A Note from Michael Schmidt

President, Central Illinois Ag

What a year! Just when we were ready to put 2020 behind us, 2021 came on and surprised us once again with new obstacles to tackle. It took about a year after COVID-19 hit in March 2020 to see its effects through a major supply shortage from parts to equipment.

While navigating through this past year, a favorite saying kept coming to mind, “We don’t grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges.” And boy, have we faced challenges and continue to do so. But in the same sense we are continuing to learn, grow, and thrive from these challenges.

It takes a team to provide for and support a successful harvest. Our parts team, along with the entire crew, has done a phenomenal job ordering and keeping inventory stocked to have on hand for those spur of the moment breakdowns. Even though we did have nationwide dealership challenges such as steel and rubber shortages that led to unfortunate surcharges, our parts team has done the best they can searching for and getting parts on hand as fast as possible to ensure you could stay in the field.

The low production rate due to supply issues, and high level of demand for equipment leaves the dealership in a tough spot. We are told how many months (sometimes a year) out we are on products, but we continue to order and sell what we can daily. At the end of the day, what matters most, is that we are here for our customers…you are the Central Illinois Ag family.

As always, we wish you a sucessful spring, and we are here to help you one way or another.

Michael Schmidt mschmidt@centralilag.com President, Central Illinois Ag

@MPSchmidtAg

Terry and David Holtz Like Father, Like Son

“The family farm means everything to me since I started it all,” says Terry Holtz. “Now I just take it one day at a time and try to keep it in the family.”

Terry and David Holtz are a successful father-son duo who farm around Farmer City, Illinois. They are a prime example of a family who has been able to work together to gradually improve their operation, one step at a time.

In 1965, Terry began farming on his own with some ground he rented in Clinton, Illinois. By 1968, he had made the move to Farmer City where he had some more permanent farming opportunities. He has now been in the same area for 53 years and has been able to bring his son into the operation and turn his first-generation farm into what it is today.

As a kid, David loved to be on the farm where they used to raise cattle along with corn and soybeans. “Growing up on a farm, you can learn so much just from watching and helping dad,” says David, which is exactly how his passion for farming began. He spent countless days right beside Terry, riding along in the field, handing him tools, or anything he could do to be included. By the age of eight, he was mowing pastures, and a few years later, he was running the field cultivator in the spring.

“There was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to farm, and thankfully, I was allowed the opportunity,” says David. “It was in my blood and once I got a taste of it, I knew I wanted to run equipment and take care of the land.”

In 1989, David’s wishes came true as he officially joined his dad on the farm. To make the operation work for the both of them, he always had a second job as well. His hard work over the years has proved his determination to keep the farm and help Terry adapt to the many technological advancements along the way.

Terry describes how far production agriculture has come since he started farming back in the 60s with one simple statement: unbelievable. During his first couple of years, he had a Farmall 560, a Farmall M, and rented an International 715 combine without a cab. He will never forget being in that combine during harvest of 1967, when he finished harvesting in the snow on December 24th. Needless to say, he is more than grateful for how far machinery has come throughout the years. “Someone asked me what I thought of our 6130 combine and I told them I wish I had that cab 50 years ago,” says Terry.

David agrees and recognizes that running newer equipment and incorporating current technology has become more of a necessity in modern farming and has certainly been a goal of theirs over the years. “The advancements in technology have been unbelievable, and you have to stay up on it all the time,” says David. “Every year it continues to change, and it has not stopped and who knows where it will stop.”

He says that having autosteer in the planting tractor and running a draper head alone have made all the difference in efficiency and productivity in a day’s time. They can get more done in a shorter amount of time without compromising the quality of their crops, and can always rely on Central Illinois Ag’s service and Case IH equipment to help. “Dan Warren and his crew at CIA go above and beyond what it takes to get us up and going as fast as time allows,” says David. “I have never had an issue with red equipment, but it is because of CIA’s service that we have stayed customers for so long.”

Terry and David believe that having reliable equipment paired with a dealership that they can trust day in and day out, is one of the most important aspects of having a successful farming operation today. Along with that, of course, comes family. They are proud to have been able to work together through the years and are excited to incorporate the next generation into the farm, David’s daughters Grace and Shelby and son Tyler, who started running the auger cart this past harvest. They hope for Tyler to one day follow in their footsteps, but for now, are excited to share their passion for farming with him. “It is all I have ever done, and I can only hope to be as successful as my dad has been,” says David. He takes pride in every aspect of the farm from how the crops look and perform, to doing what is best for his landlords. However, his biggest responsibility in his eyes is taking care of the land as a means to preserve the farm for years to come.

“We hope to see a third generation come on to continue what dad started and give them the same opportunity,” says David. “Because you don’t want to see family farms go away.”

David’s 13-year-old son Tyler in the auger cart this fall.

MANAGE YOUR TEAM IN ANY FIELD.

MANAGE YOUR TEAM IN ANY FIELD. Magnum™ puts productivity at your fingertips. The all-new cab is designed to provide an operator experience like no other. Plus, it features the AFS Pro 1200 display and AFS Vision Pro operating system to give you a fully connected experience no matter if you’re on or off the farm. Visit your local dealer to see how the AFS Connect Magnum gives you the freedom to farm your way.

The AFS Connect™ Magnum™ puts productivity at your fingertips. The all-new cab is designed to provide an operator experience like no other. Plus, it features the AFS Pro 1200 display and AFS Vision Pro operating system to give you a fully connected experience no matter if you’re on See your Case IH dealer for a demonstration today! or off the farm. Visit your local dealer to see how the AFS Connect Magnum gives you the freedom to farm your way.

See your Case IH dealer for a demonstration today!

Central Illinois Ag

200 Sharon St. Atlanta, IL 61723 (217) 648-2307 centralilag.com

UNLEASH THE BULLS UNLEASH THE BULLS

With roots dating back to 1914, Toro was built on a tradition of quality products and caring relationships. Our machines feature the same technology professionals depend on to do the job right the first time, every With roots dating back to 1914, Toro was built on a tradition of quality products and caring relationships. Our machines feature the same time. The result? A beautiful, professional looking lawn from a company technology professionals depend on to do the job right the first time, every whose innovations have been the heart and soul of America’s mowing time. The result? A beautiful, professional looking lawn from a company technology for more than a century. Count on it. whose innovations have been the heart and soul of America’s mowing CHECK OUT OUR ALL NEW ZERO TURN MOWER technology for more than a century. Count on it. FAMILY AT TORO.COM/ZEROTURN CHECK OUT OUR ALL NEW ZERO TURN MOWER www.centralilag.com · Volume 9 Issue 1 8 FAMILY AT TORO.COM/ZEROTURN

Blue Vantage Display | Blue Drive Electric Drive The designed-by-Kinze and built-for-Kinze Blue Vantage display is the industry’s easiest to use, dedicated planter display. The innovative, clean, and streamlined display provides simple, accurate, and intuitive planter control for high productivity The innovative, clean, and streamlined Blue Vantage display planting. Factory presets remove the labor and guesswork from setup, while a dedicated planting screen provides all critical provides simple, accurate, and intuitive planter control for high information at one glance during planting. Built-in diagnostics productivity planting. Factory presets remove the labor and keep troubleshooting easy and efficient. guesswork from setup, while a dedicated planting screen provides Field coverage data can

be shared by two or more

all critical information at one glance during planting. Built-in planters equipped with Blue diagnostics keep troubleshooting easy and efficient. Vantage in the same field

See behind when Active weight transfer Available on the 4905 transporting and view control if equipped with & 4705 front fold, and planter functions with up hydraulic weight transfer 3665 & 3505 pivot fold to four planter-cameras and bulk fill scales planters

Planting Screen

VISIT YOUR LOCAL KINZE DEALER TO EXPERIENCE TRUE SIMPLICITY Add up to four cameras for rear and other views EXPERIENCE TRUE SIMPLICITY AT YOUR LOCAL KINZE DEALER

Shared field coverage Available on 4905, 4705, data with other planters 3665, & 3505 planters TRUE. BLUE. Advantage.

©2021 by Kinze Manufacturing, Inc. All rights reserved. Kinze.com

Dealership Name

Street Address City, State 55555 (555) 555-5555 www.dealershipwebsite.com

Dealership Name Central Illinois Ag

Street Address200 Sharon St.

City, State 55555Atlanta, IL 61723 (555) 555-5555 www.dealershipwebsite.com (217) 648-2307 centralilag.com 9 · Central Illinois Ag · www.centralilag.com ©2021 by Kinze Manufacturing, Inc. All rights reserved.

True Speed High Speed Meters True Speed High Speed Meters True Speed High Speed Meters

Accurately plant at speeds from 3–12 mph and plant Accurately plant at speeds from 3–12 mph and plant Accurately plant at speeds from 3–12 mph and plant up to twice the number of acres in a day versus a up to twice the number of acres in a day versus a up to twice the number of acres in a day versus a conventional meter. By controlling the seed from the conventional meter. By controlling the seed from the conventional meter. By controlling the seed from the seed disc to placement in the seed trench, precise seed disc to placement in the seed trench, precise seed disc to placement in the seed trench, precise singulation and seed spacing are achieved regardless singulation and seed spacing are achieved regardless singulation and seed spacing are achieved regardless of seed size, shape, or coating. of seed size, shape, or coating. of seed size, shape, or coating.

True True True Speed Speed Speed electric electric electric drive drive drive meter metermeter

Single singulator for Single singulator for Single singulator for corn and other crops corn and other cropscorn and other crops Easily replaced long Easily replaced long Easily replaced long life wear components life wear componentslife wear components

Available on 4905, 4705, Available on 4905, 4705, Available on 4905, 4705, and 3665 planters and 3665 plantersand 3665 planters EXPERIENCE TRUE HIGH SPEED AT YOUR LOCAL KINZE DEALER EXPERIENCE TRUE HIGH SPEED AT YOUR LOCAL KINZE DEALER EXPERIENCE TRUE HIGH SPEED AT YOUR LOCAL KINZE DEALER Dealership Name

Dealership NameDealership NameStreet Address Central Illinois Ag Street AddressStreet AddressCity, State 55555200 Sharon St. City, State 55555City, State 55555(555) 555-5555 Atlanta, IL 61723 (555) 555-5555(555) 555-5555 www.dealershipwebsite.com (217) 648-2307 www.dealershipwebsite.com www.dealershipwebsite.com©2021 by Kinze Manufacturing, Inc. All rights reserved. centralilag.com