
4 minute read
Message from the CEO
Mark Carpenter
Twenty Twenty…What Can We Say?
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We can all reflect on 2020 and talk about the many reasons that might cause that “biting into a lemon” face. At Premier we aren’t going there. Instead, we’d like to give thanks to all the dedicated, hard working beef and dairy producers in our membership that we had the honor to serve. Thank you for trusting us and allowing us to be part of your success.
Whenever I am asked by a new employee or new member about our purpose, I am excited to share my thoughts. Under the direction of our grass roots board of directors we take great pride in providing marketplace protection for our member owners and customers. We do this by operating cooperatively and leveraging our collective strength with our partners, suppliers, and vendors. What does that mean to you?
Genetically:
Your Premier cooperative leverages its common stock ownership in the genetic brands of Select Sires, Accelerated Genetics, and Genervations to represent members in Premier’s territory. This includes in its simplest form, a representative memberled board to help guide the product brands’ direction and focus, along with providing direction to the product brand management on access, pricing, and how our members equity and investments are used to benefit Premier members.
Herd Health Products and Consultative Programs:
Your Premier cooperative negotiates cooperatively to secure the very best partners and works hard to make sure these products are available at a fair price and accessible directly to your farm through your local Premier sales and service teams. Often times these products and programs are developed, tailored, and researched with a collaborative effort to make sure they fit your needs. We only bring the best solutions to our members. In doing so, you know you can trust we’ve done our due diligence on your behalf and we will stand behind them. Some of these are unique to our membership area and others are through national development by working cooperatively with our sister cooperatives across the country to fund R&D, expert employees, and programs that are accessible to our Premier members.
Services:
Your Premier cooperative provides invaluable services through on-farm breeding, training, and other essential services like liquid nitrogen. While many others have abandoned these services to the average producer, Premier continues to provide them because 1) we respond to what our members tell us they need, and 2) we are measured by the value and benefits we provide and not purely the profit we generate. We still need to make good business decisions to invest and remain strong, but with our member owners being our customers, we can remain focused on who and what is most important, our farmer owners.
Your Premier cooperative had a solid year in 2020 as you will see highlighted in the pages of this newsletter. We continue to listen and adapt to what you are telling us and have introduced many new programs this past year to help you find ways to better incorporate our products, programs, and services to meet your herd and operational goals.
Cover photo (L to R): Larkin, Brandon, Barbara, and Charles Moyer Jr. of Oakmulgee Dairy Farm in Amelia Virginia. Oakmulgee is the oldest continuous operating dairy farm in the state of Virginia. The Moyers have been active on the Premier and Select Sires boards over the years, proudly representing the farmers of our cooperative.
FIND THE SEMEN STRAW
for a chance to WIN a special Premier Select Sires prize!
1. Find this semen straw hidden somewhere in the newsletter (hidden straw may be smaller than the one shown here) 2. Go to www.premierselectsires.com and click the“Newsletter Contest” button on the home page 3. Tell us where you found the straw to enter the drawing!
You may also send your submission in the mail. Write us a note including the following information: your name, account #, address, and where you found the semen straw. Mail it to the following address for a chance to WIN!
Premier Select Sires Newsletter Contest Attn. Laura Williams 1 Stony Mountain Road Tunkhannock, PA 18657 Responses must be submitted by May 31, 2021
CONGRATS!
Congratulations to Maureen Whitney of Vermont, winner of the Fall/Winter 2020 semen straw contest! The semen straw was on page 8, photo 2, on the halter chain.


2021 DAIRY SIRE SUMMARIES
April 6 – 7 August 10 – 11 December 7 – 8
Be sure to follow us on social media, visit our website, read our newsletters, and keep in touch with your local representatives to receive all updates and exciting news!
Our Mission
TO SERVE AS A TRUSTED PARTNER WITH BEEF AND DAIRY PRODUCERS, BUILDING THEIR SUCCESS THROUGH INDUSTRYLEADING GENETICS, EFFECTIVE HERD MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS, VALUABLE SERVICES, AND EXPERIENCE-BASED INSIGHTS FROM KNOWLEDGEABLE, PASSIONATE EMPLOYEES.
