ag VIEW
Spring 2017
AgFirst Hits Record
By Terry Knudson - General Manager
LOCATIONS
Aurora Agronomy
605.693.5548
Aurora Elevator
605.693.3304
Brookings Office
605.692.6216
Your cooperative closed
out 2016 with strong yearend financials. We hit a
record number of corn
receipts this fall. We had
almost 3 million bushels in
piles, which we plan to have picked
up by mid-February. If you delivered
grain to AgFirst this fall, I would like to
personally thank you for your business
and a successful fall.
AgFirst will once again be offering
scholarships this year. If you know a high
school senior who will be attending
an in-state college or technical institute for an ag-related field, please let
them know about our scholarships. Applications are due to the AgFirst
main office in Brookings by March 10.
For applications, please visit
agfirstfarmers.com.
In closing, I would like to invite you to
our annual meeting on March 30 at
the Agronomy Center in Aurora at 6:30
p.m. For more details, please check
out the annual meeting notice below.
Thank you for your business in 2016. We
look forward to serving you in 2017.
Brookings Feed Store
605.692.6194
Clear Lake Elevator
605.874.2430
2017 Annual Meeting
Propane Shop
605.692.6216
All AgFirst members are invited to attend our annual meeting.
Toronto Elevator
605.794.2231
WHEN? March 30, supper at 6:30 p.m., meeting to follow at 7:30 p.m.
Volga Service Station
605.627.9401
White Elevator
605.629.3511
agfirstfarmers.com
WHERE? Agronomy Center in Aurora.
WHY? A financial report of the 2016 fiscal year will be given. We’ll also
hand out dividend checks and equity retirement checks. There will be an
election of directors. Directors Charles Dupraz and Shane Johnson are up
for re-election. Robert Schwartz has served his maximum number of terms,
so his seat will be open. We thank him for his dedication to the board.
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©2017 AgFirst Farmers Cooperative. All Rights Reserved. Published in partnership with VistaComm® (www.VistaComm.com).
What is a Co
C
By Larry Bowman, CFO
AgFirst Farmers Cooperative is just one of many cooperatives operating throughout the U.S.
There are many types of cooperatives and they are in every business sector of our economy.
These include agricultural, utility, food, health care, child care, credit unions and insurance
companies, just to name a few.
Definition
Values
A cooperative is a business or organization
owned by and operated for the benefit of
those using its services. Profits and earnings
generated by the cooperative are distributed
among the members.
Cooperatives are based on the values of selfhelp, self-responsibility, democracy, equality,
equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their
founders, cooperative members believe
in the ethical values of honesty, openness,
social responsibility and caring for others.
Plan Ahead for Spring
By Will Davis - Certified Energy Specialist
As we enter spring planting season, fuel
prices look like they may increase. I’d
like to remind you that AgFirst offers a
spring contract if you’re looking to plan
ahead and order fuel. Keep in mind, any
fuel ordered as part of this contract has
to be in your tank by July 1. If you’re interested in this
contract, please call me at 605-690-8443 or Brad at
605-627-9401.
Thursday, March 9. This will be held in Volga at the
Community Center, which is located one block west
of the station. A lubricant representative and a fuel
representative will be speaking on the latest energy
issues. We’ll start the meeting at 11 a.m. and serve
lunch at noon. I’ll send out reminders when the time
gets closer.
We’ll also be able to book all of your fuel and oil
needs after the meal. There will be a table located
in the corner where we can book all your needs that
day. Please do not hesitate to call me regarding the
location of the meeting or with any other needs you
may have. I hope to see you at the AgFirst booking
day. We appreciate your attendance. Thank you for
your business!
We also have bulk oil and equipment programs as
you are preparing for spring. Please feel free to contact me at any time.
Booking day in Volga
AgFirst will be having our yearly booking day on
3
Cooperative?
ooperative?
Principles
1. VOLUNTARY AND
OPEN MEMBERSHIP
Cooperatives are voluntary
organizations, open to all
persons able to use their
services and willing to
accept the responsibilities of
membership.
4. AUTONOMY AND
INDEPENDENCE
Cooperatives are
autonomous, self-help
organizations controlled
by their members. If they
enter into agreements with
other organizations, they
do so on terms that ensure
democratic control by
members.
7.CONCERN FOR
COMMUNITY
Cooperatives work for the
sustainable development of
their communities through
policies approved by their
members.
2. DEMOCRATIC
MEMBER CONTROL
Cooperatives are
democratic organizations
controlled by their members,
who actively participate
in setting policies and
making decisions. Members
have equal voting rights.
Those elected to serve
as representatives are
accountable to the
membership.
5. EDUCATION,
TRAINING AND
INFORMATION
Cooperatives provide
education and training for
their members, elected
representatives, managers
and employees so they can
contribute effectively to
the development of their
cooperative. They inform
the general public about
the nature and benefits of
cooperation.
3. MEMBER ECONOMIC
PARTICIPATION
Members contribute
equitably to, and
democratically control, the
capital of their cooperative.
At least part of that capital
is usually the common
property of the cooperative.
Members usually receive
limited compensation on
capital subscribed as a
condition of membership.
6. COOPERATION
AMONG COOPERATIVES
Cooperatives serve their
members most effectively
and strengthen the
cooperative movement by
working together through
local, national, regional and
international structures.
Thank you for choosing AgFirst Farmers Cooperative!
We take great pride in serving you and the communities where we all live, work and play.
4
Precision Will Pay Off This Spring
By Eric Liljegren - Precision Planting Specialist
With spring right around the corner, now
is the time to start looking over your corn
planters.
Some basic items to check for during regular maintenance include:
•Opening discs 14 inches or less should be replaced
to ensure a good, constant furrow.
•Check over the parallel arms to make sure they
are not worn.
•Look at gauge wheel arms and wheels to confirm
they’re not worn. Make sure they are set up correctly against the opening disc.
•Make sure the toolbar is running parallel to the
ground while planting. This is one of the most
important things to check. Not being level can
cause many issues, from not closing the furrow to
incorrect seed placement.
If you’re looking to make a change and go after more
yield, our DeltaForce hydraulic downforce system
is the place to look. The downforce system showed
huge benefits last year—up to 10+ bushels/acre just by
ensuring your seed is placed at the correct depth.
As always, it’s important to have your meters tested
every year to ensure you’re getting the most from your
planter on the most important pass across your fields.
I hope to hear from you if you have any questions or
you’re interested in learning more about AgFirst’s precision ag offerings. Have a safe spring!
Market Updates
By Dan Minor - Grain Merchandiser
With this market, you should be aware of your marketing positions, and opportunities should be utilized
as they present themselves. On-farm corn should also
CHECK
5
be kept under close observation. With the low prices,
it would be an even harder hit with out-of-condition
corn.
For beans, we saw a slight uptick in prices in January
due to reduced production estimates for the U.S.
and increased uncertainty in the prospects for South
America’s crop. Despite the reduction, U.S. soybean
production estimates are still at a record level. With
so much production uncertainty in the U.S. and South
America, current bids for 2017 harvest delivery provide a pricing opportunity for locking in prices high in
the expected marketing year average.
YOUR BINS
FOR
This winter, the corn market was range
bound between $2.90 and $3.40. I don’t
foresee this changing for the next several
weeks. This is due to the current pace
of corn consumption. Positively, the U.S.
corn market has seen strong export numbers. Exports through the first quarter came in at 551
million bushels. Accumulated exports through Jan. 19
were 744.5 million bushels. This is a 68% increase over
the same period last year.
GRAIN
QUALITY!
PO Box 127
Brookings, SD 57006
Regulation Is the Word for 2017
By Kevin Gross – Feed Department Manager
If you didn’t know, Veterinary Feed Directives (VFDs) went
into effect on Jan. 1, 2017. This means you must consult with
your veterinarian and get a VFD prior to purchasing feedgrade antibiotics. We must have this VFD on file before we
can sell to you. The VFD will tell the number of head to be treated, the
amount of product you can use and the days it is to be fed.
Next on the list are feed mills being required to have a food safety plan
in place. This will go into effect this September. As of now, it is known as
“animal food” and not animal feed. Therefore, there is a lot of paperwork needed to track incoming ingredients received and finished feed
out the door, to ensure a safe “food” was delivered to your farm. I can’t
stress enough that we need to educate the public on how safe their
food really is. At AgFirst, we will do our best to keep it that way.
AgFirst had a good year at the feed store in 2016. We pride ourselves on
good feed and great service, with service being the key. We’re excited
to see what this year has in store. We have some projects going on and
we’re looking forward to seeing the outcome. Come in and book your
mineral for the summer. If you purchase tubs or loose minerals, you’ll be
rewarded with a Cabela’s card.
Thank you for your business in 2016. We look forward to serving you in
2017!