Connections Summer 2022

FARMERS.

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR THE GROWING WORLD.

We help equip farmers with the tools and resources to best protect our soil, water and air.

MKC Mission

To create customer, employee and partner success to provide a safe and sustainable food supply.

MKC Vision

Partner with customers to successfully navigate the complexity of modern agriculture and industry.

MKC Values

The success of our business will be determined by our ability to focus on safety, courtesy, image and innovation.

IN EVERY ISSUE

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN

Straight from the President and CEO Brad Stedman's desk.

PRODUCER AG COLUMN

A word from our grain division.

NEWS BRIEFS

The latest from MKC and its employees.

PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD

See what MKC has been up to.

FEATURES

TODAY'S OPPORTUNITY, TOMORROW'S GROWTH. MKC offers programs that add both financial and developmental value to our communities.

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

One Mid-West Fertilizer customer turned industry challenges into an investment opportunity.

NEW CUSTOMER PORTAL APP

MKC member-owners and customers share about the new customer portal and app.

CONNECTING RURAL COMMUNITIES

How MKC partnerships are working to bridge the digital divide.

Editorial Staff

Toni

Katlin

Abby Hartung - Communications Intern

Management

Brad Stedman - President and CEO

Danny Posch - Executive Vice President and CFO

Dave Spears - Executive Vice President and CMO

Erik Lange - Executive Vice President and COO

Anne Warren - Executive Vice President and CHRO

Ted Schultz - Producer Ag COO

Board of Directors

Allan Wegner - Chairman

J. Daniel Eakes - Vice Chairman

David Mills - Secretary

Duane Johnson

James Mosiman

Hal Mayer

Ben Schrag

C.J. Blew

Mark Davis

Derek Totten

Connections is distributed free to MKC member-owners. When reporting an address change, contact (620) 345-6328 or contactus@mkcoop.com.

ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN BY BRAD STEDMAN, MKC PRESIDENT AND CEO

On July 20, 2022 MKC hosted the 57th Annual Stockholders Meeting. Below are, in part, President/CEO of MKC, Brad Stedman's, remarks in the President’s Report.

like to take a moment to thank all of our member-owners for their past business and commitment to your cooperative, thank you to our strategic partners for bringing more than just product and price to MKC, and a big thank you to ALL our employees for the commitment you each demonstrate as you live out our keys to success that help our customers be more efficient and profitable every day.

MKC’s vision statement is: “Partnering with customers to successfully navigate the complexity of modern agriculture and industry.” While this vision statement was crafted several years ago, it is more relevant now than ever before. Our vision is to continue to put your cooperative at the forefront of change and to provide resources that help you be successful today and in the years to come.

The pace of change is moving quicker now than ever before. We can now see that uncertainty and volatility are the new normal in business. Our ability to adapt to this change and put your cooperative in the best position going forward is of paramount importance. We can all recognize that change is difficult, and most of us are resistant to change. However, most of us also know that change is constant and necessary - and usually results in improvement. Constant change is seen in all aspects of business - you see this in all parts of your farming and ranching operations. This change, or evolution, is tied directly to MKC’s growth strategy. Our growth strategy isn’t about being larger for the sake of size but rather being relevant to you - our member-owners - being relevant to our supply partners and being a relevant employer of choice. This relevance gives us access to supply, resources, and talent in an environment where these are all limited. We need to continue to challenge ourselves to think about what the future is going to look like for the coming generations. Our growth mindset has always been about keeping pace with our fastest-moving customers. We must grow, innovate, access talent, and provide value as our customers change. While there are many things we did in the past that still provide value, our competition, the markets, consumers, and you, our member-owners are changing faster than ever before. Our time to move faster is now.

Think about how you interact with MKC today. How will technology continue to change agriculture, your operation, and your cooperative? How can we move faster together? How can we work together to shape the future?

One key initiative that our team works on is related to providing innovative solutions to transform our business through technology. We continue to invest in digital tools to make doing business with MKC as easy as possible. Drones and robotics are also strategic investments that are being made on behalf of our member-owners to drive efficiency in our business and provide more options to serve your needs. The MKC board of directors and leadership look at technology as a key investment strategy to meet the needs of our ever-changing customers. Technology advancements will help us in the future to better manage competitive labor markets and logistics. All these investments will help us do more with less.

Another key to our long-term success is tied to who we partner with across our business lines. Our ability to partner with key strategic companies will continue to be critical to this success. When we consider what a successful partnership looks like it is always critical that it brings something to all stakeholders - in this case, first and foremost are the member-owners, and secondarily MKC and the strategic partners that we are aligned with. We need to continue moving our business towards partnerships that bring something to us that we can’t otherwise do ourselves. This can mean things like supply chain efficiency, innovative products and resources, and access to new markets. In other words, one of the very definitions of what a cooperative is designed to be.

The primary purpose of changing how we partner is the need to strategically align our business to connect you, our member-owners to things that you need from both an input standpoint and a place to market your goods.

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When you think about the global supply world that we live in today we need to continue to put you in a position of strength with all the different stakeholders that either supply goods to raise your crops, feed your livestock, and ultimately connect markets to end users.

Over the past few years, sustainability and carbon sequestration have been hot topics in the broader context of how private industry and governments drive initiatives that may have far-reaching impacts on agriculture. We now hear a lot about ESG initiatives that will possibly have a significant impact on our industry. ESG stands for Environmental, Social, & Governance. These issues now potentially impact an even larger part of all industries, including access to capital. MKC continues to engage with industry and political leaders to have a voice in these critical matters. While much is yet to be determined, we think it is important to have a seat at the table on your behalf. Many of our leaders and board members participate in other boards to make sure we understand the conversation and participate on behalf of agriculture to make sound decisions. Farmers & Ranchers are the original environmentalists, you have always had to care for the land to maximize the opportunity while passing the land down for future generations. Agriculture needs to have a loud voice in these types of issues, and MKC will do our best to make sure the things you do today are recognized while advocating for smart changes in the future.

Agriculture is resilient. Our member-owners are constantly evolving and demonstrating innovative ways to run their operations more efficiently. MKC is honored to play a role in helping you maximize the opportunity you have in production agriculture.

Let me conclude by thanking our member-owners for your support and business in the past year. Thank you to our fantastic employee group for building on their high standard of customer service during the constant change and evolution of your cooperative. And thank you to the MKC Board of Directors for your commitment to your cooperative and its members.

Scan to view the 2022 Annual Report.

Election of Directors

District 3: Mark Davis

At Large: Allan Wegner

At Large: Ben Schrag

Passed

What does that mean?

Provide that a member, to remain eligible to hold voting, common stock, must patronize the cooperative at a minimum level which shall be no less than $15,000 in one of two most recent consecutive fiscal years.

$15,000= ~19 acres of wheat

Top Right: MKC Board Member, David Mills giving results on the election of directors at the MKC Annual Stockholders Meeting.

Welcome New MKC Locations

Today’s Opportunity, TOMORROW’S GROWTH.

STORY BY: ABBY HARTUNG, COMMUNICATIONS INTERN

MKC is committed to helping our rural communities prosper and prepare for tomorrow. One of the best ways to show our commitment is to invest in the future generation.

MKC offers several programs to provide young college aged people an opportunity to develop themselves through MKC’s financial support and our college student development programs.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Each year MKC and Mid-West Fertilizer offer scholarships to high school seniors and current college students furthering their education.

Since 2008, close to $200,000 has been awarded through the MKC Scholarship Program.

Scholarship recipients demonstrate leadership abilities, participate in their communities, achieve high academic performance and display a genuine desire to further their education and career.

Recipients also addressed college and career goals along with key aspects of the cooperative

system such as how cooperatives create a community environment among local producers and employees.

Brad Stedman, MKC president and CEO says, “The MKC Scholarship Program is just one-way MKC can help support exceptional students who someday soon will enter the workforce to make a difference in the industry and communities where their career paths lead them,” Stedman continues to say, “We are honored to help these young students financially.”

The application window for the scholarship program opens in March each year. Winners are selected and announced in May.

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

MKC has created an intern program with the goal of developing students by providing opportunities that cultivate growth in technical and professional skills.

Hilary Worcester, Manager of Learning and Development for MKC and Mid-West Fertilizer says, “Our program provides college students an

opportunity to understand career options within agriculture and MKC for their future. If we can do that well, it would allow an opportunity to attract those same students as full-time team members.”

MKC’s efforts to provide a hands-on, value-added experience for interns through the summer intern program has resulted in 27 permanent hires into full-time roles with MKC. Four of those full time hires went on to participate in the internship program as mentors for this year's interns.

This summer MKC hosted 11 interns, 2 of which came back for their second summer with MKC. The interns came from Fort Hays University, University of Missouri and Kansas State University. They ranged from entering their second year to entering their fourth year of college.

Each intern was given the opportunity to work on a project that is directly related to MKC’s strategic plan. At the end of the summer, each intern presented their project to MKC’s leadership team.

“We get really excited about the projects because we see the fingerprints of past interns all over our organization. Their projects add tremendous value and help steer our path for the future,” says Worcester.

The interns hold roles in various locations and positions throughout the cooperative's footprint. The roles can range from traditional areas in agronomy sales, energy sales, grain merchandising, general operations and grain operations. MKC also offers less traditional roles in communications, accounting, IT and inventory management.

2022 Scholarship Winners

After the summer internship, MKC may invite an intern to be a part of our Collegiate Career Development (CCD) program, if they see the intern as a good fit for a future full time hire. The CCD was created by MKC as a partnership of agriculturally focused companies (CoBank, Corteva, KanEquip, GCC) committed to providing continued development for interns that are interested in a future with their company.

This program is an extension of their internship as they continue a part-time job to develop technical and professional skills while working on projects for us while they are at college. These interns continue working with a mentor to deepen their connection to the company and culture.

“We feel strongly that if we provide opportunities for students and interns to grow and be successful, we will attract a fantastic next generation of employees. Those employees will be highly engaged

in our culture and strive to serve our growers in a way that leads to the continued growth and success of our organization,” says Worcester.

MKC offers numerous programs to help invest in our future as a cooperative. Cooperatives have no expiration date so MKC will continue to develop young leaders that will bring value to the agricultural industry now and in the future.

ARC OF DEVELOPMENT

MKC has a core value in learning and development. We have created an arc of development to define that journey. The purpose of the arc and the activities associated with it is twofold. It allows us the opportunity to share the story of agriculture and develop strong industry advocates and potential future leaders.

2022 Summer Interns

Be a

of

Back row: Trever Campbell, Operations; Aaron Maxwell, Energy Sales; Jared McCartney, Agronomy Sales; Nate Kolm, Agronomy Sales; Bailey Eck, Operations

Front row: Jeffrey Garcia, Operations; David Rohling, Operations; Lane Manners, Agronomy Sales; Takira Blick, Grain Merchandising and Accounting; Callie Humbolt, Grain Operations; Abby Hartung, Communications

INVESTING IN THE Future

One thing that never changes, is that things change. New challenges continue to drive farmers to become more efficient and productive than ever.

When you think back to farming just four decades ago, it makes you realize just how far agriculture has come. From planting with an open cabbed tractor pulling a four-row planter, to now using a 16-row planter with GPS, farmers have continued to pioneer new ways to face challenges and increase productivity.

That is why one Mid-West Fertilizer customer is investing in new technology to help solve current issues in the industry and pave the way for future farmers across the U.S.

MUDDY WATER FARMS

Kevin Stark owns and operates Muddy Water Farms in Hammond, KS with partners Dave Carney and Mike Vande Logt. Together, they have 3,500 acres of farmland where they grow corn, soybeans, wheat and forage sorghum.

The partnership between Stark, Carney and Vande Logt began in 2008 and grew into what it is today after realizing they shared the same passion for agriculture and the future of the industry.

Like many farmers across the nation, Muddy Water Farms was feeling the pressure of labor shortages, planting costs and market disruptions.

In the winter of 2021, Vande Logt approached the

partnership about the potential of investing in a new technology that could provide relief from some of the major challenges farmers were facing.

Shortly after, Muddy Water Farms became the newest investor in Salin 247, a lightweight four-row autonomous planter, with capabilities of side-dressing nitrogen and applying herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. Salin 247 is owned and operated by Dave Krog of Iowa.

“We chose to move forward with investing because it seemed like a solid concept of technology and most of the investors were just like us, farmers,” Stark says. “I knew we could learn something new from this technology.”

As Salin 247 continues to develop, the team performed tests in Iowa, Tennessee and eventually Kansas. Muddy Water Farms was the first test site in Kansas where it planted five acres of soybeans on a double crop field following wheat.

“When they tested the machine in Iowa, it worked great because the soil is soft and flat,” Stark says. “When we tested in Kansas, we found a few improvements that needed to be made, but that’s why you do these prototypes.”

While the technology is still in its early stages, Stark has high hopes for its use in the future.

“There are a lot of advantages that resonated with us,” Stark says. “Instead of having a 16-row planter,

STORY BY: KATLIN ALLTON, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

The Salin 247 Autonomous Planter at the first field test in Kansas at Muddy Water Farms.

you could have six four-row planters working together. The equipment cost would be about 30% less when compared to a planter and tractor.”

In addition to cost, the team has seen advantages of lower fuel consumption. The machine works off electric batteries that are charged by 100% biodiesel. The electric battery would allow for roughly 70% lower fuel consumption and a more sustainable operation.

“Other advantages are that you can start a couple days earlier or go a couple days past when you would want to put a ground rig in the field,” Stark says.

In Kansas, many farmers face weather challenges. Heavy rain can prevent them from accessing their field with planters or spray rigs. Salin 247 would be able to access fields when large equipment cannot.

Less soil compaction is also a major advantage to the team. Large tractors and spray rigs can cause soil compaction on fields, resulting in less ability for the soil to supply water and nutrients to the crop, reducing yields.

“The soil compaction is pretty significant under a tractor,” Krog said in a recent interview on Farm Next. “The yield reduction from soil compaction is probably in the 10-20% range. We think with smaller equipment, we can help farmers increase their yields and make more money.”

Among several challenges farmers have faced in recent years, labor shortages, production cost and yield losses are all reasons why Muddy Water Farms took the leap of faith to invest in a new innovative technology that could potentially benefit their operation in the future.

“The thing about the future is we don’t really know exactly what the end game is going to look like, but there are pieces that if we put them together, could be a really nice addition to our operation,” Stark says.

He adds, “why would we want to stay on the sidelines and gripe about something not working when you could be a part of trying to make it practical?”

MKC's COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION

To align with one of MKC’s key values, innovation, investments in new technology provide memberowners with opportunities to become successful in the ever-changing agriculture industry. Farmers face new challenges every day, so investing in new technology allows member-owners the opportunity to fight these challenges ahead of the curve.

“We make small investments today, so we can see where that technology is heading in hopes to bring it to our member-owners as soon as they’re available on a commercial basis,” Erik Lange, executive vice president and chief operating officer at MKC, says.

In the past year, MKC has invested in two technologies that have potential to deliver big impacts to member-owners. One of those investments is the use of Rantizo Drones. These drones have the ability to apply product in place of spray rigs. The vision of these drones is to fly in groups of three and maybe some day twelve or more to allow for a more precise application and to apply products to areas spray rigs traditionally won’t fit.

"The technology isn’t quite there yet, but if you think about spray rigs 30-40 years ago compared to

the rigs today, that change has been immense,” Lange says. “We see the time frame it takes to develop and commercialize technology continue to shrink, so making early investments in those technologies, allow us to adapt quickly and bring those investments to your farm.”

The other technology MKC has invested in is robotic control of weeds, otherwise known as the Weedbot by Greenfield Robotics. Autonomously, these bots can mow weeds down, similarly to a weed eater.

“The time frame that it takes to see emerging technologies go from idea to application continue to accelerate. While Greenfield Robotics' technology might not quite be commercially ready today, it is very possible that in just a few short years it could disrupt how we manage weed control for row crops,” Lange says.

Other investments MKC continues to improve on are physical assets that allow member-owners ease of doing business and creating employee trainings to improve employee’s knowledge of products and processes.

Continued innovation throughout MKC and the farming industry will pave the way for the future of agriculture.

LEARN MORE:

LEARN MORE ABOUT MKC AND GREENFIELD ROBOTIC'S PARTNERSHIP

The Rantizo Drone in flight

New Customer Portal App

STORY BY: TONI JAKES, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Mobile phones first hit the market almost 40 years ago…..yes really 40 years! In 2007 the first iPhone was available along with apps. By 2010 they had become a trusted life companion used for much more than just communication. Smartphones have become increasingly central to modern life. We have become accustomed to the convenience of having information at our fingertips and available on our mobile devices. There is an app for almost everything.

As your farming operation continues to grow and face unique challenges, our team is working to offer the latest technology, programs, and products that support your operation’s goals. MKC invested in a new customer portal so you could easily access your account information on your mobile device. The same portal experience is available on your desktop for those who still prefer a big screen.

MKC Connect was launched this spring! We have over 800 users on the portal today! At a recent MKC event, we were able to connect with customers about their experience using the MKC Connect portal and asked what their favorite features are. A few themes began to stand out.

• The mobile accessibility

• Prepay balances at their fingertips

• E-statements

• Online bill pay and payment scheduling (even easier than before!)

Member-owners, Ben Schrag and Justin Mosiman both shared that they really enjoyed the ease of using the MKC Connect app.

The MKC Connect portal allows users to see invoices in real-time and access an electronic version of their statement sooner than they receive the paper copy. This has made a big impact on the customer experience.

“I no longer have to pull paperwork from files or make print copies,” Mosiman says. “This tool has allowed me to easily track information and digitally organize my farms.”

Schrag said he appreciates that the desktop and mobile version is the exact same. None of the functionality moves regardless of if it is accessed on your computer, iPad, or mobile device.

“I look forward to having the reporting information available as I work on the farms 2023 budget,” Schrag says. “I can easily look at actual spend by product, by month and by year with this tool.”

While the customer experience is always at the forefront of our decision-making, we also wanted to know what our internal team members, the Strategic Account Managers (SAM), thought about the new portal. Recently we caught up with a few of them to get their input. They told us that it has made it possible for them to quickly answer customer questions about statements, prepay balances, and past purchases.

“With this new portal, I can see exactly what the customer sees in their view,” says Cole Reed, SAM in the Walton area. “When a customer calls with a question about an invoice or statement, I can quickly see all of the detail and resolve any issues right away. Before we would have a lot of back-and-forth conversation with our billing team because we couldn’t access the information for ourselves.”

The portal allows easy access to view past purchases. The SAM team can now provide more detail on production costs.

“I can now prepare exact production costs and analytics when I talk with my customers,” say Jared Jones, SAM in the Groveland area. “This information used to take almost 2 days to gather and analyze and I had to rely on the billing team to pull reports for me.”

We are excited to offer this new portal to our member-owners and customers. We invite you to sign up today!

Connecting RURAL COMMUNITIES

STORY BY: SHELBY BERENS, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

“One of the challenges we've always had in rural America is getting access to broadband Internet, and not just access, but quality Internet access,” Matt Friesen, director of IT at MKC and Mid-West Fertilizer says.

It is estimated that more than 18 million Americans still do not have access to high-speed Internet and bringing good Internet to rural communities is expensive, costing tens of thousands of dollars per mile. Fast and reliable Internet access is critical for economic growth, additional education opportunities and farming operations.

That is why MKC chooses to partner with companies like Kwikom, Ideatek, Verizon Wireless and Land O’ Lakes to help bridge the rural broadband gap and provide high-speed Internet to many of our producers and communities.

Broadband Partnerships

MKC’s most recent effort to address the digital divide has been in partnership with Land O’ Lakes and Verizon Wireless as part of their American Connection Project. This project is part of ongoing efforts to address the broadband gap across the United States. Through this partnership, a tower has been built and is waiting to be turned on by Verizon at the MKC Whitewater location. This new tower will provide additional broadband Internet access and increased cellular connectivity to residents of Whitewater and the surrounding communities. The tower will also help this MKC location better serve our producers and may improve broadband connectivity while in the fields.

“This partnership will bring a high-speed service option to many residents in our surrounding communities,” Erik Lange, executive vice president and chief operating officer at MKC says. “We are excited for what this will mean to those impacted by this project and how it will allow us to better serve our member-owners. We are working towards real time information to our member-owners while in the field and closing the digital divide is critical to accomplish this.”

Through its American Connection Project, Land O’Lakes along with its cooperative network are helping to bridge the digital divide with awareness and advocacy.

"We're so excited to be partnering with these organizations to bring real solutions for the lack of broadband access in this community,” Teddy Bekele, chief technology officer at Land O’Lakes says. “As a farmer-owned co-op with deep roots across rural America, Land O'Lakes will continue to raise awareness and devise more ways to increase access to digital connectivity for all Americans."

Improving Internet connectivity is nothing new for MKC. We have been partnering with local Internet companies for over 15 years for the benefit of our communities, producers and locations. MKC’s partnership with Kwikom Communications has brought additional high-speed Internet options to over 24 rural communities in Kansas and Missouri since the partnership formed.

“Anytime you bring usable broadband Internet into an area, it has a tremendous and pretty

immediate impact on the surrounding community,” John Terry, business development manager at KwiKom Communications says. “Without consistent Internet access, it is almost impossible to do any remote business or even run credit cards.”

Kwikom Communications has a growing fixed wireless network area of 22,000 square miles including over 45 counties in Kansas and Missouri. Their fixed wireless service is provided by utilizing towers, and tall structures in communities with antenna to antenna fixed wireless technology. Kwikom is currently working on expanding their fiber optic network. A fiber Internet connection is an even faster type of broadband using fiber optic cable instead of antenna connection.

“Customers are struggling to get service that they can use,” Terry says. “When we hear things like that throughout the state we say ‘okay, this might be an opportunity to go in and provide a quality service.’ Right now, the state is allocating a lot of funding towards fiber optic build-outs to providers.”

Terry says one of the greatest benefits to partnering with MKC is our commitment to safety.

“We found MKC to be a good partner because the safety standards and things at these locations are top notch,” Terry says. “We feel really confident having our equipment up there knowing that it's going to be treated with respect and that they understand what it's there for.”

In western Kansas, quality high-speed Internet was a challenge for our locations in the Plains area but partnering with IdeaTek has helped connect services to local customers and provide MKC with much needed Internet access at our locations.

IdeaTek is committed to bringing quality Internet to rural Kansas communities, which makes them another great partner in the fight for rural broadband.

The Future of Broadband

As farming technology continues to improve, there is growing demand to have access to Internet while in the field and the future of rural broadband is looking bright.

“We are seeing more technology in farming machinery and right now it’s cellular and satellite based, but they're using some of the same frequencies that we use to bring access to their homes, ranches and facilities themselves,” Terry says. “There are conversations already about finding fixed access points on grain elevators and on water towers just for farm implements as they get more sophisticated.”

The beginning of the Whitewater tower at the MKC Whitewater location

The structurally completed tower. Verizon needs to receive backordered parts before the tower can function.

TECHNOLOGY IN GRAIN

COLUMN BY: TED SCHULTZ, PRODUCER AG CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

We are surrounded by exciting and new technology developments in our everyday lives, this will only continue, and at a more rapid pace. Technology is changing the way we do business everywhere, including the grain division of MKC. The Producer Ag app was rolled out in 2020 and continues to be a hit with producers. The app provides quick access to cash bids and futures. It also allows producers instant access to view delivered bushels once their truck crosses the outbound scale. Our commitment to our producers remains strong and several upgrades to the app are planned. One key area of focus for these upgrades is improving future communication with producers.

Upcoming App Updates

Oder Management System (OMS) is a system being developed to create communication efficiency with customers and our team internally. For customers, OMS’s ultimate goal is to create a tracking device that will create a live position report. These reports are intended for mobile devices, which is where customers say they want to receive information. For our internal team, OMS will allow direct entry into the Producer Ag customer accounting system. This is a huge time saver as it will eliminate several steps of manual data entry by our team members. These internal changes are important as we continue to face a labor shortage and work to control our expenses.

Investments in Elevator Inventory and Maintenance Technology

Our Inventory systems track grain at our rail terminals from point of entry until grain leaves. These tracking systems allow for precision blending, allowing grades to be mixed to the nth degree, which can add up to thousands of dollars on shipped grain. These systems are web-based and allow merchandisers to view bins and grain quality which helps them make the best sale

possible for the exact grain. Today, MKC locations are in the process of installing web-based inventory software in all country elevators. It will allow for a more efficient system of recording exactly what has been received from our producers. This system is much more efficient than taking the averages of bin samples to grade the inventory. This system will also improve communication between managers and merchandising team members because they can both see the exact inventory at all elevators.

Elevator operations are greatly affected by technology. The most important technology at these elevators are the safety features that protect our employees who work in the facility and our customers who deliver to it. Maintenance software that records preventative maintenance and repairs of all bearings, belts, cups, and other items help reduce downtime when something breaks down.

Logistics Software Evaluations

Logistics is a major function of our grain department. There have been constant challenges in securing enough truck and rail freight in recent years. We are currently evaluating freight tracking software that can help this challenge by maximizing the efficiency of our freight units to keep pace with our ever-changing industry. Investing in freight software can benefit our team in more ways than one. The software allows truckers to see their loads, check rates, send invoices, see routes, communicate with dispatchers, and more. Our accounting team can receive these invoices electronically, which means touching fewer tickets and faster process times. Merchandisers and dispatchers can more efficiently route trucks, take care of changes in deliveries, and track routes. Overall, this software could be a time saver for all parties involved in these transactions.

These are just a few of the technology advancements we are using today and considering for the near future. MKC and Producer Ag are committed to exploring new technologies and researching the benefit they can bring to our customers and team members.

MKC DONATES TO LOCAL FOOD DRIVES

Now more than ever our communities need our help. According to kansasfoodbank.org, 48% of households in 85 counties across Kansas had to choose between paying for food and utilities. In an effort to give back to our communities, MKC employees, member-owners, vendors and community members took part in the annual MKC Food Drive. Of the participating locations, the Plains location collected the most food donations at 260 pounds this year.

Since 2013, MKC has provided monetary donations to food banks in partnership with Land O’Lakes, Inc. Foundation. This year, the partnership committed over $21,700 to local food banks in 16 communities. The donations were a part of the cooperative’s annual stewardship efforts to alleviate hunger.

“This is an opportunity for us to assist the local food banks that provide meals and essential healthcare products to many people within our territory,” says Brad Stedman, president and CEO, MKC. “We are committed to addressing food insecurity in the communities we operate in and proud to support our local hunger relief agencies.”

EMPLOYEES KICK-OFF DALE CARNEGIE TRAINING

Employees kicked off the annual Dale Carnegie training on Wednesday, August 10. Employees who attend this 6-week course increase their knowledge of communication, leadership, and handling stress. This course allows our tradition of Shared Growth Shared Success to stretch beyond the growth of our footprint to the growth of our employees.

" This class has big impacts not only on professional learning in the workplace, but these are skills that employees take home to improve relationships outside of work as well," Hilary Worcester, MKC manager of learning and development said.

MKC employees from the Moundridge location delivering the collected food to a local food bank.

Items collected during the food drive at the Lindsborg location.

Participants of the Dale Carnegie Training attending the first class at the Safety Center in Moundridge.

MKC LEGISLATIVE STAFF DAY

After putting the last two years on hold due to the pandemic, MKC hosted the Annual Legislative Staff Day on Wednesday, August 17 2022. Staff from Senators Moran and Marshall, as well as Congressmen Mann, LaTurner and Estes attended.

The Legislative Staff Day is one aspect of MKC's work to educate Kansas's Congressional Delegation and staffers on pressing issues affecting the agricultural industry and to strengthen the relationship between the cooperative and legislative staff members.

Staff from Kansas and Washington, D.C. learned how MKC helps farmers and ranchers, and discussed industry topics important to Kansas agriculture and our member-owners. The afternoon was spent at the Canton Terminal after a discussion about key regulatory and legislative issues. A highlight of the event was the opportunity to watch a Rantizo Drone in action.

“The day is designed to build relationships with our congressional delegation, as well as advocating on behalf of our member-owners,” says Dave Spears, executive vice president and CMO, MKC. “Besides highlighting and providing a profile of MKC, we also have the opportunity to engage in discussion on issues of importance to MKC and our member-owners. Another objective is to be a resource to our congressional delegation and staff. If an issue arises, and they need input, they will look to MKC for guidance.”

MKC EMPLOYEES ATTEND THE TOMORROW'S AGRIBUSINESS LEADERS PROGRAM

MKC employees, Adam Butler, Mike Zacharias and Scotty Yerges were selected to participate in this year's Tomorrow's Agribusiness Leaders (TAL) Program hosted by Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association and Kansas Grain and Feed Association. The program is an intensive leadership program designed to teach association members about the state and federal legislative and regulatory process and how to be a better leader within their industry. Recently program participants visited Washington, D.C. to meet with members of congress.

"I learned about how our voice matters and how easy it is to get in contact with elected officials to let them know about what matters in our industry," says MKC Senior Location Manager, Adam Butler.

"The program gives MKC an avenue to tell our story to lawmakers on a state and national level. Our large footprint affords us the opportunity to truly tell the story of the Kansas farmer (our member-owners) and discuss issues we are facing on a local level to positively affect future legislation," says MKC Strategic Account Manager, Mike Zacharias.

Kansas Congressional staff touring the MKC Safety Center.

TAL Program attendees with Kansas Senator Roger Marshall, M.D.

Representative Tracy Mann standing with TAL Program attendees in front of the U.S. Capitol.

PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD

MKC team members serving breakfast at the Sumner County Fair.

MKC team members attending the KU Grain Engulfment Training held at the Lindsborg location.

MKC employee loading a train at the Sumner County terminal.

Kansas Congressional staff attending a demonstration of the Rantizo Drone.

MKC employee presenting a quilt of valor to another employee to thank him for his service.

MKC employee handing out meals to farmers during wheat harvest.