Summer 2013 - Northwest Grain

Northland Partners
New to Growing Corn? Visit Answer Plot®
Page 10
A SERVICE OF
Simplifies Precision Ag
Page 14
SUMMER 2013
A PUBLICATION OF AGRI-VALLEY • CHS AG SERVICES • CHS SALOL ELEVATORS • MID-VALLEY GRAIN • NORTHWEST GRAIN
AMP your
corn’s potential.
Headline AMP® fungicide delivers more bushels of corn than any
other fungicide by enabling corn to grow more efficiently, resulting
in maximum grain production. It supplies proven Plant Health
benefits and provides powerful control of the most troublesome
diseases that attack corn. With Headline AMP fungicide, you can
maximize the potential in every plant.
Visit HeadlineAMPFungicide.com to learn more, or talk
to your BASF Authorized Retailer today.
Always read and follow label directions. Headline AMP is a registered trademark of BASF.
©2013 BASF Corporation. All Rights Reserved. APN 13-AMP-0001
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
WWW.CHSINC.COM
NORTHLAND PARTNERS DIRECTORY
Agri-Valley, Grand Forks
main office: 701-772-4873
toll-free: 800-732-4265
CHS Ag Services, Warren
main office: 218-745-4166
local number: 218-745-4361
www.chsagservices.com
CHS Salol Elevators, Badger
main office: 218-528-3205
Greenbush: 218-782-2111
Roseau: 218-463-1955
toll-free: 877-653-5500
www.salolelevators.com
Life Insurance as a Farming Tool
Manage risk to assure your farm will flourish well into the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Planning Removes Emotion From Decision to Sell
But leaves flexibility to change your mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8
New to Growing Corn? Visit the Answer Plot®
Your CHS Ag Services agronomist can teach you how . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10
Mid-Valley Grain, Crookston
main office: 218-281-2881
Terminal: 218-281-5273
toll-free: 888-400-1500
www.midvalleygrain.com
Northwest Grain, St. Hilaire
main office: 218-964-5252
Hazel: 218-681-5280
Warren: 218-745-5363
www.northwestgrain.com
Collecting With Heart
Annual Harvest4Hunger unites employees and customers in a good cause . . . . . Page 12-13
YieldPointTM Puts the “Simple” in Precision Ag
New program combines data with technology to demystify intensive farming. . . . . . Page 14
Late Spring Means More Corn to Dry
Contract the propane needed to remove moisture from the crop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 17
Energy Specialist Enjoys Helping People
Making farmers more profitable is his goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22
Understanding Summer Market Rallies
Rallies provide marketing opportunities as production uncertainty peaks . . . . . .Page 30-31
©2013 CHS Inc. All Rights Reserved. Published in partnership with VistaComm® (www.VistaComm.com).
3
RISK MANAGEMENT
Life Insurance as a Farming Tool
The subject of life insurance is often avoided because it is considered synonymous with death. But life
insurance has evolved, over the years, into a valuable farming tool. Here are some ways a policy may be
used to manage risk and assure that your family’s farm will continue to flourish well into the future.
By Lonnie Longtin
Northwest Insurance
Services
1. Create an estate. Farming is unpredictable.
A life insurance policy can provide security
should something happen to the primary
operator. With this loss, extra expenses
will be incurred. A life insurance policy
can provide the assurance that the farm/
business will be able to continue its
operations without liquidating assets.
2. Pay estate taxes. A life insurance policy can
prevent the erosion of estate values because
of potential settlement costs.
3. Pay off a mortgage. The right policy can
protect the survivor, enabling him or her to
maintain the home/farm burden-free.
4. Equalize Inheritances. When the family
NORTHWEST INSURANCE LOCATIONS
315 Broadway Ave. N., St. Hilaire, MN 56754
806 Elevator Rd., Oklee, MN 56742
10423 438th St. S.W., Fertile, MN 56540
Agri-Valley energy
specialist Jimmy Bar ta
(right) visits with
Minto, N.D., farmer Rod
Schanilec in the field
this spring. See their
story on Page 23.
4
farm passes to children who are active in it,
life insurance can give an equal amount to
the other children.
There are many whole-life packages as well
as term-life with protection spanning from
10 to 40 years, depending on your needs.
Remember: age makes a big difference! The
younger you are when you take out a policy, the
lower the premium!
At all three of our locations, we represent
life, farm, home, auto and umbrella carriers
at competitive premiums. Call Northwest
Insurance Services at 218-964-5252 so we can
help you find the best product for your needs. ●
AGENTS
Lynette Nelson and Lonnie Longtin
Wade Westlake
Lyle Fuchs
Hear Your Farm Growing
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701-772-6691
1550 47th Ave. S. | Grand Forks, ND 58201
5
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ny is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnologyducts in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries
ry regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or
r to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Monsanto representative
on status in your state.
NFORMATION: Genuity® RIB Complete® corn blend products do not require the planting of a structured refuge except in the Cotton-Growing Area where corn earworm is a significant pest. Genuity® VT Double PRO® RIB Complete®, Genuity® VT
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rks are the property of their respective owners. ©2013 Monsanto Company. 32695 022113
GRAIN SERVICES
Marketing Plan Takes Raw Emotion
Out of Decision to Sell
Your crops are sold in global markets. In any given month, most commodities we grow locally are being
harvested somewhere in the world. This can be good or bad and accounts for much of today’s price
volatility, making it tough to decide when to sell.
By Lavern Emery
Grain Merchandiser
CHS Salol Elevators
Putting a marketing plan in place can take
the raw emotion out of deciding whether or
not to pull the trigger. CHS Salol Elevators,
Mid-Valley Grain and Northwest Grain offer
the opportunity to place sales orders directly
with a local grain merchandiser or place them
online through our Dynamic Pricing Platform
(DPP). Either way, you have the flexibility to
change your mind and revise the orders if you
see more market potential; but you can also let
your orders stand, and a portion of your crop
will be sold automatically.
Creating a plan and asking your grain
merchandiser to sell at a certain price point
helps firm down your marketing goals at
profitable levels. Oftentimes, when the market
gets close to a goal we’ve got in mind, but
have failed to put on paper, we’re tempted to
be bullish and wait “just a little bit longer.”
Then the market retreats and we’ve let the
opportunity for a good return slip through
your fingers.
I’m talking about a marketing plan for both
old and new crop. By now, you know the cost
of your new-crop inputs. Agree with your local
merchandiser on a plan that covers these costs
and achieves the profit you need to succeed.
We recommend layering your sales by placing
several orders at various price points.
We’ll take your sell orders, by phone or
online, and execute them as the market rises.
Just remember: You always have next year’s
crop to sell, so what you get for this year’s crop
is not the last word. ●
To learn more about creating a marketing plan, visit www.dppgraindesk.com
or contact your local grain merchandiser:
Lavern Emery, CHS Salol Elevators, Salol, MN
218-782-2111
Jeff Blom, Northwest Grain, St. Hilaire, MN
218-964-5252
Steve Filipi, Mid-Valley Grain, Crookston, MN 218-281-2881
Don Novacek, Agri-Valley, Manvel, ND
701-696-2242
8
PARTS
•
SERVICE
•
EQUIPMENT
Titan Machinery - Crookston
500 Ingersoll Ave
218-281-4668
crookston.titanmachinery.com
From design concept to service after the sales, Vigen Construction is 100% committed to your satisfaction.
Services Include:
• Complete Turnkey Design & Construction
• Grain Elevators
• Terminals
• Flour & Feed Mill Facilities
• Industrial & Agricultural Silos
• Millwright & Machinery Installation
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 6109
Grand Forks, ND 58206
Office (218) 773-1159
Fax (218) 773-3454
Vigen Construction Offices
42247 180th St SW
East Grand Forks, MN 56721
www.vigenconstruction.com
9
LEARNING SERVICES
New to Growing Corn? Visit the Answer Plot®
Merle Stinar raises sugar beets, wheat, soybeans and now corn south of Warren, Minn. “That’s the
exciting part,” he says. “We’re expanding our corn acres every year.” Merle and his son Tom are in their
fourth year raising corn. “We realize that corn will be an important part of our farming operation going
forward,” says Merle.
CHS Ag Services Showcase
Answer Plot Day
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Chuck Nelson Farm
Location: One mile east of
the I-29/Thompson exit
AGENDA:
1:30 p.m.
Registration
2-5 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
5 p.m. Supper and Social
BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
• Precision farming and
accurate planting
• Potassium research and corn fertilization
• Corn characterization
and production
• Herbicide mode of action and resistance
10
To learn more about corn production,
Merle and Tom have participated in
CHS Ag Services’ Showcase Plot Day for
the past five years. “We’ve attended the
Answer Plot® for as long as its been held
in this area, and we appreciate it more
each year,” says the Warren grower. “The
information is always good, and we get
to see the hybrids we’re growing, along
with the upcoming genetics that will be
made available to us.”
But it’s not just the varieties growing
in the Answer Plot that attract the
Stinars. “We’ve learned about the
importance of using the right starter
fertilizer, and we’ve been introduced
to new growth enhancers that can be
added to improve root development,”
says Merle. “The Answer Plot has made
believers out of us because we can
visually see the increase in height and
root mass.”
Merle likes the idea of moving the
Answer Plot around. Although it has
returned to Thompson for a second year,
this learning plot has been planted on
Merle Stinar, Warren,
Minn., grower.
farmers’ land near Drayton, Thief River
Falls and Sherack, Minn., in previous
years. “In my mind, it’s important to
grow the plot in different locations,”
says Merle. “That way we can compare
differences in soil types, geography and
weather.”
While a huge fan of the Answer Plot,
Merle also compliments the agronomists
for the small plot work they do all across
the 14 counties of Minnesota and North
Dakota served by CHS Ag Services. “The
local plots allow us to compare varieties
that are growing right in our back yard
with the (regional) answer plot,” he
states. “These local plots have made
variety selection much easier for us.”
“My advice, if you are a newcomer to
the corn business, is to draw alongside
your CHS Ag Services agronomist
and spend time at the Answer Plot,”
concludes Merle. “There is a method to
working with the seed, fertilizer, starter
and micronutrients necessary to grow
corn in northwest Minnesota, and they
can teach you how.” ●
CHS AG SERVICES SHOWCASE ANSWER PLOT DAY
In agriculture, growing smar ter star ts with getting smar ter, and getting smar ter
comes from hands-on experience. That hands-on experience, plus valuable exper tise
and crop production insights, is what you’ll find at the 6th annual CHS Ag Services
Showcase Plot Day to be held at Winfield’s Answer Plot® near Thompson, N.D.
At the Showcase Plot Day, you’ll receive hands-on
experience with the latest crop protection and seed
technologies, and learn how they address unique
growing challenges faced by grain and row crop
producers. You’ll want to attend, especially if you are
new to corn production.
This year’s Showcase Plot Day will be held
Wednesday, July 24 on the Chuck Nelson Farm. The
Answer Plot has been planted and is now growing, just
a mile east of the I-29/Thompson exit. Stop and see it
if you are in the neighborhood, and plan to attend our
Showcase Plot Day on July 24.
“This educational event will be refreshing to our
customers who have been worn out looking at variety
plots only,” says Terry Sonju, seed team leader for CHS
Ag Services. “At the Answer Plot, varieties and hybrids
and their yields are secondary.”
“We’re trying to educate farmers and agronomists
alike to be better corn and bean producers,” he adds.
“The Answer Plot has been a good tool for that.”
Participants in this year’s Showcase Plot Day will look
at the trials showing the:
• Effect differing management, populations, nitrogen
levels and crop rotations have on key corn hybrids.
• Effect of Ascend® on corn in an in-furrow system.
• Performance of commercial and experimental
soybean varieties.
Mark your calendars now. If you want to ride with others to this
event, contact your nearest CHS Ag Services location below:
BADGER, MN
218-528-3205
LAKE BRONSON, MN
218-754-2800
CROOKSTON, MN
218-281-3507
LARIMORE, ND
701-343-2340
DRAYTON, ND
701-454-3488
OKLEE, MN
218-796-5100
EUCLID, MN
218-281-5205
ROSEAU, MN
218-463-1955
GRAND FORKS, ND
701-746-1911
ST. HILAIRE, MN
218-964-5252
GREENBUSH, MN
218-782-2111
ST. THOMAS, ND
701-257-6415
HALLOCK, MN
218-843-2627
STEPHEN, MN
218-478-2258
HILLSBORO, ND
701-430-3786
THIEF RIVER FALLS, MN
218-681-8494
HUMBOLDT, MN
218-379-3185
WARREN, MN
218-745-4361
KARLSTAD, MN
218-436-2585
WINGER, MN
218-938-4126
• Effect differing management and population
scenarios have on key soybean varieties.
11
GIVING BACK
Collecting With Heart
In business, making collections generally isn’t welcomed by customers or the first thing employees like
to do. But when it comes to the annual CHS Harvest for Hunger, collecting is a very good thing and both
customers and employees like to participate.
The five Northland Partners (Agri-Valley Co-op, CHS
Ag Services, CHS Salol Elevators, Mid-Valley Grain
and Northwest Grain) joined other CHS businesses in
northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota to
contribute and collect $95,454.51 for this year’s food
and fund drive. A check for this amount was presented
to the Northland Food Bank at Crookston, which in
turn supplies local food banks. Checks for $1,575 each
were also presented to four local food banks: Thief River
Falls Area Food Shelf, Warren Emergency Food Shelf,
InterCounty Community Food Shelf and Grygla-Gatzke
Food Shelf.
These funds were collected at a variety of charitable
events held in March. In addition, employees, customers
and business partners were asked if they would make
personal contributions to Harvest for Hunger.
All told, 60 CHS Country Operations locations
participated in the 2013 CHS Harvest for Hunger. The
results were astounding. Over the course of 20 days, the
equivalent of more than 3.2 million meals was raised for
hungry families.
Those meals make a big difference. According to
Feeding America, one of the nation’s leading hunger-relief
charities, one in six Americans doesn’t know where the
next meal will come from – or if it will come at all. More
than one out of five children lives in a household with food
Nor thland Par tners join other Country Operations locations in presenting a check for $95,454.51 to Nor thland
Food Bank at Crookston, which supplies local food banks. From left to right: Doug Derosier, general manager, CHS
Erskine; DuWayne Thompson, general manager, Nor thwest Grain; Rober t Staehnke, general manager, Mid-Valley Grain
Cooperative; Carl Younce, CHS regional director; Suzie Novak, executive director, Nor th Country Food Bank; Mitch
Stevens, general manager, CHS Salol Elevators; Rober t Deraas, general manager, CHS Sunflower.
12
Serving at the Harvest for Hunger breakfast at Oklee are (left to right) David Fiene, Kent Bergerson, Steve Eskeli,
Bonnie Borene, Mark Spong, Jerry Smith and Michael Peterson.
insecurity, meaning they do not always
know where they will find their next meal.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the
thousands of CHS employees, customers
and partners for rallying around the CHS
Harvest for Hunger campaign,” says John
McEnroe, executive vice president, CHS
Country Operations. “To raise more than
742,000 pounds of canned and fresh foods
and more than $490,000 in cash and grain
in 20 days is incredible.”
Since the launch of CHS Harvest for
Hunger in 2011, the equivalent of more
than 7.5 million meals has been raised
by CHS Country Operations employees,
partners and communities.
On average, every $1 contributed to
CHS Harvest for Hunger provides five
meals. The number of meals provided for
every one dollar varies by region, ranging
from 3.7 to 7 meals.
“Working with regional food banks,
who then work with local food shelves,
really helps take advantage of the buying
power of the regional food banks,” says
Tom Reitter, CHS Harvest for Hunger
committee.
“Our thanks to everyone who helped
feed hungry families through the CHS
Harvest for Hunger campaign,” says
DuWayne Thompson, speaking on behalf
of the Northland Partners. “It really shows
how much our communities care about
helping others in need.” ●
Border Bank and CHS employees prepared and served breakfast to 250
people at the Badger Community Center. The Farmers Share Breakfast was
a Harvest for Hunger fundraiser. Pictured in the kitchen are (left to right)
Sharon Heggedal (Border State Bank), Denise Isane (CHS Salol Elevators),
Jim Rinde (CHS Ag Services) and Brian Waage (CHS Ag Services).
Serving at the St. Hilaire Chili Feed (left to right) Katherine, Morgan,
Dustin, Jered VanDeStreek, Brenda Schindler, Loretta Pittman, Janna
Unbehaun, Ione Scott, Jesse Bushelle, Robbin Breiland.
13
TECHNOLOGY
YieldPoint™ Puts the “Simple” in Precision Ag
You’ve been collecting the field data. You’re buying equipment designed for precision farming. Let’s
put both data and equipment to work, and see if we can improve your ROI.
A SERVICE OF
CHS YieldPoint™ at a Glance
• Precision knowledge of
the real needs of each
field
• Increased outputs and/
or decreased inputs
• Stronger N, P and K
management
• Smarter secondary and
micronutrient use
• More accurate yield
predictions
• Enhanced recordkeeping and cost/bushel
analysis
• Better planning and
time management
• Refined planting rates
• Improved traceability
14
This growing season, CHS Ag Services
is rolling out a program that pulls together
all the data available on the fields you farm
and utilizes precision farming technology
the major manufacturers are building
into their newest equipment. Known
as “YieldPoint™”, this program comes
with a double dose of expert assistance.
Your CHS Ag Service agronomist and
a YieldPoint specialist will team up to
combine knowledge of your fields with
knowledge of data management and
variable-rate equipment. The result, for
you, is precision ag made simple.
“There is a tremendous amount of
technology out there that is not being
used,” says specialist Evan Sieling.
“YieldPoint funnels that technology,
whether data management or variable
rate equipment, into a plan that delivers
greater results for each field you farm.”
YieldPoint divides each field into
management zones and treats these zones
differently. Here’s how the program might
work for you:
1. Your CHS Ag Services agronomist
and a YieldPoint specialist meet with
you to collect data on specific fields.
2. You provide information on the fields
you want to concentrate on,
like previous years’ crops,
yield goals and problem
areas within each field.
3. Supplementing your
input with other data
like satellite imagery and
soil maps, the YieldPoint
specialist layers the data
and divides your field
into management zones
with recommendations
of how each zone should
be farmed.
4. The agronomist delivers
your team’s recommendations for
your approval or revision.
5. The specialist writes variable-rate
planting or application prescriptions and
loads them on data cards in the correct
file format for your planter or applicator.
“We’re not expecting everyone to put
all of their acres into this program to
start with,” says Evan. “All we’re asking is
that our customers be willing to give it a
try with a field or two.” Take baby steps,
he suggests, and when you see some
success you can grow from there. “The
information and technology you need
to improve your return on investment
in each acre of land is at your fingertips,”
Evan adds. “You’d be smart to look into it.”
Interested in what YieldPoint could
do for you? Set up a meeting with one of
CHS Ag Services’ 22 agronomists and a
YieldPoint specialist. The most important
action to take this summer is to establish
your management zones, so your soils can
be sampled and a variable rate fertilizer
prescription is finalized for this fall. Your
YieldPoint team can also make sure your
yield monitors are calibrated correctly so
you get accurate data at harvest time. ●
Hallock Grower Tries Precision Planting
When Nathan Olsonawski learned about the CHS YieldPoint™ program, one par ticular quar ter of land
sprang to mind. “It’s a field with some alkaline spots where nothing ever grows,” says the Hallock,
Minn., native who farms with his first cousin Mike up near the Canadian border. Nathan’s thought was
to plant wheat at variable rates to avoid wasting it on those alkaline spots and to put more seed on
the marginal areas of the field.
The cousins had just purchased a John Deere 1890
No-Till Air Seeder with precision planting technology,
so when Nathan heard that CHS Ag Services would help
him determine where and how much seed to drop in each
management zone, he decided to try it.
Agronomist Chip Olson, based at the CHS Ag Services
office in Humbolt, brought YieldPoint specialists Evan
Sieling and Tanner Altendorf. Using all the available data,
Chip and Evan created management zones and built a
precision planting map for the quarter section. Chip
presented their work to Nathan, who approved the plan
with minor adjustments. Evan came out to the Olsonawski
farm and uploaded the planting map on the data card of
the air seeder, gave him some instruction and Nathan had
his first experience with precision planting.
“It worked great,” says Nathan. “These guys did all the
work.”
“People who have never tried it think precision planting
must be really difficult,” states Evan, “but if you have the
right people doing it, it can be a really smooth process.”
Nathan will definitely be watching the yield monitor at
the end of the summer as he combines that field of wheat,
moving from one management zone into another. “We
know what the good ground will produce in a normal year,
he states. “Our goal is to see if we can improve our yield in
the marginal spots.” ●
Cousins Mike (left) and Nathan (right)
with their new John Deere Air Seeder with
Precision Planting capabilities.
Your YieldPoint specialist star ts
with an aerial image of the
grower’s field (far left), then
adds the grower’s insight and
multiple layers of data to create
a final management zone
map (left). After sampling the
soils within each zone, the
specialist creates the final
variable-rate fer tilizer and
seeding maps.
15
asgrow.com
The comprehensive new Asgrow® 4P System is the most advanced season-long approach
to maximizing top yield potential of Asgrow® Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans.
Discover how far you can push Performance when you Plan, Plant and Protect.
Work with your Dealer to set 4P in motion or visit asgrow.com.
Performance is everything.
Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in
compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with
functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have
been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to
their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization.
For more information regarding the intellectual property protection for the seed products identified in this publication, please see www.asgrowanddekalb.com. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW
PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand
agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Asgrow and the A Design®, Asgrow®, Genuity Design®, Genuity Icons, Genuity®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, Roundup
Ready® and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2013 Monsanto Company. 32695 022113
Agri-Valley bobtail
delivers propane
to an elevator’s
dryer storage tank.
ENERGY
Late Spring Means More Corn to Dry
“We’re definitely behind the average year in heat units,” says CHS Ag Services agronomist Ryan
Fischer, based at Thief River Falls, Minn. “We still have a potential for high corn yields, but really
warm fall weather and lots of wind will be necessary to dry down the crop.” Odds are good that we’ll
be harvesting wetter corn this year than normal, he adds.
The late cold, wet spring planting of corn may be
countered to some extent by varieties with a shorter growing
season and a faster drydown, but Ryan advises growers to be
ready with their on-farm dryers and wet corn storage.
Adding to the prospect of a shortened growing season
is the fact that growers in some counties planted more corn
this year than last. “I know a lot of guys who expanded from
one quarter to three quarters of corn this year,” he says.
“There was definitely more corn planted right in this area.”
More acres mean even more corn to harvest and the
prospect that some farmers will be combining those acres
at higher-than-normal moisture levels.
“I think the corn crop will be wetter overall, and that we
will dry more bushels than we have in the last two years,”
concludes Ryan.
Have propane in place
“Make sure your dryers are ready and your propane
tanks are full,” advises Agri-Valley general manager, Bob
Bina, who agrees with Ryan’s assessment that corn coming
out of the field this fall will require more drying than in
previous years.
Beyond filling tanks, Bob suggests corn growers
consider contracting the gas they think they will need to
dry the 2013 corn crop, to lock in the price as well as to
assure supply.
“Harvesting of corn across the Midwest will happen
more or less at the same time, because everyone planted
at the same time,” says Bob, who adds that the East Coast
heating market will become active about the same time the
Midwest is harvesting corn. “The drying and the heating
markets will have a double effect,” he says. “When these two
seasons hit at the same time, we know the price will climb.”
Bob says Agri-Valley is installing larger tanks, looking
for more trucks and making arrangements to bring
propane into the Grand Forks area as rapidly as possible if
the region’s corn drying season is as big as anticipated.
With these preparations, current Agri-Valley customers
and new customers of the energy supplier should have plenty
of propane. The important thing, according to Bob, is to:
1) fill your on-farm storage today and 2) decide how much
propane to contract in anticipation of a wet corn harvest.
Call Agri-Valley at 701-772-4873 or 800-732-4289 to
order a fill or to inquire about a propane contract. ●
17
ENERGY SERVICES
Protection + Performance = Peace of Mind
Consider protecting all your equipment with the Cenex Total Protection Plan™. It’s a small investment
to make in exchange for valuable coverage and peace of mind. You get unsurpassed coverage while
helping to ensure that only high-quality energy products go into your equipment.
Agri-Valley’s certified energy
specialists have taken the lead in
talking about the Total Protection
Plan™. Here’s what they are saying:
• It covers new equipment for up
to 10 years or 10,000 hours.
• It transfers to the purchasers of
covered equipment, adding to
the value of sales or trades.
• It covers used equipment for up
to 8 years or 8,000 hours.
• It covers a variety of equipment.
• It extends protection above
and beyond the equipment
manufacturer’s warranty.
• It has no deductible.
If you use Cenex lubricants, the
Total Protection Plan can cover the
diesel engine, the transmission, the
hydraulic system, the final drive, the
hydrostats, the differentials and the
hubs. If you also use Cenex premium
fuel, it can cover diesel injection
pumps and injectors.
Best of all, this warranty provides
all this protection for a one-time
payment of $299 for new equipment
and $399 for used equipment.
All you need to do is periodically
send in a sample of your oil for
18
analysis. Lube scans help reduce
repair bills and catastrophic failures.
These scans increase engine life and
reduce unscheduled downtimes.
When used on a regular basis, lube
scans help equipment operators
determine engine health—including
how much wear is taking place and
what maintenance practices are
necessary to keep equipment in good
operating condition.
The Cenex Total Protection
Plan requires no operator burden of
proof. Note: In most cases, the Total
Protection Plan provides coverage
years and hours beyond the typical
OEM warranty.
We like to say, “It’s the only 10year, 10,000-hour warranty in the
industry that comes with ZERO
loopholes. When covered equipment
fails, WE PAY.
Agri-Valley is proud to offer
the best extended warranty in the
business. We’re also proud to have
been recognized nationally in 2012
for the growth of our energy business
and to have returned 80¢/gallon in
patronage refunds to our lubricant
customers in 2012. Let us give you
Mike Ende, Cer tified Energy
Specialist, Agri-Valley
all the details on this unique Total
Protection Plan. Call 800-732-4289
to talk with one of our certified
energy specialists. ●
Cer tified energy specialist Mike
Ende (left) presents a check for
$17,123.76 to Mike Krejci.
Cenex Paid for Tractor Repairs
“We had been using Cenex oil for years, but I didn’t even know they had an extended warranty
until I bought some new equipment,” says Mike Krejci, who farms sugar beets, soybeans and
wheat nor theast of Grand Forks. “Now we’ve got all our tractors, new or used, on the Cenex Total
Protection Plan™.”
Mike says he has been very happy with the coverage
provided by the Total Protection Plan and with the plan’s
requirement of pre-emptive lube scans. Mike submits
samples when he changes oil on his tractors and also
on his older semis that have been converted for hauling
beets. “I just want to know what’s going on inside them,”
he explains. “The Lube Scan costs next to nothing, and
if something is going to happen, maybe I can catch it
quicker.”
Then, in the spring of 2012, the crankshaft of Mike’s
John Deere 8330 tractor snapped in the field. The engine
had just 910 hours on it, but it was beyond the OEM’s
warranty. “John Deere agreed to pay for the block and
Cenex paid for everything else,” reports Mike.
The engine had only operated for about 70 hours after
the last oil change, and despite the lack of evidence that the
crankshaft failure had anything to do with the oil, Cenex
paid the bill.
“Cenex was very good about it,” says Mike. “Todd
Monroe from the CHS Corporate office came out to look
at the engine after the mechanics took it apart. He said to
me, ‘Don’t worry about it!’” When repairs were completed,
certified energy specialist Mike Ende arrived on Mike
Krejci’s farm with a check for $17,123.76.
“I was totally impressed,” said the East Grand Forks
grower. ●
19
Our Roots Are
Easy To See.
They’re planted firmly in agriculture.
They always have been. They
always will be. Contact one of our
experienced ag bankers today!
www.uvbank.net
Our Roots Make Us Stronger
Grand Forks | Cavalier | arGyle | HalloCk | lanCaster
Member
FDIC
COMMUNITY
Customer Appreciation Days
Below are the dates and locations of our summer Customer Appreciation events for patrons and their families.
• Thursday, July 18, 11 a.m. tee off
– Mid-Valley Grain Golf and Steak
Fry. Location: Minakwa Golf Course,
Crookston. Meal: Hot dogs and brats
served on golf course. Steak fry at
5 p.m. for golfers and non-golfers.
More info: Call 218-281-2881.
• Thursday, July 18, 4–8 p.m. – For
NW Grain patrons at St. Hilaire
/ Oklee / RLF / Brooks. Location:
Voyager’s View Park at Red Lake
Falls. Meal: Steak dinner starting
at 4 p.m. More info: Call 218-9645252.
• Tuesday, July 23, 4 p.m. – For NW
Grain patrons at Warren. Location:
Warren City Park. Meal: Steak
dinner. More info: Call 218-745-5363.
• Wednesday, July 24, 1:30 p.m.
registration – CHS Ag Services
Showcase Plot Day. Location:
Answer Plot® one mile east of
Thompson, N.D., exit on I-29.
Agenda: 2–5 p.m. breakout sessions.
Supper and social at 5 p.m. More
info: Call 218-745-4361.
• Thursday, July 25, starting at 5 p.m.
– Location: NW Grain, Stephen.
Meal: Steak supper. More Info: Call
218-478-3521.
• Tuesday, July 30, 5 p.m. – Location:
CHS Salol Elevators, Roseau. Meal:
Steak dinner. More info: Call 218528-3205.
• Wednesday, July 31, 12:00 noon
– Location: CHS Salol Elevators,
Greenbush. Meal: Steak lunch. More
info: Call 218-528-3205. ●
21
EMPLOYEE PROFILE
Energy Specialist Enjoys Helping People
If things had turned out differently, Jimmy Bar ta would probably still be farming. However, his job as
a cer tified energy specialist (CES) brings him into daily contact with agriculture and people he loves.
His greatest joy is helping his farmer-customers prosper.
Jimmy grew up northwest of Grand Forks, on a
farm near Minto, N.D. He has always been interested in
farming. During high school, he helped his dad, Ernie,
raise small grains, sugar beets and edible beans. After high
school, he attended Northland Community and Technical
College in East Grand Forks, studying farm operation and
management. After graduating, he returned to the farm.
Due to rising land prices and input costs, Jimmy decided
to look for an occupation off of the farm.
The local cooperative in Minto hired Jimmy as their
general manager, and he gained experience with energy
products. Then last fall, Agri-Valley, a division of CHS
Country Operations, hired Jimmy as a CES. In this role,
Jimmy calls on customers and potential customers of AgriValley, introducing them to new services and products and
Cer tified Energy Specialist Jimmy Bar ta.
22
helping them with their energy needs. His goal is to make
their operations more profitable.
On a recent day, Jimmy introduced several potential
Agri-Valley customers to the Cenex Automatic Fuel
Delivery program, which assures they will not run out of
fuel and helps free up cash flow. He also fielded a question
from a current customer who had purchased a new Case
Quadtrac® four-wheel-drive tractor. The farmer wanted
to know if the Cenex lubricant he had been using met the
manufacturer’s specifications.
“The thing that excites me about my job as a CES is
that I can be out on the farm, hearing what my customers
think,” says Jimmy. The thing he most likes to hear is
“thank you for helping me.”
“I get more satisfaction out of helping people than I do
out of getting a big sale,” says the AgriValley specialist, who can relate to his
customers because he was once in their
shoes. “I’ve farmed and I can feel for
them,” he states.
Jimmy says he and Agri-Valley bring a
lot to farmers that they can’t get anywhere
else. “Not many companies have an energy
specialist with the job of meeting with the
end users daily to make their operations
more profitable. That’s where we really
shine.”
Editor’s Note: While he is in constant
contact with Agri-Valley’s headquarters at
Grand Forks, Jimmy Barta offices out of his
home in Minto, N.D. He’s located in the
middle of his trade territory, as a CES, and
within easy reach of his customers in Grand
Forks and Walsh Counties in North Dakota
and Marshall County in Minnesota. Jimmy
and his wife, Breanna, will celebrate four
years of marriage in November. The couple
enjoys spending time outdoors: biking,
walking or working in their yard. “My
garden and my yard is my farm now,” says
Jimmy with a smile. ●
Contact a CHS Hedging broker near you at chshedging.com
800-328-6530
There is a risk of loss when trading futures and options.
Customer Appreciates Jimmy’s Expertise
Jimmy Bar ta enjoys working with farmers like Rod Schanilec, who raises spring wheat, edible beans,
sugar beets and corn 11 miles west of Minto. Encouraged by Jimmy, Rod recently began buying his
fuel through the Automated Fuel Delivery (AFD) program offered by Agri-Valley. AFD monitors Rod’s
tanks and, when levels get low, dispatches the nearest delivery truck to fill them.
“Before, we were splitting transport loads of fuel,
because we have smaller tanks,” he states. Noting that
harvesting fall crops like sugar beets and edible beans can
get pretty intensive, Rod says it was easy to lose track of
the levels of fuel in his tanks until it was too late. “There
were times when half a transport wouldn’t get here in
time,” he recalls.
“Now I don’t have to worry about how full my tanks
are,” says Rod. “The fuel is always there, and I’m told that,
if there are supply problems, I have priority.” The Minto
farmer also likes the option AFD gives him to own or not
to own the fuel in the tank.
Rod appreciates working with Jimmy because he knows
agriculture. “Jimmy grew up right next to our farm, so
he understands the way we do things out here,” says Rod,
adding, “He also understands lubricants and propane.” ●
Rod Schanilec prepares a field for planting. See the
photo of Rod and Jimmy Bar ta on Page 4.
23
Agriculture’s only 10-year,
10,000-HOUR WARRANTY
comes with zero loopholes.
We’re with you when downtime isn’t an option. That’s why Cenex®
Ruby Fieldmaster® premium diesel fuel and Cenex lubricants are
formulated to boost power and efficiency while providing superior
protection. These proven products are so advanced, we back them
with agriculture’s best warranty for up to 10 years or 10,000 hours.
Enroll your equipment and locate a dealer at cenex.com/tpp.
©2013 CHS Inc.
Unlock every acre
of your field.
InterLock adjuvant keeps spray deposition on target.
®
Protect your investment with InterLock adjuvant. InterLock adjuvant
improves crop protection performance and efficiency across a broad
spectrum of application conditions, so your investment stays where
it belongs: in your field. To learn more, talk with your retailer
or visit winfield.com
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Contact your CHS Ag Services Agronomist, ask how you can get more
of your Herbicide, Insecticide, and Fungicide dollar to the Target!
WinField is a trademark, and InterLock is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. © 2012 Winfield Solutions, LLC
CANADA
NORTHLAND PARTNERS LOCATIONS
HUMBOLT
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CHS AFFILIATES
WHO ARE WE?
Leveraging Unity to Serve Growers Better
As a customer of Agri-Valley, CHS Salol Elevators, Mid-Valley Grain or Nor thwest Grain, you may
wonder, “Who are the Nor thland Par tners?”
These four farmer-owned businesses chose, in recent
years, to merge with CHS Inc., as a part of the CHS
Country Operations division. They now leverage what
they used to do independently, taking advantage of the
size and scale of their affiliation with a larger organization
and sharing people and equipment in order to bring the
most value possible to their grower-customers. That’s what
merging with the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the
United States did for them.
At the same time, all four organizations are controlled
by their own local boards and are locally owned by CHS
members who do business with them.
Here is just one way in which Agri-Valley, CHS
Salol Elevators, Mid-Valley Grain and Northwest Grain
leveraged their union with CHS. In 2008, these four
businesses put all their agronomy business into an LLC
called CHS Ag Services, based at Warren, Minn. In 2009,
CHS Ag Services completed construction of a 24,000ton fertilizer hub plant at Warren that today serves 20
locations in northwest North Dakota and northeast
Minnesota. This is something each individual business
would have found difficult, if not impossible, to do on
their own—but together they found a way to serve growers
better and more efficiently.
These five businesses (including CHS Ag Services)
operate together with six-dozen company-owned and
locally governed service centers in 15 states, serving more
than 50,000 producer-owners and other customers with
the kinds of products and services farmers and ranchers
count on to drive the success of their operations. In 2012,
CHS directly returned more than $80 million in cash
patronage to producers, provided more than 5,000 jobs
and help build vibrant communities through volunteerism
and stewardship efforts like our Harvest for Hunger
program, which you may read about on page 12.
Look what we can do together. ●
27
When it comes to fungicides,
one star seems to stand out.
The powerful broad-spectrum disease control of Inspire ® XT
fungicide stands out from all others. By combining two superior
triazole fungicides, sugarbeet growers can depend on it for
long-lasting control of Cercospora leaf spot, powdery mildew and
other damaging diseases. Proven across the world, it stops disease
in its tracks. For power and reliability, there’s no better choice than
“top of the class” Inspire XT.
©2013 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow all bag tag and label instructions before buying or using Syngenta products. The
instructions contain important conditions of sale, including limitations of warranty and remedy. All crop protection products and seed
treatments may not be registered for sale or use in all states. Please check with your state or local extension service before buying or using
these products. Inspire®, the Alliance frame, the Purpose icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Syngenta
Customer Center: 1-866-SYNGENT(A) (796-4368). www.FarmAssist.com MW 1SYN3008-P1
SLC2293A 03/2013
When it comes to farming, a few tiny adjustments in your operation can have a
huge impact on your yield potential. With WinField’s NutriSolutions® 360º program,
including insights from our NutriSolutions® Tool and innovative products like Ascend®
plant growth regulator and MAX-IN® micronutrients, we can guide you through every
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you’ll make the right in-season adjustments and get more from every acre.
NutriSolutions
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Ask your WinField representative today about how the NutriSolutions® 360º approach
to plant nutrition can take your yield potential to the next level or visit winfield.com
WinField is a trademark and Ascend, MAX-IN and NutriSolutions are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.
© 2013 Winfield Solutions, LLC
Ask your CHS Ag Services Agronomist how the NutriSolutions 360 approach
to plant nutrition can take your yield potential to the next level!
GRAIN MARKETS
Understanding Summer Market Rallies
Market rallies while crops are still in the field have often provided marketing
opportunities as production uncertainty peaks and emotions run high. Identifiable
summer rallies since 1990 have averaged 18% from low to high on a closing basis
in December corn and 15% in November soybeans.
By Tim Emslie
Research Manager
CHS Hedging
30
On the high end of the summer rally
spectrum, last year’s historic drought drove
a 66% gain in December corn from a closing
price of $5.06 on June 15 to a close of $8.39
on Aug. 21. On the other end of the spectrum
in 2000, early-season nervousness over dry
conditions set the market up for a summerlong decline when the rains did come, resulting
in a barely noticeable 5% rally from mid- to
late August.
The late season weather threat in 2000
did result in a more respectable 12% rally in
soybeans that year, illustrating once again the
distinct agronomic timetable in soybeans. The
smallest summer rally in November soybeans
since 1990 was an early-season rally in 1992
that saw a 6% rally from the low closing price
on May 21 to the high closing price on June 9.
The 2012 drought drove the largest summer
rally of 40% that essentially lasted the entire
summer.
While the extremes may help us conceive
what can happen, the median values are
probably more useful for evaluating rallies
going forward. Several summer rallies have
topped out near the median values of 14%
rallies in corn and 12% rallies in soybeans. Of
course, the value of a 12% or 14% price rally
to a farmer’s bottom line is greatly influenced
by the starting point. Each year’s specific
weather conditions heavily influence where
prices go each summer, but we can make some
observations about how prices have moved
over the summer months to give us an idea of
what kind of marketing opportunities might be
probable this year.
Again, using the history since 1990, the
high price for December corn (switching to
intraday prices for this analysis) during June,
July or August has exceeded the high price
during May in 17 of the 23 years, or 74% of the
growing seasons. In November soybeans, we
saw a higher price in June, July or August than in May in
19 of the 23 years, or 83%. In 2013, the May highs were set
on the last day of the month at $5.73 in December corn
and at $13.15 in November beans.
In the Northern Plains, corn marketing faces the
challenge of production uncertainty due to the narrow
windows that are often available for both planting
and harvesting. The somewhat distinct nature of corn
production in the north can be seen by comparing North
Dakota yield performances with national performance.
Obviously, yields are generally lower due to the shorter
growing season, but North Dakota’s growing season
can often go in a different direction than the rest of the
country.
For example, in 5 of the last 10 years, North Dakota’s
corn yield has been either better than the state trend
yield while the national yield was below trend or worse
than trend while the national yield was better than trend.
In contrast, in each of the last 10 years, Iowa’s yield has
had the same relationship to the state trend yield as the
national yield had to the national trend yield.
This may be a somewhat of an esoteric statistical point,
but it does offer support to the idea that a Northern Plains
farmer may have to remain more flexible in his marketing
than an a farmer in a core Corn Belt state where market
prices are more closely reflecting actual production
prospects. Case in point: in 2004 when cool conditions
led to record yields well above trend nationally, the lack
of sufficient heat resulted in below-trend yields in North
Dakota. Options can provide farmers in this situation
additional flexibility to deal with the production/price
disconnect in addition to overall price protection. We’ve
seen reasonable pricing for option volatility when the
market feels comfortable about acreage and weather in the
spring. ●
31
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
VISTACOMM
PO Box 128
St. Hilaire, MN 56754
Northwest Insurance Services has
built trusting and valued underwriting/servicing relationships with the
following companies that offer a variety of insurance products. From autos to umbrellas, we have competitive
rates. We are fully licensed and can
service both Minnesota and North
Dakota for your crop, hail, farm &
ranch, umbrella, auto, homeowners,
small commercial, toys (motorcycles,
snowmobiles, ATV’s, boats) and life
insurance needs. Stop in or give us a
call to see what we have to offer.
LONNIE LONGTIN
Northwest Insurance Services
P.O. Box 128
315 Broadway Ave. N.
St. Hilaire, MN 56754
Office: (218) 964-5252
Cell: (218) 686-9212
Fax: (218) 964-5818
[email protected]
WADE WESTLAKE
Northwest Insurance Services
806 Elevator Rd.
P.O. Box 159
Oklee, MN 56742
Office: (218)796-5165
Cell: (218)686-9027
Fax: (218)796-5077
[email protected]
LYNNETTE R. NELSON, CISR
Northwest Insurance Services
315 Broadway Ave. N.
P.O. Box 128
St. Hilaire, MN 56754
Office: (218) 964-5252
Fax: (218) 964-5818
[email protected]
LYLE FUCHS
Northwest Insurance Services
10423 438th St SW
Fertile, MN 56540
Office: (218) 945-6964
Cell: (218) 289 1121
Fax: (218) 945-3519
[email protected]