Reaping What You Sow Sell It or Store It? Trebelhorn Joins UFC

Fieldviews
FALL 2015 EDITION
Reaping What
You Sow
Page 2
Sell It or
Store It?
Trebelhorn
Joins UFC
Page 10
Page 14
Making a Wish
Come True
Page 21
P E O P L E
•
P R I D E
•
P U R P O S E
100th Anniversary Celebration on Aug. 21, 2015 at Winthrop!
REAPING WHAT YOU SOW:
THE BEAUTY OF WORKING THE PLAN
To view our commemorative
“Celebrating 100 Years” video, check
out: www.ufcmn.com/youtube
As you read this issue of Fieldviews, we’re eagerly anticipating
what may be the best crop many of us can remember.
A
t United Farmers Cooperative, we’re planning
to assist you in reaping the fruits of your labor,
just as we have done for generations in Central
Minnesota.
Before speaking of harvest preparations, I
want to personally thank everyone who attended UFC’s
100th Anniversary Celebration Picnic on Aug. 21. Besides
being a wonderful night of fun, fellowship, and music, this
event offered all of us the opportunity to reflect on what
has been built by many generations of dedicated members,
employees, and communities.
A special thanks to the UFC board and employee team
for their year-long efforts preparing this gala festivity.
Thank you, as well, to our friends, neighbors, and business
partners who assisted in staging this extraordinary event.
Most importantly, I thank you, our member-owners, for making this historic celebration
possible. UFC is a cooperative and nothing in
a cooperative happens without the
commitment of its members.
Congratulations,
Jeff Nielsen
General Manager/CEO
IN OUR SEARCH FOR WAYS TO PUSH EVERY ACRE TO ITS LIMITS,
THE ONLY THING WE HAVEN’T FOUND ARE THE LIMITS.
With pinpoint data from our revolutionary R7® Tool and worlds of expertise, we can help your yields and operation soar. By
combining Answer Plot® data from over 200 sites with the latest satellite technology, we can help match the perfect CROPLAN®
seed to every acre. The results are 360 degrees of smart, personalized solutions with big returns. To find a WinField retailer, go
to winfield.com
©2015 Winfield Solutions, LLC. Be Greater is a trademark and Answer Plot, CROPLAN, R7 and WinField are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.
UFC DIRECTORY
AgQuest Finance—507-647-6606 Ext. 6749
Bird Island Elevator—320-365-4012
Brownton Shuttle—320-328-4002
Cologne Feed Mill—952-466-5518
Corporate Office—507-647-6600
Gaylord Ag Center—507-237-4203
Gaylord C-Store—507-237-2281
Gibbon C-Store—507-834-6615
Grain Marketing—507-647-6601
Green Isle C-Store—507-326-5866
Hamburg Ag Center—952-467-3111
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Hector Ag Center—320-848-2296
The 2015 Corn and Soybean Harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Klossner Elevator—507-359-4519
Our New VP of Consumer Goods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5
Klossner Livestock Service Center—507-359-2970
Revolving Profits To Change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5
Klossner Station—507-359-4503
Lafayette Ag Center—507-228-8224
Your Fall Tasks Roundup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8
Lafayette C-Store—507-228-8364
Improvements at Cologne Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9
Lafayette Elevator—507-228-8221
Sell It or Store It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10
Lafayette Seed Shed—507-228-8669
Spotlight: Norseland Ag Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13
New Germany C-Store—952-353-2601
Providing the Value You Expect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13
Norseland Ag Center—507-246-5300
Trebelhorn & Associates Joins UFC. . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14
UFC Farm Supply-Burnsville—952-890-5296
Help Us Help You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18
UFC Farm Supply-LeSueur—507-665-6421
UFC Farm Supply-Maple Plain—763-479-2123
Replace the P&K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19
UFC Farm Supply-Waconia—952-442-2126
Order Early for Best Price. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19
Waconia Energy Office—952-442-2126
Questions Answered on Co-op Cash Card . . . . . . . . Page 20
Winthrop C-Store—507-647-5931
Making a Wish Come True. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21
Winthrop Chemical Warehouse—507-647-6615
2015 Scholarship Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22
Winthrop Elevator—507-647-5311
Harvest Grain Policies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 23
Winthrop Energy Office—507-647-6602
©2015 United Farmers Cooperative. All Rights Reserved. Published in partnership with VistaComm
®
(www.VistaComm.com).
3
The 2015 Corn and Soybean Harvest...and Beyond
By Jeff Nielsen, General Manager/CEO
I
’m thankful for the investment UFC has made in a
grain-handling system. We’ve believed for years that
technology, hard work, and cooperation would combine
to produce a crop like this. Now, with our facilities and
people in place, we’re ready to take your grain.
There will be challenges, however. A combination of market dynamics and local demand has us going into harvest
with a larger amount of old-crop corn. In the past decade,
UFC has added storage capable of holding in excess of 17
million bushels. We anticipate needing every inch of that
space this fall.
Our grain team has been working diligently with
local, national, and global markets to ensure our
elevator lanes are kept open. Still, unfavorable weather conditions, freight delays,
and unknown obstacles may present
themselves.
You can help by communicating your
needs early and often so we can schedule more trains, plan more piles, and
do everything in our power to make
room for your grain.
We also anticipate some drying
demand, and UFC is ready for that as
well. Our onsite dryer capacity exceeds
25,000 bushels per hour, and our experienced dryer service team is geared up to serve
you.
We’re ready to go and looking forward to assisting you in
reaping a bountiful harvest.
Start planning for next year’s crop
Fall also brings the opportunity to purchase seed and lay
the foundation for next year’s crop with fertilizer and precision technology systems to give you the best chance for
another bumper crop.
As your planting speed increases, our need to collaborate
accelerates as well. We’ve worked hard to understand what
can be done in the fall to take pressure off you—and your
agronomy team—in the spring.
Schedule a meeting with your UFC sales agronomist to
begin planning for next year’s crop. Ideally, your planning
process should begin before the 2015 crop comes off.
Taking consumer goods to a new level
I want to announce some exciting news about changes
being made in our consumer goods business, with stores
at Burnsville, Maple Plain, and Waconia. Thanks to the
hardworking teams at these UFC farm supply locations and to the support of our retail customers,
the consumer goods division continues to
grow.
This growth and opportunities before
us led to the decision to acquire additional talent capable of taking consumer
goods to the next level.
On page 3, you will meet Steve
Spears, who began his career with UFC
on Sept.1, 2015, as our new vice president
of consumer goods. Steve brings over 20
years of leadership experience to this UFC
division and is already making a difference.
Successful year completed
On Aug. 31, 2015, UFC closed its 100th year of business.
While it was not a record year overall, it was still a profitable one. Many of our individual business units experienced
record volumes, sales, and profits despite last year’s crop
being down nearly 40%, which resulted in decreased opportunities in grain and energy.
We look forward to sharing the results at our annual
stockholders meeting Monday night, Jan. 11, 2016.
Right now, the most important thing is focusing on the
task before us. Get the rest you need and stay safe, so you
can enjoy the fruits of your labor this harvest season. ●
Delivering grain to
the Winthrop Elevator.
4
www.ufcmn.com - EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN BUSINESS
Our New Vice President of Consumer Goods
M
operational efficiency, and positioning
y name is Steve Spears,
my team to deliver a memorable shopand I am passionate
about retail! With more
ping experience.
than 20 years of leaderHowever, I have also spent the last
five years developing my strategic
ship experience on the
planning side. I created programs and
selling floor, I know what success looks
made decisions that impacted the
like—a clean and inviting showroom,
organization in a leadership role at
unique products that provide extraordinary value, and an engaged
team of knowledgeable associates creating relationships
with our customers. I plan
to bring this same customer experience to UFC Farm
Supply as your new vice president of consumer goods.
I have spent the last 22
years of my career working for Northern Tool +
Equipment Company, a niche
retailer based in Burnsville,
MN. Most of my time with
Northern Tool has been in a
store leadership role: selecting and developing talent,
Left to right: Andrew, Christine, Sara, and Steve Spears.
maintaining high levels of
Northern Tool’s world headquarters.
This blend of high performance field
leadership and strategic vision is what I
will bring to my role with the UFC Farm
Supply retail stores.
I have been married to my beautiful
wife, Christine, for 18 years, and we
currently live in Hugo, MN. Together
we have two great kids:
Andrew (14) and Sara (12).
They keep us very busy with
sports, music, and school
activities. Some of the things
we enjoy doing together is
travel, spending time at the
lake, and supporting our
favorite team—the Vikings!
The UFC story is a great
one—a 100-year-old company with hardworking employees dedicated to service and
assisting the community. I
am proud to be part of the
next chapter. ●
Revolving Profits to Change
By Jeff Franta, UFC Board Chairman
Wow! Celebrating 100 years of cooperative business is quite a
pleasing accomplishment. It is the collective hard work and discipline
of many through the years who have brought us to this point in our history, along with the continued loyalty of our members and patrons.
T
he cooperative mergers of our most recent past,
individually, do not have roots that go as deep as
100 years. However, the roots of those businesses,
no matter when they started, are definitely feeding the collective success UFC is today. I consider
each one of them a surviving cooperative business. Their equity and service to their members have been
preserved and protected.
The competitive landscape in which all farm supply
cooperatives operate continues to change and evolve at an
accelerated rate. We live in one of the few remaining areas
where we can still choose to do business with a variety of
cooperatives. Whether we like it or not, this will adjust with
the changing rules of our economic playing field. Many local
cooperatives aggressively compete against each other on
thin margins, while private companies use economies of scale
to gain market share on a regional level.
The regional level is where the real competition has
moved. In order to remain profitable and protect our members’ investments, we must be a player on this level. UFC
is focused on this trend and is committed to being here for
another 100 years!
Volatility in agriculture has become the new norm,
increasing the need for access to more capital. During this
centennial year, your board of directors has wrestled with
what we need to do to be here 100 years from now. We have
decided to move from a traditional way of revolving profits
back to you, the members. In the future, we will take a more
balanced approach that reflects capital needs and long-term
sustainability. Expect to see adjustments.
As always, the board encourages your questions and input
on all matters concerning UFC. ●
EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN THE BOARDROOM - 5
IN OUR SEARCH FOR WAYS TO
PUSH EVERY ACRE TO ITS LIMITS,
THE ONLY THING WE HAVEN’T
FOUND ARE THE LIMITS.
On today’s farm, knowledge is vital. WinField offers retailers a wealth of insights to help
farmers make the right decisions at every step. By combining Answer Plot data from
nearly 200 sites with local expertise and the latest satellite technology, we can help
®
match the perfect CROPLAN seed to every acre. The results are 360 degrees of smart,
personalized answers farmers can count on for big returns. Learn how you can help
farmers push every acre to new heights at winfield.com
®
Answer Plot, Be Greater, CROPLAN and WinField are registered trademarks of Winfield Solutions, LLC.
© 2015 Winfield Solutions, LLC
EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN THE BOARDROOM - 7
Your
Fall Tasks
Roundup
By Vince Sloot, AgQuest Business Relationship Manager/Crop Insurance Specialist
1. Holding any old crop into harvest? Regardless if you have
claims this fall, do not commingle old and new without getting the old crop measured.
2. Any potential for crop insurance claims? If you have any
doubt, turn it in.
3. While you currently work on finalizing breakevens on your 2015
crop and choosing marketing targets, the 2016 crop is already
staring at us. Get started sooner versus later on your operating loan renewal to ensure that any obstacles—perceived or
real—are addressed. Negative cash flows will put the squeeze
on some balance sheets and may hinder your ability to prepay. Don’t wait to address this. Tighter margins need sharper
pencils and having to say “no” to some things. If restructure is
needed or you simply are looking for the best way to manage
tax liability, get the ball rolling by evaluating your options.
Cash preservation is vital for the foreseeable future.
4. Crop insurance continues to be one of the most utilized risk
management tools and is very cost effective, especially when
it directly correlates to your marketing and finance needs.
Stop by for a no-obligation review.
5. 2016 rent: Both sides want to “win” and that may differ with
each landlord. If you both strive for a long-term relationship,
it will require an investment in time and education. Has
your landlord ever toured the fields in your combine or
grain cart? Seek to understand and then to be understood.
Be bold and help them see the value in working with you.
Without that, it may simply be a bidding contest.
6. After an accident is not the time to find out your liability or
property coverage was not up to par. Schedule a quick preharvest review.
7. Ag economics roll on, even while you are knee deep in harvest. Take advantage of a text or phone call and lean on your
trusted advisors in finance, insurance, agronomy, grain, feed,
farm equipment, energy, etc. to keep you rolling. AgQuest
and UFC have you covered.
8. Lastly, exercise SAFETY this fall and give thanks! ●
For more information on the risk management tools available to
you, contact UFC’s AgQuest team: Vince Sloot at 507-995-9029,
Tim Lewis at 612-758-2903, or Dawn Wickenhauser at 507-647-6606
x 6749. You may also email us at vsloot@agquest.net, tlewis@
agquest.net, and dwickenhauser@agquest.net, or visit us online at
www.agquest.net.
Supporting Your Equipment During Harvest
By Tyler Zollner, Farm Equipment Product Sales Manager
H
arvest season is upon us, and we know how
important it is for you to be up and running
full force. Thanks to you, our business is
growing, and we’re staffing our facilities with
skilled team members to help meet your
expanding needs.
Equipment: We have rental machinery available such as
grain carts, and tillage equipment at our Gaylord, Lafayette,
and Waconia locations to help you get the job done.
Service: To help accommodate your needs, we have
in-house and on-farm service technicians to help keep
your machinery and systems running. Our leg crew and
dryer technicians are on hand to help with any repairs
or breakdowns to your grain handling systems. Our tire
department dispatches two on-farm tire service trucks
out of our Lafayette Ag Center to all corners of UFC’s
trade territory. We have additional technicians in our
shops for in-season repairs as well.
8
www.ufcmn.com
Parts: We have a fully stocked parts department that
includes tillage and grain handling parts.
We do our best to make UFC a one stop shop for all
your fall needs. Have a happy and safe harvest. ●
Our tire technician John Hamilton installs new
tires on Dale Messerli’s combine on-site.
Demco grain carts, available at our
Lafayette Ag Center, have some of the
industry’s best auger visibility.
We had great local
attendance at our
open house at the
Cologne Mill held
Aug. 13. Patrons
and community
members were able
to view the Phase I
improvements.
Public Views Improvements at Cologne Mill
By Steve LeBrun, Vice President of Feed
I
n August, United Farmers Cooperative held an open
house at our Cologne Feed Mill to introduce the
newly remodeled site.
Phase I: During the summer of 2014, UFC purchased two properties along Highway 284, directly in front of the
Cologne Feed Mill. Tearing down the buildings on these properties
allowed us space to install a new truck scale to replace the mill’s old
scale, which was not long enough to weigh semi-trailers and large farm
wagons. It also created access to the new scale and to the entire site
directly from a major highway rather than from a side street. This has
improved traffic flow for incoming and outgoing vehicles.
Commenting on the improved view of the mill from the highway,
one local said, “I didn’t even know you were here!”
We also built a 32’ x 50’ addition onto the existing mill office to
provide more working space, and we updated the older section of
the building to meet current building codes. The addition gives our
customers better access to the mill’s office area and includes a parking
lot and a small retail space for display of various products we offer for
sale.
Phase I: Mill manager Ron Kelzer
in front of new scale and office
addition at Cologne.
Phase II: Digging foundations for a
new leg and dump pit at the mill.
Still to be done
Starting August 2015, Phase II of the Cologne Mill project got
underway. This construction includes a new and faster dump pit for
grain and ingredients coming into the mill along with overhead bins
and spouts to facilitate quicker loadout of corn and beans. The new
arrangement will allow us to dump grain at the same time we’re loading feed trucks with finished feed in the existing driveway.
A new double roller mill will be installed, replacing the old hammer
mill currently in use. The new mill will process corn at a much more
consistent particle size while saving energy costs and tripling the grinding capacity of the facility.
Construction activity may affect receiving at harvest, but you should
still be able to dump grain at the mill. We anticipate Phase II to be
complete in early 2016.
All of these improvements are being made to advance services for
our patrons and the surrounding community. We encourage you to
visit the Cologne Mill if you are in the area. Mill manager Ron Kelzer
and his employees will be glad to show you around. ●
9
CORN & SOYBEANS
Sell It or Store It?
By Marc Peterson, Director of UFC’s Risk Management Department
When it comes to the management of storage bins,
the market will tell you what to do.
L
As you can see, the market is paying a
Let me start by saying this statement does not mean
higher price for both corn and soybeans into
you don’t own any given amount of this year’s producthe summer. However, when comparing the
tion. What it does mean is that you could own as least
amounts the market is offering, it is substansome of the crop on paper, instead of in the bin. Ok,
I can just hear the outcry now. “That darn broker and
tially more for corn than soybeans. Keep in
those options and futures; you’ll never catch me doing that!”
mind these values can, and probably will,
As always, my response is “whether you own it in the bin
change by harvest time.
or on paper, the risk is the same.”
If there is a decision to be
As I write this article mid-August,
made whether to store corn or
the future’s market is making it very
soybeans, the market is suggestclear as to what it thinks you should
ing you fill your bins with corn.
November: 8.79
December: 3.75
do. This discussion revolves around
Please understand that this
January: 8.83
March: 3.86
the marketing fundamental of
does mean you don’t own soy March: 8.85
May: 3.93
understanding and using the “carry
beans. It just says it could be a
May:
8.88
July: 3.97
in the market” to help make storage
good marketing decision to use
July: 8.91
decisions.
one of the many ownership alter
As of August, 2015
The Chicago Board of Trade is
natives available through various
not called the “futures market” for
elevator sales contracts, futures,
nothing. At any given time, you can see what the market is
and/or options to benefit from a higher market.
willing to pay for corn, beans, or wheat as much as three years
The UFC grain department is continually offering educain the future. For the sake of this discussion, we are only looktional marketing meetings and seminars for you to learn how
to use this and many other fundamentals of grain marketing.
ing out to next summer.
We encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities
When it comes to stored grain, you want to see a grain
when they are offered at a location in your area.
market that has a “carry.” In other words, the market is willing
As always there can be lots of ways to “skin a cat.” Stop in
to pay you a higher price in the future if you fill the bin at haror call the UFC office in your area to discuss this or any other
vest and sell later in the marketing year.
aspects of your marketing program. ●
Above is how the futures markets for corn and soybeans
are aligned as of the close of trade on Aug. 27.
SOYBEANS
CORN
DISCLAIMER
10
This material has been prepared by a sales or trading employee or agent of MPT Brokerage Services and is, or is in the
nature of, a solicitation. This material is not a research report
prepared by MPT Brokerage Services. By accepting this communication, you agree that you are an experienced user of
the futures markets, capable of making independent trading
decisions, and agree that you are not, and will not, rely solely
on this communication in making trading decisions.
POSSESSION OF THIS COMMUNICATION INDIRECTLY
SHOULD INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT AND OBSERVE ANY
SUCH PROHIBITION OR RESTRICTIONS TO THE EXTENT
THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS COMMUNICATION
INDIRECTLY AND SOLICITATIONS ARE PROHIBITED IN
YOUR JURISDICTION WITHOUT REGISTRATION. THE
MARKET COMMENTARY IN THIS COMMUNICATION
SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A SOLICITATION.
DISTRIBUTION IN SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY BE
PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. PERSONS IN
The risk of loss in trading futures and/or options is substantial
and each investor and/or trader must consider whether this
is a suitable investment. Past performance, whether actual
or indicated by simulated historical tests of strategies, is not
indicative of future results. Trading advice is based on information taken from trades and statistical services and other
sources that MPT Brokerage Services believes are reliable.
We do not guarantee that such information is accurate or
complete and it should not be relied upon as such. Trading
advice reflects our good faith judgement at a specific time
and is subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that the advice we give will result in profitable trades.
www.ufcmn.com - EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN GRAIN MARKETING
Farming is not a Job,
it is a Way of Life....
With AgQuest, UFC can go beyond seed, fertility and crop protection products and help secure financing, crop insurance and
farm insurance. It’s just another way that UFC can offer you the freedom to prosper, the confidence to grow.
Let us help you customize your finance and insurance plans to fit your farm operation.
Vince Sloot,
Finance / Crop Ins.
cell 507-995-9029
vsloot@agquest.net
www.agquest.net
www.ufcmn.com
705 E. 4th St., Winthrop
Together... We Find The Way!
Tim Lewis,
Property & Casualty Ins.
cell 612-756-2903
tlewis@agquest.net
www.agquest.net
AgQuest Insurance Agency is an Equal Opportunity Provider.
The perfect match
for your field
Finding a perfectly
matched seed
for your field is a big task.
One that CROPLAN® takes seriously.
Selected from the widest array of
traits and genetics available and
grown under a diverse range of
variables, CROPLAN® seed corn
allows farmers to make decisions
based on real, local results rather than
big promises. It’s how we outgrow the
competition, year after year, bushel
after bushel. Visit croplan.com for
more information.
CROPLAN and WinField are registered trademarks of Winfield
Solutions, LLC. © 2015 Winfield Solutions, LLC
MAXIMIZE FRESH COW PERFORMANCE WITH HYDRO-LAC®
The post-calving state in a cow’s life is critical. Hydro-Lac
is a year-around tool to help fresh cows:
• Replenish lost fluids
• Heal tissues damaged in the calving event
• Return to positive energy balance
Fresh cows fed Hydro-Lac 14-30 days post-calving
showed a 900+ lb. Fresh ME improvement on average, a
potential 5:1 Return on Investment*!
*Kohls, et. al. 2015 17-Herd Fresh Cow Field Demonstration Summary
“Intakes are improved after calving from what we were doing in our previous program.
Fresh pen milk production is up and Hydro-Lac is the only thing that we are doing
different.” - John Warren, Dairy Producer
Contact your UFC representative for more information about adding Form-A-Feed’s Hydro-Lac to your feeding program!
740 Bowman Street • Stewart, MN 55385
800.422.3649 • www.formafeed.com
LOCATION SPOTLIGHT—NORSELAND AG CENTER
Small Town - Big Convenience
By Andy Berdan, Norseland Location Manager
F
“We don’t keep huge
rom the humble begininventories in Norseland,
nings as a creamery, the
but can bring in just
Norseland Ag Center has
about anything you
evolved into an agronomy,
need for your convenience,” says locafeed, and equipment location for United Farmers Cooperative.
tion manager Andy Berdan, adding that
The business was part of Tri Ag
sales agronomist Bob Wilkinson offices
Co-op which was purchased by UFC
at Norseland, but all custom spraying
in the late `80s. UFC built a new ag
and spreading is dispatched out of
center in 1993. Today, it serves as
Winthrop.
a one-stop shop for agriculture proDespite the fact much of what they
order comes from other UFC locations,
ducers in Nicollet County to pick up
the yard of the Ag Center is often busbagged feed or place an equipment
order—to be delivered to Norseland
tling with customers, even in the middle
Customer Steve Havemeier picks up
from UFC’s Gaylord, Hector, or
of the afternoon. “People around here
wood chips for bedding.
Lafayette Ag Centers. Norseland also
like the convenience factor,” says Andy.
offers a well-equipped repair shop for
“They like that they don’t have to drive
farmers and non-farm residents to have vehicles and lawn
30 to 40 miles to get to a tire shop.
mowers worked on.
“We’re obviously not one of UFC’s bigger locations,”
Anhydrous is the big fertilizer mover at Norseland Ag
he continues, emphasizing the connectedness between
Center, which also handles liquid starter fertilizers and a small
Norseland and the rest of the cooperative. “But we’re able
inventory of chemicals.
to get our customers everything they need.” ●
Providing the Value You Expect
UFC master agronomy advisor Ryan Ponwith
and DEKALB® Asgrow® representative Beth
Schabert address customers at a plot day
south of Winthrop.
By Greg Peton, Executive Vice President of Sales
T
hroughout the harvest and
fall fieldwork season, our
sales team will work with
you in the field, on the farm,
and at the co-op to provide
the value you expect from this customer-owned company. While UFC remains
open to strategic acquisitions, like the
one announced on pages 14-15, our
primary emphasis is organic growth.
To accomplish this, we’re adopting
tools to help our sales people become
more efficient, prioritize their time, and
follow up with you on information you
requested. For instance, we’ve recently
acquired customer relationship management software called FOCUS.
Developed by our agronomic partner WinField Solutions, FOCUS will
enable our sales people to become
more efficient and effective by providing timely communication. FOCUS will
insure your needs are not overlooked
due to a lost message or the press of
business. It will capture pertinent contact information and replicate that information throughout our system—ensuring that the correct UFC representative
is able to provide a solution for your
needs.
We continue to work with each individual member of our sales team in product
training, program development, and basic
skills. UFC is actively involved in identifying
individual skill sets necessary for our sales
team to improve their communication,
presentation, and professionalism in the
marketplace.
We expect you, our customers, to
provide us with additional insights or
ideas for products and services important to your operation. It may be something we offer you are not receiving, or
it may be a business we should consider developing. As I said earlier, we want
to provide the value you expect.
Our abilities to anticipate needs and
produce solutions will contribute to
your success and the success of your
cooperative as we begin our next 100
years. ●
EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN SALES - 13
Trebelhorn & Associates Joins UFC
On Sept. 14, United Farmers Cooperative acquired Winthrop-based Trebelhorn &
Associates, a third-generation bulk petroleum business with retail ag and heating customers
within UFC’s market area. Trebelhorn also has wholesale customers in the Twin Cities
metro as well as around southern Minnesota in areas such as Albert Lea and Red Wing.
O
n that first day, Trebelhorn’s office staff immediately moved to UFC’s Energy Division on the
east side of town along State Highway 19. If you
were a customer of Trebelhorn & Associates,
you’ll see little change in the early stages of this
union. You’ll call the same phone numbers, place orders with
the same people, and see the same staff deliver your orders.
It should be seamless. The biggest difference will be your
billing, which will come from UFC.
This acquisition is a result of discussions between
Trebelhorn & Associates and UFC on how the two companies
might collaborate to more efficiently use their transports in
the rapidly changing energy business.
In the course of these discussions, Trebelhorn and UFC
realized their values and responses to challenges were very
similar. “It became clear there was a good potential fit here,”
says company spokesperson Scott Trebelhorn.
“UFC employs the same kind of people with the same
desire to do things that create energy and value for the customer that has driven me in the past,” adds Scott, who will
take charge of the cooperative’s wholesale and transportation operations and sales.
“Things are changing rapidly in the energy business and
those companies with the most tools in their toolbox are
going to be the survivors,” Scott continues. “They will be
the ones able to deliver service, products, and value to their
customers.”
The people, fleets, and experience of 100-year-old UFC
and 78-year-old Trebelhorn & Associates will move the
combined organization to the next level, according to Darv
Turbes, vice president of energy for UFC. “Consolidating our
employees, equipment, and purchasing power gives us the
opportunity to expand our wholesale business beyond what
each company brought to this union,” states Darv.
History of the company
Trebelhorn & Associates began in 1938 when Scott’s
grandfather, Otto Trebelhorn, went to work as a commissioned agent and employee of Standard Oil. “My grandfather started this company unloading kerosene from railcars in
five-gallon cans,” says Scott. “His work ethic, generosity to
his colleagues, and caring service to his customers is his legacy to our company today.”
Scott’s father, Bob, an electrical engineer in the Twin
Cities, took over the company in the early 1970s when Otto
decided to embark on a second career as a preacher. A
short time after, Bob moved back to Winthrop and Standard
Oil changed its name to Amoco and sold their trucks and
tanks to employees who became independent businessmen
referred to as jobbers. The third generation assumed a leadership role in the business in 1993, when Scott moved back
to Winthrop from Rochester, where he had been leasing an
Amoco service station.
14
Company founder Otto Trebelhorn, on the job in 1942.
“Winthrop had been my home practically all of my life,”
Scott states. “I got to know just about everybody in town
from delivering newspapers and pumping gas in my early
years.”
Trebelhorn & Associates owned and operated a service
station in Winthrop until the early 1990s and a convenience
store in New Ulm until 2004 when the family decided to
focus more on the wholesale side of their business.
Today, the company operates as a wholesale supplier to
service stations and c-stores primarily in the Twin Cities area.
“We’ve continued to grow this business and work more with
bigger companies and industrial-type users, while continuing
to support the local farm trade that has been our bread and
butter,” says Scott.
This family-owned company has progressed from the early
days of a couple-hundred-gallon trucks selling petroleum
in five-gallon buckets to its present-day tank wagons and
transports hauling hundreds and thousands of gallons. Some
of the same farmers and local businesses who purchased
petroleum products from Otto Trebelhorn nearly 80 years
ago purchase from Bob and Scott Trebelhorn today. “Many
of our customers are third generation, too,” Scott points out.
“Some farms that took five-gallon buckets back then are taking transport loads today.”
www.ufcmn.com - EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN ENERGY
Company values
the right thing by your customer and your colleagues,” says
Scott, explaining the Trebelhorns’ decision to join UFC.
“The opportunities on the horizon look endless,” he says
of the path ahead for the newly unified petroleum business.
Throughout its 78-year history, Trebelhorn & Associates
has measured its success on relationships. “It’s all about
creating quality of life for your family and for the people you
work with and about being part of the community,” says
Scott. In fact, the company’s employees are family. They
The future
include Scott’s dad, Bob, who continues to work with the
“As Scott indicated, transportation was one of the things
company today and Tony Kammerlander, a confidant who
that started this discussion,” remarks Darv. “The experience
has served as a sounding board to Scott for the last 30 years.
that Trebelhorn & Associates brings to the table will help
Del Leske, a sounding board and colleague for more than 40
UFC’s transportation business grow.
years, who recently passed away, was with
“As we continued to talk, we realized we
Scott’s grandfather from the very beginning.
were more alike than different,” Darv continues.
Bob Rogotzke has also been an important
“We thought this would be a great opportunipart of Trebelhorn & Associates since its
ty to create efficiencies and deliver more of a
merger with Rogotzke Oil of Fairfax in the
value for both customer bases.
early 1980s.
“More than anything else, it’s the experiOther employees include Steve Elmer,
ence Scott and his team have in the wholesale
who, along with Bob, operates the combusiness and the understanding of the process
pany’s tank wagons, and Paul Clobes, who
he has gone through to get his business to this
mans the transport. Cindy Kuehn-Gleason
point that appealed to us,” says UFC’s vice
and Connie Portner make up the office staff
president of energy. “There will be trials, but if
of Trebelhorn & Associates.
we have the right people, we can work through
“I’m pretty sure if you added up our
those trials.
employees’ years of service they would
“We are combining a 100-year-old coopera~ Darv Turbes, Vice
average a quarter of a century,” says Scott.
tive with an 78-year-old family business,” Darv
President of Energy, UFC
Much of the impetus behind the
concludes. “We’re going to build on this family
Trebelhorn’s decision to sell their company
business for the next 100 years.”
to UFC comes from their desire to provide a
For the third generation of Trebelhorn,
future for those employees who have served
it is a matter of trust. Someone in UFC told
so well and faithfully in the past.
him, “Don’t worry, we’re going to take good care of your
“The older and hopefully more mature you get, the dollars business.”
and sense side of things become less important than doing
“I believe that,” says Scott. ●
“ We’re going
to build on
this family
business for
the next
100 years.”
Trebelhorn & Associates employees, pictured left to right in 2012:
Scott Trebelhorn, Bob Rogotzke, Del Leske, Steve Elmer, Cindy Kuehn Gleason,
Connie Portner, Tony Kammerlander, Bob Trebelhorn, and Paul Clobes.
15
STRONGER ROOTS.
HEALTHIER CROPS.
BETTER YIELDS.
XLR-rate® liquid starter and foliar fertilizers promote early green-up in
colder, wet soils and stronger root development and plant recovery.
They’re a proven way to overcome challenges for a great harvest. Ask
your local agronomist about how XLR-rate can improve yields and profitability.
800-642-4104
© 2015 CHS Inc.
In the last issue of
Fieldviews, we told you
how UFC Agronomy
is preparing to take
care of you through
the expansion of our
blending capacity
at Winthrop, the
construction of a new
ag center at Hamburg,
and the development
of a unique program
known as United
Insight, which will offer
multiple precision ag
tools in one integrated
solution.
UFC sales agronomist LaRay
Sandquist (right) makes plans
with customer Pat W.
Help Us Help You Prepare for the 2016 Crop
By Dave Eckhoff, Vice President of Agronomy
A
s we approach fall application season and think
ahead to our 2016 crop, your input is crucial.
Knowing your fertilizer, chemical, and seed
needs early on is a benefit for you as a customer as well as UFC. Even if you do not plan to
prepay these inputs, we ask you convey to your UFC sales
agronomist what you think you might be ordering this fall
and even next spring.
Knowing your needs helps us to prepare in the following
ways to ensure you have access to supply, quality product,
timely service, resulting in a smooth cropping season.
• Purchasing inputs at competitive prices – We’re buying
inputs all year long. Enhanced storage capacity allows us to
make smarter purchases with crop nutrient manufacturers.
In turn, we can pass those savings onto our patrons.
• Managing inventory – Loading every bin and filling every
bulk tank with every different kind of fertilizer and chemical product isn’t a viable option due to carrying costs and
price swings. Besides being expensive, over-inventorying
product hinders us from bringing in new products with
even better technology, such as ESN – a specialty urea
we’re offering UFC customers for the coming season.
available when our customers need it. If we’re going to buy
fertilizer barges, we need to start well in advance.
• Lining up people and equipment – For instance, knowing
how much NH3 will be applied tells us how many tractors
we’ll need to custom apply it and how much nitrogen stabilizer to have on hand. Knowing the demand for services
like soil sampling and data analysis helps us line up people
to take those samples and process the information collected by your yield monitors after harvest.
Since the co-op is owned by you, the customers, we would
love to know our owners’ intentions. You have two options
under which you can signal your intentions. One is to prepay
and the other is to enter into an order contract.
Planning is important to the success of your farming operations.
UFC strives to stay ahead of you in order to respond to your
changing needs. Please help us plan to support your success!
Your UFC sales agronomist looks forward to hearing from you
to start planning your successful growing season. ●
• Logistic preparations – Particularly with fertilizer, hearing
from our patrons now gives us time to line up trains and
trucks to move it within our trade territory so it is readily
18
www.ufcmn.com - EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN AGRONOMY
MORE SAVINGS
Look for special UFC seed promotions
through the Co-op Cash card.
See “Questions Answered” on page 20.
Sound Agronomics: Replace the P&K
By Jesse Wiant, Sales Agronomist
W
e’re going
to harvest
a heck of a
corn crop
and will
remove a lot of P&K from the
ground. Growers on a twoyear fertilizer rotation going to
beans next year should consider supplemental P&K this
fall. Even growers harvesting
beans will be pulling 42 lbs/A
of phosphorous and 65 lbs/A
of potassium out of the field.
If you’re harvesting 200-bushel
corn this year, you’ll remove 75
lbs/A of P and 54 lbs/A of K.
When you’re pulling that
much out, you need to replace
it. It’s easier to deplete the soil
than it is to bring levels back
up, so if you can continue to
build (rather than take a break
this year) it’ll be better for you
in the long run.
The nitrogen scene
Nitrogen was undermanaged this year. Already in
August, a portion of the corn
crop was showing severe nitrogen deficiency. Remember this
for next year.
Besides grid-sampling your
soils this fall, order a stalk
nitrate test to give yourself a
report card on what you did
this year.
For fall applications of urea
or anhydrous ammonia, protect
your nitrogen with a stabilizer.
Next year, consider layering
your nitrogen. More growers
every year are making split-applications of N with 28% urea
and NH3. We have a variety
of options for in-season N
management. Take tissue tests
in the early growth stages to
learn where your levels are and
give you time to respond if
additional N is necessary.
Talk with your UFC sales
agronomist and plan your goals
for next year. Consider UFC’s
United Insight program, which
ties all of this together. ●
Order Seed Early for Best Price and to Assure Supply
By Craig Wilson, Seed Sales Manager
W
ith harvest just beginning on your existing
crop, it can be hard
to shift your thinking
into next year’s crop,
but it is valuable to think ahead and
start planning your seed needs. Harvest
is actually a great time to be thinking
about hybrids for next year. As you
are out in the combine, keep track of
which hybrids you really like and which
areas of your farm you see the greatest
potential for them. Communicate those
thoughts with your UFC sales agronomist.
As always, there are allocations of
certain hybrids. Seed production is
never guaranteed but the earlier we
know your seed needs and wants, the
better opportunity we have to arrange a
great seed portfolio for your farm. Early
ordering also helps us optimize seed
size preferences for our customers, we
do our best to meet your seed sizing
needs. With new traited soybeans on
the verge of approval, we may have
limited trial quantities available. Let us
know if you have interest in planting
some this spring.
Your UFC sales agronomist looks forward to discussing your seed needs and
outlining the UFC Seed Program, which
includes discounts on your preferred
seed brands, hybrids, and varieties. Let’s
get a plan together and maximize those
early discounts!
More bulk seed facilities
As you know, we’re building a new
Ag Service Center at our Hamburg location, which includes an inventory of bulk
soybean seed, a state-of-the-art seed
treater, conveyors, and full automation.
The three new 3,000-bushel bulk soybean tanks at Hamburg will combine with
the six 3,000-bushel tanks at Lafayette to
give UFC 27,000 bushels of bulk soybean
storage, two automated seed treaters,
and five seed tenders to deliver treated
beans to your field in 2016!
UFC treats seed for its entire customer base at
its Lafayette and Hamburg Ag Centers.
As you head for the field
Our seed team is equipped with
weigh wagons to help calibrate your
yield monitors and check yields. Give
your UFC sales agronomist a call to help
you out! ●
EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN AGRONOMY - 19
Winthrop United Xpress
manager Dale Jutz helps
a customer with his new
Co-op Cash card.
Questions Answered on Co-op Cash Card
By Dan Braun, Sales and Marketing Analyst
T
his summer, we notified
users of the Cenex® Cardtrol
card by mail that their cards
are being replaced. In that
mailing, each customer
received a Co-op Cash
card they can use to purchase fuel or
merchandise at our six United Xpress
c-stores.
Since then, we’ve fielded several
calls about the new Co-op Cash card.
Below are three of the most frequently asked questions and the
answers:
1.How do I activate my card?
• We have a dedicated line for the
Co-op Cash card. That number is
507-647-6605. Someone on the
other end will assist you in activating
your new card. If you prefer to
activate it after hours, go to
www.ufcmn.com/co-op-cash. Either
way, we’ll walk you through the activation process.
• Your new Co-op Cash card replaces any existing Cardtrol cards and
this fall the Cardtrol cards will all be
deactivated.
20
2.Why was there a change?
• In order to continue providing
our customers with quick, convenient
options for buying fuel and groceries
at United Xpress and UFC fueling
locations, UFC was required to update
from Cardtrol. The change meets
new data protection standards being
adopted across the U.S. We’re committed to securing your information.
• We also wanted to reward our customers who shop UFC year in and
year out. We could not do that with
the old Cardtrol card. The Co-op
Cash card offers a means to recognize these customers for their loyalty.
3.Can I use the new card everywhere?
• Current uses for the Co-op Cash
card include purchases of fuel and
groceries at all United Xpress locations. We plan to develop Co-op
Cash for use within UFC as a rewards
program for our customers in agronomy, bulk energy, feed, farm supply,
and throughout the entire UFC organization. At present, however, it is
not available for purchases at other
locations.
www.ufcmn.com - EXTRAORDINARY
EXTRAORDINARY VALUE
VALUE IN
IN SERVICE
AGRONOMY
If you have other questions about
the replacement of your Cenex Cardtrol
card with the Co-op Cash card, visit
our website, call the dedicated phone
number, or ask any United Xpress
employee.
If you do not have a Cardtrol card,
but are interested in a Co-op Cash
card, talk to your UFC sales agronomist,
and continue to look for updates and
additional promotions this fall involving
Co-op Cash. ●
Making a Wish Come True
P
The morning Patrick was granted his wish, he knew his famatrick M. of St. Cloud, MN, was your typical
12-year-old boy who was very active and loved
ily was up to something but he didn’t know what. Right when
sports and the
Patrick pulled into the UFC Farm
outdoors. In
Supply parking lot, he realized
March of 2011,
he was being gifted a new 2016
that all changed when
Prowler. The excitement in his
Patrick was diagnosed with
eyes said it all, while everyone
a brain tumor. His condition
around him fought back tears of
left him with limited speech
joy.
and mobility, but Patrick
Patrick was thrilled to get
wished he could enjoy the
his new Prowler. He couldn’t
outdoors like he used to.
wait to take it home and ride
Four years later, his wish
with his dad and uncle. Thank
came true. Earlier this sumyou so much to everyone who
helped make that day possible,
mer, UFC Farm Supply had
and congratulations, Patrick, on
the honor of being part of
your new ride!
Patrick’s special day. On
behalf of Make-A-Wish and
Patrick and his new 2016 Arctic Cat Prowler
About Make-A-Wish®
Arctic Cat, we were overwith his mom, dad, and sister. Minnesota
joyed to present him with a
Make-A-Wish Minnesota
new 2016 Arctic Cat Prowler.
grants the wishes of Minnesota children with life-threatening
We spent the afternoon with Patrick and his family getting
medical conditions to enrich the human experience with
them fully equipped with helmets, gloves, and
hope, strength, and joy. Visit Make-A-Wish Minnesota at
goggles, while enjoying a few of Patrick’s favorite things:
www.mn.wish.org to learn more. ●
pizza and root beer floats.
EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN SERVICE - 21
2015 Scholarship Awards
United Farmers Cooperative has established a scholarship program to recognize
and reward the academic achievement, co-curricular participation, and community involvement of the children of patrons and employees. We at UFC encourage each student to remember their heritage as they pursue their studies. It’s
our hope that these awards assist in developing careers that enhance the future
of rural Minnesota.
Alanna Dean
Daniel Roker
Buffalo Lake – Hector - Stewart High
School
Daughter of Larry and Kathy Dean
Future: Music Education at St. Mary’s
University – Winona, MN
Bird Island – Olivia – Lake Lillian –
Danube High School
Son of Jon and Karen Roker
Future: Animal Science at South Dakota
State University – Brookings, SD
Alex Broderius
Buffalo Lake – Hector – Stewart High
School
Son of Brian and Shelly Broderius
Future: Agricultural Industries
at University of Minnesota –
Twin Cities, MN
Caroline Watson
Waconia High School
Daughter of Todd and Kathy Watson
Future: Food Science at University of
Alabama – Tuscaloosa, AL
Cassidy Rettmann
Gibbon - Fairfax - Winthrop High School
Daughter of Mike and Jennie Rettmann
Future: Accounting at Southwest
Minnesota State University –
Marshall MN
Collin Helget
Cathedral High School – New Ulm
Son of Douglas and Jacalyn Helget
Future: Athletic Training at Dakota
Wesleyan University – Mitchell, SD
Hayden Meyer
Waconia High School
Son of Dean and Ali Meyer
Future: Education at Gustavus Adolphus
College – St. Peter, MN
Jack Broderius
Buffalo Lake – Hector –
Stewart High School
Son of David and Anne Broderius
Future: Marketing at University of
Minnesota – Twin Cities, MN
Scott Buboltz
Buffalo Lake – Hector –
Stewart High School
Son of Jeff and Dawn Buboltz
Future: Ag Business Management at
University of Minnesota –
Twin Cities, MN
Desmond Wills*
Nicollet High School
Son of Douglas and Tammy Wills
Future: Agribusiness at South Central
College – North Mankato, MN
*2015 Arnie Berdan Scholarship Recipient
22
www.ufcmn.com
Go to www.ufcmn.com.
When you bring up
our homepage, put your
cursor over GRAIN (in the
upper right corner) and
select GRAIN POLICIES
from the dropdown menu.
United Farmers Cooperative’s Harvest Policies
By UFC Grain Origination Team
A
s you prepare for harvest don’t forget to review
UFC’s current discount schedules and storage
rates. You’ll find them on our website at www.
ufcmn.com. When you bring up our homepage,
put your cursor over GRAIN (in the upper right
corner) and select GRAIN POLICIES from the dropdown menu.
If you have any questions or would like a copy, you can stop
by the corporate office or any of our elevator locations.
This upcoming harvest is looking to be very plentiful. Even
though we expect the demand for storage space to be substantial this fall, our rates for delayed pricing and open storage will remain the same as past years.
Ready to take your grain
As we close out the 2014-15 crop year we are busy shipping
out the rush of grain that accompanied the mid-summer rally in
prices. Brownton and Bird Island are busy loading railcars, and
our feed mills are grinding inventories down. Although we had
expected to be scraping bin bottoms to satisfy local demand,
the extra bushels have been welcome and we are moving
them to market quickly. We are also looking forward to providing a speedy, stress-free dump this fall. The Brownton terminal elevator is capable of dumping more than 300 trucks in
a single day, with plenty of space to bin and pile grain.
Take the pressure off at harvest
Don’t forget about these time-saving options that UFC offers!
• Access your UFC account online to see all your grain
transactions immediately following delivery.
• ACH options for depositing grain checks directly into
your bank account.
• Eliminate mail/postage by confirming your grain contracts online with an electronic signature.
We are here to help you with any of these time-saving
options. For more information, call Brett, Darrell, Matt, or Nate
at 507-647-6601. We wish you a safe and bountiful harvest! ●
UFC GRAIN FACILITIES
Bird Island:
320-365-4012
Brownton:320-328-4002
Cologne:952-466-5518
Klossner:507-359-4519
Lafayette:507-228-8221
LeSueur:507-665-6421
Winthrop:507-647-5311
Grain Marketing Office
(Winthrop):
507-647-6601
EXTRAORDINARY VALUE IN SALES - 23
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
VISTACOMM
705 East 4th Street
PO Box 461
Winthrop, MN 55396
www.ufcmn.com
PLAN YOUR FALL APPLICATION
Please line up your fall spreading or NH3
application with your UFC Sales Agronomist today!
PERFORMING OUT HERE
TAKES STURDY SHOULDERS.
And the right seeds.