March 2016 - MaxYield Cooperative

COVER STORY:
Back to the Basics
PAGE 20
Joe Anniss
Co-op Hall of Fame
PAGE 10
Annual Meeting
& Election Recap
PAGE 6
WWW.MAXYIELDCOOP.COM
MARCH 2016
/1
WINNING WITH NO HALFTIME
If you watched the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, it
was a tough game for University of Iowa players and
fans. Imagine how much more difficult it would have
been without a halftime break.
This made me think of harvest 2015. This harvest
was unprecedented across our trade area, from the
remarkable yields to the exceptional weather that
allowed everyone to go full-speed ahead. MaxYield’s
locations received grain every day for six weeks,
without even a half-day interruption. This demanding
six-week period was like playing a football game with
no halftime to make adjustments to our harvest plan.
While farmers harvested record soybean yields and
excellent corn yields across our trade territory, we
set new records with soybean and corn receipts at
MaxYield. I can’t count the times I heard a grower
say, “This was my best soybean crop ever, in every
field.” Thanks to all of you who helped make this a
record harvest.
I’m also proud of the way MaxYield’s team members
met this challenge. We adjusted some corn storage
to bean storage, transferred some soybeans internally
and had some soybean sales on the books. This
allowed us to keep accepting grain, while some
elevators in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota
stopped taking soybeans.
2 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
All our temporary storage filled up, which required us
to pile some corn on the ground. We piled more than
1.5 million bushels on the ground at five locations
and put two million bushels in uncovered temporary
storage at two locations.
We thought this was a good bet, based on the
great weather we had throughout harvest. Then it
started raining and snowing by early November.
Fortunately, we had all five ground piles picked up
by December 3, and the two uncovered temporary
storage piles were transferred inside by early January.
Preparing for a good spring season
While Mother Nature cut our fall fertilizer application
season about two weeks shorter than we’ve
experienced in the past few years, it helped that we
got an early start. Fall fertilizer tonnage was very
good, and we’re in excellent shape.
I was also encouraged by seed sales and energy sales
this fall and winter. I’d like to commend MaxYield’s
team members for providing the right solutions for
our clients in a variety of areas.
As we look ahead to spring, we’ve got some dry
fertilizer tons to apply, as well as some anhydrous
applications to complete. With a little cooperation
from Mother Nature, we could have a very good
spring season.
While spring means football season is months away,
MaxYield is like a team that trains year-round and is
prepared for whatever challenges and opportunities
lie ahead. We are glad you’re part of our team and
look forward to helping you succeed in 2016. ■
— Keith Heim, CEO
/3
MAXYIELD EDITORIAL TEAM
INSIDE THE
MARCH 2016 ISSUE:
Patti Guenther, Chad Meyer, Diane Streit,
Steve Tassinari
page: 10
TURNING SETBACKS INTO COMEBACKS:
IOWA INSTITUTE FOR COOPERATIVES
INDUCTS JOE ANNISS INTO HALL OF FAME
page: 20
My Solutions is published by
MaxYield Cooperative,
313 3rd Avenue NE, West Bend, IA 50597.
COVER STORY
BACK TO THE BASICS:
HOW TO BOOST YOUR PROFIT
POTENTIAL IN 2016
4 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
My Solutions® magazine is sent to you
courtesy of MaxYield Cooperative® to offer
you an exclusive look into farming and
rural life in Iowa and southern Minnesota.
MaxYield is a local agricultural cooperative
that not only works to maximize the
harvest but also never loses sight of the
bigger picture of why people farm. More
information about MaxYield is available at
www.maxyieldcoop.com.
Winning with No Halftime
3
Take a New Look at My Solutions Magazine
6
Congratulations to MaxYield’s
Re-elected Board Members
6
Timing is Everything: Ordering Fuel in Advance
Saves You Time, Money
7
Taking a New Road: Roger Allen Looks Back on
His 36-Year Career
8
To subscribe or provide address changes,
please send to:
MaxYield Cooperative
PO Box 49, West Bend, IA 50597
Call 515-887-7211 ext. 216
or email [email protected].
Subscription cost is $10 per year.
Photography by Greg Latza.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Board Chairman
Howard Haas, Algona (central region)
515-295-7993
Vice Chairman
David Garrelts, Emmetsburg (central region)
712-852-2792
How Joe Anniss Contributed to MaxYield’s Success
12
Secretary
Eric Marchand, Britt (east region)
641-843-4167
“I Am MaxYield Grain” Tracy Enderson Helps Clients
Maximize Their Marketing
14
Barry Anderson, Greenville (west region)
712-262-0480
James Black, Algona (central region)
515-341-7858
You Can Always Call Lakota Your Home: Hunting
with Heroes Marks Five Years of Service
16
Puppy Tales: Top 10 Ways Dogs Enrich Okoboji
Students’ Education
24
Big Crops, Big Decisions: Put Firm Offers
to Work for You
28
The New Science of Nitrogen Management: SciMax N
Helps Maximize Profits, Environmental Benefits
30
LEARN MORE
What You Need to Know About Free Price-Later
34
To learn more about MaxYield Cooperative,
visit us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Or log on to www.MaxYieldCoop.com.
Discounted Equity Is Back
36
Living Here: Surefire Predictions for 2016
38
Todd Meyer, Everly (west region)
712-834-2153
Ron House, Curlew (west region)
712-855-2434
Jim Wirtz, West Bend (central region)
515-887-6554
/5
TAKE A NEW LOOK AT
MY SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE
TIMING IS EVERYTHING: ORDERING FUEL
IN ADVANCE SAVES YOU TIME, MONEY
If you think things look a little
different as you flip through
the pages of this issue, you’re
right. We’ve gone through some
transitions, including a new design,
to improve My Solutions magazine
and make it even more useful and
interesting to you.
You know how it goes. Your fuel tank is running low,
so you think about placing an order. Then you get
busy, and before you know it, you’re on empty and
need fuel NOW.
We want to make sure you have the fuel you need,
when you need it. If you give MaxYield Cooperative’s
Energy Central a 24-hour notice, we can serve you
most effectively. “Sometimes we get questions about
why the system works this way,” said Chad Besch,
MaxYield Cooperative’s energy team leader. “Here are
some answers.”
During this time, there could be
some issues with the mailing list.
If you’re receiving multiple copies
of My Solutions or have any other
questions, please contact
Chad Meyer, MaxYield’s client
relations/communications team
leader, at 800-383-0003
or [email protected].
We apologize for any glitches and
appreciate your help with
this process. ■
Q: I just saw a MaxYield fuel truck drive by my
house half an hour ago, so I called in my order.
Why can’t they come back when they’re this close?
CONGRATULATIONS TO MAXYIELD’S
RE-ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS
Thanks to all of you who attended MaxYield’s annual
meeting on December 17 in Britt. MaxYield’s financial
audit was presented, and CEO Keith Heim and Susan
Post, chief financial officer, reviewed the past fiscal
year. Board Chairman Howard Haas also offered his
comments on the business.
If you have an interest in running for MaxYield’s
board, now is a great time to plan ahead. Each year
in early June, MaxYield sends a letter to all Class A
members of the cooperative to invite them to run
for the board. This window of opportunity is open
through the end of August.
Three MaxYield directors were up for re-election and
were running unopposed, since no members stepped
forward before the August 31, 2015, deadline to run
for the board. Howard Haas, Algona (Central Area);
Barry Anderson, Greenville (West Area); and Ron
Rouse, Curlew (West Area) were all re-elected to
MaxYield’s board. Thanks to all these leaders for their
willingness to serve.
If you’d like more information, contact any
MaxYield team member or Chad Meyer,
MaxYield’s client relations/communications
team leader, at 800-383-0003 or
[email protected]. We’d be happy to
answer your questions and appreciate your interest
in serving on MaxYield’s board. ■
6 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
A: It’s about efficiency. Twenty years ago, every co-op
location had a liquid propane (LP) truck and a refined
fuels truck. Today, we cover all of MaxYield’s locations
with four refined fuels trucks and four LP trucks.
Each truck holds 5,000 gallons, and daily routes are
planned in advance for maximum efficiency. We set
the routes each morning before the drivers leave.
A driver might travel 60 miles from one end of his
territory to the other side during a work day.
Sticking to the pre-planned route helps us serve all
our clients effectively.
Q: Why do you ask for a 24-hour notice?
Q: Do you have same-day delivery for fuel?
A: We do, but we ask that you call first thing in the
morning. Also, there is an extra charge for same-day
delivery. Compare this to UPS. If you order an item
today and want to receive it tomorrow, you have
to pay extra for fast shipping. It’s the same with
MaxYield’s same-day fuel delivery.
Q: How can I make sure I have the fuel I need?
A: In addition to giving us a 24-hour notice, other
solutions include:
• Investing in more fuel storage. If you’re not
sure how much storage you need, we can help
you run some numbers. We offer lease-to-own
programs for refined fuels and LP, if you don’t
want to purchase a tank outright. In many cases,
additional fuel storage pays for itself quickly. Also,
with planting right around the corner, make sure
your fuel barrels are full before spring.
• Using premium diesel fuel. Our premium diesel
includes storage additives, so if you fill up now,
the fuel can remain in your tank until late next fall
with no issues.
For more details on any of these solutions, call
MaxYield’s Energy Central at 515-887-7282 or
866-711-7282. We look forward to serving you. ■
A: Once again, it’s about efficiency. Pre-planned
routes help us meet your needs while keeping costs
manageable. We can certainly work you into the
schedule when you call us at least 24 hours
in advance.
/7
Managing through uncertainty
TAKING A NEW ROAD:
ROGER ALLEN LOOKS BACK ON HIS 36-YEAR CAREER
The good times ended abruptly, however, by the spring of 1980.
“The co-op had expanded too fast and was losing money, and all the
employees had to go 30 days without a paycheck,” Roger recalled.
“The employees and farmers could have all walked out, but they refused
to give up.”
Board members and co-op supporters led a capital call to sell preferred
stock. They reached the $1 million goal so the co-op’s lenders would
refinance the business. While Roger didn’t intend to spend the rest of
his career at the co-op, he liked the people and the work environment.
Through the years, Roger handled just about every job at the co-op,
from spraying crops to running the grain division.
During Roger’s tenure as grain superintendent, uncertainty reemerged
in February 1996, when a severe shortage of rail cars made it almost
impossible to move grain. “It was very crippling to the elevator when we
couldn’t ship grain,” Roger said. While the co-op was able to secure 25
coal cars, they had to be cleaned out. “It was a filthy job,” Roger said.
A photo in the Britt News-Tribune showed local farmers Skip Miller,
Jim Miller, Al Burgardt, Ron Eisenman and Dennis Hrubes volunteering
to shovel frozen coal from the rail cars. After cracks in the cars were
filled with a foam sealant to help contain the grain, each car was loaded
with 3,200 bushels of corn. “Thanks to the employees and volunteers
who helped with the coal cars, we were able to empty the elevator
enough so that we could take all of the February contracts with
farmers,” Roger said. “Working together is what I’ve always liked about
the cooperative system.”
Editor’s Note:
Roger and his wife, Judy,
have been married for
more than 40 years. Judy
manages the purchasing
department at the Hancock
County Memorial Hospital.
After he retires, Roger
plans to take more road
trips with Judy around the
Midwest in their classic 1972
Chevelle SS. He also looks
forward to spending more
time with family and staying
involved with the Britt Fire
Department, where he has
served since 1983, including
15 years as fire chief.
While Britt’s farmer-members were always fiercely loyal to the local
co-op, they realized by the early 2000s that things had to change
for the co-op to maintain services and boost profits. In July 2003,
72 percent of the members voted for unification with West Bend
Elevator Company, which became MaxYield Cooperative. “This
transition was promising but scary, due to all the unknowns,” Roger
said. “It turned out to be a good change, though, because we wouldn’t
have survived on our own.”
Charting a new course
Life is filled with opportunities and plenty of
uncertainties, even when it comes to retirement. Just
ask Roger Allen, MaxYield Cooperative’s location
team leader in Britt.
“When you hit 60, you can’t wait to retire,” said
Roger, who plans to retire on February 26, 2016.
“As you get closer to retirement, though, you ask
yourself, ‘Am I making the right decision?’”
It’s a big life change for someone like Roger, who has
spent the last 36 years working at the co-op. Roger
joined Farmers Cooperative of Britt in the fall of 1979
after working on the assembly line at Winnebago
Industries for seven years. It was a welcome change
for Roger, who had grown up on a crop and livestock
farm near Kanawha.
8 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
“At Winnebago, my eight-hour work days were run by
a buzzer,” Roger said. “At the co-op, it was up to you
to make sure you got the work done on time.”
This didn’t mean the job was free from uncertainty,
however. In 1979, the Britt Farmers Co-op had a new
grain elevator, a new feed mill and a new business
venture—a liquid propane (LP) delivery service. “The
propane truck was on order when I was hired as the
LP guy,” Roger said. “The training was hurried so I’d
be ready to go.”
Roger helped this unproven enterprise get started
and established himself as a valuable team member.
“We were offering LP for 35 to 40 cents less per
gallon than anyone else and sold a million gallons
that first year,” he said.
Following the unification with MaxYield, the Britt location has embraced
a new era of modern technology. “When I started here, everything
was mechanical and operated by hand,” Roger said. “Technology has
changed everything and is everywhere, from computers in the office to
applicators in the field.”
Roger still likes the hands-on nature of the job and enjoys working
outside. “I always wanted to farm, and this keeps me close to
agriculture,” said Roger, who wants to work part-time in the spring and
fall at MaxYield after he retires.
Retirement for Roger means staying active in this new phase of life.
“I’ve really enjoyed working at the co-op, even through the uncertainties
and transitions,” Roger said. “We’re fortunate to have many good team
members and clients who’ve been with us through the years, and I
appreciate all their support.” ■
“We’re fortunate
to have many good
team members
and clients who’ve
been with us
through the years,
and I appreciate all
their support.”
— Roger Allen
/9
TURNING SETBACKS INTO COMEBACKS:
IOWA INSTITUTE FOR COOPERATIVES INDUCTS
JOE ANNISS INTO HALL OF FAME
Saying that Anniss’ first few years at WBEC were
tough is an understatement. Unpopular decisions
about personnel and facilities had to be made.
“Change is hard for people,” Burkhardt said. “Joe
often made the comment that the only folks who like
change are babies with wet diapers.”
The changes started to pay off, however. Anniss
worked with legal counsel to bring the HTA issues
to an acceptable conclusion. He regained CoBank’s
support and financial backing. Sales increased.
Local savings again became a reality. Retained
earnings grew.
“When Joe began his tenure here in 1998, this
cooperative was at a critical juncture,” said Howard
Haas, chairman of MaxYield’s board of directors. “Joe
not only helped us survive a very tumultuous period,
but thrive. Thanks to his leadership, the cooperative
created and executed a plan that brought stability,
growth and an ambitious vision for the future.”
A quiet revolution was also taking hold with the
co-op’s culture. Employees became team members.
Customers became clients. The co-op stopped
“selling stuff” and began focusing on providing
solutions. As WBEC regained a sense of purpose
and direction, the organization became
MaxYield Cooperative.
“Joe’s positive attitude and tireless effort left little
doubt that together we could make this company
something special,” said Chad Meyer, MaxYield’s
client relations/communications team leader.
Growing for the future
This win/win attitude positioned MaxYield for future
growth. In the late 1990s, regional cooperatives
still owned and operated local grain and agronomy
facilities in the area. Anniss and his team worked
with the regionals to get these facilities back under
local ownership through innovative financing
and partnership agreements, preserving the local
cooperative presence in their communities.
Joe Anniss and his wife Bev
There had to be an easier job. When Joe Anniss
became the general manager of the West Bend
Elevator Company (WBEC) in 1998, the situation he
inherited could only be described as disastrous.
“The co-op was broke, both figuratively and
financially,” said Bob Burkhardt, then MaxYield’s CFO
who retired from the cooperative several years ago.
Undaunted, Anniss viewed all this as a challenge
and wanted to take it on as the final chapter in his
cooperative career. “From the moment I met Joe,
I wanted to be part of his team,” Burkhardt said.
“Why? I knew Joe was the right person to turn
WBEC around.”
Leading a quiet revolution
The co-op had negative retained savings. The
hedge-to-arrive (HTA) debacle of the mid-1990s was
still not settled. WBEC’s relationships with lenders
and suppliers were shaky at best. Employee morale
was dismal. Member-owners had lost confidence in
their cooperative.
Turn it around he did. Anniss transformed a
cooperative that was on the brink of collapse
into a thriving, vibrant organization. In honor of
his remarkable leadership, the Iowa Institute for
Cooperatives inducted Anniss into its prestigious
Hall of Fame in November 2015.
It was a devastating time for an Iowa cooperative
with such a rich history. After all, WBEC had been
founded in 1915 and was one of the first cooperatives
in Iowa. It boasted one of the first cooperative
soybean processing plants in Iowa, plus it was an
innovator in unit train shipping. (Remember those
pink grain hopper cars?)
“If you don’t have cooperatives, you don’t have
anything,” said Anniss, who was humbled and
honored to be named to the Hall of Fame. “While the
model has changed through the years, the original
mission behind the cooperative system is as valuable
today as it was in the beginning.”
10 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
Anniss also led the cooperative through a unification
with Fostoria Cooperative Elevator and Farmers
Cooperative Company of Britt. In addition, he guided
the company through a lease-purchase of facilities
in Belmond and Clarion and the purchase of facilities
in Garner, Klemme and Meservey. In each case, the
cooperative was able to either preserve cooperative
markets or introduce cooperative principles in the
case of Belmond.
During this time, some ag leaders feared the
emerging ethanol industry in northern Iowa would
mark the end of local co-ops. Not so, Anniss said.
“Ethanol was going to be a good thing for our
producer members. I wanted to work with the
ethanol plants, not against them, by investing
in cooperative plants and helping them and
MaxYield succeed by developing innovative grain
origination agreements.”
Through Anniss’ leadership, MaxYield Cooperative
built its financial strength, growing sales from
$94 million in 1998 to $179 million in 2007. Retained
savings for the cooperative rose from $1.1 million to
$8 million during the same period.
Anniss’ legacy lives on
Part of this vision included precision ag technology.
“While some people thought this was just a new fad,
Joe helped MaxYield become one of the first co-ops
to recognize this pioneering approach to production
agriculture, years before many other cooperatives
got involved,” Burkhardt said.
While Anniss retired in 2007, his legacy endures.
“Joe’s vision for MaxYield helped us create
a true ‘client-first’ culture,” Haas said. “While
many cooperatives are just now recognizing this
importance, MaxYield embraced those values
years ago.”
Anniss is grateful that CEO Keith Heim and MaxYield
team members have embraced those values. He also
appreciates clients’ strong support for MaxYield.
“It’s vital to carry on the values of the cooperative
system,” said Anniss, who learned the value of the
cooperative system while growing up on his family’s
farm in southeast Illinois. “Where would we be
without the cooperative system? Farmers would be
facing a whole different scenario, without a doubt.”
Iowa’s rich cooperative heritage and modern
cooperative community are a tribute to dynamic,
visionary leaders like Anniss, said Dave Holm,
executive director of the Iowa Institute for
Cooperatives. “Our Hall of Fame represents a select
group of people who’ve promoted the cooperative
system. Joe not only worked throughout the United
States developing cooperatives, but he helped create
the remarkable culture that has become MaxYield.”
Those who served with Anniss are forever grateful
for what he did to position MaxYield for the future,
Burkhardt said. “MaxYield wouldn’t be what it is
today without Joe’s dedication and passion.” ■
/ 11
HOW JOE ANNISS
CONTRIBUTED TO
MAXYIELD’S SUCCESS
By the time he arrived in West Bend in 1998,
Joe Anniss was no stranger to agriculture or the
cooperative world.
Anniss was raised on a family farm in southeastern
Illinois and earned his dairy science degree from
the University of Illinois. He also completed postgraduate work in agronomy. Anniss spent his
entire career in the agriculture industry working at
three major regional cooperatives. He also served
on agricultural advisory boards for Merck Ag Vet,
National Council for Farmer Cooperatives, the Texas
Agricultural Cooperative Council and more.
All this experience paid off for MaxYield Cooperative
in many ways:
•Under Anniss’ leadership, sales at West Bend
Elevator Company (WBEC)/MaxYield grew from
$94 million in 1998 to $179 million in 2007.
•Retained savings at WBEC/MaxYield prior to
Anniss’ arrival in 1998 were negative. At the
conclusion of that year, retained savings reached
$1.1 million and grew to $8 million by the time
Anniss retired in 2007.
•Cooperative mergers with Farmers’ Cooperative
Company in Britt and Fostoria Cooperative
Elevator in Fostoria provided growth for MaxYield
Cooperative and helped preserve a cooperative
presence in those communities.
•Deals with Agri-Industries and AGP Grain, Inc.,
helped preserve cooperatives in Garner, Klemme
and Meservey and created a cooperative presence
in Belmond.
•Anniss helped MaxYield enter the precision ag
field years before many other Iowa cooperatives
made this investment. ■
12 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
/ 13
“I AM MAXYIELD GRAIN”
TRACY ENDERSON HELPS CLIENTS
MAXIMIZE THEIR MARKETING
She loves it when there’s a big market rally and clients capture these
opportunities. “I always get asked what the markets are going to do, or
what the next USDA report is going to say,” Enderson said. “I’ve never
had a crystal ball that works, and I don’t think they make one.”
That’s why she encourages clients to use MaxYield’s firm offers. “It’s
grain marketing simplified,” said Enderson, who noted that most of
her family’s grain is sold with firm offers. “You can benefit from market
rallies without having to watch the markets.”
Enderson also focuses on grain origination and growing MaxYield’s
business. Along with grain marketing solutions, she promotes the
convenient, on-farm grain pickup service that helps save time.
“MaxYield has so much to offer,” said Enderson, who called on
prospective clients in the Terril area last fall. “I ask people to give
us an opportunity.”
Enderson appreciates the opportunity to serve farmers and build
lifelong friendships in the process. “MaxYield grain is who I am. I’m also
a mom, a grandmother and a part of the local community, so it’s nice
that all these sectors of my life intertwine.” ■
Some things just go together, like macaroni and
cheese, or peanut butter and jelly. What about grain
marketing and peace of mind? It’s not only possible,
but likely when you work with Tracy Enderson.
“I want to create a comfort level,” said Enderson,
MaxYield’s West Area accounting leader and grain
solutions specialist at Dickens. “The farmers I serve
are not just clients, but my friends and neighbors, and
I enjoy helping them with grain marketing.”
Enderson knew she had a big role to fill after longtime team member Nancy Glackin retired from
MaxYield. “I had to prove myself,” said Enderson, who
has worked at the co-op for 21 years. “Once you’ve
got the clients’ trust, though, you’ve got it for life.”
See what MaxYield can offer
Serving farmers is a big switch for someone who
grew up in town and planned to be a junior high math
teacher. “I didn’t know much about farming until I
married my husband, Bruce, in 1987,” said Enderson,
a Terril native who is proud of her family’s fourthgeneration farm east of Dickens. “I discovered that
I love agriculture. No two days are alike, and there’s
always something new.”
14 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
Enderson expanded her ag knowledge when she
started working part-time in 1994 at the Dickens
co-op location. “I ran the scale, and things grew
from there,” said Enderson, who later worked at the
Ayrshire co-op location.
Editor’s Note:
Enderson and her husband,
Bruce, have three children,
including Tyler, 26, who
works for Reynolds
Construction of Ruthven;
Trevin, 23, who farms with
the Endersons, and Taylor,
17, who has been accepted
at South Dakota State
University and is interested
in agronomy. The Endersons
have also been blessed
with three grandchildren.
In her free time, Enderson
serves on the RuthvenAyrshire school board and
is treasurer of the Booster
Club. She enjoys attending
G-T/R-A Titans basketball
and baseball games so she
can cheer on her son, Taylor.
She’s also a big fan of the
Iowa Hawkeyes and Kansas
City Royals.
“The farmers I serve
are not just clients,
but my friends
and neighbors.”
— Tracy Enderson
Enderson moved to the Dickens location after Nancy
Glackin retired. Today, Enderson handles a variety
of duties, such as invoicing all work orders for
dry fertilizer and spraying for MaxYield’s Fostoria,
Dickens, Emmetsburg and Mallard locations. She also
helps clients market their grain and keeps them up to
date on grain marketing contracts.
“I never try to push,” Enderson said. “I just keep
reminding them of opportunities and encourage
them to commit a few bushels.”
Many growers in the Dickens area check in at the
co-op to see what the markets are doing. They also
enjoy stopping by for coffee each morning. “Doing
business at the coffee table is a no-no, but the
farmers’ ears perk up when I tell them they need
to stop by and visit with me before they leave,”
Enderson said.
/ 15
YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL LAKOTA YOUR HOME:
HUNTING WITH HEROES
MARKS FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE
Taylor was working with the Afghan National Security
Forces when he was exposed to an IED. Months
later, after he had returned to the United States, the
lasting effects of the explosion were uncovered. A
neurologist discovered lesions on his brain. Taylor
reluctantly took a desk job at Camp LeJune in North
Carolina while he continues to work on his recovery.
spending time with the dogs and their handlers.
Smart and his wife raise and train American and
English Labrador Retrievers. Smart said he would like
to give back to Hunting with Heroes by donating one
of his puppies.
The camaraderie Taylor experienced through
Hunting with Heroes is remarkable. “Being out here
is like being with my team,” said Taylor, who has a
23-year-old daughter and two sons, ages 12 and 8.
“It’s like family.”
Bruland, who has an 8-year-old daughter and
6-year-old son, has served in western Afghanistan
and knows the pain of losing fellow Marines. Hunting
with Heroes helped him find respite and reacquainted
him with his childhood passion for the outdoors. “It’s
so nice to see everyone so patriotic here,” added
Bruland, who was an avid hunter as a teenager.
Hunting with Heroes also created meaningful
connections for Sergeant Eric Bruland, who grew
up on a small farm near Detroit, Mich. Listening to
his grandfather’s stories of serving in the U.S. Navy
motivated Bruland to join the Marines in 2008 at
age 22.
Photos by Mindy Baker, Algona UDM
For the average American, military deployments,
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other
realities of war are little more than news stories that
get overlooked in the rush of daily life. These realities
become poignant, however, when you hear the
stories of U.S. Marines like Captain Andrew “Drew”
Yeary who participated in Hunting with Heroes
at Lakota.
Yeary, who has served with the Marines since 1995,
has been deployed four times, all since 2001. He can
describe exactly what it feels like when a tank drives
over an IED. “Take a mouse, and put it in a tin can.
Then shake it really hard. The way the mouse walks
when it gets out—that’s what happens.”
For Yeary and his fellow Marines, the chance to find
healing and hope has become synonymous with
Hunting with Heroes. In fact, Hunting with Heroes
has become one of the top events offered through
the Wounded Warriors program at Camp LeJune
each year.
Though Yeary had no idea what to expect in Iowa,
he and his fellow Marines were greeted like long-lost
family returning home when they arrived in early
November. “What a welcoming community,” he said.
16 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
“We’ve traveled the world, and Iowans are some of
the most amazing people we’ve ever met.”
It was instant camaraderie, added Yeary, who
addressed a crowd of 500 people at the Hunting with
Heroes banquet in Lakota on November 8. “This felt
like being with my Marines. I never thought I’d feel
that again.”
It takes a different breed to be a Marine
It’s a feeling that Major Stephen Taylor can
appreciate. “I heard about this hunt in 2013, and I’ve
been trying to come ever since,” said Taylor, who
is from Winston-Salem, N.C. “Lakota is one of the
top two or three events for the Wounded Warrior
Battalions. I wanted the chance to be out here, and
it’s more than I expected.”
Taylor, who became a Marine in 1996 at age 24,
followed in the footsteps of his two older brothers.
“I’ve always known I wanted to be a Marine and that I
wanted to be in the infantry. I like the responsibility.”
It takes a different breed to be a Marine, added
Taylor, who has been deployed five times. “General
James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis says it best: No better friend,
no worse enemy.”
Sergeant Jonathan Smart understands this. “I was
really surprised by the hospitality and camaraderie of
the people here,” said Smart, who joined the Marines
in 2008 at age 22. “I don’t think there’s any other
place like this. It was like we instantly fit in.”
Smart has been deployed three times and heard
about Hunting with Heroes while he was recovering
at Camp LeJune. While he enjoyed his first trip to
Iowa and liked the hunting, his favorite part was
Honoring those who serve
This patriotism was evident throughout the Lakota
Eagle Center on Sunday, November 8, when the four
Marines were joined by more than 500 area veterans
and their families, surviving spouses of local veterans,
and Hunting with Heroes sponsors, including
MaxYield Cooperative.
/ 17
This is the fifth year for the event, which Bernie
Becker and his son, Jason, started in 2010. Times
have changed since that first Hunting with Heroes
event. “With no boots on the ground, we have
fewer combat wounded every day,” Jason Becker
said. “Even in the Marine Corps, which is usually on
the front lines, most of the Marines wounded in Iraq
or Afghanistan who were awarded Purple Hearts
have medically retired or returned to duty in some
other capacity.”
While the Wounded Warrior Battalion is shrinking
every day, Hunting with Heroes still has a role to play.
“These guys tell us there will always be Marines who
need healing and a place to come home to like Iowa,”
Bernie Becker said.
During the banquet this fall, quilters from the area
presented the Marines handmade quilts that met
Quilts of Valor Foundation specifications.
The Becker family also presented a special
award in honor of Bernie’s cousin and best friend,
Roger Becker, who died unexpectedly in July 2015.
Roger Becker was an avid hunter, and the new
award honored the Marine who was an exceptional
marksman and embodied Roger’s spirit. “It was hard
to choose,” said Jason Becker, who presented the
award to Sergeant Smart.
Jason Becker is honored that more than 30 Marines
wanted to participate in the 2015 Hunting with
Heroes event. “A couple of the Marines indicated
they’d been on the list for two years prior to being
awarded the opportunity,” he added. “These guys
truly enjoy themselves when they come here. It
seems as though the people of Iowa restore their
faith in the people and patriotism of our country.
That’s the best thing we could ask for.”
18 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
At the banquet, Captain Yeary emphasized how
thankful he and his fellow Marines are for Hunting
with Heroes. “This is one of the best things that
has happened to us in a long time. We are eternally
grateful and will cherish this experience for the rest
of our lives.” ■
Editor’s Note:
With the recent news and social commentary
about some Wounded Warrior organizations, it is
important to know that Hunting with Heroes is fully
supported by free-will donations from individuals
and organizations with connections to the local area.
Hunting with Heroes is not associated, managed,
related to, or funded by any other Wounded Warrior
organization. Hunting with Heroes is operated
through a non-profit funding model in conjunction
with the local American Legion, with 100 percent
of funds raised being used in support of our Hunting
with Heroes weekend.
BACK TO THE BASICS:
HOW TO BOOST YOUR PROFIT POTENTIAL IN 2016
the new normal. “The good news is that things will
get better,” Bollig said. “In the meantime, we can help
you reallocate your dollars towards the inputs that
will give you the most return on your acres.”
Focus on agronomy fundamentals
The potential payoff can be big for smart managers.
Bollig observed a 15- to 40-bushel yield difference
between the top managers and the less focused
operators in 2015. That’s why he recommends getting
back to the basics.
“We need to look at the most yield-limiting factors on
each field and address those issues first to prioritize
limited investment dollars,” Bollig said.
It’s important to consider a variety of factors,
including soil drainage, soil pH, soil fertility levels
and seed selection. “For instance, you probably have
a field that needs to be tiled, but you haven’t been
able to convince yourself or your landlord that it
will provide timely payback,” Bollig said. “You keep
pouring the fertilizer to this field, hoping to overcome
the effects of saturated spring soils.”
Who can forget those amazing years between 2007
and 2012? It seemed like we’d reached a new era in
row-crop farming.
Corn and soybean growers enjoyed some of the
highest incomes in the Midwest. The stars aligned,
and cash flow was something that farmers didn’t
have to worry about much. Grain prices were so good
that it was no longer critical to focus on the details to
maximize production and return on investment.
As farmers’ incomes rose, so did input costs.
Fertilizer, equipment, cash rent, seed and just about
20 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
everything else needed to grow a crop became more
expensive. The good news was that market prices
were still so high that there was plenty of income to
cover these higher input prices.
“How things have changed,” said Joe Bollig, a
certified crop advisor and supply chain leader at
MaxYield Cooperative. “Along came 2013. Just as fast
as market prices jumped in 2007, they turned and
went the other direction.”
While many people thought this would be a shortterm issue, it appears after three years this may be
In most of these cases, Bollig has observed that
fertility levels are three times what they need to
be. “The yield-limiting factor here is drainage,” he
noted. “Because of that, the field never has a decent
yield, except maybe one out of seven years when we
have a dry spring. Stop the insanity, and invest your
budgeted money for this farm on tile.”
The same thing goes for ag lime. You could have
fertility levels in the optimum to very high range on a
farm, but if your soil pH has dropped below 6.5, your
crop will be shortchanged. “It takes a pH of 6.5 to 7
to promote maximum nutrient uptake,” Bollig noted.
Every time a pound of nitrogen is applied, the pH
dips by a certain level. As the pH drops, the crop
takes in fewer nutrients. “Also, if you have noncalcareous soils, you’ll always need to pay attention
to lime,” Bollig said. “Add lime in areas where it’s
needed to maintain proper pH, even if it means
backing down dry fertilizer applications for a year.”
What are your soils telling you?
Grid samples make it easier to prioritize your crop
input dollars in 2016. “Grid sampling turns a field
into multiple management zones and helps take
the guesswork out of your nutrient management
investment,” Bollig said.
Grid samples reveal where to spend, and where to
cut back, to maximize results. “We’ve had clients
who applied enough hog manure and didn’t need
more fertilizer, but they did need more lime,” Bollig
said. “They were able to reallocate their input dollars
rather than spend more money.”
Grid sampling is also affordable. “Over a four-year
period, grid sampling costs less than a bushel of corn
annually, but it delivers a lot of value,” Bollig said.
Spending less on seed can prove costly
Once you determine what your soils are telling you,
it’s time to evaluate seed. In the past few years,
growers have discovered that spending less on a unit
of seed isn’t always the best way to make money.
/ 21
The postemergence solution
for glyphostate-tolerant weeds
Bollig also cautions against buying seed simply because it performed
well in the neighbor’s field. “I’m sure every farmer has experienced
the disappointment of purchasing a hybrid or variety based on the
neighbor’s success, but then having it fail on his or her farm.”
It’s important to do your homework and match the right hybrids
or varieties to your acres. “You can’t simply take a corn hybrid that
performed well in a few test plots and plant it in a field without
considering many factors first, including the hybrid’s response to
nitrogen, a corn-on-corn rotation, planting populations and more,”
Bollig said. “If you don’t research all the factors related to proper seed
placement, you’re rolling the dice.”
Making an informed decision is a key to higher profit potential. “Seed
selection and placement are critical factors to consider in your
operation,” Bollig said. “Make seed a top priority when deciding how
and where to invest your dollars.”
MaxYield can help put first things first
“We can help
you reallocate
your dollars
towards the inputs
that will give you
the most return
on your acres.” ­
—Joe Bollig, MaxYield
supply chain leader
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PUPPY TALES:
TOP 10 WAYS DOGS ENRICH OKOBOJI
STUDENTS’ EDUCATION
program. “We’re all about dogs here,” said Johnson,
a first grade teacher at Okoboji Elementary School.
“Both Puppy Tales and PALS have gone much better
and expanded faster than I ever dreamed.”
Tail wagging tutors
get when they get to read with the dog. Not only is
there the benefit of reading, but students take on a
sense of responsibility in leading the dog to and from
the Puppy Tales area. There’s such a sense of pride
for the students when it’s their day.”
The concept for Puppy Tales developed a few years
ago when Johnson was looking for a way to combine
her love of kids, teaching, reading and dogs.
“I had two cocker spaniels, Anders and Ayla, that
I trained to sit and listen to little readers,” said
Johnson, a former reading interventionist. “I talked
to our principal at the time, Rob Olsen, and got his
permission to bring the dogs to school. The dogs and
I started volunteering four hours each week at the
elementary school.”
Since Puppy Tales started in the fall of 2012, the
program has become so popular that a variety
of dogs now visit Okoboji Elementary each
week, including Chloe, a sheltie who works with
kindergarteners; Bekkett, a lab/border collie mix who
works with first graders; Bud, a Chihuahua who works
with second graders; Loki, a shih tzu puppy who’s
being trained to work with third graders; Scooter, a
Corgi/Westie mix who works with fourth graders;
and Savvy, a golden retriever who works with the
elementary school counselor.
What gets TJ Simington’s kids fired up about coming
to Okoboji Elementary School in Milford? A cocker
spaniel named Anders, a golden retriever named
Savvy and other dogs who are part of an innovative
reading program.
“My son Caleb, who’s in third grade, and my son
Avery, who’s in second grade, have really enjoyed
reading to the dogs over the last few years,”
Simington said. “When they knew it was their turn to
read to Savvy or Anders, they would look forward to
that day of school and enjoy reading more.”
The dogs are part of the Okoboji School District’s
Pioneer Pups program. This includes Puppy Tales,
where volunteers bring dogs to school each week
so children can read to the dogs and build their
reading skills, and Paws as Loving Support (PALS),
which provides comfort and emotional support
for students. The programs have been especially
24 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
beneficial for Simington’s 6-year-old daughter, Olivia,
a kindergartener who began struggling with anxiety
issues last year.
“Going to lunch was overwhelming, being outside for
recess with all the kids made her nervous and even
walking into school each day has been a struggle,”
Simington said.
When Olivia started visiting Anders the cocker
spaniel each morning, it turned her world around.
“Olivia needs to have something to love and care for
at school,” Simington said. “When she visits Anders,
it redirects fears and also encourages reading and
learning in a fun, unique way. This has been a huge
blessing for Olivia and us, and slowly, we’ve seen her
do better.”
Stories like this convinced Kris Johnson she made
the right decision when she started the Pioneer Pups
Each dog comes to the school once a week for about
two hours at a time. Puppy Tales appointments are
scheduled so every child has a chance to read to a
dog once a year. Kids spend 20 minutes per session
with a dog and its handler in the Puppy Tales room,
which is a converted closet. Some students bring
books from home that they want to read to the dog,
while others choose from the “Puppy Picks” book
selection at school.
Dogs also visit Okoboji Middle School, including
a greyhound named Gracie that provides PALS
counseling, and a spaniel named Miss Theo who
listens to students read through Puppy Tales. Okoboji
High School isn’t left out, since the special education
teacher started bringing her golden retriever to
school last fall to work with students.
“People think of these dogs as school staff,” said
Johnson, who noted that her dog Anders has a
school picture and a school ID badge that he wears
on his harness when he comes to school each
Tuesday and Thursday morning.
With more than 450 students in the Okoboji
Elementary School alone, Puppy Tales and PALS
have touched hundreds of lives. “There are so many
students that have been positively impacted by these
programs,” said Justin Bouse, elementary school
principal. “It’s amazing to see how excited students
Dogs make school fun
The dogs have become an invaluable part of the
school, according to Johnson, her fellow teachers,
volunteers and parents, who see 10 big benefits:
1. Dogs build excitement for reading and learning.
Allison Worrell sees this with her son, Cade, who’s
in first grade. “Cade is so excited about school
and learning every day,” she said. “Last year he
was very quiet and shy in the classroom. This year,
his teacher talks about how well he participates
in the classroom and how well he interacts with
/ 25
classmates and Anders the dog. I’m extremely
thankful for Mrs. Johnson, Anders, Mr. Bouse and
all of the Okoboji Elementary staff for including
each Puppy Tales dog.”
2. Puppy Tales and PALS connect the community.
Volunteers throughout the community work with
Puppy Tales. This establishes strong connections
between the volunteer/mentors and the kids. “I
love this program,” said Chris Williams, a retired
school media/technology specialist from Milford
who enjoys bringing her dog, Scooter, to Puppy
Tales each week. “To be successful in school and
life, you have to be able to read well. That takes
practice, and Puppy Tales offers a fun way for me
to help the kids practice.”
3. Dogs sense who need them. The Puppy Tales
and PALS dogs are non-threatening and nonjudgmental, which make them invaluable as a
counseling resource. “I’ve had students benefit
greatly from this program,” said Beth Duvall,
a fourth grade teacher at Okoboji Elementary
School. “A dog can help students reduce their
stress or open up about topics they need to talk
about that are bothering them.” Johnson recalled
one boy who wouldn’t open up to the counselor,
his parents or his teachers, but he’d talk to Anders
the dog. “He would get the dog soaking wet as he
cried,” Johnson said. “We’ve had multiple stories
where dogs come to the rescue for kids.”
4. Dogs promote well-being. Dogs provide an array
of health benefits, including stress management
and lower blood pressure. “I love to see the joy
that the students, teachers, dogs and dog handlers
get out of this program,” Duvall said. “Dogs are
great therapy for people.”
5. Students learn caring and compassion. Puppy
Tales is much more than a reading buddy, since
students learn how to interact properly with the
dogs and walk them on a leash. “As the kids learn
about compassion and how to care for an animal,
I hope we can establish a level of respect for other
living creatures,” Johnson said.
6. Dogs teach new skills. Since Anders the cocker
spaniel is partially deaf, Johnson has taught
Anders and her students some sign language.
Anders knows their commands for sit, stay, play,
eat, outside and school.
7. The program is safe. The school conducts a
background check on each volunteer dog handler
before they participate in Puppy Tales. Also, the
personality of each dog is key. “They need to be
gentle and easygoing around kids,” said Johnson,
who added there have been no allergy issues with
the dogs. “While golden retrievers are some of the
best therapy dogs, many dogs can become great
therapy dogs.”
8. Shelter dogs gain a new purpose. Williams’ dog Scooter, who visits
the fourth graders each week, was a shelter dog. “Scooter gets so
excited when it’s time to go to school,” she said. Also, the Humane
Society of Northwest Iowa in Milford plans to start bringing shelter
dogs to the high school as greeters for the kids, Johnson said.
9. Puppy Tales and PALS build students’ confidence. As kids practice
reading aloud to a dog, they develop fluency in a non-threatening
environment with a non-judgmental listener. “We don’t correct
the readers unless they ask for help,” Johnson said. “We work on
technical skills in the classroom.” Parents appreciate this. “My oldest
daughter, Mikaya, is shy, and Puppy Tales gives her confidence,” said
Ada DeGraaf. “Puppy Tales is something both of my daughters look
forward to, because it gives them a goal and brings a new level of
excitement for reading.”
10.Dogs are fun! Johnson’s classroom is filled with colorful paw print
and dog-themed decorations. Bud, the Chihuahua who visits the
second graders, dresses up in all kinds of outfits. Also, Anders and
Savvy the golden retriever “got married” in October 2015 at the
school, and the students wrote stories about the big event. “Dogs
are fun, plus they have a calming influence,” Johnson said. “They
are not a distraction to the kids. They are more like a teacher or
a fellow student.”
Johnson is motivated to keep Puppy Tales and PALS going in the
Okoboji School District and wants to grow this outreach in Dickinson
County and beyond. She’d also like to bring Domesti-PUPS from
Lincoln, Neb., to the local area, so they can train therapy dogs and
service dogs for schools and other organizations. “This is a ministry I
can have here,” she said. “My dream is to coordinate a group that can
work with churches and serve schools, shut-ins and other people in
need. Working with dogs is a win-win for everyone.” ■
Johnson Receives
Tanks of Thanks Award
There are lots of people like
Kris Johnson at the Okoboji
Elementary School who go
above and beyond to serve
our local communities. It’s
about time they get a little
something back.
“That’s what Tanks of Thanks
is all about,” said Chad Besch,
MaxYield Cooperative’s energy
team leader. “It’s a way to say
thank you to people who are
doing a lot of good and don’t
do it for the glory.”
Johnson and a number of
people throughout MaxYield’s
trade territory have been
selected to receive a
$50 Cenex® gift card that can
be used to buy any item of
their choice, including fuel, at
Cenex stores. MaxYield is
proud to partner with Cenex,
which funds this unique
reward program.
26 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
/ 27
BIG CROPS, BIG DECISIONS:
PUT FIRM OFFERS TO WORK FOR YOU
You’ll remember 2015 for the tremendous yields
harvested in this area. We’ll remember 2015 for
the tremendous volumes of grain MaxYield
Cooperative handled.
“We took in 43 percent more corn last fall than we
did the previous fall,” said Harry Bormann, MaxYield
Cooperative’s grain team leader. “We also took in 36
percent more soybeans in the fall of 2015, compared
to the previous fall. In fact, we took in more beans
this fall than we ever had in an entire year.”
MaxYield also enjoyed a record year of on-farm
grain pickup. MaxYield’s location teams worked hard
to keep taking grain at harvest when some of the
neighboring cooperatives stopped accepting grain.
“We were able to put some soybeans in some unique
28 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
places so they weren’t stored outside,” Bormann said.
“This caused us to sacrifice some corn space, but we
made it work.”
Bormann, who added there’s no charge to place a
firm offer. “Don’t let that grain you’ve put in the bins
this fall sit there without a price goal.”
Worry less, come out
ahead with firm offers
MaxYield client Brett Smith knows the value of firm
offers. “I’ve got a lot of other stuff going on, so I put
in firm offers so I don’t have to worry about grain
marketing,” said Smith, a corn and soybean grower
from Dickens.
Now is the time to consider firm offers for the
corn and soybeans you’ve stored in the elevator
and on the farm. Start by determining your cost of
production, and make a plan to sell ahead. Then
you can put in a firm offer at any price, and
MaxYield’s computerized system will keep an
eye on the offer 24/7.
“The process is simple, and team members at any
MaxYield location can help you get started,” said
Smith has been using firm offers for about six
years and sells nearly 90 percent of his grain this
way. About 75 percent of his firm offers hit in the
overnight trade. “I can screw up enough stuff without
forgetting to place a grain offer,” Smith joked. “If I
didn’t have an offer in the system, I’d probably miss
half the market rallies.”
What if an offer hits and the market goes higher?
“Let’s hope it does,” Bormann said. “When your
first offer gets taken, put in another offer at a
higher price.”
Keep using firm offers throughout the year to
maximize your profit potential. “When you’re planting
next spring, sell some grain, too,” said Bormann, who
added that it’s not too early to look at marketing
some 2017 grain.
MaxYield makes it easy to use the firm offer system,
said Smith, who also uses MaxYield’s convenient,
on-farm grain pickup service. “Even if you don’t hit
the market high, you still come out ahead with
a firm offer.” ■
/ 29
THE NEW SCIENCE OF NITROGEN MANAGEMENT:
SCIMAX N HELPS MAXIMIZE PROFITS,
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
“Growers are definitely paying more attention to N as
they look for ways to maximize every input,” he said.
“While the old mindset was ‘more is better’ with N,
we take a scientific approach to N management.”
The time is right for this approach, especially since
N management has become one of the hot-button
issues in Iowa agriculture. The topic has received
widespread attention since the Des Moines Water
Works filed a lawsuit in January 2015 against the
board of supervisors in Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac
Counties for alleged shortfalls in water quality.
VH Consulting and get a first-hand look at the entire
soil testing procedure. Kevin Jurgens, who farms in
the Meservey area, participated in the 2015 trip. “This
trip was worth my time. I learned a lot about soil
sampling and enjoyed visiting with other farmers.”
N management is also connected to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s controversial
rule governing the “waters of the United States”
(WOTUS). “Farmers are frightened about how far the
EPA will go,” said Algona-area farmer Howard Haas,
board chairman of MaxYield Cooperative who was
quoted in a recent article in CHS’ C Magazine. “I’m
worried about over-reaching executive authority.”
Producers like Haas and other ag industry leaders
believe science and partnerships, not lawsuits
and over-burdensome regulation, are the keys to
developing effective solutions to protect water
quality. MaxYield Cooperative is leading the way with
SciMax N, which offers good research, high-quality
data and practical solutions.
“We’re finding that most of the time we don’t need
extra N; we just need to variable-rate the N,” said
Bixel, who added that SciMax N starts with grid
samples to determine where N is needed.
SciMax N has been able to reduce more than 30
pounds of N per acre, on average, for clients. “In
some cases, the reduction has been as high as 60
pounds,” said Bixel, who noted this is real-world,
whole-field applied technology.
For Broshar, seeing is believing. “In 2015, the highest
yielding field average was on a field where only 129
pounds of total N was applied.”
When Bill Broshar first heard about SciMax Solution’s
nitrogen management program, SciMax N, he
thought it sounded crazy.
“I just couldn’t believe it could make sense to cut
back on nitrogen (N),” said Broshar from Kanawha,
who has more than 30 years of farming experience.
“Years ago, if 200 pounds of N was recommended for
my field, I set the rig at 250 pounds.”
Peter Bixel, SciMax Solutions’ team leader, invited
Broshar to ride along as he applied anhydrous
ammonia in 2010. When Broshar saw the monitor was
at zero, he just shook his head. “I thought I wouldn’t
say anything and would let Peter make this mistake,”
he said. “I also knew I’d pay extra attention to that
spot when I combined the field that fall.”
Inside the SciMax soil lab
Reducing N by 30 pounds or more
A key to SciMax N’s success is an innovative
partnership with Dr. Rick Vanden Heuvel, a nationally
recognized expert in soil-applied and foliar fertilizer
products and testing. Vanden Heuvel owns VH
Consulting, Inc., in Wisconsin and has created a soil
lab customized to the needs of SciMax N clients.
Broshar isn’t the only one who’s seen the value
of SciMax N, which helps growers fine-tune N
management. Farmers’ interest in SciMax N continues
to grow, said Bixel, who noted that the amount of
acres in SciMax N has soared from 5,000 in 2009 to
more than 100,000 in 2015.
“It will take partnerships like this to reach the goal of
improved N management,” said Bixel, who noted that
Vanden Heuvel has a Ph.D. in soil science, along with
decades of experience. “Rick’s expertise has helped
SciMax progress faster and helped us conduct our
own research projects.”
Broshar couldn’t believe what he saw at harvest.
“There was no yield difference in the area where
Peter didn’t apply any anhydrous. When I saw results
like that, there was no looking back.”
In 2014 and 2015, SciMax invited clients to travel to
Glenwood City, Wis., to tour SciMax’s exclusive lab at
30 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
Vanden Heuvel has recently been developing VRT-N
algorithms for corn production to optimize N inputs.
This will help increase fertilizer efficiency while
minimizing environmental impacts. Keith Heim,
MaxYield Cooperative’s CEO, supports these efforts.
“Our mission is to maximize yields for our clients,”
Heim said. “We are committed to being a solutions
provider. If we can produce equal or more bushels
per acre with variable-rate N, with more efficient use
of N, then that’s a solution. Such a solution needs
widespread implementation.”
N management steps, from
basic to advanced
While N management is a complex issue, every
grower can take steps to fine-tune his or her N
applications, said Bixel, who offers these tips:
•Start with grid sampling. Bixel recommends spring
soil sampling with 2.5-acre grids every four years.
SciMax also offers 1.6-acre grid sampling for clients
who want to fine-tune their N management even
more. “If you’re not grid sampling, you’re guessing,”
Bixel said. While grid sampling isn’t free, at most
it’s a bushel of corn per acre annually, Bixel added.
“Plus, it’s an investment that pays huge dividends.”
•Look beyond N. While N captures most of the
spotlight when it comes to fertility, don’t forget
other agronomic basics, like proper pH, phosphorus
management and nutrient interactions. “Potassium,
for example, is closely connected to N,” says Bixel,
who noted that potassium helps move N through
plant roots. “If potassium levels aren’t right, which is
common in many Iowa fields, the plant can’t take up
N efficiently.”
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Learn More
To learn more about SciMax
and N management, check
out our online video at
scimaxsolutions.com/videos.
Or go directly to our video page
by scanning this code with a
QR code app on your device.
•Learn from other ag professionals. Talking to
other farmers and learning what works for them is
invaluable, said Bixel, who encourages you to get
involved in a SciMax Learning Group. Also, study
N management data from sources outside your
operation and see what solutions might be useful
for your farm. Don’t stop with just one year of data.
“Look for trends over time,” Bixel noted. “Multiple
years of data lend credibility to the findings.”
•Try something new. See what might fit your
operation, give it a try on a portion of your acres
and track the results. “Focus on continuous
improvement,” Bixel said.
Broshar is glad he was willing to give SciMax N a
try. “Since I’ve been involved, we’ve had a mix of
everything Mother Nature can throw at us, from
drought to horribly wet years to some of the best
yields in history. Through it all we’ve seen the value
of SciMax N, which is setting the standard with
N management.” ■
32 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT FREE PRICE-LATER
Free price-later is now available at MaxYield Cooperative. How does
this benefit you?
Watch Your
Grain Quality
“We have extra storage space available, and you want to get grain
moved off your farm now while you have time before the busy spring
season starts,” said Harry Bormann, MaxYield Cooperative’s grain team
leader. “Price-later also puts your grain in a saleable position.”
Now is the time to ensure the
quality of your grain in storage.
In 2014, farmers stored a wetter
crop and didn’t have many
grain quality issues.
Here’s a quick overview of how price-later works:
• You can deliver corn now and put the grain on free price-later until
August 31, 2016. If you haven’t sold the grain by then, we will allow
you to roll it to pay-price later.
• When you put grain on free price-later, you sign the title of the
grain to MaxYield, but you can have a longer period of time to price.
Seldom do we ship out price-later grain before you sell it.
• You must sign the free price-later contract within 30 days of first
delivery date. (This is Iowa’s state law.)
• If a price-later agreement is signed and goes past the 30-day limit, it
will be reversed and put on a pay warehouse receipt, and corn will be
shrunk to 14 percent moisture.
• Grain on price-later cannot be put under Farm Service Agency (FSA)
loan or ownership transferred to another party, or hauled back out of
the elevator. Because the grain is in our facility, you signed over title
to MaxYield when it goes to price-later, and you are committed to
working with us on this.
• Many times, price-later becomes price lower if you don’t take action.
“Have offers in place for any spring or summer rallies,” Bormann said.
“Waiting until the deadline to price has historically not been good for
our clients.”
For more information on free price-later, talk to the grain team
members at your local MaxYield location. ■
34 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
This fall we harvested a drier
crop, but it went into storage
during warm weather. We just
completed one of the wettest
Novembers and Decembers on
record, and it will be crucial
to keep an eye on your grain
in storage this winter and
spring to make sure it stays in
condition. The best way to help
grain store into summer is to
core out at least 10 percent of
the bin volume.
DISCOUNTED EQUITY IS BACK
It’s always nice to have a choice,
isn’t it? MaxYield Cooperative is
offering the option for a second
round of discounted equity this
winter, following the success of the
first offering a year ago.
to offer this option. Times have changed for the
better, said Garrelts, who has farmed for 47 years.
He took advantage of the first discounted equity
program and plans to use it again. “I see this program
as a very good thing, not only for me personally, but
for other members and MaxYield, too.”
“Discounted equity gives eligible
equity holders a choice, since you
can have some portion of your
equities redeemed earlier than
historically has been possible at
MaxYield,” said Dave Garrelts,
MaxYield’s board vice chairman
from Emmetsburg.
Discounted equity reflects MaxYield’s desire to
work with members, plus it shows the cooperative’s
financial stability, Garrelts added. “The discounted
equity program is another solid step for strengthening
our approach to equity management that benefits
our clients, both now and in the future.” ■
— David Garrelts, board vice chairman
The first offering in 2014 was very
well received, and stockholders’
interest in this option remains
strong. That’s why MaxYield board
members approved a plan in
September 2015 to make $200,000
available for a second discounted
equity offering. Information on the
second equity offering was mailed
to stockholders in mid-December
2015. “Stockholders had until the
end of January 2016 to decide
if they wanted to participate,”
Garrelts said.
The first priority grouping included
all equities from 1990-1998, which
are redeemable at 75 percent of
face value. The second grouping
included the equities from 19992003, which are redeemable at
60 percent of face value. “It’s
totally optional whether
stockholders participate,” Garrelts
said. “The program works for some
and not others. If you want to wait,
that’s fine.”
Enjoy the fruits of your loyalty
Some stockholders choose to take their money now
through the discounted equity program. Perhaps
they have a son or daughter in college and need to
help pay tuition, or they want to take their family on
a vacation. Other stockholders decide they’re not in
any hurry and are willing to wait to get their deferred
equity at face value.
36 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
WHEN IT COMES TO PLANT
NUTRITION, YOU CAN HARVEST
DATA ALL YEAR ROUND.
“Discounted equity is a financial benefit to both the
active members of MaxYield and retirees who’ve
supported the co-op during their farming careers,”
Garrelts said. “Both groups have the option to enjoy
the fruits of their loyalty to MaxYield by taking
redemptions now.”
Offering discounted equity also helps MaxYield get
more current on equity retirement. There was a time
not that long ago when MaxYield wasn’t in a position
Bu/A
While addressing your NPK needs is critical to growing your best corn, other
limiting nutrients can greatly affect yield. Over the past two years in Iowa,
2,980 WinField® NutriSolution® tissue samples have been collected on
corn; almost 80% were deficient or responsive in Zinc, 75% were deficient
or responsive in Boron, and more than 70% were deficient or responsive
in Manganese. Don’t let these deficiencies hold back your crop’s potential.
MAX-IN® Ultra ZMB contains the zinc and manganese micronutrients
your crop is likely to need, and when combined with MAX-IN® Boron plant
nutrients, you can help address these key deficiencies before they become
yield limiting. All MAX-IN® products include CornSorb® technology, which
greatly increases movement of the micronutrients through the leaf cuticle
to internal leaf structures. This makes more of the applied nutrient available
for use by the plant. To learn more about MAX-IN® ZMB contact your local
WinField® representative or go to winfield.com.
/ 37
Ascend, Cornsorb, MAX-IN, NutriSolutions and WinField are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC. © 2016 Winfield Solutions, LLC.
LIVING HERE
SUREFIRE PREDICTIONS FOR 2016
In the quiet of winter, the start of a new
year offers a chance to reflect on the
past and envision possibilities yet to
come. It’s a cycle that’s been repeated
long before the weathered fencepost
and time-worn farm buildings shown
here took shape on the Iowa prairie.
It’s a pretty safe list, of course. Not
all these things happen by accident,
however, especially that last item about
MaxYield seeing more in your fields.
We make this a priority every day as we
look for better ways to help maximize
your profit potential.
As we look to the future, we’re betting
on some surefire predictions that will
happen in 2016:
We’re guided by the words of former
British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli,
who noted, “We are not creatures
of circumstance; we are creators
of circumstance.”
•An event will occur that will surprise
and confound the analysts and
so-called experts.
•That thing that everyone was afraid of
won’t come to pass.
With your help, we look forward to
creating new circumstances that will
set you up for success in 2016. That’s
a surefire prediction you can count on. ■
•Opportunities will be missed. Lessons
will be learned.
•New opportunities will be gained.
•MaxYield Cooperative will continue to
see more in your fields.
38 / MY SOLUTIONS / MARCH 2016
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PO Box 49
West Bend, IA 50597
www.MaxYieldCoop.com
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED