A publication from Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC
bottom line
fall 2017
WHAT’S NEW AT MRGA CASSELTON NIGHT OUT EVENT AGRONOMY ARTICLES SEED NEWS & GRAIN UPDATES RAILROAD ANNIVERSARY
IN THIS ISSUE 4
Casselton Location (800) 568-5402 (701) 347-4465 Grandin Location (701) 484-5293 Leonard Location (701) 645-2334 Lynchburg Location (701) 347-5487
5-7
MRGA HAPPENINGS & ADVERTISEMENT
8-9
GRAIN MANAGER’S MINUTE
10
BOARD MEMBER & EMPLOYEE FOCUS
11
GRAIN UPDATE
12
SEED NEWS
13
ADVERTISEMENT
14-15
Peak Location (701) 845-3975 Prosper Location (701) 282-4094
MRGA WELLNESS
RAILROAD ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
16
FERTILIZER FOCUS
17
DATA DRIVEN AGRICULTURE
18
AGRONOMY MATTERS
19
ADVERTISEMENT
TERRY JOHNSON- CEO
FROM THE DESK OF OUR GENERAL MANAGER From all of us, we would like to thank you for your continued patronage to Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC. and wish you a productive and profitable harvest. Stay safe! Terry Johnson - General Manager
MANAGEMENT TEAM MIKE FLATEN- AGRONOMY MANAGER KIM NEHRING- CFO ALEX RICHARD- GRAIN MANAGER LOCATION MANAGERS TODD AFFIELD- SHOP MANAGER JEFF BOISJOLIE- LEONARD ELEVATOR TIM DEAN- PEAK ELEVATOR JOE EBERHARDT- DISPATCH MANAGER MAC JOHNSON- CASSELTON FERTILIZER JAMIE MANN- CASSELTON ELEVATOR BRIAN NELSON- OPERATIONS MANAGER CHRISTIAN OWEN- WAREHOUSE MANAGER TIM ROSE- LYNCHBURG ELEVATOR JOHN SPIEKERMEIER- PROSPER ELEVATOR
GRANDIN
2
BO T TO M LI NE
PEAK
PROSPER
LYNCHBURG
Published quarterly by: Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC. 1630 1st Ave S, Casselton, ND 58012.
www.maplerivergrain.com
FEATURED STORY
8-9
pgs.
Numerous Improvements Are Made To Maple River Grain & Agronomy , LLC.
SALES AGRONOMISTS CORY AASEN- GRANDIN KARL BERG- CASSELTON JON ELLINGSON- CASSELTON KEVIN LAHLUM- CASSELTON MIKE WEED- CASSELTON TRANSPORTATION/TRUCKING DONALD ANDERSON ANDY BOYER KEVIN ERICKSON TRAVIS FORDERER CHET GARRISON ETHAN HOUSE AARON JOHNSON MERLE MYERS AARON SUYDAM
CHAFFEE
ELEVATOR JOHN DUFF- CASSELTON STEVEN HORST- CASSELTON CHAD JOHNSON- LEONARD MIKE KOETZ- PROSPER STEVEN OWEN- LYNCHBURG RICHARD PETERMAN - PEAK MERCHANDISERS KIM KOETZ- CASSELTON JEREMY ROLF- CASSELTON AGRONOMY & SHOP BOB BREILAND- CASSELTON FERTILIZER MARK PUEPPKE- SHOP/WAREHOUSE CHRIS WILKE- WAREHOUSE
LEONARD
ACCOUNTING/BOOKKEEPING NANCY HAGEN- ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE CINDY JENSEN- GRAIN ACCOUNTING EMILY NEELS- ACCOUNTS PAYABLE/PATRONAGE MARILYN PROCHNOW- GRAIN ACCOUNTING/ RECEPTIONIST BOARD OF DIRECTORS MIKE NELSON- PRESIDENT LAURIE KRONE- VICE PRESIDENT JON WATT- SECRETARY BRENT RUST- DIRECTOR RUSSELL RULIFFSON- DIRECTOR MARK BELTER- DIRECTOR BRIAN MCDONALD- DIRECTOR SHANE BOCK- DIRECTOR DAVID CHRISTENSEN- DIRECTOR
CASSELTON
This publication is provided free of charge to all local crop and livestock producers. If you are not receiving this publication and would like to be added to our mailing list please provide us with your address by calling our Casselton office at 1-800-568-5402. All rights reserved. © 2016 Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC. Printed in the U.S.A. Layout and design by Candace Brekke.
FALL 2017
3
Kim Koetz - Wellness Coordinator
MRGA WELLNESS This spring the wellness team supplied the agronomy department with fresh fruit, juice, and protein options to take with them to the field. The portable options seem to work well for drivers to grab and go and be on their way. The summer slipped by us and while we did not have any summer challenges, we did find a way to make a difference in our community. The wellness team chose to make a donation to the Cass County Summerfest 5k/10k. We donated door prizes and also made a monetary donation, in support of wellness in our community. We also made a donation to the Shamrock Charity. The Shamrock Charity is a local organization that helps those who fight depression.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT MRGA
Harvest meals will be starting again as soon as we are working those long weekend hours. Warm meals will be delivered on Friday evenings to the locations that are open on weekends during the harvest season.
4
On a personal note, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all of those who have donated to the Koetz Kids Benefit Fund through Bremer bank. All of those donations have remained anonymous, but my family is very grateful for the outpouring of support we have received from the patrons that I have had the privilege to serve for so many years.
BO T TO M LI NE
GRANT PHIPPS RETIREMENT
PATRONAGE RECAP Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC paid out a 40% cash distribution, or $1.6 million, of its FY2016 earnings to its parent companies; Chaffee-Lynchburg Farmers Elevator, Prosper Farmers Cooperative Elevator, and AGP, Ltd. This cash distribution was distributed to our parent companies based off of their ownership percentage of Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC. The cash portion received by the local parent companies is then distributed back to its patron members as determined by the Board of Directors. Over the years, these payments have been in the form of a retirement payment of existing allocation year payouts and as a cash dividend payment with revolving funds to patrons who have earned a minimum patronage amount of $100.00. Chaffee Lynchburg Farmers Elevator returned a portion of the patron’s equity ownership by distributing 100% of non-qualified (taxable) dollars for the 2004 allocation year. In addition, they distributed a 35% cash dividend check with the 65% equity balance revolving back to the patron’s account. Prosper Farmers Cooperative Elevator retired 100% of the allocation years 2001-2002 and paid out 30% of the 2003 allocation year. In addition, they distributed a cash dividend back to the patrons at 30% with the balance revolving back to the patrons account. We appreciate our patrons and their continued support, which helps us to continue to finance our strong and growing company and pursue further strategic opportunities to enhance our future.
LLC
Harvest Price Later Program Corn and Soybeans Effective August 19, 2017 Price later will be available for corn and soybeans on a first-come, first-serve basis. A contract is not required prior to delivery.
“
RETIREMENT IS NOT THE END OF THE ROAD,
”
IT’S THE BEGINNING OF THE OPEN HIGHWAY.
It’s a rare occasion these days to celebrate longevity in the workplace. However, Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC recently did just that! After serving Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC for 28 years, Grant Phipps retired in February 2017. He started with ChaffeeLynchburg Farmers Elevator in April of 1989 as the Lynchburg Driveway Assistant. In addition, Grant drove truck for the company and helped out wherever needed. We will miss Grant’s dedication and the enjoyable working relationships he created. To celebrate his years of service, a retirement party was held on Wednesday, July 19th, at the Bronco Bar in Chaffee, ND. Beverages, food, gifts, stories, and laughs were abundant. We wish Grant, and his wife, Roberta, all the best and hope they enjoy all that retirement has to offer. Thank you Grant. You will be missed!
Rate will be 5 cents per bus hel / per month with a 3 month minimum and a 10 day grace period. Fees will be by individual load tick et date, not an average
. Grade factors and discoun ts are set at time of pricing, not at time of delivery. Grain must be priced by Aug
ust 18, 2018.
Please call Kim or Jeremy in Casselton at 347-4465 if you have any questions.
FALL 2017
5
CROPS FOR CARE
“CROPS FOR CARE” Commodity Donation Program To benefit the mission of Community of Care If you would like to donate some bushels of your crop to support Community of Care’s mission in rural Cass, talk to the elevator manager or call 701-347-0032
YOU CALL, WE HAUL Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC offers custom hauling from the farm or field to the Casselton terminal. We have a fleet of semis that are available to haul grain. This service is available on a first come, first serve basis and subject to availability. We base our custom hauling charges off of distance and time to load. Listed below are the current trucking rates. Please call Alex, Kim Koetz, or Jeremy in Casselton at 701-347-4465 with any questions or to schedule hauling.
0-20 miles to Terminal
31-40 miles to Terminal
0-20 minute load time @ $.10/Bu
0-20 minute load time@ $.12/Bu
21-40 minute load time @ $.11/Bu
21-40 minute load time @ $.13/Bu
41-60 minute load time @ $.125/Bu
41-60 minute load time @ $.145/Bu
“Caring for people by partnering with rural communities”
21-30 miles to Terminal 0-20 minute load time @ $.11/Bu 21-40 minute load time @ $.12/Bu 41-60 minute load time @ $.135/Bu
41-50 miles to Terminal 0-20 minute load time @ $.13/Bu 21-40 minute load time @ $.14/Bu
41-60 minute load time @ $.155/Bu
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT MRGA
Make every acre your best acre.
6
Variety is the key to managing variability. CROPLAN® WinPak® soybean products offer exceptional stability throughout your fields with a unique combination of two varieties of seeds. WinPak® products are designed to manage variability within fields and buffer the effects of weather and soil types on diseases and other stresses. Our agronomic experts can help determine which CROPLAN® WinPak® varieties are best for your field’s unique challenges.
BO T TO M LI NE
CROPLAN, WinField and WinPak are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. © 2017 Winfield Solutions, LLC.
CASSELTON NIGHT OUT EVENT
BBQ CHICKEN COOK OFF Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC participated in Casselton’s Night Out Event on Tuesday, August 1st. National Night out is held in neighborhoods across the country on the first Tuesday of August as a way to promote community partnerships with local law enforcement departments. These events are a positive means of fostering communication and relationships within the community as neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, parades, festivals, and the like. Casselton hosted their event in Governor’s Park featuring a BBQ Chicken cook off. Five local businesses competed in the event, with Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC taking home the trophy for the third year in a row! We served a plated meal of grilled BBQ chicken breast, baby
red potatoes, asparagus, and a grilled peach with ice cream for dessert. Casselton Night Out also had fun planned for the entire family with games, prizes, root beer floats, and hotdogs free of charge. Local service departments (fire, law enforcement, and ambulance) were on hand to meet with community members and give tours of their equipment, vehicles, and trucks. As always, we enjoy the opportunity to participate in this event and thank our local law enforcement departments for hosting. We would also like to thank our employees for their contributions in making this another successful, fun night out. Thank you Mike Flaten, Marilyn Prochnow, Jon Ellingson, Alex Richard, Kim Nehring, Kim Koetz, Jeremy Rolf, Cindy Jensen, and Nancy Hagen.
FALL 2017
7
Alex Richard - Grain Manager
GRAIN MANAGER’S MINUTE
8
BO T TO M LI NE
Construction seems to be the name of the game this summer. We have been busy with a few different projects that we are trying to finish up prior to corn and soybean harvest. The main project we have been working on is our temporary ground storage piler that is being constructed just to the north of the corn shed. This circle piler will be attached to the elevator and will have a conveyor that runs across the tracks to fill it. That same conveyor is also reversible and will bring the soybeans back across the tracks to the elevator. The circle has a diameter of 320’ and will hold just under 2,000,000 bushels of grain. We primarily plan to use this for soybeans to pick them up in November and December. Another smaller project that will be installed in August and September will be a corner filling system for our corn shed. This system has an air pump similar to a grain vac that will blow corn into the corners of the shed. We anticipate to be able to get about 50,000 additional bushels in each corner of the building. As some of you have seen, we finished up a modification to our inbound scale
in July. We removed the bollards on the edge of the scale and installed a guard rail alongside to help guide trucks on the scale. Hopefully this rail will be a little more forgiving than the bollards we removed. We always look for ways to better serve our patrons and become more efficient. These projects are just a couple examples of how we adapt and find solutions to changing customer and market conditions. As always, we appreciate your business. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to better serve you.
FALL 2017
9
EMPLOYEE FOCUS
FEATURED BOARD MEMBER David Christensen Board member It is our pleasure to introduce David (Dave) Christensen, the newest member on the Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC board of directors. Dave comes to us from AGP, Ltd. He is joined by fellow AGP board members Shane Bock and Laurie Krone from Omaha, NE in representing AGP’s ownership interest in Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC. Dave comes from a farming background, having helped out on the family farm growing up in Southcentral Nebraska. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has been in the grain industry for 28 years, with 20 of those years spent with AGP. Dave has been married for 28 years and has two daughters. In his spare time, he participates in the church council and enjoys golfing.
CINDY JENSEN GRAIN ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT With harvest season upon us, we would like to introduce Cindy Jensen to our patrons and welcome her to the Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC team. Although Cindy is new to the grain department, she is a familiar face to many! Cindy was the Office Manager for Maple River Communications at our Lynchburg office prior to the sale of the internet company in December 2016. Cindy then transitioned to the Casselton office to cross-train in Accounts Payable/Receivable. Cindy accepted the Grain Accounting Assistant position at our Casselton office in June. Cindy will primarily be responsible for issuing grain checks, processing grain scale tickets, and balancing all grain transactions on a daily and monthly basis. In addition, Cindy will be the first point of contact for all grain transaction related questions. We encourage you to stop by to introduce yourself if you haven’t met Cindy yet! Cindy, who is originally from Bowman, ND, has been married to Robin Jensen for over 25 years. They currently reside in Chaffee and have three children. Eli attends NDSU, Emma attends the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh and Isaac attends UND. Cindy is a North Dakota State University graduate. Prior to working at Maple River Communications, she worked at a soybean conditioning plant as the quality assurance supervisor/office assistant. Before that she worked in the hazardous waste management/environmental consulting business. Cindy’s hobbies include reading, watching movies, gardening, and walking. We are fortunate to have Cindy on board with us!
10
BO T TO M LI NE
Jeremy Rolf - Grain Originator
GRAIN UPDATE DECEMBER 2017 CORN FUTURES (DAILY CHART):
NOVEMBER 2017 SOYBEAN FUTURES (DAILY CHART):
SEPTEMBER 2017 MINNEAPOLIS SPRING WHEAT (DAILY CHART):
Every year is different when it comes to marketing. When listening to market chatter and pundits, often times the current crop year is compared to some prior year that is similar. These comparisons may have been valid 10 or 20 years ago when the U.S. was the only major player in world agriculture. However, with the globalization and technical changes of today, this is not the case anymore. Brazil can produce as much, and sometimes even more, soybeans than the U.S. South American corn is competitive in the world market. Canada, Australia, and the Black sea region dominate global sales of wheat. With a strong dollar and high freight costs, the U.S. struggles to compete. This will be the new normal going forward. Barring any trade war or isolationist politics, globalization and technical change will continue. The benefactors of this will be in emerging markets as they have the greatest growth potential compared to the U.S. The U.S. will continue to lead in efficiency. How does all of this affect price? The market has been struggling with this for some time trying to understand how all this correlates. Looking at the charts, the past 8 to 10 months shows the choppiness and uncertainties e.g. dry weather in U.S. but large global stocks. It looks like the U.S. will be trimming a few bushels off of the USDA’s yield estimate and the market knows this, but the market is looking at what the rest of the world has or will produce. The only thing we can count on or can’t count on is weather. Weather in the short term will drive price spikes or dips. In summary, globalization creates wealth and wealth creates demand. Historically, global and domestic demands are projected to be at record levels. This is a positive for the market and with declining yield, will put a floor on prices. By this publication, the crop will mostly be matured and prices will reflect what yield will mostly be. Going forward, look for basis to be defensive. This summer we have had historically high basis levels, which will continue until exporters step in and start covering their needs for the coming year. The exporters have been sitting on the side line for some time now. This should create basis opportunities down the road. Finally, stay disciplined and take the rallies when they are given. Also, remember to lock in the carry if you plan to store grain through the winter if there is one. As always, let us know if you have questions. Kim, Alex, and I are here to help. Thanks for your patronage. FALL 2017
11
Mike Weed - Sales Agronomist
SEED NEWS UPDATE
Hi everyone! The summer has gone by quickly and it’s hard to believe that harvest is here already. As of this writing, we could sure use some much needed rain. You all know the old saying, “if the small grain does not get rained on- the row crops will suffer!” The spray season has been quite challenging with conventional soybeans, Liberty, RR, and Xtend. With the lack of rain, the pre’s did not work as well as planned; but still managed to make a big difference. Most Liberty soybeans had to be sprayed twice, even with a pre-chemical applied. Most of the Liberty soybeans cleaned up really well after the second spraying. There are some RR fields that will be very challenging come harvest time, with waterhemp and ragweed a real problem. The Xtend soybeans look very good and the weed control has been outstanding! We just need to
12
BO T TO M LI NE
figure out a way to keep the chemical where it was intended, as it appears it will move off target when conditions are right. It would really be a shame if we lost this technology as it has helped to control tough weeds very well. There are a number of new Xtend soybeans coming to us for next year so let’s hope we still have this technology available to work with. At this time, even though areas have been very dry, the potential is there yet for a pretty good crop if we can get a few more rainfalls in and we don’t have extreme heat conditions for corn pollination. Seed kick-offs will be starting shortly and we will see what will be offered for new products, discounts, and programs. We appreciate and thank you for your business.
FALL 2017
13
RED RIVER VALLEY & WESTERN RAILROAD
30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION As an ag company in the Midwest, we heavily rely on local freight services to transport agricultural commodities across the states for world market distribution. On June 2nd, 2017- Maple River Grain and Agronomy, LLC was invited to experience the rails in an entirely different format. By invite only, our company participated in the Red River Valley and Western Railroad’s 30th anniversary customer celebration. The management team from Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC and other guests boarded the historic Milwaukee Road 261 restored steam locomotive for a trip to Lisbon, ND and back. The impressive, fully restored coach cars and engine offered guests a scenic route of North Dakota and provided a historic perspective on the successes and advancements in rail transportation. The Milwaukee Road 261 locomotive is currently maintained and operated by the Twin Cities non-profit group, Friends of the 261. The Red River Valley and Western Railroad is a short-line, independent railroad operating in North Dakota and Minnesota on track acquired from BNSF. They began their operations in July of 1987 and are based out of Breckenridge, MN. They currently serve more than 60 customers, including many local grain shuttle facilities and elevators along more than 500 miles of track. Their freight services include transportation of grain, fuel, fertilizer, food products, machinery and other ag products. In addition, the RRVW operates a freight car repair business in Breckenridge, MN that specializes in car repairs, cleanings, and custom contract work regionally. Source: www.rrvw.net http://www.wahpetondailynews.com/news/red-river-valley-western-railroad-celebrates-milestone-anniversary-with-special/article_ d81728ea-46d2-11e7-98cc-7ba25451e301.html
14
BO T TO M LI NE
Shortlines
America’s short line railroads provide fuel savings and environmentally friendly shipping for small businesses and communities around the country. Short lines provide efficient transportation services, while maintaining and protecting the environments in which they operate.
DID YOU KNOW? • • • •
One rail freight car can carry the equivalent of four truck loads. Railroads consume almost a third less fuel than trucks per ton mile moved. One rail car can carry a ton of cargo 436 miles on one gallon of fuel. Railroads are working to reduce emissions of particulate matter by 90% and nitrogen oxide by 80%.
Railroads reduce congestion, are cost efficient and the best choice for the environment. Short line regional railroads are committed to protecting and preserving the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Many local railroads are utilizing innovative locomotive technologies that significantly reduce emissions and some are cleaner, alternative fuels, such as biodiesel. Short line and regional railroads also serve over 30 ethanol plants across the United States. Railroads have been going green for years, but lately they’ve been trying to broaden environmental consciousness. Skyrocketing fuel prices, higher operating expenses, heightened public awareness about global warming and growing interest among shippers and commuters to reduce their own carbon footprints all have rekindled interest in rail as a more – if not the most – environmentally friendly and efficient transport mode. - Progressive Railroading: August 11, 2008
Short line railroads take the equivalent of nearly 33 million truck loads off the highways. Diverting those truckloads from the highway saves the country over $1.4 billion annually in highway repair costs. Freight moved by rail also improves highway safety and congestion.
Source: http://rrvw.net/who-we-are/shortlines/
FALL 2017
15
Jon Ellingson - Sales Agronomist
FALL FERTILIZER COMPARISON I know that you have all heard your salesperson say this before“fall fertilizer pricing is typically lower than spring pricing for applications in the same growing season.� Whether that holds true or not for CY2018 is undecided. Currently, as we look back at spring pricing for CY2017, we are seeing some very nice reductions in dry fertilizer prices and ammonia. Using the beginning of April as our comparison line, we have seen ammonia drop by about $100 per ton and urea about $80 per ton. Fall numbers on 28% appear to be lower as well; but not quite the reduction we see with ammonia and urea. MAP, AMS, and Potash have all decreased a little since spring demand ended, but only to the tune of about $20 to $30 per ton. All things considered, growers will still have an opportunity to apply fertilizer this fall for less than what it cost them last spring.
16
BO T TO M LI NE
Nutrient comparison is also important to consider. N, P, K, S and Zn are nutrients that can all be applied in the fall on heavy ground. If N is applied in the fall, most growers seem to prefer ammonia over urea. However, we can also apply urea as N; especially if we apply Instinct HL to the fertilizer to keep the N in ammonium form. P, K and Zn can go on any ground in the fall as these nutrients do not move that readily in the soil. Sulfur is susceptible to leaching in sandy soils, but for most cases in our heavier soil environment, would work if applied in the fall. Spring can be quite hectic with application demands so if we can help get some of that workload done this fall when things are not so rushed, it can truly make a big difference when planting season does arrive. Applying fall fertilizer is one option available that can help ease the spring workload. If you haven’t used our $10 dual
application program before, consider giving it a try. P, K, S and Zn needs to be applied in the fall, followed by a urea application in the spring. This option certainly seems to be working for the customers that utilize this program and definitely still provides the flexibility to change crop choices later on if need be. If growers decide that fall applications are not for their operation, they may still want to consider locking in the current savings potential. We will offer terms of Jan 10, 2018 for an additional fee to help cover interest and give growers the option to pay in either FY2017 or FY2018. Please contact your sales agronomist to further discuss your fall application needs to see what would work best for your operation.
Karl Berg - Sales Agronomist
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
DATA DRIVEN AGRICULTURE In our last publication we highlighted the Climate Field View Platform. Another great digital tool we have for in-season and post-season decision making is The R7® Tool by WinField United. Partnering with Winfield United, growers have access to all the capabilities of this powerful platform. The R7® Tool by WinField United is a comprehensive digital ag product that provides unbiased product performance information and critical field information to drive in-season and post-season management decisions. Compatible with other precision ag products, the proprietary R7® Tool features historical field data and maps, product placement tools, field monitoring tools, profitability and ROI mapping tools, and more. What can you do yet this growing season to prepare for next year? It’s a common misperception that we’ve done all that we can to optimize yield by this time of the year. Late-season tissue sampling allows us to listen to what the crop is asking for to make nutrient program adjustments for next year. Think of it like a mid-semester report card. We can pair in-season satellite imagery (ISI) from the R7® Tool with NutriSolutions® tissue sampling to identify field variability. This helps to narrow down the nutrient issues we need to address with our off-season fertilizer applications, happening this fall and next spring. Incorporating precise, local Answer Plot® data into each zone of the field lets farmers, along with their sales agronomists, develop customized variable rate prescriptions for their operations. This harvest season, put your yield data to work for you. Make sure your yield monitors are calibrating regularly throughout harvest to ensure that the yield goals you’re basing your management decisions on are true to what you’re taking off the field. Having accurate, calibrated yield data can help focus inputs, and generate returns using decision making and analysis tools within the R7® Tool. Accurate yield data can also be useful in validating variable-rate applications, and hybrid performance. Visit www.answertech.com to learn more about the R7 suite of tools and our ag technology partners. FALL 2017
17
Mike Flaten - Agronomy Manager
AGRONOMY MATTERS This planting season has definitely thrown some curve balls in the form of weather- unpredictable as ever! Early on in the season we had warm temperatures and then dealt with freezing temps after the crops had been planted. Overall, lack of rainfall has led to dry conditions across the region. Even with the lack of moisture, crops are still surviving. Although, we may not see the yields come through like they did last year. Preplanning from our patrons and the timeliness of getting maps in early allowed for a great start to the planting season in regards to fertilizer spreading. We were able to get around 90,000 acres of fertilizer on the ground this spring with over 20,000 tons of dry fertilizer spread. On the spraying side, we completed 30,000 acres of pre-plant chemical spraying. I want to thank our employees for all their hard work and dedication to getting the spreading and spraying work done in such a timely and accurate fashion. Right now would be a good time for our patrons to review their crop input needs for next year. If conditions are favorable, it would be a good idea to get your fertilizer on the fields this fall to help ease the pressure on next spring’s workload. Waiting until spring to apply fertilizer can cause things to be a bit rushed. As a reminder, booking your crop inputs early allows us the adequate time to shop and receive the products and helps avoid the chance of running low or out of stock on chemical, seed, or fertilizer inputs. I want to thank our patrons and our employees for another great year in the agronomy business here at Maple River Grain & Agronomy, LLC. Wishing you a safe harvest!
Wishing you a safe and plentiful
HARVEST F R O M Y O U R F R I E N D S AT M A P L E R I V E R G R A I N & A G R O N O M Y, L L C .
18
BO T TO M LI NE
Roots
You know the importance of deep, healthy roots. For years, maybe even generations, your operation has supported your family and community. Ours are strong, too. For more than 110 years, we’ve worked hand in hand with producers to grow crops, farms and profitability in rural North Dakota
Because we value what you value.
Let’s keep our way of life going strong. FALL 2017
19
1630 1st Avenue South Casselton, ND 58012
Matador-S is the only Pre-Emerge annual grass and broadleaf herbicide which offers 3 Modes of Action that provides a sound strategy for weed control and resistance management for soybeans. Matador-S is an all in one liquid formulation for easy use and controls tough weeds like waterhemp, lambsquarters, and common ragweed. Application Rate for ND: 2 pints/acre Contact your Maple River Grain & Agronomy agronomist today to learn more about Matador-S.