November / December 2015 www.allamericancoop.com Issue 445
Manager’s Notes: 2015 Annual Meeting Highlights ....................2Grain News ..................................................................................3Defer Payment Grain Checks ......................................................3All American Co-op Recognizes the Importance of Community....4-5Feed Department News ......................................................................5Kick Lactation into High Gear ......................................................6New Way of Thinking ....................................................................6Proper Rumen Development Makes Better Cattle ......................7Cook’s Corner ..............................................................................7We are proud to have a strong cooperative relationship ..........8-9
Fertility Values Trending Lower ..................................................10New Products to Consider for 2016..................................................10Who deserves the credit? ..........................................................11Welcome New Employees..........................................................11Selecting Seed Products ............................................................123 Questions ................................................................................12Crop Break-Even Worksheet......................................................13Scholarships ..............................................................................14Begin to prepare now for the 2016 Hunt! ..................................15All American Co-op & Progressive Ag Center Holiday Hours ....16
What’s Inside
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-3275
Glenn Lutteke, General Manager
[email protected] (507) 533-4222
Highlights from the financial report for All
American Co-op’s fiscal year ending June 30th,
2015 are as follows. All American Co-op showed
year-end company sales at $76,452,197. Other
operating receipts were at $5,425,874 for the
2014-15 fiscal year-end. Net margins for the year
were at $2,072,513. Checks totaling $368,823
were distributed at this meeting representing 40%
cash portion for the past fiscal year.
Grain marketing during the 2014-2015 fiscal year were at
7,205,202 bushels, which was up 952,102 bushels from the 2013-14
fiscal year end. Feed volumes were down 892 tons from the previous
year. Agronomy tons were down 4,483 tons from the previous year,
not including lime.
I would like to thank Jim Schuetzle of Carlson, Highland & Co.
L.L.P., the independent auditing company that does our annual audit,
for presenting the year-end financial reports. Jim does a great job
of highlighting our cooperative year-end financials and answering
questions our members may have.
Elections were held for the regular 3-year terms expiring for
Mike Heim and Rod Nelson. Rod Nelson chose to retire from the
board at the end of this term. I would like to thank Rod for his time
and dedication while serving as a director on the All American Co-op
Board since 2007. Elections were held; Mike Heim was nominated
and unanimously voted to serve a regular 3-year term that will end in
2018. Jim Klavetter was nominated and unanimously voted to serve
a regular 3-year term that will also end in 2018. Congratulations to
both of you! I appreciate the time that our board members give to
our cooperative. Thank you for working hard to make sure that All
American Co-op is working hard for its customer-owners.
Theresa Willems, Vice President - Customer Services, AgVantage
Software Inc, was a guest speaker at our 2015 Annual Shareholder
Meeting. Theresa took a few moments to highlight some of the
features the E-AgVantage Online Customer Account Access can
provide to our customers. This online account look-up service is
free to any customer that has an account with All American Co-op
Progressive Ag Center. Customers can create their own login to track
grain sales, look up account balances, view account history, print
year-end account summaries and 1099 forms. All of this can be done
thru our website at www.allamericancoop.com.
Merry Christmas
I would like to take a moment to wish all of you a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope the joys and memories past
and present will be with you, your family, and friends this holiday
season. It is important that we remember to be thankful for our
blessings throughout the year and I encourage all of you to remember
that life is meant to be lived. Have a safe and happy holiday season.
Lutteke
Manager’s Notes: 2015 Annual Meeting Highlights
2
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-3275 3
Grain News
Todd Stockdale, Grain Manager
Another Harvest is in the books, an early oneand hopefully a smooth one for your operations.For All American Co-op it started in Septembermoving out over-run grain inventories to off-sitestorage. We moved about 650,000 bu of corn toour Blooming Prairie site and the Chatfield binsite before the third week in September to openup space in our higher speed processing locations.We have handled over 7,000,000 bushels of corn
and over 1,500,000 bu of soybeans this season. These were recordbean amounts and near record corn amounts. We did our best to keepdelays to a minimum at our main sites. We have corn stored at sitesin St. Charles, Dexter, Racine, Blooming Prairie, two rural bin sitesin addition to our main elevators of Elgin, Viola, Eyota, Chatfield,and Stewartville.
There seemed to be general satisfaction with yields and generaldissatisfaction with price. A lot of commodities are stored and it’sanyone’s guess what prices it will take to pry it out of farmers’ hands.Some of the ethanol plants are already offering free delayed priceprograms. That way they can get corn from farmers, make it intoethanol, all without having to pay up for it. If too many farmers buy
into that program, they will have plenty of corn to grind and havelittle incentive to push prices higher for the farmers willing to holdout. We all like to keep grain moving, but I hate to see the movementhold back prices this early.
It’s hard to see what will be bringing prices up in the short term.China is reducing imports, the value of the dollar is high, and theEurozone is struggling with near continuous recessions. The worldis predicted to have higher levels of grain inventories than everbefore. Government shifts in Brazil and Argentina could swing theircompetitiveness strongly against us. The widening of the PanamaCanal will provide U.S. farmers better access to Asian marketsbut will improve Brazil’s access as well. Rail freight rates andcar availability are better now than they have been in some timeand will provide economical movement of grain to both coasts.
The big question is “How long will U.S. farmers hold their grainoff the market?” The western corn belt has most of the availableinventory and currently the lowest prices. Hopefully the grain deficitaffected areas to the east and south east will be willing to pay enoughto bring up prices. The price in Watertown, South Dakota on corn is$3.22 and in Rheems, PA it is $4.07, an 85 cent spread. I expect thisto continue to be a positive factor throughout the winter.
I hope you will all be enjoying the holiday season with familyand friends. Thank you for your continued patronage.
Stockdale
Glenn Lutteke, General ManagerAll American Co-op
Progressive Ag Center, L.L.C.
Todd Stockdale, All American Co-op Grain Manager
Brent Vorpagel, All American Co-opFeed Department Manager
Editor: Beth Pagel
Design & Production:Paper & Graphics, Inc.
All American Co-opBoard of DirectorsMike Heim, President
Ed Twohey, Vice PresidentDavid Severson, Secretary
Lawrence Schwanke, DirectorJim Klavetter, Director
Progressive Ag Center, L.L.C.Board of Directors
Lawrence Schwanke, PresidentDave Severson, Vice President
Mike Heim, SecretaryJim Klavetter, Governor
Ed Twohey, Governor866-934-6385 (866-WeGoE85) • 507-545-0197Email [email protected] • www.minnergy.com
“ Working with you”Progressive Ag Center, LLC
Defer Payment
Grain ChecksIf you have sold grain and asked that
we Defer the Payment until 2016 those
checks will be available to pick up no
earlier than 2pm on Monday January
4th. If you haven’t picked up your Defer
Payment check by 10:00 am Tuesday
January 5th we will mail your check. If
you are a Direct Deposit customer, those
transactions should appear in your bank
accounts the following business day. If
you have questions or concerns about
Defer Payments please contact Teresa
Baker at our Stewartville office at
(507) 533-4222 or e-mail Teresa at
https://www.facebook.com/allamericancoop
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-32754
All American Co-op Recognizes the Importance of Community
All American Co-op has a long history of volunteerism and
charitable donations that shows support for the communities that
we live and work in. To list out all of the charitable donations and
organizations that All American Co-op supports in any given year
would show a variety of groups that we feel have earned our support.
Our cooperative and its employees feel that it is important to be
involved in community activities, fund raisers, celebrations, and
youth development.
What is “Community”? By definition, “Community is a feelingof fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes,interests, and goals.” Community celebrations and activities are just
one way that All American Co-op carries an active role of appreciation
to the neighborhoods that we are a part of. All American Co-op has an
active presence in seven area communities in SE Minnesota. Each one
of these towns possess a strong amount of pride in their rich history
and are excited to celebrate community in several different ways,
thru parades, annual celebrations, and Chamber of Commerce events.
Examples would include supporting community pool projects, offering
training experiences for area volunteer fire departments, supporting
local school activities, sports fundraisers, and being involved in
chamber events that promote growth and fellowship. These activities
are supported financially by the co-op, but more importantly, they
are supported actively by the employees at All American Co-op who
have strong ties to the communities that they live and work in. We
encourage our employees to participate in community activities and
rely on them to make us aware of events that they feel All American
Co-op should be involved with.
Our cooperative recognizes that it takes the support of our
communities to support the future of agriculture. The Ag-Community
has so much more to offer than cows and corn. All American Co-op
feels strongly about supporting youth education thru FFA and 4-H
programs. We do so by rewarding efforts at the competitive level
during county fair and group competition events. We offer mentoring
programs to assist students; supporting the projects, experiences, and
learning efforts they develop to earn credit and recognition within their
youth communities. Ag-education is a strong focus area for employees
at All American Co-op. Supporting growth and education thru 4-H
blue ribbon auctions, FFA Greenhand camps and CDE projects,
participating in Ag in the
Classroom presentations,
supporting the AgStar
Miracle of Birth Center
at the county fair, and
helping to sponsor and
educate at Farmcamp
Minnesota every summer
are all ways that our staff
contributes to youth education and development programs that will
lead students to be strong active members in our Ag community.
Without education there would not be growth. The technology that
the 21st century has brought to the playing field has launched a new
interest for today’s students to consider agriculture as a part of their
future. We need trained individuals to come to the manufacturing,
production, sales, finance, science, and technology fields to support
what producers are doing on the farm.
Why do farmers farm? By definition, “Farming is the activity orbusiness of growing crops and raising livestock.” Today’s farmer is so
much more than this; the bottom line is farmers produce food to feed
communities. 1 in 6 children in Minnesota are at risk of hunger, many
do not know where their next meal is coming from. The employees
at All American Co-op take this as a challenge to help feed those that
need a meal. All American Co-op has organized its own food drive
campaign that supports the food shelves in the communities that we do
business in. Co-op employees and members have increased our food
drive donations in 2014 and hope to do so again in 2015. All American
Co-op has also partnered with Nutrablend, Elanco, Diamond V, Kemin
and their “Drive to Feed” campaign. These feed additive suppliers are
working
together
with others
in the feed
industry
and animal
agribusiness
community
to raise
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-3275 5
Feed Department News
Brent Vorpagel, Feed Department Manager
[email protected] (507) 533-4222
I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you alittle bit about some activities All American Co-ophas had the opportunity to be a part of over thelast few years. Through The Chew on This Tour,
Drive to Feed Kids and now Ivy League Farmer
we feel very proud to be involved with otheragricultural organizations to be educating theconsumer about modern agriculture as well aschild hunger.
The Chew on This Tour was a unique, interactive road showtraveling the nation to heighten awareness about one of the biggestproblems facing our world today: hunger. The tour made stops atfeed mills, universities, fairs and civic events around the countrywhere questions about world hunger and sustainable food productionwere answered.
As the tour progressed, Chew on This continued to clarify themyths and misconceptions about animal agriculture that societybelieves to be true while narrowing down on a hunger issue righthere in the U.S. That issue is child food insecurity.
In 2014, Drive to Feed Kids was a movement born from The
Chew on This Tour where words were turned into action. Drive to
Feed Kids provides Nutrablend customers the opportunity to raisefunds for BackPack programs in their community. BackPack programsprovide meals for food insecure children on the weekends.
Since its inception, Drive to Feed Kids has been wildly successful.Communities across the nation are raising millions of dollars tosupport existing backpack programs, and even starting new programs.To date, DTFK events have provided over 2.5 million meals to foodinsecure children in the U.S.
Although The Chew on This Tour has ended, the initiative toeducate society on animal agriculture and how our food is producedtoday is far from over. Farming to Fight Hunger, a nonprofitorganization made up of agriculture industry leaders, formed in 2014with the goal of raising awareness for modern agriculture and childhunger in America through media.
The first feature film production funded by Farming to Fight
Hunger was released spring of 2015 dubbed Ivy League Farmer. IvyLeague Farmer is a real Hollywood movie that is entertaining andenlightening for the whole family. The movie focuses on a youngHarvard graduate returning to the family dairy farm for the summer.He embarks on a heartwarming journey to convince his father thatmodern agriculture is key to prolonging the future of their dairy andwhile there, meets a young teacher working to help feed her studentswho don’t get enough to eat at home.
Ivy League Farmer is a unique tool that extends themessage of modern agriculture and raises awareness for child foodinsecurity. Agriculture companies across the nation have giventhis film rave reviews, hosting showings of the movie and invitingthe community to view this incredible story.
Drive to Feed Kids and the movement created by Ivy LeagueFarmer continues to gain ground and prove its success throughthe participation of communities across the nation. From helpingthousands of food insecure children to teaching communities aboutmodern agriculture; these programs will continue to make theirefforts successful.
There is no time more fitting to say thank you for yourbusiness. I would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmasand a safe and Happy New Year!
Vorpagel
awareness about hunger, to educate the consumer of agriculture’s
role in solving the problem, and to take active steps to fight hunger
at a local level. All American Co-op has partnered with the “Drive
to Feed” efforts and has donated over $3,000 of monies earned to
four local school BackPack programs. School meal programs only
meet the needs of children during the school week. The BackPack
program helps provide food for the weekend to help meet the
nutritional needs of children when they are not at school. The
“Drive to Feed” tour has helped to dispel many of the myths and
misconceptions about modern American agriculture which is the
supplier of the safest food production in the world. As a result,
fundraising efforts have offered huge support across the nation to
local programs to help stop hunger and malnutrition. Let’s face it, we
have all heard the numbers and they are not getting any smaller. “By
2050 we will need 70% more food to feed the global population of 9
billion people”; industry leaders are now saying that this number
is growing. Taking advantage of matching funds that our corporate
partners make available is an added benefit that All American Co-op
is pleased to use to give back to our communities.
Agriculture accounts for 10% of the jobs in the state of
Minnesota. Volunteerism, charitable donations, and community
involvement are initiating conversations that promote knowledge
and understanding about the technology and innovation that help
the modern farming community meet the challenges facing future
generations. These are all reasons why All American Co-op
supports community education, youth development, and industry
fundraising efforts. We take pride in building strong relationships
thru our charitable donation efforts.
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-32756
Kate Brown, Calf and Heifer Specialist,
Purina Animal Nutrition
[email protected] (507) 951-2951
Change is hard, we often hear this and it
rings true. As we look at the way things have
changed on farms, it is very evident that change
has happened. From the way that we feed our
cows, to the way we milk our cows, huge changes
have occurred and we have had to learn to adapt
to them.
Land O’ Lakes Animal Milk is continuously
looking for ways to increase calf growth and improve calf health
with new products and also the way we feed them. While doing this,
it has been found that calves are very sensitive and love consistency.
The way of feeding calves using cups has been found to be very
inconsistent. Just think about how everyone scoops cups and fills
them to different levels; it can cause some very inconsistent results.
For this reason Land O’ Lakes says it’s time to Chuck the Cup!
Coming soon, cups will no longer be in each bag of Land O’ Lakes
Milk Replacer. To help you through this change and to encourage
you to weigh milk replacer to ensure consistency and accuracy, there
is a kit available to purchase.
Kits Include:
• Hanging Milk Replacer Scale
• Thermometer
• Large Whisk
• Bucket that includes
volume lines
This kit is available to be
purchased for $25 each, plus
shipping (retails at $90). There
is a limited quantity and a
limit of one per customer, so get yours today. You can find more
information at http://www.chuckthecup.com/ Get yours TODAY,
offer ends December 31st!
New Way of Thinking
Brown
Bill Hammel, Dairy Specialist
[email protected] (507) 273-1882
Achieving high milk production with a
minimum of metabolic clichés begins in the
dry period. Assuming a cow finishes her lactation
with a 3.5 body condition score, she is ready for
some lower quality forage (not moldy) with
enough energy to maintain her condition and
about 12% protein overall in the diet. This will
maintain proper fetal growth and will keep her
functioning as she prepares for the next lactation.
Don’t forget about providing adequate bunk space, water and
shelter. Dairy cows are not beef cows. Products available for this
period are:
Dairyland Dry Cow Tub – this is a convenient way to get protein,
minerals, and vitamins into the cow. It is a 225# low salt tub with
expected consumption of 1/2 to 2/3 pound per day. The booking
deadline for these is December 11th which is about a $10/tub savings.
Dry Cow Supreme Premix – this mineral premix with a 2 oz
feeding rate will provide adequate minerals, vitamins, and salt when
no extra protein is needed.
Dry Cow Supplement 36 R300 – this is a 1-2 pound feeding rate
pellet that will provide extra protein if needed and Rumensin.
AAC Dry Cow with Beta-Carotene – studies have shown that
improved colostrum can occur if cows are supplemented with beta-
carotene along with improved reproductive performance due to
improved ovarian function.
If you have a pre-fresh group, they can use some special attention
at this time. It is especially important to have adequate space and if
possible, a quiet place to calve. Keeping stress at a minimum will
go a long ways in keeping metabolic problems away and getting
her on the way to a successful lactation. Diets need to be kept low
in potassium to keep the incidence of milk fevers low. Products
available for this period are:
AAC Pre-Fresh Mineral – this is a one pound, stand-alone feeding
rate mineral that contains Reashure, Niashure, Rumensin, and extra
vitamins.
Rally – either the base pelleted product or the Rally Dairy Pak.
This product has shown to increase dry matter intakes in transition
cows which can lower NEFA’s post calving resulting in cows
achieving peak milk sooner without experiencing metabolic problems.
Feel free to contact any member of the dairy team if you need
assistance in getting your dry cow program working for you to achieve
the best results.
Kick Lactation into High Gear
Hammel
Change of Address/Forwarding Address
It is important to us that you continue to receive our mailings.
Please contact All American Co-op with a change of address if
you are moving, or a forwarding address if you are going to be
away for an extended time. In an effort to save the cost of return
postage, please be aware that if we get publications returned,
we will have to remove you from our mailing list. Please send
your address changes to All American Co-op, P.O. Box 125,
Stewartville, MN 55976 or call (507) 533-4222 or email changes
to Beth Pagel at [email protected]. Please indicate if
your change is a permanent or temporary change. If you are
giving us a temporary change, it will be your responsibility to
notify us when to change your address back to your permanent
address. Thank you for your help and your continued businesswith All American Co-op and Progressive Ag Center, LLC.
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-3275 7
Mark Werner, Livestock Production Specialist
[email protected] (507) 990-8235
More often than not, we as producers don’t
have a lot of control over how livestock are
developed prior to taking possession of them or
controlling what they consume before return
from summer pastures. When the time of year
rolls around where you purchase cattle or when
it is deemed time to wean, that is when we can
make a difference on your cattle, whether they
are going into your feedlot or being added back
to your herd as replacements.
When starting a group of cattle on feed after weaning or receiving
them, we need to focus on feeding them to develop and transition their
digestive tract for their next step in life. The main focus at this point is
now on the rumen. If developed correctly we can have a positive effect
on those cattle for the rest of their lives. Here is a great overview of
what function the rumen serves to better understand the importance
of its performance. According to Janna Kincheleo, SDSU Extension
Research Associate, the rumen is the largest compartment and is where
the majority of fermentation takes place with the assistance of billions
of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. The rumen microbial population
digests fiber components (i.e. cellulose and hemicellulose) to yield
by-products such as microbial protein and volatile fatty acids (VFA’s).
Protein that is digested in the rumen is used to support microbial
function and growth, while VFA’s are primarily absorbed and utilized
as energy by the animal.
Delivering a balanced weaning/starter ration is critical to
transitioning and developing the rumen. Kincheleo states: There are
a variety of options available for weaning rations depending on the
marketing plan and production goals. For normally weaned calves,
receiving programs may be based on either forage or concentrate
depending on available resources. Some programs may utilize a
forage-based diet with supplement. Concentrates that are high in
digestible fiber and moderate to low in starch such as distiller’s
grains, wheat middlings, and soybean hulls have been shown to
provide adequate gain without the potential management issues
associated with starch-based concentrates. A 50-60% concentrate
ration is typically recommended for normally weaned calves. Good
quality grass hay or medium quality alfalfa hay should be fed for
the first several days at around 2% of body weight, followed by the
introduction of concentrate. Utilizing a mix of forage and concentrate
will stimulate rumen capacity and development, resulting in a healthy
microbial population and optimizing health and performance of
weaned calves.
As part of a balanced ration, All American Co-op offers multiple
supplement options depending on the age of the animals that are being
fed and the feedstuffs you have to work with. Products differ in protein
levels, the type of protein source; such as Urea vs Natural, different
inclusion rates, TMR and self-feeder situations, as well as Intake
Modification (IM) Technology by Purina. Urea is beneficial to feed
the microbial populations in the rumen as long as it is fed to the
correct class of livestock at the correct rate. IM Technology allows us
to utilize self-feeders by controlling their daily feed intake according
to how much we want them to consume at that life stage.
Beyond a balanced
ration, there are multiple
classes of additives to
consider that can assist
in developing a better
rumen, maintaining
health and utilize feed
more efficiently. These
additives include but
are not limited to
ionophores, yeast cultures, probiotics and natural supplements.
These additives aid in controlling coccidiosis, detrimental bacterial
and protozoa, which then allow the beneficial rumen populations
to thrive.
If we can keep an animal on feed and eating, you will keep their
immune system functioning more effectively and aid in keeping
them healthy and utilizing feedstuffs more efficiently, saving you
time, feed, labor and resources.
Here is the source of the article in its entirety if you would like
to read it: http://igrow.org/livestock/beef/considerations-for-rumen-
development-in-weaned-calves/
Proper Rumen Development Makes Better Cattle
Werner
Slow-CookerBeef Stew1 lb Beef Stew Meat1 tsp Beef Base3 large Carrots, cut into
1-inch pieces (2 cups)2 medium stalks Celery, cut into
1-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups)2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped1 medium Onion, coarsely chopped (1 1/2 cups)1/4 tsp Pepper1 can (19 oz) White Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained1 can (28 oz) Crushed Tomatoes in puree, undrained1 jar (12 oz) Beef Gravy2 tsp Italian Seasoning1 tsp Sugar2 cups frozen cut Green Beans (from 1-pound bag)Place beef, beef base, carrots, celery, garlic, onion, pepper, kidneybeans, tomatoes and gravy in order listed in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slowcooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting 10 to 12 hours. Stir inItalian seasoning, sugar and frozen green beans. Increase heat settingto high. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until green beans are tender.Prep Time 15 min Total Time 12 hr 30 min Servings 6 Tips: If you can’t find white kidney beans, red ones will tastejust fine. The Italian seasoning is added at the end to preserve itsflavor. Serve a tossed green salad and hot garlic bread to roundout this meal.Nutrition Information: Serving Size: 1 Serving Calories 340(Calories from Fat 100) Total Fat 11g (Saturated Fat 4g) Cholesterol50mg; Sodium 800 mg; Total Carbohydrate 41g; (Dietary Fiber 10g)Protein 29g ©2015 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reservedwww.bettycrocker.com
ALL AMERICANCO-OP
COOK’S CORNER
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-32758
“Priority needs to be placed on conservation for the environment
that we earn our living from” these are the words of Steve and Bill
Bailey, co-owners of Bailey Brothers Farms just west of Chatfield,
MN. The brothers manage 1300 acres of crop land, 300 acres that are
dedicated to timber management, and 200 acres of part-time timber
management and pasture. Steve and Bill also own a 200 head
cow-calf heard, raise about 20 head herd of bulls from their own
breeding each year and are strong believers in rotational grazing
to maintain pasture health and soil conservation. The diversity of
their 4th generation farm is a true testament of a family operation
that takes pride in being true stewards of their land. Steve and
Bill joined their father and uncle in the early 1970’s managing the
land and by the 1980’s the reins of the operation were starting to
be handed down to them when the brothers initiated an update to
a newer combine. Steve smiles when he tells the story and saying
“When Dad said, ‘if you want to spend the money on new machine,
then you need to be making more of the decisions’ that was when
we knew that things were changing”.
Today Bailey Brothers Farms rely on the experience of the staff
at All American Co-op and Progressive Ag Center, LLC to respect
their goals to conserve their resources in order to manage a profitable
crop production program. The brothers say it’s their goal to maintain
a 200bu/acre farm average on their corn acres. Steve is quick to add
that Pete Collins has not let them down yet. “Pete came to us with
the background and an experienced perspective that we respect.
When I ask Pete for his thoughts, I want his honest opinion, I don’t
want him to tell me what he thinks I want to hear, but rather what
would be best for our operation. The relationship we have is a two
way street, we can learn from each other.” Bill also comments “we
can go buy the product from anyone, we keep our business with All
American Co-op and Progressive Ag Center, LLC because they
provide the valuable relationship and service that we are looking
We are proud to have a strong cooperative relationship
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-3275 9
for.” Both Bill and Steve agree that the service the co-op provides
is where the value is!
Agronomy Manager Pete Collins appreciates the respect that the
Bailey Brothers have shown him and he comments that “Providing
service is what makes my job fun. If selling product alone is all that
I had to do, my job would be pretty dull. Working with growers like
Bill and Steve Bailey is what I come to work for every day. I take
pride in building strong relationships with our customers to help
them reach their goals.” The Bailey Brothers Farms recently updated
their planter, Steve says “Pete has been urging us to update for a few
year, and now that we have, I can see the decision is going to help
us do a better job with our crop production.” Adding new technology
such as Grid Sampling, Tissue Sampling, and Aerial Fungicide
Applications have shown to have a place in the overall farm
management plan for Bill and Steve. Bill comments that “the last
season’s fungicide application proved to be a positive choice. We
may not have seen it right away, but when we sat down with Pete
to analyze our farm data, it became very evident that this was
another tool that could help us improve our profitability.”
The Timber Acres are also an important segment of the Bailey
Brothers diversified farming operation. They were recently recognized
as the 2015 Minnesota
Tree Farm Family of the
Year. Bill adds that “this
is a very special honor
for the entire family. I
cannot recall when this
recognition has been
awarded to someone on
the southern part of the
state.” The family has
hosted annual field days,
farm tours, and education programs for DNR professionals. Bill
says “This is more than just tree management, it is about promoting
nature, conservation, water management, recreation, and overall
land stewardship. Our efforts to operate a no-till farm management
practice, along with pasture rotation, CRP programs, and other soil
conservation participation has improved our land quality the
past 30 years. The crop management practices that the Co-op
has supported us with,
has been a key piece
of that overall farm
management effort
that we feel very
strongly about. We are
proud to have a strong
cooperative that we
can have valuable
relationship with.”
“ Working with you”Progressive Ag Center, LLC
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-327510
Gary Suess, Precision Ag Specialist
[email protected] (507) 273-7043
The 2015 harvest season has wrapped up and,
in most cases, was one of the best ever. Great
yields and great harvest weather for the bulk of
the season combined to make a smooth harvest.
The fall soil sampling season has come to an end
as well. The great weather allowed us to get a lot
of sampling done in a timely manner. Interestingly,
as the soil test results came back, the reports were
showing a consistent trend of lower fertility levels. The main nutrients
showing up lower were both P and K. This trend was found
throughout our territory.
There are several factors influencing these lower P & K levels.
First, crop yields continue to increase each year. Not surprising, but
these higher yields result in higher nutrient removal which continues
to deplete soil reserves of nutrients. In the future, these extra nutrient
removals from continued higher yields need to be factored into
fertilizer recommendations to help replenish these soil nutrient levels.
Second, several economic factors are having an impact as well. Short-
term farm leases, low commodity prices, machinery payments, and
other financial obligations are just some of the elements that can
place limitations on fertility programs.
The main concern is whether we can continue to push corn and
soybean yields higher in the future if the trend of soil fertility levels
keeps sliding lower. There is
tremendous genetic potential
in the corn hybrids and
soybean varieties available,
however this genetic potential needs to be supported with a solid
agronomic foundation, starting with soil fertility. Low commodity
prices are a huge concern and have a direct impact on profitability
and can lead growers to cut back on some of their inputs. However,
keeping yields at high levels might be even more important in these
times than when commodity prices are high. Unfortunately, there is no
easy answer. Building a solid fertility plan to meet the needs of current
as well as future high yielding crops is a balance of agronomics vs.
economics. This winter would be a great time to re-evaluate your soil
fertility plan with your Progressive Ag Center agronomist to make sure
you meet your soil fertility needs and goals.
The consistent increase in yields we have been having the past
several years is definitely a positive thing, however, this also comes
with a price. Higher yields require higher amounts of fertilizer.
This is a cost that will need to be factored into future cropping
budgets to ensure we can continue to supply the nutrients to higher
yielding crops.
Finally, December is a special time of year that hopefully allows
you to spend time with family and friends. I hope everyone has
a wonderful Holiday Season and would like to wish everyone a
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Suess
Steve Yoch, Agronomist, Plainview
[email protected] (507) 951-8251
With the 2015 harvest wrapped up, it’s that
time of the year to start planning and discussing
options for the 2016 crop. We all deal with weeds,
but which herbicide options fit your operation best?
This article is about a new corn option in crop
protection products, and an existing corn product
that has added Sweet corn to its label.
Armezon® PRO Herbicide by BASF, is a
new herbicide pre mix for field and sweet corn
that has both post control of grasses and broadleaves & residual
control of small seeded broadleaves and grasses. It can be used on all
types of corn, from conventional, Liberty Link to Roundup Ready
corn. If spraying on Roundup Ready corn just add the Roundup
and likewise with Liberty. This product allows great flexibility with
adjuvants and post spraying timings. The big benefits of this product
are a low use rate (16-18oz/ac), it doesn’t take much moisture to
activate, and it is another tool to help manage tough to control weeds
like waterhemp and other glyphosate resistance weeds.
Verdict™ Herbicide is a pre-emerge corn herbicide we have
been using for the last couple years. It is effective on managing giant
ragweed, lambs quarters, waterhemp, grasses and other tough weeds.
Before the 2016 season, Verdict hasn’t been labeled for pre-emerge
use on sweet corn, but starting in 2016 we will be able to use Verdict
pre-plant thru pre-emergence in sweet corn…this will be a great tool
to help keep sweet corn fields cleaner longer.
Lastly, we have been looking at corn yield maps where growers
split a field with Headline Amp fungicide at tassel. We are currently
seeing yield bumps 4-6 bushel higher than normal. With the issues
we saw with Northern Corn leaf blight that hit our area hard last
August, we think the bigger bumps are coming from protecting the
corn plant from this disease. More info to come as we collect and
analyze these yield maps.
There is not a “one size fits all” in weed management. Spend
some time with your Agronomist this winter to weigh through
herbicide options in your operations. I would like to Thank You for
your business in the past and look forward to helping you navigate
through the 2016 road ahead. Have a Merry Christmas!
New Products to Consider for 2016
Yoch
Fertility Values Trending Lower
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-3275 11
Jon Schmitz, Agronomy Sales Manager
[email protected] (507) 434-0016
With the 2015 crop year in the books I think
it is safe to say that this is another year that will be
on many of our minds for some time to come. For
many of you it was the best soybean crop you
have ever had on your farms. For others, it was
also the best corn crop you have ever grown. This
wasn’t the case for everyone, but once again we
have had exceptional yields across SE Minnesota.
As we look back on the growing season, we
can pinpoint many of the management practices that played a role
in achieving the success we had this year. But like all years, the
sum of all of them ultimately determine how successful our year is
and how high our yields are. However, as I look at 2015 I believe
there are a couple things that definitely stand out more this year,
above other years.
Genetics-There is no doubt that certain genetics performed better
than others this year. You could visually see it in the field as we got
into August. White mold in soybeans was evident in those varieties
that were not as resistant as others and leaf diseases and stalk rots in
corn was evident as we progressed later into the season. As companies
continue to improve genetics and move new ones into the pipeline it is
evident that new genetics continue to outperform varieties that have
been in the marketplace for 4 or 5 years.
Fungicide Applications-Fungicide applications on both corn
and soybeans was a benefit this year. In corn, particularly, we could
see stark differences in plant health and yield as we moved through the
latter part of the growing season. As I stated above, genetics played a
key role in plant health, but protecting plant vigor and health this year
was critical on many susceptible varieties. Winfield’s answer plot trials
continue to get better in understanding the response to fungicide
applications with certain varieties. Be sure and ask us next year how
your DeKalb and Croplan hybrids may respond to a fungicide
application.
Fertility and Nitrogen Management-Because of the moisture
that Mother Nature threw at us this year, nitrogen management
played a big role in maximizing yield. More and more producers are
seeing the value in split applications of nitrogen, nitrogen stabilization,
and utilization of nitrogen management tools such as field view pro
to maximize their nitrogen inputs. Micronutrient applications during
critical times of plant growth and development also play a significant
role in maximizing a crops’ yield potential.
Mother Nature-I believe our environmental growing conditions
this year single handedly deserve most of the credit for the great year
we had. Was everything perfect...No, but when is it? Let’s start
with…at least we got the crop in the ground. What a difference two
years can make. Once planting was complete we had some very nice
timely rains, good soil moisture throughout the season, warm but not
hot temperatures, nice nights, and a phenomenal fall to get the crop
harvested.
Of course there are other factors that contributed to the success
of this year’s growing season. Some of these are different for each
grower. There are some things that we will continue to struggle with in
the future and the big one I see is the resistance issues we see in our
weed control programs. Glyphosate resistant waterhemp is becoming
more and more of a problem for many and it will be the weed that
defines much of what we do for our weed control programs in the
foreseeable future.
As we move into the Christmas season and I hear the rhetoric
on the radio and in the news about the political correctness of what
Christmas is to various people, I have to ask myself the same question
as the title of this article. “Who deserves the credit?” As far back as
I can remember and probably as far back as the oldest one of you can
remember the meaning of Christmas is, and should be, the celebration
of the birth of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. Nothing more and
nothing less. And for that, the Father of Christmas deserves the Credit.
In fact, He really deserves all the credit for the great year we had in
2015 as well.
“It is good to be children sometimes, and never better thanat Christmas when its mighty Founder was a child Himself”.~Charles Dickens
May you all have a very Merry Christmas!
Who deserves the credit?
Schmitz
WWeellccoommee NNeeww EEmmppllooyyeeeess
Marv Flatness
Agronomy & Grain Operations
St. Charles/ Stewartville
George Rodgers
Feed Mill Production Operator
Stewartville
Bruce Sween
Agronomy & Grain Operations
Stewartville
Chrissy Vrieze
Grain Accounting/ Admin Assistant
Stewartville
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-327512
Pete Collins, Agronomy Manager, Stewartville
[email protected] (507) 259-7469
Over the past 2 months there have been 3
questions that I get asked on a daily basis:
1. What are my production costs going to be
for next year
2. What are my break-even costs
3. What should I be paying for rent!!!!
The first two I can help with, the third question
is a little harder to answer.
Obviously, production costs vary from year
to year. Fertilizer prices have varied wildly in the past 7 to 8 years.
Labor, insurance and crop protection costs have been on the rise.
Herbicide programs for controlling some resistant weeds are
getting costlier.
To keep all of this in perspective, I have been using a Crop
Break-Even Worksheet, that has been passed around amongst our
staff for a couple of years now. This particular worksheet gives me an
easy-to-use spreadsheet to help customers make decisions about their
operations. It also gives some average equipment costs and costs that
we may overlook like interest on operating loans, crop insurance, soil
testing, lime, etc. It’s not meant to include every single thing, I feel
that it gives us a good overall view of what our break-even costs are.
I have included copy of the spreadsheet with this article or
you can download an interactive copy of the worksheet at
www.allamericancoop.com/break-even-calculator. By downloading
this worksheet you will be able to save your work and print; the
worksheet for your own use.
There are several other crop production cost calculators out there.
One of the more popular is from the University of Iowa Extension,
“Estimated Costs of production in Iowa-2015”. It can be found at:
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/html/a1-20.html.
Iowa State offers a very extensive list of different calculators for
different cropping situations including pasture. If you are looking
for a more in depth view, the Iowa State site has a lot to offer.
Using a calculator like one of these mentioned is a great tool for
growers to use to help get a picture of where their production costs are
going to be and what they need to do to meet break evens. These tools
are helpful when sitting down with lenders, partners, and landlords as
we begin to plan for the 2016 crop season.
That helps answer the first two questions that are being asked this
fall. Answering the land rent question is a little bit harder for me. Land
rents have been all over the place and everyone has their opinion
about where land rental rates should be. With individual variation in
operating expenses, it’s hard to give advice on what customers should
be paying/asking for land rent. It usually comes down to the farmers
thinking it’s too high and the landlords thinking it not enough. The
best advice I can offer is to take the time to sit down and go thru a
break-even worksheet for each farm you operate. This is the best tool
to have in your back pocket when you begin discussions about rental
contracts with your landlord. Understanding where your dollar is
being spent and planning for future investments is the most sensible
way to plan for long-term agreements that make sense.
I hope these calculators can give you a tool to use to figure
this question out.
The holiday season is upon us. I hope you take the time to reflect
on how blessed we are to have the people we care about in our lives
and spend time with family and friends. As always, I want to thank
you for your business and hope to meet and exceed your expectations
in the year to come.
Happy Holidays, Pete
3 Questions
Collins
Jared Tabor, Seed Specialist, Stewartville
[email protected] (507) 251-3914
It is that time of year again when we start
putting a plan together for next year’s cropping
season. This includes seed purchasing. We ask
ourselves a bunch of questions about which seed
products to use.
Questions farmers should consider include:
• Does the corn product include traits to protect
against the above- and below-ground pests in
my fields?
• Does the corn product offer multiple modes of action against
targeted pests?
• Will a single mode of action corn product require the use of a soil-
applied insecticide?
• Does the corn product require a separate refuge?
• What is the cost of planning, purchasing seed, and planting a
separate refuge?
• What is the cost of a potential yield reduction in the refuge acres?
• Is the corn seed protected with an effective seed treatment?
• What is the cost of any seed treatment that might be added to
the seed?
• Is the corn product approved for planting in the U.S. and does it
have import approvals in key export markets and China?
Yield potential is typically the primary characteristic for corn
product selection. Protecting yield potential with a combination of
cultural practices, pest control traits, and pesticides can be a challenge.
Farmers selecting corn products with above- and/or below-ground
Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) traits must also consider the effort, the
cost, and the benefits of establishing a required refuge. With an
effective insect resistance management (IRM) plan in place, farmers
can benefit from effective and consistent insect protection and the
yield potential offered by crops containing B.t. technologies.
Important Date to Keep in Mind:
Our next seed cutoff deadline is January 8, 2016. Contact your
local Seed Specialist/Sales Agronomist if you have any questions.
Merry Christmas!
I would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year.
Selecting Seed Products
Tabor
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-3275 13
Date: Crop:
Last years Average Yield
2 yrs ago Average Yield
3 yrs ago Average Yield
3 Year Total - divided by 3
Yield to Use for Calculation
Interest on Operating Loan
( A )
Range Average
$ 6.00-15.00 $9.50
$ 10.00-18.00 $13.70
$ 10.00-21.00 $16.00
$ 7.00-15.00 $10.20 Government Program/ acre
$ $ LDP _____ bu x $ = $ / acre
( B )
Range Average
$ 7.00-13.50 $11.10
$ 9.00-15.00 $11.90
$ 5.00-15.00 $8.75
$ 11.00-23.00 $15.30
$ 8.00-28.00 $14.60
$ 9.00-17.00 $13.20
$ 10.50-18.00 $13.75
$ 11.75-18.75 $14.80
$ 4.50.- 9.00 $6.70 Market Price x
$ 6.00-11.50 $8.60 Gross Income per Acre =
$ 20.00-36.00 $28.10 -
Net Income/acre =
$ 20.00-35.50 $27.10
divided by
.01-.12 0.034
divided by
( C )
Combining Soybeans
Storing Grain/bu/month
.35 acre
Application Cost (See Pre-emerge herbicide)
Plant Health/Fungicides and/or Insecticides
Stalk Chopper
Chisel Plow
Digger/Soil finisher
Rock picker
NH3 Applicator
No Till Planting
Planter with Attach
Planter without Attach
Drill Soybeans
Drill SB No-Till
Culivation
Combining Corn
0.044
0.145.10-.25
Drying Corn - Continous flow/ point
Average Yield (bushels)
Rotary Hoe (Roller)
$ 25.00-40.00 $31.80
Fall
OOTHER INCOME SOURCES
TTILLAGE/PLANTING/HARVESTING (Per acre cost)
IINCOME CALCULATIONS
Total ( D )
Ripper
Discing
Other
Other
Misc
Total
MMISC CROP INPUTS (Per acre cost)
YYIELD AVERAGES (bushels)
Starter Fertilizer & Micronutrients
Burndown Herbicides
or Pre-emerge Herbicides
Application Costs
Post-emerge Herbicides
CCROP BREAK-EVEN WORKSHEET
Rent
Grower Name:
Crop Insurance Cost
Land Cost/Taxes etc
Application Cost
Misc
Less 10%
Total
Application Cost
Seed Cost
Seed Treatments
Insecticides
Fertilizer NPK & Micronutrients
Total
CCROP INPUTS (Per acre cost)
20 acre average size
Lime
.05 -.15 0.083
.034-.06
Market Price
Market Price for
Break-Even
Note: This worksheet is meant to be a planning resource tool.
Spring
Total Expenses
Total
TOTAL EXPENSES
Misc
Haul to Dryer/Town 5
miles - 1 way
Total Expenses
Bushels for Break-
Even
EXPENSES EQUALS A+B+C+D
Total
equals =
equals =
Soil Testing
Haul to Market 25 miles - 1 way
Combining Corn with Chopper Head
Total Expenses
Yield (bushels)
www.allamericancoop.com/break-even-calculator
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-327514
“ Working with you”
STEWARTVILLE – ELGIN – CHATFIELD – EYOTA
VIOLA – PLAINVIEW – ST. CHARLES – KELLOGG
2016 Scholarship Eligibility
College Scholarships Available• Scholarship applications open to students enrolled as first or second-year students at an accredited
two or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school.
• Student must be majoring in an Ag-related field of study.
• Scholarship may be awarded to a student two consecutive years. Student must apply each year.
• Scholarship will be paid directly to the student upon presenting proof that first semester studies have
been completed with a 3.0 GPA average or better (based on a 4.0 GPA), along with proof of enrollment
for a second semester.
• A complete application should include
• Scholarship Application Form
• Current Copy of Transcript
Please include a clear explanation
of the school’s grading scale
• Student Appraisal
• Student Essay
Submit Applications to: Or Email To: [email protected]
All American Co-op
Attn: Scholarship Selection Committee
PO Box 125
Stewartville, MN 55976
Application deadline of March 15th. Download Scholarship Eligibility and
Application Forms at
www.allamericancoop.com/scholarship
Stewartville 533-4222 • Elgin 876-2222 • Chatfield 867-4710 • St. Charles 932-4732 • Plainview 534-3147Seasonal Locations: Eyota 545-2921 • Viola 876-2263 • Kellogg 767-3275 15
Gary Quam, Agronomist, St. Charles
[email protected] (218) 689-0947
We made it through the 2015 growing season.
When I was asked to write an article for this issue
of the Cooperative Link, I had a difficult time
finding an ideal agronomy related topic. So, I
ultimately decided to tell you a story, a hunting
story to be exact. I promise that I will be able
to make it relate to agronomy in the end.
Let me take you back to the fall of 2010.
I had big hopes for the upcoming hunting season. I
love deer and bear hunting, and I take advantage of every chance I get
to sit out in the peace and quiet of nature. It started with bear hunting.
I had baits out and trail cameras set. Everything was looking great, and
the baits were being visited by a few bear. While checking the cameras
one night, I was lucky enough to have black bear and the biggest eight
point buck I have ever had on film. So, this made me very optimistic
of the upcoming bear and deer season.
The first afternoon in the bear stand was successful, I bagged
my very first black bear…what a rush!!! Now, I had to wait for deer
season to begin. This was the longest two weeks of anticipation.
Once the season arrived, I decided that I must spend a lot of time in
the stand if I was going to have a chance on this buck. I sat and sat
through bow season hoping for this buck to make a mistake and cross
in front of my stand…no luck. I sat through firearms season waiting
and hoping he would show his face, but no luck. Up to this point I
had been in the woods for close to 200 hours; I was beginning to lose
hope. I was confused as to why bear season was so easy and why I
had success right away. Well, I did not let this get me down. I still had
muzzleloader season and late bow season to attempt to bag this buck.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I still only had the one and only picture of
this deer from back in August, and it is now almost Thanksgiving.
I needed a break from sitting and patiently waiting. So, I decided
to enjoy the holiday weekend with my family. When Monday rolled
around, I was going to get back in the woods. Up to this point, I had
not taken a day off. Many thoughts went through my head over the
long weekend; he showed up when I was not
there…Did I miss my one opportunity…Maybe
someone else shot him? I was driving myself
crazy, I had to get back out into the woods.
Monday morning rolled around and I had
“buck on the brain”. I went out to my stand
carrying my muzzleloader, which up till now, I had
only shot one deer with. That night it snowed. It
snowed 8 to 10 inches, which meant that I had to
plow snow on Tuesday. The snow plowing
consumed most of my day, and with only 40
minutes of legal hunting left in the day, I thought it
was worth a shot. I went to the stand in the same
clothes I wore all day and just put on my orange and
grabbed my gun. I no more than got myself situated
in the stand and out he came, running from the tree
line. I did not have much time and he was at a bad
angle, so I had to stand up to make the shot.
BANG!!! When the smoke cleared, I wondered if I
missed, is it still running, do I need to reload, or did I even hit him.
I had to wait. It seemed like an eternity. Wouldn’t you know it, I
made a great shot. He was lying there in the corn stalks. YES!!!
This day I was at the right place and the right time. The hunt on
that Tuesday was only 20 minutes long and I shot the elusive
whitetail buck that I had been waiting for all season. Could I have
been more prepared? Should I have gone to the range to shoot my
gun? It didn’t matter on this Tuesday evening because I had a
luck on my side. However, I put in the time and I felt I earned
this one.
Hunting is similar to farming. A person should not expect more
than what he or she puts in. Sure, I could have only sat in the stand
that one Tuesday evening and shot that buck, but it would have been
pure luck. Should I, as a hunter, expect it year after year? NO. Since I
put in the time and effort, I was able to appreciate it more. So, how is
that any different than farming? You can get lucky one year, but you
definitely will not get lucky every year. All I can say is, put in the
time and effort, and there can be a “trophy buck” by the end of the
season. Be patient and make wise agronomy decisions and they can
pay off year after year. Do not take a break from fertilizing one year
and expect the same results. Do not cut corners when selecting your
seed. Also, you must not take your weed protection for granted. You
must continue with your efforts so you can expect reasonable results.
Some years your efforts will be rewarded with a “buck” of a lifetime,
but other years you will need to be comfortable with knowing you
did everything possible for success. Please don’t expect a positive
outcome without putting in the energy. Happy hunting and farming.
All American Co-op Progressive Ag Center has the resources to
prepare you for next year’s “hunt.” We have the fertilizer, the seed,
and the chemical to make the 2016 growing season worthwhile
and profitable. Don’t forget that we have the option to prepay your
fertilizer, seed, and chemical for next year. Our agronomy team is
here to help you with questions and concerns as you are preparing
for next season. By using us as a tool for success, you will be taking
steps down the deer trail in the right direction.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas season!
Begin to prepare now for the 2016 Hunt!
Quam
PRESORTEDSTANDARD
U.S. POSTAGEP A I D
Austin, MNPermit No. 32
P.O. Box 125Stewartville, MN 55976
Change Service Requested
ALL AMERICANCO-OP
All American Co-op &
Progressive Ag Center
Holiday HoursThursday, December 24th
All Locations Closing at Noon
No Feed Deliveries will be scheduledfor Christmas Eve.
Please have all holiday feed ordersplaced well in advance.
ALL LOCATIONS WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL MONDAY, DECEMBER 28THFriday, December 25th All Locations Closed
Thursday, December 31st All Locations Open Regular Business Hours
Friday, January 1st All Locations Closed
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year “ Working with you”Progressive Ag Center, LLC
Wishing you every happiness at this mostbeautiful of seasons and peace in the year to come.
All American Co-op and Progressive Ag Center