Building Tomorrow Together. Our commitment to working collaboratively with you, our owners, to achieve shared goals and create a sustainable future for agriculture for generations to come.
As we reflect on another successful year at Ag Valley Co-op, we are reminded of the power of our committed partnerships. Our ability to build strong relationships with our members and our communities has been a driving force behind our growth and success. We also want to take a moment to express our gratitude for your continued support. It is the key to our success and the progress we have made over the past several years.
At Ag Valley Co-op, we believe that collaboration and communication are the keys to building sustainable, long-lasting partnerships. From working with you and our members to develop solutions that help your family farms to partnering with local organizations to support community initiatives, we will continue to stay focused on building solid relationships based on trust, respect, and shared values. Our partnerships with local schools and youth programs allow us to cultivate the next generation of agricultural leaders and contribute to the growth and prosperity of our region.
We continue to demonstrate that commitment through ongoing investments in our facilities and equipment. By providing you with top-quality products and services, we are meeting your needs today and building a foundation for future growth and success Building Tomorrow Together.
Our commitment to serving you extends to investing in our employees, the backbone of our organization. The labor challenges we face are a real problem, and we are working to address those challenges. We will continue to invest in our employees, and we are proud of their hard work and dedication.
We certainly recognize that this year has been challenging for many of us. The ongoing drought and the fires that devasted parts of our trade territory have affected Ag Valley Co-op and our communities. We will continue to work tirelessly to overcome these challenges and support those in need.
Finally, thank you again for your business and support this past year. You are part of a cooperative system uniquely designed and built to assist you as you feed the world. Collectively, we are stronger and can accomplish great things by Building Tomorrow Together.
Thank you,
Jeff Krejdl CEO/General ManagerThe Ag Valley Co-op board of directors is honored to represent the interests of the community. Elections take place annually and all active members, those that have done business with the cooperative in the previous 12 months, are eligible to submit nominations and vote.
Tyler Ruf
President; Cambridge, NE
Leon Ehrke
Vice President; Orleans, NE
Lavern Banzhaf
Ag Valley Co-op is committed to the financial strength and long-term success of its members’ farms and businesses. The organization serves 4,760 members across 14 locations in Nebraska and Kansas and has since 1953. As a member-owned cooperative, members’ success is critical to the success of the business.
With an annual payroll in excess of $14 million, Ag Valley Co-op employs 180 individuals in careers across its administrative, grain, feed, fuel and agronomy departments. Competitive wages and a comprehensive benefit package including the Co-op Retirement Plan allow employees to reinvest in the local economies where they live and do business.
Ag Valley Co-op continues to be an active supporter of local agricultural youth groups such as 4-H and FFA, community events and various school programs. During the 2022-23 fiscal year the cooperative donated more than $240,000 in support for local community fundraisers and benefits. The cooperative also has a scholarship program that awarded $11,500 in scholarships to local high school students last year.
Ag Valley Co-op is one of the largest taxpayers in the counties in which it operates. Last year alone, Ag Valley Co-op paid $885,000 in property taxes, helping local communities and schools.
Secretary; Cambridge, NE
Todd Hartley
Maywood, NE
Curtis Lowry
Almena, KS
Dennis McConville
Indianola, NE
Mark Miller
North Platte, NE
Toby Spiehs
Big Springs, NE
Doug Snyder
McCook, NE
Drew tenBensel
Arapahoe, NE
Darren Warner
Edison, NE
Brian Juenemann
Norton, KS
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The 2022–23 fiscal year was not without its challenges, but we managed to report positive local savings again this year. We were able to return $1.0 million in cash patronage this year and redeem over $890,000 of deferred equities. The continuing drought, along with the fires we experienced in the spring of 2022, had a negative effect on Ag Valley Co-op, as we experienced a decrease in volumes across all business units. The strength in the commodity markets through most of the year came with disadvantages as we continued to see high input prices. Ag Valley Co-op is perfectly positioned to help you manage that input price risk while ensuring that you have the inputs you need for your operations. We are committed to serving our partners by remaining relevant in the marketplace and bringing value to your family farms. Our ongoing investments in facilities and equipment are the foundation for our future growth and success.
This has been a challenging year for Ag Valley Co-op and our members. We remain committed to providing quality goods and services while maintaining financial stability and growth.
Ag Valley Co-op takes its fiscal responsibility seriously and is constantly evaluating ways to improve operations, profitability, products and services.
High commodity prices translated into a substantial increase in total sales from the previous year. Volumes were down across all business units as we worked through the effects of the drought and the Road 739 and Road 702 fires.
Other operating revenue was down significantly from the prior year. Grain services income was down primarily due to reduced storage income as producers took advantage of higher commodity prices.
Agronomy services were down as we experienced a decrease in our agronomy volumes. Feed and station services also experienced declines.
Personnel expenses increased slightly in 2023 as the labor crisis continued. Human capital is one of the core strategies that we are focused on this year, and we will continue to make that a priority for your cooperative. We understand that our employees are the backbone of our company, and without them, we cannot provide you with the quality products and services you have come to expect from Ag Valley Co-op.
We did experience a significant increase in fixed expenses this year. Insurance expenses and interest expenses top that list. Everyone is aware of the increase in interest rates that we have experienced over the last 18 months. The insurance market continues to be a very hard market as insurance companies continue to re-evaluate their risk tolerances and charge accordingly.
Our continued focus on our credit policies again resulted in a net zero for bad debt expenses. Rent and lease expenses increased as we continued to work towards keeping an updated fleet of liquid and dry fertilizer application equipment.
For the 2022–23 fiscal year, we were able to show positive local savings and, in doing so, added some strength back to our balance sheet. Total assets decreased to $240 million, down from $354 million in the previous year. That is a result of considerably less grain on hand on February 28, 2023, which resulted in lower grain inventory values. Net fixed assets again decreased as a result of a conservative fixed asset policy.
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Our liabilities, relative to the financing of your cooperative, consist of an operating line of credit and term debt with CoBank, along with some capital leases for fertilizer application equipment. We continued to see large balances in our grain contract liabilities and the money you entrusted us with for your spring 2023 crop inputs.
The members’ equity statement represents your ownership in Ag Valley Co-op. The amount of investment that our members and owners have in Ag Valley Co-op increased over the previous year. The Ag Valley Board continues to evaluate the need to pay back deferred equity and provide you with a return on your business with Ag Valley Co-op in the form of patronage refunds. We were able to do both this year!
As of February 28, 2023, Ag Valley Coop had a strong working capital position. As we move into 2023–24, that will be an essential factor in achieving our goals relative to future capital improvements and a strong equity retirement and cash patronage program.
FINANCIALS: THE UPSHOT COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Patronage Net Savings $2.0M $6.8M 14 LOCATIONS
4,760 EMPLOYEES MEMBERS 180
$240K FOR LOCAL SUPPORT $885K PROPERTY TAXES
$19M PATRONAGE SINCE 2002
Both Dean and Charlene Fichtner have spent their careers working in various aspects of production agriculture. Dean has lived and worked on the family homestead all of his 78 years, in addition to working for several years at the local coop. The history of the Fichtner property can be traced all the way back to 1929 when his father Wes first purchased the farm/ranch. The original homestead has undergone four major remodeling projects. Dean and Charlene have also witnessed several shifts in agriculture, while remaining devoted contributors to our community’s cooperative.
Participation in the cooperative system has been a family tradition for generations. This legacy extends well beyond the realm of being a local producer. Charlene spent 22 years of her career working for the Maywood Cooperative, and the next 26 years working for Farmland and CHS. Charlene’s dad, Harrison Sellers, served as a board member of the Maywood Co-op. Dean, along with dad Wes and his brother Dave, have served at various times on the Maywood Co-op Board of Directors. The Fichtner family has been strong believers in the cooperative system throughout its various iterations and have witnessed numerous changes.
The Fichtner family business has reaped several benefits as a direct result of the accomplishments of their community cooperative in recent years. Ag Valley is the primary supplier of feed and other inputs for their operation, which focuses mostly on cattle.
The Fichtner family has a great deal of pride for the local cooperative and the positive influence it has on the communities it serves and have witnessed the significant impact on these areas. Even to this day, the Fichtner’s continue to be active in the company, assisting their daughter and son-in-law as they assume greater roles on the ranch. They are very involved in the activities of their grandchildren and are strong supporters of 4-H and FFA organizations. In the summer of 2022, Ag Valley Coop was pleased to hand Dean Fichtner his equity redemption check he had earned from his patronage of the coop over a period of many years. Ag Valley appreciates the commitment and dedication of the Fichtner family.
We are aware that the cooperative model is effective and has been successful through the years. The cooperative is here to assist you, both during the prosperous times and during the difficult times.
– Charlene Fichtner
Rebel Sjeklocha, Miss Rodeo Nebraska 2023, comes from the valleys of Hayes Center. In 2018, Rebel graduated from Maywood High School. Her childhood with her mother as a veterinarian and growing up on a small cattle ranch influenced her love of horse shows, rodeos, and agriculture.
She discovered her passion for agricultural communications through FFA by participating in the Ag Communications Competition. Touring the Agricultural Communications department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during the Nebraska Agriculture Youth Institute (NAYI) during her junior year of high school further fueled her passion.
Studying Agricultural Communications at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL), Rebel was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority, the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program, the Husker Equestrian Team, and the CASNR Advisory Board. Rebel was able to graduate from college debt-free thanks to numerous scholarships. “I consider education to be a gift, and I am grateful that I was awarded numerous scholarships to truly experience college at UNL,” said Sjeklocha.
Rebel had no prior rodeo experience but discovered rodeo at the age of eight when she met Miss Rodeo Nebraska. Miss Rodeo’s attractive personality, as well as her confidence and poise, captivated her. It wasn’t until she was older that she grasped what Miss Rodeo stood for. Rebel has dreamed of becoming Miss Rodeo Nebraska since that day. Today, Rebel travels thousands of miles, sharing and educating about Nebraska agriculture and the Professional Cowboys Association.
Rebel utilizes the platform Breaking the Barrier to promote agriculture and Nebraska. Rebel talks with a diverse audience of young people from urban to rural areas about rodeo rules, agriculture, personal brand training, and media. Rebel encourages others to dream big. Rebel contributes much of her rodeo success to mentors who were willing to teach her their craft. Next steps for Rebel after competing for Miss Rodeo America in Las Vegas, Nevada are plans to either join the job force or attend Law School.
I consider education to be a gift, and I am grateful that I was awarded numerous scholarships to truly experience college at UNL
– Rebel Sjeklocha
