OUTLOOK New Technology Agriculture Business
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PUBLICATION • MARCH 29, 2019
Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 29, 2019
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Livestock and crop production affected BY ANDY COLBERT acolbert@oglecountynews.com
Computers on Chad Gronehagen’s desk in the office at Circle G Farms provide information about every aspect of the family operation. Photo by Vinde Wells becoming a valuable asset. The list goes on and on of how technology has improved not just operations at Circle G, but at nearly every farm around Ogle county. “It has become necessary as margins get thinner and thinner,” Groenhagen said. “You need to get better at what you do. In the last 10 years, there’s been a huge adaption with probably 95 percent of the farmers using precision agriculture techniques.” What Circle G has done better is increasing yield while reducing usage of agricultural input product, primarily because of computeriza-
See CIRCLE G, Page 5
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When Round-Up ready soybeans and corn were released, it was a huge change in agriculture. When BT and other insect-resistant hybrids were made available, it was another significant change. But, has technology surpassed anything ever seen in how the face of farming has changed? “I don’t know that I would go as far to say that, but it would be safe to say it has been among the most change we have ever seen,” said Chad Groenhagen of Circle G Farms & Feedlots, Inc., northeast of Oregon. Graduating from Western Illinois University, Macomb, with a degree in agriculture science in 2008, Groenhagen became a valuable asset to the multi-generational Circle G because of his tech skills. “Precision Ag was getting to be a hot topic,” Groenhagen said. “My dad (Larry) told me to focus on it and the technology around it.” In 2008, Circle G had yield monitors on combines, but Larry Groenhagen was keenly aware it was just the cutting edge of what computerization could do for their family’s operation. He knew obtaining good yield data was the foundation of what efficiency and production advancements could mean in the future. From spread sheets to iPads. From standard trucking to feed trucks being blue-toothed connected to scales. From automated straight row planting to automated curved planting with an accuracy of less than an inch. From manure, once was considered a nuisance, to
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Technology has changed operations at Circle G
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Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, March 29, 2019
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George Gronehagen holds the iPad he uses in the cab of a feed mixer and delivery truck. The technology coordinates the truck with the scales and tells him how much of each ingredient to mix into the feed and which feedlot the load goes to. It also records how the load was mixed and where it was delivered. Photo by Vinde Wells
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Chad Gronehagen shows the computers in the cab of a tractor used for hauling liquid manure. The computers control the tank that holds the manure and its hydraulics and have maps of the fields showing where and how much to spread based on fertility and nutrient needs. Others guide the tractor through the field and shows its functions.
• CIRCLE G tion and advances in farm machinery. In a GPS-oriented farming or cropping system, the accuracy in placement of seed, fertilizer and chemicals has improved dramatically. With a 120-foot spray boom and nozzles spaced at 15 inches that automatically turn on and off, the planters on a row by row basis will turn seeding on and off to prevent overlap as well as changing the seeding rate to maximize yield while limiting the amount of seed planted. “We now have sprayers with individual nozzle shut offs,” Groenhagen said. “The cool part is that it allows us to purchase and apply less fertilizer and chemicals. Individual row shut-offs on our planters allow us to purchase and plant less seed.” With 130 acres of waterways on the property being farmed, product
See CIRCLE G, Page 6
Liquid manure from the cattle in Circle G’s Feedlots is applied to cropland.
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used to be wasted. Now, rows can be shut on and off as designated by the computer automatically. The equipment manufacturers have initiated much of the technology. Since then, seed companies have come on board, as agriculture truly is a joint effort between operators and their providers. “There are more analytical tools of performance,” Groenhagen said. “The next step is development of predictive tools.” Analytics are key for Circle G in determining productivity of the thousands of acres it farms. Looking at the iPad, Groenhagen simply punches in a particular property and it is color coded with yield levels. Armed with this knowledge, Circle G can use precision planting techniques to modify what type and how much of a product to use. That information can be passed on remotely from the headquarters
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• CIRCLE G Continued from Page 5 on Limerick Road to any tractor or operator. Just as much as field operations efficiencies, so too has technology changed the way livestock and feedlots are managed. “The iPads in feed trucks tell the truck operator what ingredients, the amount and what order to use them in,” Groenhagen said. “The best part of is we document exactly what ingredients went into both the truck and each individual lot.” Considering this used to be done with pen and paper, the savings in Three generations of Groenhagens — Bob, Gary, George, Larry, and Chad — stand in their newest cattle building at Circle G Farms labor is substantial, as much as 4-5 & Feedlots. All five, plus other family members and several employees, are involved in the farming operation. Photo by Vinde Wells hours a day. It also carries over into the livestock themselves. “As soon as cattle are shipped, we know what their production was and determine a profit and loss ratio. We can compare different feed lots we have with the rations and style of the lot,” Groenhagen said. Circle G also has tools to determine the feed conversion of livestock. “We can take it down to the exact pound of grain versus what they were fed,” Groenhagen said. A big question for combo grain and livestock operations is whethReplace lids & caps er to ship the grain and use it for feed. Instead of a seats-of-pants estimation, analytical tools make that decision. Cardboard (flattened), “For us, there is a huge synergy in Office Paper, Newspaper, Magazines Steel & Aluminum Containers and Foil raising grain and cattle,” Groenhagen said. “It used to be every farm had livestock. Today, it is a minority.” Farming has become a high-stakes game and unless one is armed with the latest technology, the chances of May be acceptable in some profitability are greatly reduced. programs, check with Take that cattle manure, which local authority. used to have limited applications. Containers: Bottles, Tubs, Jugs, Circle G has used tech to take the and Jars Only lowly byproduct of cattle to a whole new level. Containers: Bottles & Jars Only “Manure is a dense nutrient fertilizer,” Groenhagen said. “We see where soil fertility levels are the lowest and inject the fertilizer into that ground, which raises its fertility.” With the development of manure Put material in loose No Big Items (Electronics, Wood, Propane technology, Circle G can save on fer- Not in Bags Tanks, Scrap Metal or Styrofoam – check tilizer costs, which have out-paced No Plastic Bags No with local authority for other options) the price of corn. Product Wrap (return A purchased product will have clean to retailer) exact specifications, but with the analytics employed by Circle G, they can also pinpoint the exact amount No Shredded Paper of nitrogen, phosphorous and potasNo Tanglers (Hangers, Hoses, No Clothing No Food, Liquid, Diapers, (check with local authority sium in home grown manure. Wire, Cords, Ropes or Chains) Textiles or Shoes (donate) Batteries or Needles for other recycling options) “We’ve gotten to the point that we purchase very little dry commercial fertilizer,” Groenhagen. “Using our These Guidelines represent the common items accepted in most recycling manure as a nutrient source to proprograms in Illinois. For greater detail on specific items or programmatic duce corn, which is then fed back to variations, reach out to your local authority. our cattle, is a cycle that continues To find out more detail, including recycling and reuse programs beyond the bin, itself.” visit www.oglecounty.org or contact the Indeed, it is a whole new world of Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department at 815-732-4020. farming. SM-ST1640630
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Johnson, Snyder take on new roles at Forreston bank Johnson has been with Forreston State Bank for 22 years and was most recently executive vice president, COO, and a director since 2010. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Banking (GSB).
See BANK, Page 10
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Forreston State Bank recently made two changes to its executive team. Betsy Johnson has been named president and chief operating officer, and former president Jeff Snyder was elected chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer.
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Repairs expected to start this June BY VINDE WELLS vwells@oglecountynews.com
The shoulder of the Black Hawk Statue shows the ravages of time and weather on the 108-year-old concrete monument. The statue was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. Photo by Earleen Hinton landmark, which was unveiled in 1911. Because it stands in a state park, the statue is under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Frank and the late Cherron Rausa formed The Friends of the Black Hawk Statue Committee more than a decade ago and began raising money for the project, the total cost of which will approach $1 million. State budget woes, including the lack of a capital bill for several years, side-tracked a promised $350,000 matching state grant,
which was finally funded by the state legislature last summer. A fundraising effort headed up by the Restoration Team was successful in securing the final $225,000 needed for the project last fall, thanks to several large donations from local businesses and individuals. The statue has spent the last five winters under layers of protective plastic to keep the ice, snow, and cold from doing more damage. Schenck urged the community last fall to maintain its commitment to the statue. “Forever is a long time. This
effort to maintain the statue will be an ongoing process that will need your long-term commitment and support,” he told listeners at an Oct. 4 ceremony to recognize the donors that put the fundraising campaign over the top. Those wishing to donate to its restoration and maintenance can do so online at www.ilcf.org or to send checks to Illinois Conservation Foundation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702. For more information call Black Hawk Restoration Team Chairman Jan Stilson at 815-732-7439.
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• Friday, March 29, 2019
The long-awaited restoration of Ogle County’s best-known landmark is expected begin on schedule, according to state and local officials. Work to repair the cracked and crumbling surface of the Black Hawk Statue at Lowden State Park, near Oregon, is slated to start in June after the black wraps that protected it through the winter are removed. “The contractor [Quality Restorations Inc., of Wood Dale] is working on mockups to test material, color, etc.,” Eric Schenck, executive director of the Illinois Conservation Foundation, wrote in an email on March 21. “I don’t have a date when the full blown restoration work will begin. We are still planning a timeline to complete the project late summer or early fall.” The work has been estimated to take 60 days. Roger Cain, a member of the Black Hawk Restoration Team, said that he had recently spoken with QRI officials who told him the final contracts for the work would be signed in the very near future. “I think we can safely assume the work will begin as soon as weather permits,” he said March 21. “The final contractual paperwork will be in place this week.” The concrete statue, created by sculptor Lorado Taft in 1910 as a tribute to Native Americans, is situated on a high bluff overlooking the Rock River at Lowden State Park near Oregon. Time and weather have significantly damaged the surface of the
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Work on Black Hawk slated to stay on schedule
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Groundbreaking for county’s new jail is April 10 New building offers safety and efficiency BY VINDE WELLS vwells@oglecountynews.com The official start of construction on Ogle County’s new jail is just days away. Ground will be broken on Wednesday, April 10 at 2 p.m. County officials say the design for the new facility offers improved efficiency, security, and public safety, making for better conditions for both corrections officers and inmates. “It will provide a better workplace, better environment for inmates, and provide more educational opportunities,” Sheriff Brian VanVickle said. “Every facet of the detention center will be enhanced.” The county has been planning for the new jail, which will be called the Ogle County Judicial Center Annex, for the last 20 years. The current jail, built in 1967 and connected to the Ogle County Courthouse, is no longer adequate to meet state regulations. It is slated for demolition once the new facili-
• BANK Continued from Page 7 She serves on the board of directors of the Illinois Bankers Association and is a member of the GSB’s Banker Advisory Board. Snyder had served as president and CEO of Forreston State Bank since 1996 and will continue to be actively involved in management of the bank. Snyder was the 2018 recipient of Illinois Bankers Association’s Banker of the Year award. Both Johnson and Snyder will
ty is completed in an estimated 20 months. “The old building is simply outdated,” county board chairman Kim Gouker said last fall. “The new one will provide more efficiency, better security, and improved public safety.” The new one-story building, located in the 100 block of South Sixth Street in Oregon, will be 41,700 square feet with space for 152 inmates. A sally port, connected to the judicial center across the street and large enough to accommodate several vehicles for transporting prisoners, is a key part of the increased security, Gouker said. Currently, the sally ports at the old jail and the judicial center each hold only one vehicle. “Right now, if a vehicle is already in the sally port at the judicial center, the Illinois Department of Corrections has to park their vehicle in the street and walk prisoners in [for court appearances],” Gouker said. “That’s not what we want done. This will allow for better efficiency and handling of inmates for public safety.” The 100 block of South Sixth Street will be closed to allow sally port and
play an integral role in fulfilling the organization’s vision to enhance the quality of life for its customers, staff, and communities through innovative and personal experiences that build deep, lifelong relationships. “We are looking forward to working with our exceptional employees to carry out Forreston State Bank’s mission of inspiring and implementing solutions that allow customers to focus less on banking transactions and more on what matters most to the customer,” Johnson said. The bank has locations in Forreston, Freeport, and Kent.
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Ground will be broken in April for the new Ogle County Jail at the corner of Washington and Sixth Streets in Oregon. Construction is expected to take 20 months. jail to connect to the judicial center. Efficiency will be improved, VanVickle said, because the facility is all on one floor and will have a stateof-the-art surveillance system. Besides housing units for men and women, the building will include exercise areas, a prisoner intake area near the sally port, adminis-
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