Summer 2012 - Allied Ag.
Table of Contents
FEATURES
3
Gene’s Welcome
4
Meet Your Board Members
7
2012 Land O’ Lakes Trip
18
Signing Up For Texting
19
Company Profile
8
Sheyenne Elevator
10
Jared Nitschke
11
Dustin Jackson
12
Joe Solinger
SHEYENNE ELEVATOR
GENERAL MANAGER
REPORTS
13 MicroNutrients
AGRONOMY
16
Fungicides...To Spray Or Not To Spray?
17
Allied Agronomy Credit Policy
Welcome GENE’S
GENE ERPELDING Chief Executive Officer
The crops are in the ground
and the days have gotten longer, now we just need the balance of the growing season to support your hard work so we can reap the rewards. Allied certainly had a good spring – our team of employees went the extra mile to make sure your crop went in on time with the right seed, in the right soil types, with the right fertility. We will be hosting an answer plot session this summer to help you learn more about plant heath which is critical to yield. When you are paying $300 for a bag of corn, we want you to extract the maximum yield your soils can bear, off of every acre. On the energy side of our business, we are recommending our premium diesel fuels in your farm and highway equipment. Cenex branded fuels and oils will take you the extra mile, helping you maximize your returns out of every tractor and truck you drive. Allied Energy proudly supports the Cenex brand which has stood up for years on your farm!
Our NAPA stores have been busy keeping your equipment running. They also had a good run on golf carts, Aluma trailers and the Gravely brand of lawn mowers. Gravely is a commercial brand that stands up and does a superior job on any lawn. We sell brands that stand up and perform for you! Our newest locations of Barlow, Bremen and Cathay have had a great spring, exceeding our expectations up there. We are proud to have them on board, working hard to meet your needs. With spring behind us, we are preparing for spring wheat harvest making sure our equipment is in good operating condition so we will have a smooth harvest. With a good crop in the making, we look forward to handling your grain and being a competitive player in the market for you. In closing, I would like to thank you for your business and ask for your ongoing support. At Allied, we will always work hard to earn your business by providing you with the best products and services in the marketplace.
Allied certainly had a good spring – our team of employees went the extra mile to make sure your crop went in on time with the right seed, in the right soil types, with the right fertility.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
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MEET YOUR
Board Members
BRYON THOM
Director, Allied Energy Vice President, Allied Agronomy Bryon Thom has seen a lot of changes in the 14 years he’s served on the Allied Energy and Allied Agronomy Boards. “When I started on the Board of Directors, we had 17 employees in the Farmers Union Oil Company,” he says. “Now, with the combined companies of Allied Energy, Allied Agronomy and Allied Grain, we have 94 employees working and living in the areas we serve.” Since working on the board, Bryon has held various positions. He has served as president and secretary of both Allied Energy and Allied Agronomy as well as treasurer of Allied Energy and was one of the initial governors of Allied Agronomy. “As a board, we made a conscious decision to maintain local control of our company,” Bryon says. “In order to do that, we knew we had to remain competitive in the marketplace and offer the products and services our customers needed and wanted.” He also goes on to say, “I enjoy seeing how the results of the decisions we make for our companies positively affect our communities. These decisions have allowed us to continue to pay patronage and retire stock which returns money to our members.” As the company grows and expands, Bryon says there are a lot of exciting opportunities members still have to look forward to. “Because of our growth, we are able to take advantage of volume buying and
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are able to offer products and services at very competitive prices. With the management team and employees Allied Ag has in place, we will be able to offer a full range of products and services. Some of these are seed, crop protection, chemicals, precision agriculture, custom application and crop scouting.” In his spare time, Bryon stays very involved in his community. He’s a member of the Edgeley Airport Authority, a past president of Zion Lutheran Church, a board member of the Edgeley Area Dollars for Scholars and a member of the American Legion. He retired as a Lt. Colonel after serving 28 years as a pilot in the Air Force and the North Dakota National Guard. Bryon and his wife Betty farm near Edgeley. They have two grown daughters, Krista and Nicole.
RON BJUR
Director, Allied Energy Director, Allied Agronomy Ron has been a Cooperative member for over 25 years. He has been on the Allied Energy Board of Directors since 1995 and on the Allied Agronomy Board since 2002. Of his time as a director, Ron says, “[I’m] always meeting new people with new ideas.” In his spare time, Ron enjoys riding snowmobile, fishing, deer hunting and spending time with his brother and niece. Ron farms with his uncle and his dad in the Kulm area.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
Board Members
MEET YOUR
After graduating from NDSU, Steve worked briefly in construction before becoming a dairy farmer in 1975. In 1978 he married Janice Kopp. Today he has four children: Abby, Jacob, John and Tim. Janice is a registered nurse and has been providing home health care in the area for the past 30 years. Steve worked in the dairy business until 2004. Today he grows corn, beans, alfalfa and wheat, and raises Red Angus cattle.
STEVE MOCH
Director, Allied Agronomy For Steve Moch, serving on the Allied Energy board is his way of supporting the community cooperative. He has been a member of the Allied Energy Board of Directors for more than 15 years. “I’m proud that we’ve been able to keep our local cooperative strong and growing,” he said. The importance of the continued success of the local cooperative is an idea Steve learned from his father and that he has since put to use through his service on the board. Steve brings a vast experience in community service to the Allied Energy board. He served on the Nora Township Board, the Transfiguration Parish Council and the Land O’Lakes Cooperative Regional Board. Currently, he also serves as a member of Knights of Columbus. He believes strongly in the benefits local cooperatives bring to the community. As a board member he works hard to make sure that the cooperative stays relevant and competitive. “My hope is that Allied Energy-Agronomy-Grain will be the first choice for our customer’s needs,” he said, “And that we’ll continue to provide the best service and expertise at competitive prices.” Steve grew up on his family’s dairy farm near Edgeley, North Dakota with his parents, Wendlyn and Tillie Moch, and nine other siblings. He attended Edgeley High School and graduated in 1968. After high school he attended North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. He received a Bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering in 1973.
DEAN LAND
Director, Allied Energy Dean Land has been a Cooperative member for 30 years and has been a director of Allied Energy for three years. He has recently been elected for a second term and looks forward to serving in the future. “Being a part of the Directors and observing the growth of Allied Ag has been and is a privilege. I appreciate the knowledge, varied experiences and input of all the others involved. The management team and employees have done an excellent job in the growth of this company.” Dean has an Agri-Business degree from NDSCS as well as a Bachelor’s degree from Dickinson State University. Dean has received numerous awards for high school and been inducted into both college’s athletic halls of fame. Dean and his wife, Joy, have been married 22 years this summer and farm in the Kulm area. Dean enjoys golfing, hunting and fishing, traveling and spending time together with friends.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
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Allied Energy’s CEO, Gene Erpelding, and Board Chairman Jay Mathern Attend Land O’Lakes BDS Growing Insights Forum in Washington, D.C. ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (March 27, 2012) – Allied Energy’s CEO, Gene Erpelding, and Board Chairman Jay Mathern were among the co-op leaders participating in Land O’Lakes Business Development Services Growing Insights Forum in Washington D.C., March 21-23, 2012. More than 100 Land O’Lakes member cooperative leaders from around the country joined in the policy forum, which focused on issues of importance to production agriculture, cooperatives and agribusiness. Continued economic uncertainty, ongoing budgeting pressure and the fact that 2012 is an election year brought an increased intensity to the three-day forum, which included: • Insights and updates on key issues from Congressional leaders, administration officials and agriculture/co-op association leaders; • Visits to Capitol Hill where participants shared their insights and represented member interests in meetings with their respective members of Congress; and • Insights-sharing on policy issues and best practices with other attendees. Among the key policy priorities that were addressed include the 2012 Farm Bill, the Dairy Security Act, regulatory policy, trade policies and agreements, and the protection of Capper-Volstead.
“The Insights Forum was both an important learning experience for cooperative participants, as well as for the Congressional and agency representatives who took part,” Land O’Lakes President and CEO Chris Policinski said. “It gave our member group a chance to gain insight into the Congressional environment, as well as the opportunity for participants to advocate for the interests of producers and cooperatives on Capitol Hill. Our co-op leaders came away with a better understanding of the policy arena, and Congressional leaders left these meetings with a clear understanding of the key issues affecting agriculture, agribusiness and cooperatives.” Erpelding and Mathern were part of Team North Dakota and met with Senator Kent Conrad, Congressman Rick Berg, and Legislative Director Tony Eberhard from the office of Senator John Hoeven. Speakers at the Growing Insights Forum included U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA); Congressmen Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Stephen Fincher (R-TN); Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH); Chuck Conner, President and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; Larry Elworth, Ag Liaison for the Environmental Protection Agency; Joe Glauber, Chief Economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Stu Rothenberg, editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report.
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Sheye nne
June 12, 1910
Equity Coop Elevator Co. of Sheyenne, North Dakota held its organizational meeting at Stedman Hall.
September 24, 1910
The stockholders accepted the articles and by-laws. The paid up capital was $3,000. The first Board of Directors consisted of President Ed Seastrand, Secretary E.N. Nelson, Treasurer W.H. Bell and A.A. Tomlinson, N.N. Yaar, Ole Mattson, Ed Nystrom and S.A. Olsness as directors. E.N. Nelson was hired as first manager.
September 27, 1910
Farmers Elevator was purchased for $4,850.
1916
New elevator built by Ibberson of Minnesota.
1918
Three large concrete bunks built for storage of coal. Later converted to grain storage.
1929
Five steel tanks erected.
1941
An extra 14,000 bushels of storage space was added; also new office and fire proof safe.
1942
Rented the Ford Garage and filled with grain.
1946
Purchase Sheyenne Coop Elevator for $4,000.
1956
North elevator burned. Slettebo Construction built a new elevator in 1957.
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Allied Minute | Summer 2012
r o t a v e l E 1972
Entire south elevator burned and rebuilt.
1974
Jacobson and Sons build a certified seed plant.
1982
Farmers Elevator of Oberon merged with Equity Coop Elevator of Sheyenne.
January 1, 1979
10,600 bushel steel bin built at Oberon site.
January 1, 1985
55,000 bushel steel bin built at Sheyenne site.
January 1, 1998
Two 33,000 bushel steel bins built at Sheyenne site.
August 1, 2008 May 1, 2009 August 1, 2010 January 1, 2011
Three new steel tanks. 200,000 bushel built at Sheyenne. Bean plant treating stakes built at Sheyenne. 150,000 bushel tank built at Oberon site. Joined agronomy services with Allied Agronomy, Edgeley, North Dakota.
Employees John Rick, Manager – 6.5 years Davey Clifton, Assistant Manager Sheyenne – 24 years Curtis Olson, Floater Operator – 7.5 years Lorraine Erman, Secretary Elevator and Allied – 7 years We joined Allied Agronomy to serve our customers more efficiently, and because of the increased services they will offer through better equipment and added professional personnel. We need to meet the growing demand in the agronomy part of our business. We needed to stay competitive with all the new technology and equipment. The demands are growing all the time. Allied Agronomy is well established and is a perfect fit for us. The grain part of the business grew throughout the years. Capacity and handle grew as well.
Kevin Riggle, Plant Manager Oberon – 2 years Tom Wetzel, Assistant Manager Oberon – 1 year Dwain Brown, Part-time employee – 7 years Nick Smith, Agronomist for Allied – 1 year
Both locations (Sheyenne and Oberon) grew from 300,000 bushel handles to over 3,000,000 bushel handles. We have up-to-the-second grain prices, seed cleaning and treating. We handle soybeans, spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, sunflowers, canola, flax, pinto beans and corn - you name it, we have it. We offer a full line of services with Allied Agronomy. All of our employees work together with Allied Agronomy in the spring and fall to better serve our customers.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
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Jared Nitsc hke
Jared Nitschke
General Manager, Southern Territory
From all of us at Allied, we would like to thank you for your support and patience as we worked through another very busy spring. Our staff takes great pride in getting things done correctly and in a timely manner for all our patrons. From getting and having the right seed on hand at our locations, to making sure it goes in the ground with the right fertility and at the right populations, and then monitoring that crop as it develops. There were some crucial times that were tremendously busy, which helped us understand the need to look at additions of some added equipment in the coming year. I want to thank everyone for working with our employees, to allow us to get the work done for all of you. We have had a very good spring with a couple of brief weather episodes which cooled the soil temperatures and slowed down spraying for a few days. Overall, stands of corn and soybeans are fairly consistent and look very good. On the other hand, we do have some areas where the environmental conditions, whether it be the cool down in weather or areas with increased residues from previous crops, which in turn lowered our soil temperatures and affected evenness of emergence and stands. This has left some corn stands which are a little less than anticipated with the spring we have had. Corn has seemed to rebound very well with the heat and rain as of late. Soybean stands look good across our region with some areas affected by the dry conditions at planting and some pounding rains shortly after planting.
Now that we have the crop in and final stands established, we need to protect and aid that crop when and where we can. We will again be running our NutriSolutions® tissue testing program to aid producers in making applications of needed nutrients on a timely basis. The NutriSolutions® tissue testing will give us quick turnaround times, once tested, to see what each particular crop and field is low in for each specific nutrient. We will again carry Winfield’s Max-In product line of micronutrients for in-crop applications of micronutrients, if a particular crop and field warrant an application to protect overall yield potential. We will also have sprayers set up for top dressing 28% on corn in 30-inch rows. Growers who utilized this program in the past have posted some solid returns on investment. Whether it is topdressing 28% or side dressing NH3 or 28%, be sure to talk with any of our agronomists on up-to-date pricing to aid you in your decisions, as we watch the corn crop progress and see what the market does in the coming days. In closing, I would like to wish everyone a safe and successful summer as well as thank you for your past and future business, from all of us here at Allied. I would also like to recognize and thank all of our employees for their long hours, hard work and continued commitment in getting us through another demanding spring.
I want to thank everyone for working with all of our employees, to allow us to get the work done for all of you.
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Allied Minute | Summer 2012
n o s k c a J n i t Dus
WHAT’S NEXT? Dustin Jackson
General Manager, Northern Territory
This time of year we are planning have China pulling out of export markets,
for what’s next. In the Crop Protection side of our business, we are making purchasing and product decisions for what will hit the ground next spring and summer. These decisions are based on feedback from our agronomist staff and our customers. Glyphosate resistance and tolerance has been the topic of discussion since last winter, with the message coming from local agronomists, the major manufacturers and the universities. Today we are seeing more problems out in your fields. Without a change in thinking and management, these problems will continue to become larger issues. It is important to note that herbicide resistance is not a GMO trait problem or a herbicide problem, it is a management problem. BASF conducted a study this winter, with farmers responding that 50% believed they had some type of glyphosate resistance on their farms. 80% of those responding acknowledged they would have to spend more dollars per acre to control the problem. In fact, weed control across the U.S. has now again surpassed disease and insect control when it comes to defending yield in your crops. Allied Agronomy will have several options and programs geared toward helping our growers get in front of these issues for fall applications. Supply of all Crop Protection products has been challenging to say the least this spring and I expect price increases in all product lines are coming with supply chains depleted of inventory. Glyphosate markets have reached levels that
leaving a huge void in supply. Manufacturers seem to have been overwhelmed by the early spring across the country and demand of all products is up. There is better news in the Crop Nutrient markets after what was a challenging spring for supply. Markets have come back to reality after seasonal highs and nitrogen products are currently trying to find the bottom of real market values. Ammonia pricing looks to hold slightly stronger than average spreads compared to urea, with industrial usage currently strong. Liquid nitrogen markets have been soft and current levels are at good values for side dress application opportunities in corn. Phosphate pricing has remained flat through spring, with the manufacturers controlling inventory supplies. Look for weather and commodity markets to have a significant influence on nitrogen markets as we approach harvest. Allied Agronomy recognizes the challenges our customers face with market volatility, record land values and rental costs, and current uncertainty with Farm Bill changes. Managing risk will be the most important factor to success, in your operations and for Allied Agronomy. We will be offering more tools and pricing options this upcoming year to help our customers manage risk in the future. To conclude, every single employee at Allied Agronomy thanks you for the opportunity to earn the business on your acre. Have a safe and productive small grain harvest.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
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Joe Solin ger
Da report from up Nort’
Joe Solinger
Allied Grain General Manager
We have been very busy this year with the new additions to our business. From plants to people our business continues to improve. The spring up north went very well, and it is hard not to be excited about the future as we look toward harvest. We thank our customers for their continued support and look forward to growing our business. The new additions to our agronomy business in Barlow and Bremen have been great. We have given our people the tools they need to provide a higher caliber of service to our customers. From blending fertilizer and custom application, to seed treatment and delivery, our agronomy business continues to grow. Please do not hesitate to contact any of our agronomists or locations if there is anything we can do to help you this season.
Our updates to the elevator in Barlow give us increased speed to dump trucks during the harvest rush, and our team is excited to push the elevator to its limit. At harvest time we will continue to handle corn, beans, wheat, barley, nattos, and pintos. In addition to the crops we currently handle at Bremen, we will add pinto beans to the list of crops that can be hauled in at harvest time. As we move into harvest, keep an eye on our Weekly Market Wire for information on current markets, delayed pricing policies and dumping hours. The employees at Allied are excited to offer year round support to our customers. Please contact your nearest Allied location for any needs you may have; from Grain and Agronomy to Fuel and Oil, we are here to serve you.
put ’ER thERE
EARLY
SEASON Treat your corn with an early season application of Stratego® YLD fungicide and get a head start on your yield bump. Adding an early treatment of Stratego YLD delivers improved stalk strength, proven disease control and even higher yields than tassel sprays alone.
www.StrategoYLD.us Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer (reg’d), the Bayer Cross (reg’d), Healthy Fields. Higher Yields.™ and Stratego® are trademarks of Bayer. Stratego YLD is not registered in all states. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us
MicroNu trients
NICK SMITH
Sales Agronomist, Sheyenne
In every region of North Dakota, conditions were nearly ideal for planting this spring. With a few timely rains, we are on our way to another excellent crop again this year. One aspect of plant health to keep in mind throughout the growing season would be micronutrient deficiencies. Often times, if symptoms are visible, yield losses will be taking place as well. To adequately determine micronutrient needs, it is best to use soil sampling along with tissue sampling to pin point exactly where the plant is lacking nutrients and which ones it is lacking. A soil sample can give you an adequate starting point, but there are a lot of factors that will affect nutrient uptake once the plant has become established such as soil-water availability, temperature and overall nutrient accessibility. This is where a plant tissue test taken several times throughout the growing season can become very significant in defining exactly what the crop is lacking. For example, a corn crop of 150 bushels per acre requires nutrient requirements total of 236 pounds of nitrogen (N), 96 pounds of phosphorus (P), 183 pounds of potassium (K), 41 pounds of calcium (Ca), 40 pounds of magnesium (Mg), 25 pounds of sulfur (S) and 0.5 pounds of zinc (Zn).
Magnesium Deficiency
Zinc Deficiency
All tissue samples are processed through the NutriSolutions® Tool from Winfield Solutions. This tool is a large database that contains several years of sampling data, which allows for accurate recommendations of micronutrients. If deficiencies are recognized, there are several options that can help correct the concern. Winfield Solutions has several micronutrient packages that can be tank mixed with glyphosate and applied during a herbicide application. MAX-IN® Ultra ZMB® can be used to supplement zinc and manganese deficiencies. MAX-IN® Ultra ZMB® contains the CornSorb™ technology, which increases the movement of the micronutrients through the leaf cuticle to internal leaf structures to make more of the applied nutrient available for use by the plant. There is also a MAX-IN® for Beans, which is a versatile product that delivers boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn) for increased bean plant strength and production. The nutrients in MAX-IN® for beans are compounded with mannitol. Convenient MAX-IN® for beans plant nutrients mix easily with most crop protection products, including glyphosate-based herbicides. Contact your local Allied agronomist to hear more about tissue testing and staying ahead of nutrient deficiencies.
Allied Gr ai
SARA HINRICHS Grain Merchandiser
The crop is in the ground and looking very good at the time of this writing. Harvest 2012 will be here before we know it. There are a few questions you need to ask yourself as harvest approaches. What new crop sales have you made? How much of your expenses are covered with your new crop sales? Have you sold enough old crop to make room to store this year’s crop? What are your future cash flow needs? The staff at Allied Grain can help you with the answers to these questions. We offer a variety of contracts, including cash contracts, basis fixed contracts and hedge-to-arrive contracts. We can help you develop a marketing plan for your operation that maximizes profit and minimizes risk. As of May 20, 2012 the electronic commodity markets are now trading from 5:00pm to start the
n Rep ort
night session and straight through until 2:00pm the next day. The pit session still trades from 9:30am until 1:15pm. Also, on days when major USDA reports are released, the CBOT trading floor for grain and oilseeds will open at 7:20am. Major USDA reports that will initiate early opening include the WASDE, Crop Production, Prospective Plantings and Acreage reports. One of the new services we are offering at Allied Grain is on farm pickup. We have trucks available to help haul your grain, whether it is from the field or the bin. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call for rates and information. We hope you all have an enjoyable summer and look forward to serving you for all your grain and marketing needs in the future.
Grow more profit in your fields. Get the most out of your wheat and barley acres with Prosaro® fungicide. It offers powerful activity on leaf and head diseases and is proven to increase yield and quality, under all types of conditions. For more details, ask your retailer, or visit us online at www.cerealexperts.com. Bayer CropScience LP, 2 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross, and Prosaro are registered trademarks of Bayer. Prosaro is not registered in all states. For additional product information call 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our Web site at www.cerealexperts.com.
Fungic ides... TO SPRAY OR NOT TO SPRAY? By Andrew Gegelman Sales Agronomist, Gackle
There are a lot of questions every year
about spraying a fungicide on corn and soybeans. The biggest one that comes to mind is, does it work? The answer is yes, but it is not that simple. Most of the time it works, sometimes it breaks even, and sometimes it does not work. According to the data from university trials and chemical manufacturers, the majority of the time spraying a fungicide does work and gives you a great ROI. Personally, I feel that if the plant is stressed it works all of the time. However, if the growing conditions are perfect, which they rarely are, they do not work as well. How do fungicides work? Fungicides control diseases. Some of the main diseases in corn are common rust, gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight. Soybean disease includes rizoctonia, cercospora, septoria brown spot and white mold. I believe the most important function fungicides do is block ethylene production. When corn or soybean plants are stressed from heat or drought they release ethylene gas. Once the plant starts producing an abundance of ethylene gas, it will start to mature, causing lower yield and higher moisture at harvest. The best way to stop the production of ethylene gas will be to control stress factors. Those factors are very hard to control unless fields are inside a greenhouse under a controlled environment. The other option is to use something to stop ethylene production. In the past, I have had great success using Headline® and Stratego® YLD to help limit the stress from Mother Nature. Corn may be sprayed with a fungicide two different times during a season to increase your yield. The first is around V5. In North Dakota last year, there were 235 trials at this crop stage and 221 trials had a positive yield increase. The range was from +30 bu/ac
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to -10 bu/ac with an average of +5.7bu/ac increase in yield. The second time spraying is recommended is from VT-R1. Out of 224 trials, 211 had a positive increase in yield, with a range from +60bu/ac to -10bu/ac with an average of +11.7bu/ac. I would not expect to see +30-60 bu/ac increase but +5-10 is more typical. The only problem I have with the later application is getting a plane, which increases cost. Whereas the earlier application is normally complete when you are already going across the field spraying glyphosate. There were fewer soybean trials last year, the 164 trials had a range from +15bu/ac to -3bu/ac for an average yield increase of 3.7bu/ac. It does not seem like a lot, but with $12-$13/bu for soybeans, that will more than pay for itself. The timing for soybeans is R2-R4. The cost of spraying fungicide is in the range from $12-$15/ac plus application, so when you compare the cost to the return on corn and soybeans you are looking at a 2-1 ROI. Another factor to consider if spraying a fungicide, is how many different variables go into making top yield? What can you control and what can you not? For instance, if you’re top end corn yield goal is 200 bu/ac, 60+ bu of that comes from weather, which you cannot control. However, you can control the 50 bu that comes from nitrogen, 40 bu from hybrid selection, 15 bu from previous crop, 20 from plant population, 10 from tillage practices and five from chemicals. Controlling the weather, by limiting how it affects the plant, could mean more yield from every acre by spraying a fungicide. If you have any other questions contact your local Allied Agronomist for more information.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
y c i l o P t i d e r C
Effective January 1, 2012
1. No annual fee: No Annual Fee will be charged. 2. Credit Approval: A credit department approved credit application is required before charges can be made to an open account. 3. Terms: Purchases made during the month are due in full when the customer’s credit limit is reached or by the 10th of the month following the month in which the transactions took place, whichever occurs first (such date shall be referred to as the “Due Date”). If an account balance has not been paid within 10 days after its Due Date, then such account will be deemed past due. 4. Past Due Accounts: Accounts deemed past due, pursuant to our credit policy, will be assessed a finance charge of 1.5% per month (18% Annual Percentage Rate) on all past due invoices. Allied Agronomy, LLC reserves the right to close a past due account to all future purchases and may demand immediate payment in full. 5. Payments: Payments will be applied first to unpaid finance charges, then to the remaining outstanding balance. 6. N.S.F Checks: The maximum allowable fee will be assessed on each returned check/item. Collection action and/or prosecution action will be taken. 7. Collection: Allied Agronomy, LLC reserves the right to take collection action at the time after an account reaches past due status. Allied Agronomy, LLC is not bound by any notation of “paid in full” or otherwise that accompanies any payment if the payment is not for the total amount owed at that time. Any agreement for a lesser amount than what is owed must be expressly agreed to by Allied Agronomy, LLC in a written Agreement signed by Allied Agronomy, LLC CEO. 8. Prepayment: Customers choosing to prepay for their purchases may do so at any time. Cash will be placed on account on a dollar for dollar basis. Prepaying for item specific purchases may allow producers the opportunity to take advantage of a current pricing structure or discounts where applicable. Those producers, who prepay for specific items, understand prepay pricing is not held indefinitely, and prices are subject to expire at the end of Allied Agronomy, LLCs’ fiscal year (August 31) or as noted on the bookings, or contract, whichever comes first. 9. Credit Cards: Credit Cards will only be accepted for payment of consumer purchases (non-agricultural purchases). 10. Collection Costs: The customer shall be liable for the payment of all our collection costs, court costs, and attorney’s fees to pursue payment of your debt in the event that payment is not received when due. 11. PMSI (Crop Liens): By using your Allied Agronomy, LLC account, you grant Allied Agronomy, LLC a purchase money security interest (PMSI) in all products purchased through your account, in addition to any proceeds from it. The PMSI continues until the products are paid in full. 12. Account Disputes: Disputes must be reported to the main office (701-493-2680) located at 109 Industrial Park, Suite #1, Edgeley, ND 58433 by the 10th of the month following the transaction date. Our Company views credit as a privilege and not a right. This policy has been designed to protect Allied Agronomy, LLC and the customers we serve. The Allied Agronomy, LLC Board of Directors reserves the right to make changes to this policy at any time. Customers with an established account will be notified in writing of such changes at least 30 days prior to the effective date of the change. Allied Agronomy, LLC also reserves the right to delay enforcement of this policy without losing the right to enforce this policy.
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Signing Up For Texting Allied Agronomy Text Alert Details
Once you have logged in click on the “Mobile Alerts Phone” on the Homepage. This will direct you to the screen to the right. Click on “Update my SMS information Update the My Account screen with your cell phone number and carrier. (Screen below) For cell phone please only put 10 digit number with no spaces or dashes. Click Update Account Click “Return to My Account” Click on “Email and text message alerts” (screen below)
Under My Alerts you can customize an alert through “Add a new text message alert” Note that with any text message there is a character max at 160. This usually allows 4-5 individual Scheduled Text Message Alerts allows you to subscribe for a company default alert. Save Alert Subscriptions to finalize.
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Allied Minute | Summer 2012
le i f o r P y n a p Com
Allied Agronomy
Allied Energy, Agronomy & Grain Main Office 109 Industrial Park Suite #1 Edgeley, ND 58433 701-493-2680
CEO, Gene Erpelding 701-493-1910 [email protected] Controller, Deb Scallon 701-493-1901 [email protected] Executive Assistant, Sonny Nitschke 701-493-1902 [email protected] IT and Inventory Management, Amanda Janke 701-493-1900 [email protected] Allied Energy A/P, Shelly Anderson 701-493-1924 [email protected]
Allied Energy Edgeley GM, Matt Mathern 701-493-1923 [email protected] C-Store, Jolene Schulz 701-493-2211 NAPA, Doug Wald 701-493-2558 LP & Shop, Joe Weigel 701-493-1921 LP Delivery, LaVerne Anderson 701-493-1920
Allied Energy KULM GM, Gordon Irion 701-647-2306
NAPA, Myron Hauff 701-647-2306 Shop, Randy Geiszler or Tim Aberle 701-647-1967
ALLIED ENERGY BOARD MEMBERS Jay Mathern - President Blaine Lundgren - Vice President Kevin Jangula - Secretary Brian Tjernlund - Director Brian Schlecht - Director Dean Land - Director Jim Holth - Director Ron Bjur - Director Steve Moch - Director Bryon Thom - Director Kurt Brandenburg - Director Kurt Bollingberg - Director Chris Zenker - Advisoree
General Managers Northern Territory General Manager, Dustin Jackson 701-866-0028 [email protected] Southern Territory General Manager, Jared Nitschke 701-830-1911 [email protected] Edgeley 701-493-2268 Sales Agronomist, Jerad Cook 701-830-0806 KULM 701-647-2607 Sales Agronomist, Jake Cook 701-830-0730 JUD 701-685-2634 Sales, Jake Barnick 701-830-0238
GACKLE 701-493-1934 Sales Agronomist, Andrew Gegelman 701-659-1126 JAMESTOWN 701-952-4512 Sales Agronomists Scott Gust 701-830-2113 Luke Ziegelman 701-830-0300 BARLOW/BREMEN 701-984-2617 Sales Agronomists Jason Vollmer 701-650-7371 Trygg Olson 701-652-5021 Aaron Smith 701-368-8245 SHEYENNE 701-996-2231 Sales Agronomist, Nick Smith 701-830-0223
Allied GRAIN General Manager Joe Solinger 701-650-7142 [email protected]
BREMEN 701-947-5966
BARLOW 701-984-2617 Grain Merchandiser, Sara Hinrichs 701-650-7370
ALLIED AGRONOMY BOARD MEMBERS Blaine Lundgren - President Bryon Thom - Vice President Kurt Brandenburg - Secretary Tony Johannesen - Director Doug Schmid - Director Nick Mathern - Director Ron Bjur - Director
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
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Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Presort Plus, LLC 109 Industrial Park Edgeley, ND 58433 701-493-2211
Giving Back Allied Energy, Allied Agronomy and Allied Grain recently donated a golf cart to the
Kulsrud Family Benefit
FEATURES
3
Gene’s Welcome
4
Meet Your Board Members
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2012 Land O’ Lakes Trip
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Signing Up For Texting
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Company Profile
8
Sheyenne Elevator
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Jared Nitschke
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Dustin Jackson
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Joe Solinger
SHEYENNE ELEVATOR
GENERAL MANAGER
REPORTS
13 MicroNutrients
AGRONOMY
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Fungicides...To Spray Or Not To Spray?
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Allied Agronomy Credit Policy
Welcome GENE’S
GENE ERPELDING Chief Executive Officer
The crops are in the ground
and the days have gotten longer, now we just need the balance of the growing season to support your hard work so we can reap the rewards. Allied certainly had a good spring – our team of employees went the extra mile to make sure your crop went in on time with the right seed, in the right soil types, with the right fertility. We will be hosting an answer plot session this summer to help you learn more about plant heath which is critical to yield. When you are paying $300 for a bag of corn, we want you to extract the maximum yield your soils can bear, off of every acre. On the energy side of our business, we are recommending our premium diesel fuels in your farm and highway equipment. Cenex branded fuels and oils will take you the extra mile, helping you maximize your returns out of every tractor and truck you drive. Allied Energy proudly supports the Cenex brand which has stood up for years on your farm!
Our NAPA stores have been busy keeping your equipment running. They also had a good run on golf carts, Aluma trailers and the Gravely brand of lawn mowers. Gravely is a commercial brand that stands up and does a superior job on any lawn. We sell brands that stand up and perform for you! Our newest locations of Barlow, Bremen and Cathay have had a great spring, exceeding our expectations up there. We are proud to have them on board, working hard to meet your needs. With spring behind us, we are preparing for spring wheat harvest making sure our equipment is in good operating condition so we will have a smooth harvest. With a good crop in the making, we look forward to handling your grain and being a competitive player in the market for you. In closing, I would like to thank you for your business and ask for your ongoing support. At Allied, we will always work hard to earn your business by providing you with the best products and services in the marketplace.
Allied certainly had a good spring – our team of employees went the extra mile to make sure your crop went in on time with the right seed, in the right soil types, with the right fertility.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
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MEET YOUR
Board Members
BRYON THOM
Director, Allied Energy Vice President, Allied Agronomy Bryon Thom has seen a lot of changes in the 14 years he’s served on the Allied Energy and Allied Agronomy Boards. “When I started on the Board of Directors, we had 17 employees in the Farmers Union Oil Company,” he says. “Now, with the combined companies of Allied Energy, Allied Agronomy and Allied Grain, we have 94 employees working and living in the areas we serve.” Since working on the board, Bryon has held various positions. He has served as president and secretary of both Allied Energy and Allied Agronomy as well as treasurer of Allied Energy and was one of the initial governors of Allied Agronomy. “As a board, we made a conscious decision to maintain local control of our company,” Bryon says. “In order to do that, we knew we had to remain competitive in the marketplace and offer the products and services our customers needed and wanted.” He also goes on to say, “I enjoy seeing how the results of the decisions we make for our companies positively affect our communities. These decisions have allowed us to continue to pay patronage and retire stock which returns money to our members.” As the company grows and expands, Bryon says there are a lot of exciting opportunities members still have to look forward to. “Because of our growth, we are able to take advantage of volume buying and
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are able to offer products and services at very competitive prices. With the management team and employees Allied Ag has in place, we will be able to offer a full range of products and services. Some of these are seed, crop protection, chemicals, precision agriculture, custom application and crop scouting.” In his spare time, Bryon stays very involved in his community. He’s a member of the Edgeley Airport Authority, a past president of Zion Lutheran Church, a board member of the Edgeley Area Dollars for Scholars and a member of the American Legion. He retired as a Lt. Colonel after serving 28 years as a pilot in the Air Force and the North Dakota National Guard. Bryon and his wife Betty farm near Edgeley. They have two grown daughters, Krista and Nicole.
RON BJUR
Director, Allied Energy Director, Allied Agronomy Ron has been a Cooperative member for over 25 years. He has been on the Allied Energy Board of Directors since 1995 and on the Allied Agronomy Board since 2002. Of his time as a director, Ron says, “[I’m] always meeting new people with new ideas.” In his spare time, Ron enjoys riding snowmobile, fishing, deer hunting and spending time with his brother and niece. Ron farms with his uncle and his dad in the Kulm area.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
Board Members
MEET YOUR
After graduating from NDSU, Steve worked briefly in construction before becoming a dairy farmer in 1975. In 1978 he married Janice Kopp. Today he has four children: Abby, Jacob, John and Tim. Janice is a registered nurse and has been providing home health care in the area for the past 30 years. Steve worked in the dairy business until 2004. Today he grows corn, beans, alfalfa and wheat, and raises Red Angus cattle.
STEVE MOCH
Director, Allied Agronomy For Steve Moch, serving on the Allied Energy board is his way of supporting the community cooperative. He has been a member of the Allied Energy Board of Directors for more than 15 years. “I’m proud that we’ve been able to keep our local cooperative strong and growing,” he said. The importance of the continued success of the local cooperative is an idea Steve learned from his father and that he has since put to use through his service on the board. Steve brings a vast experience in community service to the Allied Energy board. He served on the Nora Township Board, the Transfiguration Parish Council and the Land O’Lakes Cooperative Regional Board. Currently, he also serves as a member of Knights of Columbus. He believes strongly in the benefits local cooperatives bring to the community. As a board member he works hard to make sure that the cooperative stays relevant and competitive. “My hope is that Allied Energy-Agronomy-Grain will be the first choice for our customer’s needs,” he said, “And that we’ll continue to provide the best service and expertise at competitive prices.” Steve grew up on his family’s dairy farm near Edgeley, North Dakota with his parents, Wendlyn and Tillie Moch, and nine other siblings. He attended Edgeley High School and graduated in 1968. After high school he attended North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. He received a Bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering in 1973.
DEAN LAND
Director, Allied Energy Dean Land has been a Cooperative member for 30 years and has been a director of Allied Energy for three years. He has recently been elected for a second term and looks forward to serving in the future. “Being a part of the Directors and observing the growth of Allied Ag has been and is a privilege. I appreciate the knowledge, varied experiences and input of all the others involved. The management team and employees have done an excellent job in the growth of this company.” Dean has an Agri-Business degree from NDSCS as well as a Bachelor’s degree from Dickinson State University. Dean has received numerous awards for high school and been inducted into both college’s athletic halls of fame. Dean and his wife, Joy, have been married 22 years this summer and farm in the Kulm area. Dean enjoys golfing, hunting and fishing, traveling and spending time together with friends.
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Allied Energy’s CEO, Gene Erpelding, and Board Chairman Jay Mathern Attend Land O’Lakes BDS Growing Insights Forum in Washington, D.C. ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (March 27, 2012) – Allied Energy’s CEO, Gene Erpelding, and Board Chairman Jay Mathern were among the co-op leaders participating in Land O’Lakes Business Development Services Growing Insights Forum in Washington D.C., March 21-23, 2012. More than 100 Land O’Lakes member cooperative leaders from around the country joined in the policy forum, which focused on issues of importance to production agriculture, cooperatives and agribusiness. Continued economic uncertainty, ongoing budgeting pressure and the fact that 2012 is an election year brought an increased intensity to the three-day forum, which included: • Insights and updates on key issues from Congressional leaders, administration officials and agriculture/co-op association leaders; • Visits to Capitol Hill where participants shared their insights and represented member interests in meetings with their respective members of Congress; and • Insights-sharing on policy issues and best practices with other attendees. Among the key policy priorities that were addressed include the 2012 Farm Bill, the Dairy Security Act, regulatory policy, trade policies and agreements, and the protection of Capper-Volstead.
“The Insights Forum was both an important learning experience for cooperative participants, as well as for the Congressional and agency representatives who took part,” Land O’Lakes President and CEO Chris Policinski said. “It gave our member group a chance to gain insight into the Congressional environment, as well as the opportunity for participants to advocate for the interests of producers and cooperatives on Capitol Hill. Our co-op leaders came away with a better understanding of the policy arena, and Congressional leaders left these meetings with a clear understanding of the key issues affecting agriculture, agribusiness and cooperatives.” Erpelding and Mathern were part of Team North Dakota and met with Senator Kent Conrad, Congressman Rick Berg, and Legislative Director Tony Eberhard from the office of Senator John Hoeven. Speakers at the Growing Insights Forum included U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA); Congressmen Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Stephen Fincher (R-TN); Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH); Chuck Conner, President and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; Larry Elworth, Ag Liaison for the Environmental Protection Agency; Joe Glauber, Chief Economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Stu Rothenberg, editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report.
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Sheye nne
June 12, 1910
Equity Coop Elevator Co. of Sheyenne, North Dakota held its organizational meeting at Stedman Hall.
September 24, 1910
The stockholders accepted the articles and by-laws. The paid up capital was $3,000. The first Board of Directors consisted of President Ed Seastrand, Secretary E.N. Nelson, Treasurer W.H. Bell and A.A. Tomlinson, N.N. Yaar, Ole Mattson, Ed Nystrom and S.A. Olsness as directors. E.N. Nelson was hired as first manager.
September 27, 1910
Farmers Elevator was purchased for $4,850.
1916
New elevator built by Ibberson of Minnesota.
1918
Three large concrete bunks built for storage of coal. Later converted to grain storage.
1929
Five steel tanks erected.
1941
An extra 14,000 bushels of storage space was added; also new office and fire proof safe.
1942
Rented the Ford Garage and filled with grain.
1946
Purchase Sheyenne Coop Elevator for $4,000.
1956
North elevator burned. Slettebo Construction built a new elevator in 1957.
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Allied Minute | Summer 2012
r o t a v e l E 1972
Entire south elevator burned and rebuilt.
1974
Jacobson and Sons build a certified seed plant.
1982
Farmers Elevator of Oberon merged with Equity Coop Elevator of Sheyenne.
January 1, 1979
10,600 bushel steel bin built at Oberon site.
January 1, 1985
55,000 bushel steel bin built at Sheyenne site.
January 1, 1998
Two 33,000 bushel steel bins built at Sheyenne site.
August 1, 2008 May 1, 2009 August 1, 2010 January 1, 2011
Three new steel tanks. 200,000 bushel built at Sheyenne. Bean plant treating stakes built at Sheyenne. 150,000 bushel tank built at Oberon site. Joined agronomy services with Allied Agronomy, Edgeley, North Dakota.
Employees John Rick, Manager – 6.5 years Davey Clifton, Assistant Manager Sheyenne – 24 years Curtis Olson, Floater Operator – 7.5 years Lorraine Erman, Secretary Elevator and Allied – 7 years We joined Allied Agronomy to serve our customers more efficiently, and because of the increased services they will offer through better equipment and added professional personnel. We need to meet the growing demand in the agronomy part of our business. We needed to stay competitive with all the new technology and equipment. The demands are growing all the time. Allied Agronomy is well established and is a perfect fit for us. The grain part of the business grew throughout the years. Capacity and handle grew as well.
Kevin Riggle, Plant Manager Oberon – 2 years Tom Wetzel, Assistant Manager Oberon – 1 year Dwain Brown, Part-time employee – 7 years Nick Smith, Agronomist for Allied – 1 year
Both locations (Sheyenne and Oberon) grew from 300,000 bushel handles to over 3,000,000 bushel handles. We have up-to-the-second grain prices, seed cleaning and treating. We handle soybeans, spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, sunflowers, canola, flax, pinto beans and corn - you name it, we have it. We offer a full line of services with Allied Agronomy. All of our employees work together with Allied Agronomy in the spring and fall to better serve our customers.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
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Jared Nitsc hke
Jared Nitschke
General Manager, Southern Territory
From all of us at Allied, we would like to thank you for your support and patience as we worked through another very busy spring. Our staff takes great pride in getting things done correctly and in a timely manner for all our patrons. From getting and having the right seed on hand at our locations, to making sure it goes in the ground with the right fertility and at the right populations, and then monitoring that crop as it develops. There were some crucial times that were tremendously busy, which helped us understand the need to look at additions of some added equipment in the coming year. I want to thank everyone for working with our employees, to allow us to get the work done for all of you. We have had a very good spring with a couple of brief weather episodes which cooled the soil temperatures and slowed down spraying for a few days. Overall, stands of corn and soybeans are fairly consistent and look very good. On the other hand, we do have some areas where the environmental conditions, whether it be the cool down in weather or areas with increased residues from previous crops, which in turn lowered our soil temperatures and affected evenness of emergence and stands. This has left some corn stands which are a little less than anticipated with the spring we have had. Corn has seemed to rebound very well with the heat and rain as of late. Soybean stands look good across our region with some areas affected by the dry conditions at planting and some pounding rains shortly after planting.
Now that we have the crop in and final stands established, we need to protect and aid that crop when and where we can. We will again be running our NutriSolutions® tissue testing program to aid producers in making applications of needed nutrients on a timely basis. The NutriSolutions® tissue testing will give us quick turnaround times, once tested, to see what each particular crop and field is low in for each specific nutrient. We will again carry Winfield’s Max-In product line of micronutrients for in-crop applications of micronutrients, if a particular crop and field warrant an application to protect overall yield potential. We will also have sprayers set up for top dressing 28% on corn in 30-inch rows. Growers who utilized this program in the past have posted some solid returns on investment. Whether it is topdressing 28% or side dressing NH3 or 28%, be sure to talk with any of our agronomists on up-to-date pricing to aid you in your decisions, as we watch the corn crop progress and see what the market does in the coming days. In closing, I would like to wish everyone a safe and successful summer as well as thank you for your past and future business, from all of us here at Allied. I would also like to recognize and thank all of our employees for their long hours, hard work and continued commitment in getting us through another demanding spring.
I want to thank everyone for working with all of our employees, to allow us to get the work done for all of you.
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Allied Minute | Summer 2012
n o s k c a J n i t Dus
WHAT’S NEXT? Dustin Jackson
General Manager, Northern Territory
This time of year we are planning have China pulling out of export markets,
for what’s next. In the Crop Protection side of our business, we are making purchasing and product decisions for what will hit the ground next spring and summer. These decisions are based on feedback from our agronomist staff and our customers. Glyphosate resistance and tolerance has been the topic of discussion since last winter, with the message coming from local agronomists, the major manufacturers and the universities. Today we are seeing more problems out in your fields. Without a change in thinking and management, these problems will continue to become larger issues. It is important to note that herbicide resistance is not a GMO trait problem or a herbicide problem, it is a management problem. BASF conducted a study this winter, with farmers responding that 50% believed they had some type of glyphosate resistance on their farms. 80% of those responding acknowledged they would have to spend more dollars per acre to control the problem. In fact, weed control across the U.S. has now again surpassed disease and insect control when it comes to defending yield in your crops. Allied Agronomy will have several options and programs geared toward helping our growers get in front of these issues for fall applications. Supply of all Crop Protection products has been challenging to say the least this spring and I expect price increases in all product lines are coming with supply chains depleted of inventory. Glyphosate markets have reached levels that
leaving a huge void in supply. Manufacturers seem to have been overwhelmed by the early spring across the country and demand of all products is up. There is better news in the Crop Nutrient markets after what was a challenging spring for supply. Markets have come back to reality after seasonal highs and nitrogen products are currently trying to find the bottom of real market values. Ammonia pricing looks to hold slightly stronger than average spreads compared to urea, with industrial usage currently strong. Liquid nitrogen markets have been soft and current levels are at good values for side dress application opportunities in corn. Phosphate pricing has remained flat through spring, with the manufacturers controlling inventory supplies. Look for weather and commodity markets to have a significant influence on nitrogen markets as we approach harvest. Allied Agronomy recognizes the challenges our customers face with market volatility, record land values and rental costs, and current uncertainty with Farm Bill changes. Managing risk will be the most important factor to success, in your operations and for Allied Agronomy. We will be offering more tools and pricing options this upcoming year to help our customers manage risk in the future. To conclude, every single employee at Allied Agronomy thanks you for the opportunity to earn the business on your acre. Have a safe and productive small grain harvest.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
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Joe Solin ger
Da report from up Nort’
Joe Solinger
Allied Grain General Manager
We have been very busy this year with the new additions to our business. From plants to people our business continues to improve. The spring up north went very well, and it is hard not to be excited about the future as we look toward harvest. We thank our customers for their continued support and look forward to growing our business. The new additions to our agronomy business in Barlow and Bremen have been great. We have given our people the tools they need to provide a higher caliber of service to our customers. From blending fertilizer and custom application, to seed treatment and delivery, our agronomy business continues to grow. Please do not hesitate to contact any of our agronomists or locations if there is anything we can do to help you this season.
Our updates to the elevator in Barlow give us increased speed to dump trucks during the harvest rush, and our team is excited to push the elevator to its limit. At harvest time we will continue to handle corn, beans, wheat, barley, nattos, and pintos. In addition to the crops we currently handle at Bremen, we will add pinto beans to the list of crops that can be hauled in at harvest time. As we move into harvest, keep an eye on our Weekly Market Wire for information on current markets, delayed pricing policies and dumping hours. The employees at Allied are excited to offer year round support to our customers. Please contact your nearest Allied location for any needs you may have; from Grain and Agronomy to Fuel and Oil, we are here to serve you.
put ’ER thERE
EARLY
SEASON Treat your corn with an early season application of Stratego® YLD fungicide and get a head start on your yield bump. Adding an early treatment of Stratego YLD delivers improved stalk strength, proven disease control and even higher yields than tassel sprays alone.
www.StrategoYLD.us Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer (reg’d), the Bayer Cross (reg’d), Healthy Fields. Higher Yields.™ and Stratego® are trademarks of Bayer. Stratego YLD is not registered in all states. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us
MicroNu trients
NICK SMITH
Sales Agronomist, Sheyenne
In every region of North Dakota, conditions were nearly ideal for planting this spring. With a few timely rains, we are on our way to another excellent crop again this year. One aspect of plant health to keep in mind throughout the growing season would be micronutrient deficiencies. Often times, if symptoms are visible, yield losses will be taking place as well. To adequately determine micronutrient needs, it is best to use soil sampling along with tissue sampling to pin point exactly where the plant is lacking nutrients and which ones it is lacking. A soil sample can give you an adequate starting point, but there are a lot of factors that will affect nutrient uptake once the plant has become established such as soil-water availability, temperature and overall nutrient accessibility. This is where a plant tissue test taken several times throughout the growing season can become very significant in defining exactly what the crop is lacking. For example, a corn crop of 150 bushels per acre requires nutrient requirements total of 236 pounds of nitrogen (N), 96 pounds of phosphorus (P), 183 pounds of potassium (K), 41 pounds of calcium (Ca), 40 pounds of magnesium (Mg), 25 pounds of sulfur (S) and 0.5 pounds of zinc (Zn).
Magnesium Deficiency
Zinc Deficiency
All tissue samples are processed through the NutriSolutions® Tool from Winfield Solutions. This tool is a large database that contains several years of sampling data, which allows for accurate recommendations of micronutrients. If deficiencies are recognized, there are several options that can help correct the concern. Winfield Solutions has several micronutrient packages that can be tank mixed with glyphosate and applied during a herbicide application. MAX-IN® Ultra ZMB® can be used to supplement zinc and manganese deficiencies. MAX-IN® Ultra ZMB® contains the CornSorb™ technology, which increases the movement of the micronutrients through the leaf cuticle to internal leaf structures to make more of the applied nutrient available for use by the plant. There is also a MAX-IN® for Beans, which is a versatile product that delivers boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn) for increased bean plant strength and production. The nutrients in MAX-IN® for beans are compounded with mannitol. Convenient MAX-IN® for beans plant nutrients mix easily with most crop protection products, including glyphosate-based herbicides. Contact your local Allied agronomist to hear more about tissue testing and staying ahead of nutrient deficiencies.
Allied Gr ai
SARA HINRICHS Grain Merchandiser
The crop is in the ground and looking very good at the time of this writing. Harvest 2012 will be here before we know it. There are a few questions you need to ask yourself as harvest approaches. What new crop sales have you made? How much of your expenses are covered with your new crop sales? Have you sold enough old crop to make room to store this year’s crop? What are your future cash flow needs? The staff at Allied Grain can help you with the answers to these questions. We offer a variety of contracts, including cash contracts, basis fixed contracts and hedge-to-arrive contracts. We can help you develop a marketing plan for your operation that maximizes profit and minimizes risk. As of May 20, 2012 the electronic commodity markets are now trading from 5:00pm to start the
n Rep ort
night session and straight through until 2:00pm the next day. The pit session still trades from 9:30am until 1:15pm. Also, on days when major USDA reports are released, the CBOT trading floor for grain and oilseeds will open at 7:20am. Major USDA reports that will initiate early opening include the WASDE, Crop Production, Prospective Plantings and Acreage reports. One of the new services we are offering at Allied Grain is on farm pickup. We have trucks available to help haul your grain, whether it is from the field or the bin. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call for rates and information. We hope you all have an enjoyable summer and look forward to serving you for all your grain and marketing needs in the future.
Grow more profit in your fields. Get the most out of your wheat and barley acres with Prosaro® fungicide. It offers powerful activity on leaf and head diseases and is proven to increase yield and quality, under all types of conditions. For more details, ask your retailer, or visit us online at www.cerealexperts.com. Bayer CropScience LP, 2 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross, and Prosaro are registered trademarks of Bayer. Prosaro is not registered in all states. For additional product information call 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our Web site at www.cerealexperts.com.
Fungic ides... TO SPRAY OR NOT TO SPRAY? By Andrew Gegelman Sales Agronomist, Gackle
There are a lot of questions every year
about spraying a fungicide on corn and soybeans. The biggest one that comes to mind is, does it work? The answer is yes, but it is not that simple. Most of the time it works, sometimes it breaks even, and sometimes it does not work. According to the data from university trials and chemical manufacturers, the majority of the time spraying a fungicide does work and gives you a great ROI. Personally, I feel that if the plant is stressed it works all of the time. However, if the growing conditions are perfect, which they rarely are, they do not work as well. How do fungicides work? Fungicides control diseases. Some of the main diseases in corn are common rust, gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight. Soybean disease includes rizoctonia, cercospora, septoria brown spot and white mold. I believe the most important function fungicides do is block ethylene production. When corn or soybean plants are stressed from heat or drought they release ethylene gas. Once the plant starts producing an abundance of ethylene gas, it will start to mature, causing lower yield and higher moisture at harvest. The best way to stop the production of ethylene gas will be to control stress factors. Those factors are very hard to control unless fields are inside a greenhouse under a controlled environment. The other option is to use something to stop ethylene production. In the past, I have had great success using Headline® and Stratego® YLD to help limit the stress from Mother Nature. Corn may be sprayed with a fungicide two different times during a season to increase your yield. The first is around V5. In North Dakota last year, there were 235 trials at this crop stage and 221 trials had a positive yield increase. The range was from +30 bu/ac
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to -10 bu/ac with an average of +5.7bu/ac increase in yield. The second time spraying is recommended is from VT-R1. Out of 224 trials, 211 had a positive increase in yield, with a range from +60bu/ac to -10bu/ac with an average of +11.7bu/ac. I would not expect to see +30-60 bu/ac increase but +5-10 is more typical. The only problem I have with the later application is getting a plane, which increases cost. Whereas the earlier application is normally complete when you are already going across the field spraying glyphosate. There were fewer soybean trials last year, the 164 trials had a range from +15bu/ac to -3bu/ac for an average yield increase of 3.7bu/ac. It does not seem like a lot, but with $12-$13/bu for soybeans, that will more than pay for itself. The timing for soybeans is R2-R4. The cost of spraying fungicide is in the range from $12-$15/ac plus application, so when you compare the cost to the return on corn and soybeans you are looking at a 2-1 ROI. Another factor to consider if spraying a fungicide, is how many different variables go into making top yield? What can you control and what can you not? For instance, if you’re top end corn yield goal is 200 bu/ac, 60+ bu of that comes from weather, which you cannot control. However, you can control the 50 bu that comes from nitrogen, 40 bu from hybrid selection, 15 bu from previous crop, 20 from plant population, 10 from tillage practices and five from chemicals. Controlling the weather, by limiting how it affects the plant, could mean more yield from every acre by spraying a fungicide. If you have any other questions contact your local Allied Agronomist for more information.
Allied Minute | Summer 2012
y c i l o P t i d e r C
Effective January 1, 2012
1. No annual fee: No Annual Fee will be charged. 2. Credit Approval: A credit department approved credit application is required before charges can be made to an open account. 3. Terms: Purchases made during the month are due in full when the customer’s credit limit is reached or by the 10th of the month following the month in which the transactions took place, whichever occurs first (such date shall be referred to as the “Due Date”). If an account balance has not been paid within 10 days after its Due Date, then such account will be deemed past due. 4. Past Due Accounts: Accounts deemed past due, pursuant to our credit policy, will be assessed a finance charge of 1.5% per month (18% Annual Percentage Rate) on all past due invoices. Allied Agronomy, LLC reserves the right to close a past due account to all future purchases and may demand immediate payment in full. 5. Payments: Payments will be applied first to unpaid finance charges, then to the remaining outstanding balance. 6. N.S.F Checks: The maximum allowable fee will be assessed on each returned check/item. Collection action and/or prosecution action will be taken. 7. Collection: Allied Agronomy, LLC reserves the right to take collection action at the time after an account reaches past due status. Allied Agronomy, LLC is not bound by any notation of “paid in full” or otherwise that accompanies any payment if the payment is not for the total amount owed at that time. Any agreement for a lesser amount than what is owed must be expressly agreed to by Allied Agronomy, LLC in a written Agreement signed by Allied Agronomy, LLC CEO. 8. Prepayment: Customers choosing to prepay for their purchases may do so at any time. Cash will be placed on account on a dollar for dollar basis. Prepaying for item specific purchases may allow producers the opportunity to take advantage of a current pricing structure or discounts where applicable. Those producers, who prepay for specific items, understand prepay pricing is not held indefinitely, and prices are subject to expire at the end of Allied Agronomy, LLCs’ fiscal year (August 31) or as noted on the bookings, or contract, whichever comes first. 9. Credit Cards: Credit Cards will only be accepted for payment of consumer purchases (non-agricultural purchases). 10. Collection Costs: The customer shall be liable for the payment of all our collection costs, court costs, and attorney’s fees to pursue payment of your debt in the event that payment is not received when due. 11. PMSI (Crop Liens): By using your Allied Agronomy, LLC account, you grant Allied Agronomy, LLC a purchase money security interest (PMSI) in all products purchased through your account, in addition to any proceeds from it. The PMSI continues until the products are paid in full. 12. Account Disputes: Disputes must be reported to the main office (701-493-2680) located at 109 Industrial Park, Suite #1, Edgeley, ND 58433 by the 10th of the month following the transaction date. Our Company views credit as a privilege and not a right. This policy has been designed to protect Allied Agronomy, LLC and the customers we serve. The Allied Agronomy, LLC Board of Directors reserves the right to make changes to this policy at any time. Customers with an established account will be notified in writing of such changes at least 30 days prior to the effective date of the change. Allied Agronomy, LLC also reserves the right to delay enforcement of this policy without losing the right to enforce this policy.
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Signing Up For Texting Allied Agronomy Text Alert Details
Once you have logged in click on the “Mobile Alerts Phone” on the Homepage. This will direct you to the screen to the right. Click on “Update my SMS information Update the My Account screen with your cell phone number and carrier. (Screen below) For cell phone please only put 10 digit number with no spaces or dashes. Click Update Account Click “Return to My Account” Click on “Email and text message alerts” (screen below)
Under My Alerts you can customize an alert through “Add a new text message alert” Note that with any text message there is a character max at 160. This usually allows 4-5 individual Scheduled Text Message Alerts allows you to subscribe for a company default alert. Save Alert Subscriptions to finalize.
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Allied Minute | Summer 2012
le i f o r P y n a p Com
Allied Agronomy
Allied Energy, Agronomy & Grain Main Office 109 Industrial Park Suite #1 Edgeley, ND 58433 701-493-2680
CEO, Gene Erpelding 701-493-1910 [email protected] Controller, Deb Scallon 701-493-1901 [email protected] Executive Assistant, Sonny Nitschke 701-493-1902 [email protected] IT and Inventory Management, Amanda Janke 701-493-1900 [email protected] Allied Energy A/P, Shelly Anderson 701-493-1924 [email protected]
Allied Energy Edgeley GM, Matt Mathern 701-493-1923 [email protected] C-Store, Jolene Schulz 701-493-2211 NAPA, Doug Wald 701-493-2558 LP & Shop, Joe Weigel 701-493-1921 LP Delivery, LaVerne Anderson 701-493-1920
Allied Energy KULM GM, Gordon Irion 701-647-2306
NAPA, Myron Hauff 701-647-2306 Shop, Randy Geiszler or Tim Aberle 701-647-1967
ALLIED ENERGY BOARD MEMBERS Jay Mathern - President Blaine Lundgren - Vice President Kevin Jangula - Secretary Brian Tjernlund - Director Brian Schlecht - Director Dean Land - Director Jim Holth - Director Ron Bjur - Director Steve Moch - Director Bryon Thom - Director Kurt Brandenburg - Director Kurt Bollingberg - Director Chris Zenker - Advisoree
General Managers Northern Territory General Manager, Dustin Jackson 701-866-0028 [email protected] Southern Territory General Manager, Jared Nitschke 701-830-1911 [email protected] Edgeley 701-493-2268 Sales Agronomist, Jerad Cook 701-830-0806 KULM 701-647-2607 Sales Agronomist, Jake Cook 701-830-0730 JUD 701-685-2634 Sales, Jake Barnick 701-830-0238
GACKLE 701-493-1934 Sales Agronomist, Andrew Gegelman 701-659-1126 JAMESTOWN 701-952-4512 Sales Agronomists Scott Gust 701-830-2113 Luke Ziegelman 701-830-0300 BARLOW/BREMEN 701-984-2617 Sales Agronomists Jason Vollmer 701-650-7371 Trygg Olson 701-652-5021 Aaron Smith 701-368-8245 SHEYENNE 701-996-2231 Sales Agronomist, Nick Smith 701-830-0223
Allied GRAIN General Manager Joe Solinger 701-650-7142 [email protected]
BREMEN 701-947-5966
BARLOW 701-984-2617 Grain Merchandiser, Sara Hinrichs 701-650-7370
ALLIED AGRONOMY BOARD MEMBERS Blaine Lundgren - President Bryon Thom - Vice President Kurt Brandenburg - Secretary Tony Johannesen - Director Doug Schmid - Director Nick Mathern - Director Ron Bjur - Director
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Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Presort Plus, LLC 109 Industrial Park Edgeley, ND 58433 701-493-2211
Giving Back Allied Energy, Allied Agronomy and Allied Grain recently donated a golf cart to the
Kulsrud Family Benefit
