2017 UFC Fieldviews - Issue 11 Fall

FALL 2017 EDITION

Our 20-Mile March: The Journey Continues

Exercising Corporate Responsibility

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Page 6

P E O P L E

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P R I D E

Giving Back Page 12

Duty to Our Communities Page 15

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P U R P O S E

Stewardship and Community Service

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It’s not just the score that matters. It’s how you play the game. rowing up at home on my family’s farm, I learned some very basic lessons. “Do the right thing.” “Take pride in your work.” “Keep your grades up.” These values were emphasized again and again. Sometimes the lessons were subtle, and sometimes they were rather pointed. I guess it depended on my behavior and whether or not I was listening at the time.

Some of the most memorable lessons focused not just on results but on how I behaved—in school, on the farm and in life, in general. For example, getting good grades was important, but even more valuable was

how I conducted myself and what the teacher might have told my parents about me.

I believe those same lessons can be applied to any business organization or, in our case, to a cooperative. In this edition of Fieldviews magazine, you will find some insights as to how UFC sees its role in the community, with our business partners and, most importantly, with you, our valued customer.

Yes, it is important to get good grades. For UFC, that means being financially strong, delivering products on a timely basis, etc. But perhaps our behavior, our values and how we conduct ourselves on a consistent basis matters even more. ●

We’re all in this together,

Jeff Nielsen, President/CEO

UFC DIRECTORY AgQuest Finance—507-647-6606 Ext. 6749 Bird Island Elevator—320-365-4012 Brownton Ag Service Center—320-328-5211 Brownton Shuttle—320-328-4002 Cologne Feed Mill—952-466-5518 Corporate Office—507-647-6600 Gaylord Ag Service Center—507-237-4203 Gaylord C-Store—507-237-2281 Gibbon C-Store—507-834-6615 Grain Marketing—507-647-6601 Green Isle C-Store—507-326-5866 Hamburg Ag Service Center—952-467-3111 Hector Ag Service Center—320-848-2296

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Our 20-Mile March. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Exercising Corporate Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6

Judson Implement Ag Service Center—507-947-3644 Klossner Elevator—507-359-4519 Klossner Livestock Service Center—507-359-2970

Beware of On-Farm Storage Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8

Klossner Station—507-232-5450

Dispatching Energy From a Central Location . . . . . . . . . Page 10

Lafayette Ag Service Center—507-228-8224

Giving Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12

Lafayette C-Store—507-228-8364

2017 Scholarship Winners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14

Lafayette Elevator—507-228-8221

Duty to Our Communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 40 Square Update: Informational Meetings . . . . . . . . . . Page 16 INTRODUCING: Our 40 Square Project Director. . . . . . . Page 17

Lafayette Seed Shed—507-228-8669 LeSueur—507-665-6421 Litchfield Elevator—320-693-6040 New Auburn C-Store—320-864-2811

New Hay and Tillage Lines Added. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18

New Germany C-Store—952-353-2601

Meet Our New Sales Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19

Norseland Ag Service Center—507-246-5300

Data Decisions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20

UFC Farm Supply-Burnsville—952-890-5296

A Good Crop Starts With Good Seed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 UFC Here to Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 Your Pre-Harvest Pep Talk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 24

UFC Farm Supply-Maple Plain—763-479-2123 UFC Farm Supply-Waconia—952-442-2126 Waconia Energy Office—952-442-2126 Winthrop C-Store—507-647-5931 Winthrop Chemical Warehouse—507-647-6615 Winthrop Elevator—507-647-5311 Winthrop Energy Office—507-647-6602

©2017 United Farmers Cooperative. All Rights Reserved.

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OUR 20-MILE MARCH:

The Journey Continues

By Jeff Nielsen, President/CEO

No, the title above does not refer to a walk or an actual march. It describes a philosophy and a process in which the leadership of United Farmers Cooperative (UFC) has been involved in for a decade. Here’s how it started:

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n 2005, UFC’s board of directors and senior leadership studied a book called “Good to Great.” The book’s author was Jim Collins, a successful business consultant who had studied hundreds of good companies. Collins concluded that the REALLY GREAT companies had three things in common: disciplined people, disciplined thought and disciplined action.

UFC’s leadership embraced these principles. We even chose to abbreviate them in our motto: People • Pride • Purpose.

At that time, we began to systematically look at each and every business in which UFC was involved. We made some difficult decisions as to what our priorities would be, where we would locate our facilities and what kind of talent we would need to execute our strategies and continue to evolve to serve our members.

Unfortunately, some of the greatest companies mentioned in Mr. Collins’ books have, over time, lost their way. A few have disappeared entirely. Those companies got cocky and lacked discipline. They said, “Look at us, we’ve arrived!”

That was the kiss of death. On the contrary, REALLY GREAT companies stick to what they said they would do. They stay grounded, stay focused on their strategic initiatives and keep reinventing themselves.

Discipline and consistency Recently, UFC’s board of directors and senior leadership team met off-site to review the company’s progress. Where have we come from? More importantly, where do we feel the cooperative should go in the future?

UFC’s board and management recently met during a day-long retreat to talk about the company’s progress and future.

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During this brief retreat, I wanted to make sure our leadership was staying on track with what we had already learned.

In a later book entitled “Great

by Choice,” Mr. Collins referred to being a great company as “a 20-mile march” rather than a short sprint. The point he was making is success comes over time and is much more sustainable if you keep consistently marching toward your Best sellers by author and objectives, rather than jumping on consultant Jim Collins. the latest and greatest trends.

For instance, in a recent issue of Fieldviews we talked about the wonderful things agriculture can gain from today’s rapid acceleration of technology. However, even something this wonderful, if it lacks discipline and consistency, can derail a farm … or a farmer-owned company like UFC. During our day of planning and discussion, we did the But normal things that are important—like bringing in our the most intense primary lender, CoBank, to talk about how your cooperative part of your board’s recent day-long is doing financially and about their recommendations for retreat was spent looking forward. We had some heavy cash flow management. discussion about staying on track and what we need to do to As an aside, I’m pleased to report that UFC’s balance insure the continued success of our cooperative. sheet continues to grow in strength and is reflective of the This discussion took me back to those lessons I learned support you have given this organization, as well as the hard years ago and how success in life, including being a good work done by our employee group. Any solid business must steward and corporate citizen, does not come entirely from have the basics in place: good facilities, great people, and the results you achieve, but rather how you play the game. adequate capital to carry out the goals and objectives of the After much deliberation, your board and leadership team organization. agreed that we feel pretty good (although we won’t allow ourselves to be complacent) about our focus on technology, our disciplined approach to business decisions, and our commitment to being actively involved in our communities.

See board chairman Todd Nelson’s article on page 6.

I have enormous satisfaction in verifying that our 20-mile march toward being a great local agricultural cooperative is still on track. In the coming weeks, your board and leadership team will continue to use this approach as we wrap up our 2017 fiscal year and look to the next decade. ●

“We made some difficult decisions as to what ... we would need to execute our strategies and continue to evolve to serve our members.”

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Exercising Corporate Responsibility

By Todd Nelson, UFC Board Chairman As a UFC board member, my attitude toward corporate responsibility or stewardship relates back to my farming operation. My neighbors and I want to be good stewards of the land. I grew up believing we should leave the land in better condition than when we started. That is also my goal as a director of this farmer-owned cooperative, elected to represent you. As a board member, I must look at what is needed today and what will be needed in the future, for a healthy company and for healthy communities. I want to make decisions that will serve current co-op and community members, as well as the generations who will follow.

That same perspective feeds the decisions of the board, when it comes to exercising our corporate responsibility to our trade area. We try to support and give back to the communities we serve in a way that will impact these communities now and for years to come.

Here are two examples of the UFC board exercising its corporate responsibility:

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A few years ago, we determined that donating grain rescue equipment to fire departments in the communities where we operate facilities would serve the welfare of all in those communities, whether or not they belong to our organization. Hopefully, this equipment will not have to be used to rescue someone trapped in a grain—but it has the potential to save a life today and make everyone safer.

We have also donated, recently, to the New Ulm FFA for the construction of a greenhouse and learning center that we hope will prepare future generations for careers in agriculture or for service in a community where agriculture is a way of life.

These examples are representative of your board taking action to be a good steward in our communities, both in the present and future. In both instances, our regional partners

“The UFC Board tries to support and give back to the communities we serve in ways that will impact these communities now and for years to come.�

UFC participated in many community parades this summer. Shown here is a UFC floater and sprayer in the parade line up, getting ready to greet parade goers.

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CHS, Land O’Lakes or CoBank matched our gift and multiplied its effectiveness.

Another example of the stewardship you can expect from your cooperative is the recent construction of the new Brownton Agronomy Hub, which will provide fertilizer and crop protection products for our members and employment for community residents—now and for generations to come.

In hundreds of other ways, UFC tries to be a good steward in the communities where it serves members and employs residents. One small but very important way involves our participation in community parades this past summer.

Your board of directors believes corporate responsibility is very important for our company and our patrons. We know this is how you want to operate your farm—so this is how we make decisions.

Have a safe and prosperous harvest. ●

UFC recently donated to the New Ulm High School Ag Department to build a greenhouse at the new high school. UFC is committed to the future of agriculture and we strongly believe in supporting our local 4-H and FFA programs.

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BEWARE of

On-Farm Storage Issues

By Steve LeBrun, Vice President of Feed

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s you head to your fields to harvest your corn this fall, keep in mind the variances in the crop you will be harvesting. In some areas, the corn was planted late. Others experienced hail damage and any number of other setbacks from Mother Nature. After a growing season like this, we often see issues such as mycotoxins, mold and spoilage occur in stored crops. Regardless, if your grain is stored on the farm or harvested as high-moisture corn, corn silage or earlage to feed to your livestock these issues can economically impact your business in lost performance or additional discounts.

“Our goal is to send every employee home to their family every night, injury free.”

If you are storing grain or silages for feed, let one of our UFC feed specialists design a specific plan for your operation to avoid, or at least minimize, the effects of mycotoxins, mold and spoilage on the performance of your livestock. Proper drying, handling and storage are the best ways to avoid major problems. The proper use of preservatives can help avoid many problems in the future.

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Help us serve you well One other subject I would like to touch on is safetyrelated. For the most part, as our feed delivery drivers make their rounds, they can safely open and close feed bins from the ground. Some locations we deliver to require our drivers to climb ladders to open and close bins. That is not normally an issue unless the ladder or bin opening equipment is not being maintained properly.

Asking a driver to climb a questionable ladder presents a liability to both your cooperative and you, personally.

Fortunately, other than a few twisted ankles and shoulder strains, we have not had a serious injury. However, I’m reminded of a driver from a neighboring cooperative who fell off a bin with a poor ladder and died at the scene from his injuries. That is something none of us want to ever happen.

With the threat of ice and snow approaching, it becomes even more important to try and avoid injuries.

Look at your feed bins for potential hazards. If you have questions, call us. We can help you determine the risk and source the parts you need to repair it.

Our goal is to send every employee home to their family every night, injury free. Thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter. ●

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Contact your UFC representative for more information about our service model to grow and sustain your livestock business.

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Dispatching Energy From a CENTRAL Location

By Darv Turbes, Vice President of Energy

These are challenging times. Markets are flat and margins for both the farmer and the cooperative are squeezed. Times like these teach us to distribute our energy products more efficiently.

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n the past, we learned that monitoring highvolume propane and refined fuel tanks for scheduled delivery made us more efficient. We also learned that sizing tanks properly not only made us more efficient but made sure customers had product when they needed it.

Now we’re on the verge of a new level of efficiency— central dispatch for delivery of refined fuels and propane.

With central dispatch, we hope to create routes that permit us to deliver more gallons of fuel per mile driven.

Currently, we dispatch four drivers from three to four different dispatch points. All drivers operate independently, resulting in cross-over and inefficiencies.

With new delivery trucks costing $250,000 – 275,000, we must operate our equipment as efficiently as possible. This is difficult in a seasonal business like ours. When business is slow, we have too much expensive equipment sitting idle.

When business is fast, we don’t have enough.

Our goal is to use technology to create more efficiency in the distribution process and be as competitive as possible.

Starting this fall, UFC will begin to consolidate all of its deliveries in one place, using a mapping system called the

AgVantage® Edge. This system will show us, on multiple screens, where all of our customers are, where all of our trucks are, and which tanks need to be filled. The system will guide a central dispatcher to create the best routes for our trucks to fill those tanks.

What this means to you It is important to emphasize that we will implement central dispatch in segments and will work hard to help you get used to the process. Right now, we are just at the beginning stages. We’re making sure all customer information is correct.

At some point this fall, we will begin using central dispatch to schedule the delivery of refined fuels. LP will come later.

Our goal is that you won’t even notice this switch from individual to central dispatch. You’ll still order from the same location. Payment terms and contracting will not change. And you’ll still receive Cenex premium fuels.

Be advised: Most of the time drivers will work the same areas. However, there may be times when a different driver might deliver your fuel. There will be some overlap to make sure you get the product when you need it, but that will be to your advantage.

Multiple screens will show our dispatcher the locations of our customers’ tanks, the location of UFC’s bulk delivery trucks and which tanks need to be filled.

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In addition, we may need to right-size your tank, add a tank monitor, or request that you place orders earlier to get the product when you want it. The combination of all three will create more efficiency and assure that we are as competitive as possible in supplying you with bulk energy products.

As with any new process, there will be a learning curve. We plan to communicate well and often as we all, employees and customers alike, get used to the idea of central dispatch. We intend to perfect a process that you can easily understand and live with.

In the end, central dispatch is the right thing to do for you and the cooperative you own. Please call the UFC Energy Division at 507-647-6602, if you have any questions as we roll it out. ●

“Our goal is to use technology to create more efficency in the distribution process and be as competitive as possible.”

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Giving

We’ve had a lot of fun at our parades this year. Not only do employees come together to make it happen, but families do as well. Our employees have been able to have brothers and sisters, daughters and sons, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren be involved in parades with UFC this summer!

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BACK

By Greg Peton, Chief Marketing Officer

UFC’s business plan is built upon Five Strategic Initiatives that serve as a directional beacon for making business decisions. Strategic Initiative #4 states, “UFC will do its part to be a good corporate citizen and a valued participating member in the communities that we serve.”

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he benchmark in describing an organization as a good corporate citizen should not be solely defined by how much money the entity contributes in the form of donations, grants and intellectual or physical property to a community, event or activity. I agree that monetary contributions readily supplement an important necessity that all communities struggle to source. UFC takes a conscientious approach in regards to our donation process to ensure the investments and donations we make in the communities provide a valuable and necessary contribution beneficial to a large segment of our customer base.

UFC enlists the services of a core group of individuals who have a clearly defined process to determine the viability of requests for funds. Our guidelines, as established by UFC’s management team and board of directors, charge us to focus our contributions on UFC’s core businesses and the patrons that support UFC. As stewards of UFC’s community investment fund, we are responsible for planning and managing the disbursement of the funds in a manner that supports the long-term objectives of UFC and the recipient of the funds. Agriculture, community, church and education are the four pillars on which we focus when determining if and how UFC should act on each request for a donation or opportunity to invest.

Here are a few examples of the contributions UFC makes to local organizations and communities:

• Scholarships—UFC recognizes and rewards academic achievement. See page 14 in this magazine.

• Local and Regional Environmental Stewardship—UFC has provided financial support to these worthy projects.

However, cash alone does not resolve the greater need of limited people resources and expendable time to support local community events and activities. A more important contribution that is difficult to measure is the amount of time the 500+ full-time, part-time and seasonal employees of UFC give back to their communities. These individuals volunteer hours of support to their city, park, church, school, recreational and agriculture boards, all in the effort to enhance the communities in which they live. UFC employees walk side-by-side with you to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s, leukemia, lymphoma, autism, diabetes and many others causes.

Who knows, the next time you and/or your community holds an awareness event or race-for-a-cure activity you will most likely find a UFC employee volunteering or running next to you! At UFC we view our responsibility to give back to our communities as a vital part of managing a healthy work-life balance. ●

• Annually purchasing FFA and 4-H premiums—UFC’s customers participate in eight county fairs.

• Fire and police department contributions and fundraisers—UFC has made a significant investment over the past three years in grain bin rescue tubes.

• Church and town celebrations • Benefits

The main reason we participate in parades is to thank our customers and be a part of our communities we serve!

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2017 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS!

Amy Albrecht

Alison Eibs

Seth Fredin

Hailey Hulke

Alexander Lund

Jennifer Palmer

McKaia Ryberg

Allison Schwarz

High School: Minnesota Valley Lutheran College: South Dakota State University Planned Major: Agricultural Business Daughter of Kirby & Ann Albrecht

Arnie Berdan Scholarship Winner High School: New Ulm College: South Dakota State University Planned Major: Agriculture Son of Doug and Kathy Lund

High School: Sibley East College: South Dakota State University Planned Major: Animal Science Daughter of Dan and Jan Eibs

High School: GFW College: South Dakota State University Planned Major: Psychology Daughter of Mike and Jolene Palmer

Samuel Stresemann

High School: GFW College: St. Olaf College Planned Major: Biology Son of Randy and Jean Stresemann

High School: Sibley East College: University of Minnesota – Twin Cities Planned Major: Agriculture Marketing Son of Roger Fredin

High School: BOLD College: North Dakota State University Planned Major: Business Administration/ Political Science Daughter of Brian and Sandy Ryberg

High School: Nicollet College: Minnesota State University – Mankato Planned Major: Health Science Daughter of Corey and Kelly Hulke

High School: Le Sueur Henderson College: University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire Daughter of Greg and Joan Schwarz

Lacy Walerius

High School: Belle Plaine College: North Dakota State University Planned Major: Animal Science/ Biological Science Daughter of Lindsey Walerius and Neil Holmquist

United Farmers Cooperative (UFC) has established a scholarship program to recognize and reward the academic achievement, co-curricular participation and community involvement of the children of its voting patrons and employees. Agriculture and the world are rapidly becoming more complex and sophisticated. In such an environment, an educational base and technical training become important tools to cope and flourish. To determine if you are eligible and to apply for a scholarship, open and print the 2018 brochure and application form online at http://www.ufcmn.com/about-us#community.

Duty to Our Communities

By Mitch Altermatt, Chief Operating Officer

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ne of the first documents I received as a new employee at UFC was our “strategic initiatives” plan. Included in this plan are five initiatives that drive the intent of all the board’s decisions and the purpose of all the employees’ actions.

While many of these initiatives align with why I chose to work at UFC, one is remarkably different from the others:

“UFC will do its part to be a good corporate citizen and valued participating member in the communities that we serve.”

This initiative stands out to me because, compared to the others, it does not seek to advance the operational business of UFC; rather, it seeks to advance the communities where UFC conducts business.

Corporate citizenship is defined as a company’s recognition that it has environmental, social and cultural responsibilities to the communities in which it operates.

The agricultural industry can be dangerous. The machinery is large, the materials are hazardous, the hours are long, and many of our locations are in the middle of residential communities. As the COO, it is my responsibility to work with managers and employees to maintain environmental regulations at our locations and ensure employees are prioritizing safe business practices for themselves, UFC, and your individual operations. As corporate citizens, we value our place in your business and see our employees not only as assets of UFC, but as family, friends and contributing members of the greater UFC-community. Because of this, we proactively invest in our assets, engage our employees in job-specific safety trainings and host our (recently completed) annual safety week! Socially, UFC takes great pride in being a participating

member of the community through sponsorships and donations. I, along with many employees and community members, have experienced first-hand the generosity of cooperatives in keeping local programs alive. UFC has an established scholarship program, a strong history of donating to local youth agriculture programs, and provides internship experiences for local talent looking to get into agriculture. UFC is committed to socially advancing the youth of the communities it serves and providing opportunities to encourage them to move back to rural America.

Cooperatives, by nature, are good corporate citizens because of their structure. The entire concept of the cooperative system is based around the user-benefit principal: that those who use the cooperative benefit from its profitability. In the last five years alone, UFC has allocated approximately $28 million to producers in the form of cash and equity. While you benefit personally from the patronage you receive from doing business with UFC, you also benefit in how UFC invests in the community – building safe assets, employing local citizens, and developing youth programs. On top of that, I know some of the patronage you receive, and that your neighbors receive, is reinvested in the local community as well, continuing the progression of corporate citizenship. Patronage is truly a never-ending cycle of reinvestment in our communities. It’s what makes cooperatives unlike any other business structure and why they have stood the test of time.

The rural American economy is shaped by the agricultural industry. When farmers are successful, our communities, schools and churches are more successful. UFC understands this at its core and prioritizes corporate citizenship in the forms of safety, sponsorship and patronage. I grew up in rural America and know the value of being a cooperative patron.

It is why I have remained a cooperative employee my entire career. I am proud to work for UFC and to be a corporate citizen in all of the communities we serve. ●

“When farmers are successful, our communities, schools and churches are more successful.”

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40 SQUARE UPDATE: Informational Meetings

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his January, the Minnesota House of Representatives and Senate overwhelmingly approved a new health care reform act, and Governor Dayton signed it into law. Senate File 1 contained a provision allowing agricultural producers to join together to develop their own selfinsurance programs, like the programs employees of large corporations have enjoyed for years. UFC, together with the Cooperative Network, is leading the charge to implement this legislation, with informational sessions taking place this fall. Charlene Vrieze, project manager for 40 Square Cooperative Solutions, describes the progress made.

“Our first board meeting was held Aug. 28 and all major components are in place for enrollment in late fall.”

At the meeting, UFC board member Robby Gieseke was elected as chair of the 40 Square board. “As a young family and member of the UFC board of directors, I’m honored to help lead this effort and move it forward,” said Gieseke.

Informational meetings are beginning, with the first session being held at UFC on Sept. 19. “This has been a long road and I’m proud UFC members will be the first to hear the details of what 40 Square has to offer our farmers,” explained Jeff Nielsen, CEO of UFC. The first four locations will be held in south central Minnesota and the 40 Square team is working to finalize the remainder of the statewide calendar through December. Two sessions will be held at each location, each meeting taking approximately one hour.

Sept. 19: 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., UFC Berdan Center, 705 E 4th Street, Winthrop, MN 55396 Sept. 21: 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Farmward Cooperative, 711 Front Street, Morgan, MN 56266 Sept. 26: 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Genesis Growing Solutions, 901 N 4th Street, Le Sueur, MN 56058 Sept. 28: 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Crystal Valley Cooperative, 721 West Humphrey, Lake Crystal, MN 56055 Sign up at www.40square.coop to receive the most current information on this historic health care initiative and to be notified when additional informational meetings will be held in your area. ●

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INTRODUCING: Our 40 Square Project Director

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harlene Vrieze, project manager for 40 Square Cooperative Solutions, grew up on a farm in Central Wisconsin. “That’s why the issue of health care is so personal to me,” she states.

During her studies at Edgewood College in Madison, Wis., she worked as an intern, legislative page and staff member in the Wisconsin legislature. Following her graduation with a degree in international relations and political science, Char continued her career in the legislature, working as a policy advisor for two legislators on the state’s budget writing committee.

“The majority of my time in the Wisconsin legislature was focused on agriculture, health care and higher education policy and funding thereof,” she comments.

Char’s husband Josh grew up on a dairy farm near Baldwin, Wis. In 2009, she was hired by the Cooperative Network as a project manager tasked with starting a health care cooperative in Minnesota. The couple moved west from Madison, Wis., to the Twin Cities area to be closer to their families. They now have two young boys.

“Cooperative Network had already established a similar organization in Wisconsin, where the regulatory environment was more favorable,” says Char, referring to the Farmers Health Cooperative of Wisconsin. “ The Minnesota project ebbed and flowed, due to regulatory and legislative hurdles, but when Senate File 1 was passed by the Minnesota State Legislature in January of this year, the health care initiative called “40 Square Cooperative Solutions” took on new life.

Char is responsible for helping to lead the team of seven members on a steering committee, who are working hard to make an independent member-owned and controlled cooperative a reality.

The sole purpose of 40 Square Cooperative Solutions will be to deliver memberdriven, value-based health care coverage options to Minnesota farmers. ● Charlene Vrieze

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NEW Hay and Tillage Lines Added

By Scott Maynard, Farm Equipment Product Sales Manager

Just a reminder: UFC is in the tractor, planter and combine business.

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e’ve always been in the tillage, material handling, skid-steer and grain handling business. But with the purchase of Judson Implement in November 2016, we reentered the big equipment business with some of the most well-known names: AGCO, Massey Ferguson, Versatile, Gleaner and White.

I’m excited to announce that we’ve also taken on the Vermeer® Hay Tool line and the Salford Tillage line. We’ll be carrying parts and servicing these new lines at all UFC Ag Service locations.

We took on the premium Vermeer and Salford lines for our patrons who already owned these machines and needed parts and service, as well as providing our entire customer base with an inventory of new and used haying and tillage equipment.

On the lot Going into fall, we have good availability of new tractors and several pieces of used harvesting equipment at Judson Implement. We can upgrade your current equipment or,

We recently took on the Vermeer and Salford lines of hay and tillage equipment, shown above and below. Parts and service will be available at all UFC Ag Service locations.

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if purchasing a piece of equipment isn’t in the plan, we can provide you with parts and service on your current combine or tractor.

Contact one of the farm equipment sales professionals at Lafayette, Gaylord, Judson or Waconia. Or call me at 320510-0388. ●

Meet Our New Sales Manager

S

cott Maynard, our new Farm Equipment Product Sales Manager, grew up on a farm near Glencoe.

Prior to joining UFC, he was employed in the farm equipment business for 36 years, for 11 years as a service tech and for 25 years in sales.

“As Sales Manager, I will work with our Vice President of Ag Services Tyler Zollner, the staff at our ag centers, and with UFC management to assure a good customer experience,” says Scott.

“I bring experience with the larger products we’re now selling, as well as experience in sales, service and parts,” says Scott, referring to UFC’s recent purchase of Judson Implement and reentry into the tractor, combine and planter markets.

His goal is to make UFC’s farm equipment business unit successful

for all stakeholders, including the patrons, the co-op and its employees.

Besides Scott, UFC recently recruited four new farm equipment team members: Dan Brinkman, Sales Representative, and Steve Meuhlenhardt, Parts Manager, joined our team in Waconia. At our Judson location, Kirk Jungclaus was added as Location Manager and Dean Winklemann as our Sales Representative.

Editor’s Note: Scott and his wife Brenda have raised two sons, who are both attending Ridgewater College. Austin is studying GPS/ GIS for agriculture and Mitchell is studying agricultural production and sales. The family lives in Glencoe. Outside work, Scott is involved in his family’s activities.

“I also have an active role in our family farm,” he states. ● Scott Maynard

Data Decisions

By Brett Amberg, Precision Ag Sales Manager

H

How will you utilize what you learned in 2017 and apply it to the 2018 growing season?

arvest is here and it is time to see all of the hard work you put into this year’s crop come to fruition.

At harvest, we can see how each management decision made throughout the growing season affected yield. Whether it’s the hybrids planted, the amount of nitrogen applied or a fungicide application, it is important to know how it affected yield so you can start planning for next year.

Collecting accurate data It all starts with collecting accurate data. Junk in, junk out.

By properly calibrating and setting up your combine, we can be sure the data coming off the yield monitor is accurate and usable. We can then use that information to start making sound agronomic decisions. Aside from a yield calibration, here are a few other things to keep in mind: 1. Clean grain chain: Be sure it is tight and the paddles aren’t worn out 2. Moisture unit: Make sure its auger is functioning properly 3. Header height: Determine at what height to map 4. Is an acre an acre? Distance calibration can throw off your harvested acres If you need help calibrating your combine, contact your UFC Field Sales Agronomist or Jason Ries at 507-276-4247.

Turning data into decisions Generating a clean, accurate yield map is the first step. If we have that, we can then overlay it with other data layers collected throughout the growing season. Here are some other data layers to think about:

This yield map has an overlay of query zones from a fungicide application. Note: There is a hybrid trial in the middle of the fungicide application. As you can see, not every hybrid responded the same. Looking at response-to-fungicide scores when applying fungicide is very important.

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• Planter – hybrids, population, planting dates, liquid fertilizer products • Sprayer – micronutrients, fungicide, sidedress • Floater – fertilizer rates and product Wouldn’t it be great to know that by applying ‘Fungicide A’ on ‘Hybrid Z’ that it increased corn yield by 15 bushels?

Ultimately, that is the end goal we have in mind when conducting a trial. We want to determine the result and decide if it is worth doing in the future. If we can prove a positive ROI on a product application, it makes it a no brainer to do in the future. With today’s technology, we are able to track the applications we make and draw a conclusion from the results.

Start planning for 2018 Upon completion of this year’s harvest, it will be time to start making decisions for 2018. For some, it will be applying fertilizer, and for others it might be ordering seed. Whichever it might be, I highly encourage you to let data help make those decisions. By utilizing your own data along with data from sources such as the WinField® United Answer Plots® and United Insight, you can make better decisions and give your operation the best chance for success.

The challenge I like to present to growers is to try at least one new thing each year. Without trying something new, how do you know what you’re currently doing is the most profitable and efficient on your operation?

If you would like help in processing and utilizing data in your operation don’t hesitate to contact your UFC Field Sales Agronomist or myself at 507-236-1155. We would be happy to assist you. ●

A Good Crop Starts With Good Seed

By Craig Wilson, Seed Sales Manager

O

n behalf of the UFC seed team, thank you for your past and future business.

The crop is still in the ground, waiting to be harvested. Yet, it’s a good time to select your 2018 seed. Your Field Sales Agronomist (FSA) will be visiting soon to place next spring’s seed orders.

UFC will supply the following brands: DEKALB/Asgrow®, CROPLAN®, NK®, Stine®, Mycogen®, Producers® and NuTech Seed®.

Placing an early order with your FSA helps ensure that you will get the traits, seed size and packaging most valuable to your farm. With the volatility of the markets, some traits may be in limited supply. Plus, a majority of seed companies tie their best discounts to early orders.

New weed-fighting tool In recent years, weeds have grown tougher to control. You’ve probably heard

about the industry’s first biotech-stacked soybean trait. The Xtend® trait, built onto Monsanto’s already high-yielding technology, makes it possible to add dicamba to your weed management program. I encourage you to talk with your FSA about Xtend and how it would fit your farm’s management plan. UFC will continue to carry Liberty Link® and Roundup Ready 2 Yield® beans, as well.

Our service territory continues to grow.

We have many locations that sell seed, including Brownton, Hector, Lafayette, Norseland and Hamburg. At Lafayette and Hamburg, we have facilities for treating bulk soybean seed.

Your seed team wants to work with you year-round. After planting your seed, call us to scout your fields, do side-by-side trials, calibrate your combine and check yields. If you are unsure who to contact, call me or Desirae at 507-228-8669 to reach the FSA serving your area. ●

Moving to Hamburg Long-time seed sales employee Gary Wills, shown here signing a field with intern Chris Pettis, is changing locations within UFC. Gary will be working with current customers and calling on new prospects in the Hamburg area.

IMPORTANT NH3 Safety Update:

If you are applying anhydrous ammonia this fall and will be pulling the nurse tanks yourself down a public road, your vehicle is now REQUIRED to be annually inspected. o UFC offers DOT inspections at our Lafayette (507-228-8224) and Norseland (507-246-5300) locations.

Call now to schedule your inspection before the season starts!

UFC Here to HELP

By Matt Rettmann and Brett Annexstad, Grain Originators

As we slowly approach the finale of the 2016-17 crop year, there is some sentiment that it can’t be over soon enough.

B

eginning with the challenging wet fall to the steady decline in crop prices at the end of the summer, it has been a frustrating crop year to say the least. Weakening commodity values have created a tighter grip on grain. Many producers are now looking for ways to sell grain down the road if the market turns around. There are a few ways to do that now and still deliver grain to a UFC facility before harvest arrives.

Please contact a UFC Grain Origination team member if you have any questions regarding some of the solutions.

There is a large amount of unpriced grain still out in the country, both on-farm and at local elevators. The challenges mentioned above could be the gift that keeps on giving.

It’s looking as if we will be heading into harvest with record inventories (and with the crop in the field looking better than average), space will be at a premium more than ever.

Rest assured, we here at UFC will work hard and look at all available options to take your grain in a timely manner.

Ready to take your grain As you prepare for harvest, please review UFC’s current discount schedules and storage rates. You’ll find them at UFCmn.com. You can find them under the Grain tab by clicking on Policies.

When delivering grain, please be sure drivers know which account the grain should be applied to and how you would like it applied. Producers have the ability to apply to a contract, cash sale, open storage (producer retains title), delayed pricing (UFC has title to the grain) or custom dried.

If we are not notified of deposition at delivery, we will apply it to open storage and rates will apply. Note: Please doublecheck scale tickets to ensure they are the correct account and application.

If/when you would like money for your sold grain, let the scale attendant know or call our grain office to request a check or ACH payment.

Increase harvest efficiency Don’t forget about these time-saving options UFC Offers: • Access your UFC account online to see all your grain transactions and scale tickets immediately following delivery.

• ACH options for depositing grain checks directly into your bank account.

• Email option for your grain settlement.

• Eliminate mail/postage by confirming your grain contracts online with an electronic signature.

We are here to help you maximize your efficiency during harvest, whether it’s at the scale or marketing your grain.

For more information, call Brett, Darrell or Matt in our grain office at 507-647-6001. We wish you a safe and bountiful harvest! ●

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Your Pre-Harvest Pep Talk

By Vince Sloot, AgQuest Business Relationships Manager/Crop Insurance Specialist

As we approach fall harvest, here are some to-do items worthy of your attention: • Holding any “old” crop? Get it measured by the insurance company before commingling with 2017 production.

• Multi-peril premiums must be POSTMARKED by Saturday, Sept.

30, 2017 to be considered “paid on time.” Every year a few folks get charged interest. Save yourself hassle and expense by dropping it in the mail earlier that week—or even sooner.

• The “spring” price for crop insurance: Corn $3.96; Soybeans $10.19; Wheat $5.65. As of lateAugust, the futures prices that influence your crop policy’s “fall” price was lower than the “spring” price for corn and soy, and higher for wheat. If the final “fall” price is lower than the “spring,” you have potential for a revenue claim. Your

final production will dictate if and how much the claim may be.

• Risk Management Enhanced – The revenue protection and price endorsement tools in crop insurance continue to evolve. The insurance industry continues to respond to your need for fewer “unknowns” as you annually strive for positive margins. Stay tuned into the early winter as these are made available.

• 2016 ARC payments – Final marketing year average prices will not be announced until fall. Based on our sources at K-State University, in the broad UFC territory, $0 is expected for soybeans. For corn, a few local counties may pay $0, while others project a range from $15-30+ per base acre.

manage, cash rents are certainly one of them. In most cases, both sides want it to be “win-win” and what that looks like differs with each landlord. If you both strive for a long-term relationship, it will require an investment in time and education.

Has your landlord ever toured the fields in your combine or grain cart? Have you ever met with them face-to-face or only via computer or phone? Seek to understand, then to be understood. Be bold and help them see the value in working with you.

Without that, it may simply go to the highest bidder.

If you have questions regarding any of the items discussed above, don’t hesitate to reach out to your AgQuest contacts at UFC, which are listed below.

Exercise SAFETY during fall harvest and remember to GIVE THANKS. ●

As you sharpen your pencil even further, amongst all the input costs you

Contact UFC’s AgQuest Representatives Vince Sloot 507-995-9029 Amber Weber 320-523-5824 Tim Lewis 507-593-0128 Dawn Wickenhauser 507-647-6606, ext. 6749

vsloot@agquest.net aweber@agquest.net tlewis@agquest.net dwickenhauser@agquest.net