BAM_02-23-2015

AG Mag

NorthCentral Illinois

High Stakes

The new farm bill provides two new options for revenue safety nets.

Which is better for you?

BULL MARKET: Cattle farming surges as meat prices climb GREAT DEBATE: Have corn yields reached a plateau?

POWER STRUGGLE: Energy project meeting opposition A Publication of Shaw Media

Spring 2015 Spring 2014

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 486 PRINCETON, IL 61356 800 Ace Road Princeton, IL 61356 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

op Insurance Crop Insurance that’s born that’s in the born in the COUNTRY COUNTRY who trust COUNTRY Farmers forwho CropHail trust COUNTRY insurance and for CropHail Federal Crop insurance Insurance and Federal Crop Insurance

id coverage at anfind affordable solid coverage price. Contact at an affordable your COUNTRY price. Contact Financial your COUNTRY Financial

ntative today.

representative today.

® ® COUNTRY Mutual Issued Insurance

by COUNTRY CompanyMutual , Bloomington, InsuranceIL. Company An equal , opportunity Bloomington, IL. An equal opportunity provider.

TimRutledge Miller Name Tom Rutledge Agent Name Randy Tom Agent Holaway Name Agent Name Randy Agent Jim Scruggs Holaway Name Agent Name Jim Scruggs Agent Name Stark County y Geneseo City Geneseo Walnut City City Princeton Walnut City City Princeton City 309-286-7053 3-4567 309-945-4800 (000) 123-4567(000) 309-945-4800 815-379-9297 123-4567(000) 123-4567(000) 815-872-3333 815-379-9297 123-4567(000) 123-4567 815-872-3333 (000) 123-4567 3-4567 309-945-4800 cell (000) 123-4567 309-945-4800 815-379-9297 cell (000) 123-4567 815-872-3333 815-379-9297 cell (000) 123-4567 815-872-3333 cell (000) 123-4567

Crop Insurance that’s COUNTRY

Farmers who trust COUNTRY for CropHail insurance

find solid coverage at an affordable price. Contact yo representative today.

Name Crane Schafer Agent Name Crane Agent Mike Schafer Morris Name Agent Name Ron Agent Mike Behrends Morris Name Agent Name Ron Behrends Agent Name y Spring Valley City Spring Princeton City Valley City Princeton Tiskilwa City Tiskilwa City IssuedCity

by COUNTRY Mutual Insurance Company®, Blooming 3-4567 815-664-4145 (000) 123-4567(000) 815-872-3333 815-664-4145 123-4567(000) 123-4567(000) 815-872-3333 815-646-4121 123-4567(000) 123-4567 815-646-4121 (000) 123-4567 provider.

3-4567 815-664-4145 cell (000) 123-4567 815-872-3333 815-664-4145 cell (000) 123-4567 815-872-3333 815-646-4121 cell (000) 123-4567 815-646-4121 cell (000) 123-4567

Agent Name Name Tom Agent Name Name Randy AgentHolaway Name Agen Rutledge Mike Taylor MikeHansen Taylor Tyler Hansen Christman Name Agent Name Agent Name Tyler Agent Name Agent NameAndrew Agent Name Agent Agent Name Agent Walnut City Geneseo City City Agency Manager Princeton Princeton Walnut Walnut Princeton y City City City City City City City City (000) 123-4567 123-4567(000) 309-945-4800 (000) 123-4567 123-4567(000) 815-379-9297 123-4567(000) Geneseo 815-872-0914 815-379-9297 815-872-0914 815-379-9297 3-4567(000) 123-4567(000) 123-4567(000) 123-4567(000) 123-4567815-872-0914 (000) 123-4567(000) 123-4567(000) 309-945-4800 cell 815-379-9297 cell (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 309-945-4800 815-872-0914 cell 815-379-9297 815-872-0914 cell 815-379-9297 cell 3-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567

g

s e d,

012013-00484AC 1114-032

2 Spring 2015

Agent Name Crane Schafer Agent Name Agent Mike Morris Name Agen City Spring Valley City Princeton City (000) 123-4567 815-664-4145 (000) 123-4567(000) 815-872-3333 123-4567(000) (000) 123-4567 815-664-4145 cell (000) 123-4567 815-872-3333 cell (000)

Need a specialist to answer your crop insurance questions?

A COUNTRY crop specialist can provide answers to the questions you have about crop insurance. Let us help you build a tangible plan for your operation.

Federal Crop Deadline for Signup - March 16, 2015 Alan Davis

Crop Insurance Specialist Business Cell

815-303-3111

PO Box 59, Tiskilwa, IL 61368 Email: alan.davis@countryfinancial.com Issued by COUNTRY Mutual Insurance Company速, Bloomington, IL. 022014-00461AC

AG Mag

3

Index

AG Mag

NorthCentral Illinois

Publisher Sam R Fisher Advertising Sales Development Director Pam Pratt Editor Terri Simon Magazine Editors Larry Lough, Jeff Rogers Reporters & Photographers Sarah Brown, Kath Clark, Goldie Currie, Pam Eggemeier, Dave Fox, Lyle Ganther, Zita Henneberry, Earleen Hinton, Matt Mencarini, Mike Mendenhall, Ken Schroeder, Shannon Serpette, Angel Sierra, Terri Simon, and Jake Waddingham

16

COVER STORY

Decision to make NorthCentral Illinois farmers weigh their options for revenue safety nets in the 2014 farm bill.

Published by Bureau County Republican 800 Ace Road Princeton, IL 61356 815-875-4461 Articles and advertisements are the property of Bureau County Republican. No portion of the NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Bureau County Republican. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Bureau County Republican cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Bureau County Republican cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.

Beefing up Farmers in the cow-calf business have seen a dramatic increase in prices. Will the good times continue?

10

For the past 80 years Renk has been at the heart of each surge of agricultural innovation. Adapting, Adopting, Riding the crest of each new wave - to bring the best genetics to our customers.

All the while we have not forgotten where our success has come from long-term relationships with customers and dealers. We treasure these relationships and we invite you to be part of our growing story.

g

s e d,

renkseed.com

Keith A. Gehm

Agriculture is my only business Home/Fax: 815-883-7197 • Cell: 815-228-6544 4 Spring 2015

Pressure Washers ,

HOTSY S SPRING PROMO 2015

HOTSY SPRING FEVER SALE

$500 OFF LIST PRICE

HOT WATER MODEL 555SS

$700 OFF LIST PRICE

HOT WATER SERIES 800/900/1400

$1000 OFF LIST PRICE

HOT WATER MODELS 795SS, 795SS-208 & 1075SSE Offer valid March & April

17 W. Peru St. • Princeton, IL

815-875-4564 • 1-800-553-5201 www.hotsyofprinceton.com AG Mag

5

Index Mr. Fix-it

13

Dave Kepner of Walnut has found a way to make vintage tractors run pretty much like “a new pickup truck.”

Going against the wind The Rock Island Clean Line project has an approved path in Illinois, but opponents haven’t given up.

32

24

28

CENTERPIECE STORY

Teaching ag to masses Bureau Valley teacher Willard Mott aims to have every student take an agriculture class.

Yield signs Corn yields continue to increase.

A look at the driving factors, and whether they will continue.

AFTER the STORM

is When we Shine

After the storm passes, our job begins. Our adjusting staff is prepared to help you settle your claims accurately and promptly so you can get back to what matters most: your livelihood.

CALL YOUR FMH AGENT TODAY!

Farmer / Agent

g

s e d,

Karl A. Schultz Insurance Call for information & Quotes

815-646-4734 Cell: 815-866-4734

Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa is an equal opportunity provider. © 2013 Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa. All rights reserved.

6 Spring 2015

POIGNANT BROS. FARM DRAINAGE, INC.

• No long lists! • Any size tile installation • Experienced • GPS equipped • Specializing in grid tile work • Self propelled commercial tile plow • Trencher

BENEFITS OF SYSTEM DRAINAGE HIGHER CROP YIELDS: System drainage represents greater production. It is the final step for today’s top producers to bring fields up to their full capabilities. Drainage should be strongly considered before purchasing additional land, equipment or buildings. It is the only agricultural investment that will help pay for itself every year. Whole farm drainage is taking the Midwest by storm!

EARLIER PLANTING & HARVESTING: Drainage systems remove excess water that hampers soil warm-up in the spring.

This can be particularly important when using no-till or conservation tillage practices. Consistent water table levels throughout growing season will allow faster, more consistent plant growth for quicker harvest start ups in the fall.

TOTAL FIELD FARMING: The objective is more than drying up wet areas. The goal is increased yield.

Without question though, system drainage will show some of the greatest benefits in areas of persistent excess moisture problems transforming some of your least productive land into performance fields.

CALL HAROLD TODAY! (309) 238-8625 AG Mag

7

Index Farming? There’s an app for that

38

Emerging applications for tablets and smartphones enhance a producer’s ability to track and adjust to problems.

Making the most of a gift

35

YOUTH SPOTLIGHT

Randie Kocher received a wedding gift that will enable recipes for delicous food to remain in the family.

Taking the reins 45 Junior high student Nicole Carlone has had an impressive start to training her first horse, Savannah.

g

s e d,

8 Spring 2015

40

GMO debate in Springfield Matters of the mandatory labeling of food containing GMOs have not yet been resolved in the capitol.

P

eak performance is smart planning. Is your air handling system no longer performing at its peak? It could be your airlock. It’s crucial that a rotary airlock maintain a constant air pressure or vacuum difference between the Inlet and Outlet ports. The airlock application should not be taken lightly because an improperly applied airlock can lead to a variety of problems: • poor efficiency • extra maintenance and operator manpower • performance degradation • equipment wear and replacement • lost production because of a shutdown Finding someone truly knowledgeable and who understands the variables involved in proper airlock performance is key. Your fields and harvest won’t wait, so finding someone who specializes in airlocks AND who can save you time and money is ideal. Purchasing a reengineered airlock is the solution. Most models are readily available, and by taking advantage of an exchange program, you save on downtime. In addition, the cost of a rebuilt airlock is less expensive, approximately 40% less than an OEM model. The warranty that comes with reengineered airlocks is the same as, or better than, your original. Visit Rotary Airlock at rotaryairlock.com or call 800-883-8955. Relying on experts when your airlock isn’t working properly is smart planning.

Paid Advertisement

Your FIELDS and HARVEST

WON'T WAIT.

AG Mag

9

g

s e d,

Cattle farmers have seen historic profits in recent years.

In 2010, the average hundredweight price for cattle in the U.S. was $97.18. In November 2014, it was $169.

(Jake Waddingham/ NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag)

WHERE’S THE BEEF...

AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Cattle farmers riding high in cyclical industry

BY MATT MENCARINI, KEN SCHROEDER AND GOLDIE CURRIE For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

The economic conditions for the cow-calf industry in the Midwest can be chalked up to simple supply and demand; maybe to the cyclical nature of all commodities; or even the perfect storm of conditions that started in 2011. Or perhaps all three.

But the end result is the same: Historic profits.

In 2013, the average hundredweight price for cattle in the U.S. was $126.83, up from $97.18 in 2010. But the highest month in 2013 – $132 – is dwarfed by the prices once the calender turned over into 2014.

By March 2014, the average hundredweight price for cattle in the U.S. was $150. It kept climbing, reaching $159 in August and $169 in November.

W. Travis Meteer. beef extension educator with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said the cow-calf business is traditionally a break-even business. But that changed last year.

CONTINUED ON 11

10 Spring 2015

demic diarrhea virus, or PEDV, killed off much of the pig supply.

“We had sort of perfect storm there of a shortage of animal protein,” he said.

Weighing options

Ken Schroeder/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Austin (from left), Denton and Darren Walter stand with one of their feeder cattle at their beef operation in Grand Ridge in LaSalle County. Darren also owns a company that provides steaks to high-end, Chicago-area restaurants.

CONTINUED FROM 10

“We’ve seen it increase dramatically,” he said. “It depends on what economist you use, but profits have been as high as $700 a cow. That’s a huge, huge increase from what cow-calf producers are used to seeing.”

Supply and demand And it all started with a drought-stricken southern U.S. in 2011.

Once cattle producers in the South lose water, they can’t maintain the animals, Meteer said. They can bring in hay, but water is the issue. A huge liquidation of cow herd occurred in 2011 in the southwest, he said.

The drought returned in 2012, again during the grazing season, but this time it affected a larger portion of the country, including much of the Midwest.

When cattle operations don’t have water, cows get sold, Meteer said, and the industry went through 2 years of massive liquidation.

Mike Thacker of Walnut in Bureau County, who is president of the Bureau County Cattlemen’s Association, agreed that the most relevant factor is likely the drought.

With herd numbers down, the demand for beef grew, which in turn caused a rise in beef prices. Feeder cattle farmers who bought cattle in 2013 and sold them off in 2014 made a lot of money, Thacker said.

“I’ve heard of some pretty high numbers – hundreds of dollars a head,” he said.

“But you have to remember, those guys lost hundreds of dollars before. So everyone thinks they’re getting gravy right now; but the guys that feed the cattle are having to pay a fortune, and that’s really risky.”

The simple law of supply and demand was abetted by some misfortune in the pork industry, said Phil Reemtsma, president of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. The spread of the porcine epi-

That perfect storm resulted to record beef profits. And what cattlemen are doing with those profits can set them up for future success.

Some operators are building new facilities. In Iowa, many are building indoor facilities that will not only reduce costs, but reduce the chance of run-off making its way into rivers and streams.

“From a big picture standpoint, it’s a great time to be in the cattle Phil business,” Reemtsma said Reemtsma “There is going to be some up and down. But people investing in those operations … I think it’s going to be a good investment long term.”

But Bureau County cattleman Thacker said his operation of about 80 cattle hadn’t been affected much by the surge – if at all. He also has no plans to expand.

“The problem in this area is we don’t have an abundance of pasture, and you can’t really expand unless you take crop ground out and put it into pasture,” he said. “And it doesn’t usually make sense to do that.”

CONTINUED ON 12

Goldie Currie/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Mike Thacker, of rural Walnut in Bureau County and president of the Bureau County Cattlemen’s Association, checks out his herd on a snowy winter morning.

He said when herd numbers are down, the demand for beef grows, which in turn causes a rise in beef prices.

AG Mag

11

CONTINUED FROM 11

While some beef cattle farmers were able to expand, that wasn’t the case for Darren Walter in LaSalle County. The Grand Ridge farmer said the bad part of high demand for beef is the high cost of raising cattle.

“While feed might have been cheaper, feeder costs were higher,” Walter said.

“Feeder prices are up about 50 percent higher this year than they were before.”

Walter has a beef cattle operation he runs with his father and uncle, raising about 350 head of cattle a year. For him, buying feeder cattle is a necessity.

“Margins were tighter because feeder cattle prices were higher,” Walter said. “In 1994 when I got out of college and started farming, you could get a 500-pound steer for around a dollar a pound. Today, that same steer is around $3 a pound.”

Walter compared the situation with the corn boom of a couple of seasons ago.

“When corn was $7, it was hard to find outside markets for grain, and that lower demand brought prices back down,” he said. “Today, that housewife on a budget has to think about it; chicken and pork start to look pretty good.

“Fortunately, I don’t think Americans will ever turn their back on steak. The people that go to a white tablecloth restaurant and pay $45 for a steak din-

‘‘

We’ve seen [the cow-calf business] increase dramatically. It depends on what economist you use, but profits have been as high as $700 a cow. That’s a huge, huge increase from what cow-calf producers are used to seeing.

W. Travis Meeter, beef extension educator

ner, they’ll pay $52. It’s the housewives on a budget that have the problem.”

Unforgiving business Cattlemen looking to reinvest their profits from 2014 should consider all their options and evaluate whether they’re already maxed out, in which case the reinvestment might be best used to secure wealth against future loses or to make small changes to improve efficiency.

While starting up a new livestock operation might be too expensive to take advantage of the current conditions, U of I educator Meteer said, diversified farms with livestock and row crops may have an advantage to straight row crops.

“It just needs to be approached with common sense and awareness,” he said. “It is a little bit of an unforgiving business.”

Lee Schulz, assistant professor of eco-

’’

nomics at Iowa State University who specializes in livestock, said production agriculture, and livestock in general, is notoriously cyclical. There was already a tight supply in the cattle industry before the liquidation happened, he explained, and that’s what triggered the high prices.

“If we look at the markets, the fundamentals of both supply and demand are really supporting record profits in the livestock industry,” he said.

And 2015, Schulz said, looks like it could be on par with 2014.

But just as the weather in other parts of the country contributed to the rise in prices for cattle in the Midwest, it can also contribute to its fall.

What might seem like uncertainty to some, Meteer said, is just another year in the cow-cattle business.

“If you ever want a humbling experience in life, own cattle,” he said. “There are a lot of factors that can come into play.”

in Princeton is Your Hometown Choice for Tough Chevy Trucks!

And Here’s Why...

• Best Resale Value • Longest Lasting • Lower Step-In Height • Quiet, Smooth Ride • Best Fuel-Mileage Any Combination of Cabs, Drive Systems & Capabilities You Need to Get the Job Done!

As always, we give maximum trade allowances & many finance options! Leasing is available as well!

g

s e d,

1402 North Main Princeton, Illinois

815-875-4411 • www.piehlmotorsgm.com 12 Spring 2015

Bringing the past into the present

BY GOLDIE CURRIE For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Dave Kepner of Walnut stands near his latest mechanics project.

Kepner found a way to put an electronic fuel injection system on his 1965 John Deere 4020 gas-powered engine. The new system now allows his old tractor to start just like a brand new pickup truck.

(Goldie Currie/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag)

Dave Kepner of Walnut in Bureau County has always had a knack for all things mechanical.

He admits to being called a “gear head” when he was in school.

“I was that kid who would rather tear his bike apart than ride the dang thing,” he said.

Kepner started his career in mechanics in 1959, right after high school, when he went to work at the John Deere Dealership in Walnut.

CONTINUED ON 14

AG Mag

13

CONTINUED FROM 13

With 56 years of experience under his belt, he’s developed a reputation as being a “go-to” guy when a piece of equipment isn’t running properly.

Often times, Kepner can be found in his machine shed tinkering around with tools and old tractors, but lately that time spent tinkering has produced a unique project that’s completely modernized his 1965 John Deere 4020 tractor.

Kepner has transformed his tractor’s gas-powered engine into an electronic fuel injection system that runs on modern unleaded gasoline.

The modern technology touch to his vintage tractor allows it to run pretty much like “a new pickup truck,” he said.

It’s an idea that has yet to really make it into the agricultural scene, according to Kepner.

“I’ve never heard of anyone who has done this yet,” he said. “But the need is out there to use these old tractors.”

With this conversion, he added, farmers can transform their old gas-powered tractors into a better product.

With a mechanical background, Kepner had the idea for the conversion.

He said the automobile industry had found a way to convert old vehicles to EFI systems, and he wanted to incorporate the same idea for his tractor.

His first step in coming up with the

g

s e d,

14 Spring 2015

Goldie Currie/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Kepner explains his work and technique in hooking up an electronic fuel injection system on his old gas-powered engine tractor. According to Kepner, this is an idea that has yet to make it into the agricultural scene, but the demand is out there, as many farmers have kept their old gas-powered engine tractors but have yet to find use for them. method was calling a company in Memphis, Tennessee., who works on conversions for old vehicles. Kepner was able to get in touch with a company engineer who was willing to give direction, via the phone, with the EFI retrofit system hookup. The engineer happened to be a farmer from Mississippi and had a good idea of what Kepner was trying to accomplish.

Kepner said once he was able to get

direction from the engineer, the project didn’t take much time to complete. A tad bit of remodeling to parts on the tractor had to be done to incorporate the new system, but the modern touch has barely touched the vintage look of the John Deere 4020 model.

“It’s just awesome what it does [to the tractor],” Kepner said, referring to the conversion. “It doesn’t smoke. It starts easily, and it’s really like driving a new pickup truck.”

Kepner said the new twist gives his tractor 10 percent more horsepower than when it left the dealership, while using 20 percent less fuel.

“It’s just correcting a lot of mistakes made when they were first built,” he said.

When Kepner took his project to a corn pickers show this past fall, he received a lot attention from fellow farmers interested in his conversion.

Today, he keeps busy doing the same conversion to four tractors people have asked him to complete.

Kepner said he is more than willing to share his idea. He said he doesn’t care who does it; he just thinks it needs to be known that it can be done so farmers can utilize the late model gas-powered tractors.

“The country is just full of them, and they’re just sitting around not being used,” he said, adding there is still a good market for the small tractor that’s capable of doing those little projects around the farm.

AG Mag

15

Caught in new safety net Photo submitted to NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Drew Weyers works in a field at his farm south of Monroe, Iowa. Weyers said he was leaning toward going with Agricultural Risk Coverage as his revenue safety net but wanted to learn more about both options before making a final decision.

g

s e d,

16 Spring 2015

Deadlines loom for options under farm bill

BY PAM EGGEMEIER, LYLE GANTHER AND SHANNON SERPETTE For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Direct payments disappeared in the new farm bill, and farmers have until March 31 to choose between two new safety net programs.

One of the programs modifies the previous farm bill’s target price program. The Agricultural Act of 2014 replaced the Counter-Cyclical Payment program with the Price Loss Coverage program.

The other option, with two variations, changes the revenue safety nets. Agricultural Risk Coverage replaces Average Crop Revenue Election with ARC County and ARC Individual Farm.

Those who don’t make a decision will automatically be enrolled in PLC; they will be paid for 2015, but not 2014 because CCP payments

were based on the previous marketing year averages.

But before farmers make that choice, a more pressing information-gathering deadline is coming. Farmers have until Feb. 27 to update their base acreage reallocation and yield history information.

Uncertainty still Dennis Verbeck of rural Atkinson, president of the Henry County Farm Bureau, isn’t sure what program he will choose.

“It just depends on your crystal ball,” he said in January. “Agricultural Risk Coverage is revenue based, but the individual component doesn’t fit most people with its moving average for a fiveyear time frame.

CONTINUED ON 18

HANDS ON SERVICE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. WE’RE BY YOUR SIDE THROUGHOUT THE GROWING SEASON.

Chad Hodge AgVenture Yield Specialist Office: 815-879-7333 Toll Free: 800-664-7333 Cell: 309-714-0489

124 W. Progress Drive, Princeton, IL

chodge@agventure-pl.com

www.agventure-pl.com AG Mag

17

CONTINUED FROM 17

The recent high revenues the last five years might be the way to go. If you are a pessimist on prices, Price Loss Coverage five years down the road might be the program.”

Verbeck, who farms with his brother in western Bureau County and eastern Henry County, said farmers could also split their acreage between the two programs.

Bob Fecht, a Toluca farmer who is president of Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau, said he has been educating himself about the new farm bill by attending meetings and utilizing the online resources available, such as an online calculator.

In mid-January, he had not decided which program to choose. He wants to do more research and number crunching first.

“Once you choose this, it stays with that farm for five years, even if the farm property is sold,” Fecht said.

Such an important decision shouldn’t be entered into lightly and should be thoroughly researched, he said. At the meetings he has attended, all of the professionals have urged farmers to give themselves plenty of time to weigh their options instead of scrambling at the last minute to learn about them.

CONTINUED ON 19

g

s e d,

18 Spring 2015

Lyle Ganther/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Dennis Verbeck, of rural Atkinson in Henry County, said he wasn’t sure which program to sign up his acreage for in the new farm bill. He said each farmer will have to decide whether to place acreage in the Agricultural Risk Coverage or the Price Loss Coverage programs for the next five years.

CONTINUED FROM 18

With ARC, the county option has a higher trigger at 85 percent, but the benchmark yield is based off the entire county’s average. It also calculates corn and soybean yields separately.

The individual farm option has a lower trigger at 65 percent and considers only the yield harvest from the farmer’s field, but it averages corn and soybeans together.

Weighing options While ARC County seems to be the popular choice in northern Illinois, many farmers are still weighing the risk in their decisions.

Some farm organizations in northern Illinois are pointing producers in the direction of the ARC County safety net option because they believe it favors Midwest grain producers. It uses a collective benchmark yield, for example, $1.70 for Lee County.

An important difference

between ARC and PLC is that ARC is a revenue program.

PLC uses target and loan prices with a $1.75 spread. It covers only loss and doesn’t protect revenue.

ARC Individual doesn’t receive much attention in Illinois because it is believed to be a better choice for farmers who have smaller farms where climate, soil types, and yield can vary greatly throughout a county.

The only part of the safety net process that crop insurers are directly dealing with is the Supplemental Crop Option, which is available only as an add-on with PLC. The PLC option would seem to be better suited for farmers in the southern states, where crops like cotton and rice are king.

Because PLC offers a deeper net, it might also be a better choice for new farmers who are just getting established.

It’s important to note that neither program is intended to replace crop insurance.

CONTINUED ON 20

AG Mag

19

CONTINUED FROM 19

Gary Schnitkey, an agriculture economist at the University of Illinois, breaks down the decision process into three parts: Which has the highest expected payments? How Gary Schnitkey concerned are you about low prices? What is the availability of the supplemental coverage?

“ARC County probably has the highest expected payments for corn,” Schnitkey said. “This is best if you believe prices will be above $3.30 over 5 years, but you’d better be in PLC if you’re concerned corn will come in below $3.30.”

Current corn prices have been in the $4 range.

Schnitkey said the availability of SCO isn’t likely to be a big factor because it adds only about 1 percent to the mix.

g

s e d,

20 Spring 2015

Shannon Serpette/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Bob Fecht, a Toluca farmer, discusses the intricacies of the new farm bill in a meeting room at the Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau office in Henry. He had not yet decided which program to choose. He wanted to study the matter a while longer before reaching his decision.

Assess debt, risk In Iowa, Dave Miller is a go-to guy on the safety net options. He is the director of research for commodity services at Iowa Farm Bureau.

Because of the complexity of the programs, even an expert like Miller has changed his mind on some of the finer points.

“A few months ago, I said ARC County is probably best

for most people in Iowa, but now I believe PLC competes pretty well in southern Iowa,” Miller said.

Miller believes efforts to educate farmers are starting to cut through the initial confusion. The hesitancy has backed up the process, adding to deadline stress at the FSA offices.

“We had very good attendance at our state meetings,” Miller said, “and many people had gone to several meetings before they said they were finally getting it because it’s complex and difficult.”

Miller still believes ARC County is best for soybeans in Illinois and Iowa, based on his calculations showing only about a 5 percent to 10 percent chance of getting PLC payments for soybeans in any of the 5 years.

For corn, the decision is not so simple. Farmers are urged to remember that the safety net options will cover five crop years – a period from 2014 through 2018.

CONTINUED ON 21

CONTINUED FROM 20

ARC County is likely to provide a bigger payout in the first 2 years, but not much protection on the back end of the contract.

“With PLC, if corn hangs around $4.25, farmers might get only one payment, but it would provide much deeper protection if prices were to drop off the table into the $3 range.

PLC also seems to be a better choice in areas where yields are steadier.

Miller said much of the decision should be about assessing debt load and risk tolerance.

“If $3 corn could put you out of business, you should look at PLC,” he advised, “but others should get the max now with less protection in the back end. It’s kind of like sitting down at a poker game, and with ARC, you’re assured of winning your first two hands.”

Some global issues at play are cause for concern when betting on corn prices.

Weather is always the big-

gest wild card, and farmers have been blessed with a longer up cycle with prices than usual in such Dave a cyclical busiMiller ness. Another record production year in 2014, nationally and in Illinois, could stoke worries about oversupply.

“It’s not a big concern at the moment – we went from $3 corn in August to near $4 now – but if we have another good year in 2015, it could get back to $3 in a hurry,” U of I economist Schnitkey said.

Ethanol is another piece of the supply puzzle. Plunging oil prices and a trend toward reduced gas consumption present a potentially dangerous mix for the ethanol industry.

“Oil’s effect on the markets will definitely be something to watch moving forward,” Iowa Farm Bureau’s Miller said. “It could put a great deal of pressure on the ethanol industry.”

Plumbing • Heating • Electrical COUNTRY is in our name because country is what we know!

Serving the Illinois Valley for Over 90 Years

We Sell, Install & Service GENERAC Generators

Prompt - Courteous - Affordable

815-442-3415 www.towncountryservices.com

With engineered seed, generic adjuvants, crop protection, plant food and more, Gold Star FS can help with your pursuit of maximum yield and ultimately improve your bottom line.

Whether you need propane, diesel fuel, gasoline or a bulk oil system setup, we have you covered each step of the way to help you lower maintenance costs and keep your equipment running smoothly.

Power

Efficiency

Protection

®

A quality grain setup and assistance with marketing your grain can help take your operation to the next level. Rely on Gold Star FS and their trained staff to take your business one step further.

®

Cambridge 309-937-2421 Atkinson 309-936-7716 Woodhull 309-334-2111

24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK ALWAYS FREE ESTIMATES

©2013 GROWMARK, Inc. M13849A

AG Mag

21

g

s e d,

Bureau County Farm Bureau: Celebrating 100 years

Y

BY SHARI VOGEL For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

ou never know where the journey will take you when you offer to volunteer.

About a year and one-half ago, Jill Frueh, manager of Bureau County Farm Bureau, placed an article in the paper asking for volunteers to help with the 100-year anniversary celebration of the Bureau County Farm Bureau. I have been a member of Farm Bureau for years and am ashamed to say know very little about this 100-yearold organization. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to learn more about Farm Bureau, its members and why it is still going strong 100 years later. I wasn’t sure what skills, knowledge or talents I had to contribute; there had to be something I could help with, possibly stuff envelopes?

After going to several meetings I learned more and more about the rich history of Bureau County Farm Bureau and about the men and women who gave of their

time and talents to make Farm Bureau what it is today. They told stories of their fathers and grandfathers, stories of back in the day, stories of how Farm Bureau helped them. One can easily see they are just as dedicated to this organization and its members as were their forefathers, working together to improve their farms and their community.

Through the decades, as needs were identified Farm Bureau would answer those needs. Some programs have passed with time when the need was no longer there; others still are going strong today.

And so my journey took me back to the early 1900s. At that time, farming was changing, and the needs of the farmer were more complex. Farmers were getting together to discuss common problems. They recognized the need for a farmers’ organization. The local organization became known as the Bureau County Agricultural Improvement Association. Later it would be changed to Bureau County Farm Bureau.

NEW LEADER

MULTAPPLIER

New box design allows you to apply 2 fertilizers in one pass.

Blend on the go with independent control of conveyors.

Broadcast fertilizer from 60’ to 84’. The MultApplier dual hopper insert is removable allowing for single product application.

McHenry Machine Company, Inc. 815-875-1953

1309 IL Highway 26, Princeton, IL 61356 22 Spring 2015

Early on as more and more farmers traded their horse and plow to tractors, the need for a reliable and economical source of petroleum products was met by the development of Farm Supply Co. Today that farmers’ co-op which provides seed, fertilizer, fuel and other production inputs is known as GROWMARK. Country Companies was formed from a critical need for insurance. The company first offered fire, hail and lightning. Later on came auto, life, theft, liability and property damage. Today the company is known as COUNTRY Financial.

Farm Bureau Farm Management was established to help farmers know how well his farming practices are compared with other area farms and where his strong points and weak points are, as well as the importance of good records as a management tool. Today it is known as Farm Business Farm Management.

CONTINUED ON 23

Serving Today’s Farmers for Over 52 Years!

WE DELIVER: • PROPANE • MOTOR OILS • FUELS

Manlius Oil Co. Inc.

Manlius, IL, Hwy. 40 • (815) 445-3122

CONTINUED FROM 22

Farm Bureau has always considered education a priority. Through the years many programs and services have been offered educating their members on new farming techniques, helping young farmers become established and profitable.

Educating the community has also been important.

Farm Bureau offers such programs as Adopt A Classroom, Ag In The Classroom, and Ag Fair for fourth-graders.

There have been countless programs, co-ops and services that have grown out of Farm Bureau as the organization would strive to meet the needs of its members.

For all these 100 years the goals of Bureau County Farm Bureau have not changed: To be a voice for the farmer and to protect their interests.

Currently on a national level, Farm Bureau is the voice of the farmer on the Waters of the United States issue. As it stands now, the proposed rule will expand the jurisdiction of the EPA in an unprecedent-

Photo submitted to NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Pictured is a display Shari Vogel assembled, at last summer’s Bureau County Fair, to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Bureau County Farm Bureau. Vogel serves on the 100th year celebration committee and has put together many displays around the community to raise awareness of the organization’s centennial celebration. ed manner and could make farming more difficult and unnecessarily complicated.

Drones are another area Farm Bureau is working at a state level. The use of drones in agriculture is almost unlimited. Farm Bureau is working on new unmanned

The T-L Difference

Proven technology

THAT WORKS! T-L Irrigation Systems

HOSE DOCTOR On-Site Hose Repair Shop 815-849-5223

815-994-7543 2025 Sublette Rd. • Sublette, IL Cell

Are you tired of dealing with the hassles of irrigating with electrically powered pivot irrigation systems? Microswitches, expensive unexpected repairs, high maintenance costs, safety concerns…the list goes on. Only T-L irrigation systems use strong, efficient, smooth running and reliable hydrostatic power that you know and work with every day. Proven technology that works! Let T-L Irrigation Co. and T-L dealers give you lasting value and decades of dependability. T-L pivot irrigation systems are “Easier on You – For a Lifetime.”

Call your local T-L dealer or 1-800-330-4264 today!

aircraft systems policies.

Big Data which is all the data collected from sensors on combines and tractors and other farm equipment that gather information on how much fertilizer is needed where, weed control, pest infestation, crop yields, soil

conditions and other pertinent variables. The concern lies with Big Data ownership and third party access and use of farm information.

Farm Bureau is playing a big part in navigating this issue.

Looking forward 100 years, I wonder what issues Farm Bureau will be facing. Will we be farming on the moon or Mars? I do know the goals of Farm Bureau will be the same.

The following quote found in the foreword of the Bureau County Farm Bureau 75th Anniversary Book was fitting in 1914, in 1989, and is most fitting today. “It is our hope that the history in this book will serve as a reminder to future leaders that great things are accomplished when we all work together for the betterment of mankind.”

I have enjoyed my journey of discovering of this grassroots organization. It has a proud tradition of working quickly, efficiently and economically for its members.

I urge young farmers to become members and members to become active members. The rewards are limitless.

For All Your Agricultural Lending Needs • We customize your financing based upon your needs • You can count on our experienced lending team • Prompt, local decisions • Sweep accounts on lines of credit

Deb Schultz

Dan Wujek

Member FDIC

110 N. Main Ave. • Ladd, IL • 815-894-2386 126 E. High St. • Hennepin, IL • 815-925-7373

www.ncb-ebanc.com

Todd McKey AG Mag

23

g

s e d,

HOW MANY YOU REALLY S

BY DAVE FOX, ZITA HENNEBERRY AND KEN SCHROEDER For NorthCentral Illinois AgMag

ometimes, the only certainty in farming is uncertainty.

Take corn, for instance.

Both yields and prices in corn markets have seen record highs in recent years. Yields continue to fluctuate, ever upward, while prices seem to have corrected themselves – downward – after the golden grain hit an all-time high in recent years.

Many different factors can impact yields of corn – and other grain – from one year to the next, and yields have a definite impact on prices.

Gilbert Hostetler, president of Deer Grove, Illinois-based Prairie Hybrids, said that good quality seed, good genetics, a good fertility program, and a good supply of organic matter in the soil are all vital to getting the highest possible yields.

Even under ideal conditions in those four factors, Mother Nature has a lot of say in the end product.

Ted Koster, with Tettens Grain based in Galt, Illinois, is a firm believer in good weather producing good crops.

“A lot of what happens in the end depends on the weather during the growing season, for sure,” Koster said.

“Last year was a fairly good year in northern Illinois for corn because of the good summer growing season,” he said. “A lot of it depends on heat days, rainfall and so forth.”

24 Spring 2015

BUSHELS CAN GROW? Local farmers skeptical about limits to corn production

Dave Fox/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Corn is moved from one step to the next in the seed corn processing plant at Prairie Hybrids in Deer Grove, Illinois. In Iowa, farmers produced 181.81 bushels of corn per acre in 2014, much higher than the national average.

Farmers harvested a record 14.2 billion bushels of corn, 3 percent more than the 2013 crop, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported. The record crop came even though farmers harvested Ted Koster about 5 percent Says good fewer acres than in weather 2013. Record yields produces good were estimated in 21 crops. “Last year states, including Illi- was a fairly good nois and Nebraska. year in northern Illinois for corn Matt Tracy, a corn because of the and soybean farmer good summer from Toulon in Stark growing season,” County, had high said Koster, with hopes for this past Tettens Grain in year’s corn producGalt, Illinois. tion, and he wasn’t disappointed.

“I thought it was going to be a good crop,” he said.

“I mean, it was one of the best crops, I think the best crop I have ever harvested.”

Actual corn yields have more than doubled since 1975, according to the USDA. “I do agree that yields have been going up.” Tracy said.

Still, he will not plant more corn this year. Instead, he said, he will plant about 60 to 70 acres of soybeans in what was previously cornfields. This change is not a significant one, Tracy said. It will account for less than 10 percent of his overall acreage.

Tracy is a grain farmer, raising corn, soybeans, and occasionally, a few acres of wheat.

Two counties east in Putnam County, Magnolia’s Laurie Glenn had her best year as well.

CONTINUED ON 26 AG Mag

25

g

s e d,

CONTINUED FROM 25

“I had the best corn I ever raised last,” Glenn said. “Over 1,300 acres last year, I averaged 223 bushel dry, and I’ve got plots – one has sand; another has clay; and I’ve got some good topsoil. My best area was 114 acres, and I got 247 bushel dry.”

Even though she had a record year last year, Glenn said she will not change her usual crop rotation, which consists of two-thirds corn, one-third soybeans each year.

Market correction After record yields and high prices, the market has worked to correct itself.

There is somewhat of a downward trend on the number of corn acres being planted, according to USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, which was released on Jan. 12.

According to that report, an estimated 97.3 million acres of corn were planted in the U.S. in 2012-13, with that number dropping to 95.4 million acres the next season. The agency estimates a drastically lower 90.6 million acres of corn being planted in the U.S. in the coming growing season.

Of course, the actual yield per acre will largely depend on the type of seed planted, according to Prairie Hybrid’s Hostetler.

“GMO [genetically modified seed]

Ken Schroeder/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Putnam County’s Laurie Glenn doesn’t think there’s a corn cap in the future. She also doesn’t see an end to the continuing rise in crop yields, believing better genetics is the biggest reason behind better yields. tends to produce slightly lower yields per acre than non-GMO,” he said.

“Non-GMO corn generally produces about 15 bushels more per acre than GMO varieties,” he said. “Some of our

non-GMO seed averages 200 to 225 bushels per acre, and we have had some go as high as 300.”

CONTINUED ON 27

• Farm • Real Estate • • Household • Antiques •

Rediger ick

AUCTION SERVICE

401 W. Main St. Wyanet, IL 61379

815-699-7999

Rick Rediger,

Auctioneer IL Lic #44.0000 576 Visit us at:

www.rickrediger.com 26 Spring 2015

Grain Elevators, Conveyers, Augers, Grain Storage, Irrigation, Crane, Electrical Services, Crane, Millwright, M&W, & Rhino Equipment

VandeVoorde Sales, Inc. Ph-309.935.6382 Rt. 78, Annawan, IL

The Source for Grain Storage & Handling

CONTINUED FROM 26

Hostetler attributes much of that to the fact that non-GMO plants break down into organic matter in the soil much more effectively after the harvest.

That, in turn, leads to higher plant productivity.

Another impact on yield increases, particularly with GMO corn, is insufficient levels of oxygen in the soil, he noted.

Farmers who use no-till or low-till methods “just aren’t getting enough oxygen back into the soil,” he said, “and that has slowed the per-acre yields of GMO corn somewhat. One of our customers said he gained 20 bushels per acre simply by cultivating.”

Supply and demand obviously play a huge part in prices at the end of the season.

Koster, with Tettens Grain, noted high spikes in pricing recently, but said that the market always corrects itself.

“During the past five years, corn hit a high of $8.30 per bushel,” Koster said.

“That was in 2012,” he noted. “This year, there was such a high yield that the price hit a low of $3.30, but the market is coming back up off the bottom side, and we’re at about $4 now,” he said last month.

“Prices are generally lower due to an

excess supply of corn,” he explained, “and they were at record highs before because we’d had two bad years in a row.”

Many factors World events, governmental policies, and other global factors also impact grain prices here and abroad as well.

“Many different factors will impact the corn prices,” Koster said. “Ethanol production, demand in China, and world weather patterns all have an impact.

Corn and beans are really a global market.”

Overall, supply and demand tend to have the biggest impact on how much is planted and what will go to the bank at harvest time.

Pioneer Seed’s Steven Long, based in Sterling, Illinois, said that will likely cause more beans and less corn to be planted this coming season, at least in the Midwest, as a step toward correcting the market.

“It’s a little more economical to put out beans,” he noted. “It’s a crop that costs less to produce than corn.”

Once existing corn supplies begin to shrink, it’s possible prices could go back up somewhat and more could be planted.

Not so this year, in all likelihood.

“We’ve got enough supply of corn on

INSURANCE FOR WHATEVER CROPS UP • • • •

Farm Property Farm Liability Crop Hail/Wind Coverage Multi-Peril Crop Coverage ERIC OLDS AGENT

815-699-2477 320 W. Main • Wyanet, IL oldsinsurance@comcast.net

Dave Fox/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Grain trucks load up with corn at Tettens Grain in Galt, Illinois.

hand right now,” Long said, “Planting more beans probably won’t drive corn prices back up, but it will give existing supplies of corn a chance to be used.

CONTINUED ON 47

Schoff Farm Service, Inc. Walnut, Illinois Serving your modern day transportation needs, with old fashioned service!

HOPPER BOTTOMS • END DUMPS TANKERS • BOTTLES • BELTS WALKING FLOORS AND DRY VANS Licensed and bonded for Brokerage Service

One Location - One Number

815-379-2777 Locally owned and operated

AG Mag

27

POWER FEUD

CONTINUES

Mike Mendenhall/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

There are 67 turbines on the Laurel Wind Farm near Laurel, Iowa. While a route for the Rock Island Clean Line project to transmit wind energy from Iowa to northeastern Illinois has been approved in Illinois, an Iowa route still awaits an OK from the Iowa Utilities Board.

ELEVATOR COMPANY Proudly Serving Our Farming Community Since 1903

(815) 894-2013 www.seatelev.com

* GRAIN STORAGE, DRYING & CUSTOM HAULING *

g

We also carry an assortment of products, such as: Dog Food, Cat Food, Bird Food, Water Softener Salt, Ice Melt Salt, White Blocks, Trace Mineral & Protein Blocks

s e d,

28 Spring 2015

Rock Island Clean Line, Block RICL still in dispute

BY TERRI SIMON AND KATHLEEN SCHULTZ For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

It could be the Hatfields and the McCoys of Illinois.

While the Hatfield and McCoy folklore was in West Virginia, the legendary feud between the two families is synonymous with justice, the honor of one’s family, and in some cases ... a bit of revenge.

Enter Rock Island Clean Line – an energy transmission project that conceptually begins in North Central O’Brien County in Iowa, and ends at a ComEd substation in Grundy County, Illinois. In Illinois, the projected path of the line begins in Rock Island County at the Mississippi River south of Cordova, and then runs through Whiteside, Henry, Bureau and LaSalle counties before ending in Grundy County.

But not so fast, RICL. Enter Block RICL – a grassroots organization growing in numbers, which doesn’t want any part of RICL. It’s more than just a “not in my backyard” type of group, rather one of people who are eager to preserve the generations of farmland they own, while bitterly refusing any suggestion of eminent domain.

They are also a group of people who

are not afraid to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to legal recourse; many have joined efforts to prevent the transmission project. To date, Block RICL spokespersons said, tens of thousands of people have joined similar efforts in Illinois and across the country, including Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, South Dakota, Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee and more.

Illinois approval In late November 2014 the Illinois Commerce Commission granted RICL a certificate of public convenience and necessity, which allows it to build and operate the 121-mile Illinois portion of the new 500-mile direct current electric power line. RICL, a subsidiary of Clean Line Energy of Houston, Texas, had submitted its application to the ICC in October 2012.

The application proposed two routes, a preferred and alternative route; the preferred route was approved by the ICC. On Jan. 14, the ICC denied a request for a new hearing that was filed by entities: ComEd, the Illinois Agriculture Association (aka Illinois Farm Bureau), and the Illinois Landowners Alliance.

Members of Block RICL say they will continue to oppose the project, despite ICC’s decision not to rehear the case.

RICL recently filed for the same permission in Iowa as it did in Illinois and must go through a similar regulatory process, which took two years in Illinois.

Officials hope to have that Iowa approval yet this year; begin construction as early as 2016; and begin transmission as early as 2018. That time line could change based on regulatory approvals.

The Iowa portion of the project is also being met with many opponents and landowner opposition.

If the line is approved, it will deliver a projected 3,500 megawatts of wind power from the greater northwest Iowa area to Illinois. The lines could carry electricity produced from wind farms in South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa though Illinois and eastward, though the majority would be from Iowa.

“The ICC approval is a great step forward for the Rock Island Clean Line project and brings Illinois one step closer to creating a cleaner energy future,” Michael Skelly, president of Clean Line Energy, said in the release in late 2014.

Have you Centralized your Ag Relationship?

This old barn was transformed into a Summer Home / Winter Hunting Lodge.

Call a Central Bank Ag Banker Today!

GENESEO

309-944-5601 Randy Clary

CONTINUED ON 30

FULTON

800-828-8941 Brad Ottens

PRINCETON

815-875-3333 Dan McAlvey or Jason VanLanduit

Geneseo · Fulton · Princeton www.central-bank.com Member FDIC

The Name You Can Trust For All Your Barn Transformations!

397 Henpeck Road • Walnut, Illinois

815-379-2148 • www.vandcconstruction.com Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 5:00pm • Saturday by appointment AG Mag

29

CONTINUED FROM 29

Preferred route for Rock Island Clean Line project

“We are grateful to the commission for their careful consideration of our application and proposed route.

By approving game-changing projects like the Rock Island Clean Line, Illinois will benefit from access to low-cost clean energy and job creation in the construction and manufacturing sectors.”

Jobs ... and objections According to the company, RICL would decrease the annual cost of wholesale electricity used to serve Illinois customers by an estimated $320 million in its first year of operation alone.

In addition, it would bring a direct investment of about $600 million in the state, and create hundreds of construction jobs and job support in the manufacturing sector for the wind turbines that will provide power for the line.

CONTINUED ON 31

This map shows the entire RICL project, which begins in northwest Iowa and ends in Grundy County, Illinois. The Illinois route has been approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission, while the Iowa portion of the route is still under consideration by the Iowa Utilities Board.

PERU WALTHAM SERVING YOUR HOME & FARM INSURANCE NEEDS SINCE 1878 Frank McConville McConville Insurance Agency Mendota & Tonica, IL 815-539-9714 815-442-3116

Bart Hartauer Hartauer Insurance Agency LaSalle, IL 815-223-1795

Ryan Harvey Gonet Insurance Agency Peru, IL 815-223-1782

Mike Gonet Gonet Insurance Agency Granville, IL 815-339-2411

Richard Bend & Beth White Bend Insurance Agency Waterman, IL 815-739-6687

Alan Peters & Timothy Peters Alan Peters Insurance Agency LaSalle, IL 815-224-3497 Pete Mangold Princeton Insurance Group Princeton, IL 815-875-4464

g

s e d,

Call an agent today!

Visit us online at www.perumutual.com 30 Spring 2015

SERVING ALL PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE NEEDS

Seed & Agronomy – Ashton, Buda, Henry, LaMoille, Princeton, Toulon, Varna, Walnut, Walton Energy – Buda, Princeton, Toulon, Varna, Walton Structures & Equipment – Princeton Technology & Precision Ag – Princeton Trucking & On Farm Delivery – Buda

Artwork contributed by RICL

This is a close-up map of the proposed RICL transmission line across Illinois, which begins in Rock Island County, and travels through Whiteside, Henry, Bureau and LaSalle counties before ending at the Commonwealth Edison plant in Grundy County. The proposed line is 121 miles long.

CONTINUED FROM 30

RICL has said it will use local vendors, such as construction materials suppliers, and will buy its wire from Southwire Inc.’s Flora factory in Illinois. The project is expected to generate millions of dollars in local government revenues each year for counties, schools, fire districts, and other community services where the line and converter station are located.

But Block RICL has many, many objections to the project, debunking

Need a hand getting the financing you need for your farm’s expenses?

Whether you’re looking to expand your operation, take advantage of a new opportunity or just manage day-to-day expenses, we can help you access the farm financing you need. Our Farm Operating Loans are designed to meet your unique needs at any stage of your farming operation’s life cycle. Purchase new farm equipment, make facility improvements or buy more acreage.

Come and talk to a representative today to see if you qualify.

many of RICL’s claims and promises.

Perhaps the most pressing issue, according to spokespersons for the organization, is that RICL is a private company seeking authority of eminent domain without proving a need for such a project. The group takes exception with RICL telling the ICC the company needed eminent domain to attract investors for a private, speculative project.

Another huge issue for Block RICL is the concept that this ruling will set a precedent for case law.

And Block RICL has considerable concerns on the environmental impact of the project, as well as medical studies that could prove to be a concern.

A Block RICL spokesperson, Mary Mauch, originally from Meriden in LaSalle County, said the average age of landowners along the proposed RICL line are well into their 70s. She urges people not to sign any documents without legal counsel.

“It is about protecting our private property rights, first and foremost,” Mauch said, “and second, about protecting our income and investments, and the health concerns of families living close and working around the massive structures in the fields. ...

“People on the outside, who don’t know the value of farmland, think it’s a big sum of money [that RICL will pay for putting towers on the land]. They don’t understand,” Mauch said. “Right now, things are really going in our favor, but it just takes a lot of time. This is our family legacy – four and five generations – and we’re just trying to protect it for the next generation.”

Meanwhile the feud continues ... RICL vs. Block RICL – one a large company that wants to build an energy transmission line across Illinois, the other an organized group of farmers, landowners and their supporters who want to stop them.

Apply ILLINOIS RETINA & ASSOCIATES for a Farm EYE Illinois Valley’s Choice For Specialty Eye Care Operating Loan!

Talk to our experienced loan officers and apply for your Farm Operating Loan today!

Brandon Endress

Seth Chambers

The only bank you'll ever need.

Trusted Retina Specialists for: • Macular Degeneration • Diabetic Eye Disease • Retina Detachments • Problems from Injury or Previous Surgery • Retina Tears • Flashes & Floaters We are committed to you. If you are experiencing painless, central vision loss that’s making it hard to farm, consider a high quality retinal exam.

Make an appointment. You’ll See.

815-223-7400

700 Second St. · Henry, IL · 309-364-2302 · www.henrystatebank.com

3602 Marquette Rd., Peru • www.illinoisretinainstitute.com Specializing in Eye Care for Seniors AG Mag

HSB_AgMag2014_FarmOperatingLoanAd_COLOR.indd 1

9/26/14 11:02 AM

31

Nearly all students have ag class at Bureau Valley

BY GOLDIE CURRIE For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

In his 10 years of teaching at Bureau Valley High School, Willard Mott has worked hard to provide the best agricultural educational experience for his students.

He’s watched his classes and FFA program expand as he has encouraged students from all backgrounds to study at least one aspect of agriculture.

With agriculture being the No. 1 industry in this area and U.S., Mott feels the education is important for all students.

CONTINUED ON 34

See Us For All Your Ag Financing Needs Alan J. Stremlau Senior Vice President/CEO

astremlau@illinistatebank.com

Daniel J. Gregorich Vice President/Bus. Development

Skid Loader, Backhoe, Wheel Loader, Dozer & Excavator Work

dgregorich@illinistatebank.com Enjoy Hometown banking with your neighbors and friends!

g

s e d,

Instilling ag knowledge into young lives

Willard Mott teaches agriculture classes and is the FFA sponsor at Bureau Valley High School. “I think every student needs a basic understanding of where their food and fuel come from,” Mott said.

(Goldie Currie/ NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag)

Agricultural Operating FDIC & Real Estate Loans www.illinistatebank.com MEMBER

230 S. LaSalle St. Tonica, IL 61370 (815) 442-8211

32 Spring 2015

206 S. Main St. Lostant, IL 61334 (815) 368-3333

301 S. Columbia Ave. Oglesby, IL 61348 (815) 883-8400

• Basements • Water Lines • Septic Systems

• Sewer Lines • Footings • Driveways

• Roll-Off Containers • Building Demolition • Free Estimates

Fully Licensed and Insured

Black Dirt and White Rock Custom Ag Applications • Concrete Recycling Phone:

309-364-3672

Fax:

309-364-2666

312 Jefferson • Henry, IL • edhartwigtrucking@frontier.com

Agriculture Education Area School Directory BLACK HAWK COLLEGE, EAST CAMPUS 26230 Black Hawk Road Galva, Ill. 61434-9476 309-854-1700 800-233-5671 www.bhc.edu Transfer programs are designed for the student planning to transfer to a senior college or university with the objective of achieving a bachelor’s degree. Students completing these programs will receive either an Associate in Arts or an Associate in Science degree. Some of the credits in the career programs may be transferred to a senior college or university (depending on the institution).

Associate in Science degrees with concentrations in: • Agriculture Transfer • Horticulture Transfer • Pre-Veterinary Medicine/ Animal Science Transfer Career Programs are designed for the student planning to prepare for a specialized area leading to

• Agriculture Mechanics • Agriculture Production — Animal Science • Agriculture Production — Beef Production • Agriculture Production — Swine Production • Horse Science Technology • Horticulture Science Kath Clark/ NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

ILLINOIS VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

employment after completing their education. Some of the credits in the career programs may be transferred to a senior college or university (depending on the institution).

Associate in Applied Science degrees: • Agribusiness Management • Agribusiness Management — Crop Protection Technology Option • Agriculture Mechanics Technology • Agriculture Production Technology • Equestrian Science • Horse Science Technology • Horticulture Science Certificates:

815 N. Orlando Smith Road Oglesby, Ill. 61348 815-224-2720 www.ivcc.edu College offers basic core curriculum and three agricultural courses UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 901 W. Illinois St. Urbana, Ill. 61801 217-333-0302 www.illinois.edu According to the University of Illinois’ College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES), the college “offers tremendous opportunities for students and faculty

to achieve success. Nearly 40 organizations provide more than 2,500 undergraduate students and nearly 750 graduate students the opportunity to network, learn about careers and contribute to the life of the college. ACES research encompasses initiatives in bioenergy, biotechnology, integrated landscapes, environmental sustainability, food and agricultural systems, global climate change, family resiliency, public policy and more.”

General ACES courses of study include: • Agricultural and Biological Engineering • Agricultural and Consumer Economics • Animal Sciences • Crop Sciences • Food Science and Human Nutrition • Human and Community Development • Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences • Nutritional Sciences • Agricultural Communications • Agricultural Education

Schedule your Grain Bin Check NOW! So you are ready when harvest comes!

l us ur l a C -ho 24 cy o f r ergen !

Em ervice S

Electric 815-643-2354 HVAC 815-643-2631 Electrical Contractors Heating & A/C Contractor • Farm • Commercial • Residential • Industrial • Maintenance

AG EQUIPMENT • HOME/HOBBY CUSTOM CARTS • PARTS Phone: 815-445-3711 • Fax: 815-445-5141 Manlius, IL 61338 • www.koryfarm.com AG Mag

33

CONTINUED FROM 32

“I think every student needs a basic understanding of where their food and fuel come from,” he said. “Ultimately, everyone is a consumer, and consumers need to know where their products are coming from and what goes into their production.”

Mott counts himself among those students who didn’t come from an agricultural background but learned to respect everything it had to offer.

It wasn’t until he took a summer job on a small farm as a child in Lake City, Minnesota, that he was introduced to the lifestyle. That job eventually led him to milking cows on a nearby dairy farm.

From there, he decided to take an ag class at school and joined the local FFA chapter.

Mott said his first trip to the Minnesota State FFA Convention really opened his eyes to what the ag industry had to offer.

“That really got me interested in ag, and it really encouraged me to be more involved in FFA,” he said.

After high school, Mott was set on furthering his studies at the University of Illinois but didn’t have a plan for the rest of his life. With so much diversity in the ag industry, he found it difficult to

‘‘

You have to keep up with the industry, because you cannot teach students outdated information and release them into the industry and have them be off-pace or whatever you told them not be true.

Willard Mott, teacher at Bureau Valley High School

pinpoint one subject to stick with for an entire career.

“Through all my experiences, I decided teaching was probably the best fit for me,” Mott said. “Agricultural education was broad enough where I could do a lot of things in really any aspect of agriculture.”

Today, Mott has his hands in many different ag subjects. He teaches a wide array of ag courses, including animal science, welding, horticulture, ag business, and ag science.

He believes the constant changing and evolution of the industry, due to technology, presents the greatest challenge of teaching agriculture.

“You have to keep up with the industry,” he said, “because you cannot teach students outdated information and release them into the industry and have them be off-pace or whatever you told them not be true.”

At Bureau Valley High School, which

Auto I Home I Farm I Life Business I Retirement

Steve Vogel Matt Hostetter Bill Fecht Henry Granville Toluca 309-364-2331 815-339-6136 815-452-2155

’’

includes the towns of Walnut, Manlius, Wyanet, Buda and Sheffield in Bureau County as well as some students from Bradford in Stark County, about 90 to 100 students are taking at least one ag class each year. The FFA enrollment is around 75 to 80 students.

“We almost have 100 percent of students in an ag class here at Bureau Valley,” he said. “Every year we try to recruit more students. I’d love to see it expand and grow.”

Mott said the more students who come from non-ag backgrounds, the more important ag education will be in schools.

“It’s a historical fact that there are fewer and fewer farmers every year,” he said. “So with fewer farmers, there are fewer students who come from an ag background. And that just means we need to educate more people.”

FOR ALL YOUR TECH NEEDS • Dell computer partner provider sales & service • Service all makes & models of personal computers & Mac • Smart phone, tablet & other mobile device repair • Business & residential network consultation & set-up • Virus & malware removal & prevention • Android & Apple device training • Wireless hotspot & bridging

g

s e d,

0714-515HO

34 Spring 2015

717 S. Main St., Princeton, IL 815-915-8328 • M-F 8:30 to 5 www.bctechgroup.com info@bctechgroup.com Owners: Chris Carey & Ian Cardosi • Office Manager: Carol Loftus

Jumping for joy Nicole Carlone finds fun, comfort aboard her horse

BY ZITA HENNEBERRY For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Zita Henneberry/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Princeton teenager Nicole Carlone adjusts her horse’s bridle inside her family’s horse barn.

Farm Management Sales Trust Agricultural Loans

In the field and in your corner, we can help you get ahead!

In the frigid night air, as Nicole Carlone and her horse, Savannah, looped the riding arena, it was plain to see these two were a team.

Carlone rode her spirited horse with a natural grace, confident in every movement, turn, jump and lead change. Here they worked together in flawless synchronicity, at peace with the world.

Nicole, of rural Princeton in Bureau County, bought Savannah as a $100, 7-year-old horse with no prior training.

CONTINUED ON 36

We carry some of the best brand names that you want

Get ahead.

Call today! hbtAgServices.com

Derek Fetzer 815-875-4444 606 S. Main St., Princeton

Lisa Anderson 815-498-2396 128 S. Depot St., Somonauk

visit us for all your agriculture and lawn & garden power equipment needs

DILLER-ROD, INC.

701 East Peru St. • Princeton, IL • 815-875-3389 Service. Knowledge. Selection. Financing. Delivery.

AG Mag

AGMag_NCentral_BC-DeKalb_February.indd 1

1/30/2015 1:05:23 PM

35

CONTINUED FROM 35

However, after training the horse herself, Nicole managed to transform Savannah into a prize-winning 4-foot jumper.

Nicole believes working with horses is not just a hobby, but a lifestyle. Their beauty and power captivate the young rider who lives and breathes them as much as she can.

“When she gets in a really bad mood or really bummed out about something, it’s her therapy,” reflected Nicole’s mother, Diane. “She goes down there and spends time with her horses, and she’s fine.”

With horses acting as a release from stress, Nicole and her family have molded the hobby of horseback riding into an essential component of their lives.

“Everybody rides in the family; you can’t be a Carlone and not ride,” Diane said with slightly raised eyebrows.

As the family sat together, it was clear, while each family member was a strong individual, they functioned as a unit, united in their common love for horses.

As you drive up to the Carlone home, you admire its beauty, but you leave the home truly admiring the depth of communal equestrian passion housed within.

The Carlones have seven beautiful horses right outside their back door. Nicole, who has been riding since she was 2, said

Zita Henneberry/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Nicole Carlone loves to spend time with her horse, Savannah. The two enjoy jumping and running in the family’s outdoor arena in rural Princeton. Savannah was 7 years old and had no training when Nicole bought the horse. Nicole has managed to transform Savannah into a prize-winning 4-foot jumper. she tries to ride at least once a day.

Her passion was evident as she headed to the barn; that’s where she really came to life. Sitting in the dining room, Nicole had given mostly one-word

19 YEARS OF SUCCESS

THE DESIGN, THE BUILD, THE SERVICE..WE DO IT RIGHT!

System Design & Service Grain Bins Dryers Dump Pits Bucket Elevators Augers Pneumatic Systems

answers to questions, but the closer she got to the barn, the more relaxed and natural she became.

CONTINUED ON 37

Putting precision results in your hands for more than 10 years

Call us today to learn more about our solutions from Precision Planting, 360 Yield Center, Martin-Till, Yetter Manufacturing and more!

g

s e d,

GRAIN SYSTEMS, INC.

Farm Supply, Inc.

1-888-414-2220 | Maple Park, IL

1-815-948-2591 | Hooppole, IL

WWW.APGRAINSYSTEMS.COM

WWW.VERNSFARMSUPPLY.COM

36 Spring 2015

26241 1300 East St., Walnut, IL 61376 (815) 878-2419 johnson.precision@yahoo.com

Utica Parent Production Plant Corn Processor, Storage & Distribution Center 3025 E. 8th Rd., Utica • 815-667-5133

Photos by Zita Henneberry/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Nicole Carlone, a junior high student in Princeton, feels completely at ease aboard her 7-year-old horse.

CONTINUED FROM 36

“No, I was like fearless,” referring to when she first began to ride – even after she’d fallen and gotten her foot stuck in the stirrup as a 2-year-old.

Caught by one foot, she dangled off the side of her horse and bounced her head off the fencing. While it terrified her parents, it hadn’t scared her.

She admitted she is more wary of getting kicked these days. The idea didn’t seem to frighten the young rider as it would many others, but there was an experienced unease in her present concern.

A girl without fear, therefore, needs a horse with enough spirit to match her own. Nicole prefers the spirited and hot-headed horses because, she explained, especially for jumping, she likes the horse who has the extra spirit to get the job done.

Savannah is just that. Nicole held up the first-place purple sash she had won with her horse at the Fox Valley Saddle Association.

“The girl she was jumping against, her mom owns a farm, and they had 12 other students at the barn,” Diane said. “So you know they have a lot of money invested, but [Nicole] beat her ... and she had her $100 horse that she trained herself.”

Nicole has been jumping horses for about five years.

While her favorite is Hunter Jumping style, Nicole is not limited to one specialty. She

Growing to Serve Today’s Farmer

MANLIUS 101 1st St. PO Box 347 815.445.2311

Nicole Carlone holds a firstplace ribbon she won in a recent jumping competition.

She rode against several

SHEFFIELD

likes to ride without tack (no saddle or bridle) like her former teacher Alycia Burton.

Nicole once had a lesson with Burton, the international free rider who has made a name for herself by jumping her horse with no hands.

Nicole smiled and expressed her dream to follow in Burton’s footsteps one day.

And she is well on her way. Nicole’s highest jump so far is slightly over 4 feet, and there’s plenty of time to improve for the 13-year-old.

One day, Nicole said, she hopes to jump in the Olympics.

Wherever she goes in life, Nicole said she will always love horses.

“Till the day I die,” she added with complete confidence.

Il Hwy. 40 309.897.7491

15132 Il Hwy. 40 815.454.2352

BRADFORD CAMBRIDGE www.michliggrain.com

13429 Il Hwy. 81 PO Box 182 309.937.2435

FARMERS – LANDOWNERS If it’s on your farm …We Insure It!

REAL ESTATE • INSURANCE • AUCTION SERVICES FARMS • HOMES • CROP INSURANCE

Johnson Agency Robert K. Johnson • Kyle Johnson • Myrene Carper

135 S. Main Street • Sheffield, IL 61361

j.agency@mchsi.com • 815-454-2840 or 800-454-2716 AG Mag

37

g

s e d,

Mobilizing ag resources On smartphones and tablets, farming apps a ‘game-changer’

BY ANGEL SIERRA For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Submitted to NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

In this screen shot from a promotional video online, a farming app is displayed that shows a few of the options available to farmers and service providers.

Firm Up Your Pr Profits.

Seed Firmers

Emerging applications for smartphones and tablets don’t just make a farmer’s field work a little easier.

They also enhance the producer’s ability to track and adjust to problems, and make sense of critical farm data on-thefly, area experts say.

Adam Henkle, 35, is a seventh-generation Lee County farmer who helps on 1,600 acres of a homestead near Sublette that dates back to 1843.

And as an independent contractor for DuPont Pioneer, Henkle specializes in transitioning farmers to equipment and software that can seamlessly integrate and they measure, monitor, and extract vital information.

CONTINUED ON 39

To Find an Agent

Near You

Log on to www.bradfordmutual.com or Call

800-582-4081

Dual Tube

Low Profile

Firmer contact leads to uniform emergence leads to 1000 more ears per acre.

• Ensures Uniform seed germination • Ensure uniform emergence • Proven average of six bushel increase in corn yield • Sets seeds to the bottom of the seed trench • Hit the depth set on your planter • Ensures uniform seed-to-soil contact

S.I. Distributing Inc. 800.368.7773 www.sidist.com

Successful Innovations for Agriculture Since 1979 38 Spring 2015

Member Owned and Operated

815-456-2334

Since 1869

CONTINUED FROM 38

The technology is a welcome, helping hand, Henkle said, because a lot of the work that once required manual adjustments, such as variable-rate changes on the field, have become automated, and guidance systems and monitors, which previously were only available on combines, now are connected to almost every machine.

Today’s farmers are highly educated and apt to using the technology on the market, said Danelle Burrs, 29, manager of the Lee County Farm Bureau. Tablets such as iPads have made their way into the cabs of tractors working rows on the ground.

A NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag online search for farming apps listed several top-tier agriculture companies that produce companion programs for mobile and tablet use. While most of those share similarities in function and goal, the wide spectrum available spans simple calculators to feature-rich suites.

Encirca, a division of DuPont Pioneer, pushed last year to bring field and crop scouting information to the hands of farmers and service providers, an indicator by the Des Moines, Iowa-based leader that shows real-time management of field data is a positive trend.

Under the Encirca umbrella are two powerful apps: Encirca View, which provides market data, crop conditions and weather forecasts, and Encirca Yield, which analyses seed irrigation and Nitrogen levels, according to its website.

“It’s an amazing tool, [and] I’ve had a very positive reception,” Henkle said, adding that mobile apps like Encirca have become the go-to for farm management, increasing efficiency. “We’re only using what we need, when we need it.”

Farmers now can precisely record downforce or diseased crop locations with pinpoint accuracy, all with the help global positioning. Some apps are even cloud-based, and can securely back up data off-site for ease of mind.

“Field360 Tools” by Pioneer offers precipitation and growth stage estimators, and “Field360 Plantability” is a seed/planting calculator.

Precision Planting, a company purchased by Monsanto in 2012 and one of Encirca’s primary competitors, produces a tablet-only service called “FieldView” and “FieldView Plus.”

The apps are similar to other high-end programs in that they provide detailed scouting reports and highlight deficiencies, but also display color-coded terrain in high-definition, and offer remote management and collaboration, a popular addon with the premium service.

Mobile Farm Manager by John Deere is another that sprouted in 2012. The app is free to download from the App Store, but appears to have weaker support as a stand-alone program and requires an activation code and sync from Deere’s proprietary software that the customer might have installed on his home computer.

A subscription might be required to use the variety of apps available, but some have free or basic versions after an account is established.

Burrs has seen a transition in her seven years with Farm Bureau, to a point where farmers now have mountains of information and data about their fields, and some businesses exist simply to make sense of it all, helping growers identify deficient or underperforming crops.

“GPS allows them to be more precise, [and] through soil sampling and tests on their fields, they can apply fertilizer to just that specific part of the field,” Burrs said.

Targeting swaths or sections never was an option before the technology came along; it certainly involved approximation, and not accuracy, as is now available on the market, she said.

Mobile farming apps for smartphones and tablets “are a game-changer,” Burrs said, because the more information a farmer has about his farm, the better he can grow his crop and become a better steward of the land.

Grain • Agronomy • Feed Refined Fuels • Lumber • Propane

BOX 560 • MENDOTA, IL 61342

866-773-6772 • 815-539-6772 LAMOILLE, MENDOTA, MALDEN, OTTAWA, TONICA, TRIUMPH, UTICA, VAN ORIN

Right Product. Right Acre.

Right People.

Pioneer brand products, service, Pioneer Premium Seed Treatment and PROBulk® System

MJ Seed Agency Michael Michlig (815) 878-4430 Justin Peterson (815) 878-3496 MANLIUS, ILLINOIS

FRANK J. MAUTINO Deputy Majority Leader STATE REPRESENTATIVE - 76th District 221 E. St. Paul St.

patti76th@ivnet.com

Capitol Building

klarge@hds.ilga.gov AG Mag

39

g

s e d,

Cooking up a legacy Randie Kocher of rural Henry in Marshall County looks at a cookbook she was given by her husband’s family when she was married in 2007. The cookbook features favorite family recipes, photos of family members and information about the family members.

(Shannon Serpette/ NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag)

Rural Henry woman’s wedding gift combines food, family

BY SHANNON SERPETTE For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Food and family have played important roles in Randie Kocher’s life. Randie, who lived in both Michigan and Illinois while growing up, learned to cook by watching and helping her family. She now lives in rural Henry in Marshall County.

“We’d all have baking days,” she said.

Those baking days paid off. In high school, she earned extra cash by selling her homemade pies.

When she married in 2007, after being proposed to at a cattle show, she received a gift from her husband’s family that perfectly suited her love of cooking and family – a family cookbook.

CONTINUED ON 42

Higher yields come naturally Chandler Crop Products give your crops a biological boost toward better returns.

Chandler Soil Improved soil fertility & less compaction Dry Seed Treat Faster germination and deeper roots

Use Dry Seed Treat in place of talc for about $1 per acre Discounts run thru March 31

Since 1981

Erie, Illinois • (309) 659-7773 www.midwestbioman.com

40 Spring 2015

How Experienced Is Your Farm Insurance Agent?

Farming is a world all its own - each operation is unique with insurance needs. We know farming - we are a local company with strong roots in the agricultural community. Isn’t it time you went with a company who has been around the block in farming?

These agents can provide all your Farm Insurance needs!

Sauk Valley Insurance Services Dixon 815-288-2541 Gillis Insurance Agency Rochelle 309-562-4043

Sandrock Insurance Agency Tampico 815-438-3923 Mickley Insurance Agency Morrison 815-772-2793

Hanford Insurance Agency, Inc. Geneseo 309-944-5151 Van De Rostyne Insurance Atkinson 309-936-7220

Recipes from Randie Amish Stuffing Ingredients: 1 large onion 1-1/2 carrots, shredded 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 large bag unseasoned croutons 1/2 teaspoon parsley pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon celery seed 2 cans chicken broth 1 egg Sauté first three ingredients in one stick of butter in a large pot. Add in rest of ingredients until moist. You may not need all of the broth. Transfer to a crock pot, cover with lid. Set on high for 2 to 4 hours.

Robert Redford Dessert Ingredients: One stick margarine 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 1-1/4 cup of flour 1 cup chopped pecans 1 tub Cool Whip 8 ounces cream cheese 1 cup sugar 2 small boxes vanilla pudding 1 small box chocolate pudding 3 cups milk Mix the margarine, powdered sugar, flour and pecans. Pat in a 9x13 pan and bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Mix one cup of Cool Whip, cream cheese and sugar together and spread over cooled crust.

Beat the puddings and milk for two minutes. Pour over second layer, spread top with Cool Whip, and refrigerate.

Sister Sada’s super soft sugar cookies Ingredients: 1 cup margarine 2 eggs 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 4 cups flour 1-3/4 cups sugar 1 eight-ounce container sour cream 1 teaspoon baking soda Roll out. Batter will be somewhat sticky, so up to two cups of flour may be added

when rolling, although a lot will make them dry. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Cookies will never be brown and will rise high. Sprinkle with sugar while baking or frost after baking.

Muriel McKee’s meatloaf Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef 1 envelope onion soup mix 1 cup milk 1-1/2 cups Ritz or similar crackers, crushed 2 eggs 1/3 cup ketchup Beat eggs, and add milk and ketchup. Add onion soup mix and crushed crackers. Add ground beef. Mix well. Form into loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Can put bacon strips on top or add ketchup to the top before baking.

Spaghetti carbonara Ingredients: 8 ounces bacon, cut 1-inch thick crosswise Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper 1 pound spaghetti 3 large eggs 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 1/2 cup Half and Half Set a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally until crisp, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Salt the boiling water generously. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan, and Half and Half. Set aside.

Drain the pasta, leaving some water clinging to it.

Working quickly, add the hot pasta to the egg mixture. Add the bacon. Season with salt and pepper, and toss all to combine (the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs).

Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese.

SUN AG INC. Professional Ag Service

Fertilizer, Seed, Chemicals Limestone & Custom Application

Call 815-882-2121 4476 IL Highway 89 • McNabb, Illinois 61335

If you want to get a building in 2015, order NOW... before February 28 for the best price of the year!!

Karla Goskusky, Terry O’Neal & Steve Mauer

815-672-4594

1519 IL Rt. 23 North, Streator, IL • www.mortonbuildings.com

MORTON FERTILIZER SERVICE 121 East Main Street • Wyanet, IL

815-699-7701

100 S. 1st Street • PO Box 132 Harmon, IL 61042 www.northerngrainmarketing.com

Facility Locations Harmon • Ohio • Buda Polo • Shannon • Lanark 888.739.7856 • 815.973.3001 • brader@northerngrainmarketing.com AG Mag

41

g

s e d,

CONTINUED FROM 40

The pages feature more than recipes – they also contain pictures of her husband’s family members and brief handwritten tidbits about them. The cookbook ensures her 5-year-old son, Lane, when he’s grown, will know details about his long-gone relatives, and he will be able to re-create some of the favorite dishes from his childhood.

“It’s a neat legacy,” Randie’s husband, Jay, said.

The meatloaf recipe Randie uses is from the well-worn pages of that book, and it is popular with Lane, who can sometimes be a picky eater.

When she made it recently, he asked for seconds, she said.

The biggest challenge for the rural Henry woman is finding time to cook these days. She has a graphic design business and a makeup business. When she factors in an active pre-schooler, carving out cooking time isn’t easy.

Randie is more likely to make stick-to-yourrib recipes than anything fancy, and the fewer ingredients, the better, as far as she’s concerned.

“I’m a steak-and-potatoes kind of girl,” she said.

Although her husband isn’t big on eating sweets, she does have several desserts she likes to make.

The Robert Redford dessert she makes, in particular, is always a crowd pleaser at family functions.

“It’s one of my Dad’s favorites,” she said.

Shannon Serpette/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Photos, recipes and tidbits of information about family members fill a cookbook that Randie Kocher received as a gift from her husband’s family when she was married.

• • • •

Farm Vehicle Crop Hail

• • • •

Property Health Life Commercial

Mickley Insurance Agency

Sandrock Insurance Agency

102 W. Main St. • Morrison

107 Main St. • Tampico

815-772-2793

www.2cornerstone.com

815-438-3923

Our mission is to be a premier, all-lines, independent insurance agency in northern Illinois and the surrounding areas. We shall strive to be proud of our product, customer service, customer satisfaction and fair competitive pricing. We care to deal with those we can also call our friends.

42 Spring 2015

Farmers Forum WITH ZITA HENNEBERRY/NORTHCENTRAL ILLINOIS AG MAG

When it comes to farming and the production of your crops, who do you trust for your weather information?

Matt Tracy

Robin Nowlan

Toulon grain farmer Matt Tracy said he uses both the NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Association) and the website of Rumbold and Kuhn local elevator. The local grain elevator has DTN weather by Televent, Tracy said.

Robin Nowlan, a corn-and-bean farmer out of the Toulon area, utilizes DTN weather. “We’ve been using DTN for a lot of years,” said Nowlan.

This year, however, he has been using Encirca. Powered by Pioneer, the Encirca website helps with more than just the weather, Nowlan said.

The website assists growers in assuring the correct usage of nitrogen.

Kyle Cantwell

Matt McGarvey

Kyle Cantwell, a Toulon cattle farmer, said he has about 54 acres of corn, beans and hay. For his weather information, he likes to use the Internet, radio and farmer friends. “I just have a little bit of everything,” Cantwell said. When listening to the radio for a weather update, Cantwell said, he listens to Quad Cities radio. Online, however, he checks his local elevator, Rumbold and Kuhn’s website.

Matt McGarvey said, “I get all my weather off my smartphone anymore.” McGarvey grows corn, soybeans and hay. “That’s when I get the most nervous about the weather, is when I’ve got hay down.” McGarvey

Chris McMillen

likes to use The Weather Channel app and wunderground.com to check the radar. Occasionally, he said, he will use wqad.com. “It’s all either an app or off the Internet. The good thing about the apps are you’re always up to date.”

Toulon grain farmer Chris McMillen said he gets his weather information off the computer. He likes to check two different websites for his up-to-date weather information, one of which is NOAA. “I didn’t grow up with the computers; I grew up with the slide rule,” McMillen said, “I feel fortunate I can do that, and that to me is the best source.”

Located north of Geneseo - Just off IL Hwy 92 27595 E 1800 ST - Geneseo, IL 61254 Repairing all makes & models of farm equipment since 1999 Excavating & Bulldozing Services - Antique Tractor Restoration

Phone: 309-945-1440

Fax: 309-945-1441 www.bosfarmrepair.com

AG Mag

43

g

s e d,

USDA: Record year for corn, soybeans The United States Department of Agriculture has released its report of the 2014 crop harvest figures for Illinois.

For corn, the planted area at 11.9 million acres is down 1 percent from 2013.

Corn for grain was harvested on 11.75 million acres, down 50,000 acres from the previous year. The corn yield is estimated at a record 200 bushels per acre, up 22 bushels from 2013. Production is estimated at a record 2.35 billion bushels, topping the previous record of 2.28 billion bushels in 2007.

Soybeans were planted area over 9.80 million acres, up 3 percent from 2013.

Harvested area at 9.78 million acres is up 3 percent from the previous year. The soybean yield is estimated at a record high 56 bushels per acre, up six bushels from 2013. Production is estimated at 548 million bushels, also a record high.

For sorghum, the planted area, at 23,000 acres, is unchanged from last year. Harvested area for grain at 21,000 acres is up 5 percent from 2013. The sorghum yield is estimated at 106 bushels per acre, up 12 bushels from last year. Production is estimated at 2.23 million bushels, 18 percent above the previous year.

Winter wheat harvested area in 2014 is estimated at 670,000 acres, down 20 per-

Earleen Hinton/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

In fields throughout Northern Illinois like this one in Mount Morris in Ogle County, farmers were busy in the fall picking a record corn crop. cent from the previous year. The winter wheat yield is estimated at 67 bushels per acre, unchanged from 2013. Production is estimated at 44.9 million bushels, 20 percent below the previous year.

The harvested area for oats in 2014 at 25,000 acres is unchanged from the previous year. The oat yield is estimated at 80 bushels per acre, up 11 bushels from 2013. Production is estimated at 2.00 million bushels, 16 percent above the previous year.

All hay across the state was a harvested

Our family protecting your family.

44 Spring 2015

area at 520,000 acres, down 21 percent from 2013. The all hay yield is estimated at 3.38 tons per acre, up 0.31 tons from the previous year. Production is estimated at 1.76 million tons, 13 percent below 2013.

The planted area for summer potatoes was 6,500 acres, down 4 percent from 2013. Harvested area at 6,400 acres is down 4 percent from the previous year.

The summer potato yield is estimated at 415 cwt per acre, up 45 cwt from 2013. Production is estimated at 2.66 million cwt, 7 percent higher than the previous year.

Sarah Brown/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

In response to consumer demand, General Mills announced its original Cheerios cereal is now made without the use of genetically modified ingredients. While there are no GMO oats, which is the primary ingredient in Cheerios, General Mills now uses only corn starch derived from non-GMO corn and non-GMO pure cane sugar.

GMO label debate likely to resume in 2015 Two bills failed in last General Assembly

BY MATT MENCARINI For NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

When the state’s 98th General Assembly came to a close in December, it left two bills unresolved.

Those pieces of legislation, one in the House and one in the Senate, call for mandatory labeling of food products

containing genetically modified organisms – GMOs. GMO in relation to food is also referred to as biotechnology – or genetic engineering.

Proponents of the bills say the labeling provides consumers with information about the foods they’re eating – information they have a right to know. The critics say it puts GMO in a negative light and adds an economic burden to businesses in Illinois.

State Sen. David Koehler, D-Peo-

ria, who represents the 46th District, which includes parts of Peoria, Fulton, and Tazewell counties, introduced his bill in February 2013. That year he held three public hearings on the issue – in Chicago, Bloomington and Carbondale.

The House bill was introduced by Rep. Deborah Mell, D-Chicago, who is no longer a member of General Assembly.

CONTINUED ON 46 AG Mag

45

g

s e d,

CONTINUED FROM 45

In a video from the June 2013 hearing, Koehler said there’s some thought that GMO labeling law should come down from the federal level, which is something he can’t control. But as a member of the Illinois General Assembly, he said, he and state government can do what they think is best for their constituents.

State Sen. “I think the strongest Dave Koehler case is that, as a consumer, let me decide,” he said in 2013. “And that’s really what this legislation is all about – is giving consumers a choice.”

Mandatory vs. voluntary The Illinois Farm Bureau supports voluntary labeling of GMO or non-GMO food products. It also supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s policy of “science-based” labeling.

The organization is opposed to mandatory labeling, which the Illinois bills called for.

Those bills would put GMO, or biotechnology, in a negative light, said Kevin Semlow, director of state legislation for the Illinois Farm Bureau.

The Farm Bureau isn’t against consum-

‘‘

When you talk about pennies, and you look at a box of mac and cheese, that’s a big deal.

Pennies is the margin of error to the food industry. It’s just another burden on the food industry.

Kevin Semlow, Illinois Farm Bureau

ers knowing what’s in the food products they buy, he said, but the GMO labels are biased to portray them as negative Scientific research, he said, has proved GMO’s to be safe.

Semlow also said the labeling would create an unfair business environment in the state, where food producers would need to make sure all products going to Illinois for sale have labels.

Movement spreads According to the Center for Food Safety, a national non-profit public interest and environmental advocacy organization, three states have passed labeling legislation. In 2013 and 2014, 26 states, including all that boarder Illinois, had labeling laws introduced in their state governments.

A September 2014 report by the Oregon-based consulting company ECONorthwest for Consumer Union, the policy and action division of Consumer Reports,

’’

found “the median cost of labeling in the studies that provided relevant models was $2.30 per person per year.”

The cost estimates in the studies reviewed ranged from 32 cents to $15.01 a year for each person.

But Semlow said even pennies can make a difference.

“When you talk about pennies, and you look at a box of mac and cheese, that’s a big deal,” he said. “Pennies is the margin of error to the food industry. It’s just another burden on the food industry.”

Consumer Union favors the labels. A survey the group conducted found that 92 percent of Americans want genetically modified foods to be labeled.

Consumer Union takes the stance that labels should also say whether food is genetically engineered.

While neither of the bills in Illinois was brought to a vote during the 98th General Assembly, Semlow said he expects them to be revisited in the 99th General Assembly, which convened in January.

www.FarmersNationalBank.com

Geneseo • Prophetstown • Morrison

Garett Plumley, Mike Urish, Doug Vanderlaan, Steve Taets, Bill Dale Farmers National Bank Ag Lenders Garett Plumley, Mike Urish, Doug Vanderlaan, Steve Taets, Bill Dale

• Ag is “what we do” and “who we are” • Ranked each year in the top 100 Ag Banks in the Nation • Access to $8,000,000 per farm customer • Call one of our Ag Lenders today!

(309) 944-0580 Geneseo, IL

(815) 537-2348 Prophetstown, IL

(815) 772-3700 Morrison, IL

Serving Northwest Illinois For 112 Years

46 Spring 2015

Dave Fox/NorthCentral Illinois Ag Mag

Cleaning chaff from seed corn is one of many steps in the overall process of getting corn ready for sales and planting in the spring.

CONTINUED FROM 27

“Farmers have a lot of corn just lying around in storage bins right now. We need to use some of it up, to create more of a demand for corn again before the prices will go back up,” he said.

“As there’s an abundant supply of corn, and less demand, the price will always go down,” he said.

“Low prices cure low prices.”

And while GMO corn may not be keeping up with nonGMO in yields, it does lend itself to other advantages.

“There tend to be less insects and other things,” Koster said, “because GMO corn has traits built in that make it insect and fungus-resistant.

Will corn be capped?

Glenn of Putnam County doesn’t see a plateau in corn production in the future.

“We’ve got to feed the world,” she said. “We’ve got to continue to grow more.”

She also doesn’t see an end to the continuing rise in crop yields.

“Better genetics, I think, is the biggest reason,” Glenn said. “The GMOs have just given so much more to the industry. The technology has

changed. When I first started, I had several farmers tell me I’d be lucky if I got 120 bushel in some areas. That’s changed.”

Pioneer’s Long agreed.

“Yields will likely keep going higher in the years to come. We’ve got the technology now to get higher yields, and we’ll keep seeing improvements.”

Once corn production reaches certain levels, or continues to hit record highs in both yields and prices, what are the chances that the government will impose caps?

“I don’t think the government would ever be able to pull it off,” Hostetler said.

“They’re just too big and clumsy to do something like that.”

Production caps aren’t needed because the market always corrects itself, according to Koster of Tettens Grain.

“I would obviously think there would be less corn planted after these past few years,” he said, “because demand isn’t keeping up with supply. It will balance out after a while, though.

“There’s no need for government caps because of that,” Koster added. “Agriculture tends to be a self-regulating kind of thing in that regard.”

AG Mag

47