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MANAGER’S DESK
Jerald Kemmerer-CEO/GM What a new world we are currently living in when it comes to providing agriculture products and services. I am sure you are like most people; you have heard enough about Coronavirus to last a life time. With all the social distancing and restrictions, farming still has to go on. Fertilizer and seed need to get into the ground, livestock still must get fed every day, and Mother Nature doesn’t have the virus in its schedule. The team of employees are aware of all the things that need to continue each day on your farms. They are trying their hardest to supply you with everything you need but still trying to protect you as well as themselves from contamination of the virus. I ask for your patience as we get through unique time together. I can tell you the team of employees do not like
SECOND QUARTER 2020
the social distancing any better than you as a customer does. But if we avoid one customer or employee from getting deathly sick from it, then we did our jobs. It will be great when we can get back to shaking hands and thanking you for your business or seeing you in person without worrying about social distancing. When the news of the virus first broke, I thought that the government and what we, the state of Kansas were doing may have been over reacting. But they were doing the right thing in trying to keep the virus from spreading. The state of Kansas is way ahead of surrounding states that did not follow the guidelines and the number of cases that have been reported clearly supports that. The
auditors
have
completed their duties of confirming the final numbers for the past fiscal year and we will share the results with you at the annual meeting. The annual meeting was set for the first part of May with a speaker, location, and a caterer but that has all been cancelled and will need to be rescheduled when the restrictions are lifted. Our goal is to get the annual meeting rescheduled before wheat harvest if at all possible. We will get the information out to you by mail, social media, and post it at all the locations as quickly as we can set the date. Please be looking for the annual meeting information when it comes available. Even in all this chaos, the employees have been working hard in preparing the facilities, and we will have more than adequate room to handle the upcoming wheat
Inside This Issue 2 Safety 3 Ace Hardware - Grain 4 Grain 5 Agronomy - Feed 6 Turf 7 AV Energy – Board of Directors
harvest. Mother Nature will need to continue to supply us with some timely moisture over the next several weeks to have a chance of a good wheat crop and favorable conditions for planting fall crops. I hope you have a great summer and thank you for your business. It is always appreciated! Look for the annual meeting notice and we will see you at the 105th Annual Meeting to share the numbers with you! Jerald Kemmerer-CEO/GM Pride Ag Resources
Safety Division
Roger Maple Safety Director
Stress As Covid 19 continues to sweep across our country, we are finding it necessary to adjust our normal daily living practices, and also, pay closer attention to how we are taking care of ourselves and how we conduct our daily business. We’ve heard just about all the news and information we want, need, or care to hear concerning the subject of Covid 19. However, as far as safety is concerned, one of the most important factors not being discussed is the stress many of us may be experiencing throughout the process of dealing with this
worldwide pandemic. Many of us are facing stresses that are perhaps stresses we’ve never faced before in our lifetime. We may be facing issues such as lack of finances, lay-offs, shortages of food and essential household goods due to hoarding, childcare issues, businesss lowdowns, relationships, and even the stress of just how to remain healthy. I’d like to share a couple facts about stress that can possibly help us all as we move forward for the next few months. One fact concerning stress is that our social, economic, & environmental circumstances, along with our genetic makeup all contribute to how we react to stressful situations. However, one of the most interesting facts we need to understand about stress is that stress is manufactured in our minds. Believe it or not, it isn’t about what happens to us as people, it’s about how we react to the impetuses we experience. Stress is mind and our body’s response to pressures from life situations or life events. Stress is how the brain and body respond to the demands we face. Everyone experiences stress from time to time, but what we fail to remember is stress will take a toll on our body’s mental and physical health over a period of time. Stress is divided into 2 groups, acute stress (occasional and natural moments of stress) and chronic stress (constantly reoccurring stress). The source of chronic stress is more constant than acute stress. With chronic stress, our body never receives a clear signal from our
brain signaling it to return to normal function following a stressful episode. With chronic stress, those normal functions may include prolonged disturbances in our immune, digestive, cardiovascular, sleep, and reproductive systems. If we continue to live under the umbrella of stress as a normal part of our lives, we can look to expect things like digestive issues, headaches, sleeplessness, sadness, anger, or irritability. Or even more critical conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and anxiety may be looming in our future if we don’t learn to effectively deal with our stress. Stress and work safety go hand in hand because anytime we share our focus on the stresses of life with our focus on the things we need to accomplish in the workplace, sooner or later, our minds drift more towards the life issues rather than the work at hand. When I think about the large machinery, augers, bin work, chemicals, cattle etc. you may be working with, I'm forced to also think of the prevention of many negative possible experiences if you were able to disperse or displace the stress you were feeling beforehand. There are several ways to combat stress that I would like to share with you. 1. The first way could be to get regular exercise. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can help boost your mood and improve your health. 2. Try a relaxing activity. Explore relaxation or wellness programs, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular 2
times for these and other healthy and relaxing activities. 3. Cut down on or avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. 4. Set goals and priorities. Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new tasks if you start to feel like you’re taking on too much. Try to be mindful of what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do. 5. And perhaps the most important thing we can do is talk to someone about it. Many times we forget that we aren’t in this alone. We have to sometimes find “that someone”, break our pride, and just discuss things. I’ve read and personally believe that two heads are better than one when it comes to figuring things out most times. Maybe that’s what we need. For the ones of you who may say you don’t have time to do this or that, I say; you will take time now to take care of yourselves correctly, or later on, you will take time out to take care of your ailments. Either way, you will take the time. Stay connected. You are not alone. Keep in touch with people who can provide emotional support and practical help. To reduce stress, ask for help from friends, family, community, or religious organizations. Many times we will be humbled to find that we are much better off than our neighbor. Stay safe!
ACE HARDWARE
GRAIN DIVISION
Jack Lane, ACE Manager It's a crazy world we are living in right now. We all hope to get back to some kind of normal in the near future. It is time to start thinking about applying Pride Ag weed and feed or the maintainer to bring your yard to life. The Ace stores carry a full line of products for all your lawn and garden needs. Everything from weed control to bug control we have it all. If you haven't see the line of Stihl string trimmers. Stop in and see the 2 cycle trimmers. We also have a full line of battery operated trimmers from Stihl and Milwaukee that will use your same batteries that you use with your Milwaukee power tools. We also have a 56-volt battery operated mower made by E-Go that has a run time of around an hour. This unit comes in self-propelled and a push mower. The Ace stores also have a wide inventory of Toro and Craftsman mowers. Ace your place for all your lawn and garden needs.
Gary Friesen Grain Merchandizer Life in the Corona Virus Age The grain markets have been roiled lately, like we all have, on account of the corona virus. The impact of the pandemic has been far reaching and has created uncertainty on a level that the grain market could never have anticipated. As reports of the contagion’s start in China began to emerge, the grain markets began to price uncertainty into futures prices. Much of the downward pressure on grain prices seemed unwarranted as the grain markets began to assess the impact the virus would have on demand. We quickly realized how interdependent each segment of the economy is on one another. As late as February 11 of this year USDA increased corn used for ethanol by 5.425 billion bushels. But as the travel industry shut down and state governments issued stay at home orders, oil and refined fuel demand began to drop precipitously. In March, OPEC increased oil production to fend off Russian oil production, creating a glut of oil that brought oil prices to levels not seen for over 20 years. West Texas Intermediate crude traded at a low 3
of $20.48/barrel on March 31st. The drop in oil prices has caused alcohol plants to reduce production and in some cases to shut down completely. The demand outlook for ethanol led USDA to reduce their estimate of corn used for alcohol production by 375 million bushels in their April Supply and Demand report which increased corn carry outs by 200 million bushels. The impact of reduced consumption of alcohol on corn prices has been a $.73/bu. drop since late January in May corn futures. As spring planting begins, USDA has projected almost 97 million corn acres will be planted this year. Not many believe we will see that acreage figure but at this point a spring rally in corn seems unlikely. The supply of dried distillers grain (DDGs) has not kept up with the livestock producers demand as alcohol production has been cut. Soymeal demand has increased as a replacement and I initially was bullish soybeans for that reason. Expectations have had to be tempered however as the soy oil market is now oversupplied as the restaurant business has largely shut down. Demand for wheat, however has increased as people have stocked up on bread and flour in anticipation of shortages. July wheat, after bottoming in midMarch has moved higher on both demand and weather concerns. Milo demand has also been strong with China being a big buyer of US grain sorghum recently. Milo basis continues to show strength as a result of China’s continued interest in buying US milo. The uncertainty caused by the corona virus will make it hard for the grain market to find direction until traders can be assured that the current pandemic has been contained and the
economy has been restarted. Let’s hope that the end of this health crisis is near. Marketing opportunities seem minimal as the news in the grain market remains bearish. Having futures orders in above current market prices can provide the opportunity for fills should the market rally suddenly. Our Compass contracts may also be a good marketing alternative as you can price your production each trading day above market prices. These contracts have double up features if the market rallies which is their only downside. Please let us know if you have any interest in taking advantage of these opportunities. While we feel fortunate to be able to go to work each day, our locations have been locked up as we lessen our contact with our venders, our associates in the business, and unfortunately with you, “Our” customers. This has not been easy as we greatly value our interaction with our member/owners, but it has been necessary for both your protection and for ours. We continue to do our work just as you do your vitally important work of making sure the nation has a safe and secure food supply. We miss our interaction with our member/owners and we look forward with great anticipation to the day when you are once again in the offices to conduct your business.
unemployment or have tragically lost loved ones, our thoughts and our prayers are with you. We live in a great country and the truly amazing thing about Americans is our ability to look after one another in times like these. Stories abound of health care workers making heroic efforts in emergency rooms to save lives, of owners of closed restaurants providing meals for those health care workers, of unemployed workers giving their time at food banks, of people using their sewing skills to make critically needed faces masks, of people making lunches for children no longer in school, and a multitude of kind things that people have done on a daily basis to help their fellow Americans. These incredible stories have become commonplace. It is inspiring to watch ordinary people do extraordinary things in times of crisis. Even in this time of corona virus we are blessed to live in this amazing country with all these amazing people. And those of you in American agriculture are no exception. Please let us know if we can help you with any of your grain marketing plans and we look forward to helping you complete another successful growing season.
Date Wheat Corn 01/7/20 4.27 3.70 02/6/20 4.23 3.64 02/21/20 4.26 3.67 03/18/20 4.02 3.25 Last Year –May 2019 AVG. 3.79 3.64
Milo 3.20 3.14 3.12 2.85
Soybean 8.29 7.66 7.91 7.26
3.14
6.93
For everyone in our country who have been directly impacted by this health crisis, whether by illness or 4
AGRONOMY
value proposition are applying Pre Herbicides with a 15 gal/acre volume rate to enhance the performance of your investment. Throughout the season we can meet your needs for application via ground rigs or aerial.
Seed- The sales team is out
Tim Spector Agronomy Manager Fertilizer–International values have firmed since our last newsletter in January. Urea has been the bullish product across the globe. UAN is ticking up as demand increases through the mid-west. Logistics will become the issue driving in-season prices due-to the strain on transportation and all of farming happening at the same time. Your cooperative has good inventory positions to stay ahead of your anticipated needs. If you are interested in contracting tons for the 2021 crop year, we have mechanisms in place under our “Advantage” program to secure fertilizer needs. Early pricing is attractive for 2021. Talk with your local Pride Ag Resources agronomist for more details.
Crop Protection – Ove the Past 2 weeks, glyphosate took a price increase due-to the availability of technical materials driven in part with the Covid 19 situation globally. Your cooperative has been proactive in positioning products for your 2020 crop needs. Outside of Glyphosate other products have been stable. Our agronomy team is ready to work with each of you on your chemistry needs. As part of our
with pricing and early order specials for NK and Croplan seed. The genetic offerings through these two suppliers have multiple Hybrid and Variety offerings to maximize your potential in Corn, Milo and Soybean production.
Finance – As part of our ‘Advantage” program, your Pride Ag Resources Agronomist have information available to discuss input financing options for your seed, chemical and fertilizer needs for the 2020 crop year. Currently we offer CFA and Secure Finance options with terms to Feb 2021. Your Pride Ag Resources agronomy team has information available if you have an interest.
FEED DIVISION Factors that Affect Mineral Intake. 1) Salt content: Salt content of a mineral drastically impacts mineral intake and is used to help regulate consumption. A general rule of thumb is that cattle will seek about 1 ounce of salt per day. Cattle will consume more salt when forage is vegetative compared to when forage is in the reproductive stage. It is important to know if
you are feeding a “complete” mineral – one that is fortified with salt. Check your mineral tag to see if it contains “CP” in the name. Complete minerals, like Wind and Rain Storm Formulation All Season 7.5 CP, will have 20% or more salt while “low salt” minerals will have 6% or less. If you are not feeding a “complete” mineral, offering free-choice salt along with the mineral is recommended. 2)Phosphorus and magnesium concentration: The mineral components that supply the phosphorus and magnesium generally are considered as being “unpalatable.” As concentration of phosphorus or magnesium increases in the mineral, inconsistent or reduced mineral consumption may be observed. Some mineral options contain higher levels of magnesium to help prevent grass tetany issues in cattle grazing lush, vegetative forages. Mature forages are low in phosphorus concentration. Cattle require more phosphorus with mature forages due to poorer digestibility and absorption. Therefore, supplemental phosphorus must be increased to meet this deficiency. Purina Wind & Rain Storm Minerals are formulated with a proprietary blend of high-quality ingredients to help maintain a consistent and predictable intake and to help alleviate any potential palatability issues caused by these ingredients. 3) Feeder location & number of feeders: Where mineral feeders are located in a pasture can affect mineral intake. It is recommended that mineral feeders be placed near water, loafing areas, and grazing locations. This is increasingly important in the summer, when we tend to see a decrease in mineral intake. If mineral intake is lower 5
than recommended, move the feeder closer to these areas. If mineral intakes are higher than recommended, move feeders further away. The number of mineral feeders can impact mineral consumption. Refer to the manufacture’s recommendations on number of head per feeder and adjust for number of water locations, size of pasture, and grazing distribution. For Wind and Rain Mineral Tubs, one 225-lb tub is recommended for every 25-30 head of cattle and at least 2 tubs per pasture to ensure intake by younger, timid animals. 4) Availability and intake of other feedstuffs: If cows are being supplemented with other feedstuffs, a decrease in mineral consumption is often observed. For instance, if cattle are being fed Accuration™ liquid or blocks, you may observe a decrease in mineral intake, up to 1/3 less mineral intake. This is due to cattle getting a portion of their mineral needs from the protein/energy supplement. 5) Stage of cattle production: A lactating cow requires more mineral compared to a non-lactating cow, therefore mineral intake can increase. It is important to remember that calves will also begin eating mineral as they get older. A good rule of thumb is to account for 6 ounces per cow/calf pair when calculating mineral consumption. 6) Environment: Mineral intake is higher when forage is lush and tends to decrease as forages mature due to forage digestibility declining with plant maturity. Higher consumption is observed during periods of drought and limited forage availability. Mineral content is also higher in forages grown on fertile soils. Fertilized spring grasses are more digestible resulting in higher
mineral intake from the forage, therefore supplemental mineral will decrease during that timeperiod. Temperature can also play a role in mineral intake. When cattle are in extreme heat or cold conditions, cattle tend to consume less mineral. 7) Water Sources: Water quality impacts intake of any supplemental feedstuff, including minerals. Having freechoice access to water helps drive mineral intake. Cattle that drink from unclean water sources or water sources with reduced availability will experience a decrease in mineral consumption. Also, water sources that have significant concentrations of salts and other minerals will affect mineral intake. This information was provided by Ted Perry, Christina Hays and Dr. Elizabeth Backes.
Pride Ag Resources“Pride Turf” “Turf Talk” Nathan Ratzlaff As I am typing this, I am hoping this is our last blast of cold weather for a while. I hope that by the time you read this we will be enjoying some great springtime temperatures. Hopefully most of you have already put down your preemergent for crabgrass control but if you have not it is not too late. Crabgrass germinates when the soil temperatures reach 60 degrees Fahrenheit and after the last frost/freeze of the year. If any crabgrass has germinated and then we get a frost/freeze, generally that will kill the immature plants that
have broken through the soil surface. Our Preventer D and All Season Crabgrass Control products can still be used and generally will provide good crabgrass control if applied by the first part of May. A question I hear often is, “will a preventer keep the dandelions away.” The answer is no, unless you treat for them all year. Normal weeds like this require a fall application before the dandelions pop up in the fall and over winter to them popping out in the spring. If you are fighting spring weeds, I would recommend an application of Weed and Feed+ or picking up a bottle of Weed Killer at one of our Pride Ag Ace Hardware stores and spot spraying your weeds as you see them. For the months of May through June, I would recommend an application of our “Weed and Feed+” or if weeds have been treated and are easily manageable, use our “Maintainer.” The Maintainer is considered our Allseason fertilizer as it can be used in replacement of many other varieties that we offer. It has a good supply of Iron and Sulfur. Also it contains 20% controlled slow release nitrogen providing a steady growth for up to 6 weeks. Another item I would like to discuss would be our Grub Guard. This application should be made before July 4th. This application will provide a good source of Gypsum to your lawn and will provide great control of white grub activity, billbugs, mole crickets and green June beetles. I like this application during the month of June to get through the activity season. One question I have heard in the past is, I already have grubs 6
in my yard… These grubs that you may see during the month of April and May can be disruptive mainly due to the borrowing predators but in terms of grass eating, these grubs will not be as aggressive as they are adults and will be ready for the pupae stage very soon and will soon emerge as the pesky “June Bug”. Once in flight, they lay more eggs and this is the stage we want total control of the new grubs in their active growth period that does the most damage in the fall. If not treating in the spring… definitely get an application out mid-June to early July. For the Warm-Season turf growers there are a few things to make note of when growing warm season grasses. An early spring application before the grass is growing really is just feeding the weeds. A late season application hurts the root system more than you would believe going into fall dormancy. What others have recommended to me is the use of a fertilizer application in May/June/July. As always, if at any time you have a question, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. I would be happy to answer any lawn question you may have. I can easily be reached at nratzlaff@prideag.com.
AV Energy Chris Klein AV Energy Manager Since the start of the pandemic the fuel market has fallen to numbers we have not seen in a long time. Many Pride Ag customers and also new fuel customers have taken advantage of the low fuel prices and
have contracted their fuel for this summer at some unbelievable prices. AV Energy has also had customer’s contract fuel for the summer of 2021 as well. If you have not contracted or would like to look at some prices give us a call and we can work out a program that best suits you and your business. With the arrival of spring, we are doing some spring cleaning and have a few products we would like to move. We have solvent in 30 gallon drums that we are selling for $120.00 per drum the normal price is $150.00. We also have DEF in 330 gallon totes that were selling for $495.00 and 55 gallon drums of DEF that we are selling for $99.00. Please give me a call and we can schedule a time for you to pick up what you need. Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels It’s our priority to understand your challenges as an agricultural producer. We take pride in anticipating and addressing your changing needs. That’s why we’re so thrilled to carry Cenex® Premium Diesel Fuels. They’re specially formulated to help your vehicles run more efficiently with less downtime. Cenex Premium Diesel Fuel contains seven special additives to help prevent fouling issues – a problem experienced in modernized diesel engines (2007 models and newer) built to meet EPA emission standards. Newer engines operate under higher temperatures and pressures that can literally “cook” typical #2 diesel; this results in fouled fuel that recirculates in the fuel
system, leading to injector/filter problems, reduced efficiency, power loss, poor starting, costly repairs and even engine failures. There are real bottom-line benefits when you use fuels that have been enhanced to meet the needs of both existing and new engine technologies. Compared to typical #2 diesel fuel, Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels: • Improves fuel economy by as much as 5 percent • Improves power by up to 4.5 percent • Increases fuel lubricity by 1015 percent • Extend life of injectors/injector pumps • Reduces downtime and maintenance costs • Have a high cetane level typical 47-49 All Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels, including Roadmaster XL® and Ruby Fieldmaster®, are formulated with this special additive. We’re confident that no other diesel fuel on the market contains a more complete, balanced and quality additive package. Call us today to learn more (620225-4994), and be sure to ask us about the Total Protection Plan Warranty. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Scott Mac Nair ........................ Chairman Tony Bleumer………..... . Vice-Chairman Clint Hamilton ......... Secretary-Treasurer Butch Irsik ................................. Director Toby Whipple ............................ Director Jacob Tarman ........................... Director Weston Vogel ............................ Director Brian Pinkney.…........Associate Director Phillip Woods …..…..Associate Director Jerald Kemmerer………………CEO/GM Debby Kennedy….......Newsletter Editor
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Pride Ag Resources 2nd Quarter 2020 Published quarterly by the
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