SAM_11-21-2014

AG Mag

Northern Illinois

From

Boom to Burst?

Corn and soybean prices are dropping. Local farmers and ag experts discuss whether this is the end of an industry bubble or simply a normal contraction.

Drop in crop prices has soybeans on the rise

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AG Mag

3

Index

AG Mag Northern Illinois

Publisher Sam R Fisher Advertising Director Jennifer Baratta Editor Larry Lough Magazine Editors Larry Lough, Jeff Rogers

10

Page Design Jeff Rogers Reporters & Photographers Donna Barker, Pam Eggemeier, Dave Fox, David Giuliani, Kayla Heimerman, Philip Marruffo, Matt Mencarini, Alex T. Paschal, Jermaine Pigee, Angel Sierra, Terri Simon, and Christi Warren Published by Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of the Northern Illinois Ag Mag may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media 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.

4 Fall 2014

COVER STORY

Bubble or balloon?

Local farmers are anxiously waiting to see when crop prices will hit bottom.

Powered by the sun An investment 8 years ago in geothermal and solar energy systems is paying off today for a Sterling farmer.

16

AG Mag

5

Index Record crop, and price drop

18

A healthy growing season and dropping commodities prices could result in more soybeans being planted.

Taste tested fare Mary Jo Tichler of Morrison is the undisputed queen of the Whiteside County Fair.

Her baked and canned goods are legendary, and we have recipes!

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Social media savvy

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Connie Selmi of Rock Falls already knows what more farmers and growers are learning – that Twitter and Facebook open up new worlds for marketing and information.

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CENTERPIECE STORY

Cost & benefit Northern Illinois farmers weigh investment in cover crops vs. improvements in soil quality.

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Connections to learning Sauk Valley Community College students have agriculture education classes from the University of Illinois at their fingertips.

A new view from the sky

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REGULATIONS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Whiteside County farmer Sean Cassens uses a drone to keep an eye on what’s going on in his fields.

Renegotiating the rent

Water fight

Would proposed revisions to the Clean Water Act give the federal government too much power?

45 A drop in profits might force Northern Illinois farmers who lease land to push for lower rents.

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‘A RETURN TO NORMALCY’?

Photos by Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Rock Katschnig grows corn near Hoopole in Henry County, just south of the border with Whiteside County. “We know we are looking at a big crop,” said Katschnig, who said the resulting drop in prices has many farmers putting equipment purchases on hold. Katschnig, who lives in rural Prophetstown, sells all his corn to the Patriot Renewable Fuels ethanol plant in Annawan.

No land price bubble bursting, experts say

R

BY DAVID GIULIANI For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

ock Katschnig says he and other farmers are curious about one thing – When will crop prices hit bottom?

“I guess just about everyone is on hold with any equipment purchases until we find the bottom in the selling prices,” said Katschnig, who farms in the Prophetstown area.

This year, weather conditions were nearly perfect for corn and soybeans, so both are expected to have record harvests. As a result, prices have tumbled.

Farmers who locked in their prices early on will see less of a hit.

CONTINUED ON 11

10 Fall 2014

Rock Katschnig of rural Prophetstown cleans dust and debris from a combine following a run through the field in October.

U.S. corn yields Yields have increased dramatically over the past century: Year ................... Bushels per acre 2014 ....................................... *172 2013 ........................................ 159 2012 ........................................ 123 2011 ........................................ 147 2010 ........................................ 153 2009 ........................................ 165 2008 ........................................ 154 2007 ........................................ 151 2006 ........................................ 149 2005 ........................................ 148 2000 ........................................ 136 1995 ........................................ 114 1990 ........................................ 119 1985 ........................................ 118 1980 .......................................... 91 1975 .......................................... 86 1970 .......................................... 72 1965 .......................................... 74 1960 .......................................... 72 1955 .......................................... 42 1950 .......................................... 38 1945 .......................................... 33 1940 .......................................... 29 1935 .......................................... 24 1930 .......................................... 21 1925 .......................................... 27 1920 .......................................... 30 * estimated Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Farmland values Average 2014 farmland values per acre in Midwestern states, with Iowa and Illinois being the first and second highest nationwide, respectively: Farmland value % increase per acre 2013-14 Illinois $7,520 5.9% Indiana $6,950 8.6% Iowa $8,500 10.4% Michigan $4,700 9.3% Minnesota $4,750 10.5% Ohio $5,550 8.8% Wisconsin $4,400 7.3% Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Rick Van Damme (left) and Mike Thompson work to change the heads on combines in October while they work with Rock Katschnig on his rural Hoopole farm.

CONTINUED FROM 10

“To sell right now, it’s below the cost of production, with rent, input costs, and all of our fixed costs. Even with good yields, we are at or below the cost of production,” Katschnig said.

With a huge carryover in their crops, he said, farmers may have another tough year in 2015.

“You have to look at the long term,” Katschnig said. “We know we are looking at a big crop, a huge inventory.

There will be huge surpluses. The end user won’t purchase now if he knows it’s going to be cheaper later. We could see corn prices with a ‘2’ in front of them again.’”

Randy Faber, who farms near Sublette, said many farmers are still optimistic because the past few years have been so good, but that could change by spring.

“That optimism could fade away in March or April when we deal with the real-

Increases since 2010 A look at increases in average farmland values since 2010 in Illinois and Iowa: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Illinois $4,720 $5,390 $6,210 $7,100 $7,520 Iowa $4,350 $5,410 $6,530 $7,700 $8,500 Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

‘‘

There is a big demand for farmland. Yes, this is a new marketplace we’re having to deal with. But the last few years have been good. There is pent-up demand.

Randy Faber, who farms near Sublette

’’

ity of lower prices,” he said. “That’s when we’ll have to directly deal with it, when we set up financing for next year’s crop.”

Farmland prices, meanwhile, have been holding, Faber said, even though people know the land should drop in value to reflect declining crop prices.

“There is a big demand for farmland,” he said. “Yes, this is a new marketplace we’re having to deal with. But the last few years have been good. There is pent-up demand.”

‘Softness’ in farmland prices According to a study in the spring, the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that Iowa and Illinois had the highestpriced farmland, on average, nationally – at $8,500 and $7,520 an acre, respectively. In Iowa, where the state says one of six jobs is directly related to agriculture, the average farmland price has nearly doubled since 2010.

In parts of Illinois and Iowa, though, some farmland prices are starting to see declines. But Dale Aupperle, president and founder of Forsyth-based Heartland Ag Group, said increases in rural land values over the past decade don’t represent a bubble.

“One of my favorite expressions is that ‘Farmland is what it earns,’” said Aupperle, whose company advises farmers. “The earnings stream has supported farmland values for the last 10 years. That takes away from it being a bubble. Now that the earnings stream is threatened with lower commodity prices, you expect to see some softness in land prices.”

CONTINUED ON 12 AG Mag

11

CONTINUED FROM 11

Although corn and soybean prices are down, he said, demand for those crops is stable. He said one expert he knows likes to say, “The best cure for low prices is low prices.”

“I believe that with $3 [a bushel] corn and $10 soybeans, that is creating new markets as we speak,” Aupperle said.

As corn prices decline, that means feed costs less.

“The livestock guys are enjoying this,” Aupperle said. “That’s stimulating demand.”

He said he hadn’t seen a dramatic reduction in land values. Since 1970, he said, the upward trend in farmland prices has been interrupted just three times. Two of those interruptions were corrections of less than 10 percent, he said, while the last one, in the 1980s, saw a 50 percent drop.

“That was a period of extreme speculation, high inflation, and a severe rise in interest rates,” he said.

That’s not the case now. Compared with much of the rest of the economy, Aupperle said, farmland is considered a good long-term investment.

“Right now, money on the sidelines is waiting,” he said. “If farmland is producing a diminished return on investment, money managers will look around. Can I do better elsewhere? Now

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Farmhand Mike Thompson clears corn off the roof of a combine as he works to harvest the crop from a field in northern Henry County. we’ll stand the test of scrutiny with our investments and be competitive.”

‘More like a balloon’

Chad Hart, a crop markets specialist and professor at Iowa State University, said corn and soybeans are experiencing record demand.

“You have the ethanol industry working at a strong pace. You have good but not great export demand,” he said.

Meanwhile, the livestock industry

• • • •

looks strong, with 25 percent of pork being shipped overseas, Hart said.

“There are a variety of countries we’re sending pork to,” he said. “China is a big player. So are the Middle East and the countries all along the Pacific Rim. Russia has been a big market for us in the past.”

He, too, sees no bubble in farmland prices.

“I would describe this more like a balloon,” Hart said. “It’s not going to be bad investment. Most hold onto it for 20, 40 or 50 years.”

Corn yields are estimated to hit a record 172 bushels an acre this year nationally, according to the USDA. The last record was 2009 – at 165 bushels.

For decades, yield numbers have risen.

Since 1975, corn yields have more than doubled.

“There’s a big debate within agriculture nationally: Do we have continued room for growth in yields?,” Hart said.

“You look at state-level numbers, you see well over 200. Somewhere in the 200s is where I think we can plateau.”

For the time being, the money is on the livestock industry, which is maximizing returns with low feed costs, he said.

“We’re seeing a return to normalcy on the crop side,” he said. “We’re seeing tight supplies for livestock, and that will mean good profit opportunities for the next year and half for livestock.”

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Cost cutting might mean more bean acres A

BY DUSTIN JOHNSON For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

nyone following the price of grain knows that it has been an ugly third quarter for farm profitability. December corn futures fell 25 percent during this time, while November soybeans fell 21 percent.

This sets the stage for heavy cost cutting in 2015.

The corn-soybean ratio for next year ended the quarter at 2.56, which means beans already have a large price incentive built in. A few private sector estimates are forecasting a rather substantial acreage swap from corn to soybeans in 2015, including Informa economics. It is probably not a bad idea to run your own cornsoybean comparison analysis to see what opportunities you have for your own operation.

Keep in mind that markets are usually perfect and this ratio may be suscepti-

ble to change as it prices in a potential acreage swap. The opportunity may disappear long before the first acre of 2015 is planted.

If you plan to switch some of your own acres to soybeans, it Dustin might not be a bad Johnson idea to lock in the Says those price using forward switching cash sales, futures, put some acres to options, or a combina- soybeans might tion of these hedging want to lock in tools. This premium the price beans hold to corn may not last, especially if South America has a good growing season with the record bean acres being projected. With the world soybean stocks-to-use ratio expected to grow to 35.8 percent this year, we see the potential for an oversupply in soy-

beans bringing the ratio back toward 2.0 next year.

For those who store a large portion of the 2014 corn crop on farm, you might want to consider selling forward to ensure the carry is collected. Of course, nobody can predict the future, but we do know what the opportunity costs are to selling forward compared to selling at the market now. We see a large potential for unpriced grain to lose that value through the winter even during a sideways market.

It has been a long time since we have had a carryout this size, and we have to remember that rebuilding demand usually takes time and low prices. With that said, the best cure for low prices is low prices, and we see the potential for opportunities to come out of this recent downturn.

Dustin Johnson is a senior analyst for AgYield.

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BY MATT MENCARINI For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

It was temptation that made Frank Angone decide to install geothermal and solar energy systems on his land about 8 years ago.

And it wasn’t just to cut into his utility bills. It was to eliminate them.

“The temptation to be able to go all the way,” he said from the basement of his

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The geothermal was the first to be installed. It took about 3 to 4 weeks for the lines and heat pump to be installed.

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CONTINUED ON 17

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

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A year later, solar panels were installed about 100 yards north of the home.

At first, Angone had four panels installed by someone he found by attending a conference where solar energy was discussed. But after having problems with the contractor – the wrong wiring was used, among other things – he did more research and found someone to do the job right.

Now, five solar panels are spaced farther apart, providing him more than enough electricity for his home.

Angone says people need to research contractors. He recommended calling previous customers and examining – in person – how the systems were set up rather than taking an endorsement as enough.

After the geothermal and solar were installed, his utility bills showed immediate reductions on the next month’s bill.

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Before the solar panels, Angone was paying $300 a month for electricity. The most recent bill he had – September of this year – was zero.

The bill for heating his home was similarly affected, both in immediacy and cost.

But the up-front cost of installing the alternative energy systems, which Angone said was about $30,000 for him, can scare people away because it isn’t an immediate payback.

Kevin Martin is an assistant professor in Northern Illinois University’s Department of Technology who specializes in alternative energy systems. He said the cost of alternative energy systems have fallen greatly in the past 10 years.

A solar system for a home that might have cost about $40,000 in 2004 could cost about $10,000 now, after government rebate programs, he said.

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AG Mag

17

CONTINUED FROM 17

With the savings on utility bills, a geothermal system could pay for itself in 2 to 10 years, he said, and a solar system between 7 and 9 years.

For an individual farmer looking to power his home and farm operation, geothermal or solar systems might be better options than wind turbines.

“I’m a big proponent of wind, don’t get me wrong,” Martin said, “but it has to be at the industrial scale.”

Two-sided equation Before a farmer considers installing alternative energy systems, investments can be made in windows, doors, and insulating duct work so heating or cooling isn’t wasted by leaks in a home.

“There’s two sides to this equation,” Marin said. “One is where you’re getting your energy from. The other is how you’re using it.”

About 25 percent of heat in a home is lost through windows, doors and other cracks, he explained, making energy efficiency as important as renewable energy solutions.

Without addressing energy efficiency first, a farmer might end up having to build a 25 percent bigger geothermal system just to make up for the waste, Martin said.

Few disadvantages, if any, are found

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Frank Angone of Sterling said it was “the temptation to be able to go all the way” toward eliminating utility bills that motivated him to install geothermal and solar energy systems on his land. by an individual farmer who installs geothermal or solar systems. If they can afford the initial cost, they’ll already likely have the space for what’s needed.

“You can do it just about anywhere, depending on the soil conditions and climate,” Martin said. “... If you’re willing to dig deep enough, you can do it anywhere.”

In this part of the state, 30 feet is deep enough to reach the right temperature.

For Angone, the low maintenance and simplicity of geothermal made it a temptation too good to pass up.

“This is the stuff we read about when we read early science fiction,” he said.

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AG Mag

19

Going with the grain Koster family ag operations in Whiteside County 131 years old

BY DAVE FOX For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Agnes Koster likely never envisioned the success of her descendants when she and her six sons moved to the Sterling area from Minonk in 1883.

Besides having a well-known name in Whiteside County farming and agriculture for more than 125 years now, Koster descendants also own and operate Tettens Grain, which has its main storage facility in Galt.

Incorporated in 1989, “the grain business is a partnership between my cousin and I,” said Dan Koster. The elevator at Galt, which was bought in 2005, supplements another elevator located just northwest of Sterling.

Being multi-faceted in agriculture helps Koster’s endeavors thrive.

“I’m active in farming,” he said during a recent interview, “and I oversee the grain operations as well, although the main part of my business is made up of hog operations.”

CONTINUED ON 21

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Gunnar Ortgiesen (left), chief financial officer and general manager, and Dan Koster are pictured outside the main office for Tettens Grain north of Sterling.

CONTINUED FROM 20

The grain operation exists as a feed supplier to the hog operation, with much of the grain now being sold elsewhere.

How did the elevator operations come to be named Tettens Grain?

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AG Mag

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Dave Fox/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Tettens Grain in Galt had storage space for about 200,000 bushels of corn when the Koster family purchased the facility in 2005. “That has grown to just over two million bushels of elevator space now,” Gunnar Ortgiesen said, “so it’s grown significantly the past few years.”

CONTINUED FROM 21

Buying much of its grain from area farmers, the company originally had storage space for “just under 200,000 bushels of corn,” according to Gunnar Ortgiesen, chief financial officer and general manager.

“That has grown to just over two million bushels of elevator space now,” he said, “so it’s grown significantly the past few years.

Just how much is two million bushels of corn? Roughly 2,100 semitrailer loads, according to Ortgiesen.

“The grain used to be entirely for Dan’s hog operation,” according to Ortgiesen, “but now only about 10 percent goes for that and his feed mill; the rest is sold to local processors and ethanol plants.”

Liz Koster, Dan’s wife, has high hopes of success for the future of the family.

“We frequently discuss how to have a sustaining operation for generations to

come,” Liz said.

“We recognize the future might not always be as good as the past 5 years or so have been,” she said, “but we have two grandsons who are totally ag-crazy, and we want things to still be around for them to come into later.”

With pigs at the center of much of the business, Ortgiesen said, the Kosters have 17-18 different locations where pork operations are going full swing.

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Between 170,000 and 180,000 pigs are produced each year, he said.

“They all go to local processors from their operations,” he explained. “Some of the final product may go overseas, but most of it stays in the area.”

A swine virus known as porcine epidemic diarrhea, which made its way into the U.S. last year, is having a negative impact on pigs all over the country, and has impacted various markets and prices to some effect.

“So far we’ve been fortunate that it hasn’t really hurt us too much yet,” according to Ortgiesen, “but it’s not really a matter of if, but rather when it’s going to hit. ...

“It does cause a definite loss of production, and we’re trying to get back up to speed,” he said, “but we’re prepared enough to overcome it.”

Corn prices “have been all over the place” the last few years, he noted, but said they are stabilizing now.

“Prices were at a record high three years ago,” he noted, “and we had contracts a couple of years ago for around eight dollars a bushel. Now it’s just over two dollars a bushel, so it’s starting to level out.”

How do grain prices figure into pork prices at the market for consumers?

“It just goes in cycles,” Ortgiesen said.

“Pig prices are pretty high, but now the corn is coming down, and PED is starting to figure into it as well. There are always a lot of different factors involved.”

Ortgiesen said his job can be challenging with all the variables involve, but working for the Koster family is something he enjoys each day.

“It’s a family atmosphere, much more relaxed and laid-back than any other job I’ve had,” he said, “and they do all kinds of things to show their appreciation.

“Just being a part of something like this, where one of their goals is to preserve farming for generations to come, is a really neat thing, considering the heritage of their past.”

Dan Koster added that farming continued to be important in the extended family as well.

“I knew when I was growing up that I wanted to farm,” he said. “I was a banker for a while, but I got out of that and came right back to agriculture.

“It’s challenging,” he continued, “because there are so many variables … weather, economics, different markets. … Just trying to make it all work together profitably can be frustrating, but it can also be very rewarding.

“Farming is my roots. ... I think even if I didn’t have good years with it, I’d still want to do it, because it’s just something I love doing.”

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Tettens Grain Inc. Office: 26565 Science Ridge Road, Sterling Elevator: 13323 Galt Road, Sterling Website: www.tettensgrain.com Dan Koster, merchandiser, 815-4994929 Gunnar Ortgiesen, chief financial officer, 815-973-5154 Wayne Eikenberry, elevator manager, 815-590-0981 Main office: 815-625-6119 Fax: 815-625-3729 Established in 1989, Tettens Grain is a state certified warehouse and grain dealer, dealing in cash corn contracts, basis contracts, HTA corn contracts, and storage corn. Cash bids can be obtained via email, and futures updates can be obtained by text messaging.

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23

Soybeans winning ... for now Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Leaving a trail of dust and corn stover in his wake, a farmer harvests corn just outside Dixon in Lee County. For now, the drop in the soybean price has not been as great relative to corn.

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Farmers reduce purchases as grain prices fall

BY DAVID GIULIANI For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Has the growing season met expectations?

In spades. And then some.

That’s thanks to nearly perfect weather during the growing season, with cool temperatures and rain at the right times.

That has meant a record crop, which means declining soybean and corn prices.

For now, the drop in the soybean price has not been as great relative to corn. So, many observers expect farmers to plant more acres of soybeans next year.

“There is that potential,” said Darrel Good, a retired agricultural professor from the University of Illinois. “The market will have to answer the question, Do we need more soybeans at the expense of corn this next year? If farmers were to plant today, the market calls for more soybeans. The question is, How will those prices change when the planting decisions are finalized?”

Soybeans, he said, are seeing great demand, part of which is seasonal.

“Whether that can be maintained or not depends on how the South American crop unfolds,” he said.

Dale Aupperle, president and founder of Forsyth, Illinois-based Heartland Ag Group, arrived at similar conclusions.

Crop acreage A look at corn and soybean acreage in Illinois and Iowa (in millions): Corn Illinois Iowa 2014* ................. 12.0 ............. 13.2 2013 .................. 12.0 ............. 13.1 2012 .................. 12.2 ............. 13.7 Soybeans Illinois Iowa 2014* ................. 10.0 ............. 13.2 2013 .................... 9.4 ...............9.2 2012 .................... 8.9 ............... 9.3 * estimated Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

“These things could change,” Aupperle said. “There is an acreage battle going on for farmers. For planting next year, soybeans look like they are winning the battle at this point.”

When corn prices went up, so did the cost of farm equipment, said Rock Katschnig, who has farmed in the Prophetstown, Illinois, area for nearly four decades.

“Suppliers wanted a piece of the pie,” he said. Now, that crop prices are down, “The suppliers don’t want to drop their prices.”

So how will farmers deal with the new circumstances?

Katschnig said they may look to reduce the amount of fertilizer on their crops. And

he said seed companies know that farmers will look for better prices on seed corn.

“We could save $20 or $30 an acre with certain seed varieties,” he said.

Seed giant Monsanto has already cut its profits forecast for next year. With corn prices down, the company told the media, it will be harder to raise seed prices, especially when farmers are expected to reduce corn planting next year.

John Deere is already reporting declining sales of farm equipment.

“From everything I can see, farm equipment sales are slowing down,” Good said.

“Farmers have made a lot of purchases the last couple of years. A lot of them are saying that there is no urgency to invest.”

Randy Faber, a farmer from Sublette, said soybeans look like the more profitable crop next year. But he said his contract with Pioneer, a seed company, will largely determine his crop rotation.

“The gross cost of putting in a soybean crop is a lot less than corn,” he said.

For Faber, a diversified portfolio helps.

He runs a cattle operation, which has benefited from low corn feed prices.

Starting in the cow-calf business now is a good move, he said, thanks to the highest prices he has seen for calves.

“There is record profitability,” Faber said. “[But] it’s ... a 365-a-day-a-year job.”

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25

What will w-w-winter bring?

Experts have mixed forecasts for upcoming season

BY DONNA BARKER For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Two years after the drought of 2012 in Illinois, farmland around the state has rebounded, and farmers could breathe a bit easier, bringing in crops which some ag specialists described as “bumper.”

The U.S. Drought Monitor has reported the entire state, other than its most southeastern tip, had no drought conditions during the fall of 2014. That southeastern tip of the state is marked as abnormally dry, the lightest of designations by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The rest of the state is marked as either normal conditions or even moderately moist in portions of Central Illinois.

Though Illinois did not see extremely dry conditions for 2014, the state did see record-breaking weather this year.

The Quad Cities area, which includes much of North Central Illinois, recorded its snowiest winter on record in the 2013-14 season: more than 54 inches of snow. July tied the record, set in 2009, as the coolest July on record with an average daily high of 70.3 degrees.

September had record-breaking days

as well, with a high temperature of only 52 degrees on Sept.

12, which broke the 112-year-old record of 55 degrees set in 1902.

Also, Sept. 11, with its high temperature of only 56 degrees, broke the old record of 59 Meteorologist degrees set in 1878.

James Zahara But the unseasonably cool autumn does not necessarily mean the 2014-15 winter will come early or be a tough one, according to WQAD News Channel 8 meteorologist James Zahara. Most climatologists predict up to 65 percent chance of an El Nino forming during the fall and winter, which usually means a milder winter in the Midwest. El Nino is a weather phenomena that affects not only Illinois weather, but the entire country and world.

“But keep in mind, there are a lot more variables that we’ll be analyzing that will go into the winter forecast equation,” Zahara said. “This is something we’ll definitely keep an eye on.”

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On the other end of the weather spectrum, the “Old Farmer’s Almanac” predicts another “teeth-chatteringly cold winter” across the country.

“Colder is just almost too familiar a term,” Editor Janice Stillman said.

“Think of it as a refriger-nation.”

Claiming a historically 80 percent accuracy in its weather forecasts, “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” predicts this winter will be one with another Arctic blast, along with above-normal snowfall throughout much of the nation.

The extreme weather will continue into summer 2015, which is expected to be predominantly hot and dry, the almanac says.

“Winter will bring a frosty bite, and next summer will be its mirror opposite, so get ready for a one-two punch,” Stillman said. “Be prepared – there’s plenty in the forecast to cause all sorts of mayhem: Blizzards, droughts and hurricanes.”

However, the Climate Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced its winter outlook shows equal chances of above, below or near average temperatures, as well as below-average precipitation for Illinois and the Great Lakes region.

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Illinois soybean farmers have much to celebrate I

had the pleasure recently of being part of the Illinois Soybean Association’s 50th anniversary celebration, also honoring the past 100 years of soybean production in Illinois.

Certainly, Illinois soybean farmers have much to be proud of and look forward to in the future.

ISA’s focus for the last year has been on embracing the past – our legacy of leadership, market development and soybean production in Illinois.

Our history has been marked with many successes in helping Illinois soybean farmers improve production. From helping craft legislation that protects our freedom to farm, to creating new markets for soy products and for overseas buyers, to funding research and promotion activities that increase profits and build demand, that has long been ISA’s mission. Here are some interesting milestones from Illinois’ 100-year soybean production history:

SHARON COVERT Director, District 4 Illinois Soybean Association • In 1936, the Northern Regional Research Laboratory in Peoria was established to develop industrial uses for soybeans and soy products like plastics, paints and varnishes.

• The Land of Lincoln Soybean Association (LOLSA) – as ISA was originally known – was created in 1964 to develop the Illinois soybean industry and conduct variety testing.

• During the 1970s, Illinois farmers helped market soybeans from Mexico to North Africa. Illinois soybean farmers were a big part of the financial power behind opening nine interna-

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tional marketing offices and programs in 76 nations.

• At the same time, Illinois farmers turned attention to emerging markets that included development of petroleum printing inks containing soybean oil. The Soy Mark logo identified publications printed with soy ink. The Peoria lab helped develop soy ink, and St. Francis Hospital in Peoria was the first to use it for baby footprints.

• Illinois soybean volunteers began to educate consumers about the many benefits of soy during the 1980s. Dozens of people trained to become “Bean Boosters” and cooking demonstrations and product displays blanketed the state.

• New soybean uses accelerated during the 1990s. University students created candles from soybean oil and soybean oil-based crayons.

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27

BY DAVID GIULIANI For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

A

s the old saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

In agriculture, experts say, just having a cover helps.

For more than a half century, farmers have been encouraged to plant cover crops between growing seasons as a way to manage soil erosion, preserve soil fertility and quality, and help ward off diseases.

In Illinois and Iowa, known for their highquality, deep topsoil, cover crops are rarely Tom Kaspar used. That’s not “Right now, we’re not doing enough the case in some to have an impact other states. on water quality or water erosion,” Nationally, Iowa State cover crops, University agronomist says which include cereal rye and clover, are planted on only a small fraction of farmland, but their use is increasing.

From 2012 to 2013, cover crop acreage jumped by 38 percent nationally, according to a survey funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In Iowa, 1.6 percent of its cropland is cover crop, said Tom Kaspar, an agronomy professor at Iowa State University.

“We’re heading in the right direction, but slowly,” Kaspar said. “There’s a lot more interest than there was years ago.

I think the state of Iowa and commodity groups are putting a lot of emphasis on cover crops from the standpoint of reducing nutrient losses. Right now, we’re not doing enough to have an impact on water quality or water erosion.”

28 Fall 2014

TAKING COVER

F a

W a H

G R

‘We need to use that time’

Few Midwestern farmers are using cover crops

Photo contributed

Walnut farmer Tom Broens is growing cereal rye, like the crop pictured here, in an attempt to overcome soil erosion. It’s the first time Broens has used a cover crop.

He decided to plant 150 acres.

As it is, 60 percent of Iowa’s cropland is rented or leased, which may reduce the incentive to use cover crops, Kaspar said. Landowners, he said, need to understand the long-term benefits of such crops and then ask their renters to use them.

“We have 7 months of the year when nothing is being grown,” Kaspar said.

“We need to use that time.”

Even flat land is vulnerable to erosion, Kaspar said, as can be seen during the spring or after rainfall.

In other states, cover crops are more popular.

Mark David Jim Hoorman, a cover University of crop specialist and Illinois environprofessor at Ohio State mental sciences University, said such professor said crops are gaining steam cover crops are in Ohio, where state used more as officials are advocat“you get out ing them. He ticked off of mainstream agriculture” the cover crop acreage numbers in a number of Ohio counties, a couple of which are closing in on 10 percent of farmland.

“You have the best soils in the world [in Illinois and Iowa],” Hoorman said.

“Guys are happy with their results. We have a lot less organic matter in our soils. We have a lot of heavy clay soils.

Guys are worried about compaction and soil structure.”

Even in areas with great soils, Hoorman said, the need for cover crops will eventually become evident.

“At some point, they won’t have that soil,” he said. “People who are really hurting try to find ways to make it better. Farmers who are struggling tend to find solutions.”

Farmers, he said, should know they can’t plant a cover crop for just 1 year and see benefits. It takes at least 3 years, he said.

Mark David, an environmental sciences professor at the University of Illinois, said cover crops are used more as “you get out of mainstream agriculture.”

“When I drive around Illinois, how often do I see green fields [after harvest]? Almost never,” he said. “Cover crops are not embraced.

“There is a cost to having a cover crop.

You have to plant it. You have to kill it in the spring. You have to till it. It’s not something that happens for free. You may get some benefits like less erosion, but it’s hard to make the absolute argument that you should use it.”

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AG Mag

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It costs about $30 or $40 an acre to have cover crops, he said.

‘One of those chicken-and-egg things’ In Illinois, David said, farmers have a short window for planting cover crops, and they won’t see much growth if they are planted in November. They are easier to establish in central Illinois than either northern Illinois or Wisconsin, he said.

One hurdle for cover crops is that seed companies haven’t done much in the way of breeding them, said Kaspar of Iowa State.

“There’s no incentive or economics for the big seed companies to get involved in cover crops,” he said.

“Right now, we’re using whatever is available. The future of being able to use improved plants designed specifically to be cover crops has a lot of potential that we’re not seeing today.

It’s one of those chicken-and-egg things.”

Lee County farmer Chuck Rhodenbaugh said he does not use cover crops.

“I have never had a problem,” he said. “Most of my ground is flat. I know

‘‘

There are a lot of people who don’t want to use that extra bit of money they have at the end of the year for cover crops. Guys need to see it work for someone else before they try it.

people who have used cover crops to get by.”

He said he had a neighbor who planted turnip as a cover crop so that his stock cows could graze.

“It worked pretty good for him for that,” Rhodenbaugh said.

‘They’re leery about it’ Abby Merriman, a soil conservationist with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Stephenson County, said a handful of producers in her area are die-hard cover crop users.

“There are a lot of people who don’t want to use that extra bit of money they have at the end of the year for cover crops,” she said.

“Guys need to see it work for someone else before they try it. They’re leery about it.”

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more is considered highly erodible, which is the case in much of Stephenson County and especially Carroll and Jo Daviess counties, Merriman said.

“We have cover crop tours so that other producers can ask what they’ve done and how they like it,” Merriman said. “Cover crops are a good thing to keep your soil from washing away.”

Randy Faber, a Sublette farmer, has used a cover crop as forage for his cow herd, but the schedule can be tight for getting any growth before winter sets in.

Rock Katschnig, who lives in the Prophetstown area, said he is fighting a soil-borne problem at his farm – cyst nematode disease. He is now experimenting with a cover crop.

“We just sowed the seeds,” he said.

“We won’t know the results until the next growing season.”

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Farmers Forum What can the U.S. Congress or the state Legislature do to make life easier for farmers?

Mike Book, 28, Amboy “Improve the locks and dams on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The dams were constructed in the 1920s and 1930s with a 50-year lifespan, and only emergency fixes are being performed. Locks and dams are important for farmers to access foreign markets.”

Jim Schielein, 50, rural Dixon “I want Congress to take care of tax reform. Federal estate tax rules do not recognize that farmland has increased in value for whatever reason for the last 10 years. Federal estate taxes are never adjusted with inflation and it has taken the value of farmland down 20 to 30

Mike Book

Jim Schielein

WITH JERMAINE PIGEE/ NORTHERN ILLINOIS AG MAG

Nathan Hummel

percent over the last 10 years.”

Nathan Hummel, 31, Dixon “The inheritance tax is an issue with farmers because it breaks up family farms. When a grandparent who owns a farm passes away, we get taxed on that. Some farmers end up selling farmland to pay the taxes on it. I rent a lot of land from my family, and if I lose a family member it’s possible my operation will get smaller in order to pay the taxes.”

Doug Kuehl, 60, Morrison “When they discuss the budget, taxation issues keep popping up. They need to make those decisions earlier in the year.

Don Temple

When they come out and say they want to change tax codes, but they wait until the end of the year, it throws a monkey wrench in our plans.”

Don Temple, 62, Fulton “We probably have become over-regulated. One of the more recent things is the EPA wants to have jurisdiction over parts of our farm that could potentially hold water and that is not practical. If we have to go through government regulations, that will be a lot of paperwork and it will not improve any water quality. In order to do any work in a place that could potentially carry water, I’d need a permit.”

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AG Mag

31

‘I come alive at fair time’ Morrison woman best in baked goods show

BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Philip Marruffo/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Mary Jo Tichler holds a coconut cream pie in her home outside Morrison. Tichler is known well at the Whiteside County Fair for her baked goods.

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Mary Jo Tichler is the fairest of the fair – at least among the older set.

“I come alive at fair time,” she said as a broad smile spread across her face.

Tichler, 66, earned Premier Exhibitor in the Baked Goods Division for the second year in a row at the Whiteside County Fair in August. She entered more than 70 categories, from apricot bread to zucchini muffins, and placed in 66 of them.

She also entered several categories in the Canned Goods Division and placed in six of them.

“Every year, I say I’m going to cut back [on the number of entries], but then I get the fair book and I add more,” she said with a laugh. “One of these days, I will, though.”

CONTINUED ON 33

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Tichler, of Morrison, took first place in 28 categories, including seven pie categories. She considers her coconut cream pie and lemon meringue pie among her signature items.

What are her secrets?

For her pie crusts, she uses oldfashioned lard. She also makes several crusts at a time and freezes them to save time later. And for her meringue, she uses a recipe handed down from her mother. “But I don’t give that out,” she said with a snicker.

Tichler never learned to cook or bake as a girl.

“I was a farm gal,” she said. “I’d rather have been outside, doing farm work with my dad instead of baking or cooking something with my mom.”

Tichler honed her skills in the kitchen with plain old practice. She started entering the open culinary show at the county fair more than 30 years ago.

“I lived on a farm, I was always in 4-H, … but I showed beef cattle,” she said. “I got the fair book one day and decided to show something else. … I grew up at the fair, and now, I still get to show at the fair.”

At first, Tichler entered only pies, but over the years, and mostly after she retired in 2011, she added breads, muffins, cookies, candies and other

Philip Marruffo/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

This pie looks delicious and, trust us, it is. It’s no wonder that Mary Jo Tichler earned Premier Exhibitor in the Baked Goods Division for a second year in a row at the Whiteside County Fair in August. She entered more than 70 categories, from apricot bread to zucchini muffins, and placed in 66 of them. Want a recipe for Tichler’s coconut cream pie? Turn the page! baked goods. Most recently, she added cheesecakes to her long list of entries; she took first place in the fruit cheesecake category this year.

Tichler has built up quite a name for

herself. Aside from the county fair, she has donated her famous pies to charity auctions and other events.

CONTINUED ON 34

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She most recently made a pie for a benefit for a local woman who is suffering from cancer. It sat there as an anonymous donation with only a few small bids on it.

“But after they said who made it, then people started bidding,” she said.

Coconut Cream Pie Yield: 1 9-inch pie Ingredients ¾ cup sugar ¼ cup cornstarch ¼ tsp. salt 2 cups milk 3 egg yolks 2 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup flaked coconut + more for garnish 1 9-inch baked pie shell 3 egg whites 6 Tbsp. sugar Directions In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thick and bubbly; continue to boil for 1 minute, then remove the mixture from the heat (but leave the burner on).

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks.

Gradually stir in a quarter of the hot sugar mixture, then pour the yolk mixture back into the remaining hot sugar mixture, stir-

Philip Marruffo/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Mary Jo Tichler’s apple streusel muffins ring constantly. Cook the mixture for 30 seconds, then remove it from the heat and add the butter, vanilla and coconut.

Pour the filling into the baked pie shell.

Cool the pie in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Slowly add

the sugar, beating until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the filled pie, sealing to the edges, then sprinkle with a bit of coconut.

Bake the pie until the meringue is toasted, about 10-15 minutes.

CONTINUED ON 35

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Apple Streusel Muffins Yield: 12 muffins Ingredients For the muffins: 2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt 2 eggs ½ cup melted butter 1 ¼ tsp. vanilla extract 1 ½ cups peeled, chopped tart apples (e.g. Macintosh, Jonathan or Jonagold) For the streusel: 1 Tbsp. flour 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 Tbsp. butter 1/3 cup brown sugar For the glaze: 1 ½ cups powdered sugar 1-2 Tbsp. milk 1 tsp. melted butter ¼ tsp. vanilla extract 1/8 tsp. salt Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

In a large bowl, combine

the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, butter and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until moist. Fold in the apples.

Fill muffin cups about threequarters full.

In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over the filled muffin cups.

Bake the muffins for 15-20 minutes, then cool for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins.

Date Bread Yield: 1 loaf Ingredients 1 cup water 1 cup dates, chopped 1 tsp. baking soda 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 3 Tbsp. melted butter 1 tsp. vanilla 1 ¾ cup flour ½ cup chopped walnuts

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Philip Marruffo/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

That Mary Jo Tichler has become such an extraordinary cook is even more interesting when you learn that Tichler never learned to cook or bake as a girl. “I was a farm gal,” she said. “I’d rather have been outside, doing farm work with my dad instead of baking or cooking something with my mom.”

Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by5-inch loaf pan.

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AG Mag

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Growing social

Farmers, growers making presence on Facebook, Twitter

BY ANGEL SIERRA For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Connie Selmi is no stranger to the mechanics of online marketing. Her efforts at self-promotion for Selmi’s Greenhouse and Farm Market in Rock Falls are part of a trend among growers and farmers worldwide.

Selmi, 59, planted the seed of her company’s online presence with a website in the ’90s, followed by a move to ephemeral MySpace, and eventually to Facebook and Twitter.

“Originally, we thought it was free advertising, and now it’s way more than that,” Selmi said.

The Selmi’s Facebook page has been active for about 5 years and has about 3,200 fans.

“When sweet corn is ready, everyone

wants to know,” she said. “They want to know today, and they want to be the first one on the block.”

John Hawkins, spokesperson and Web editor at Illinois Farm Bureau in Bloomington, has been able to watch the trend develop.

“It’s a two-way street,” Hawkins said, noting that farmers and followers share immediate access to crop progress and market intelligence. Farmers also see the latest weather reports and crop tips.

Hawkins, who promotes the benefits of social media to farmers, said even he was hesitant at first to jump into a world populated with “pictures of ham sandwiches” and messages about what people are having for lunch.

He, too, had a learning curve, he said, but was sold after a colleague sent

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a tweet that took “30 minutes to get around the globe.” It was a crop update.

“You get out of social media what you put into it,” said Hawkins, who stays connected throughout the day on his phone and computer. For example, he dedicates a block of time to correspond with connections in Argentina, where farmers post harvest statuses and share what’s working for them.

A Sauk Valley Media search in October for local farmers on Facebook and Twitter yielded few results in Northwest Illinois. Hawkins said that might be because age is a big factor in the use of social media. While the average Illinois farmer is 59, those younger than 45 are a growing community online, he said.

CONTINUED ON 37

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“Local food people” are very active online, too, Hawkins said, referring to smaller growers that might not have the footprint of a large-scale farming operation. “The thing that attracts [businesses] … is the old party line concept ... where they share ideas and information,” he said.

Photos of pumpkins, fall decorations and recipes permeate Selmi’s social media accounts, like Pinterest, because “people want upto-the-minute accounts of what’s going on,” Selmi said.

The company has more than 25 varieties of geraniums, quality Michigan peaches and apples, a pumpkin patch, seasonal corn, and an assortment of vegetables to choose from, according to its website, and all of the inventory is promoted online throughout the year.

Danelle Burrs, 29, of Dixon, manages social media for Lee County Farm Bureau, which serves about 2,150 members. She sees it as

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Connie Selmi has led the effort to get Selmi’s Greenhouse and Farm Market in Rock Falls first online and on MySpace, then eventually to Facebook and Twitter. “Originally, we thought it was free advertising, and now it’s way more than that,” Selmi said of the family company’s ventures in social media. a “great tool” to enhance communication that raises awareness and promotes events in real time.

Whiteside County Farm Bureau also sees a value in social media and tries to

post at least once a day, said Mary Thormahlen, 25, who manages the organization’s Facebook page.

“Farmers are starting to get more involved,” she said.

“It’s an easier way for [mem-

bers] to talk to us.” The organization serves about 4,000 members.

Thormahlen said the Farm Bureau also uses Facebook to promote ag literacy and facilitate donations to the Illinois Ag in the Classroom program.

For Selmi, the new promotion style “has really changed the tone of our advertising.”

Selmi’s makes it a priority to reach out to media that will provide them with instant feedback. It has cut back on television advertising, Selmi said, because the business depends on instant access to current and potential customers.

“Our product is perishable,” she said. “We can’t say, ‘Oh, come in 2 weeks,’ because we might not have it in 2 weeks.”

Selmi watches the analytics on the Facebook page to understand the best time to post, the kind of feedback being received, and the strength of the advertising.

It’s a direct connection, she said.

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AG Mag

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Vast expansion of power?

Farm Bureau, EPA tangle over proposed water rules

BY DAVID GIULIANI For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contends its proposed regulations to carry out the Clean Water Act would not increase its powers over agriculture.

Not so, counters the American Farm Bureau.

In April, the EPA proposed rules that it said would clarify which

waters the Clean Water Act covers, arguing the U.S. Supreme Court wanted the regulatory confusion cleared up.

The Farm Bureau says the new rules would apply to ditches in farms, hampering what farmers could do. The organization, with the support of the Illinois Farm Bureau, has launched the “Ditch the Rule” campaign, to which the

EPA responded with its “Ditch the Myth” webpage.

In 2006, the Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Water Act applied to navigable waters as well as waters that have a “significant nexus” with navigable waters. That “nexus” language has resulted in confusion.

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Lauren Lurkins, director of natural and environmental resources for the Illinois Farm Bureau, said that while the EPA contends that its rules would have no effect on bodies of water that do not contribute to the flow of navigable waters, “I don’t know of a ditch that doesn’t contribute to flow.”

“On paper, there are exemptions for ditches,” she said. “They can’t be used in the real world.”

When Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, Lurkins said, it put specific limits on the federal government.

“The Clean Water Act is based on a cooperative federalism. There is a balance between federal control and state and local control,” she said. “These rules would put all of the power in the hands of the federal government.”

If the rules go forward – which could happen next year – lawsuits will be filed, Lurkins said.

“That’s why you are seeing people backed into corners,” Lurkins said.

“There isn’t room for negotiation, from my perspective.”

On its “Ditch the Myth” page, the EPA responds to the Farm Bureau.

“The proposed rule actually reduces regulation of ditches because for the first time it would exclude ditches that

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The Clean Water Act is based on a cooperative federalism. There is a balance between federal control and state and local control.

These rules would put all of the power in the hands of the federal government.

are constructed through drylands and don’t have water year-round,” the agency says.

The EPA’s page also contends that the rules would leave alone the decades-old exemption for farm ponds and would, for the first time, specifically exclude stock watering and irrigation ponds built in drylands.

According to the EPA, the new rules would not expand federal authority.

“The proposal does not protect any waters that have not historically been covered under the Clean Water Act,” the page says. “The proposed rule specifically reflects the more narrow reading of jurisdiction established by the Supreme Court and protects fewer waters than prior to the Supreme Court cases [addressing the Clean Water Act].”

Kendall Thu, a Northern Illinois University anthropology professor who has focused on water quality issues in rural areas, said the rhetoric in response to

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the proposed rules is typical because farmers tend to fear government intrusion.

“It’s mostly accurate to say that the rules are clarifications in response to court directives,” he said. “It won’t result in a vast expansion of government powers.”

He disagreed with the contention that the federal government would get involved in regulating ditches and ponds on small and mid-sized farms.

“The Clean Water Act hasn’t been appropriately enforced,” Thu said.

“That can be a detriment to the environment as well as to farmers. What constitutes navigable waters has been contested for years. This is a natural policy evolution.”

Farmers, he said, have an inherent interest in protecting the environment. With the rules, they would know what the playing field looks like, he said.

“There would be less uncertainty.”

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Free smartphone app helps with sprayer calculations

BY STEPHANIE HENRY University of Illinois Extension Service

University of Illinois Extension has released a new smartphone app to assist applicators with many of the calculations used when setting up and calibrating a sprayer.

Pesticide Spray Calculator, or Spray Calc, was developed by Scott Bretthauer, an Extension specialist in the pesticide safety education program. It’s available free for both Apple iOS and Android smartphone platforms.

The Spray Calc app allows users to select from one of four main options: 1. Calibration: Allows user to calibrate four different sprayer types (aircraft, ground rig, turf boom, and boomless).

2. PSI for GPM: Allows user to calculate required

pressure in pounds per square inch, to provide a specific flow rate in gallons per minute, or to do the opposite.

3. Nozzle speed: Lists the minimum and maximum speeds for a specific nozzle.

4. Convert value: Assists users with various pesticide application-related unit conversions.

Help menus are available to provide users with guidance on the function of app components and definitions for many of the listed variables.

“For most variables, touching the name of the variable brings up a definition of what the variable is and how it is measured,” Bretthauer said.

He plans to add a function to assist with tank mix calculations and more.

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Ag course a virtual reality Community college students take online class at U of I

BY JERMAINE PIGEE For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Kerri Foster sits in a common area at Sauk Valley Community College and uses her laptop to participate in an online agriculture course offered by the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois.

Miller is among Sauk students using a Web-based virtual classroom software program to take a soil science class.

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“This is the closest class you will get to agriculture while being at Sauk,” said student Cameron Poci, 20.

The program gives students a chance to take basic agriculture classes in animal science, crop science, soil science, and horticulture.

CONTINUED ON 44

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Agriculture Education School Directory

SAUK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE 173 Illinois Route 2 Dixon, IL 61021 815-288-5511 Courses offered through University of Illinois Extension: Five (agricultural economics, soil science, animal science, principles of ornamental horticulture, plant science)

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SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, CARBONDALE College of Agricultural Sciences Agriculture Building 1205 Lincoln Drive Carbondale, IL 62901 618-453-2469 collagri@siu.edu Departments: Agribusiness Economics; Animal Science, Food, & Nutrition; Forestry; Plant, Soil, & Agricultural Systems Majors: 8 Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY School of Agriculture Knoblauch Hall 145 1 University Circle Macomb, IL 61455 309-298-1080 AJ-Baker@wiu.edu Majors: 3 Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science

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“The purpose of the program is to provide fields of study courses for students,” said Heather Miller, director of the ACES program at the University of Illinois. “A lot of community colleges do not have an agriculture program.”

The Introduction to Horticulture course is three credit hours. The other courses are four credit hours.

At least one course is offered each semester.

“Students pay regular Sauk tuition for ACES courses,” Sauk spokeswoman Christina Pilling said. “Credits from either the agriculture or agribusiness degree program may be transferred to the U of I or other 4-year institutions to pursue a bachelor’s degree.”

Interested students register for the courses through Sauk. Students participate in the class from 3 to 5 p.m.

Tuesdays.

Poci is enrolled in the soil science class.

“It’s an interesting class,” he said. “You have to learn the material because you use it over and over throughout the semester.”

Students participate in the class by using Elluminate, a Web-based virtual classroom software program.

Students are able to participate on their own individual computers from wherever they happen to be.

“Some colleges are unable to offer these types of programs,” Miller said. “U of I wants to attract students from Sauk. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Kerri Foster, 19, is also a student in the soil science class.

“I really like the class,” Foster said. “Soil is so important for growing crops because it’s where they get all their nutrients. You have to manage it well and take care of it in order to produce good crops.”

The students visit the U of I campus in Champaign twice a semester to work on independent labs. The students drive themselves to the class.

“For the animal science class, we actually stuck our arm inside of a cow, and that was cool,” Foster said. “For the soil class, we did some lab work and we went out to a soil pit to look at the different classifications of soil.”

When they attend class at U of I, Sauk students are in classrooms with people from across the state.

“The classes are all taught by the University of Illinois faculty, but students receive credit toward an associate degree from Sauk,” Pilling said.

Miller said about four or five Sauk students enroll in courses in the U of I program each semester.

“People think agriculture classes relate to just farming, and it goes way beyond that,” Miller said. “It’s related to infrastructure, trucking and animals in some way. A majority of our state touches agriculture in some way.”

Foster said anyone who takes the class can get a lot from it.

“Sauk doesn’t have a whole lot for agriculture,” she said, “so its a good chance for agriculture students to get a little bit of it before we transfer.”

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Sauk Valley Community College student Kerri Foster said online courses offer “a good chance for agriculture students to get a little bit of it before we transfer.”

Drone on the range

A new way to monitor fields, livestock

BY CHRISTI WARREN For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Sean Cassens bought a drone aircraft about 2 years ago to monitor his fields.

Cassens, 36, a farmer in Galt, grows corn and soybeans. Before he had a drone, he would use an ultralight to survey his fields. The drone, he says,

is much more convenient.

While he could use the ultralight on only ultra-perfect weather days, he can send the drone up in pretty much any weather conditions – “Other than 30-mile-per-hour storms,” he said with a laugh.

CONTINUED ON 46

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Photos submitted to Northern Illinois Ag Mag

LEFT: To monitor his rural Sterling farm, Sean Cassens uses a drone that has six roto blades and is about 5 feet wide.

RIGHT: A view of the Blue Goose Run corn maze near Sterling from Cassens’ drone.

CONTINUED FROM 45

Drones are much-talked about when it comes to warfare and among hobbyists, but in the past couple of years, they’ve taken a hold of the farming community.

Their relatively low cost, durability, and compact size – especially compared to planes and ultralights – have made them a popular alternative for monitoring crops.

Cassens’ drone is about 5 feet across and has six roto blades that propel it through the air. The images it takes are sent back to a pair of FPV goggles, which allow him to see high-definition images

46 Fall 2014

of what’s happening in his fields.

He can assess weed pressure, wind damage, and nitrogen issues without having to move, and with the upgrade that he’s getting ready to install, the images can be transferred in even higher definition to a monitor.

“If I wanted to get right down there, in essence, I could see bugs,” he said.

“You’re not going to see mites, but you could get right down and get a real close look of each individual plant.”

Drone prices can range from just $1,000 for hobbyists to more than $25,000 for the technically sophisticated models.

Ben Johnson, who works for Ag View

FS in Princeton, flies drones over customers’ fields.

“You always hear from crop dusters or people who fly small planes that you can get a completely different perspective of the crop from a different angle, from above,” he said. “There’s a lot of patterns that you can see that aren’t apparent when you’re just standing out there in the field; it’s too subtle.

“But when you look at it from 400 feet in the air, which is the legal limit currently, you can see the impact of tillage on your crop, the effectiveness of a nitrogen application. I saw a lot of wind – the impact of a big wind storm – on different varieties.”

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AG Mag

47

Market dictates rent adjustments

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Lee County farmer Don Meyer leases land for grain production. He said some added stress is building, given the cyclical nature of the business.

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Tenants forced to renegotiate lease agreements

BY PAM EGGEMEIER For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Farmers who rent land probably will need to renegotiate what they pay after watching corn and soybean prices fall – a process that could be uncomfortable, a University of Illinois economist says.

Farmers’ profits this year and next will be “considerably below” the levels of the past few years, economist Gary Schnitkey said.

That will mean many farmers will need to push for lower rents than they’ve been paying to keep their finances sound, Schnitkey said.

“This will be a difficult process for both land owners and farmers,” he said.

“Renegotiating cash rents down presents farmers with a delicate situation, with the potential to lose farmland as a result of the negotiations.”

According to a recent survey by the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, state farmers expect 2015 cash rents to be about $33 an acre lower than in 2014.

Many corn and soybean farmers rent at least part of the land they farm.

Lee County farmer Don Meyer leases land for grain production. He said some added stress is building, given the cyclical nature of the business.

“Prices had risen quickly, and the up cycle lasted longer than expected,” Meyer said. “There is some more anxiety over seeing how it breaks in another year. The extended boom time means we could have an extended down town.”

While land owners and tenants negotiate year round, more discussions go on when the market changes as it has.

Soybeans have fallen well below $11 a bushel and corn to about $3.70 a bushel.

Prices on both of those key Illinois crops are lower than they have been since

Illinois cash rent estimates Northwest region (Dollars per acre) County Irrigated Non-irrigated Pastureland Bureau $353 $244 W Carroll W $265 $44 Henry $260 $238 W Jo Daviess W $221 W Lee $263 $255 W Mercer W $224 $34 Ogle W $300 $43.50 Putnam W $255 W Rock Island W $240 $51 Stephenson W $258 $53 Whiteside $286 $246 W Winnebago W $207 W Other counties $290 W $47 Region average $287 $251 $46 *Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations or insufficient number of reports to establish an estimate.

Source: United States Department of Agriculture

2010. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Illinois and Iowa are the top two producers of each crop virtually every year.

Landowners need to be aware that the economic situation has changed for farmers after several very profitable years, Schnitkey said. “Since the fall of 2013, commodity prices have decreased.”

Meyer said no two situations are the same, sometimes making negotiations more complicated.

“It can be hard to nail down numbers when even next-door neighbors can have very different soil quality and conditions,” he said.

While Meyer said it isn’t wise to talk about negotiation specifics, he said his leasing experiences were usually a “pretty smooth process.”

“Every relationship is different, but the key is always to keep communicating,” Meyer said. “This is all market-driven, and you have to keep discussing all of the forces out there.”

Steve Sheaffer is a farmer who also works at 1st Farm Credit Services in the Oregon branch. More area farmers rent land than own it, he said, and this up cycle has

lasted longer than most producers had anticipated, so farmers have been preparing for lower crop prices.

“I don’t know if you’re ever fully prepared for it, but farmers have been talk-

ing about changing their expense mix a lot over the last 12 months, as prices decline,” Sheaffer said.

As corn dropped from $5.50 to $3.20, farmers knew it was time to rein in spending, sending a rippling effect through the agribusiness sector.

“This has been a great stretch, and a lot of purchases with equipment dealers were made over the last 5 years,” Sheaffer said. “The dry conditions boosted the market longer than anticipated.”

Sheaffer said land negotiations are a very private process, oftentimes between families who have known each other for a long time.

“There’s usually a fairly close relationship between landlord and tenant,” Sheaffer said. “Everyone understands the cyclical nature of the business.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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49

Hare-raising hobby Teen is youth director for rabbit group

BY TERRI SIMON For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

When LaSalle County teenager Aaron Bauer decided to raise rabbits for a 4-H project in 2008, he had no idea those floppyeared friends would create such a big influence in his life.

Bauer is the new District 5 youth director for the National Mini Rex Club, which encompasses Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky. He was

nominated for the position by the national director for the club.

Bauer’s rabbitry, dubbed Outback Rabbitry, is home to a couple of hundred rabbits – mostly Mini Rex, Holland Lops, and Lionheads, which he raises with his parents, Scott and Kim Bauer, and his 12-year-old sister, Kaitlynn Bauer.

CONTINUED ON 51

In the photo When it comes to raising a grand champion rabbit like the one Aaron Bauer is holding, the LaSalle-Peru High School junior doesn’t hesitate to talk about the positive attributes of each breed. Bauer was recently named the new District 5 youth director for the National Mini Rex Club, which encompasses Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky. (Photo by Terri Simon/Northern Illinois Ag Mag)

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The rabbit kid tells all ...

The LaSalle-Peru Township High School junior said his sister helps to clean and feed the rabbits; his dad helps him pick rabbits to sell, show and breed; and his mom does most of the paperwork involved with the rabbits, plus keeps the website updated.

The family belongs to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, the National Mini Rex Rabbit Club, the Illinois Mini Rex Rabbit Club, and the Wisconsin Mini Rex Rabbit Club.

As junior director, Bauer said his responsibilities include writing a report several times a year for the organization’s magazine. He is also a mentor for other junior rabbit owners and respected by his peers, young and old alike.

Bauer, who attends 20-25 rabbit shows a year, has won a plethora of awards with his rabbits, including many Best in Show, Best of Breed, and Best Opposite Sex. The highest award he’s won was “winning our lane at convention, which basically means we were within the Top 4 out of more than 10,000 rabbits,” he said.

Bauer, who is serious about his rabbit business, quickly explained what makes a grand champion rabbit.

CONTINUED ON 52

Aaron Bauer Age: 17 Town where you live: LaSalle School and grade: Junior at LaSalle-Peru High School Family members and names: Parents, Scott and Kim Bauer; sister, Kaitlynn, 12 Pets: Bandit (my dog), many rabbits, several guinea pigs Hobbies: Rabbits and fishing Sports you participate in: Photo contributed Soccer and basketball Aaron Bauer handles rabbits of all ages and School awards you have received: Boots Temple Award, sizes. This baby rabbit is just one of many the John Merit Award, Student Excel- Bauers raise to show and sell. lence Award, High Honor Society Favorite subject in school: Math Least favorite subject in school: English What do you want to do when you leave high school? Something to do with engineering What do you like to do for fun? Sports, rabbits, fishing If you were stranded on a desert island and could have just the same meal every day, what would it be and from what restaurant? Nachos from Jalapeños If you won a million dollars, how would you spend it? Invest in something to make even more money!

People would be surprised to know this about you: I have a couple of hundred rabbits Likes: Soccer, showing rabbits, fishing and friends Dislikes: Tomatoes Three words you would use to describe yourself: Athletic, smart, confident

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CONTINUED FROM 51

“The qualities a grand champion rabbit will possess will vary between breed,” he said. “In Mini Rex, they are looking for a well-balanced rabbit with very plush, dense fur.”

The Bauers sell many of their rabbits, some to other breeders or youths for their 4-H projects, and others as pets. But regardless of the reason people want young Bauer’s rabbits, he said some obligations go along with with taking a rabbit into a home.

“The biggest challenge I have discovered is planning time to do all my chores around sports and school,” said Bauer, who is an honors student and athlete.

But it’s not all work. Some opportunities are gained by raising the fourlegged friends with floppy ears.

“There are scholarship opportunities, plus I have traveled to seven states just for rabbit shows,” he said. “In my travels, I have met many people from all over the United States, Canada and Japan. I have more knowledge about rabbits than anybody ever needs to know.”

For more information about Outback Rabbitry, call Bauer at 815-2231778.

52 Fall 2014

Terri Simon/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Aaron Bauer says one of the most difficult things about raising rabbits is trying to schedule cleaning and feeding time around his other high school activities, including his active role on the soccer pitch and the basketball court.

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Farmers National Bank............... 16

Peoples National Bank/Kewanee . 51

Ace Hardware & Outdoor Center 17

First National Bank in Amboy......... 9

Peru Waltham................................ 45

Ag Yield ...................................... 54

First National Bank of Rochelle.... 33

Pinoeer Utica ................................. 44

Ag View FS, Inc .......................... 42

First State Bank of Shannon....... 31

PLN Mutual Insurance Company.. 30

AgriEnergy Resources................ 52

Forreston Mutual Insurance Co.. 40

Ray Farm Management Serv ..... 40

Beck Hybrids .............................. 46

Gold Star FS, Inc........................ 21

Rediger, Rick R.E ....................... 38

Birkey’s Farm Store ...................... 2

Good Samaritan ........................... 8

Rollo Construction ...................... 43

Bocker Excavating...................... 38

Harry’s Farm Tires ...................... 41

Rosengren, John ........................ 24

Bogott Plumbing, Inc.................... 40

Hotsy Equipment Co................... 47

Rotary Airlock, LLC....................... 3

Bos Farm Repair.......................... 40

Illinois Bank & Trust.................... 22

Sauk Valley Bank & Trust ........... 18

Bradford Victor-Adams Mutual Ins.. 56

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Sawicki Motor Company............. 23

Burkardt’s LP Gas ...................... 27

Jo Carroll Energy, Inc ................. 39

Schmitt Plumbing & Heating....... 41

Bushman’s Service..................... 21

Johnson Precision ...................... 34

Schoff Farm Service ................... 48

Carroll Service Company............ 32

Kelner Communications ............. 37

Snetcher Custom Farming.......... 36

Central Bank Illinois.................... 43

Ken Brummel.............................. 42

Sterling Futures .......................... 19

CGH Medical Center .................. 55

Krum Kreations........................... 25

Sublette Mechanical ................... 44

Community State Bank............... 15

KSB Hospital .............................. 14

V&C Construction Co., Inc.......... 49

Cornerstone Agency, Inc ............ 12

Lee County Fair Association....... 30

Vaessen Brothers Chevrolet....... 19

Countryside Marketing................ 45

Leffelman & Assoc, Inc ................. 4

Vern’s Farm Supply, Inc.............. 31

Custom Wash One ..................... 50

Michlig Energy, LTD.................... 44

Walters Buildings........................ 41

Diversified Services .................... 37

Midwest Bio-Tech Inc.................. 36

Whiteside Co. Farm Bureau ......... 6

Douglas & Frye Motorsports....... 38

Milledgeville Farmers Elevator ... 26

Wick Buildings .............................. 5

Eastland Fabrication, LLC .......... 34

Milledgeville State Bank ............. 27

Wilcox Construction.................... 20

Eastland Feed & Grain ................. 7

Milledgeville Vet Clinic ................ 35

Z Best Enterprises, Inc. .............. 32

Eaton .......................................... 41

Moore Tires, Inc.......................... 38

Zoeller Ag Services..................... 17

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Napa Coop Program................... 26

& Considine, LLC.................... 33

Norwest Surveying Services....... 38

Elmore Electric, Inc..................... 48

Peabudy’s, Inc ............................ 13 AG Mag

53

Combining for a cause Area farmers bring in harvest for ailing friend

BY JERMAINE PIGEE For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

It’s the way of the Midwest.

Seven farmers combined during the first November weekend to harvest more than 200 acres of corn owned by Brad Shippert, 30, hospitalized with meningitis.

Shippert’s wife, Erin, 31, was diagnosed last year with pancreatic cancer that has metastasized to her liver. They have a 2-year-old daughter, Reagan.

“The farming community will come together to help each other out,” said Peter Pratt, 35, of Dixon, one of the farmers who donated his time Saturday.

Shippert grows corn and soybeans on his sixth-generation family farm near Dixon.

Each farmer drove a combine; the harvest took about 6 hours to complete.

“Everyone came to help, so he can focus on getting better and getting healthy,” Pratt said. “This is one less thing he has to deal with.”

Mike Book, 28, who went to Amboy

54 Fall 2014

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Mike Book of rural Amboy was one of seven farmers who harvested 240 acres on Nov. 1 for fellow farmer Brad Shippert, laid low and hospitalized with a bout of meningitis.

High School with Brad, said harvesting 240 acres would have been “an enormous task” for one farmer.

Erin continues to receive treatment in Galesburg, and Brad is recovering at KSB Hospital in Dixon, although he’ll need to be on an IV for 4 to 6 weeks, Book said, adding “he is still in good spirits.”

This is not the first time the farm-

ing community has rallied around the Shipperts. In June 2013, a group of farmers remodeled the Shipperts’ patio into a sunroom for Erin. They replaced exterior light fixtures, planted flowers, stocked the freezer, cleaned the house and did laundry.

“People just wanted to come together and help each other out,” Pratt said.

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