The Courier

The Courier
Legacy co-op CEO
Mark Sunderman
watches the
business
By JIM MAURER
STAFF WRITER
When Mark Sunderman became chief executive officer of Findlay-based Legacy Farmers
Cooperative two years ago, his “family” nearly
quadrupled, from about 40 employees to 165.
Sunderman had been CEO of Deshler Farmers Elevator Co. When that co-op merged with
Blanchard Valley Farmers Cooperative in 2014,
he became boss of the combined company,
Legacy.
It’s been more than a name change for the
two cooperatives.
“Everybody is dedicated and focused on the
job we need to do,” Sunderman said. “We treat
it like a family.”
“We have a fantastic group of folks, a good
mix of 55- to 65-year-old individuals nearing
retirement, and 40- to 45-year-old individuals
and younger who are getting back into agriculture,” he said.
Deshler Farmers and Blanchard Valley Farmers “had similar business cultures, we were going
to the market the same way, so it was pretty
seamless when we tried to put the companies
together,” Sunderman said.
The first year, there was a $235,000 savings
from lower insurance rates and the economies
of buying in larger quantities, he said, “so we’ve
realized what we had estimated for year one.”
For year two, “We expect $500,000 savings.”
“It’s worked the way we thought it would
work,” Sunderman said of the merger. “More
specialized in different areas, employees over a
larger area, has helped us stay a little bit stronger.”
The main reason for cooperatives, he said, is
so a group of farmers can pool their resources
and volumes to gain access to different markets
than they could individually. Supply cooperatives
have evolved, providing fuel, agronomy and marketing for co-op members.
Today, Legacy includes crop input services:
five agronomy locations spread throughout the
service area that supply fertilizer, chemicals,
seed and “all the services required to plant and
grow a crop.”
The company’s lawn and pet division has
RANDY ROBERTS / The Courier
MARK SUNDERMAN
became CEO of Legacy
Cooperative when
Blanchard Valley
Farmers Cooperative
joined together with
Deshler Farmers
Elevator Co. in 2014.
Legacy continues to grow
to meet farmers’ needs.
See LEGACY, Page T3
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T2
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Legacy Farmers Cooperative
by the numbers
Headquarters: 6566 Hancock
County 236, Findlay.
Locations: 11 grain, five agronomy, two fuel, one lawn and pet
(feed, farm, turf and garden supplies).
Additional divisions: Transportation and maintenance.
Membership: 2,423 cooperative
members. Individuals do not need
to be a member to do business with
the cooperative.
Employment: 165.
Main service area: Hancock,
Henry, Wood, Putnam, Seneca,
Wyandot, Hardin, Allen and Sandusky counties.
Website: www.Legacyfarmers.
com
On Facebook: Legacy Farmers
Cooperative.
Grain operations
RANDY ROBERTS / The Courier
LEGACY LAWN and Pet future manager Matt McGuire gets a bag of dog food for a drive-through customer at the
store. Legacy’s lawn and pet store does well, having about $4 million in retail sales annually.
6 Bulk
Water Stations
Locations
NORTHWESTER
WATER AND SEWER
DISTRICT
Northwestern Water & Sewer District
12560 Middleton Pike (SR 582)
Bowling Green, OH 43402
877-354-9090
www.nwwsd.org
11 locations (3 rail train-loading facilities, at Custar (CSX rail);
Fostoria (Norfolk Southern) and
West Findlay (Norfolk Southern)
and eight satellite truck facilities.
Total storage: 22.5 million
bushels.
Total bushels received annually:
30 million (17.5 million corn; 10
million soybeans; and 2.5 million
wheat).
Grain sales annually: $170 mil-
lion.
Agronomy
Five agronomy locations (Arcadia, Arlington, Custar, McComb
and Pandora) provide full-service
crop inputs.
Tons of fertilizer sold: 54,704.
Total agronomy products sold:
$45 million value.
Custom application of products:
430,000 acres annually.
Precision farming program:
more than 130,000 acres.
All five agronomy locations are
4R Nutrient Stewardship certified
(the Right source at the Right Rate
at the Right Time in the Right
Place).
Petroleum
Three tankwagon delivery
trucks.
One bulk oil truck.
Two transport trucks.
Two 24-hour unattended fuel
stations (Findlay and Fostoria)
open to the public and accept Visa,
Mastercard, Discover and Legacy
cards.
Five million gallons of delivered
fuel annually.
1.8 million gallons of fuel
See NUMBERS, Page T3
SAFE POTABLE WATER
Water from our bulk water stations is safe for personal uses such as filling pools, filling
cisterns. It is also available for commercial and agricultural use. The water stations employ
modern technology and safe equipment such as backflow prevention devices to protect against
contamination during filling and loading.
SAFE OFF-ROAD ACCESS FOR TRUCKS & TRAILERS
Each bulk water dispensing site has been chosen to provide safe access for large trucks and
trailers. The driveway at each site is designed to handle farm trucks, trailers, and tractor trailer
tankers with plenty of driveway turning radius.
LOW COST
Water costs $8.00 per 1,000 gallons purchased.
EASY TO USE
Water is purchased from the bulk water stations using one of the District’s plastic access cards.
Simple and easy to use, the card is similar to a bank’s ATM card, with a PIN number to ensure
safe, secure access. The same card can be used at all locations.
• Your account will be billed monthly, with all bills due by the middle of the following month.
• Accounts will be billed a late fee if paid past the due date.
• A one-time set up fee of $8.00 per card will be billed the first month. Multiple cards are
available.
EQUIPMENT SPECS
The District’s fill station has a 3” male cam lock fitting. Each hauler is responsible to adapt their
equipment to fit the District’s outlet using a 3” female cam lock fitting. Your vehicle must be
plumbed with an air gap with prior inspection by District personnel.
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Numbers
Continued from page T2
through the fuel stations.
$12 million in fuel, oil and lube
sales.
Lawn and pet
(feed, farm, turf and garden)
Sells $2 million of pre-packaged or mixed feed annually.
Lawn and pet retail store and
drive-through at 6566 Hancock
County 236, Findlay, including
Legacy Turf and Ornamental,
has annual sales of $4 million,
and includes bagged and bulk salt,
and a propane cylinder tank fill
station. Over 7,000 items available. Individuals do not have to
be cooperative member to shop at
the store.
Transportation
department
Hauls grain and fertilizer for
Legacy Farmers Cooperative and
grain off the farm for customers.
Eleven transportation trucks.
Maintenance department
Company facility maintenance
and repair.
Company vehicle maintenance
and repair.
History
Blanchard Valley Farmers
Cooperative was formed in 1988
with the merger of Hancock
Landmark and McComb Farmer
Cooperative. The cooperative
started with eight facilities with
$31 million in sales in 1988, and
grew to 15 facilities with over
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$300 million in sales at the time
of the formation of Legacy Farmers Cooperative with the additions
of grain and agronomy facilities,
and fuel routes.
Deshler Farmers Elevator Co.
was formed in 1916 and served its
members for 98 years, growing to
four locations, three grain and one
agronomy, with over $75 million
in sales at the time of the formation of Legacy Farmers Cooperative.
Legacy Farmers Cooperative
was formed on March 1, 2014,
after a members vote by each
cooperative. In the first year of
Legacy’s existence, working capital was increased by $2.8 million, $4 million of fixed assets
were added, long-term debt was
decreased by $1.6 million, and
the net worth of the company
increased by $6 million to $48.1
million.
Patronage paid back to members in 2015 was $4 million, with
$2 million in cash. Over $1.2 million of stockholder equity was
redeemed.
Quote
“With grain prices in a pullback, the agriculture economy
has slowed somewhat. Tightening margins in our industry will
continue to drive Legacy Farmers
Cooperative to look for growth
opportunities that allow us to tap
into the best markets, but those
opportunities must promise us
the return on investment that
is necessary for future success.
Legacy will continue to focus on
driving out unnecessary costs to
become more efficient and most
effective for our members, owners
and customers.” — Mark Sunderman, president and chief executive
officer.
RANDY ROBERTS / The Courier
A TRUCK DRIVES to the Legacy Cooperative grain bins on Hancock County 84. A 1.5-million-bushel grain bin
(seen on the right) was added last summer, boosting the co-op’s storage capacity to 22.5 million bushels.
Legacy
Continued from page T1
“done well,” Sunderman said, with
about $4 million retail sales annually through the store. A turf and
ornamental group, headed by Don
Lawrence, calls on landscapers and
golf courses throughout the state to
provide them with materials.
“We do business with the public,”
Sunderman said, and customers don’t
have to be members of the cooperative.
The co-op has 2,423 members.
Members buy a share of stock, and
must be farm owners, owner/operators or tenant/renters. If the cooperative has a good year, some profits are
shared with members. Members elect
See LEGACY, Page T4
Does your farm
need to grow?
Agriculture is a big part of Hancock County’s heritage and its continued
prosperity. Jeff Stratton and Doug Kelly are just two of our expert bankers
that understand the agricultural industry and what it takes to be successful
in today’s market. Our agricultural loan products feature competitive rates
and are tailored to meet your changing needs. Talk to Jeff or Doug and
discover why banking with us is SIMPLY BETTER.
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T3
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T4
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
Legacy
Continued from page T3
the co-op’s board members.
Improvements at Legacy are
keeping pace with farmers’ needs,
Sunderman said. Last summer, a
1.5-million-bushel grain bin was built
at the West Findlay location on Hancock County 84, boosting the co-op’s
total storage capacity to 22.5 million
bushels.
Add it ion a l equ ipment w as
acquired to move grain from delivery
trucks into the grain bins: $800,000
was invested in conveyors and equipment to move grain more quickly,
since many farmers are delivering
grain in semi-trailers instead of by
tractors and wagons.
Farmers are also producing more
bushels than they used to, so the
cooperative must keep pace as farm-
ers grow and harvest the crops, he
said.
“Time is money in spring and fall,”
and the cooperative has to be able to
accept crops and provide fuel deliveries, he said.
No increase in grain storage is
planned this year, Sunderman said,
since storage is “about right” for the
area’s production.
Last year, the cooperative also
increased its rail car loading capacity
from 75 cars per day to 85 on Norfolk
Southern lines in Fostoria and North
Findlay. Construction continues in
Custar where loading capacity of 65
train cars per day is being increased
to 90 train cars per day on the CSX
line, a project which should be finished this summer.
Sunderman said the larger cooperative continues “doing the same
type of things, just bigger.”
His new job “certainly has presented some different challenges. I
didn’t deal with fuel or a lot of retail
business” at Deshler, he said. “There
is just more” at Legacy.
“We want to lead and want to
be the best we can be,” Sunderman
said. “How do we do it, that personal
touch, right at the farm,” is the goal
whether there is one location or 19
locations.
“We want them to trust us, do the
best job we can, bring solutions for
their farms, and enable them to be
the best producers they can be, that’s
our goal.”
While it is large, Legacy is not
the biggest cooperative in its multicounty coverage area, Sunderman
said. Heritage Cooperative, based in
West Mansfield, and Sunrise Cooperative, based in Fremont, are larger,
while Mercer Landmark, based in
Celina, is about the same size.
Maurer: 419-427-8420
[email protected]
OTHER AREA COOPERATIVES
Heritage Cooperative
Corporate office: 11177 Township
133, West Mansfield.
Heritage Cooperative is a member-owned cooperative created in
2009 by the consolidation of Champaign Landmark of Urbana and
Farmers Commission Co. of Upper
Sandusky.
The cooperative serves agricultural needs of farmers and residents
in a 20-county area in central Ohio
including Allen, Hancock, Hardin,
Seneca and Wyandot counties. There
are four product and service departments: agronomy, energy, feed/farm
supplies, and grain merchandising.
There is a tire service center
in Urbana; retail farm stores in
Mechanicsburg and Delaware under
the Champaign Feed and Pet Supply
name; a fertilizer warehouse in
Kenton; three fuel plazas in Mechanicsburg, Richwood and Urbana; and
the Shur Grow Seed Division near
Urbana.
The grain division handles about
58 million bushels of grain yearly,
including 40 million bushels of corn,
16 million bushels of soybeans and 2
million bushels of wheat. There are
23 grain-handling locations and over
25 million bushels of storage.
There are 250 full-time employees
during the fall and spring. There may
be up to 60-70 additional seasonal
employees.
Heritage serves over 3,500
farmer-members, and over 4,000
rural and urban customers.
Website: www.heritagecooperativegrain.com
Mid-Wood Cooperative
Corporate office: 12965 Defiance
Pike, Cygnet.
Mid-Wood has six grain elevators
in Bascom, Bowling Green, Cygnet,
Haskins, North Baltimore and Tontogany.
Agronomy offices are in Cygnet,
Bascom, Bucyrus and Tontogany.
There are two retail stores, in Bowling Green (rental department) and
North Baltimore (tire store). The
energy division provides fuel services
to farms, businesses and individuals.
Mid-Wood is an agricultural grain
and supply cooperative, owned and
controlled by farmer-members.
In 1967, the Hub Grain Association and the Wood County Farm
Bureau Cooperative Association,
which in 1967 included Haskins and
Cygnet, merged to form Mid-Wood.
Two years later, Liberty Grain Association, Rudolph, merged with the
cooperative. In 1986, the cooperative purchased Bloomdale Farmers
Association.
Mid-Wood grew with the addition
in 1991 of North Baltimore Farm
Center; in 1992 with a merger with
Tontogany Farmers Association; in
1994 and 1996 with the purchase of
two fuel businesses. Bascom Elevator
and Supply Association merged with
Mid-Wood in 2014.
Mid-Wood now has eight loca-
tions in three counties, with assets
of more than $30 million, and grain
storage of over 6.2 million bushels.
It serves farmers in 14 northwestern
Ohio counties.
Website: www.mid-wood.com
Sunrise Cooperative
Corporate office: 2025 W. State
St., Fremont.
Sunrise has agronomy offices in
Attica, Bellevue, Crestline and Norwalk; agronomy and feed operations
in Ballville and Clarksfield; grain
operations in Bucyrus, Clarksfield,
Clyde, Crestline, Monroeville and
New Washington; and an energy
operation in Norwalk.
Grain storage: 28 million bushels.
Membership: 3,314 memberowners.
Serves farmers in about a dozen
counties including Sandusky, Ottawa
and Seneca. The cooperative’s region
stretches west to Pennsylvania, south
to Mansfield and east to Interstate
75.
Members of Sunrise Cooperative
and Trupointe Cooperative of Piqua
recently voted to merge.
Website: www.sunrisecoop.com
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THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Working
with farm
animals
Many farm animals, including cattle,
goats, sheep, swine and poultry, can
carry germs such as salmonella or
E. coli that can make you sick.
Even if they appear healthy,
animals can carry bacteria that can
easily contaminate their fur, feathers,
skin or any surrounding areas with
which they come into contact.
So how can you make sure your
health is protected when working so
closely with such dangerous germs?
Perhaps more importantly, how can
you protect your children while at the
same time teaching them the rewards
and value of working with animals?
Continued on page 5.
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AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Continued from page 4.
At-Risk People
Anyone can get sick from farm
animals, but some people are more
likely to have a serious illness,
according to the CDC, including:
• Children younger than 5 years
of age;
• Adults 65 years of age or older;
• Pregnant women; and
• People with some illnesses
(such as cancer) that weaken immune
T5
systems.
Prevention Tips
The CDC offers the following tips
to help prevent illness from farm
animals:
• Wash your hands thoroughly
with soap and water right after
touching farm animals or anything in
the areas where they live and roam.
• If soap and water are not
available, use an alcohol-based hand
sanitizer that contains at least 60
percent alcohol.
• Supervise children younger
than 5 years of age if they handle or
touch farm animals or animal areas
and equipment.
• Keep your food and drinks away
from farm animals and out of animal
areas.
• Keep animals away from areas
where food or drink is prepared,
stored or consumed, including
kitchens and outdoor patios.
• Have a set of dedicated shoes or
boots, gloves, coveralls or other work
clothes that you use just for working
in animal areas. Remove them as
soon as possible after leaving animal
areas.
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T6
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Conservation Easements
A
s a cornerstone program of the landmark 2014 Farm Bill, the
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program provides financial and
technical assistance to help conserve agricultural lands and wetlands.
Conservation Easements
As a cornerstone program of
the landmark 2014 Farm Bill, the
Agricultural Conservation Easement
Program provides financial and
technical assistance to help conserve
agricultural lands and wetlands.
The
National
Resources
Conservation
Service
provides
financial assistance to eligible partners
for purchasing easements that are
reserved to protect their agricultural
and conservation values.
This is of vital interest to farmers
because it helps preserve grasslands
and rangeland that may otherwise be
compromised.
So who qualifies as an eligible
partner? The NRCS has determined
that eligible partners are Indian tribes,
state and local governments and nongovernmental organizations that have
farmland or
programs.
grassland
protection
Benefits of Easements
Land protected by agricultural land
easements ensures the longevity of
productive working lands, while also
providing additional public benefits,
including
environmental
quality,
historic preservation, wildlife habitat
and protection of open space.
Additionally,
wetland
reserve
easements provide habitat for fish and
wildlife. This can include threatened
and
endangered
species.
This
preservation of valuable wetlands helps
improve water quality by filtering sediments and chemicals, reduce flooding,
recharge
groundwater,
protect
biological diversity and provide opportunities for educational, scientific
and limited recreational activities,
according to the NRCS.
What Qualifies as an
Easement?
The United States Department
of Agriculture defines easements as
follows:
Permanent easements: Conservation
easements in perpetuity, for which the
NRCS pays 100 percent of the easement
value for the purchase of the easement.
Up to 100 percent of restoration costs
also can be covered by the program.
30-year easements: Expiring after 30
years, these easements are protected by
the NRCS, which pays 50 to 75 percent
of the easement value for the purchase
of the easement. Up to 75 percent of
restoration costs are covered.
Term easements: Allowed for the
maximum duration allotted under
applicable state laws. The NRCS pays
50 to 75 percent of the easement value
for the purchase of the term easement
and up to 75 percent of restora-tion
costs.
30-year contracts: The program
offers 30-year contracts for acreage
owned and enrolled by Indian tribes.
Wetland reserve easements: The
NRCS pays all costs associated with
recording the easement in the local
land records office, including recording
fees, charges for abstracts, survey and
appraisal fees and title insurance.
How to Apply
Looking to enroll your land in the
agricultural land easement program?
Eligible partners may submit proposals
to the NRCS state office to acquire
conservation easements on eligible
land.
To enroll land through wetland
reserve easements, landowners may
apply at any time at their local USDA
Service Center.
THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
T7
Become a better
farm manager
Running a successful farm
is about more than operating
equipment and tending to
your fields.
It’s about operations management, team
leadership, budget control and continuous
improvement. You also need skills in
sales, relationship building and business
development. It is this collection of strengths
that help differentiate a good farm from a great
one. Read on for our three ways to become a
better farm manager.
1. Use An Accountant
Your farm business will fail quickly if your
numbers aren’t in order. And the financials are
where many
farmers find
themselves
in the weeds.
Consider
hiring
a
professional
accountant
to keep your
books. Doing so will ensure total accuracy
for your profit and loss statement, as well as
what you report to the government in wages,
insurance costs and other variables.
Work closely with your accountant to
evaluate costs and revenues to make strategic
decisions on payroll, equipment purchases and
land investment. Having a good sense of your
numbers can help you mange your farm more
efficiently and confidently.
2. Hire the Right People
One of the tipping points between a
marginally successful farm and one that is
raking in heavy profits is the hiring dilemma.
Should you on-board employees? If so, how
many? How do you go about finding professionals who meet your specific needs?
Start with finding reliable and honest
employees who are willing to work as hard as
you. Advertise your job announcements in your
local newspaper or other media source. This will
create local demand to work at your farm and
will show the community that you are a growing
source
of
agricultural
products.
Interview
potential
employees
and
make
sure to check
references
to gain an
understanding of your candidates’ work background.
3. Safety First
Operating a successful farm also is
dependent on safety.
The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration offers the following tips on how
you can foster a safer farm environment, which
will lead to higher morale and productivity in
your workforce:
• Read, follow and enforce instructions in
equipment operator’s manuals and on product
labels.
• Routinely inspect equipment for problems
that may cause accidents.
• Discuss safety hazards and emergency
procedures with your workers.
• Install approved rollover protective
structures, protective enclosures, or protective
frames on tractors.
T8
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
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Farming
and drones
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ne glance toward the sky on a technologically
advanced farm in America shows first-hand
how far we have come.
Farmers are using unmanned aerial vehicles — drones
— as key pieces of equipment.
According to the Association for Unmanned Vehicle
Systems International, agricultural drones are expected
to make up 80 percent of the future commercial market.
Drones can be used to spray crops, collect key fieldrelated data and make farms more efficient.
This new focus on flying objects as useful agricultural
tools marks an exciting time for the modern farmer.
How Drones Work
Operators can send drones on specific aerial tracts
over all portions of farmland. Specific goals may include
using high-resolution imaging to uncover the areas most
in need of advanced pest control or fertilizer.
Drones can help farmers target these areas with
more efficient processes, helping them save money and
resources that they may have otherwise not been able
to conserve. Drones also can help farmers count overall
field yields down to the plant. Knowing how well a
specific crop is performing can help farmers lessen their
use of common fertilizers, such as nitrogen, herbicides
and insecticides. This can lead to healthier land and
waterways in surrounding areas.
Registration Process
Given the fact that they require the use of airspace,
drones are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The agency has implemented a streamlined, web-based
registration process for unmanned aerial vehicles used by
business owners and farmers.
You can register at faa.gov/uas/registration. The
registration process is simple, and you’ll need to provide
only basic information, such as your name, home address
and an e-mail address. When you complete the registration, the system generates a Certificate of Aircraft
Registration and Proof of Ownership that includes a
unique identification number. This number must be
marked on the aircraft.
Why register? Penalties can equal as much as $27,500
for an unregistered drone, according to the FAA.
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THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
Choosing
equipment
T9
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D
epending on
the acreage of your
farm, choosing the
right equipment
can be a numbers
game. Equipment
that is too small
can hinder your
progress in the field,
while oversized
machinery can be
too expensive.
The key to toeing the line
between equipment that is too
small or large for your farm is
understanding your specific needs.
Where to
find equipment
Before you settle on your
next equipment purchase, first
determine whether you will be
buying new or used. Check your
local newspaper for ads from
equipment dealers and head to
your local farm auctions. You may
be able to find a quality used item
that could save you thousandsof
dollars in the long run compared
to buying new.
Lean on your local farming
association or organization, as
well. Other farmers are your best
friend when it comes to finding out
the best types of equipment, fair
market value and sellers trying to
unload their equipment.
Find farmers who are operating
Continued on page 10.
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T10
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Serving Rural America for a Century
Loans for farms, homes and land
Findlay Branch | 419.422.7632
AgCredit.net
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Choosing
Continued from page 9
farms at sizes comparable to yours.
This approach can be the most
practical way to start the buying
process.
Negotiate
your purchase
Let’s say you opt for a used
two-row cultivator from your local
machinery dealer.
Remember that buying farm
equipment is just like buying a car
— you should never play full price.
Don’t be afraid to pull out your
negotiation skills to get the best
deal possible.
If a dealer is offering numerous
rebates and discounts on new
machinery, ask what they can do
to help your final price on used
equipment.
It always counts to research
ahead of time to see what price
range your equipment will
likely fall into. Always stick
with your budget goals, even if
negotiating is required.
Spread out
your purchases
If you plan to buy multiple
pieces of equipment, it may make
the most sense to spread out your
purchases over time.
This can not only lessen the
financial burden, but also can make
it possible to find various deals
throughout your buying cycle.
Farmers just starting their
operations should plan to buy basic
equipment initially and save the
specialized items for the future, once
the business has been established.
Have a good understanding of
your farm’s strategies in regards to
which crops you will grow and what
kind of work is required on the
land. This will help you prioritize
your equipment purchases.
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Dr. Richard Marra, DC
Angie Price, LMT
228 W. Hardin St.
Findlay, Ohio • 419-422-3686
www.BVChiro.com
Since
1993
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OHIO AUTOMOTIVE
SUPPLY
THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
T11
Recovering
from a flood
As an agricultural professional, your eye is constantly set to the
sky. Weather-watching is one of the most critical activities for any
farmer because of its massive impact on the success of your year.
That’s why major weather
disasters such as the extreme flooding
the country saw at the beginning
of 2016 poses such a headache for
farmers. Fortunately the federal
crop insurance program provides
coverage for 254 million acres in the
United States, with more than half
devoted to corn and soybeans.
Farmers can also count on the
Risk Management Agency, which
administers the program under
the guidance of the Federal Crop
Insurance Corporation.
The program is a partnership
between the federal government
and 15 private insurance companies
to ensure coverage, specifically for
affected producers operating in floodprone river basins.
occurrence, check in with your local
agricultural consultant or extension
staff at your local university. These
professionals will be able to provide
information about various methods
and available financial assistance for
your efforts.
Ignoring Hearing Loss Poses New Risks
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As the list of health concerns associated with untreated hearing loss grows longer, today’s hearing aid technology gets better and better.
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33 Million Americans
Have Hearing Loss
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Hearing loss is the third
70% of people
most common chronic
with hearing loss
health problem facing older
DON’T get help
adults in the US. Surprisingly,
y,
only 30% of individuals with
hearing difficulties actually wear hearing aids.
Flooding Issues
Flooded soils create significant
challenges for agricultural lands.
According to the Risk Management
Agency, flooding has many direct
impacts on farmland including:
• Deposition of sand and debris
on productive lands;
• Erosion of agricultural soils;
and
• Flooded soil syndrome, defined
as the loss of beneficial fungi that
mobilizes soil-based plant nutrients.
Farmers dealing with flooding
areas may face major yield losses
and the destruction of their land.
What can be more frustrating is the
slow process required for arable soils
to fully recover from an impactful
flooding event.
Post-Flooding
Management
There are many steps to
recovering from flooding, the first
of which includes the removal of
sediment and debris barriers that
may have built up. Depending on the
severity of the weather event, not all
fields can be reclaimed. Removing
debris and surveying the damage
will give you an insight into how
successful you will be in restoring
your land.
Other steps include repairing
the physical damage to the soil,
stimulating microbial activity and
limiting the indirect impacts that can
occur down the road.
If you’re not sure where to focus
your attention after a severe weather
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New Study: Hearing Aids Reduce
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Cognitive Decline
What if you had a medical
condition that could lead to
severe physical, cognitive and
emotional problems, like social
isolation, depression, balance
issues...and even dementia?
Rather than ignore it, you’d seek
treatment, wouldn’t you?
Not necessarily.
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The condition is hearing loss. And, even though it’s
almost always treatable with hearing aids, a majority
of those affected wait…and wait – on average for
more than five years – before taking action!
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The good news?
People who address
their hearing
loss with today’s
advanced hearing
aids lead better
lives. They’re much
less likely to feel
depressed or isolated. And, a 2015 French scientific
study concluded that hearing aids helped the hard
of hearing stay mentally fit.
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Today’s Hearing Aids – Small, Smart,
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Super-Effective
what they want to hear. Plus,
phone calls and music can
now be streamed wirelessly
directly into the devices. And,
smartphones can control
hearing aids at the touch of
an app, allowing wearers
to easily personalize their
Virtually invisible hearing experience and
she’s wearing Beltone Legend™
discreetly adjust to different
hearing aids!
environments.
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Your First Line of Defense –
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a Simple Hearing Screening
“Addressing hearing loss can reduce its impact on
your overall health,” says Dr. John Cariola, Audiologist.
Experts urge anyone over 50 to make screenings a
routine part of their medical care.
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Beltone – a Legacy of Great Hearing Care
Rated as the most trusted name in hearing care
among adults over 50, Beltone has been at the leading
edge of innovation for over 75 years. Beltone also
provides the industry’s most comprehensive hearing
care benefits program – Beltone Blue Benefits.
Recent breakthroughs have enabled today’s
hearing aids to offer a remarkably natural listening
experience. Instead of simply amplifying sounds,
these tiny, smart devices include features that filter
out background noise, helping the wearer focus on
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T12
AGR ICULTUR E TODAY 2016
THE COURIER
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Succession planning
Y
ou’ve worked your whole life
to build a successful agribusiness.
Sweat, blood, tears and long
hours have accompanied you on this
journey. That’s why handing over the
keys to the next generation may be
bittersweet.
With the right succession plan,
you can make the transition a
painless one.
Succession planning is the
proc-ess of formally transitioning
management of your farm business
from one generation to the next.
This can mean an outright sale to a
younger family member or a phased
plan that involves you remaining
in the business on a part-time or
consultative basis.
There is no universal plan that
will work with every family.
The secret to building a strong
succession plan is involving key
family members in the decision and
working through all major facets of
it to ensure everyone is on the same
page.
Why Succession
Planning is Important
Succession planning allows your
family to keep the business running
in the manner that makes the most
sense for all involved parties.
It helps longtime owners transfer
the ownership of the business
on their terms, and also enables
successful handling of legal, tax or
family relationship issues that may
come along with the transition.
The first step to creating your
succession plan involves regularly
meeting with family members, tax
profes-sionals and legal advisors.
Have open discussions about goals,
methods and decisions and let all
voices be heard.
If you’ve kept your operational
procedures under wraps over the
years, it’s time to let others in on
your activities.
Doing so will position the next
generation for success, which is the
ultimate goal of a succession plan.
What to Include
A
comprehensive
succession
plan contains several dynamic parts,
meaning they can be changed over
the years as the situation calls for.
The most important components
of any well-built succession plan
include:
• Legal language spelling out the
processes related to ownership and
transfer of assets.
• Financial matters including
salaries and retirement incomes.
• Federal, state and income tax
matters, including the impact of any
gift tax or transfer taxes.
• Business entity selection and
formation.