miles of each of its 17 locations. Ten more automated external defibrillators (AEDs) will also be purchased, which will bring this potentially life-saving device to every NCFE location. We remain first and foremost grateful for the successful rescue of Chad Fischbach and the lifesaving actions by trained first-responders. This has only reinforced our efforts of doing all we can to prevent future accidents, both here at our elevators and at home on the farms and ranches across our trade territory. The silver lining in this incident is the powerful safety effort that will undoubtedly save lives throughout a large region. It’s an incredible blessing to turn a challenging, potentially tragic event into a positive opportunity. s
What a Fall
By MIKE NICKOLAS, Grain Manager
The early frost that was first thought to have been detrimental to the upcoming soybean and corn harvest did not materialize and actually helped both crops mature. The soybean harvest was fast and furious as we receipted the bulk of the harvest within about 12 days, totaling over 10 million bushels. Harvest receipts actually exceeded our expectations, with a couple of reasons attributing to this. (1) For the most part, truck lines were non-existent as trucks were in and back to fields in short order, and (2) On-farm space was saved for the corn harvest.
The early October heat and wind brought the corn harvest upon us sooner than expected. The transition between soybeans and corn almost happened overnight. Corn receipts exceeded 1 million bushels per day within a few days of the large soybean receipts. Our expectations of corn were set pretty high going into harvest, even with the huge amount of room on farms. But again, with truck lines very orderly, corn receipts came in at just under 20 million bushels. The overall moisture average was 15.5, with only about a third of the corn crop having to be dried. The grain markets continue to find direction from outside influences. Volatility will continue to be with us throughout the winter months, as South American weather and European financial stability dominate the news. On a positive note, with harvest virtually completed, we are seeing basis levels firm up as bins are full and farmers are waiting for price appreciation. s
Wishing you a joyful Thanksgiving and Christmas season, and all the blessings that come with this special time of year. From all of us at North Central Farmers Elevator.
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Delivering Cows’ Supplemental Nutrients By Roxanne Knock, PhD, Nutritional-Technical Specialist, Dakotaland Feeds, LLC
It is hard to believe that winter may be just around the corner. It seems like just yesterday that we were struggling to get crops planted. As we prepare for winter, taking an inventory of your feed is a good idea to help plan your winter feeding program. Feed costs are the No. 1 cost when it comes to maintaining a cow. However, that makes utilizing our available feeds to the best use even more critical for our bottom line. Have your forage tested for protein and TDN, so you can make sure you are meeting the nutrient requirements of the herd. Cows in midgestation do not have a high protein requirement, so you can feed some low quality forage and the cows will be able to maintain themselves pretty well. When they get closer to calving though, protein and energy requirements increase as the growing fetus is requiring more nutrients and growing at a much faster rate. If you have alfalfa to supplement at this time, that may be your most economical protein supplement. Otherwise, distillers grains and 30-13 RangeLand tubs work well to supplement cows at this time also. The 30-13 tubs are a great fit for grazing cornstalks by supplying the needed protein for cows in mid-gestation without the hassle of starting up equipment daily. One aspect of feeding cattle that is underutilized in the cow-calf sector is feeding an ionophore to help improve feed efficiency. By feeding Rumensin to the cow herd, you can improve their feed efficiency by 8-10%, which is a huge improvement and can save you a lot of money. It will generally cost about $0.02/ hd/d to add Rumensin to a supplement for your cows. If you figure a 10% decrease in dry matter intake on hay that is $80/T, a 2.5 lb decrease is worth $0.10/d,
so you end up about $0.08 ahead every day. Multiply that over a 200 head cow herd and a 90 day feeding period, and you save over $1400 in feed costs! Another benefit of feeding Rumensin prior to calving is that it will help decrease the amount of coccidia in the environment and therefore reduce the chance that your calves will pick it up and get sick. This requires a proactive approach since the life cycle of coccidia is 17-21 days and you will need to feed Rumensin to the cows for at least that long before calving to help get some control. You can supplement Rumensin to your cows through a TMR by using products like RangeLand Balancer R800 or Cow Supplement R800 at ½ lb/hd/d which will also supply all of the trace mineral and vitamin needs for your herd. You could also use a liquid supplement in a TMR. We can also add Rumensin to cubes. Supplying your cow herd with good nutrition is critical to your calving success next spring. When cows are deficient in protein, energy, trace minerals, or vitamins, the result is weak, slow calves with poor immune function and cows with poor colostrum quality and quantity, and poor breed-back. You can save yourself a lot of headaches by taking good care of the cows now. And we learn more all the time about how the nutrition our cows receive impacts the performance of their calves. There are many ways to supplement your cow herd. The important thing is that you are able to meet the nutritional requirements of your cows, whether that is though a product like Rangeland Balancer, a liquid supplement, or a cube. For more information, contact me at [email protected] or your local Dakotaland feeds livestock production specialist. s
What’s Available Through NCFE Feeds
By Scott Kilber, Feed Specialist
We have what our livestock producers need. The following list is not all-inclusive:
Services
• Horse feeds: Strategy , Equine ® Senior , Sweet Feed. ® ® • Honor Show Chow show feeds. • Pet food for dogs, cats, rabbits. • Milk replacer for calves and lambs.
Feed products
Animal health products
• • • •
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Ration balancing using your feedstuffs. Feed sampling. Breakevens specific to your operation and cattle. Nutritional advice for your livestock operation.
• Supplements to balance cow, calf, and bull diets. • Complete feeds for calves or lambs. ® • Ration Manager™ or Intense Calf Mixer to mix with corn using a self-feeder. • Stress Care™ product line for starting programs. • Rangeland™ Tubs to supplement grazing cattle with protein and minerals. • Salt (bags and blocks). • Medicated feeds. • Mineral for all situations and types of cattle. ® • Specialty feeds like Bovatec blocks and ® Safe-Guard wormer.
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• Pfizer and Intervet vaccines. ® ® • Dectomax and Ivomec Pour-On. ® • Z Tags (We also can stamp your tags with numbers or ranch names). • Calving supplies: electrolytes, OB gloves, sulfa pills, needles, and syringes.
Livestock equipment
• Gates, panels, feed bunks, continuous fence, chutes, working tubs, water tanks, water fountains, posts, barb wire. • For rent: cattle tubs, fold-out corrals, post pounder. s
Hard Work Deserves a Reward By Troy weig, Petroleum Manager
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The Hardworking Bonus Cenex lubricant program is underway. You can earn $75 gift cards from your 100 gallon purchase of these popu® ® lar products: Cenex Superlube ® ® ® ® TMS , Superlube 518 , Qwiklift ® ® ® HTB , Maxtron Enviro-EDGE , ® ® Maxtron DEO, and Maxtron THF+. Products must be purchased between Nov. 1–Jan. 31, 2012. Choose between these favorite gift cards: Cenex, ® ® Applebee’s , Cabela’s , or Sears. Additionally, you can earn one more $25 gift card by purchasing a minimum of four 10-packs of Cenex grease. Customers are responsible for filling out their own gift card applications. Cenex will not process applications if we, as a dealer, fill them out. In October, EPA extended the date for farmer compliance of the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan to May 10, 2013. This is for farmers and ranchers only. With so many rural areas being declared federal disaster areas from fires, floods, and other climatic difficulties, EPA cited that additional time to prepare SPCC plans was justified. Please call with questions about this policy or any other petroleum-related matters. s
Certified Energy Specialist Steve Hinds recently received the Spirit In Flight Award at the annual Cenex Sales Rally, in Minneapolis. This award represents the peak performer for refined fuels in 2011. The recognition encompasses performance and excellence, not just gallons of refined fuel sales. Pictured from left to right are: Jay Debertin, CHS Executive Vice President and COO of Energy; Steve Hinds, Certified Energy Specialist with North Central Farmers Elevator; and Don Olson, CHS Senior Vice President, Refined Fuels.
NCFE Agronomy Team Matt Christopherson: 380-1238, Marketing Manager Lane Mielke: 380-4674, Sales Manager Curtis Jandel: 216-7138, Precision Ag Specialist Joel Vetter: 380-9111, Seed Sales Manager Rick Arneseon: 216-1651, Warner Area Agronomist Bob Volk: 216-0086, Java Area Agronomist Brent Neiger: 216-4820, Ipswich Area Agronomist Tim Borge: 380-9749, Wecota/Onaka Area Agronomist Justin North: 216-6684, Leola/Bowdle Area Agronomist Greg Volk: 380-5430, Strasburg Agronomy Manager/Agronomist Tyler Kroupa: 680-4112, Lebanon Area Agronomist Dillon Baloun: 216-6380, Highmore Agronomy Manager/Agronomist Lee Kolda: 377-4774, Miller Agronomy Manager/Agronomist Bryce Weber: 701-336-4673, Strasburg Area Agronomist Sam Cramer: 380-0273, Northville/Redfield Area Agronomist Kevin Stark: 216-0292, Faulkton Agronomy Manager Adam Odden: 203-1229, Faulkton Area Agronomist Chip King: 295-0461, Highmore Area Agronomist Wyatt Holsing: 216-5225, Miller Area Agronomist Bryce Neiger: 380-9751, Ipswich/Warner Area Agronomist Brandon Haag: 216-6758, Pierre Area Agronomist Brady Kuhn: 228-6896, Herreid/Hague Area Agronomist Ask your agronomist how to add profit to your operation with the NCFE Burgundy & Gold Program.
Got Photos?
This great picture, taken by communications director Subrena Green, was selected as runner-up in a photography contest sponsored by Growmark. We agree with them that she has a great eye behind the camera! But we also know many of our patrons do, too. If you have a photo you’d like to share with us, email it to sgreen@ ncfe.coop. We are always on the look-out for pictures that capture the beauty of the NCFE countryside. If we use your photo in an upcoming newsletter, website, or as decoration in our new office building, we’ll send you a $50 check. s
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DIRECTORY Bowdle West Terminal . . . 605-285-6533 Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-584-9286 In Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-285-6570 Craven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6591 Fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6535 Faulkton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-598-6500 Hague, ND . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701-336-4673 Herreid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-437-2744 Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-437-2744 Highmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-852-2558 Ipswich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6021 Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-658-3353 Auto Center . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6782 Chemical Shed . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6999 Farm Store . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6163 Farm Store Toll-Free . . . . . 877-232-4692 Java . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-649-6291 Lebanon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-768-9465 Leola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-439-3137 Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-439-3147 Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-853-2351 Northville . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-887-3441 Onaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-447-5803 Pollock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-889-2321 Redfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-472-0775 Strasburg, ND . . . . . . . . . . 701-336-7910 Sun Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6843 Warner Elevator . . . . . . . . 605-225-8247 Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-225-9608 West Warner . . . . . . . . . . 605-225-7103 Wecota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-324-3200
BOARD of DIRECTORS Richard Osterday – Java, President Ken Olson, Jr. – Turton, Vice-President Quentin Larson – Pollock, Secretary Bryan Bauer – Mina Glenn Bode – Faulkton Mike Clements – Miller Lynn Deibert – Herreid Dale Gill – Java Derek Merkel – Leola Larry Olson – Ipswich Phillip Shanley – Warner Larry Vetch – Onaka
Our Mission: To excel at providing high-quality services and products that grow member and cooperative profitability and success.
PO Box 366 Ipswich, SD 57451
Director Profiles
Lynn Deibert and his wife, Vickey, operate a crop and cow/calf operation west of Herreid, raising wheat, corn, and soybeans. Their son Ethan is a freshman at Herried High School. Daughter Vanessa is a University of Mary senior, pursuing a social work degree. Lynn serves on the Campbell County Weed and Pest board and is Chairman of the SD Weed and Pest Commission. The family attends Peace Lutheran Church in Herreid, where the couple served as youth advisors for the past 26 years. Lynn was elected to the Herreid Equity board of directors in 1996 and joined the NCFE board when the two cooperatives merged. Says Lynn, “It has been very exciting and educational to be on the North Central board as it grows and expands its territory. It seems every year, gross sales are expanding. I think as the future unfolds, it will be more important that North Central keeps the outlying and smaller elevators equipped with good equipment and dedicated employees.” s
Duane Wald and his wife, Eileen, operate a family farm near Hague, ND. They raise wheat, corn, and sunflowers, and also have a cow/calf herd. The couple has 3 children: Derek and his wife, Becky, and children, of Pierre; Janel, husband, Justin, and son of Mandan; and Elicia, a sophomore accounting major at the University of Mary. Duane and Eileen were awarded the 2011 Sustainable Agriculture Award by the Emmons County Soil Conservation District. Duane serves on the St. Mary’s Parish Council and is a Knights of Columbus member and past Grand Knight. He is a past board member of the Hague and Strasburg school district, has served on the Hague Farmers Elevator Board, and is a Hague Rural Fire Department volunteer. “North Central Farmers Elevator is relatively new to Hague and the surrounding area,” says Duane. “Having a cooperative elevator is an advantage over a privately-owned facility, as it has a much greater opportunity to expand. As a shareholder, it would be great to be a part of the growth and guidance of this cooperative.” s
NCFE Partners With SD Center for Farm and Ranch Business Management North Central Farmers Elevator (NCFE) is helping to bring business management courses to farmers and ranchers across the region. The cooperative is partnering with Mitchell Technical Institute (MTI) as expansion of its Farm/Ranch Business Management Program continues. “We consider this an invaluable investment especially for beginning farmers and ranchers,” says NCFE general manager Keith Hainy. “In addition to strengthening their financial planning skills, the program has the potential for making a significant difference in the profitability of their operation.” NCFE is also offering first semester scholarships to beginning farmers and ranchers from its trade territory that enroll in the program. The cooperative will fund two scholarships from each of its
locations for 2012. Scholarship applications are due Dec. 16 and are available at all locations or by calling 800-584-9286. Applicants must commit to at least a twosemester enrollment in the program. First-year curriculum topics include: goal-setting, balance sheet and financial ratio training, and risk management/marketing. Current issues relating to production ag management are also reviewed. Most instruction is conducted monthly, one-on-one, with the instructor at the student’s farm site. Not your typical oncampus course, the highly individualized study areas are developed to meet the individual needs of each student. A grant to seed the program at MTI was received from USDA. Other industry partners besides NCFE that have provided funding include: Farm Credit Services of America, South Dakota Wheat Commission, South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, and South Dakota Pork Producers Council. For more information, go to mitchelltech.edu/ sdcfrm. s
Construction of the new NCFE office is on schedule with completion targeted for mid-March 2012.
See us on the web at www.ncfe.coop
NOVEMB E R 2011
VOLUME 17 • NUMBER 4
Annual Meeting Schedule
Tuesday, November 29 Father Bormann Hall—Ipswich Dinner: 12–1 p.m. Speakers: 1–2:30 p.m.
• Mike Kvistad, Agribusiness Consultant • Steve Krikava, Land O’Lakes, Director of Government Affairs • Mark Gerhardt, MTI, VP for Development and Industrial Relations and Dawn Melikant, MTI, Farm/ Ranch Business Management Instructor
Business meeting: 2:30 p.m.
Director Elections Phillip Shanley and Larry Vetch are unopposed in their districts. Lynn Deibert and Duane Wald are nominated in the northwest district. All active members in the northwest district will be mailed ballots in mid-November along with voting instructions and a return envelope. The confidential ballot must be returned to the corporate office by 9 a.m. on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. A teller committee will count the votes. Results will be reported at the annual meeting.
New Partnership an Innovative Fit By KEITH HAINY, General Manager
We are extremely excited about our new partnership with Mitchell Technical Institute, and bringing college-level educational opportunities to our beginning producers through the newly expanded SD Center for Farm/Ranch Management. With our mission of providing high-quality services and products that grow member profitability and success, this could not be a better and more innovative fit. We urge you to take advantage of this program, or encourage producers you know to enroll. Fall harvest was essentially non-stop from soybeans all the way through corn, with good yields from both crops. The no-break aspect between the two harvests was challenging, but the dedicated effort by employees helped our facilities manage. The additional handling and storage assets that were put in place in 2010 were certainly put to the test and proved their worth. We’ll have to wait for another year before testing our additional drying capacity since minimal grain had to be dried this year. It’s also been a very good season for fall fertilization, with equipment and manpower covering fields as soon as soybeans were harvested. One of the bigger challenges this harvest was not in the field. Instead, we were affected by the very severe shortage of petroleum throughout the Midwest, during a time when demand was great. Several key pipelines were out of commission. Suppliers had to haul significant distances just
to get product. That added up to additional pressures on existing pipelines, causing extremely long lines at terminals. Through all this, we’ve continued to grow our petroleum business. During the first two months of our new fiscal year, petroleum volumes were up 63%. That’s an amazing achievement considering the shortage pressures. I want to commend this division for their efforts in keeping product available for our producers. We want to thank customers that took part in the recent agronomy department survey. We learned a lot from it, including that our performance is in the top third of all participating retailers. While we’re pleased with that outcome, our intent is to use results as a continued tool for improvement and utilization of better understanding customer needs. There is much going on at your cooperative in the next few months. I hope to see many of you at our Nov. 29 annual meeting in Ipswich. Your cooperative works best with as many participating in the process as possible. Please join us for lunch, outstanding speakers, and the business of your cooperative. We are also finalizing our winter meeting schedule. Several board members and grain marketing manager, Mike Nickolas will be joining me as we travel to all locations to meet as many patrons as possible. We’ll discuss potential bylaw changes, along with talking about the business of your cooperative, as we near my retirement and Mike’s extremely capable transition as your new general manager. I wish each and everyone a joyful holiday season as we enter into the special times of Thanksgiving and Christmas. s
Getting Ready for Winter By Steve Benning, Shop Manager
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With Thanksgiving nearing, we know that winter can’t be too far behind. Our technician team is available to service and winterize your equipment and vehicles. We have multiple antifreeze products, including RV antifreeze. For those needing a pusher axle, now’s a good time to get that lined up on your semi. We still have a few Great Dane flatbeds available, which work well ©2011 North Central Farmers Elevator. All Rights Reserved.
for hauling hay this winter and serving as sprayer tenders next spring. Finally, we have several technician openings at our Ipswich and Leola shops. Our truck and auto centers provide some of the best and most complete service in the area, and offer great employment opportunities. Contact me for more information or to apply. s
Published in partnership with VistaComm® (www.VistaComm.com).
Propane Service Specialists By Terry L. Heinz, General Manager, North Star Energy LLC
The North Star Energy service reputation continues to spread. We sometimes receive phone calls from non-customers needing help with a propane problem. We’ve gained some new customers this way and have distinguished ourselves from the competition by our extraordinary customer service. While propane continues to be our core business, we offer so much more. We have a complete line of heating and cooling products and solutions. Right now, the season is right to think about a toasty fireplace for your den. We carry Heat-N-Glo™ units, with a style and size that can fit your budget and living space. With our main office in Selby, our service area stretches north to Strasburg, ND, west to Mobridge, east to Aberdeen, and south to Redfield and Faulkton. Our bulk facilities are located at the Sun Terminal in Ipswich, Leola, Bowdle, Selby, and Pollock. Two service technicians are based in Bowdle and Ipswich. We have drivers in Pollock, Selby, Leola, and a part-time driver in Faulkton. To contact us for service, propane, or any product question, call 877-754-8673. s
Promoting Safety at New Levels
By Andy Clemen, Safety Coordinator
On November 4 at the Aberdeen Civic Center, NCFE provided Liberty Rescue Tube demonstrations at the annual South Dakota EMT conference. Over 500 EMTs attended this event. The first of five grain bin safety and rescue classes began at Lake Area Technical Institute (LATI). I instruct each class, demonstrating and training students on the use of the Liberty Rescue Tube, and its value in preventing fatalities in flowing grain accidents. LATI course instructor and firefighter Erick Wientjes says this about safety: “I tell our students that I run into burning buildings for a living, yet agriculture is one of, if not the most dangerous occupation in the country. We need them to think before they act. LATI has deemed this so important that we have ag safety classes every day for the whole semester.” Being recognized as a safety resource across the region is very gratifying. We consider it a privilege being able to promote safety and being an advocate for accident prevention. Please join with us to help make agriculture a much safer industry and way of life. s
NCFE truck driver Jeff Berreth was named the October 2011 Driver of the Month by the South Dakota Trucking Association. Jeff has driven over 1.5 million miles for NCFE, and never had a chargeable accident. He is now eligible for the South Dakota Truck Driver of the Year award, which will be selected at the group’s September 2012 annual meeting, in Rapid City.
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Taking the Ultimate Field Trip
By Matt Christopherson, Agronomy Marketing Manager, and Lane Mielke, Sales Manager of you are already using anyway—you just need to take Seed, Fertilizer, Chemicals, Agronomy the time to evaluate the crop paks and services, Fuel, General Inputs order your inputs For more information call: to qualify. Contact your nearby sales Ipswich—Jennifer Geditz: 605-426-6813 agronomist for exact Joe Zikmund: 605-426-6819 pak details and how Highmore—Rachelle Werdel: 605-852-2558 to qualify for great awards or the amazJava—Celeste Lux: 605-649-6291 ing Hawaii trip. End-of-the-year available for the 2012 crop year. prepays are well underway. Lock-in Terms include an attractive interyour inputs and application rates est rate on all loan applications now for the best value, with payreceived before Jan. 15, 2012. This ment due Jan. 6, 2012. If you have comprehensive loan package helps questions as you finalize your orders, you lock-in input costs to maximize don’t hesitate to call your agronomist. income potential and reduce risk. NCFE and the Cooperative Finance Thank you for your 2011 business. Association (CFA) also have an We look forward to working with you outstanding financing program in 2012. s
NCFE/CFA Financing
This year Emerald Extras is offering its executive grower tour of Hawaii. Consider it the ultimate in field trips. The get-away will have all the beachside luxury you’d expect of a Hawaiian vacation, but will also have ag tours of the island, agronomy, and marketing, along with great camaraderie with producers across the nation. The trip will be held Jan. 12–16, 2013. Enroll by Dec. 16, 2011, to be eligible for this trip-of-a-lifetime. Talk to your sales agronomist about the Emerald Extras Executive Pak options. Emerald Extras also has other grower award programs available. Emerald program awards are earned by purchasing qualifying categories of crop protection and seed products. They are inputs many
A new service now offered by NCFE is strip-tilling. Our Dawn Pluribus strip till system is on a Wil-Rich toolbar, with a Horsch Anderson air cart.
NCFE Welcomes New Seed Sales Manager To meet the needs of its trade territory, NCFE has hired Cresbard native Joel Vetter as seed sales manager. Working with the sales agronomist team, Joel will coordinate and manage the cooperative’s seed inputs. Joel has an ag business degree and was most recently a district sales manager for a regional seed company. “The agronomists and location managers are already doing an outstanding job when it comes to seed,” says Joel. “But the growth of NCFE and just the overall importance of this input is reason enough for specialized concentration of your seed investment.” s
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Settlement Reached With OSHA By KEITH HAINY, General Manager
NCFE has reached a settlement agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in response to the October 18, 2010 grain entrapment accident at Warner. A reduced fine of $100,000 will be paid to OSHA, with citations reduced to two willful and four serious violations. Last April, OSHA had proposed an initial judgment calling for a $378,000 fine and citations for six willful violations. We chose to contest that proposal because of our documented and longstanding workplace safety culture, and training efforts. We then began dialogue with OSHA in negotiating for a much lower fine paid directly to the federal government. Instead, we sought a settlement that would emphasize dollars invested in local safety outreach efforts, providing your co-op an opportunity to expand its safety mission. The case settlement details include a multi-year media campaign with WNAX radio, promoting farm safety across its large rural listening area. NCFE will
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also buy five more Liberty Grain Rescue Tubes , which was the device actually used in the successful rescue at Warner. We will continue training local fire departments on their use, and with the tubes already in place, NCFE will have one within 15 miles of each of its 17 locations. Ten more automated external defibrillators (AEDs) will also be purchased, which will bring this potentially life-saving device to every NCFE location. We remain first and foremost grateful for the successful rescue of Chad Fischbach and the lifesaving actions by trained first-responders. This has only reinforced our efforts of doing all we can to prevent future accidents, both here at our elevators and at home on the farms and ranches across our trade territory. The silver lining in this incident is the powerful safety effort that will undoubtedly save lives throughout a large region. It’s an incredible blessing to turn a challenging, potentially tragic event into a positive opportunity. s
What a Fall
By MIKE NICKOLAS, Grain Manager
The early frost that was first thought to have been detrimental to the upcoming soybean and corn harvest did not materialize and actually helped both crops mature. The soybean harvest was fast and furious as we receipted the bulk of the harvest within about 12 days, totaling over 10 million bushels. Harvest receipts actually exceeded our expectations, with a couple of reasons attributing to this. (1) For the most part, truck lines were non-existent as trucks were in and back to fields in short order, and (2) On-farm space was saved for the corn harvest.
The early October heat and wind brought the corn harvest upon us sooner than expected. The transition between soybeans and corn almost happened overnight. Corn receipts exceeded 1 million bushels per day within a few days of the large soybean receipts. Our expectations of corn were set pretty high going into harvest, even with the huge amount of room on farms. But again, with truck lines very orderly, corn receipts came in at just under 20 million bushels. The overall moisture average was 15.5, with only about a third of the corn crop having to be dried. The grain markets continue to find direction from outside influences. Volatility will continue to be with us throughout the winter months, as South American weather and European financial stability dominate the news. On a positive note, with harvest virtually completed, we are seeing basis levels firm up as bins are full and farmers are waiting for price appreciation. s
Wishing you a joyful Thanksgiving and Christmas season, and all the blessings that come with this special time of year. From all of us at North Central Farmers Elevator.
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Delivering Cows’ Supplemental Nutrients By Roxanne Knock, PhD, Nutritional-Technical Specialist, Dakotaland Feeds, LLC
It is hard to believe that winter may be just around the corner. It seems like just yesterday that we were struggling to get crops planted. As we prepare for winter, taking an inventory of your feed is a good idea to help plan your winter feeding program. Feed costs are the No. 1 cost when it comes to maintaining a cow. However, that makes utilizing our available feeds to the best use even more critical for our bottom line. Have your forage tested for protein and TDN, so you can make sure you are meeting the nutrient requirements of the herd. Cows in midgestation do not have a high protein requirement, so you can feed some low quality forage and the cows will be able to maintain themselves pretty well. When they get closer to calving though, protein and energy requirements increase as the growing fetus is requiring more nutrients and growing at a much faster rate. If you have alfalfa to supplement at this time, that may be your most economical protein supplement. Otherwise, distillers grains and 30-13 RangeLand tubs work well to supplement cows at this time also. The 30-13 tubs are a great fit for grazing cornstalks by supplying the needed protein for cows in mid-gestation without the hassle of starting up equipment daily. One aspect of feeding cattle that is underutilized in the cow-calf sector is feeding an ionophore to help improve feed efficiency. By feeding Rumensin to the cow herd, you can improve their feed efficiency by 8-10%, which is a huge improvement and can save you a lot of money. It will generally cost about $0.02/ hd/d to add Rumensin to a supplement for your cows. If you figure a 10% decrease in dry matter intake on hay that is $80/T, a 2.5 lb decrease is worth $0.10/d,
so you end up about $0.08 ahead every day. Multiply that over a 200 head cow herd and a 90 day feeding period, and you save over $1400 in feed costs! Another benefit of feeding Rumensin prior to calving is that it will help decrease the amount of coccidia in the environment and therefore reduce the chance that your calves will pick it up and get sick. This requires a proactive approach since the life cycle of coccidia is 17-21 days and you will need to feed Rumensin to the cows for at least that long before calving to help get some control. You can supplement Rumensin to your cows through a TMR by using products like RangeLand Balancer R800 or Cow Supplement R800 at ½ lb/hd/d which will also supply all of the trace mineral and vitamin needs for your herd. You could also use a liquid supplement in a TMR. We can also add Rumensin to cubes. Supplying your cow herd with good nutrition is critical to your calving success next spring. When cows are deficient in protein, energy, trace minerals, or vitamins, the result is weak, slow calves with poor immune function and cows with poor colostrum quality and quantity, and poor breed-back. You can save yourself a lot of headaches by taking good care of the cows now. And we learn more all the time about how the nutrition our cows receive impacts the performance of their calves. There are many ways to supplement your cow herd. The important thing is that you are able to meet the nutritional requirements of your cows, whether that is though a product like Rangeland Balancer, a liquid supplement, or a cube. For more information, contact me at [email protected] or your local Dakotaland feeds livestock production specialist. s
What’s Available Through NCFE Feeds
By Scott Kilber, Feed Specialist
We have what our livestock producers need. The following list is not all-inclusive:
Services
• Horse feeds: Strategy , Equine ® Senior , Sweet Feed. ® ® • Honor Show Chow show feeds. • Pet food for dogs, cats, rabbits. • Milk replacer for calves and lambs.
Feed products
Animal health products
• • • •
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Ration balancing using your feedstuffs. Feed sampling. Breakevens specific to your operation and cattle. Nutritional advice for your livestock operation.
• Supplements to balance cow, calf, and bull diets. • Complete feeds for calves or lambs. ® • Ration Manager™ or Intense Calf Mixer to mix with corn using a self-feeder. • Stress Care™ product line for starting programs. • Rangeland™ Tubs to supplement grazing cattle with protein and minerals. • Salt (bags and blocks). • Medicated feeds. • Mineral for all situations and types of cattle. ® • Specialty feeds like Bovatec blocks and ® Safe-Guard wormer.
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• Pfizer and Intervet vaccines. ® ® • Dectomax and Ivomec Pour-On. ® • Z Tags (We also can stamp your tags with numbers or ranch names). • Calving supplies: electrolytes, OB gloves, sulfa pills, needles, and syringes.
Livestock equipment
• Gates, panels, feed bunks, continuous fence, chutes, working tubs, water tanks, water fountains, posts, barb wire. • For rent: cattle tubs, fold-out corrals, post pounder. s
Hard Work Deserves a Reward By Troy weig, Petroleum Manager
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The Hardworking Bonus Cenex lubricant program is underway. You can earn $75 gift cards from your 100 gallon purchase of these popu® ® lar products: Cenex Superlube ® ® ® ® TMS , Superlube 518 , Qwiklift ® ® ® HTB , Maxtron Enviro-EDGE , ® ® Maxtron DEO, and Maxtron THF+. Products must be purchased between Nov. 1–Jan. 31, 2012. Choose between these favorite gift cards: Cenex, ® ® Applebee’s , Cabela’s , or Sears. Additionally, you can earn one more $25 gift card by purchasing a minimum of four 10-packs of Cenex grease. Customers are responsible for filling out their own gift card applications. Cenex will not process applications if we, as a dealer, fill them out. In October, EPA extended the date for farmer compliance of the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan to May 10, 2013. This is for farmers and ranchers only. With so many rural areas being declared federal disaster areas from fires, floods, and other climatic difficulties, EPA cited that additional time to prepare SPCC plans was justified. Please call with questions about this policy or any other petroleum-related matters. s
Certified Energy Specialist Steve Hinds recently received the Spirit In Flight Award at the annual Cenex Sales Rally, in Minneapolis. This award represents the peak performer for refined fuels in 2011. The recognition encompasses performance and excellence, not just gallons of refined fuel sales. Pictured from left to right are: Jay Debertin, CHS Executive Vice President and COO of Energy; Steve Hinds, Certified Energy Specialist with North Central Farmers Elevator; and Don Olson, CHS Senior Vice President, Refined Fuels.
NCFE Agronomy Team Matt Christopherson: 380-1238, Marketing Manager Lane Mielke: 380-4674, Sales Manager Curtis Jandel: 216-7138, Precision Ag Specialist Joel Vetter: 380-9111, Seed Sales Manager Rick Arneseon: 216-1651, Warner Area Agronomist Bob Volk: 216-0086, Java Area Agronomist Brent Neiger: 216-4820, Ipswich Area Agronomist Tim Borge: 380-9749, Wecota/Onaka Area Agronomist Justin North: 216-6684, Leola/Bowdle Area Agronomist Greg Volk: 380-5430, Strasburg Agronomy Manager/Agronomist Tyler Kroupa: 680-4112, Lebanon Area Agronomist Dillon Baloun: 216-6380, Highmore Agronomy Manager/Agronomist Lee Kolda: 377-4774, Miller Agronomy Manager/Agronomist Bryce Weber: 701-336-4673, Strasburg Area Agronomist Sam Cramer: 380-0273, Northville/Redfield Area Agronomist Kevin Stark: 216-0292, Faulkton Agronomy Manager Adam Odden: 203-1229, Faulkton Area Agronomist Chip King: 295-0461, Highmore Area Agronomist Wyatt Holsing: 216-5225, Miller Area Agronomist Bryce Neiger: 380-9751, Ipswich/Warner Area Agronomist Brandon Haag: 216-6758, Pierre Area Agronomist Brady Kuhn: 228-6896, Herreid/Hague Area Agronomist Ask your agronomist how to add profit to your operation with the NCFE Burgundy & Gold Program.
Got Photos?
This great picture, taken by communications director Subrena Green, was selected as runner-up in a photography contest sponsored by Growmark. We agree with them that she has a great eye behind the camera! But we also know many of our patrons do, too. If you have a photo you’d like to share with us, email it to sgreen@ ncfe.coop. We are always on the look-out for pictures that capture the beauty of the NCFE countryside. If we use your photo in an upcoming newsletter, website, or as decoration in our new office building, we’ll send you a $50 check. s
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DIRECTORY Bowdle West Terminal . . . 605-285-6533 Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-584-9286 In Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-285-6570 Craven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6591 Fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6535 Faulkton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-598-6500 Hague, ND . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701-336-4673 Herreid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-437-2744 Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-437-2744 Highmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-852-2558 Ipswich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6021 Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-658-3353 Auto Center . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6782 Chemical Shed . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6999 Farm Store . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6163 Farm Store Toll-Free . . . . . 877-232-4692 Java . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-649-6291 Lebanon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-768-9465 Leola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-439-3137 Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-439-3147 Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-853-2351 Northville . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-887-3441 Onaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-447-5803 Pollock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-889-2321 Redfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-472-0775 Strasburg, ND . . . . . . . . . . 701-336-7910 Sun Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . 605-426-6843 Warner Elevator . . . . . . . . 605-225-8247 Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-225-9608 West Warner . . . . . . . . . . 605-225-7103 Wecota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-324-3200
BOARD of DIRECTORS Richard Osterday – Java, President Ken Olson, Jr. – Turton, Vice-President Quentin Larson – Pollock, Secretary Bryan Bauer – Mina Glenn Bode – Faulkton Mike Clements – Miller Lynn Deibert – Herreid Dale Gill – Java Derek Merkel – Leola Larry Olson – Ipswich Phillip Shanley – Warner Larry Vetch – Onaka
Our Mission: To excel at providing high-quality services and products that grow member and cooperative profitability and success.
PO Box 366 Ipswich, SD 57451
Director Profiles
Lynn Deibert and his wife, Vickey, operate a crop and cow/calf operation west of Herreid, raising wheat, corn, and soybeans. Their son Ethan is a freshman at Herried High School. Daughter Vanessa is a University of Mary senior, pursuing a social work degree. Lynn serves on the Campbell County Weed and Pest board and is Chairman of the SD Weed and Pest Commission. The family attends Peace Lutheran Church in Herreid, where the couple served as youth advisors for the past 26 years. Lynn was elected to the Herreid Equity board of directors in 1996 and joined the NCFE board when the two cooperatives merged. Says Lynn, “It has been very exciting and educational to be on the North Central board as it grows and expands its territory. It seems every year, gross sales are expanding. I think as the future unfolds, it will be more important that North Central keeps the outlying and smaller elevators equipped with good equipment and dedicated employees.” s
Duane Wald and his wife, Eileen, operate a family farm near Hague, ND. They raise wheat, corn, and sunflowers, and also have a cow/calf herd. The couple has 3 children: Derek and his wife, Becky, and children, of Pierre; Janel, husband, Justin, and son of Mandan; and Elicia, a sophomore accounting major at the University of Mary. Duane and Eileen were awarded the 2011 Sustainable Agriculture Award by the Emmons County Soil Conservation District. Duane serves on the St. Mary’s Parish Council and is a Knights of Columbus member and past Grand Knight. He is a past board member of the Hague and Strasburg school district, has served on the Hague Farmers Elevator Board, and is a Hague Rural Fire Department volunteer. “North Central Farmers Elevator is relatively new to Hague and the surrounding area,” says Duane. “Having a cooperative elevator is an advantage over a privately-owned facility, as it has a much greater opportunity to expand. As a shareholder, it would be great to be a part of the growth and guidance of this cooperative.” s
