December 2014 - United Farmers Cooperative

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supply our customers
with technology, products
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WIN T E R
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E D I T I O N
INTENTIONALITY: Historically GROUNDED – Future FOCUSED
As I was putting my thoughts
together for this article, I
thought of the theme for this
year’s annual meeting coming
up in January: intentionality.
The United Farmers
Cooperative (UFC) Board and
Leadership Team came up with
Jeff Nielsen
this theme after what has been
General Manager/CEO
a very busy and perhaps even
historic year at your co-op.
We feel that the word intentionality best describes
the focus of UFC ever since our 1915 beginnings as a
creamery.
The founders of this organization intended to find a
better way to market their milk, and they did. Together
we have been intentionally looking for ways to add
value for the owners of this co-op ever since.
Historically GROUNDED reflects the fact that we are
proud of our hard-fought heritage and the history that
has been made here.
Future FOCUSED reminds us that if we do not keep
looking ahead, we will cease to add value and perhaps
Look Inside:
page 4 Franta Family Farm – Celebrating Six Generations of Farming
page 6 Insight Into Current Feed Pricing
will lose what we worked so hard to build in our first
99 years.
I look forward to visiting with you about this more as
we begin to celebrate our 100-year anniversary kickoff
during our annual meeting on Jan. 12, 2015.
2014 challenges
As a way to wrap up our first century, I want to share a
few thoughts and highlights of this past year, for it was
a very interesting one to say the least.
2014 will go down as one of the most memorable
years in your co-op’s 99-plus years of existence for
many reasons.
It seems that this past year, Mother Nature decided to
throw everything she could at us as we struggled to
Continued on page 2
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
Please join us in celebrating our
100-Year Anniversary Kickoff during our Annual Meeting on Jan. 12,
2015, in the Berdan Center, located
at our Winthrop Main Office. Meal
will be served at 6 p.m. followed by
our 7 p.m. meeting.
“We are proud of our hard-fought
heritage and the history that has
been made here.” —Jeff Nielsen
INTENTIONALITY
Continued from page 1
battle the weather on most fronts. From a long and cold
winter that brought us LP supply issues to a spring that we
thought would never break, Mother Nature kept the pressure on as we struggled to get the crops into the ground.
This battle lasted well into the end of June and ended with
some fields never getting planted.
Then, once we got the crop in the ground, Mother Nature
sent mid-June rains that washed out some fields. By the
time it was all said and done, we experienced a seed corn
return rate of well over 30%.
Some of these acres, of course, switched over to beans,
but in parts of our area, we simply did not get the crop
into the ground. For a region that has always been blessed
with good crops, this was our year to be on the wrong side
of the rainbow.
Then, due to a bumper crop in most parts of the world, we
have seen grain commodity prices fall to much lower levels than in recent years.
We are thankful that the livestock markets have been
strong, which brought better prices to our livestock members and dairy producers.
Now that the machinery is put away and we are into
another Minnesota winter, we will continue to monitor
the remaining fallout from the challenging 2014 crop year.
Certainly there will be ongoing challenges from a short
crop, but as agricultural producers we have seen this
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©2014 United Farmers Cooperative. All Rights Reserved. before. We will look forward to the new planting season
with optimism and hope as we always have done.
2014 highlights
In spite of all of the challenges that we faced, 2014 will
also be remembered for some milestones of progress that
your cooperative achieved in the closing year of its first
century.
While we have never been able to control the weather and
the impact that it has on our farms and businesses, we
have worked together to build a cooperative that can withstand the rough spots and evolve into what UFC is today.
This past year, we experienced several very significant
events that will long be remembered as milestones for
your cooperative. First of all, effective Sept.1, the members
and employees of Waconia Farm Supply joined with the
UFC family of businesses to make us even stronger and
more diverse as we move ahead.
This unification brought several new businesses into your
cooperative along with additional strength and volume.
This effort doubled the volume in our feed and energy
businesses, positioning us to bring more value to all of our
members in these areas.
Today the “new” UFC is running better than ever and
we are working hard every day to improve. We still have
work to do, but thanks to you and your tremendous
2
Published in partnership with VistaComm (www.VistaComm.com).
®
support, this addition to UFC has proven to be of value to
everyone.
Another major event launched your cooperative into
2014. On Dec. 31, 2013, your Board of Directors signed an
agreement that brought all of the assets of United Grain
Systems (UGS) back to 100% ownership to the members
of UFC.
Through this venture we learned a tremendous amount
about the global reach of the grain business, and we are
stronger for the future because of these efforts.
Best patronage in history of UFC
While both of these significant transactions were big news,
perhaps the most important outcome of this past year was
much more subtle in nature. It happened without a lot of
big news stories. Instead, it happened over the course of
the entire year, building on itself with each passing day
and with every customer across the UFC family of businesses. What I am referring to here is the fact that this past
year will go down as the most profitable year in your coop’s nearly 100 years of existence.
In spite of all of the weather challenges and all of the
obstacles that came with them, together we worked
through the issues and did our best to take care of what
we could control. In the end, we were able to once again
grow the strength of your cooperative. The most important
part of any success like this comes down to you, the customer, and the support you bring to your co-op.
Of course, along with many successes, we certainly had
our share of situations that we wished had gone better.
Just like in your homes, farms, and businesses, not everything always goes perfectly. Sometimes we learn as much
from our failures as we do our successes.
There were many times that we were humbled by the challenges that serving our customers can sometimes bring.
Just like this co-op has done for nearly 100 years, when
you get knocked down, you get back up, dust yourself off
and work even harder the next time.
When the auditors finished their work, it was confirmed that
not only did we set records this past year for volumes and
sales, but, again, thanks to you, we also realized our best
year in both local and total profits. This will result in the best
patronage rates and equity returns in our history as well.
We look forward to sharing all of the details with you during our annual stockholders meeting on Monday, Jan. 12,
2015, right here in Winthrop at the Berdan Event Center. «
“This was the most profitable year in your co-op’s nearly 100
years of existence…. The most important part of any success
like this comes down to you, the customer, and the support
you bring to your co-op.” —Jeff Nielsen
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www.ufcmn.com
Franta Family Farm – Celebrating Six Generations of Farming
At its peak, the Franta’s dairy herd was one of the largest
milk producers at the Farmers Cooperative Creamery in
Lafayette. That was several decades back. And, although
they quit milking cows more than 40 years ago, the Franta
family still actively farms and are involved member-owners
of the same cooperative, which like the six generations
of Franta farmers, looks much different today than in the
early generations.
“There is something about the land and the connection
we have with farming the land. It’s more than just another
job,” explains Jeff Franta, who after farming with his dad
and two brothers for many years, now operates his own
beef cattle finishing operation, as well as growing corn and
soybeans west of Lafayette.
Jeff’s younger brothers,
Brad and Rick, farm next
door, and his son Ryan
farms some acres nearby, exchanging labor for
the use of farm machinery. Ryan also operates
a 3,000-head wean-tofinish hog barn.
farrow-to-finish hog operation. He said when his dad
retired, it didn’t take long to realize he couldn’t handle all
the enterprises by himself. “Dad had been doing 95% of
the milking, so I made the decision to sell the cows and
convert the barn for feeder cattle and increase the size of
my hog operation.”
Jeff recalls coming home off the bus as a kindergartener
the day that the dairy cow sale was wrapping up. About 10
years later, in the midst of a family tragedy, Dennis asked
Jeff to farm full time with him. Dennis’s oldest child, Jeff’s
sister, died suddenly at only 19. “I can honestly say I may
not have continued farming if it wasn’t for Jeff helping me
through that time. He would come home from Vo-Tech
and farm each night and every weekend.”
Dennis, Jeff, and Ryan Franta pose for a post-harvest photo on their
Lafayette farm. The family has been farming in the area for six generations, and three generations have served on the cooperative Board.
For Franta family photos, visit www.ufcmn.com.
Sitting at his kitchen table
with son Ryan and his
dad, Dennis, the three
generations of Franta
farmers visit about their
farming legacy and
strong connection to UFC.
Jeff is the current UFC
Board Chairman, his dad
served on the Board of
Directors for 27 years and
his grandpa also served
18 years on the Board.
“Through the years, the
Board has always been
open to change, welcomed new technology, and were not
afraid to be one of the first to try new things,” Jeff says.
“UFC has always been open to working with neighbors,
neighboring cooperatives, and anyone else who is willing
to work with us for the best interests of all involved.”
Dennis says over the years, as UFC has expanded its
inventories and departments to meet the needs of its
growing membership, service remains a top priority. “If
you walk in or call because you need help or have an
issue, the employee team is right there to help. We are all
part owners, and the employee team truly works for us.”
Dennis got his start in farming from his dad. By 1960
Dennis had expanded the dairy farm to include a
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Jeff remembers the time
and says he could see
that his family needed
everyone to pull together
to get through it. “The
farm wasn’t big enough
to support two families, and we realized the
importance of expanding
the hog operation. At
that time we once again
remodeled the dairy barn
into a hog farrowing
facility.”
A short time later, Dennis
and his three sons
expanded their farm
ground. They farmed
together in a partnership
for 20 years until Jeff,
who has four sons of his
own, decided it was time
to branch off to build
something sustainable
for Ryan and any of his
other sons who may be interested in farming.
Jeff mentions, “Farming is something I feel compelled to
do and do well. I look at my grandpa Herb passing it on to
my dad and my dad passing equity on to me so I could get
started. Now with my son, Ryan, farming, I feel like I need
to at least provide the opportunity to each of my sons if
they are interested.”
Ryan, 25, is grateful for the opportunity. “I knew from an
early age that farming is what I wanted to do. Nothing has
changed my mind. When I look at what my dad and grandpa Dennis have built, I have a lot of pride in continuing to
do the best I can and hopefully someday pass it along to
my children.” «
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Propane Inventories Well Stocked for Winter
Nothing feels better than stepping into a warm home on
a cold day. The UFC Energy
Department understands the
important role we play in providing propane to heat your
home, business, or livestock
barn this winter.
Darv Turbes
Vice President of Energy
Rest assured that our propane
inventories are well stocked to
serve you.
This is due in part to members who took advantage
of UFC’s summer-fill program, and it also has to do
with the fact that propane demand for corn drying was
down across the Upper Midwest this harvest.
UFC Propane Delivery Specialist Dennis Busse makes a scheduled
home delivery. Call the Energy Department for information on
UFC’s worry-free auto-fill program.
Reminder on unvented heaters
To keep costs down, UFC Energy Department constantly works to increase our efficiencies. One way
we do this is by mapping out our delivery schedule.
With this in mind, if you have not yet signed up for
our scheduled delivery program, remember that the
Energy Department needs a 72-hour advance notice for
deliveries. As a rule of thumb, call us when your tank
is at 30%.
Now that our homes and garages are sealed up for
winter, I want to remind our members to consider safety when it comes to unvented heaters.
However, if you’re among the many UFC members on
our scheduled delivery program, you will be filled on a
regular basis. We do ask that you help us monitor your
tank and call us if it happens to get below 20%.
Several manufacturers have developed unvented, or
ventless, heaters. These are used for supplemental
heat or for decorative purposes. These ventless heaters
are prohibited in most occupancies by the Minnesota
State Fire or Mechanical Codes, and as of Sept. 30,
2004, they were no longer allowed to be installed within residential occupancies. This includes only heaters
with an open flame; it does not include electric space
heaters (no open flame).
For more information on UFC scheduled delivery programs, please contact your local Energy Department:
Winthrop Energy Office: 507-647-6602
Klossner Energy Office: 507-359-4503
Waconia Energy Office: 952-442-2126
As a general rule, anything that burns with an open
flame (wood stove, natural gas, LP gas, etc.) should be
vented to the outside of the building. This prevents the
buildup of deadly carbon monoxide in the building.
And remember that all types of heaters should be kept
at least 36 inches from any combustible materials.
Holiday Wishes
2015 Energy Days!
Watch your mailbox for details on UFC Energy Days.
As we head into the Holiday Season,
we are once again reminded of just how
blessed we are to be living here in the
breadbasket of our country and to be working together as a cooperative to serve our
members, families, and communities.
Held Tuesday, Jan. 27 in Winthrop in the Berdan
Center at the UFC Corporate Office and Wednesday,
Jan. 28 in Waconia at the Golf Course, Energy Days
will provide you with information on propane, lubes,
and refined fuels as well as a free meal! «
Serving You!
We are far from perfect, but together we
have a great future as we look to serve
each other for the next 100 years.
UFC Energy Department has a trained team ready
to service your propane equipment. Call us today!
Winthrop Energy Office: 507-647-6602
Klossner Energy Office: 507-359-4503
Waconia Energy Office: 952-442-2126
Happy Holidays!!
Your UFC Team
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www.ufcmn.com
RISK MANAGEMENT: Near-Term and Beyond
By Ag Quest Team, Vince Sloot and Dawn Wickenhauser
Now that much of the work in the
field is done, or what can be done is
done, it’s time to sharpen the pencil
and warm up the calculator! The 2014
Farm Bill will keep us all busy for a
while. ARC, PLC, SCO…time to work
on the business.
AgQuest and UFC will be cohosting
an instructional meeting to assist your
selection decisions for the 2014 Farm
Bill. Nationally known Ag Economist
Dr. Art Barnaby of Kansas State
University will once
again lead us through
some key steps to determine which program
might be right for you.
Join us Thursday, Jan.
8, at 9 a.m., Berdan
Center, UFC–Winthrop.
Dr. Art Barnaby
No RSVP required. If you
Save the Date
for Farm Bill
Informational
Meeting
have any questions you would like Dr.
Barnaby to address, feel free to email
them to Dawn (dawn.wickenhauser@
ufcmn.com) or Vince (vsloot@agquest.
biz).
2015 crop insurance
During the same meeting, we will also
review updates and changes to this key
risk management tool for the upcoming
crop year. We will discuss key strategies available to enhance your efforts
at securing the best possible revenue
guarantee for your policy. «
DATE:
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015
TIME:
9 to 11:30 a.m.
LOCATION:
The Berdan Center,
located at UFC headquarters
in Winthrop.
No RSVP required.
Insight Into Current Feed Pricing
Regardless if you fed cattle,
hogs, poultry, horses, or other
animals, you know how much
more feed cost you this last
year.
To most people, it was easily
explained by a short crop the
previous year. For the most
Steve LeBrun
Vice President of Feed
part, that is correct. However,
as we move into one of our
country’s better crops, we continue to see a lot of volatility in the ingredient market.
There are many reasons for this. Namely, just because
we produce a good crop in the U.S. doesn’t mean
everyplace else around the world did. A good example
of that is the short crop in our local area and its ability
to affect the local basis on corn and beans right after
harvest.
Looking ahead to 2015 pricing
We believe the overall prices for ingredients will be
lower this next year. Prices dropped to their lowest
point in the past year right about the beginning of harvest and have jumped higher since then.
We advise you to continue to look at forward contracts. Currently, cash prices are carrying a premium
over those future months’ contracts on many of the
protein ingredients. Any falloff in exports or increase
in producer selling will affect prices. Don’t assume you
missed your opportunity for the year already. Forward
contracting or locking in your feed costs are just part
of your risk management program for your livestock. If
you are interested in learning more about how to use
this tool to control costs, please give us a call. «
The U.S. dollar is at its highest level in several years,
making our products more expensive to buy in the
world market. Despite this, our commodities are still
being bought at a brisk pace by buyers around the
world, but that can change almost overnight.
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Winter Preparedness Begins Here
Take a tip from Santa: ‘Make a list and check it twice’ to
ensure you and yours are prepared for winter and the
New Year. When it comes to checking items off the list,
your UFC Ag Service Center Team is here to help, serving
you in Lafayette, Gaylord, and Waconia.
• Skid Steers: Check out our selection of new and
used skid steers as well as a complete line of attachments, including snowblowers! If yours is in need of
repair, contact Tyler Zollner and his team of trained
technicians at 507-228-8224.
• Snowblowers: We carry a variety of snowblowers
to tackle any sized job. UFC also has technicians on
staff to make repairs.
• Chainsaws, Batteries, and Pressure Washers:
Remember, your Ag Service Center carries a wide
selection of new and used ECHO® and Jonsered®
•
•
•
•
This summer UFC designed and built this new grain handling system
with two new legs and towers for Linsmeier Farms by Winthrop.
chainsaws. We also have
Interstate® batteries and
AaLadin® hot pressure
washers in stock.
Best Prices on Grain
Handling Equipment: Don’t
Jay Walterman
wait to take advantage of
Vice President of Ag Services
the season’s best prices
for 2015 grain handling
upgrades. Dean and Leon
have the inside scoop on manufacturer discounts on
all grain handling equipment. Ask them about the
selection of used dryers, and, remember, they are
already booking their crews for onsite construction.
USDA Grain Dryer Grant: Let Uncle Sam help cover
up to 25% of the cost of a new grain dryer. Contact
Leon for details. (He even connects you with a grant
writer!)
Seed Tenders: Contact Dean for season specials on
seed tenders.
Tires, Parts, and Service: If you’ve got repairs to
make this winter, remember, our parts inventory is
well stocked – just call Tim Hendrycks. If it’s a repair
you don’t want to tackle, UFC has a trained team of
technicians to make them for you – just call Tyler
Zollner. And, don’t forget our onsite tire repair service!
Call an Ag Service Center near you: Lafayette: 507-2288224; Gaylord: 507-237-4203; Waconia: 952-442-2126. «
Your Business Partner in These Changing Times
they can help you capture value in every area of your
farming operation.
Changing market trends call
for evolving management
strategies.
In response to the current
commodity prices, I’m sure
many of you are re-evaluating
your yield targets and input
strategy. As you begin making
Greg Peton
Senior Vice President of Sales
decisions to increase efficiencies and decrease costs across
your farm, remember, your UFC Sales Team is here to
help.
As we move into 2015, UFC looks forward to offering
additional ways to reward your patronage. «
Our Sales Team is focused on helping each customer
maximize margins on every acre by providing evaluation tools and recommendations that will increase efficiencies and meet your new yield targets.
Ryan Ponwith, UFC Master Agronomy Advisor, helps a member/
owner choose 2015 crop inputs.
Take the time to share any changes in yield goals or
overall farm management practices with our staff so
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www.ufcmn.com
Beginning Our Second Century With a Record-Breaking Year
Jeff Franta
Board Chairman
As UFC just completed its 99th year
in business, I’m excited to report we
had another record-breaking year. All
the numbers are in and have been
approved by our auditor, Gardiner
Thompson, the UFC Accounting Team,
and Board of Directors. As a result, we
will pay out patronage and continue
our practice of allocating a healthy
amount of these profits to you, the
members, in the form of equity.
The success of this past year has certainly surpassed our
expectations. You could say in a single year, UFC has seen
the greatest change and growth that we’ve had in our history. The merger with Waconia Farm Supply and the buyout
of ADM from our UGS partnership is, of course, what has
given birth to great change and rapid growth this past year.
The Board has a great working relationship with your
General Manager, Jeff Nielsen. Jeff’s rock-solid management team and all the dedicated and hardworking employees lay the foundation for UFC to continue our path of
growth and profitability.
Board elections
Due to our merger with Waconia Farm Supply, we
gained two additional board members: Jim Oelfke and
Jim Abraham. As was agreed upon in the merger, Jim
Abraham will be leaving the Board, which results in downsizing the Board from 11 to 10 members.
Thank you, Jim, for your 10 years of dedicated service! It’s
the Board’s intent to further downsize as members retire.
Three board members are up for re-election this year.
•Kevin Lauwagie, an at-large member from the Winthrop area
•Todd Nelson, representing the Lafayette area
•Todd Kettner, representing the Gaylord area
All three board members are again running unopposed
for three-year terms. The Election Committee is always
looking for candidates to run against incumbents or open
seats. You may also want to consider becoming a member
of our Associate Board. To begin the process of becoming
a board member or getting on the Associate Board, you
may contact any board member.
I would like to invite everyone to our Annual Meeting on
Jan. 12, 2015. During the Annual Meeting we have a lot of
information to share about what is going on within your
cooperative. We will also kick off our year-long celebration
of our 100th year of business.
Please come and see all the exciting things happening at
your cooperative.
Thank you for your loyalty and have a blessed Christmas! «
Market-Driven Change
The crop production industry is in a period of change driven by low commodity prices. It seems that the very same
oil prices that drove prices up in 2008 are now dragging
commodity markets down with them.
management practices and input
decisions to maximize margins as
much as possible.
As your cooperative, UFC is dedicated to aiding you in developRoger Price
ing a new management strategy
COO
for these changing times. We are
focused on remaining competitively priced while continuing to provide superior products,
services, and information. To achieve this, we are re-evaluating every aspect of our business—inputs and outputs—in
order to maximize efficiencies.
Impacts from this changing marketplace trickle down to
every aspect of the industry as farmers re-evaluate crop
For years, we have made wise investments in people and
infrastructure. UFC is a well-oiled, high-production team. In
tight years, the dividends these efficiencies return are even
more valuable.
Moving into 2015, your UFC Team has many tools and
resources to share with you to aid in your input decisions. «
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Grain’s in the Bin. Now What?
With the wet spring that delayed
planting to the cooler growing season and downward-trending grain
prices, this will likely be the harvest
everyone wants to forget.
With reduced yields in our area,
the local feed and ethanol markets
will be what drives the local basis.
Jason Tews
When those supplies get tight, we
Vice President of Grain
will see basis narrow to meet that
demand. We have already seen
this happen this year as those markets have run into low
supply. Once that supply has been met, we will see basis
widen back out.
When it comes to marketing your 2014 crop, you’re not alone. Contact a
UFC grain originator to learn about no-obligation tools to help you reach
your marketing targets. Here UFC Grain Merchandiser Brett Annexstad
visits with a member/owner about options.
It is unlikely that we will see a lot of grain shipped out of
our area to other markets. It will likely be the opposite,
where we see grain being shipped into our area.
When it comes to marketing your 2014 crop, what do you
want or need? UFC has different tools we can use to help
you market your grain, from our different contract options
to Marc Peterson, our in-house broker. We also have access
to marketing professionals who can market bushels for you.
Give Matt, Brett or Darrell a call today to learn more.
Le Sueur location update
UFC recently ordered and will be installing a new section
of scale for the Le Sueur North elevator. This will allow us
to weigh a full-length semi at the elevator and not have to
utilize the feed scale anymore. «
“Instead of watching and waiting for the market to hit the levels you
need, put us to work for you. Let our origination team set you up
with one of several marketing tools that will do the work for you.”
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www.ufcmn.com
How to Dress Smart and Stay Warm in Winter
Whether your only exposure to winter’s cold is on that
brisk walk from your home or office to your vehicle
or you’re working in the elements most of the day,
read this article and learn how, by donning the right
gear, you can stay comfortable no matter what Mother
Nature throws your way this winter.
And, remember, UFC Farm Supply is your one-stop
shop for all your winter-wear needs!
Wear layers
Wearing cotton or other moisture-retaining fabrics puts
you at risk for serious heat loss.
The key is to wear layers made of synthetic, quickdrying materials that help evaporate moisture. An
advantage of layering is when you are active and begin
to overheat, you can simply take off an insulating layer
(usually a fleece jacket or vest). When you are sedentary, replace the insulating layer.
Base Layer:
• Consists of long underwear or any comfy, tightfitting apparel worn against the body. Base layers
should be made of synthetic fabrics like polyester,
merino wool, silk or blends that wick moisture and
dry quickly. This will help regulate body temperature.
Suggested base layer: Under Armour® or Carhartt®.
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Mid Layer:
• Good mid layers are made
of natural fibers such as
merino wool, fleece or
Thinsulate®. These should
be lightweight and breathable and insulate when wet.
Outer Layer:
Lisa Froehling
• This layer protects you
UFC Farm Supply
Clothing Manager
from snow, wind and rain.
Jackets should be large
enough to fit easily over layers and not restrict
movement.
Other layers to keep you warm and happy during
the winter:
• Neck gaiter or balaclava
• Fleece or wool hats
• Mittens or gloves that are waterproof and breathable
• Socks with merino wool (suggested brand: Darn
Tough® Socks)
• Boots that are spacious enough for thick socks and
“toe wiggling room” to prevent frostbite
• Goggles or sunglasses
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A Challenging Market Year
Unlike the last few years,
corn and soybean prices
were at their lowest levels
in five years at harvest
time.
On a positive note, the
2014 harvest is complete,
and the crop is in the bin.
Marc “Pete” Peterson
Director of UFC Risk
Every year just how many
Management Department
bushels will be in that bin
is a question discussed for
the entire growing season. If you were in some
parts of the country this year, harvest was
one of the best you have ever experienced.
However, if you were in Minnesota, you probably had an average to below-average production year.
No matter how much you produced, the goal
now becomes to market that crop at the best
possible price and maximize the return to your
farming operation. In our part of the country,
grain buyers have recorded one of the small-
est amounts of forward-priced grain in the last
several years. This would suggest that even
though it was not a record-breaking production year, many producers have a substantial
amount of new-crop that needs to be sold.
Over the next several months, UFC will be
hosting a number of local grain marketing
meetings. These meetings are designed to provide you, the producer, information that can
help you market your crop at what we hope
yields the greatest financial return to your
farming operation.
At these meetings, we will discuss seasonal
trends, market alignment, basis levels, and
local and world situations affecting the grain
markets. As an experienced commodity broker, I will cover grain marketing strategies that
involve options and futures and discuss how to
use them successfully. Along with these, you will
learn more about the marketing tools and factors
that today’s agricultural producer needs to consider when making marketing decisions.
United Farmers Cooperative
is here to be a valued marketing partner, because our future
depends on your success.
Be watching for the schedule, and
we hope to see you at a meeting
in your area. «
This material has been prepared
by a sales or trading employee or
agent of MPT Brokerage Services
and is, or is in the nature of, a
solicitation. This material is not a
research report prepared by MPT
Brokerage Services. By accepting
this communication, you agree
that you are an experienced user
of the futures markets, capable of
making independent trading decisions, and agree that you are not,
and will not, rely solely on this
communication in making trading
decisions.
DISTRIBUTION IN SOME
JURISDICTIONS MAY BE
PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED
BY LAW. PERSONS IN
POSSESSION OF THIS
COMMUNICATION INDIRECTLY
SHOULD INFORM THEMSELVES
ABOUT AND OBSERVE ANY
SUCH PROHIBITION OR
RESTRICTIONS. TO THE EXTENT
THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED
THIS COMMUNICATION
INDIRECTLY AND SOLICITATIONS
ARE PROHIBITED IN YOUR
JURISDICTION WITHOUT
REGISTRATION, THE MARKET
COMMENTARY IN THIS
COMMUNICATION SHOULD
NOT BE CONSIDERED A
SOLICITATION.
The risk of loss in trading futures
and/or options is substantial and
each investor and/or trader must
consider whether this is a suitable
investment. Past performance,
whether actual or indicated by
simulated historical tests of strategies, is not indicative of future
results. Trading advice is based
on information taken from trades
and statistical services and other
sources that MPT Brokerage
Services believes are reliable. We
do not guarantee that such information is accurate or complete,
and it should not be relied upon
as such. Trading advice reflects
our good faith judgment at a specific time and is subject to change
without notice. There is no guarantee that the advice we give will
result in profitable trades.
2015 Scholarship
Applications
Available Feb. 1
UFC Scholarship applications are available
beginning Feb. 1, 2015.
Please visit with your high school counselor for
more information. Applications will be available
at all UFC locations and on our website. The
deadline for applications will be April 1, 2015.
page
11
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inside...
How to Dress Smart &
Stay Warm This Winter
Page 10
To stay up-to-the-minute with the markets, check out our website at:
www.ufcmn.com
DIRECTORY
Communicate 2015 Application Needs
This year’s fall application season was a short one
due to a late harvest and early frost. As a result, we
anticipate a rush this spring for on-farm deliveries
as well as custom application.
To help the Agronomy Team meet your application needs in a timely fashion, please communicate
your spring application needs with your UFC sales
representative well ahead of time. Even if you’re
not ready to contract or prepay yet, as soon as you
know your fields’ nutrient needs, please fill us in so
we can plan accordingly.
Butch Altmann
Vice President of
Agronomy
To secure the seed variety you want, I also encourage you to place your
seed orders soon.
Fertilizer markets not budging
On the supply side of things, I don’t foresee supply issues since our inventories are stocked. Unfortunately, due to rail issues, I also don’t expect markets to move much either. «
AgQuest Finance—507-647-6600
Ag Service Center—507-228-8224
Bird Island Elevator—320-365-4012
Brownton—320-328-4002
Cologne Feed Mill—952-466-5518
Corporate Office—507-647-6600
Gaylord Ag Ctr—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
Hector Ag Center—320-848-2296
Klossner Elevator—507-359-4519
Klossner Station—507-359-4503
Lafayette C-Store—507-228-8364
Lafayette Elevator—507-228-8221
Lafayette Seed Shed—507-228-8669
Livestock Service Center—507-359-2970
Norseland Ag Center—507-246-5300
Risk Management—507-647-6613
UFC Farm Supply-Burnsville—952-890-5296
UFC Farm Supply-Hamburg—952-467-3111
UFC Farm Supply LeSueur—507-665-6421
UFC Farm Supply Maple Plain—952-479-2123
UFC Farm Supply-Waconia—952-442-2126
Waconia Energy Office—952-442-2126
Winthrop C-Store—507-647-5931
Win. Chem. Warehouse—507-647-6615
Winthrop Elevator—507-647-5311
Winthrop Energy Office—507-647-6602