north central
North Central Farmers Elevator Solutions for Your Success
The Unforgettable Spring of 2011 By KEITH HAINY, General Manager
We won’t forget the spring of 2011 for a long, long time. It was hard to string together two or more days of good field working weather in what was already a late-starting spring. Usually we have some opportunities in March and April for field applicating, but that absolutely did not happen this year. Thankfully, we did have a very good fall fertilizer season. There is no doubt that our applicator equipment and manpower was put to the test. Generally, the transition from fertilizer spreading to spraying is fairly smooth, but this spring tested those capabilities. We thank you for your patience. Be assured that we are examining this past spring’s performance and are intent on finding solutions that will exceed customer expectations in the future. Bid packets for the construction of a new office building were sent out in late May. We look forward to bringing you those results and are hopeful for competitive bidding. The proposed site is on the east side of the farm store in Ipswich. A customer survey will soon be underway. We consider this an invaluable tool for gauging satisfaction and need levels of North Central Farmers Elevator (NCFE) products and services. We had extremely high response on our last survey, and we
thank you in advance for helping us gather this important information. We are still in the negotiation stage with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) about the citation received for last year’s grain entrapment accident at Warner. We remain optimistic that a reasonable solution will be obtained. The board has authorized the construction of a $1.7 million natural gas line to Sun Terminal and Craven to fuel drying systems at both these locations. The project is in partnership with Montana Dakota Utilities, which will cost-share repayment based on usage over five years. The project will be completed by harvest, just in time for drying season. Since we built the west Bowdle terminal, we have requested a turning lane from the South Dakota Department of Transportation (DOT). We recently received notice that this safety request has finally been approved. Your cooperative is now in the process of working with engineers to design a plan and cost structure for presentation to the DOT. With the reduced crop of 2010, profits to date are not quite as good as last year. However, with the big spring we experienced, we are still optimistic that year-end results will be very positive. It took an awful lot of work by employees and the steadfast support of patrons to be successful. We wish for you a bountiful harvest and the opportunity for great returns from higher market prices. Please think safety in all you do, so you are here to enjoy many more good harvests. s
See us on the web at www.ncfe.coop
J uly 2011
VOLUME 17 • NUMBER 2
Farm Rescue Supporter NCFE is a proud supporter of Farm Rescue, a nonprofit organization that assists farm families with planting or harvest in times of need. In a spring that had its share of weather issues, our involvement with this organization was not only gratifying, but it also put our own challenges into perspective. Three NCFE customer families were on the receiving end of Farm Rescue planting assistance: Art and DeLaine Nehlich of Ipswich, SD; Larry and Rosalind Leier of Hague, ND; and Don and Vivian Nagel of Strasburg, ND. s
NCFE is a Farm Rescue platinum sponsor.
Managing the Nutrient Markets
By Matt Christopherson, Agronomy Marketing Manager, and Lane Mielke, Sales Manager
Spring fertilizer inventories were extremely tight with multiple delays from barge traffic. That scramble, along with extra demand, has made
urea prices very strong. We are anticipating similar supply scenarios for next year. For those reasons, we are recommending that you begin filling tanks as soon as possible with 10-34-0 and 8-20-5-4-.5. Stay in touch with us throughout the summer, and consider buying next year’s fertilizer as you market your grain. We want to work with you and do all we can to help supply your nutrient needs. We know this spring was extremely challenging and stressful.
A Dream Come True
We urge you to be proactive as you scout and manage your growing crops this summer. The use of products like fungicides, insecticides, CoRoN®, micronutrients, and other inputs have huge returnon-investment potential in today’s marketplace. You’ve worked extremely hard to get where you are this year—keep pushing those yields to take advantage of harvest opportunities. s
Summer Agronomy Reminders • We are winding down this year’s Burgundy and Gold Program. Checks will go out this fall. Maximize your summer purchasing power on chemical and fertilizer inputs.
It has long been Lester Forkel’s dream to own a red Chevy Corvette. In February 2011, Lester received his equity check that he earned for his years of loyalty to NCFE. The equity was enough to buy his dream Corvette. Thank you Lester for your years of support. Larry is pictured with his 1998 Chevy Corvette. s
• Check with your agronomist about your crop pak purchases to qualify for an Emerald Extras vacation. Answer Plot Events Near You Aberdeen June 17 (emergence and stand establishment)
NCFE Agronomy Team
Sept. 7 (grower knowledge event)
Matt Christopherson: 380-1238, Marketing manager Lane Mielke: 380-4674, Sales manager
Bowdle June 28 (emergence and stand establishment)
Rick Arneseon: 216-1651, Warner area agronomist Bob Volk: 216-0086, Java/Bowdle area agronomist Brent Neiger: 216-4820, Ipswich area agronomist
Sept. 13 (seed hybrids and crop protection)
Tim Borge: 380-9749, Wecota/Onaka area agronomist Justin North: 216-6684, Leola/Bowdle area agronomist
Pierre July 13 (emergence and stand establishment)
Greg Volk: 380-5430, Herreid/Pollock area agronomist Tyler Kroupa: 680-4112, Lebanon area agronomist Dillon Baloun: 216-6380, Highmore agronomy manager/agronomist Lee Kolda: 377-4774, Highmore/Miller area agronomist Curtis Jandel: 216-7138, Precision Ag specialist Colby Tolk: 216-6060, Miller agronomy manager/agronomist Evan Salverson: 649-6291, Java area agronomist Bryce Weber: 701-336-4673, Hague area agronomist Sam Cramer: 380-0273, Northville/Redfield area agronomist Kevin Stark: 216-0292, Agronomy sales
2
Ask your agronomist how to add profit to your operation with the NCFE Burgundy & Gold Program.
©2011 North Central Farmers Elevator. All Rights Reserved.
Aug. 24 (seed hybrids and crop protection) Redfield July 22 (emergence and stand establishment) Sept. 8 (grower knowledge event) Strasburg, ND July 20 (seed hybrid and crop protection)
Published in partnership with VistaComm® (www.VistaComm.com).
New Staff Members Join NCFE Mark Vogt began his position as asset and operations manager earlier this spring. He reports to Dave Dohman, director of operations. Mark oversees the southern NCFE locations, which include Redfield, Highmore, Lebanon, and Miller. Mark grew up in Henry and is a South Dakota State University animal science graduate. Since college, he has worked within the agriculture industry for the last 25 years. He most recently was a 110-shuttle train terminal manager for another cooperative. Mark likes the spirit he finds at NCFE. “The teamwork and camaraderie here is a welcome breath of fresh air,” says Mark. “This is a co-op that definitely keeps the producer at the forefront of why it is in business.” s
Subrena Green is the new NCFE director of communications. She grew up on a farm near Lesterville. She and her husband, Scott, lived in Harrisburg, where she was a bond underwriter for a national surety company and he was fleet manager for a Sioux Falls lumber company. The couple recently had the opportunity to return to production agriculture. Scott moved to Mina in November, and Subrena, and their two children, Karissa, 12, and Tucker, 9, moved in April. Subrena manages internal and external co-op communication, coordinates marketing resources, and ensures consistency of the NCFE brand message. Subrena notes that this move and career change has been extremely rewarding, professionally and as a family. “This is a tremendous opportunity, and I’m enjoying every day of this position. We have also been quick to feel at home here.” s
Onaka Receives National Safety Recognition Onaka recently received recognition for completing 2010 with no recordable accidents. The safety awards program is sponsored by the Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS), the industry’s leading grain-handling organization. While GEAPS awards are based on single calendar years, the Onaka location is well past 8,754 days without a losttime accident. Pictured left to right are Onaka employees Ron Weinrich, Pam Baer–location manager, and Jan Barondeau. Congratulations on your safety diligence! NCFE reminds all customers to keep safety in the forefront of all you do this summer. s
3
Best of Times in the Feed Business By Jarvis Haugeberg, General Manager, Dakotaland Feeds, LLC
Some in the feed business would say that these are the worst of times. I would tend to disagree. Granted, we are seeing less livestock all the time as folks exit the livestock business due to various reasons in favor of grain farming operations. We have to deal with managing risk of volatile markets and high feed costs, but I still maintain these are the “best of times.” Virtually every product that we sell is designed to increase feed efficiency, increase rate of gain, or improve reproductive performance. In this time of unprecedented high feed costs and high beef prices, the types of products offered by Dakotaland Feeds have an even better return on investment now than in normal times. For example, we are entering the time of year that we distribute creep feeds. As you would expect, the price per ton of creep feed will be higher this year than in years past. However, with the contract prices available for calves this fall, the value of any extra pounds is larger than it ever has been, and so the return on investment from feeding Creep Pasture Gest is very good, and better than in past years. It is a well-documented fact that good nutrition in a cow herd is very important for cows to milk up to their potential, which will produce bigger calves. It
4
is also well documented that good nutrition for those cows will improve breed-back of a cow herd. At the price of feed and pasture, certainly no one wants open cows and certainly no one wants to miss having all the calves they can next calving season. The minerals, tubs, and other pasture products that we offer bring our customers more value than in normal times. We have promoted BioMax 5 silage inoculant for years. When BioMax 5 is used along with good forage management, dry matter losses are greatly reduced. Obviously the higher the value of the silage, the greater the value of that extra dry matter recovered. We would feel strongly that BioMax offers a good return on investment every year, but when prices of feedstuffs are high, return is greater. Just one more example—Dakotaland Feeds has been a marketer of distillers co-products for years. In that time we have seen that these products are consistently an excellent feedstuff and a good buy compared to corn or other protein sources. As the price of corn rises, so does the price of distillers grains. But another fact is the higher the price rises, the bigger the spread is, making distillers products an even better buy. At Dakotaland Feeds, we sincerely want to provide our customers products and services that bring value. As I have stated, because of these high market prices we are experiencing right now, our products and services are bringing our customers more value than ever, making these the “best of times” in the feed business. s
Cenex Fuels Optimize Performance By Troy weig, Petroleum Manager
Diesel-powered equipment gets more sophisticated each year. That’s why we recommend Cenex® Premium Diesel Fuels. Not only do they regularly outperform conventional #2 in lab, field, and road tests, but they’ve recently been enhanced to optimize performance in modernized diesel engines. Cenex is committed to keeping up with the demands of new technology. So when diesel engine manufacturers changed the designs to meet new EPA standards, Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels were enhanced with a special new additive. This prevents many of the problems experienced when using a #2 diesel fuel in diesels, such as injector
damage, filter clogging, power loss, poor starting, engine failures, and costly repairs. They are the only fuels on the market today that address these issues. They have also proven to deliver 5% better fuel efficiency and 4.5% more power than standard #2 diesel. Their specially formulated additive packages protect engine parts for reduced wear, maintenance, and downtime. Additionally, Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels have 10%-15% better lubricity than standard fuel. Cenex Ruby Fieldmaster is also covered by the best warranty in agriculture. Regular diesel may get the job done in the short term, but only Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels have been proven to extend engine life by preventing corrosion, rust, and varnish buildup that can damage fuel pumps and injectors. Call your NCFE energy specialist for more information. s
Energy Specialists Gerry Crawford: 605-460-1176 covers Beadle, Faulk, Hand, Hyde, and Spink counties. Steve Hinds: 605-216-7905 covers Brown, Edmund, and McPherson counties. Ted Frederick: 605-216-1443—covers Campbell, Potter, and Walworth counties. REMINDER: If you’re participating in the doubleduty rewards program, you must turn in your form by July 31.
The Effects of Weather By MIKE NICKOLAS, Grain Manager
While most of our trade territory is in better shape this year than last year as far as planted acres, we will still have too many unplanted acres within our trade area. The extreme wetness throughout most of the country has delayed plantings and has resulted in stronger grain markets. This is giving those that have their crops planted the opportunity to sell a few bushels at some very good values. The weather we have experienced has not only put great pressure on our agronomy division but has also
put pressure on our grain facilities. With extended road limitations and wet and soft yards, grain movement off farms has been very limited. Our limited manpower at grain facilities has been busy consolidating bushels from truck locations to rail locations and cleaning out bin bottoms so we can meet contract obligations. We will be prepared and ready at all locations for summertime grain movement. If you are not receiving market updates and daily closing bids by text message and would like to, let us know, and we will put you on the list. We also offer early-morning email market commentary that is available upon request. Contact us at 605-4266021 or [email protected] to take advantage of these services. s
5
Shop News
By Steve Benning, Shop Manager North Central has tire service trucks that run from our Warner and Leola locations. Call us and we’ll get out to your tractor (or other equipment) as soon as possible and get you up and running with the best tire service anywhere. As small grain harvest nears, call ahead to schedule any servicing that needs to be done on your combine and trucks. s
Check out these items for sale: • 25 KW PTO generator • Soil testing probes (from soil probing trucks) • Great Dane flatbeds
Stop Grilling. START TRAEGER-ING. You know how we sell most of these? Word of mouth, or maybe the better phrase is taste of mouth. Someone that doesn’t have this grill will watch a Traeger owner grill and then taste the results. Just like that, another Traeger convert is convinced. We’ve got a Traeger grill for you! Call us and we’ll get the grill you want out to your branch location. s
North Central is an authorized dealer of H&H trailers. These trailers are manufactured with the finest craftsmanship, making them a reliable, top-quality product. With an extensive line available, you will be certain to find a trailer to meet your needs.
Making Calves and Profits Bovatec Big By Scott Kilber, Feed Specialist
6
A new product has recently been introduced into our feed lineup—the 44-lb. Bovatec® 2.2 medicated block. This is a convenient and cost-efficient way to deliver ionophores to your grass cattle and replacement heifers. With expected intake of about 1 oz./hd/day, your average daily gain increase over just straight forage will be around 0.10 to 0.20 lbs.
These blocks: • Improve growth rate of stocker and feeder cattle and replacement heifers. • Increase forage utilization, reducing cost of gain for a better bottom line. • Help heifers reach optimal breeding weight sooner, encouraging calving at a younger age. Give me a call for more information. s
More Than Just Propane By Terry L. Heinz, General Manager, North Star Energy LLC
North Star Energy LLC (NSE) is more than “just propane.” Although propane is our core business, NSE also offers a complete line of heating and cooling products and solutions. That includes gas furnaces, in-floor heating, geothermal and conventional heat pumps, fireplaces, air conditioners, and traditional and tankless water heaters. With our main office in Selby, our service territory stretches north to the Pollock area, west to the Mobridge area, east to the Aberdeen area, and south to the Redfield/Faulkton area. We also service customers in North Dakota. Our three service technicians have many years of experience with propane and the products that use propane. Service manager Arlyn Ritter is located in the Selby area. Sales/service technician Vern Grismer is located in the Bowdle area. And our most recent hire, sales/service technician Lonnie Steen, is located in the Ipswich area. For a free estimate or to schedule a service call or propane delivery, call 877-754-8673. We have tank rentals available from 250-gallon to 1,000-gallon tanks. NSE can service large bulk tanks for grain-drying operations. We can also supply graindrying operations with transport loads of propane. Call your NCFE sales representatives for current pricing.
This summer we are proactively focusing on the replacement of propane regulators that are at least 15 years old. By replacing these, we will eliminate a potential problem that neither the customer nor NSE wants to have. Finally, we will soon be delivering summer fills and contracting for the next heating and drying seasons. We appreciate your past business and look forward to working with you for many years to come. s
A courtesy reminder from the USDA: Due to the tight budget, FSA will not be sending out appointment cards for acreage reporting. Please call your local office to schedule an appointment. The deadline to report your acres is July 15.
7
DIRECTORY Bowdle West Terminal . . . Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Craven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Faulkton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hague, ND . . . . . . . . . . . . . Herreid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Highmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ipswich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Auto Center . . . . . . . . . . . Chemical Shed . . . . . . . . . Farm Store . . . . . . . . . . . . Farm Store Toll-Free . . . . . Java . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lebanon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Northville . . . . . . . . . . . . . Onaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pollock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Redfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Strasburg, ND . . . . . . . . . . Sun Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . Warner Elevator . . . . . . . . Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . West Warner . . . . . . . . . . Wecota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
605-285-6533 800-584-9286 605-285-6570 605-426-6591 605-426-6535 605-598-6500 701-336-4673 605-437-2744 888-437-2744 605-852-2558 605-426-6021 800-658-3353 605-426-6782 605-426-6999 605-426-6163 877-232-4692 605-649-6291 605-768-9465 605-439-3137 605-439-3147 605-853-2351 605-887-3441 605-447-5803 605-889-2321 605-472-0775 701-336-7910 605-426-6843 605-225-8247 605-225-9608 605-225-7103 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
Helping FFA Members Fight Childhood Hunger Earlier this spring, FFA members at the 2011 South Dakota State FFA Convention pitched in for their firstever South Dakota FFA Day of Service. They teamed up with Aberdeen-based Kids Against Hunger (KAH) to package dry-ingredient meals for distribution across this country and the world. Businesses and individuals helped defray the cost of ingredients, including a group of South Dakota agriculture cooperatives whose donations were then matched by the Land O’Lakes Foundation, totaling over $11,000. NCFE contributed $1,000 to the project. “This,” says general manager Keith Hainy, “is part of the community-
minded spirit inherent to cooperatives like NCFE. This is just one initiative co-ops around the United States have chosen: to help feed children throughout the world and locally. We are proud to support FFA and its mission of helping others.” Kids Against Hunger is a humanitarian food-aid organization, whose mission is to reduce the number of hungry children in the U.S. and to feed starving children throughout the world. The meals are formulated to have a high nutritional value and strengthen the immune system. South Dakota FFA members measured, sealed, and boxed 87,460 meals throughout the day-long event. s
“We are proud to support FFA and its mission of helping others.”
The Unforgettable Spring of 2011 By KEITH HAINY, General Manager
We won’t forget the spring of 2011 for a long, long time. It was hard to string together two or more days of good field working weather in what was already a late-starting spring. Usually we have some opportunities in March and April for field applicating, but that absolutely did not happen this year. Thankfully, we did have a very good fall fertilizer season. There is no doubt that our applicator equipment and manpower was put to the test. Generally, the transition from fertilizer spreading to spraying is fairly smooth, but this spring tested those capabilities. We thank you for your patience. Be assured that we are examining this past spring’s performance and are intent on finding solutions that will exceed customer expectations in the future. Bid packets for the construction of a new office building were sent out in late May. We look forward to bringing you those results and are hopeful for competitive bidding. The proposed site is on the east side of the farm store in Ipswich. A customer survey will soon be underway. We consider this an invaluable tool for gauging satisfaction and need levels of North Central Farmers Elevator (NCFE) products and services. We had extremely high response on our last survey, and we
thank you in advance for helping us gather this important information. We are still in the negotiation stage with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) about the citation received for last year’s grain entrapment accident at Warner. We remain optimistic that a reasonable solution will be obtained. The board has authorized the construction of a $1.7 million natural gas line to Sun Terminal and Craven to fuel drying systems at both these locations. The project is in partnership with Montana Dakota Utilities, which will cost-share repayment based on usage over five years. The project will be completed by harvest, just in time for drying season. Since we built the west Bowdle terminal, we have requested a turning lane from the South Dakota Department of Transportation (DOT). We recently received notice that this safety request has finally been approved. Your cooperative is now in the process of working with engineers to design a plan and cost structure for presentation to the DOT. With the reduced crop of 2010, profits to date are not quite as good as last year. However, with the big spring we experienced, we are still optimistic that year-end results will be very positive. It took an awful lot of work by employees and the steadfast support of patrons to be successful. We wish for you a bountiful harvest and the opportunity for great returns from higher market prices. Please think safety in all you do, so you are here to enjoy many more good harvests. s
See us on the web at www.ncfe.coop
J uly 2011
VOLUME 17 • NUMBER 2
Farm Rescue Supporter NCFE is a proud supporter of Farm Rescue, a nonprofit organization that assists farm families with planting or harvest in times of need. In a spring that had its share of weather issues, our involvement with this organization was not only gratifying, but it also put our own challenges into perspective. Three NCFE customer families were on the receiving end of Farm Rescue planting assistance: Art and DeLaine Nehlich of Ipswich, SD; Larry and Rosalind Leier of Hague, ND; and Don and Vivian Nagel of Strasburg, ND. s
NCFE is a Farm Rescue platinum sponsor.
Managing the Nutrient Markets
By Matt Christopherson, Agronomy Marketing Manager, and Lane Mielke, Sales Manager
Spring fertilizer inventories were extremely tight with multiple delays from barge traffic. That scramble, along with extra demand, has made
urea prices very strong. We are anticipating similar supply scenarios for next year. For those reasons, we are recommending that you begin filling tanks as soon as possible with 10-34-0 and 8-20-5-4-.5. Stay in touch with us throughout the summer, and consider buying next year’s fertilizer as you market your grain. We want to work with you and do all we can to help supply your nutrient needs. We know this spring was extremely challenging and stressful.
A Dream Come True
We urge you to be proactive as you scout and manage your growing crops this summer. The use of products like fungicides, insecticides, CoRoN®, micronutrients, and other inputs have huge returnon-investment potential in today’s marketplace. You’ve worked extremely hard to get where you are this year—keep pushing those yields to take advantage of harvest opportunities. s
Summer Agronomy Reminders • We are winding down this year’s Burgundy and Gold Program. Checks will go out this fall. Maximize your summer purchasing power on chemical and fertilizer inputs.
It has long been Lester Forkel’s dream to own a red Chevy Corvette. In February 2011, Lester received his equity check that he earned for his years of loyalty to NCFE. The equity was enough to buy his dream Corvette. Thank you Lester for your years of support. Larry is pictured with his 1998 Chevy Corvette. s
• Check with your agronomist about your crop pak purchases to qualify for an Emerald Extras vacation. Answer Plot Events Near You Aberdeen June 17 (emergence and stand establishment)
NCFE Agronomy Team
Sept. 7 (grower knowledge event)
Matt Christopherson: 380-1238, Marketing manager Lane Mielke: 380-4674, Sales manager
Bowdle June 28 (emergence and stand establishment)
Rick Arneseon: 216-1651, Warner area agronomist Bob Volk: 216-0086, Java/Bowdle area agronomist Brent Neiger: 216-4820, Ipswich area agronomist
Sept. 13 (seed hybrids and crop protection)
Tim Borge: 380-9749, Wecota/Onaka area agronomist Justin North: 216-6684, Leola/Bowdle area agronomist
Pierre July 13 (emergence and stand establishment)
Greg Volk: 380-5430, Herreid/Pollock area agronomist Tyler Kroupa: 680-4112, Lebanon area agronomist Dillon Baloun: 216-6380, Highmore agronomy manager/agronomist Lee Kolda: 377-4774, Highmore/Miller area agronomist Curtis Jandel: 216-7138, Precision Ag specialist Colby Tolk: 216-6060, Miller agronomy manager/agronomist Evan Salverson: 649-6291, Java area agronomist Bryce Weber: 701-336-4673, Hague area agronomist Sam Cramer: 380-0273, Northville/Redfield area agronomist Kevin Stark: 216-0292, Agronomy sales
2
Ask your agronomist how to add profit to your operation with the NCFE Burgundy & Gold Program.
©2011 North Central Farmers Elevator. All Rights Reserved.
Aug. 24 (seed hybrids and crop protection) Redfield July 22 (emergence and stand establishment) Sept. 8 (grower knowledge event) Strasburg, ND July 20 (seed hybrid and crop protection)
Published in partnership with VistaComm® (www.VistaComm.com).
New Staff Members Join NCFE Mark Vogt began his position as asset and operations manager earlier this spring. He reports to Dave Dohman, director of operations. Mark oversees the southern NCFE locations, which include Redfield, Highmore, Lebanon, and Miller. Mark grew up in Henry and is a South Dakota State University animal science graduate. Since college, he has worked within the agriculture industry for the last 25 years. He most recently was a 110-shuttle train terminal manager for another cooperative. Mark likes the spirit he finds at NCFE. “The teamwork and camaraderie here is a welcome breath of fresh air,” says Mark. “This is a co-op that definitely keeps the producer at the forefront of why it is in business.” s
Subrena Green is the new NCFE director of communications. She grew up on a farm near Lesterville. She and her husband, Scott, lived in Harrisburg, where she was a bond underwriter for a national surety company and he was fleet manager for a Sioux Falls lumber company. The couple recently had the opportunity to return to production agriculture. Scott moved to Mina in November, and Subrena, and their two children, Karissa, 12, and Tucker, 9, moved in April. Subrena manages internal and external co-op communication, coordinates marketing resources, and ensures consistency of the NCFE brand message. Subrena notes that this move and career change has been extremely rewarding, professionally and as a family. “This is a tremendous opportunity, and I’m enjoying every day of this position. We have also been quick to feel at home here.” s
Onaka Receives National Safety Recognition Onaka recently received recognition for completing 2010 with no recordable accidents. The safety awards program is sponsored by the Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS), the industry’s leading grain-handling organization. While GEAPS awards are based on single calendar years, the Onaka location is well past 8,754 days without a losttime accident. Pictured left to right are Onaka employees Ron Weinrich, Pam Baer–location manager, and Jan Barondeau. Congratulations on your safety diligence! NCFE reminds all customers to keep safety in the forefront of all you do this summer. s
3
Best of Times in the Feed Business By Jarvis Haugeberg, General Manager, Dakotaland Feeds, LLC
Some in the feed business would say that these are the worst of times. I would tend to disagree. Granted, we are seeing less livestock all the time as folks exit the livestock business due to various reasons in favor of grain farming operations. We have to deal with managing risk of volatile markets and high feed costs, but I still maintain these are the “best of times.” Virtually every product that we sell is designed to increase feed efficiency, increase rate of gain, or improve reproductive performance. In this time of unprecedented high feed costs and high beef prices, the types of products offered by Dakotaland Feeds have an even better return on investment now than in normal times. For example, we are entering the time of year that we distribute creep feeds. As you would expect, the price per ton of creep feed will be higher this year than in years past. However, with the contract prices available for calves this fall, the value of any extra pounds is larger than it ever has been, and so the return on investment from feeding Creep Pasture Gest is very good, and better than in past years. It is a well-documented fact that good nutrition in a cow herd is very important for cows to milk up to their potential, which will produce bigger calves. It
4
is also well documented that good nutrition for those cows will improve breed-back of a cow herd. At the price of feed and pasture, certainly no one wants open cows and certainly no one wants to miss having all the calves they can next calving season. The minerals, tubs, and other pasture products that we offer bring our customers more value than in normal times. We have promoted BioMax 5 silage inoculant for years. When BioMax 5 is used along with good forage management, dry matter losses are greatly reduced. Obviously the higher the value of the silage, the greater the value of that extra dry matter recovered. We would feel strongly that BioMax offers a good return on investment every year, but when prices of feedstuffs are high, return is greater. Just one more example—Dakotaland Feeds has been a marketer of distillers co-products for years. In that time we have seen that these products are consistently an excellent feedstuff and a good buy compared to corn or other protein sources. As the price of corn rises, so does the price of distillers grains. But another fact is the higher the price rises, the bigger the spread is, making distillers products an even better buy. At Dakotaland Feeds, we sincerely want to provide our customers products and services that bring value. As I have stated, because of these high market prices we are experiencing right now, our products and services are bringing our customers more value than ever, making these the “best of times” in the feed business. s
Cenex Fuels Optimize Performance By Troy weig, Petroleum Manager
Diesel-powered equipment gets more sophisticated each year. That’s why we recommend Cenex® Premium Diesel Fuels. Not only do they regularly outperform conventional #2 in lab, field, and road tests, but they’ve recently been enhanced to optimize performance in modernized diesel engines. Cenex is committed to keeping up with the demands of new technology. So when diesel engine manufacturers changed the designs to meet new EPA standards, Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels were enhanced with a special new additive. This prevents many of the problems experienced when using a #2 diesel fuel in diesels, such as injector
damage, filter clogging, power loss, poor starting, engine failures, and costly repairs. They are the only fuels on the market today that address these issues. They have also proven to deliver 5% better fuel efficiency and 4.5% more power than standard #2 diesel. Their specially formulated additive packages protect engine parts for reduced wear, maintenance, and downtime. Additionally, Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels have 10%-15% better lubricity than standard fuel. Cenex Ruby Fieldmaster is also covered by the best warranty in agriculture. Regular diesel may get the job done in the short term, but only Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels have been proven to extend engine life by preventing corrosion, rust, and varnish buildup that can damage fuel pumps and injectors. Call your NCFE energy specialist for more information. s
Energy Specialists Gerry Crawford: 605-460-1176 covers Beadle, Faulk, Hand, Hyde, and Spink counties. Steve Hinds: 605-216-7905 covers Brown, Edmund, and McPherson counties. Ted Frederick: 605-216-1443—covers Campbell, Potter, and Walworth counties. REMINDER: If you’re participating in the doubleduty rewards program, you must turn in your form by July 31.
The Effects of Weather By MIKE NICKOLAS, Grain Manager
While most of our trade territory is in better shape this year than last year as far as planted acres, we will still have too many unplanted acres within our trade area. The extreme wetness throughout most of the country has delayed plantings and has resulted in stronger grain markets. This is giving those that have their crops planted the opportunity to sell a few bushels at some very good values. The weather we have experienced has not only put great pressure on our agronomy division but has also
put pressure on our grain facilities. With extended road limitations and wet and soft yards, grain movement off farms has been very limited. Our limited manpower at grain facilities has been busy consolidating bushels from truck locations to rail locations and cleaning out bin bottoms so we can meet contract obligations. We will be prepared and ready at all locations for summertime grain movement. If you are not receiving market updates and daily closing bids by text message and would like to, let us know, and we will put you on the list. We also offer early-morning email market commentary that is available upon request. Contact us at 605-4266021 or [email protected] to take advantage of these services. s
5
Shop News
By Steve Benning, Shop Manager North Central has tire service trucks that run from our Warner and Leola locations. Call us and we’ll get out to your tractor (or other equipment) as soon as possible and get you up and running with the best tire service anywhere. As small grain harvest nears, call ahead to schedule any servicing that needs to be done on your combine and trucks. s
Check out these items for sale: • 25 KW PTO generator • Soil testing probes (from soil probing trucks) • Great Dane flatbeds
Stop Grilling. START TRAEGER-ING. You know how we sell most of these? Word of mouth, or maybe the better phrase is taste of mouth. Someone that doesn’t have this grill will watch a Traeger owner grill and then taste the results. Just like that, another Traeger convert is convinced. We’ve got a Traeger grill for you! Call us and we’ll get the grill you want out to your branch location. s
North Central is an authorized dealer of H&H trailers. These trailers are manufactured with the finest craftsmanship, making them a reliable, top-quality product. With an extensive line available, you will be certain to find a trailer to meet your needs.
Making Calves and Profits Bovatec Big By Scott Kilber, Feed Specialist
6
A new product has recently been introduced into our feed lineup—the 44-lb. Bovatec® 2.2 medicated block. This is a convenient and cost-efficient way to deliver ionophores to your grass cattle and replacement heifers. With expected intake of about 1 oz./hd/day, your average daily gain increase over just straight forage will be around 0.10 to 0.20 lbs.
These blocks: • Improve growth rate of stocker and feeder cattle and replacement heifers. • Increase forage utilization, reducing cost of gain for a better bottom line. • Help heifers reach optimal breeding weight sooner, encouraging calving at a younger age. Give me a call for more information. s
More Than Just Propane By Terry L. Heinz, General Manager, North Star Energy LLC
North Star Energy LLC (NSE) is more than “just propane.” Although propane is our core business, NSE also offers a complete line of heating and cooling products and solutions. That includes gas furnaces, in-floor heating, geothermal and conventional heat pumps, fireplaces, air conditioners, and traditional and tankless water heaters. With our main office in Selby, our service territory stretches north to the Pollock area, west to the Mobridge area, east to the Aberdeen area, and south to the Redfield/Faulkton area. We also service customers in North Dakota. Our three service technicians have many years of experience with propane and the products that use propane. Service manager Arlyn Ritter is located in the Selby area. Sales/service technician Vern Grismer is located in the Bowdle area. And our most recent hire, sales/service technician Lonnie Steen, is located in the Ipswich area. For a free estimate or to schedule a service call or propane delivery, call 877-754-8673. We have tank rentals available from 250-gallon to 1,000-gallon tanks. NSE can service large bulk tanks for grain-drying operations. We can also supply graindrying operations with transport loads of propane. Call your NCFE sales representatives for current pricing.
This summer we are proactively focusing on the replacement of propane regulators that are at least 15 years old. By replacing these, we will eliminate a potential problem that neither the customer nor NSE wants to have. Finally, we will soon be delivering summer fills and contracting for the next heating and drying seasons. We appreciate your past business and look forward to working with you for many years to come. s
A courtesy reminder from the USDA: Due to the tight budget, FSA will not be sending out appointment cards for acreage reporting. Please call your local office to schedule an appointment. The deadline to report your acres is July 15.
7
DIRECTORY Bowdle West Terminal . . . Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Craven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Faulkton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hague, ND . . . . . . . . . . . . . Herreid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Highmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ipswich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toll-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Auto Center . . . . . . . . . . . Chemical Shed . . . . . . . . . Farm Store . . . . . . . . . . . . Farm Store Toll-Free . . . . . Java . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lebanon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Northville . . . . . . . . . . . . . Onaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pollock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Redfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Strasburg, ND . . . . . . . . . . Sun Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . Warner Elevator . . . . . . . . Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . West Warner . . . . . . . . . . Wecota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
605-285-6533 800-584-9286 605-285-6570 605-426-6591 605-426-6535 605-598-6500 701-336-4673 605-437-2744 888-437-2744 605-852-2558 605-426-6021 800-658-3353 605-426-6782 605-426-6999 605-426-6163 877-232-4692 605-649-6291 605-768-9465 605-439-3137 605-439-3147 605-853-2351 605-887-3441 605-447-5803 605-889-2321 605-472-0775 701-336-7910 605-426-6843 605-225-8247 605-225-9608 605-225-7103 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
Helping FFA Members Fight Childhood Hunger Earlier this spring, FFA members at the 2011 South Dakota State FFA Convention pitched in for their firstever South Dakota FFA Day of Service. They teamed up with Aberdeen-based Kids Against Hunger (KAH) to package dry-ingredient meals for distribution across this country and the world. Businesses and individuals helped defray the cost of ingredients, including a group of South Dakota agriculture cooperatives whose donations were then matched by the Land O’Lakes Foundation, totaling over $11,000. NCFE contributed $1,000 to the project. “This,” says general manager Keith Hainy, “is part of the community-
minded spirit inherent to cooperatives like NCFE. This is just one initiative co-ops around the United States have chosen: to help feed children throughout the world and locally. We are proud to support FFA and its mission of helping others.” Kids Against Hunger is a humanitarian food-aid organization, whose mission is to reduce the number of hungry children in the U.S. and to feed starving children throughout the world. The meals are formulated to have a high nutritional value and strengthen the immune system. South Dakota FFA members measured, sealed, and boxed 87,460 meals throughout the day-long event. s
“We are proud to support FFA and its mission of helping others.”
