Ihopeyouarehavingagood summer. It seems to be going by very quickly as the entire year has. Dodge City Days are upon us and that is usually a sign that the summer is ending. Before you know it, school will begin followed by fall harvest which looks somewhat promising if we receive more moistureinAugust.
The 2024 Wheat Crop is in the books as some of our trade territory saw better yields than expected. Late showers apparently helped fill the wheat headsbetterthanweanticipated. Parts of our northern territory
did not surprise us and the yields were poor as predicated. Overall,thetotalharvestintakes were significantly larger than anyone had guessed which is good for your cooperative. It seemed like there were almost a dozen hailstorms that went through areas that kept several farmers up at night, including me. The wheat markets have been stressed with better than anticipated yields. There has been concerns of yields in Russia and Europe as the world carry out bushels are down. However, so far the supply wheathasbeenabletotakecare of export business that has developed.
If the late summer rains do develop, we could be looking at one of our bigger fall harvest thatwehaveseeninthelastfew years. Withjustashortwindow to get facilities prepared, the employees are already making room and getting bins ready so
we can meet your fall harvest needs.
I want to thank the members who were able to attend the Pride Ag Resources Annual MeetingthispastMay. Itwasa newvenuehostingitattheBoot Hill Conference Center. The food was good and it is a nice place to accommodate a large crowd. I thought Secretary of Ag for Kansas, Mike Beam did a good job of discussing the challenges and upcoming Agricultural issues that the state willbeaddressing.Thiswasour 16th year for the Pride Ag Resources Foundation in giving out scholarships to our members’ seniors. This year’s applicants posted the highest GPA and ACT Scores recorded so far in the history of giving out scholarships. Congratulations to the seniors and we wish them the best in theirpromisingfuture.
I was able to attend a few of our area county fairs this summer. Pride Ag Resources is involved in supporting our 4-H and FFA youth in currently 12 different counties in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Congratulations to all the youth that participated in 4-H and in FFA with their fair projects this year. Itwasexcitingtotheteam of employees to see the accomplishments by our youth with their projects, especially the ones that Pride Ag Resources helps provide servicesfor.
I hope you have a good rest of the summer with your families. We are looking forward to handling your fall harvest. Thanks for your business. Itisalwaysapleasure for the team of employees to help you succeed in production agriculture.
Safety Division
Corey Ratzlaff Safety Director
TRACTORSAFETY2.0
Farm tractor accidents are the major cause of farm workrelated deaths. In the United States, more than 130 individuals are killed each year in tractor rollovers and account
for 44 percent of all tractor fatalities. 80 percent of farm accidents result from carelessness or failure to deal with hazards safely. Falls are also a major cause of tractor accidents. Falls involve both tractoroperatorsandextrariders who are often children. Another source of tractor-related injuries and death is entanglement in rotating power components. Collisionsandrunoversaretwo other common sources of accidents.
Most tractor accidents happen to persons ages 25-64, but operators younger than 15 and older than 64 have over seven times more accidents per hour of machine use than operators do in the 25-64 age group (National Safety Council). More than 85 percent of all tractor accidents involve members of the farm family. That is because members of the family do most of the tractor work.
Many factors affect the safety of a tractor. Before starting the tractor, make a preoperational check: Fuel, oil, and hydraulic fluid levels. Tire condition and inflation level. Makecertainthatallshieldsand guards are in place. Check the condition of fuel and hydraulic lines. Make certain the brakes areoperational. Startwithclean windows and mirrors. Make certain all lights are working. Make certain the neutral-start safety switches are operating correctly. The platform and stepsshouldbecleanandfreeof debris, chains, tools, etc. Check
theaircleaner andcoolant. The slow moving vehicle emblem should be in place and clean. The steering should be operating correctly. Also, remember that your tractor operator’s manuals, especially thoseoflatermodeltractors,are also safety manuals. Read the manual,andfollowalloperating precautions and recommendations outlined in themanual.
Here are some things to remember while operating the tractor:
An unshielded or partially shielded stub shaft can be deadly to the operator. It can catch clothing or a loose shoestring and wrap a person around it in a fraction of a second. Keep the stub shaft guarded when not in use to provide power to other implements. The two types of PTO stub shaft shields commonly in use are the master shield,whichprovidesazoneof protection around the stub shaft and the PTO stub shaft guard, which completely covers the stub shaft. If you remove the PTO master shield for installation of mounted implements,thestubshaftguard should remain in place. If you use an older tractor that lacks adequate PTO stub shaft protection, use great caution. When a shield becomes damaged or lost, replace it as soonaspossible.
As stated earlier in this article, rollovers are the leading cause of tractor fatalities. Human reaction time is usually too slow to stop a rollover once it starts. You can avoid rollovers by recognizing dangerous situations and taking action to avoid them. Side rollovers are the most common type of rollover accident. They occur when the tractor becomes unbalanced, often while it is being driven across a hill, carrying a load too high, or too fastacrossunevenground. Rear rollovers can occur when a tractor is towing a load that is too heavy or not properly balanced, when driving uphill, or when using an attachment or
implement. Front rollovers occur most often when an operator fails to stop before a drop off or accidently drives overanembankment.
Industry and farmers are coming to recognize that Rollover Protection Structures (ROPs) can save a life in the event of a tractor rollover. ROPs are protective frames securely attached to a tractor to prevent the operator from being fatally crushed if the tractor overturns. ROPs will not preventrolloveraccidents,butit will help protect the driver if a rollover accident occurs. Not all cab or operator covering structures are ROPs. ROPs must support the weight of the tractor and create a protective zone for the operator during a rollover. Usually, ROPs limit overturns to 90 degrees. Older tractors that were not manufacturedwithROPscanbe retrofitted with ROPs. When operating a tractor with ROPs alwaysuseyourseatbelt.Ifyou do not wear your seat belt, ROPSmaynotprotectyoufrom being crushed in a rollover accident.
With the application of safety devises to enclose and stabilize machinery. These devices have led to an overall decrease in death associated with tractors and “caught in equipment” causes. Expanded rural education, as well as further development and use of safety devices properly has helped to curtail farm-related injuries and deaths. Leading to muchsaferfarmingoperations.
ACE Hardware
Dave McCollum, ACE Manager
This has been an interesting summer. Much appreciated rains have provided some relief from brief periods of high temperatures. We are about to go into another triple digit periodandwiththatdon’tforget that Ace has swamp coolers, air conditioners and fans of all shapes and sizes. Need a box fan or oscillating fan. We probably have what you need in stock.
As always, we are happy to make special orders for a customerwithaspecificproduct aswell.
BBQ season is upon us. We have an excellent line of Traeger grills for sale as well as pellets,sauces,andotherneeded BBQ supplies. Check out the Blackstone griddles when you stop in, they are starting to move. We carry Halo grills, griddles and Gozney pizza ovens-they would be an excellentgiftforthegrillmaster inyourfamily!
One good summer project is painting that house or staining thatdeck. WehaveBenMoore, Clark Kensington, Royal and more paints. We also have stains and wood preservatives for the deck. It’s not too late to
be thinking about those exterior paint projects! Or if you preferit’s still nice enough to open windows in the evening or morningforindoorprojects!
Milwaukee pack outs, power tools and hand tools are big sellers. We have expanded our line of these high quality, professional quality tools. Milwaukee tools are made very well and come backed with a terrificwarranty.
For those of you who still need to get some fencing done- we have creosote posts in popular sizesof4½to8inches. Alsoin stock are t posts in common lengths, and Red Brand 2 point wire for those fencing projects. Milwaukee offers a fence staple driver that has proved popular witharearanchers.
We have a few push mowers left. We carry STIHL, Milwaukee and EGO as well as Toro and Craftsman mowers. We can special order riders as well.
We have a great selection of weed eaters. Try out our new battery-operated STIHL trimmers. Quiet and powerful. We have a Milwaukee weed eateraswellforyouMilwaukee fans. Imagine never having to pull on a cord or mixing fuel and you will see why battery operatedtoolsaretakingoff. Don’t forget the bug spray and weedkiller!
Thanks for making Ace the place to get your warm summer seasonbuyingdone!
Grain Division
Mike Schmidt Grain Division/ Operations Manager
With wheat harvest finally finishing up, it is now time to move it out and make room for this big fall harvest that is just around the corner! Your cooperative took a lot more wheat this year than we all originally, thought, with nice rains that finally came; the wheat yielded about 20 bushel per acre more than we anticipated. Without having to put wheat on the ground, we did have to move wheat from one location to another, just to keep the doors open, but at least we were successful without filling and having to close the doors. I would also like to thank all the men and women that it took to get this wheat harvest in the bins, from the crew out in the elevator, to the people running the scales, and the truckers helping to get wheat hauled to make more room day in and day out.
Wheat- The wheat price has fallen around .60 cents due to the lack of demand and exports, as harvest moved along, the bigger the crop got and the more pressure it was
under, due to large amounts of selling and people wanting to get it moved and making room for the next big one.
Milo- With the export of milo moving to China, drying up and what little demand there was, was fulfilled by the south Texas crop and they haven’t started buying the Kansas crop yet to make the demand get hot here yet. It really does sound like this will happen and we should see our local basis improve when it does.
Corn- This has been the biggest mover so far in the last few months, with bringing corn in and the little amount of corn left in SW Kansas has made for higher basis. Cash price has only dropped 3 to 5 cents in the last few months as milo has dropped 40 cents.
As always everyone at Pride Ag Resources would like to thank everyone for their business and hope everything went smooth for you this last harvest, and we look forward to being your Elevator of choice again this upcoming harvest.
Agronomy Division
Jeffery Jensby Agronomy Division Manager
Our recent moisture across Pride Ag country has been truly welcome and prospects for a goodfall2024harvestaremuch appreciated! Of course we’ve got another main crop, wheat, and your Pride Ag agronomy team has been busily planning to help you successfully spray, seed and fertilize your 2025 wheat crop to get it off to a profitablestart!
Business-minded agronomy recommendations to our cooperative owners is top of mind aswe putthis nextcrop in the ground. Plan for success! Soil sampling, proper fertility, the right variety and blend selections, and proper seeding rates all influence the crop outcome. Please visit with your agronomy business manager today to create a plan for winning!
CropNutrition
With the current geo-political situations around the globe phosphates are in tight supply. Theyarenotsomethingthatyou want to leave out of your wheat
crop fertility plan however. Pride Ag has procured a good supply of 12-40-0-10S-1Zn to arrivebyrailforyourfallwheat seeding needs. Nitrogen stabilization of your N investment is also something you ought to consider. We cannot predict heat, rain, or sunshine and all three can contribute significantly to nitrogen losses some as much as 50%! Pride Ag can stabilize urea, UAN or ammonia to help you protect your crop nutrition investment. Simply visit with your agronomy business manager to make this practice happenonyourfarm.
WheatSeeding
Variety selection is extremely important for the different soil situations on your farm. Consideration of planting straight varieties or seed wheat blends is also a matter of importance. Our agronomy teamcanhelpyouinbothareas. Our KCIA certified seed wheat options will help you harvest more bushels on each acre! Early booking to get the varieties and blends you prefer isalwayswise.
CropProtection
Believe it or not we are making product decisions now for the 2025 summer growing season. For the most part crop protection products are valued similarly compared to the past. Don’t forget to fungicide your lateplantedcornandbeancrops to help maximize fall harvest yield!
Again, we would like to thank each and every one of you for your support of our Pride Ag agronomy division this year.
Your cooperatively owned agronomy assets and business has seen excellent growth this year and look forward to listening to your needs and helping you prepare and plant a profitable2025crop!
FeedDivision
John O’Leary Dodge City Feed Division Manager
The dog days of summer are uponusandassummernearsits end it is time to start planning for fall. This can be a critical time of the year for a herd’s health,aswellasforthepasture andforagethattheyrelyon.
Careful monitoring can prevent major headaches: Flies are still a major issue this time of year. It is not too late to add fly control to your mineral program. Introduced today, an IRG like Altosid would still provide fly control for several months before hard freezes get here. Fly spray and back rubs are other options that can help controltheimpactfliescanhave on your herd’s profitability. Other common issues that come with hot weather are pinkeye, cancer eye and foot rot. Checkingfortheseregularlycan preventseriousinfections.
Clean water is critical: While providing water is a given, one thing that is often overlooked is the need for CLEAN water, withabalancedsaltandmineral program. Clean water and proper mineral intake help drive water consumption, which can be as much as 17 gallons of water a day for a lactating cow, and can be the difference between an animal drinking just enough to survive and drinking enough to stay fully hydrated andperformattheirbest.
Take care of your forage:
Grubs, June Beetles and Japanese Beetles can cause serious damage to pastures and should be monitored and treated all the way up until October. This is especially important for any pasture that has hadmanure spread over them. Late summer andearlyfallarethemoststable time of year in Southwest Kansas as far as wind and weather are concerned, making it a perfect time to apply herbicide to rid pastures of invasive weeds such as pig weed,fireweedsandthistle.
As you plan for winter forage, producers need to ensure that their forage has adequate protein, or if protein supplements will be needed. Pride Ag offers forage testing free of charge to determine the quality of your hay, as well as several protein supplement options to ensure that your herd has everything it needs to performitsbestaswemoveinto fall.
CreepFeeding
Every operation has the potential to increase weaning weight with creep feeding. The growth potential of today’s
calves exceeds the growth they achieve with just milk and grass. From a genetics standpoint, we’re seeing bigger cows that have calves with the potential to wean off at 600 to 700 pounds. A diet of grass and milk alone can’t provide calves with enough energy to achieve that growth rate. Creep Feeding CanMakeUpTheDifference.
Consider these factors when deciding if and when to start creepfeeding: Market conditions: Creep feeding is most profitable when calf prices are high and feed pricesarelowduetotheneedto invest less money for more valuable calves. During high calf prices the potential profits can help cover the additional cost to creep feed and make it a lowerrisk.
Weaning time: Creep feeding can start 80 to 120 days before weaning, resulting in an additional 50 to 80 pounds of gain. This gives calves enough time to get used to dry feed when nutrient needs are low, and primes them to start eating right away post-weaning when their growth accelerates and theyrequiremoreenergy.
Calving window: The tighter your calving window, the better creep feeding works. Additionally, fall calving systems can benefit more from creep feeding. These calves receivecreepfeedduringwinter when fresh forage is not readily available. During this time, calves take advantage of the additional energy and become accustomed to the creep feeder. As the weather warms up and forage becomes readily available, the calves return to the creep feeder since they are
comfortable with it. This will make it easier for them to make uptheenergyneedsrequiredfor theirgrowthpotential.
Focus on cost-effective feeding strategies
For creep feeding to be costeffective, calves should consume no more than 1% of their body weight in feed preweaning. This low-level feed introduction helps fuel the rumen microbes – which, in part, makes calves consume more forage and become more feed efficient – without overfeeding nutrients calves don’t need yet. Start by feeding Purina® RangeLand® Calf Creep at 3-4 months old to support development of rumen microbes, develop calves’ appetite and get them used to the creep feeder. Once your calves regularly consume the creep feed, add in Purina® Accuration® Range supplements with Intake Modifying Technology® to set andcontroltheirintake.Feeding both a creep feed and an intake modifier will ensure calves don’t under-consume, hurting their growth potential, or overconsume, impacting your bottom line. However, remember that introducing Intake Modifying Technology® too early can create a feed diversion as it isn’t as palatable as Purina® RangeLand® Calf Creep.
Find the right fit Creep feeding is an excellent option to create additional value to calves and help them reach their full growth potential. Implementing a cost-effective creep feeding system is all about understanding your options and
finding the right program to fit yourneeds.
AV Energy
Chris Klein AV Energy Manager
Wow, where does the time go! It’s hard to believe that August is already here and that school will be starting shortly. Please remember to be careful around school zones and to watch out for the young drivers goingtoandfromschool.
Propane contracts have been mailed out and the response has been tremendous. The propane market softened some in June, so we were able to offer some competitive prices for this fall and winter. If you have not contracted or are looking for a more reliable and safety conscious propane provider pleasegiveusacall.
When we send out our contractwealsosendoutaDuty to Warn pamphlet. The Duty to Warn pamphlet goes over what you needto doif you smell gas. The Duty to Warn pamphlet even has a scratch and sniff that has an odor that is similar to propane odor. The Duty to Warn pamphlet also gives good information on propane gas detectors and carbon monoxide safety. If you received this pamphlet please take some time
Below is some information that can be found in the Duty to Warn pamphlet, read through it and if you have any questions pleasegiveAVEnergyacall.
IFYOUSMELLGAS
1. NO FLAMES OR SPARKS! Immediatelyputoutallsmoking materialsandotheropenflames. Do not operate lights, appliances, telephones, or cell phones. Flames or sparks from these sources can trigger an explosionorafire.
2. LEAVE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY! Get everyone out of the building or area where you suspect gas is leaking.
3. SHUT OFF THE GAS. Turn offthemaingassupplyvalveon your propane tank if it is safe to doso.Toclosethevalve,turnit totheright(clockwise).
4. REPORT THE LEAK. From a neighbor’s home or other nearby building away from the gas leak, call your propane retailer right away. If you cannot reach your propane retailer, call 911 or your local firedepartment.
5. DO NOT RETURN TO THE BUILDING OR AREA until your propane retailer, emergency responder, or qualified service technician determines that it is safe to do so.
6. GET YOUR SYSTEM CHECKED. Before you attempt to use any of your propane appliances, your propane retailer or a qualified service technician must check your
entire system to ensure that it is leak-free.
FormoreinformationaboutAV Energy check out our web site www.avenergy.com, or call our officeat620-225-4994.
Thanks, and enjoy the rest of yoursummer!
ChrisKlein
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tony Bleumer Chairman
Toby Whipple………..... Vice-Chairman
Levi Salmans Secretary-Treasurer
Butch Irsik Director
Curtis Ellis Director
Garrett Love Director
Weston Vogel Director
David Self Associate Director
Calvin Williamson Associate Director
Jerald Kemmerer………………CEO/GM
Jenny Moreno…Newsletter Editor
908 W Frontview, Dodge City, KS 67801 (620) 225-4193
