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FINE-TUNE YOUR FARM FINANCES P. 62

P. 54

P. 60

P. 59

How to Make Your Landlord’s Day (and Your Life Easier) Beef Insider®: Cut the Cost of Hay

P. 40

P. BI-30

For families who make farming and ranching their business® | August 2015 | Vol. 113 | No. 8 | Agriculture.com

U O Y H T I W ORD W E H T M O FR

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Austin Studer DuPont Crop Protection Technical Sales Agronomist

Jacob Bates DuPont Pioneer Field Agronomist

Provides growers with local, customized crop protection recommendations and agronomic support. Also shows customers how they can be more HFRQRPLFDOO\ HŐ FLHQW E\ SDUWLFLSDWLQJ in TruChoice® SURJUDP Rō HULQJV

Conducts local, on-farm agronomy trials to produce answers and insights that can have a positive impact on a grower’s bottom line. A trusted agronomic resource who helps put the right product on the right acre, year after year.

Science with Service Delivering Success®

Bret Lage Local Pioneer Sales Professional

Michael Locke DuPont Pioneer Account Manager

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In collaboration with local Pioneer sales representatives, provides agronomic support, crop-management insights and year-round service to growers, delivering tailored programs based on individual customer needs.

Vol. 113 | No. 8

BEEF INSIDER® SECTION

AUGUST 2015 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

Successful Farming magazine serves the diverse business, production, and family information needs of families who make farming and ranching their business. Our passion is to help you make money, save time, and grow your satisfaction in the farming business.

CONTENTS ATED YOUR VIEW GLEANINGS Q&A FIRST CUT MANAGING YOUR FARM: BUFFER BONUSES

CAN THEIR PROBLEM BE SOLVED? YOUR PROFIT

BUFFER BONUSES

P.16 A useful

conservation tool has economic benefits – if it escapes politics.

8 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR LANDLORD’S DAY P.40

AG ADVENTURES BI: CUTTING THE COST OF HAY

Stymied by how to approach landlords about renting their farms? Here are some ideas.

BI: HEALTH BI: PRODUCTS BI: ROUNDUP AGRONOMY INSIDER™: 8 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR LANDLORD’S DAY AGRONOMY INSIDER™: BONUS BENEFITS MACHINERY INSIDER™

BUYERS’ GUIDE

P. 72 The right water

jug can keep you refreshed.

TOOLS OF THE FUTURE BIN BUSTER

COVER STORY: FINE-TUNE YOUR FARM FINANCES

AG EDUCATION LANDSCAPE 7 LESSONS LEARNED FROM LIVESTOCK BUYERS’ GUIDE: KEEP CALM AND HYDRATE ON FAMILY

BIN BUSTER

P. 54

There is a rear-end collision in the making.

ALL AROUND THE FARM® 4 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

SUCCESSFUL FARMING

ACROSS THE ®

e d i t o r’ s DESK

FARM FUTURIST: IT STARTS WITH YOU

STAY POSITIVE. AFTER ALL, THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE STARTS RIGHT ON YOUR OWN FARM.

ome people may be down about agriculture and farming due to commodity prices, land rents, cost of inputs, and on and on. Successful Farming magazine is not one of those folks. Despite some headwinds in agriculture, there is plenty to be positive about – today and tomorrow. For example, Risk Management Editor Cheryl Tevis has authored a must-read article about what you can do today to help improve your farm’s financial engine (see “Fine-Tune” on page 62). This kind of writing helps every farm, every day. Looking out a bit, self-proclaimed farm futurist Brian David Johnson spoke at the recent Successful Farming Tools of the Future conference, and he told farmers that he “loved the ruthless pragmatism of farmers.” Johnson, who works for Intel Corp. defining the future capability of computers, knows a bit about the future and the ingenuity of American farmers. According to Johnson, the future of farming rests in the innovation that occurs on every farm across the land. “What we build is only constrained by our imagination,” Johnson says. How do we “light the imagination of our future?” For a recap Get the next generation involved, he says. of the Tools of the Future That’s exactly what Successful Farming magaconference, zine is doing, as it welcomes two new advisers to see page 52. its Generating Success Adviser Team (see page 22). Don Jonovic will continue to write, but Jolene Brown and Myron Friesen will join as regular contributors, as well. Their years of conversations with farm families will be shared in every issue in the “Can Their Problem Be Solved?” column that Jonovic has authored for more than 20 years. It’s a team effort and a transition with an eye on today and the future. For this magazine and for you, its readers, the future of farming starts right now.

EDITORIAL

Successful Farming Magazine, 1716 Locust Street/LS257, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023 | Email: adminsf@meredith.com EDITORIAL CONTENT DIRECTOR Dave Kurns ART & PRODUCTION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Matt Strelecki COPY AND PRODUCTION MANAGER Janis Gandy

MACHINERY & TECHNOLOGY

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Dave Mowitz ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Laurie Bedord INNOVATIONS EDITOR Jessie Scott

CROPS

CROPS TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Gil Gullickson ASSISTANT AGRONOMY EDITOR Kacey Birchmier CROPS EDITOR Bill Spiegel

COMMUNITIES

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Betsy Freese CONTENT EDITOR Paula Barbour MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jodi Henke FAMILY AND FARMSTEAD EDITOR Lisa Foust Prater

MARKETING & RISK MANAGEMENT

MARKETING EDITOR Mike McGinnis BUSINESS EDITOR Dan Looker RISK MANAGEMENT EDITOR Cheryl Tevis

VIDEO

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Jason Meeker MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER David Ekstrom

DIGITAL

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR Courtney Yuskis DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Jordan Anderson INTERACTIVE SERVICES EDITOR Jim Meade EDITORIAL OFFICE COORDINATOR Debbie Evans CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Gene Johnston, Alan Kluis, John Walter CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, SF® RADIO MAGAZINE Darrell Anderson

PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATION / ADVERTISING SALES

GROUP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Curt Blades NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGERS Eric Marzen, Sarah Miller, Josh Riessen NATIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Heather Gieseke, Tyler Smith REGIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Brian Keane, Chris Wood DIGITAL ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER Katie Thornberg DIGITAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN MANAGER Lucy Hermann MANAGER OF MARKET RESEARCH Alejandro Munoz de la Cruz MANAGER OF CUSTOMER PROGRAMS Zach Quick MANAGER OF AFFILIATES Karl Michael SALES ASSISTANT Diana Weesner CONSUMER MARKETING DIRECTOR Liz Bredeson BUSINESS MANAGER Darren Tollefson SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER April Bracelin ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER Jim Nelson DIGITAL IMAGING SPECIALIST Steve Lause VICE PRESIDENT AND GROUP PUBLISHER Scott Mortimer

MEREDITH NATIONAL MEDIA GROUP President TOM HARTY EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTS President, Parents Network CAREY WITMER President, Women’s Lifestyle THOMAS WITSCHI President, Meredith Digital JON WERTHER Creative Content Leader DANA POINTS Chief Marketing Officer NANCY WEBER Chief Revenue Officer MICHAEL BROWNSTEIN General Manager DOUG OLSON SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS Chief Digital Officer ANDY WILSON Research Solutions BRITTA CLEVELAND

Digital Sales MARC ROTHSCHILD Innovations Officer CAROLYN BEKKEDAHL

VICE PRESIDENTS Business Planning and Analysis ROB SILVERSTONE Digital Video LAURA ROWLEY Content Licensing LARRY SOMMERS Corporate Marketing STEPHANIE CONNOLLY Corporate Sales BRIAN KIGHTLINGER

Direct Media PATTI FOLLO Brand Licensing ELISE CONTARSY Communications PATRICK TAYLOR Human Resources DINA NATHANSON Strategic Sourcing, Newsstand, Production CHUCK HOWELL

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer STEPHEN M. LACY President, Meredith Local Media Group PAUL KARPOWICZ Vice Chairman MELL MEREDITH FRAZIER In Memoriam E.T. MEREDITH III (1933-2003)

Dave Kurns Editorial Content Director david.kurns@meredith.com Twitter: @davekurns 6 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

FOR SUBSCRIPTION HELP: Visit Agriculture.com/myaccount; email sfcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com; call 800/374-3276 Our subscribers list is occasionally made available to carefully selected firms whose products may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive information from these companies by mail or by phone, please let us know. Send your request along with your mailing label to Magazine Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508.

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YOUR V I E W Compiled by Paula Barbour, Content Editor

EMINENT DOMAIN VS. LANDOWNERS

THERE ARE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS OVER GOVERNMENT POWERS AND HOW LANDOWNERS ARE AFFECTED BY RULINGS.

lack of inspectors hank you for the informative “Power Plays” article [May, page 14]. I am one of the South Dakota landowners facing the challenge of the Dakota Access Pipeline crossing my farm ground. I have many concerns regarding its installation, but the major concern is that the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission does not police or enforce permit conditions or easement agreements. There are no state inspectors. My state’s resources will be handed over to an out-of-state company for its profit. It is a struggle getting the facts and information to the general public.

Peggy Hoogestraat Chancellor, South Dakota

defining terms read “Power Plays” with interest. If I’ve been informed correctly, land secured under a certified and properly filed land patent can be transferred ONLY to heirs and assigns forever, and eminent domain (the legal theft of property for the public good) is illegal. Land now under the jurisdiction of the U.S. and the federal government was obtained by transfer, conquest, treaty, or purchase. It was then transferred from public ownership to private ownership by assignment as a result of purchase or homestead agreement. Do you know if land under patent can indeed be taken under duress for the “public good?”

I MyBeefCheckoff.com

Chris Good Towanda, Kansas

That’s all a patent really is – the word for a deed that comes from the government. Even today, when the state or federal government sells property into the private market, it uses a document that says patent on it rather than deed. Some people who don’t believe in things (e.g., U.S. currency or the IRS) will find creative ways to justifiably disregard them. In doing so, they tend to adopt misnomers: language or words that have actual meaning but aren’t necessarily well understood. In this case, land patent is a misnomer since all land in private hands had to come from the government at some point. When it did, it was by a patent. Nevertheless, all property that came via patent (all property still not owned by the government) is subject to the law of the land and that state where it is located. Thank you, mr. myers y father, George Myers, passed away April 30. I want to let you know that having his grain hopper idea appear in the Mid-March 2015 issue [“All Around the Farm,” page 86] meant so much to him. He loved your magazine, and it made him extremely proud to have his idea featured. A great farmer and an even better father, my dad taught me so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making his last few days so happy.

Tom Myers Grafton, Ohio

speak out

Don Schie fe lbe i n Seedstock producer

Editor’s Note: Here is some information from Mike Gabor, the attorney mentioned in the article. A patent, by definition in the land context, is a record transfer from the government to another lower form of government or a person or entity. Under our government, a patent is the document by which property is initially placed into private ownership. 8 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Send your comment to:

Successful Farming Magazine 1716 Locust Street/LS257 Des Moines, IA 50309-3023 Email: adminsf@meredith.com Your letter may be edited for clarity and space. For subscription issues, email SFGcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com.

Compiled by Jessie Scott, Innovations Editor

84% of farmers have changed their method of weed control. Why?

66% resistant weeds 63% new product recommendation 52% dissatisfied with current product

THE PERCENTAGE OF ACTIVE CORN CROPLAND SET ASIDE FOR REFUGE: 0% of land – 21% farmers 5% of land – 20% farmers 10% of land – 16% farmers 15% of land – 6% farmers 20% of land – 23% farmers 25% of land – 10% farmers

Farmers who used a preemergence herbicide in 2014:

60% on corn 67% on soybeans

The amount spent on crop-protection products per acre in 2014: Herbicides Insecticides Fungicides Fertilizer Nitrogen Stabilizers

10 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

CORN

SOYBEANS

WHEAT

$31.35 $14.65 $19.21 $119.28 $13.76

$30.75 $10.56 $14.18 $52.48 ---

$18.70 $10.67 $13.07 $66.27 ---

Photography: © LUHUANFENG, istockphoto.com Data Source: Successful Farming 2014 Crop Protection Survey

LOTS OF *6:.52*39 /:89 ONE LUBRICANT— SUPERLUBE TMS . ®

.èR TKYJS YTQI YMFY KFWR JVZNURJSY UJWKTWRFSHJ NX F HTSXYFSY YTUNH TK INXHZXXNTS . WJHTRRJSI 8ZUJWQZGJ 928® GJHFZXJ NY RJJYX YMJ XUJHNą HFYNTSX TK FQQ ^TZW KFWR JVZNURJSY STY OZXY ^TZW YWFHYTWX 9MNX QZGWNHFSY HFS MJQU ^TZ J]YJSI JSLNSJ QNKJ WJIZHJ IT\SYNRJ FSI RNSNRN_J WJUFNW HTXYX &SI ^TZ HFS HTZSY TS YMJ (JSJ]® GWFSI YT XYFSI GJMNSI FQQ TK NYX UWTIZHYX NSHQZINSL 8ZUJWQZGJ 928 \NYM F XNRUQJ UWTYJHYNTS UQFS YMFY PJJUX YMNSLX WZSSNSL HT[JWNSL YMTZXFSIX TK UNJHJX TK JVZNURJSY KTW ZU YT ^JFWX TW MTZWX +NSI TZY MT\ FY HJSJ] HTR YUU

JIM HARGENS CHS DISTRICT MANAGER J.HARGENS@CHSINC.COM

CENEX TOTAL PROTECTION PLAN® *SWTQQ ST\ FSI WJHJN[J NS KWJJ (JSJ] UWTIZHYX

q a THE SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW By Laurie Bedord, Advanced Technology Editor

MATT BARNARD

ILLINOIS FARMER ENTERS THE BURGEONING UAS INDUSTRY TO ENSURE AGRICULTURE HAS A VOICE.

rom the moment you meet Matt Barnard, you know you’re dealing with a straight shooter. His candid attitude about agriculture, especially as it relates to emerging technology, quickly reveals that he is committed to building a productive, profitable, and sustainable operation through responsible growth. Besides being a farmer, Barnard is the founder of Crop Copter, a business borne out of ensuring that agriculture has a voice in the unmanned aerial system (UAS) arena. “About a year ago, I had a salesman stop while I was harvesting corn,” recalls Barnard. “He tried to sell me a hobby-grade unmanned aerial vehicle for about 10 times what it was worth. He didn’t know anything about ag. He didn’t know anything about my farm’s needs or my concerns. All he wanted to do was make a quick buck. Right then and there, I knew farmers needed a voice, if for nothing else, to keep the industry honest.” As the third generation in his family’s Illinois farming operation, Barnard shares his insight on the UAS industry as well as the issues he sees agriculture facing.

UAS companies. Our team is directly involved with production agriculture. On our farms, we expect what we buy to work, who we buy it from to support it, and that it will solve real issues on our farms. We are our customers. It’s also why our tagline is By Farmers, For Farmers. We do not want to be the answer; we want to be the tool to get you the answer. For example, growers are going to have unique nitrogen-management plans for their farms. They know the land they work better than any computer or modeling software. Instead of telling growers what they need, what if we could help them make their own informed decisions based on an ultra-accurate, quick NDVI map that they could use to develop their own strategy.

SF: How do you set yourself apart from other UAS companies? MB: Crop Copter is one of

only a few farmer-owned 12 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

SF: What do you see as the biggest misconception about UAS use in agriculture? MB: In my opinion, the

biggest misconception is that a UAS is the so-called silver bullet. A UAS on your farm won’t solve all of your problems overnight. However, if used right, it should get you thinking and evaluating your operation more. It is a tool just like your combine, planter, or computer. The purpose of a UAS is to help you look at a particular challenge from a different angle – literally. The more information you have at your fingertips, the better informed decisions you make. While UAS ownership is not a silver bullet, it could become a critical piece in your farm-management arsenal. SF: How do you think you will be using a UAS on your farm in 10 years? MB: In 10

years, I think UAS use will be as common on the

farm as an ATV and a 4×4. Instead of taking cool pictures and videos like we do today, the UAS of the future will be heavy on the sensor side. We also will have much more liberal laws that govern UAS use. I think we will see a UAS used to help identify stress areas as they happen. I also believe we will be feeding our crops differently in the future. Instead of applying what we think the crop needs, we will be applying what the crop tells us it needs. A UAS will be a big part of that. I think we will be able to document pest pressure more accurately and maybe even make very precise applications. I think, too, that a UAS will get lumped into a new category – unmanned

BIO

NAME: Matt Barnard HOMETOWN: Foosland, Illinois BACKGROUND: Agriculture is all the Barnard family has ever known. Yet, Ted Barnard felt it was important that his two sons, Matt and Brett, establish themselves off the farm before returning to the family’s Illinois operation. Matt, who is a University of Illinois graduate, had a 14-year career in the seed and chemical industry prior to coming back to the farm in 2013. That same year he started Chief Agronomics, LLC. Crop Copter is a part of its value-added service. Barnard Farms produces corn and soybeans across five Illinois counties. Photography: Courtesy Matt Barnard

agriculture equipment – that will include UAS vehicles and other unmanned, autonomous farm machines and implements. The future will be exciting, and agriculture will be at the center of that evolution. SF: What is the biggest challenge facing farmers today? Five years from now? Ten years from now? MB: The biggest challenges facing

farmers today surrounds the volatility present in our current ag cycle. Commodity price swings, input costs, high machinery costs per acre, and higher-than-normal family living expenses will have to be looked at and managed in the short term. In the next five years, access to capital will be critical to producers. During that time, many growers will be retiring and operations will be passed between generations. Growers’ relationships with their lenders will be critical to their success. In the next 10 years, farmers will have to have successfully managed the areas listed above while dealing with more regulations and a population that understands production agriculture less and less. We will have to educate our end user better. We will have to continue to produce more with less. We will have to have a unified industry voice to successfully influence those who make policy that we must live and operate by.

a particular area in agriculture. Did something bad happen? Did they read something on the Internet? Where are they getting their information? I’m not going to lie and say I don’t like a good debate, but these groups represent such a vocal minority. I come from a group who is a part of an even smaller silent minority. We have to

figure out where the disconnect is. I don’t know any livestock producers who are hurting their animals or any corn producers who are trying to grow an unsafe crop. I would use my dinner date to, hopefully, try and understand the other side and to find some common ground – maybe even change a perception.

Brock Grain Systems

SF: If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? MB: I’d choose the person who is the

most uninformed about what I do. Maybe it’s the non-GMO leader or the person who thinks all farmers are hicks. Maybe it’s someone who thinks that nothing good comes out of the Midwest, or the mother who thinks farmers are poisoning her children’s water. Whoever it is, I would want to meet – not to argue but to understand why that person is so passionately against August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 13

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NEXT SUPER EXPORTER?

BRAZIL IS EXPECTED TO BECOME TOP SOYBEAN EXPORTER BUT NOT GAIN AS MUCH IN CORN.

fter years of looking east at Europe (the longtime U.S. farm rival) and then looking west at China (newly emerged as the biggest food importer on earth), American farmers will be looking south in the future. Brazil, the fifth most populous nation, suddenly is second to the U.S. as the world’s largest agricultural exporter and has room to expand production. “Brazil is poised to become the foremost supplier in meeting additional global demand, mostly originating from Asia,” says the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in a forecast of global agriculture in the decade ahead. The world will want more meat, livestock feed, sugar, and fruit – products that Brazil can supply.

tripling, boosted by one of the largest expansions in crop area in the world for that period, a 34 million-hectare increase to roughly 60 million hectares. “They’re so big and still expanding crop area,” says Helmar. Brazil’s ag exports are six times larger than in 2000, when it ranked fourth in sales. The U.S. has some breathing room. Brazil’s exports in 2013 were worth $89.6 billion, compared with $141 billion in U.S. sales. Brazil-based meatpacker JBS is the world’s top producer of beef, chicken, and lamb. Hungry to expand, JBS entered the U.S. market by buying Swift & Company in 2007 and recently announced a deal to buy Cargill’s pork operations. China’s wild card ike the U.S., Brazil’s top customer for farm exports is China. In a caution that could apply to growers in both nations, OECD says, “China faces many uncertainties in the future as its economy transitions.” If China decides it is too reliant on imports of soybeans, “Brazil may have to quickly adjust production.”

Already, the South American giant is one of the leading meat exporters along with being number one in sugar, coffee, and orange juice. It duels

with the U.S. for the top spot as soybean grower and exporter. pulling ahead in soybeans ur projections are for Brazil to steadily climb and to become the largest soybean exporter,” says analyst Mike Helmar of the University of Nevada, who tracks global production. USDA agrees, projecting Brazilian soy exports will be 19 million tonnes, or 37% larger than U.S. shipments in marketing year 2024/2025. Soybeans will continue to dominate Brazil’s land use and take half of the land in major crops by 2024, UPComing AUGUST says OECD. U.S. farmers • 12: USDA’s Crop will remain more competitive at Production Report gives the growing corn. Brazil’s crop area first measure of this year’s grows by 20% over the decade and variable corn conditions. soybean area by 23%, mostly in the SEPTEMBER northeastern states of Maranhao, • 8: Congress returns from August recess to tackle Tocantins, Piaui, and Bahia. spending bills and extending Overall, Brazil doubled its tax credits. agricultural output since 1990, • 11: FAO Cereal Supply and with livestock production almost Demand Brief is released.

“O

14 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

key CRP deadline ahead

f you have land in the CRP with a contract that expires on September 30, you may want to dig up the letter you should have gotten in June from the Farm Service Agency. You have until September 4 to let FSA know if you want to extend your contract for one more year (only an option for land in the CRP 14 years or less). You may also be able to put part of that CRP land into the continuous CRP (CCRP). “Even if you plan to return a portion of your land to production, important conservation benefits may still be achieved by reenrolling sensitive acres such as buffers or pollinator habitat,” the FSA letter says of the option with CCRP. That, too, has a September 4 deadline for offers. The continuous sign-up for more targeted CRP acres has grown more popular in recent years, according to a report released in June by USDA’s Economic Research Service. “Enrollment under continuous sign-up increased by about 50%, from 3.8 million acres in 2007 to 5.7 million acres in 2014,” says the report. The 2014 Farm Bill lowers the amount of land that can go into all CRP programs, but “environmental benefits may not be diminishing as quickly as the drop in enrolled acreage might suggest,” due to CCRP, ERS says. Illustration: Matt Wood

RED MEAT IS BACK

The numbers don’t lie, says Steve Meyer. Despite all the hits that red meat has taken, demand continues to grow.

teve Meyer, the pork market specialist for Express Markets Analytics, saw demand for pork and beef building over the last couple of years, but it’s really taken off in 2015. “Total beef and pork expenditures are up another 14% to 16%,” he says. That doesn’t mean people are eating more red meat, it just means they are willing to pay more for the supply available. The total dollars spent on meat is in record territory again. Here are some positives Meyer sees for beef and pork.

plies actually hit grocery stores. In the meantime, pork is taking market share, and industry promotion is targeting beef head-on with ads that encourage consumers to cook pork like steak. He expects the coming year to be a good one for pork producers, with profits averaging $20 to $30 a head. Producers will have opportunity to buy cash corn for feed at $3 a bushel at harvest lows and soybean meal perhaps as low as $250 a ton. “Don’t get in a hurry

to buy,” Meyer cautions. For efficient producers, those numbers translate to a cost of pork production of $60/cwt or less. Cash prices and futures prices for hogs popped up above $80/cwt (carcass basis) in the spring of 2015, with futures mostly at $70/cwt or above for the coming year. Meyer predicts the resulting profits will bring about pork expansion, and he worries that pork profits could vanish by late 2016 and 2017.

EXPERIENCE

the MORTON ADVANTAGE

• Animal fats are no longer the whipping boy. Health and nutrition experts are

turning more positive to animal proteins and fats. “Some even say they are necessary to good health,” says Meyer. “The old phobias are fading.” • The economy is picking up steam.

Gross domestic product is set to grow 2% to 2.5% this year. While not phenomenal, it’s pretty good, says Meyer. Consumer income growth is uptrending by 3% to 3.5% this year; it was 0% two years ago.

#4176/#B033025066

• Restaurants are growing and fuel savings are paying. We’ve now had

several months of reduced fuel prices resulting from a worldwide glut of energy supplies. “The effect of that on consumer savings and spending is coming now,” says Meyer. The news is particularly positive for the pork sector, Meyer thinks. It will be 2018 before expanding cattle sup-

Animal fats are no longer the whipping boy.“The old phobias are fading.” – Steve Meyer August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 15

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Morton should be their number one choice.” Neal W. • Newman, IL

Want to see more of Neal’s building? Text “TOUR” to 31313 to see a virtual tour or visit mortonbuildings.com!

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YOUR FARM

By Dan Looker, Business Editor

BUFFER BONUSES

A USEFUL CONSERVATION TOOL HAS ECONOMIC BENEFITS – IF IT ESCAPES POLITICS.

uffer is not a four-letter word, but in Minnesota, it might as well be one. Governor Mark Dayton’s campaign last winter and spring for mandatory 50-foot buffers along streams, lakes, and ditches brought a lot of heat to this northern state. Dayton even suggested that farm practices are turning the state’s 10,000 lakes into cesspools. “There were a lot of lightning rods to this,” recalls Kevin Paap, who farms near Mankato and who is president of Minnesota Farm Bureau. “One week I had over 60 calls from people wondering what was going on.” Paap has buffer strips along drainage ditches on his own farm, with some of it enrolled in USDA’s enhanced conservation reserve program, but he sees relying on buffer strips to clean runoff from farm fields as overly simplistic. “A one-sizefits-all program isn’t the most effective,” he says.

The regulation vise keeps closing special session of the legislature in June gave Dayton his buffer law, without some of the more onerous original proposals such as flyovers by the state DNR for enforcement. A rigid 50-foot width near public rivers and lakes became a 50-foot average with a 30-foot minimum. Fields along public drainage ditches must have 16½-foot buffers (already required in Minnesota but not consistently enforced by counties). The deadline for 50-foot buffers along lakes and rivers is November 2017. For ditches, it starts a year later. Farmers who

16 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Many farmers have installed buffers, but only a few support mandatory laws. A CRP expansion is needed now to support buffers – and prices.

don’t comply face $500 fines. Minnesota’s buffer battle follows a lawsuit filed against drainage districts in Iowa last winter over nitrates and tougher fertilizer application laws in Ohio. Even though Paap’s group and other Minnesota producer organizations fought the original buffer plan, Paap doubts the compromise bill is the last state regulation for farmers. Dayton’s original proposal would have taken at least 125,000 acres of cropland out of production, and some small farmers complained they would be hit hard. From Louisiana to the Dakotas, water quality and conservation are growing challenges for producers. a partial solution? ome farmers see economic benefits from buffers with today’s low crop prices and costly inputs, however. Darrel Mosel, who grows crops and raises livestock near Gaylord, Minnesota, is one. Part of his farm borders drainage ditches. There, clay subsoil mixed with topsoil when the ditch was made. “Grass will grow in that clay mixture, but corn and soybeans seem to get stunted in it,” he says. “You spend about the same amount of money as on the other acres, but you get about 60% of a crop.” Mosel thinks it’s good business sense to have a buffer along those ditches, especially if you use the hay for livestock

Photography: Courtesy Iowa NRCS

Continue to next page

m a n a g i n g YOUR FARM

or, instead, put it into the continuous conservation reserve progrsm (CCRP) and get a rental payment. Mosel belongs to Minnesota’s Land Stewardship Project, a conservation-minded group with farmer members who supported Dayton’s buffer efforts. “I’m a little bit surprised the farm groups opposed this,” he says. “If nothing else, it was good PR for us.” For Mosel, buffers are much more than just public relations for the farm industry, however. On his 600-acre grain and livestock farm, it’s part of farming efficiently, too. “If corn goes up to $8 again, I’m not going to worry about 3 or 4 acres in buffers. If it’s $3 or $4, I know I’m not going to make money on those acres,” he says. Bigger benefits from CCRP f the returns already are questionable on streamside soils that face erosion or flooding, entering that land into CCRP can tip buffer strips in your favor. Unlike the regular CRP, you can enroll in the CCRP at any time at a Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. CCRP rental payments from FSA are based on soil quality, not the bidding process for general CRP. In Minnesota, CCRP payments average $108 an acre. In Iowa, they’re $200. CCRP rents for top quality soils can be quite a bit higher. The original CRP is 30 years old this year. When it started, its main purpose was to take enough land out of production to help stabilize the depressed prices of the 1980s. Unfortunately, when the 2014 Farm Bill was written, Congress reduced the cap on CRP acres nationwide from 32 million under the 2008 farm law to only 24 million. With $7 corn, many landowners were bailing out of CRP for higher cash rents just as the 2014 Farm Bill was drafted. That’s hardly the case today, and now the program seems too small. We could also use more acres in CRP, either continuous or general sign-up, to once again help stabilize prices. Earlier this year, a coalition of conservation and agribusiness groups wrote USDA, asking that 8 million acres of that 24 Dan Looker million-acre cap be devoted to CCRP.

18 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Continued

“. . . FSA should refocus its efforts to meet the goals of today’s CRP to enroll cropland and marginal pastureland that benefits water quality, wildlife habitat, air quality, and reduces soil erosion, all of which would be strengthened through greater use of continuous signup,” says the letter signed by National Grain and Feed Association, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and others. Even 8 million acres, if concentrated in the Corn Belt, might be enough to affect prices, says Daryll Ray, a University of Tennessee agricultural economist. Instead of marginal land, “you’re taking highly productive land out of production, even if it’s only a few acres per farm,” Ray says. Unfortunately, 8 million acres is a pipe dream right now. It’s likely to be 800,000 acres a year as the USDA administers CCRP, which includes pollinator habitat, wetlands, and other uses, not just buffers at the edge of cornfields. Of course, it’s not a net gain in CRP acres, either. Under those circumstances, Ray doesn’t see much price effect. At a June hearing on conservation, key members of the House Agriculture Committee were interested in strengthening CRP. “At some point, I think as a committee, we have to reassess our CRP situation,” said former chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma. For higher prices and cleaner water, the sooner that happens, the better. More CCRP can make buffers much more appealing.

AG GROUPS LOOK TO GAIN FROM A PACIFIC TRADE DEAL

ow that Congress has passed Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), the Obama administration is wrapping up negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade deal most ag groups will likely back. They, and everyone else, will finally get a look at the highly secretive TPP deal. The TPA law requires disclosure of any agreement 60 days before it’s signed and long before Congress votes on it. “For the United States, TPP is potentially the biggest trade deal in decades,” says Floyd Gaibler, U.S. Grains Council director of trade policy and biotechnology. “The 12 countries that are involved account for 40% of the world’s gross domestic product,” Gaibler says. “A comprehensive, high-quality deal is critical for U.S. agriculture, which is a consistent leader in exports. An agricultural free trade zone encompassing much of the Pacific Rim also promises to be a powerful tool for projecting exports well beyond the circle of TPP signatories.” The reality of a TPP could be modest, though, as computer modeling by USDA’s Economic Research Service showed last year. If the TPP eliminates all tariffs and quotas, it “will increase the value of agricultural trade among TPP countries by 6%, or about $8.5 billion” by 2025 over 2007, says the report, Agriculture in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. U.S. ag exports grow 5%, or $2.8 billion. Japan will account for 70% of the ag trade expansion. U.S. commodities gaining the most will be cereals (1%), dairy (0.5%), and meat (0.4%).

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CAN THEIR p r o B l e m BE SOLVED? By Cheryl Tevis, Risk Management Editor

THE PROBLEM:

HOW DOES SUCCESSFUL FARMING MAGAZINE CREATE A CONTINUATION PLAN FOR THIS POPULAR PAGE AFTER THE FOUNDER REDUCES HIS ROLE?

new era of problems – and opportunities– in agriculture demands new solutions. For many, grooming a new generation of farm successors is a long-range continuation process. Dr. Jonovic’s plan to reduce his imprint on this page created an incentive for Successful Farming magazine to carry out its own transition plan. Dr. Jonovic will continue to focus his occasional columns on responding to the management needs of farmers and ranchers, and offering his insights on pivotal transition issues. Successful Farming magazine’s challenge – and opportunity – was to recruit talented advisers to field a winning team effort. The first requirement was depth of Dr. Jonovic’s experience. A second prerequisite plan to reduce was technical knowledge, grounded his imprint on in down-to-earth people skills gained this page created from consulting at kitchen tables. The an incentive for Successful third necessity was a generous helping Farming magazine of humor to ease the tensions and emoto carry out its own tions that complicate the planning protransition plan. cess. Finally, all of these skills had to be rooted in a genuine commitment to agriculture and a caring concern for the people who make agriculture their business. After months of research, discussion, and interviews, we’re proud to announce our new Generating Success Adviser Team. the solution olene Brown is a professional speaker, author, family business consultant, and a real-life Farmer Brown. She’s been a presenter at Successful Farming magazine’s three Farm Family Enrichment Conferences and the keynoter

22 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

at the Generating Success Conference. Brown has written for Successful Farming magazine as a trusted source, offering down-to-earth guidance and tested family business tools wrapped in experience and humor. She’s active on social media, and you can connect with her at Agriculture.com, Facebook, and Twitter. “I’m delighted and excited to be part of the team,” she says. “I’ve learned from Don Jonovic’s sage advice, and I’m grateful now to have the privilege to share what I know with Successful Farming readers. “My purpose is to help family businesses become business-first families,” she says. “This doesn’t mean business is more important than family. It means we honor the family so much we’d better get the business done right. If not, at the end of the day, we’ll have neither family nor business.” Myron Friesen co-owns Farm Financial Strategies. During the past 15 years, he’s worked with farm families across the Midwest to develop strategies to transition their farms. Friesen was a presenter at the Generating Success Conference, and his articles on transition and estate planning have appeared in Successful Farming magazine for several years. “My story goes back to when my grandparents passed away,” he says. “At that point, the farm was divided, and so was the family. My passion is to keep farms and families together.” One year ago, Successful Farming magazine surveyed readers regarding their risk-management needs. The

results reinforced that this page is one of the most popular features and that estate planning ranks second as a top risk-management topic. The problems – and opportunities – in agriculture will continue. You can count on our new team to help generate the solutions to yours. GENERATING SUCCESS ADVISER TEAM Dr. Don Jonovic is founder of Family Business Management Services in Cleveland, Ohio. He focuses on management development, growth, and ownership transition issues. He has authored “Can Their Problem Be Solved?” for over 27 years. familybusinessmgt.com Jolene Brown is a professional speaker, author, farmer, and family business consultant. She shares her passion, experience, and fun-filled spirit with farmers and ranchers across North America. Her tested business tools provide leadership and management solutions for the people who feed, clothe, and fuel the world. jolenebrown.com Myron Friesen is co-owner of Farm Financial Strategies in Osage, Iowa. During the past 15 years, he has worked exclusively with farm families across the Midwest to develop farm transition strategies. Friesen grew up on a Mountain Lake, Minnesota, farm. He owns and operates a 620-acre crop and livestock farm near Osage with his wife and four children. farmestate.com

Photographs: Provided by Don Jonovic, Jolene Brown, Myron Friesen

h e a l t h y MANAGER By Cheryl Tevis, Risk Management Editor

left: Brian Parrot (center) coaches (from left to right) Sarah Barry, Julia Page, Hannah Carr, and Meagan Miller. above: Mark and Denise Kuhn reign over the court.

THE GRASS IS GREENER

FEW GRASS TENNIS COURTS ANYWHERE IN THE U.S. ARE A MATCH FOR THIS ONE.

dream deferred isn’t always a dream denied. “Sometimes a dream just takes a long time to develop,” Mark Kuhn says. As a boy, the Charles City, Iowa, farmer dreamed of transforming a feedlot into a Wimbledon-worthy court. Kuhn fell in love with tennis in 1960, when he and his grandfather tuned into the Wimbledon tournament on a shortwave radio. His mom saved S&H Green Stamps to buy a tennis racket for him and she set up lessons. He played tennis in high school and during college. Kuhn completed college, married, farmed, raised a family, and served as a state legislator for 12 years. “I’d been talking about the court forever, and then a close friend died suddenly,” he says. “It was time to follow my passion – or forget it.” Kuhn consulted with turf-grass specialists at Iowa State University in July 2002. “They asked if I knew how hard it would be to maintain,” he says. “ ‘Yes,’ I told them, ‘but I’m a farmer.’ ” His wife, Denise, and sons, Mason and Alex, were on his team. The All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club (AILTC) was completed in 2003, and 100 guests enjoyed a grand opening exhibition match featuring Coe College. One of the players at their 2005 invitational tourney contacted the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Sports Illustrated writer L. Jon Wertheim wrote a column in Tennis Magazine. It set off an unexpected volley. “We had 252 visitors from 25 states between July and September,” Kuhn says. The AILTC was named one of 64

Bonus Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

hot spots on the 2006 Great American Tennis Road Trip. Kuhn created a website for making reservations (alliowalawntenniscourt. org). The free court is open from Memorial Day through September. no keeping score for a labor of love uhn, 64, admits that his dream was daunting. “We hauled 18 truckloads of sandy soil and installed an irrigation system with 16 sprinklers and six tile lines,” he says. Before seeding the 9,000- square-foot court with L92 bent grass sod, the family collected buckets of rocks. Kuhn and his sons cut 628 pickets with a jigsaw. Friends and neighbors helped prime and paint. Kuhn, who calls himself a turfologist, mows in four different directions every other day at a height of 7∕16

inch. “It gives the grass a checkerboard look,” he says. Lines are painted weekly with an aerosol latex machine. An asphalt roller reduces bad hops. The AILTC hosts tennis buffs from California to Canada. “They use our bed and bath as club dressing rooms,” he says. “I’m fortunate to have a great wife.” The AILTC also led to a second dream-come-true for the 850-acre grain farmer. A 2010 Tennis Channel video paved the way to intern as a Wimbledon groundsman for eight days and to blog for USTA. “It was amazing, 50 years after my dream, to be at Wimbledon,” he says. giving back is sweet spot uhn gets more exercise caring for the court than playing on it. The AILTC hosts a free one-day camp for 25 high school girls, and the Charles City YMCA youth league also plays there. “I’ve been repaid in so many ways,” he says.

Photography: Harlan Persinger

m a c h i n e r y By Jessie Scott, Innovations Editor

hitch and optional front PTO give you greater versatility for the M7. The M7 is available with rigid, mechanical, or, for an additional level of comfort, pneumatic suspension. All models are powered by a Kubota V6108 Tier 4 Final engine with SCR, EGR, and a DPF. New mechanical self-leveling loader ith horsepower ranging from 130 to 170, the new tractor can be used for livestock jobs, with Kubota’s new hay tools, or for smaller row-crop applications. “The main application for this tractor is going to be in the loader market,” says Brown. With this in mind, Kubota also has introduced the LM2605 mechanical selfleveling loader. Mechanical self-leveling allows the loader to lift more weight throughout the lift range, which is an impressive 13 feet, 11 inches. The new loader can lift up to 5,700 pounds and features Z-bar linkage. “With Z-bar linkage, there is no linkage above the boom, so you have a clear view of the loader,” explains Brown. Additional features include a front loader joystick, single-lever hydraulic quick coupler, a quick attachment and detachment system, and a third function valve that lets you work with a grapple bucket and other hydraulically controlled attachments. The M7 series will be available in select markets by the second half of 2015. Pricing information is not yet available.

KUBOTA M7 MIDRANGE SERIES TRACTORS

KUBOTA INTRODUCES ITS HIGHEST HORSEPOWER TRACTORS EVER – THE M7 SERIES.

here’s a new player in the midrange horsepower tractor market. Kubota is moving up from the compact and utility tractors to introduce the M7 series. “With the Kubota M7, we’ve set in motion a strategy for full-scale entry into new markets, setting our sights on commercial livestock and row-crop production customers, and readying Kubota to compete with other big players in the field,” says Todd Stucke, Kubota. “The M7’s ease of operation, technological advances, and overall comfort factor will make it a top choice for hay producers, as well.”

Configuration options he M7 series will be offered in a standard and premium configuration. The standard will be available in 150 and 170 hp. with a flange axle and an open-center hydraulic system with 21 gallon per minute (GPM) hydraulic flow. Mechanical auxiliary remotes control three auxiliary control valves, and you have the option to add a fourth rear remote. With the premium model, you get more options and hydraulics, including a closed center, load-sensing system and up to 29 GPM maximum flow. The premium configuration is available in 130, 150, and 170 hp. Other options include a flange axle or classic true bar axle and a 24-speed powershift transmission or a Kubota infinitely variable transmission (KVT). A creeper package can be added that gives you 16 forward and 16 reverse creep speeds. Another bonus of the premium package is advanced controls. Premium cabs have a multifunction lever that puts all of the

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M7’s functions on one control. A 7-inch monitor is standard, or you can upgrade to a 12-inch touchscreen monitor. There are four main functions of the monitor: tractor control, ISOBUS implement control, GPS auto guidance, and a camera monitor. A headland management system works with the GPSand ISOBUS-compatible implements to provide customizable programs to automate operations. “These options make the M7 a premium tractor for hydraulics and technology,” says Kent Brown of Kubota. Kubota’s four-speed PTO allows you to operate a variety of rear-mounted implements at the optimal speed. The independent PTO can be engaged and disengaged without stopping the tractor using a single control knob. An optional front three-point

Photography: Manufacturer

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

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m a c h i n e r y By Jessie Scott and Laurie Bedord

XERION TRACTORS

CLAAS BRINGS TRACTOR LINE TO STATES.

he Claas Xerion tractor series has been updated from the European version to handle the demands of largescale American farms. “The Xerion is not just an off the shelf product for us,” says Drew Fletcher, Claas. “We have worked hard to meet the specs of the North American market. Those changes include improved power transmission, duals rather than singles, a better ladder, enhanced hydraulics, and dozens more.” There are three models available: the 4000, 4500, and 5000. The 4500 and 5000 come equipped with powerful 12.8-liter Mercedes-Benz engines, while the 4000 is powered by an efficient 10.6-liter Mercedes-Benz engine. All three models achieve maximum output (435, 490, and 530 hp., respectively) at 1,700 rpm. With six steering modes, the tractor can fit into tight spaces and remain stable on uneven ground. Three driving options give you complete control over speed, power, and fuel efficiency. The Claas line of Xerion tractors will initially be available from a select number of North American dealers. Prices range from $406,078 to $518,929.

PUMPED UP

NEXT GENERATION INJECTOR PUMP BASE INCLUDES NUMBER OF NEW FEATURES.

uma, Colorado company Agri-Inject, Inc. has done more than simply redesign the pump base that is used in combination with its fertigation system. With its new name comes a number of new features that make the unit stronger and more user-friendly. “We’re calling the new base the Nomad and are using it across the board to replace the previous Stealth base,” explains Erik Tribelhorn, CEO of Agri-Inject. “Like the old design, the Nomad base is still triangular in shape. However, it now has four handles – two raised and two open grips – that make it easier to pick up and move. The handles are also ergonomically designed for use with gloved hands.” A key feature in the redesign is the unit’s improved commonality. The previous base often required adapter brackets for various pump models. The new Nomad base is compatible with nearly 95% of the product line without modification. In addition, the control switch and wiring are now integrated into the base. To protect it against damage or accidental activation the base also features raised ribs. “We looked at the type of material being used in the base and made improvements in that area, as well. We’re using a better grade of resin and molding the bases in-house, which gives us better control,” says Tribelhorn. “At the same time we improved the internal geometry to make the base stronger. In effect, we tied the walls together so there’s no deflection or compression even when we applied up to 500 pounds during testing.” For more information about the Nomad or other products by Agri-Inject, Inc. call 800/4-INJECT or visit agri-inject.com.

Bonus Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Photography: Manufacturers

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m a c h i n e r y By Jessie Scott, Innovations Editor

ideal for towed vehicles, says Sloan. The grain cart tire is still a prototype and will go through further testing before it comes to market. Planters lanters and tillage equipment are in the same boat as grain carts. The equipment has grown, but the tires have stayed relatively the same size. Titan has a solution. “Our radical new concept is

TITAN TIRE PROTOTYPES

INNOVATIVE TIRE DESIGNS FOR GRAIN CARTS AND PLANTERS REDUCE COMPACTION FOR LARGER, HEAVIER EQUIPMENT.

he size and weight of new equipment increases almost every year, as manufacturers deliver larger machines that can accomplish more in a shorter amount of time. However, these machines don’t always leave space for larger tires that can take on the additional weight. “Manufacturers are trying to fit the same size tire into the same envelope that they have in the last 30 or 40 years,” explains Scott Sloan of Titan, manufacturer of Titan and Goodyear Farm Tire brands. “I think people are recognizing that these envelopes are going to have to change. If equipment manufacturers want tires to carry more load, they have to give us more room.” Grain carts ne area this applies to is grain carts. “The equipment is getting heavier, and the ability to move around is getting more and more impeded,” says Sloan. About two years ago, Morry Taylor, CEO of Titan, sat down with Jon Kinzenbaw, president and CEO of Kinze, to discuss cre-

Bonus Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

ating a larger grain cart tire. Taylor promised to create a tire capable of handling 52,000 pounds on the condition that the geometry of the grain cart box would change to accommodate a taller tire. The result is Titan’s 85-inch 1250/40R46 Muck Master tire (shown above) that is rated for 52,000 pounds. The tire fits on Kinze’s 1300 grain cart, and Titan is working with other grain cart manufacturers who hope to use the tire. The Muck Master design and tread pattern was selected because it is easy to pull and is

going to replace the two single tires that are typically on a tandem axle and replace it with one large, single tire behind the planter,” says Sloan. “The tire would be 43 inches wide, stand 43 inches tall, and have a big groove down the center to straddle the row following the planter.” This larger tire (shown above) would create a bigger footprint, reducing compaction. However, right now no planter can accommodate this configuration. “We have to modify something on the planter,” says Sloan. “So we’re working with a planter manufacturer on this new concept.” Titan hopes to test the concept in the 2016 planting season and then move forward with the concept from there. Photography: Jessie Scott; Manufacturer

c r o p s By Gene Johnston

Q&A

Inconsistent responses occurred when University of Minnesota researchers applied starter fertilizer to corn following soybeans.

HOW TO MANAGE $3 TO $4 CORN

WHEN CORN IS $7, ALMOST ANYTHING YOU DO TO INCREASE YIELDS IS WORTH IT. WHAT ABOUT WHEN TIMES WHEN THE PRICE IS LOWER?

oday, your skills as an economist may supersede those as an agronomist. Yes, you can do some things to get higher corn yields, but here’s the real question: Will it pay? Jeff Coulter, University of Minnesota (U of M) Extension corn agronomist, shares this list of four agronomic practices and his latest research and thoughts about yields and payoff.

1. Seeding rates and fertilizer eeding rates on most farms have been rising in recent years, especially in high-yield environments. At the same time, farmers have been debating fertilizer rates, particularly nitrogen (N). Should it go higher to support the higher stands and yield goals? “We’ve done three years of research at three locations across southern Minnesota,” says Coulter. “Most of our trials are fertilized for a yield goal of 250 bushels per acre, except for the N. We’ve varied the nitrogen fertilizer from 65 pounds per acre to 110, 155, and 200 pounds per acre of N in split applications. Then, on top of that, we’ve layered planting populations of 30,000 plants per acre to 36,000 and 42,000.” The first take-home point, says Coulter, is that higher corn seeding rates don’t require more N fertilizer. At all seeding rates, yields with 155 pounds of N per acre usually match yields at 200 pounds. While the 2014 highest yields tended to come with 200 pounds of N, it wasn’t by much. At $3.50-per-bushel corn,

Photography: Gil Gullickson

projected returns were usually maxed out at 155 pounds of nitrogen.” While the highest seeding rate of 42,000 plants per acre (ppa) occasionally produced higher yields at two of three research locations, it was not the most profitable. “The rate of 36,000 corn seeds per acre yielded nearly as well as 42,000, and the projected net returns advantage went to the 36,000 stand,” he says. “If you consider 36,000 plants per acre and 155 pounds of nitrogen per acre as a benchmark, that allows you to compare yields with this system to those with 42,000 seeds per acre, with or without an additional 45 pounds of nitrogen per acre. At two of our three research locations,

he following questions were posed to University of Minnesota Extension corn agronomist Jeff Coulter. SF: In the past, the general recommendation was 110 pounds per acre of nitrogen fertilizer per acre. Has that changed? Coulter: Nitrogen fertilizer guidelines are a good starting point, and they come in ranges rather than an exact number. That provides growers flexibility when considering their conditions. Our trials had four rates, including 110, 155, and 200 pounds per acre. It is possible that yields with 135 pounds would have been similar to the yields with 155 pounds in some of our trials. SF: It makes sense that highyielding corn would need more nitrogen, but your research doesn’t show that. What’s going on? Coulter: Corn yield is really driven by weather and soil-moisture status. Favorable growing conditions for corn also are generally favorable to mineralization of nitrogen from soil organic matter.

the higher inputs occasionally produced greater yield. Frankly, at $3.50-per-bushel corn, that just isn’t enough to cover the extra cost.” For example, the 42,000 ppa seeding rate and 200-pound-per-acre nitrogen application yielded 4 bushels more per acre in a trial at the U of M’s Southwest Research and Outreach Center at Lamberton. The projected net return, though, was $26 per acre less than the benchmark 36,000/155. At Rochester, Minnesota, the difference in net return

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36,000 AND 155 acre, with no response to the narrower rows,” he says. He’s also experimented with twin-row corn, comparing standard 30-inch rows with twin rows spaced 22 inches and 8 inches apart. In theory, that, too, gives less plant competition. In the Minnesota trials, though, little yield impact has occurred.

A good fertility program hitting the three major nutrients – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) – is akin to the old saying, If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Granted, from year-to-year, you may want to do some tweaking, but it’s important to emphasize these big three, says George Rehm, retired University of Minnesota soil specialist. “Put the emphasis on nitrogen,” he says. Nitrogen is under the microscope these days, with concerns about excess amounts running into rivers and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. This can be alleviated by soil testing and split-application systems. “When it comes to P and K, band rather than broadcast,” says Rehm. “We’ve been saying that for decades.” Finally, stay away from those fertilizer additives that miraculously add yield with scant data to back yield claims. The good news is, Rehm sees less interest in buying these products than in past years.

3. Hybrid Maturities onger-maturity hybrids of 105 days have shown a 10-bushel-an-acre yield advantage compared with 95-day hybrids, says Coulter. “You have to balance that to drydown, though. For every one day added to maturity length, we see about .25% to .50% wetter corn at harvest. There’s a line in there where the extra yield of longermaturity hybrids doesn’t pay for the extra drying cost.” Minnesota hybrid trials have evaluated 80 to 150 hybrids most years. Yield differences between the top 10 hybrids and the lowest 10 hybrids have shown a 40- to 70-bushel-per-acre spread, Coulter says.

4. Starter Fertilizer oulter sees inconsistent response to starter (10-34-0) applied at planting for corn following soybeans. “It’s not related to planting date or hybrid maturity,” he says. “I have to point out that these research fields are pretty well fertilized already, and maybe that’s why starter hasn’t consistently paid off. Greater frequency of yield response to starter has occurred when corn follows corn and there are lower soil-test levels, when the soil is fine textured, and when there is abundant surface residue at planting.”

The seeding rate per acre and pounds of applied nitrogen per acre, respectively, that consistently produced the best returns at most University of Minnesota testing locations and in the most years.

L Longer-maturity hybrids yield more than shorter-season hybrids. However, this yield advantage must be balanced against increased drydown costs.

was $48 per acre in favor of the benchmark. “The 36,000 seeding rate with 155 pounds of nitrogen produced net returns that were consistently among the greatest in most locations and years,” says Coulter. 2. Narrow Rows n theory, this spreads the plants out, giving less competition between plants and allowing for higher plant populations. Coulter says Minnesota trials have compared 30-inch rows with 20-inch rows. “We maxed yields in those trials at about 34,300 plants per

Bonus Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

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December 2015 CBOT Corn 480’ 0 470’ 0 460’ 0 450’ 0 440’ 3 430’ 0 420’ 0 415’ 2 410’ 0

This is the chart of December 2015 CBOT corn futures. You can see the $4.40 high made in late December 2014. From that high, prices dropped all the way back to the recent low at $3.65. Long-term chart support is at the low at $3.18 from September 2014. If corn prices stay at this level or move lower, most Corn Belt farmers will have a crop insurance claim and will likely receive large ARC-CO payments.

401’2 390’ 0 380’ 0 370’ 2 360’ 0 Oct. ’14

Nov. ’14

Dec. ’14

Jan. ’15

Feb. ’15

Mar. ’15

Apr. ’15

May ’15

Jun’ 15

PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIG CROPS

CONSIDER PREHARVEST ALTERNATIVES NOW.

t a marketing seminar this spring, a frustrated Iowa farmer raised his hand. “I didn’t think we could have two big corn crops in a row,” he said. “I already had cash corn to sell, and now I have new-crop corn I need to get sold. What should I do?” I told him I was also surprised at the relentless bear market in corn again this spring and summer. On top of his concern about the price of the cash corn he was holding (some of which was in commercial storage), the big new crop meant he would need to sell ahead at least 50% of his new crop or put it in commercial storage at harvest, too. I asked him a lot of questions and then explained several alternatives. One recommendation was easy. I told him to sell the cash corn he was holding in commercial storage and to replace with call options. He had a good basis. My concern was that if corn futures rallied, then the cash basis would deteriorate. Holding cash corn was a lose-lose proposition. If some weather-related problem developed and futures rallied, then it was cheaper – and less risky – to hold call options than to continue paying interest at the bank and paying storage charges to the elevator. The second part of his question, about that new-crop corn, was a lot tougher. It was hard for me to recomTry the new AgMobile mend that he sell his crop app. Check your app store ahead when the newfor this FREE new tool for the farm, shop, or office. crop price was below his Download it today! cost of production (and below the crop insurance 24 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

guarantee) even if it looked like prices were still heading lower. It is frustrating to watch December 2015 corn futures go under $3.70. However, if you are a Corn Belt farmer who has crop insurance and you are enrolled in the ARC-CO program, you do not have a lot of additional financial risk. The lower the new-crop corn prices go, the higher your likely crop insurance payment will be. Your potential farm program payment increases at the same time. What to do onsider these three alternatives prior to corn harvest. 1. Puts. Buy some at-themoney put options. Corn prices are likely to keep moving lower into harvest; the puts will protect you against lower prices. If you have crop insurance,

then only do this on 10% to 30% of your 2015 crop. Consider taking the gain or just stepping aside on the positions in late September. 2. Synthetic Puts. Sell some of the corn ahead in the cash market and buy some March 2016 corn calls. In the industry, this is called a synthetic put. If the market moves lower into fall, then you can deliver the corn at the higher price. If the corn market eventually moves higher, you will be underwater on your contracts, but your calls will make money. Do this for 10% to 30% of your 2015 corn crop. 3. Spreads. At harvest, sell the cash corn and buy July 2016 corn calls or bull call spreads. This bull call strategy costs less than paying the shrink on corn and the other elevator costs you incur when you put your corn into commercial storage. Your total elevator costs (drying, shrink, plus storage) can easily add up to 25¢. Instead, use that 25¢ to buy calls or call spreads. It is a more complex strategy, but it is one that works. What about beans? he frustrated Iowa farmer mentioned previously did not ask about soybeans.

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Continued

November 2015 CBOT Soybeans 1100’ 0

1050’ 0

989’ 975’20 972’ 6 925’ 0

You can see the $10.56 high made in November 2014. From that high, prices fell to just below $9 per bushel by late May 2015. The chart shows support at $8.96 and then at $8.50. If soybean prices stay at this level or move lower, most soybean farmers will have a crop insurance claim and will likely receive large ARC-CO payments.

900’ 0 875’ 0 860’ 7 840’ 5 825’ 0 800’ 0 Oct. ’14

Nov. ’14

Dec. ’14

Jan. ’15

Feb. ’15

Mar. ’15

Apr. ’15

However, the same concepts should be applied to the soybean market If you have limited storage, then you want to haul all of your soybeans in and replace those sales with call options. Storing corn at home and hauling the soybeans to town at harvest are usually the right financial and marketing decisions. Key price levels to watch he December corn chart (shown on p. 24) shows the $4.15 crop insurance guarantee, the approximate levels where you will receive ARC-CO payments, and where PLC payments may begin. I am watching the double bottom in December corn at $3.64 and the harvest of 2014 low at $3.18 on my longterm monthly corn continuation chart as a possible low in the fall of 2015. If that low is taken out, then corn could drop down to long-term support at $2.90. For November soybeans, the chart (above) shows the $9.73 crop insurance guarantee, the approximate levels where you will receive ARC-CO payments, and where PLC payments may begin. I am watching the life-of-contract low at $8.96 (at the time of this writing) and the April high at $9.78. If the November soybean contract closes below $8.96, then the next long-term support is at $8.50.

Key time periods to monitor atch the last week of September for a possible major low. This is the anniversary of when prices bottomed in 2014. If that scenario does not work and if prices move lower through October, then the ideal time period for a major low moves to late December 2015. Looking ahead to next year, begin putting your 2016 plan together now. In years with large crops, the new-crop pricing opportunity usually occurs early in the year. For your 2016 crop, you need to consider some hedges during the week of November 27, 2015, the week of January 22, 2016, and the week of March 18, 2016. The week of March 18, 2016, is also a key time to consider some new-crop puts.

26 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

May ’15

Jun. ’15

If you learn to consistently get some of your crops priced ahead using this type of plan, the odds are very high that you will be better off than hoping for a summer rally or being forced to sell at harvest. To avoid having the same marketing problems again next year, be more proactive by making your new-crop 2016 marketing plan early. 2 opportunities ere are two opportunities where lower prices could add to your bottom line.

Opportunity #1: The way the farm program and crop insurance works, the ideal situation would be to have prices crash during October and then rally back by the spring of 2016.

If nearby corn futures drop to $2.90 in October 2015 and rally back to $3.90 by July 2016, then you will make more money than if corn rallied to $4 this fall. It pencils out because you could end up with a large crop insurance claim and you could also maximize your farm program payment. This is especially true if you have 20% to 40% of

your crop forward-sold. Opportunity #2: Take advantage of the large carrying charge that is developing in the corn market.

For those of you who have some hedges on and corn in storage, you should be able to roll your hedges ahead from December 2015 to July 2016 for 26¢ to 28¢. That carry plus basis improvement of 20¢ to 30¢ could make your farm an additional 48¢ to 60¢ per bushel. That is a lot of additional income for your farm when prices are this low. NOTE: Trading of futures and options has substantial financial risk of loss and is not for all investors.

AL KLUIS Commodity Trader Al Kluis has been trading grain futures since 1974. Sign up for a free trial to his daily morning email and weekly “Al Kluis Report” by going to alkluis.com. Join Kluis and his team for his free Second Tuesday webinar on Tuesday, August 11, at 8 p.m. CST. Register at alkluis.com. Kluis Commodities 901 - 12 Oaks Center Drive Suite 907 Wayzata, MN 55391 888/345-2855 alkluis.com | al@alkluis.com

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a g r i c u l t u r a l ADVENTURES By Mitch Kezar

turn the ski boat around as part of the course. filtered in-flow catch station collects runoff water before it comes into the pond, and it filters out sediment. “Silting is a big problem,” Taylor says. “Neighbors have been great, though. They help with the catch stations, which existed on that part of the farm before the lake idea materialized.” Taylor encourages others to work with conservation officials to create wildlife habitats out of marginal farmland and to learn about wetland restoration. “These areas are just a great way to establish native habitat for migrating birds including pheasants,” he explains. “Creating a lake is becoming more common in the area, but farmers have to be committed to do it.”

Jeff Taylor tries to set the hook on a bass before he heads in to spray some of his Iowa corn ground.

FISHING, HUNTING, SKIING

MAKING A LAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD CREATES WILDLIFE HABITAT AND A FAMILY RECREATION AREA.

eff Taylor wanted to go fishing. So, he made a lake. He also wanted to go water skiing with his kids. So, he made a big, long lake right in the middle of corn and soybean country in Ames, Iowa. Not exactly lake country – until now. Taylor’s 9-acre lake started as a small fishing pond in 1998. “I decided to try and open it up to give us more recreational options,” he says. “I wanted to see if I could control algae problems with a deeper, longer body of water. I also wanted to try adding different species of fish. So, I shaped the structure with bulldozers to create shoreline, and then a friend and I added cattails with seed all around the edges to prevent erosion.” The lake is on part of a family farm homestead. “It’s been in the family since around 1860,” he says.

fishing, hunting, and water skiing here are now 35 acres of wilderness surrounding the lake among the neighboring farm fields, featuring native timber, grasslands, and wild areas. The creation of the lake also enabled Taylor’s passion for water skiing, hunting waterfowl, and fishing. The lake is home to a burgeoning population of bluegill, crappies, largemouth bass, black crappies, perch, walleyes, and more. “I even brought in a few purebred and tiger muskies, which are good predator fish, to help control the exploding

28 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

bluegill population.” It only took 18 months for catchable fish to mature. “These fish all started out in the lake as fry, and they grew really fast with no competition and a healthy environment. A new lake is a really good food source,” he says. “In just four years, we were catching 20-inch bass!” Back in Taylor’s college days at Iowa State University, he and a friend started the Iowa State water ski club, which is still going strong today. As a result of that area of interest, he crafted his lake so he could include a long slalom course that runs its length. His kids and their friends use it all summer between sports events and fishing forays. His ski course is 2,000 feet long and 200 feet wide. At either end is an island for wildlife habitat. As an added benefit, skiers have a place to

focus of the family aylor and wife Shelly have two children, Jason, a high school freshman, and Amy, a seventh grader. The pond-turned-lake provides a place for them all to enjoy each others’ company. Over the years the lake has existed, there have been many changes. “A lot of natural things have started to grow,” Taylor says. “The best thing is that during certain times of the year, we get passing loons, trumpeter swans, wild turkeys, deer, otters, and songbirds galore. We even had indigo buntings last year,” he recalls. “Once you create a wetland, everything comes to you,” he says.

Photography: Mitch Kezar

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INSIDER

By Raylene Nickel

CUTTING THE COST OF HAY

GROWING COVER CROPS FOR WINTER GRAZING REDUCES THE NEED FOR HARVESTED FEED.

intering beef cows was once “pretty traditional” on Jerry Doan’s Black Leg Ranch near McKenzie, North Dakota. “Like most everybody else, we brought the cows up into the corrals at the headquarters and fed them hay in the winter feeding area,” he says. “I spent the summer putting up hay; I fed it out in the winter and then had to haul away the manure.” All that has changed. Doan’s cows now graze through most of the winter, all the way until February and March. He feeds just a quarter of the amount of hay he once did, and the cost savings in fuel and hay tally around $150 per cow. All told, he figures he saves $50,000 annually – and more when conditions permit grazing all winter.

low-cost system over crops are the key to the low-cost system of outwintering. “In our area, cover crops are better for winter grazing than grass,” he says. “Deep snow can cover up the grass, while the cover crops will usually stand above the snow. The cover crops also tend to have better nutrition for the cattle.” He no-till plants the cover crops in the middle of June, allocating 1 acre per cow for grazing in winter. The cover crops grow on farmable fields situated on rolling and sandy land. Building soil health in these fields is one of Doan’s goals. By grazing half of the cover crop stand and leaving the remaining half in the field, much of the crop becomes residue for the soil. The residue contribution is significant because of the large

BI-30 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

amount of biomass produced by Doan’s cover crops. “By late October, the cover crop is often taller than I am,” he says. “Fields that we’ve put up for hay have yielded 5 to 6 tons per acre.” The diverse species – as many as a dozen – included in the cover crop planting contribute to nutritional quality of the grazing forage in winter. The mix includes such species as millet, radishes, turnips, and field peas. “We’re experimenting by adding species to the cover crop mix that should help further improve the nutrition of the forage,” says Doan. “This year, we added a brown midrib forage corn that’s reported to be good for winter grazing. We also added kale and collards; those plants get big and leafy. After temperatures of -20°F., they were still grass-green in midwinter.”

Jerry Doan and his son, Jay, grow season-long cover crops as part of their cropping rotation on their ranch near McKenzie, North Dakota.

At the end of March 2014, the cover crop still had a “green tinge,” he says. “The cows were just loving it.” The crop diversity creates diverse biological activity below ground, thus improving soil health. He plants the cover crops in fields bordered by permanent fencing. Typically, these locations allow access to Doan’s fields of cornstalks and pastures of stockpiled native range. Thus, cattle have a balance of forages from which to choose. The fields selected for winter grazing are also bordered by well-established tree belts, and these provide shelter for the cattle from wind. Cows start grazing the cover crops late in the year, at the end of November and early December, when Doan “runs out of grass.” This occurs late in the season Photography: Layn Mudder

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Continued

Cover crops like clover are used for winter grazing.

because his system of managed rotational grazing on rangeland above: Black Leg Ranch near McKenzie, North Dakota, plants flax pastures lengthens the traditional grazing period for grass. Snow conditions determine how long cattle can winter-graze as a winter cover crop. cover crops. During the previous two years, the cattle grazed the feeding of some hay in cover crops until February and March. For the winter ending in late spring meets the cows’ April 2014, cover crops had met all feed needs for the cowherd. nutritional requirements Doan fed no hay the entire winter. for their third trimester of “If the snow stays soft and fluffy, the cows can graze through gestation. 2 feet of snow,” he says. “There will be some cover crop material However, the need for hay standing above that much snow, and, of course, they graze this, varies by year. In April 2014, as well. If there are a couple of days of thawing, an ice cap can after an entire winter of eatform on the surface. Then, the cattle won’t be able to graze into ing nothing but cover crops, the snow. Snow conditions make grazing cover crops a bit of a excellent cow condition sugguessing game. Mother Nature always throws a few curve balls gested the cover crops were along the way.” meeting nutritional needs. Doan holds hay in reserve for feeding cattle during periods Along with revenues when winter grazing is restricted. During these times, he feeds earned from other ranch cattle out on pasture, if possible, matching the amount of hay fed enterprises, the overall cost to the degree to which winter grazing is restricted. savings resulting from the “We always try to have a backup plan,” he says. winter grazing of cover crops Water is always an issue when Doan chooses locations for winhelps Doan and his wife, ter grazing. To deliver water to one location, he installed a deep Renae, make financial room pipeline. Chopping ice from a dam provides water to another site. in their operation for their “The cattle will walk about a mile to water,” he says. “When three sons – Jeremy, Jay, and the snow is fluffy, they’ll eat snow. They often stay out for three Jayce – and their daughter, or four days eating snow, and then they’ll walk to the water. Shanda Morgan. We’re finding that they can do a lot for themselves.” “Every day that we can get Last winter, Doan winter-grazed the calves alongside the by without feeding hay is a cows. He weaned the calves in March. “Winter-grazing the day we’re able to save money calves worked pretty well,” he says. “We monitored forage qualand to be more profitable,” ity and found we were getting short on protein by spring.” says Doan. “We realize a Because cows calve in May and June, new-growth grass meets huge savings from keeping nutritional needs for calving and early lactation. Nutritional cattle out on the land.” monitoring of cover crops and harvested forages suggests that BI-32 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Collards are mixed with proso millet, sorghum, and brown top millet.

Select cattle for conditions

ot all cattle adapt to winter grazing. Some of the tailend calves and cows perform poorly in the Doans’ system of outwintering in North Dakota. “We try to sell cattle that don’t fit,” says Jerry Doan. To genetically shape a herd of cattle that thrives in their system, the Doans select for moderateframe females proving they can perform well while winter grazing. “We sort out those thin cows and poorer-doing tail-end calves, and we sell them, or we feed them up at the yard before selling them,” he says. “We’re trying to get cattle that can adapt to what we’re doing.”

Learn More Jerry Doan | 701/673-3441 jdoan1882@gmail.com

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Lechtenberg K, Daniels CS, Royer GC, et al. Field efficacy study of gamithromycin for the control of bovine respiratory disease in cattle at high risk of developing the disease. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med. 2011;9(2):189-197. Sifferman RL, Wolff WA, Holste JE, et al. Field efficacy evaluation of gamithromycin for treatment of bovine respiratory disease in cattle at feedlots. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med. 2011;9(2):171-180. 3 Van Donkersgoed J, Merrill JK. A comparison of tilmicosin to gamithromycin for on-arrival treatment of bovine respiratory disease in feeder steers. Bovine Practitioner. 2012;46(1):46-51. 2

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(gamithromycin)

b e e f INSIDER HEALTH ®

NADA 141-328, Approved by FDA For subcutaneous injection in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle only. Not for use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older or in calves to be processed for veal. Caution: Federal (USA) law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. READ ENTIRE BROCHURE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS PRODUCT. INDICATIONS ZACTRAN is indicated for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle. ZACTRAN is also indicated for the control of respiratory disease in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida. CONTRAINDICATIONS As with all drugs, the use of ZACTRAN is contraindicated in animals previously found to be hypersensitive to this drug. WARNING: FOR USE IN CATTLE ONLY. NOT FOR USE IN HUMANS. KEEP THIS AND ALL DRUGS OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. NOT FOR USE IN CHICKENS OR TURKEYS. The material safety data sheet (MSDS) contains more detailed occupational safety information. To report adverse effects, obtain an MSDS or for assistance, contact Merial at 1-888-637-4251. RESIDUE WARNINGS: Do not treat cattle within 35 days of slaughter. Because a discard time in milk has not been established, do not use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older. A withdrawal period has not been established for this product in pre-ruminating calves. Do not use in calves to be processed for veal. PRECAUTIONS The effects of ZACTRAN on bovine reproductive performance, pregnancy, and lactation have not been determined. Subcutaneous injection of ZACTRAN may cause a transient local tissue reaction in some cattle that may result in trim loss of edible tissues at slaughter. ADVERSE REACTIONS Transient animal discomfort and mild to moderate injection site swelling may be seen in cattle treated with ZACTRAN. EFFECTIVENESS The effectiveness of ZACTRAN for the treatment of BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Histophilus somni was demonstrated in a field study conducted at four geographic locations in the United States. A total of 497 cattle exhibiting clinical signs of BRD were enrolled in the study. Cattle were administered ZACTRAN (6 mg/kg BW) or an equivalent volume of sterile saline as a subcutaneous injection once on Day 0. Cattle were observed daily for clinical signs of BRD and were evaluated for clinical success on Day 10. The percentage of successes in cattle treated with ZACTRAN (58%) was statistically significantly higher (p<0.05) than the percentage of successes in the cattle treated with saline (19%). The effectiveness of ZACTRAN for the treatment of BRD associated with M. bovis was demonstrated independently at two U.S. study sites. A total of 502 cattle exhibiting clinical signs of BRD were enrolled in the studies. Cattle were administered ZACTRAN (6 mg/ kg BW) or an equivalent volume of sterile saline as a subcutaneous injection once on Day 0. At each site, the percentage of successes in cattle treated with ZACTRAN on Day 10 was statistically significantly higher than the percentage of successes in the cattle treated with saline (74.4% vs. 24% [p <0.001], and 67.4% vs. 46.2% [p = 0.002]). In addition, in the group of calves treated with gamithromycin that were confirmed positive for M. bovis (pre-treatment nasopharyngeal swabs), there were more calves at each site (45 of 57 calves, and 5 of 6 calves) classified as successes than as failures. The effectiveness of ZACTRAN for the control of respiratory disease in cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida was demonstrated in two independent studies conducted in the United States. A total of 467 crossbred beef cattle at high risk of developing BRD were enrolled in the study. ZACTRAN (6 mg/kg BW) or an equivalent volume of sterile saline was administered as a single subcutaneous injection within one day after arrival. Cattle were observed daily for clinical signs of BRD and were evaluated for clinical success on Day 10 post-treatment. In each of the two studies, the percentage of successes in the cattle treated with ZACTRAN (86% and 78%) was statistically significantly higher (p = 0.0019 and p = 0.0016) than the percentage of successes in the cattle treated with saline (36% and 58%). Marketed by Merial Limited 3239 Satellite Blvd., Duluth, GA 30096-4640 U.S.A. Made in Austria ®ZACTRAN is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. ©2012 Merial Limited. All rights reserved. Rev. 03/2012

By Laurie Bedord, Advanced Technology Editor

COVER CROP DIET

BEFORE CONVERTING YOUR LIVESTOCK’S MEAL PLAN TO COVER CROPS, KNOW THE PROS AND CONS.

hen livestock producers were faced with little to no feed on drought-stricken ground as well as soaring feed costs, many turned to cover crops as a solution. “There’s been an uptick in cover crop interest over the last 10 years. In the last three to four years, we’ve seen the greatest increased interest,” says Rob Kallenbach, Extension agronomist with the University of Missouri. “A combination of things is coming together to make this happen. With high cattle and corn prices, producers wanted to get cattle to gain more quickly. They began to look across their fields and realized they had a really great feed that no one had a plan for.” From tillage radishes to turnips to cereal rye, producers are seeding more acres in an attempt to close the gap between profit and loss.

minimal health risk allenbach says most crops are perfectly safe for livestock. However, feeding too many turnips, for example, can cause metabolic issues such as bloating. “I recommend limiting it to 50% of an animal’s diet,” he notes. “Have other feed available – like hay – to minimize the risk for health problems.” Weaned calves, he adds, should thrive on cover crops. “Cover crops provide very high-quality feed, so it may be better suited to younger animals,” Kallenbach says. “Put those calves on cover crops after weaning, and they are going to do really well.” From a long-term grazing perspective, Kallenbach says cereal rye and other small grains work best. “Cereal rye has the greatest potential to produce the greatest amount of quality feed,” he notes. “Our cattle grazing cereal rye have exceeded 300 pounds in weight gain. That’s a gained value of over $1 a pound.” When grazing small grains, Kallenbach likes to turn cattle out when the cover crop

BI-34 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

is about 8 inches in height. “We graze a cover crop down to about a 3-inch stubble and move stock to another paddock,” he says. “We come back and graze the growth again in the spring prior to planting. With any cover crop, you are going to be more successful if you carefully manage the grazing.”

livestock tech

ccording to a recent report from the USDA, nearly 4 million dairy and beef cows die each year and many more get sick. For livestock producers, that translates into billions of dollars in economic losses not only in lost revenue, but also in high treatment and feed costs. “Cattle health, nutritional and well-being management today are done largely by visually inspecting the animals throughout the day,” says Brian Walsh, Vital Herd CEO. “This is a very inefficient way to identify problems because it relies on physical clues, which occur late, when it is difficult and costly to reverse. Being able to collect individual animal data economically that can provide early insights into suboptimal health or nutrition is vitally important and can make a very meaningful impact in productivity.” Founded in 2012, Vital Herd’s goal is to modernize the dairy and beef industries through continuous, autonomous, and individual animal monitoring. It plans to accomplish this via an ePill, which an animal ingests. A sensor in the pill captures real-time vital signs for the life of the animal. To normalize the data, Vital Herd uses the ThingWorx application development platform, which creates a benchmark for each animal and delivers the information back to the producer in an understandable format. The data offers insight into illnesses, nutrition, and environmental factors affecting production. The company is initially targeting the dairy industry.

Learn more vitalherd.com

THE WEIGHT GAIN IS REAL. Go ahead, blink. A deworming with LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin) can help keep parasites from eating into your profits. If you used a conventional dewormer like CYDECTIN® (moxidectin), SAFE-GUARD® (fenbendazole) or in combination, your cattle are probably already reinfected with parasites. That’s because conventional dewormers only last 14 to 42 days and SAFE-GUARD has no persistent effect. Only LONGRANGE delivers up to 150 days of parasite control in a single treatment.1,2 When you look at the benefits of season-long parasite control with

Use LONGRANGE on your cow/calf operation and see the difference for yourself.

As much as

Over calves treated with CYDECTIN + SAFE-GUARD.

*Results varied between 13 and 40 lbs. for heifers and steers, respectively, over 104 days.

Talk to your veterinarian or visit theLONGRANGElook.com

Available in 500 mL, 250 mL and 50 mL bottles. Administer subcutaneously at 1 mL/110 lbs.

Watch for a chance to win a JOHN DEERE GATOR™ Scan to watch video and enter, or go to theLONGRANGElook.com/cc41.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Do not treat within 48 days of slaughter. Not for use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, including dry dairy cows, or in veal calves. Post-injection site damage (e.g., granulomas, necrosis) can occur. These reactions have disappeared without treatment. ®JOHN DEERE is a registered trademark, and ™GATOR is a trademark, of Deere & Company. Deere & Company neither sponsors nor endorses this promotion. ®LONGRANGE and the Cattle Head Logo are registered trademarks of Merial. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. ©2014 Merial, Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. RUMIELR1455-A (8/14)

1 2 3

Dependent upon parasite species, as referenced in FOI summary and LONGRANGE product label. LONGRANGE product label. Data on ﬁle at Merial.

b e e f INSIDER PRODUCTS By Raylene Nickel Extended-Release Injectable Parasiticide 5% Sterile Solution NADA 141-327, Approved by FDA for subcutaneous injection For the Treatment and Control of Internal and External Parasites of Cattle on Pasture with Persistent Effectiveness CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. INDICATIONS FOR USE LONGRANGE, when administered at the recommended dose volume of 1 mL per 110 lb (50 kg) body weight, is effective in the treatment and control of 20 species and stages of internal and external parasites of cattle:

Gastrointestinal Roundworms Bunostomum phlebotomum – Adults and L4 Cooperia oncophora – Adults and L4 Cooperia punctata – Adults and L4 Cooperia surnabada – Adults and L4 Haemonchus placei – Adults Oesophagostomum radiatum – Adults Ostertagia lyrata – Adults Ostertagia ostertagi – Adults, L4, and inhibited L4 Trichostrongylus axei – Adults and L4 Trichostrongylus colubriformis – Adults Parasites Gastrointestinal Roundworms Bunostomum phlebotomum Cooperia oncophora Cooperia punctata Haemonchus placei Oesophagostomum radiatum Ostertagia lyrata Ostertagia ostertagi Trichostrongylus axei Lungworms Dictyocaulus viviparus

Lungworms Dictyocaulus viviparus – Adults

Grubs Hypoderma bovis

Mites Sarcoptes scabiei var. bovis Durations of Persistent Effectiveness 150 days 100 days 100 days 120 days 120 days 120 days 120 days 100 days 150 days

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin) should be given only by subcutaneous injection in front of the shoulder at the recommended dosage level of 1 mg eprinomectin per kg body weight (1 mL per 110 lb body weight). WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Withdrawal Periods and Residue Warnings Animals intended for human consumption must not be slaughtered within 48 days of the last treatment. This drug product is not approved for use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, including dry dairy cows. Use in these cattle may cause drug residues in milk and/or in calves born to these cows. A withdrawal period has not been established for pre-ruminating calves. Do not use in calves to be processed for veal. Animal Safety Warnings and Precautions The product is likely to cause tissue damage at the site of injection, including possible granulomas and necrosis. These reactions have disappeared without treatment. Local tissue reaction may result in trim loss of edible tissue at slaughter. Observe cattle for injection site reactions. If injection site reactions are suspected, consult your veterinarian. This product is not for intravenous or intramuscular use. Protect product from light. LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin) has been developed specifically for use in cattle only. This product should not be used in other animal species. When to Treat Cattle with Grubs LONGRANGE effectively controls all stages of cattle grubs. However, proper timing of treatment is important. For the most effective results, cattle should be treated as soon as possible after the end of the heel fly (warble fly) season. Environmental Hazards Not for use in cattle managed in feedlots or under intensive rotational grazing because the environmental impact has not been evaluated for these scenarios. Other Warnings: Underdosing and/or subtherapeutic concentrations of extended-release anthelmintic products may encourage the development of parasite resistance. It is recommended that parasite resistance be monitored following the use of any anthelmintic with the use of a fecal egg count reduction test program. TARGET ANIMAL SAFETY Clinical studies have demonstrated the wide margin of safety of LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin). Overdosing at 3 to 5 times the recommended dose resulted in a statistically significant reduction in average weight gain when compared to the group tested at label dose. Treatment-related lesions observed in most cattle administered the product included swelling, hyperemia, or necrosis in the subcutaneous tissue of the skin. The administration of LONGRANGE at 3 times the recommended therapeutic dose had no adverse reproductive effects on beef cows at all stages of breeding or pregnancy or on their calves. Not for use in bulls, as reproductive safety testing has not been conducted in males intended for breeding or actively breeding. Not for use in calves less than 3 months of age because safety testing has not been conducted in calves less than 3 months of age. STORAGE Store at 77° F (25° C) with excursions between 59° and 86° F (15° and 30° C). Protect from light. Made in Canada. Manufactured for Merial Limited, Duluth, GA, USA. ®LONGRANGE and the Cattle Head Logo are registered trademarks of Merial. ©2013 Merial. All rights reserved. 1050-2889-02, Rev. 05/2012

SEED SELECTION GRASS-TYPE SPECIES BENEFIT COVER CROPS FOR GRAZING.

hen choosing a cover crop, decide which is more important to you: growing the cover crop to improve soil health or growing the cover for its feed value for livestock. The greater the diversity in the covercrop mix, the better the crop will benefit soil health. Yet, when it comes to shortseason covers planted after a cash crop, zeroing in on one cover-crop species can be an effective way to produce a highyielding forage for grazing. “In our environment, cereal winter rye, for instance, can provide a tremendous amount of early-spring grazing or an early-cut hay crop the following spring,” says Bruce Anderson, University of Nebraska forage specialist. Rye’s vigorous, dependable crop establishment is another of its calling cards. “As a single-species cover crop, rye offers erosion control and some soil-health benefits, but not as much as the soil benefits provided by a cocktail mix,” notes Anderson. “Rye gives a large return in forage.” Because of its ease of establishment and fast fall growth, rye is one of the few cover-crop species that can get a good start when planted after soybeans and even after corn. Turnips and radishes are also highyielding cover-crop species. “Turnips and radishes lack fiber, though,” he says. “When consumed in large amounts, these crops can have a laxative effect on cattle.” Growing oats with the turnips adds the missing fiber. This slows down the digestive process and helps animals make better use of the nutrients in the turnips. When grown with turnips and radishes, oats also offer a safeguard against erosion. Because of their fibrous makeup, the oat roots hold fragile soil in place during wind and rain. While the deep roots of turnips and radishes do a good job of penetrating hardpans and improving water infiltration, they do little to anchor erosive soil.

BI-36 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

diet dangers he brassicas (like turnips and radishes) can present nutritional hazards. “Because of their nitrogen-scavenging ability, brassicas can be high in nitrates,” says Elaine Grings, South Dakota State University (SDSU) animal scientist. “When grazing these crops, recommendations regarding the feeding of high-nitrate forages should be followed. “Adapt livestock gradually to brassicas and don’t turn the cattle out hungry,” she says. “Remember, too, that other forages, such as oats and millet, can contain high levels of nitrates if grown under dry conditions. Brassicas can also contain high levels of glucosinolates, which affect thyroid function. Be sure to provide iodized salt during the grazing period.” Research conducted by SDSU researchers in southeast South Dakota measured yield of two cool-season cover-crop mixes. Both mixes comprised the same eight plant species mixed in two different proportions. The first mix was high in broadleaves and was designed to leave reduced residue the following year. The second mix included a high proportion of grass-type species and was intended to leave significant surface residue in the subsequent cropping year. The cover crops were seeded on August 19 and 20, with both blends seeded into oat and rye stubble. After 60 days, both cover-crop blends in both stubble types yielded 2,831 pounds per acre of biomass. “By November 24, we saw a large difference in total biomass between stubble types,” says Grings. “Cover crops planted into oat stubble had just over 1 ton more biomass per acre.” Overall, the growth rate of the cover-crop blends was about 2 pounds per acre per growing-degree day.

LEARN MORE Bruce Anderson 402/472-6237 banderson1@unl.edu Elaine Grings 605/688-5455 elaine.grings@sdstate.edu

EPRINEX® (eprinomectin)

So chew on this, Poo p-A-Chew®. EPRINEX is not likely to have any impact on dung beetle populations.

Our competitor would have you believe that all avermectins are unsafe for dung beetles. However, environmental studies, reviewed by the FDA, have shown EPRINEX is not expected to have an adverse impact on populations of dungdependent insects when used according to the label.1 So ask yourself — why the smoke screen? Maybe it’s because they don’t want to talk about how EPRINEX kills more species and stages of parasites than any other brand — and delivers more weight gain.2,3 Or how moxidectin may be driving resistance.4 So poop-a-chew on that next time they want to steer the talk to dung beetles.

Get the real facts at EPRINEXKillsIt.com

1 2 3 4

EPRINEX FOI summary and product label. Based on FOI summaries and label claims. )LJRL[[ 1 , JHJ` VM WV\Y VU KL^VYTLYZ KP LYPUN PU HJ[P]L PUNYLKPLU[ HUK JHYYPLY VU ^LPNO[ NHPU HUK MLJHS LNN JV\U[ PU Z[VJRLY ILLM JH[[SL *VSSLNL VM (NYPJ\S[\YL *HS 7VS` :[H[L <UP]LYZP[` Rendell, et al. Evidence that moxidectin is a greater risk factor than ivermectin in the development of resistance to macrocylic lactones by Osteragia spp. in sheep in southeastern Australia. NZ Vet Jour. 2006;54(6):313-317.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: No meat or milk withdrawal is required when used according to label. Do not use in calves intended for veal or unapproved animal species as severe adverse reaction, including fatalities in dogs, may result. ®EPRINEX and the Cattle Head Logo are registered trademarks of Merial. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. ©2014 Merial, Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. RUMIEEP1401-B (8/14)

b e e f INSIDER ROUNDUP ®

By Gene Johnston

include a stock pond, a ditch, a temporary stream, or adjacent areas. We’re worried where that could lead. Could ranchers need a permit for common grazing and haying activities?” 4. Checkoff he national beef checkoff takes $1 per head at point of sale to fund beef market development activities. It’s been $1 since 1985, with no accounting for inflation or the fact that cattle numbers have shrunk. An industry-wide committee involving many cattle groups has met several times to draft a plan to increase the checkoff (likely to $2 a head). It’s been contentious, but NCBA is on record as supporting the new rate. “It’s working its way through our legislative process,” says Ellis. “I support it.” He is the fifth generation in his family to farm in Wyoming’s Bear Creek Valley. A nephew, Jacob Nix, is his ranch partner. Their commercial cowherd consists of about 300 Red AngusHereford cows. “We carry the calves over to graze the following summer, then we sell them as long yearlings,” explains Ellis. “We develop and breed most of our quality heifers and sell them as bred heifers.” He is passionate about the beef industry and his leadership role. “We are in remarkable times in the cattle business, and the fundamentals of supply and demand continue to look good,” he says. “We have many opportunities to grow the beef business, and that’s where my priorities are.”

The 2015 NCBA president, Philip Ellis, is a fifth-generation cow-calf rancher from Wyoming’s Bear Creek Valley.

MORE THAN CATTLE

TRADE, TAXES, AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION DOMINATE AGENDA FOR NCBA PRESIDENT.

aybe there was a day when cattle industry leaders worried about actual cow issues – feeding, breeding, vaccinating, buying, and selling. Not so much anymore. Just ask Philip Ellis. The Chugwater, Wyoming, rancher is serving this year as president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). As the leading cattle industry organization has shifted focus over the years to policy and lobbying issues, so has the attention of its farm leaders. As he took the reins as president at the Cattle Industry Convention, Ellis shared four priorities of his one-year term. 1. Trade s we get through the drought issues and begin rebuilding herds and beef supplies, we want to take advantage of the potential for selling more U.S. beef around the world,” Ellis says. “We think we have bipartisan support for free-trade initiatives that will help us do that.” The congenial man might be just the kind of person to bring about such bipartisanship. Ellis and NCBA have their eyes on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which consists of almost all the countries that touch the Pacific Ocean. “We believe prices should be determined by market demand instead of protectionist trade barriers,” he says.

“A

2. Taxes e would like to have Section 179 expensing made permanent in the tax code,” notes Ellis. It’s what allows you to deduct up to $500,000 worth of farm equipment purchases in the year they are made rather than depreciate them over time. It’s a big deal for beef producers, one of the few segments

“W

BI-38 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

of agriculture still making money and paying taxes. At the time of this interview, the Section 179 allowance had been extended for a year and not made permanent. 3. Regulation attle producers are a conservative bunch and don’t like government intrusion into their businesses. Right now, much of that ire is directed toward the EPA, which has made overtures to expand its jurisdiction over rivers, lakes, and other waterways. Ellis explains that in the past, its reach has been to navigable waterways – the big ones. Recent proposals have expanded the ambiguous “waters of the U.S.” definition further upstream, maybe to include your private property. “They’re being a little vague,” he says. “It looks like they want to extend regulatory control to any waters that drain into navigable rivers. That could

Photography: National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Elevate your uptime

You can rest assured that when you run a reliable, all-crop, all-condition John Deere baler, that you’ll keep baling long after other balers have called it quits. How do we do it? The 9 Series feature roller shafts that are a 1/4 inch larger and bearings that are 1 1/2 inches larger than those found on the 8 Series. With an increased shaft size the baler can now handle even heavier loads in the toughest conditions. And the bigger bearings run cooler, last longer, and are more reliable. Everything about a John Deere 9 Series Round Baler has been designed to raise performance to all new levels, while greatly reducing the chances of downtime. That’s why more and more hay producers run John Deere Round Balers than any other color baler. And should your baler ever need service, it’s good to know that there’s a local John Deere dealer standing behind you who will get you back up and running. See your John Deere dealer today about a new 9 Series Baler – and elevate your uptime.

JohnDeere.com/Hay

INSIDER

By Gil Gullickson, Crops Technology Editor

Here are eight ideas from Fansler and others to meet, attract, and retain landlords. While 1inattending Franklin College Franklin, Indiana, Fansler Reach out to landlords.

Bringing home the beans is one thing. Keeping your landlord happy is another.

8 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR LANDLORD’S DAY

STYMIED BY HOW TO APPROACH LANDLORDS ABOUT RENTING THEIR FARMS? HERE ARE SOME IDEAS.

ndrew Fansler operates a thriving 4,600-acre grain operation near Shelbyville, Indiana. Fansler Farms grows soybean seed, conventional soybeans for export, and yellow and white food-grade corn for processors, along with commodity corn. Just 20 years ago, though, Fansler Farms was a gleam in the eye of a young 16-year-old Fansler. Being a first-generation farmer, his first foray into farming was renting 42 acres in 1995 by trading labor for the equipment needed to plant his crop. Taken under the wing of local farmers Kenny and Cindy Kuhn, Fansler credits them for teaching him much about farming. Building and preserving a land base is a challenge for any farmer, whether it’s first or sixth generation. With no land base to back him, Fansler had to be creative in building one with his current core of 15 landlords.

40 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

devised a then-fictional company called Fansler Farms in a business development class. “I decided I was going to use marketing materials I made in the class to send out to people who might be able to rent me their land,” he remembers. “Back then, the Sunday Indianapolis Star would be thick with advertisements from stores trying to get people to come to their places. So if that’s what bigger businesses were doing, why should farmers do any differently?” Over time, his outreach program has created and sustained growth. An outreach program can be something as simple as a good farm website, says Terry Kastens, a retired Kansas State University agricultural economist who farms with family near Atwood, Kansas. One that explains your farming philosophy, work ethic, equipment, and agronomic strategies can help raise landlord awareness. Getting 2through a landlord’s attention outreach is just one Listen to landlords.

tool Fansler uses. Meeting and listening closely to what they say is another key. “It’s the Golden Rule. The person who owns the gold also makes the rules,” he says. “Landowners hold the gold. You need the land to farm, and you have to play by those rules. “I primarily focus on landowners who want to be in a long-term relationship,” he says. “Both parties have

to make money. They really want you, as their farmer, to be successful long term while maintaining the integrity of their asset.”

3 Never make your landlord play

Leave playing detective to Sherlock Holmes.

detective. Ray Gaesser, who farms near Corning, Iowa, with his son, Chris, touches base with landlords once Ray Gaesser a month to update them on farm activities and crop progress. He also updates landlords about the gradual transition of his farm to his son. “It gives landlords a sense of stability knowing there is another generation on the way,” Gaesser says. Fansler compiles an annual report that details records on soils, chemical application, yields, and other agronomic attributes to give to landlords annually. “It is nothing fancy, but it is something they can stick in their file and put their whole year’s activities right in there,” he says.

4withFansler recalls working two nonfarmer brothers Put a plan into writing.

who owned a sizeable farm. “Their farmer was retiring, and I knew the family well from my mom,” he says. “So I sent them marketing information, and they called me and I met with them. This was before PowerPoint, so I sat down in Microsoft Publisher and put together a presentation. We went through it line Photography: Gil Gullickson

Andrew Fansler of Shelbeyville, Indiana, works with 15 landlords in his farming operation. He considers them partners and teammates.

by line. In the process, I was really just selling myself to them. I left them with all that information, as I wanted to give them something to remember me by.” A week passed before he received good news. “They had met with a farm manager who told them he had never seen a presentation like that,” says Fansler. “He told them, ‘I don’t know who he is, but he needs to be your farmer.’ We came up with a game plan, and 15 years later, I’m still farming their land.” Flexibility is one factor that’s helped 5“IFansler negotiate with landlords. have agreements that are straight cash rent, share crop, and Offer several rental options.

flexible combinations of these two,” he says. Fansler says these tend to be popular in that a fixed value is set in the cash rent portion. If the market skyrockets, the share rent portion of the agreement allows landlords to garner a share of it while still retaining a set amount. No two landowners are the same 6vidual,” in goals or temperament. “Every one of them is a unique indihe says. “Understanding and realizing that was huge.” Realize that landlords differ.

Many landowners crave frequent contact with their farmers, and that’s fine. Others don’t, and they may take offense if you do. “I work with one landowner who is extremely wealthy and often doesn’t have time to talk to me,” says Fansler. “When we talk, she is very pleasant, but she is busy and has a lot going on in her life. If I need to reach her, I first call her staff. I know that when she calls, she really needs something, and I immediately take By the numbers her call.” Although landlords differ, they do share common interests. “They want someone who is honest and trustworthy, and someThe percent of acres that one who gives them a fair return Fansler Farms rents.

80-85

on their investment,” says Fansler. “People think that is rocket science, but it’s not.”

7tors who pay Fending off operasky-high cash

Beat High-Rent Harrys to the punch.

rents is a constant farmer lament. Rather than commiserate in the coffee shop, though, you may want to apprise your landlords of the situation. They may have heard a lot more than you assume. “The first time that happened to me, it was within 7 to 10 miles of a pretty good-size farm that I rent,” says Fansler. “As soon as I heard it, the first phone call I made was to them. I told them I didn’t know if those numbers are true, but it is higher than normal. So let’s talk about it.” In retrospect, Fansler says contacting them directly was the right step and ensured goodwill. “I didn’t want someone else calling them or finding out from someone else,” he says. Granted, money solely motivates some landlords who switch renters in the

same manner in which a Hollywood hunk or starlet changes spouses. The good news, though, is that money isn’t the overriding factor for some landlords, says Kastens. “Some have a desire to help out a farmer. Some want to get their fencerows mowed, have good-looking crops, or grow different kinds of crops,” he says. “Others want a good place to hunt. So you have to understand what motivates the landlord.”

8High-Rent Another way to nix the Harrys is to be a

Don’t be a Chuck Cheapskate.

competitive bidder yourself. “There are some rural areas in Kansas where rents are 50% of where they should be,” Kastens says. “That is running a risky game. The biggest way to inoculate themselves from competing pricey rents is paying close-to-market rents.” Still, you don’t want to pay rent that is guaranteed to lose money, either. “I observed in the glory (grain market) years, rents were not keeping up where they should be,” says Kastens. “Now, with the market prices down from where they were a few years ago, I see some farmers who are overpaying for rent because they just have not taken time to do their homework. “Typically, look at futures prices for three years and think of long-term average yields. That way you don’t get too up and down on the rent you pay,” says Kastens. “It is just a matter of being knowledgable about rent in the cost-price structure. “We all struggle with this,” he adds. “This is nothing new.”

August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 41

a g r o n o m y INSIDER By Jessie Scott, Innovations Editor

Ray McCormick uses a Gandy air seeder on his combine head to seed cover crops while he harvests his cash crop.

BONUS BENEFITS

ADDING COVER CROPS TO YOUR ROTATION HAS SOME PERKS THAT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU.

here are probably two dozen benefits of cover crops, says Ray McCormick, who has used cover crops on his farm in Vincennes, Indiana, for 13 years. “When you grow cover crops, you leave residue, build soil health, get more earthworm holes, and add porosity. When you get a big rain, the water all goes into the soil. Cover crops drive yield not only by holding water, but also by holding nutrients,” he says. Water infiltration and sequestering nutrients are two of the main reasons McCormick continues to use cover crops on every acre of his farm. He’s also discovered hidden benefits. Incorporating cover crops adds value to McCormick’s land, allowing him to hang on to rental ground and to buy new farms. Cover crops also increase wildlife diversity – a big bonus for farmers and landlords who are hunters.

Build relationships with landlords ’ve heard from other farmers what a problem it is to hold on to rental ground, how people will bid higher for cash rent, or that they are afraid to invest in soil health and use cover crops on land they rent,” McCormick says. “I do just the opposite,” he adds. “I use cover crops to build trust.” McCormick works with his landlords, teaching them about cover crops, walking them through his fields to show the annual ryegrass he uses as the foundation for his cover crop mixes, which also include turnips, radishes, kale, and crimson clover. “I help teach them that I’m adding to their soil bank instead of pulling out,” explains McCormick. “With cover crops and soil health, I am adding to the bottom line with a long-term investment that means more to their farm than just rent money.

“I

44 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

“Once they learn that, nobody takes the land away, because the landlords love you, what you do, and what it means for their land,” he adds. “It’s a great tool for holding on to rental ground.” Jamie Scott is another avid cover crop user in Indiana. For the past 10 years, Scott has used cover crops on every acre of his farm in Warsaw. He’s also responsible for aerially seeding 50,000 acres in Indiana and Michigan. “I think there are more and more landowners who understand that we have to take care of the soil first and foremost,” says Scott. “We’ve heard a lot of good stories about farmers being able to rent ground because they use cover crops.” educate lenders ike he does with his landlords, McCormick works to teach his financial partners

about the importance of cover crops. “When I buy land, 80% of the money is funded through a bank,” explains McCormick. “When I have field days, I invite the bankers to come and understand what cover crops do to build soil health, hold on to valuable topsoil, and add fertility. “I show that what I do to land builds up the value,” he adds. “It’s building value in land that they own a share of because they are a lender.” wildlife diversity over crops also help with relationships by providing a place for landlords (and farmers) to hunt. “One of the things I’m always excited about as a wildlife person and a hunter is how much cover crops add to the diversity of the land,” says McCormick. “My landlords love to hunt, so using cover crops is another way to build that relationship.” Due to cover crops, more migratory birds land in McCormick’s fields. The growing crop provides ground cover and a nesting area for pheasants and water foul. Turnips and radishes also make a food plot for whitetail deer. USDA ARS research agronomist Shannon Osborne is also looking at cover crops for their potential with pollinators. “We’ve tried to bring flowers back to the landscape,” explains Osborne. “Flowers aren’t normally present in a corn-soybean rotation, so bees don’t have a lot to forage on. We may be able to use cover crops to provide nectar for bees and to offer a healthier habitat.”

Photography: Jessie Scott

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m a c h i n e r y INSIDER

By Dave Mowitz, Executive Editor, Machinery & Technology

Rows of late-model combines from a single dealer were a common scene at consignment sales this spring and summer.

UNPRECEDENTED PRICES ON COMBINES

THE MARKET APPEARS TO BE REACHING ITS PRICE BOTTOM ON LATE-MODEL COMBINES. A POTENTIAL SHORTAGE LOOMS IN THE FUTURE.

ypically, late-model combines (5 years old or less) experience a price spike as harvest approaches. This year will be the unprecedented exception to that rule. Current values of late-model combines are roughly a third lower than just a couple of years ago due to all the inventory clogging dealersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lots. This massive supply of iron, combined with lower commodity prices, is retarding the sale of new combines. As of May, new combine sales had fallen 40% since January 1. Compared with a May 2014, harvester sales are down 31%. future shortage of late-model combines? ncouraged by manufacturer incentives, dealers will aggressively liquidate late-model stocks in the next six to eight months. To do this, they will employ a number of tactics that include offering favorable financing (no down payment and reduced interest rates) and certified used programs (that extend warranty coverage) in combination with

46 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Machinery show tracks harvester sales

rack the sale values of Case IH and John Deere combines, J&M grain carts, and Kenworth semitrailer trucks on the Machinery Show. The show airs every Thursday at 9 p.m., Friday at 1 a.m., and Sunday at 10 p.m. (all times are Eastern). Go to rfdtv.com to find satellite or cable providers carrying RFD-TV. Photography: Dave Mowitz; Mitch Kezar

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m a c h i n e r y INSIDER

Continued

upcoming Iron auctions of note from farmauctionguide.com

AUGUST 5: Wieman Auctioneers (wiemanauction.com) will conduct one of its largest consignment auctions of the year near Marion, South Dakota.

AUGUST 18: Sullivan Auctioneers (sullivanauctioneers.com) will hold an “absolute” harvest-equipment consignment sale in Hamilton, Illinois.

AUGUST 12: Moultrie, Georgia,

AUGUST 22: Espe Auctioneering

is the location for Weeks Farm Machinery (weeksfarmmachinery.com) harvest sale.

(espeauction.com) will hold its 6th annual Preharvest Auction in Leland, Illinois.

AUGUST 27: A wide variety of farm equipment will sell in Preston, Minnesota, by Gehling Auction (gehlingauction.com).

SEPTEMBER 3 & 10: The Steffes Group (steffesgroup.com) will hold large farm equipment sales in Litchfield, Minnesota (September 3) and Ames, Iowa (September 10).

liquidation sales at consignment auctions. In the meantime, new combine sales are expected to remain sluggish, at best, in the near future. This merging of liquidating used inventories, along with fewer new harvester sales, is potentially setting up a shortage of late-model harvesters in the future. reaching the bottom of a price decline he upshot of all these trends is that we are reaching the bottom of the downturn in late-model combine values. Case IH combines, due to that manufacturer’s vigorous work in disposing of excessive used inventory, may already be in that trough. That’s why this issue’s Pocket Price Guide (on the opposite page) features late-model red harvesters. If you are looking to upgrade your harvesting capacity or you are needing to add a second or third combine to your fleet, now is the time to buy. That recommendation is based on a wild card that has to be played by Congress. If lawmakers finally and permanently raise Section 179 depreciation to $500,000 yet this year, values of used combines are poised to rise. This will be the case if commodity prices strengthen. “We are definitely reaching the bottom, valuewise,” says Rick Vacha, regional sales manager for Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers (rbauction.com). “Significant dealer liquidation has already taken place and will continue in the near future. So now is definitely the time to buy used combines.”

time to move on low-hour harvesters

nother factor to consider if you are on the fence about buying a late-model harvester is the wealth of low-hour machines on the market right now. “Before, farmers were often turning combines over every year or couple of years,” Vacha says. “Now, they are holding on to machines longer. That means the late-model market in the future will consist of combines with significantly more hours than we’ve seen in the past.” Vacha’s points are echoed by other used iron sellers. Scott Steffes of the Steffes Group (steffesgroup.com) expects a big push by dealers to liquidate combines in these months before harvest. The added lure of certified used programs now offered by all manufacturers will further excite purchases. 48 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

price trends for deere harvesters

racking prices for S-class Deere combines uncovers an interesting trend. Auctioned combines were almost entirely 2012 and 2013 models. Dealer listings, derived from John Deere’s used equipment website (machinefinder.com) included few 2012 models. The vast population of combines were 2013 and 2014 models. This reflects the fact that dealers are moving older combines off their lots and to consignment sales to reduce their inventory buildup while keeping premium machines at home. Average Auction Bids • Model S550 2012: $183,250 • Model S660 2012: $177,250 • Model S670 2012: $151,600 2013: $198,800

• Model S680 2012: $225,000 2013: $232,850 • Model S690 2012: $235,680 2013: $285,325 Average Dealer Asking Prices • Model S550 2012: $222,030 2013: $244,260 • Model S660 2012: $229,000 2013: $272,300 2014: $293,350 • Model S670 2012: $254,250 2013: $292,600 2014: $319,700 • Model S680 2012: $277,100 2013: $319,500 2014: $360,770 • Model S690 2012: $280,250 2013: $334,500 2014: $398,300

POCKET PRICE GUIDE: Late-Model Case IH Combines Cut along this line

MODEL

YEAR

ENGINE SEPARATOR STATE HRS. HRS. SOLD*

PRICE

SPECIFICATIONS**

5088 5130

2011

451

314

1,182

---

2011

765

2012

2009

7088

$160,200 Loaded, chopper, rock trap, Field Tracker, 20.8R42 duals, like brand-new

582

$155,700 Two-speed chopper, electric tank ext., Field Tracker, 900/60/32 tires

384

249

$165,100 AFS Pro 600, Field Tracker, chopper, rock trap

1,519

1,143

$115,000 AFS Pro 600, auto HHC, rock trap, tank ext., 540/65R30 duals, AutoGuide ready, self-leveling shoe

1,590

---

840

630

$152,750 AFS Pro 600, fine-cut chopper, duals

2,403

1,806

1,296

1,005

1,129

823

510

384

7120

2010

7130

2013

1,704

8120

2010

2,120

1,330

2011

919

2011

1,150

$137,828 AFS Pro 700, auto HHC, 800/60R32 tires, rock trap, tank ext.

NE 1,470

NE NE

2011

$107,500 AFS Pro 600, auto HHC, rock trap, tank ext., Field Tracker, HID lights, 600/65R28 duals

1,027

$106,100 Ext. wear tank and auger, HID lights, rock trap, HD feeder house, Power Plus CVT drive, AccuGuide ready Auto reel speed, contour feeder house

$140,100 AFS Pro 600, deluxe cab, rock trap, GPS ready, HID lights, 900Ă&#x2014;32 tires

$140,000 AFS Pro 600, auto HHC, rock trap, tank ext., Field Tracker, HID lights, 620/70R42 tires, AutoGuide ready

835

$127,500 AFS Pro 600, auto HHC, tank ext., Field Tracker, HID lights, 520/85R42 duals

1,375

8230

Cut along this line

9120

9230

2012

685

472

$160,000 AFS Pro 600, auto HHC, HID lights, tank ext., Field Tracker, 620/70R42 duals

2012

1,332

987

$177,400 Duals, high-capacity auger throughout, full-build specification sheet attached, 620/70R42 tires

2012

1,066

2012

685

2012

611

2013

735

2013

773

2013

876

2013

990

2010

941

761

$162,500 AFS Pro 600, auto HHC, Field Tracker, HID lights, 620/70R42 duals, tank ext.

2010

1,246

1,076

$146,900 Swathmaster, auto HHC, rock trap

2010

866

591

$150,750 Auto HHC, AFS Pro, contour feeder house, air compressor, 620/70R42 duals

2011

620

$244,800 On tracks, AFS Pro 600, tank ext., extended wear rotor, very well maintained

2011

468

$216,250 On tracks, AFS Pro 600, rock trap, RWD, Field Tracker, HID lights, auto steer ready, ext. auger

2011

977

$164,390 AFS Pro 700, auto HHC, Navigation II Controller, 520/85R42 duals, HID lights

2012

856

$231,500 On tracks, AFS Pro 700, HID lights, rock trap, deluxe cab

2013

527

$275,100 RWD, air compressor, auto steer ready, HID lights, deluxe cab, contour feeder house, 750/65R28 tires

2013

648

$250,000 AFS Pro 700, rock trap, HID lights, RWD, high-capacity auger, deluxe cab, hand wash station

2013

305

$208,583 AFS Pro 700, auto HHC, HID lights, 520/85R42 duals, Navigation II Controller

$171,750 AFS Pro 700, HID lights 2-speed rear axle, air compressor, 620/70R42 duals, rock trap, AutoGuide ready 438

503

$177,500 AFS Pro 700, auto HHC, Field Tracker, HID lights, 620/70R42, AutoGuide ready, hyd. tank ext.

IL $170,000 AFS Pro 700, auto HHC, Field Tracker, HID lights, rock trap, 620/70R42 duals, elec. tank ext.

MO 568

$165,000 Auto HHC, tank ext., Field Tracker, HID lights, 620/70R42 duals, rock trap

287

577

464

* IL = Illinois, etc. ** Auto HHC = automatic header height control, CVT = continually variable transmission, HID lights = high-intensity discharge lights, hrs. = hours, Pro 600 = Pro 600 yield and moisture monitor, RWD = rear-wheel drive, tank ext. = grain tank extensions

m a c h i n e r y INSIDER

Continued

By Jessie Scott and Laurie Bedord

UNIVERSAL TILLAGE TOOL

THE INCITE 5000 ACCOMPLISHES IN A SINGLE PASS WHAT COULD HAVE TAKEN MULTIPLE PASSES WITH DIFFERENT MACHINES.

lean up your shed and beef up your pocketbook by replacing multiple tillage implements with one tool: the Incite 5000. Dubbed the Universal Tillage Tool, McFarlane’s Incite 5000 series features hydraulically adjustable disk gang angles and a chopping reel to allow you to get more functionality from one machine. The disk gangs adjust from 3° to 9° on-thego. The seven-blade, 18-inch-diameter open-center Dura-Reel offers hydraulic height adjustment from the disk blade depth to 8 inches above. With these adjustments, the Incite 5000 provides the functions of a tandem disk, field finisher, and a verticaltillage tool with one piece of tillage equipment. “Achieving the optimal seedbed is now easier and faster,” says Stan McFarlane, owner of McFarlane. “Our number one goal in designing the Incite was to provide the flexibility to adjust to different soil types and conditions from field to field and from year to year.” The 28-wave concave blades made from Ingersoll’s boron alloy steel are designed for high-speed operation at shallow depths or up to 6 inches for more traditional disk work. McFarlane’s three-bar flexible tooth harrow, in combination with the high-carbon, eight flat-bar rolling basket, offers setting flexibility to accommodate a wide range of conditions.

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AVOID SURPRISES AT THE ELEVATOR WITH THE LATEST IN GRAIN MOISTURE TESTING TECHNOLOGY.

he magic number when it comes to drying corn is 15%. If you’re over or under, it can cost you. “If you have an old-style tester, it can be a whole 1% off of what the elevator is telling you,” says Scott De Boef, Perten Instruments, Inc. “Overdrying and shrink can cost you 10¢ to 20¢ per bushel per point of moisture.” You can protect the value of your grain with the Perten AM 5200-Farm grain moisture tester. This new device uses the same technology as the USDA, elevators, and terminals, which means your moisture level will more accurately correspond when you deliver your product. filled with features y knowing the real, accurate moisture content, the AM 5200-Farm helps farmers reduce the risk of mold and toxin growth in stored grain. Additionally, it can test hot grain from the dryer, which means you don’t have to wait for grain to cool. You can hit the optimum moisture value without over drying thereby reducing energy usage.

Other features include: • A moisture, test weight, and temperature reading in 25 seconds. Simply pour your sample in the top of the device and read the results. Photography: Manufacturers

• An internal memory that will store test results and field and farm names (about 1 million tests can be held in its memory). • A USB port for easy export of information. • The ability to connect to any grain or farm-management software. • Low maintenance. “One of the big advantages is that this device requires less

cleaning,” notes De Boef. • Annual calibration updates, which are simple and free.

According to the company, the device is farm affordable. “The cost of owning a new technology moisture meter is about $350 per year,” De Boef notes. “Your first 5,000 bushels pay for the yearly cost.” For more information, call 800/627-6702 or visit perten.com.

August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 51

t o o l s OF THE FUTURE By Jordan Anderson, Digital Content Editor

ENVISION THE FUTURE

FARMERS AND AGRIBUSINESS MEMBERS GAIN VALUABLE INSIGHTS ON THE LATEST AG TECHNOLOGY.

either left on the hard drive he second annual or is not actionable, said Tools of the Future John Fulton, professor at event hosted by Ohio State University. Why? Successful Farming Because the term big data magazine took tends to overwhelm people place Monday, June 22, in so much that they just don’t Ankeny, Iowa. Dozens of want to deal with it. farmers gathered along That’s where Mariana, with industry experts who Arkansas, farmer Tyler showcased the newest McClendon came agriculture in. In his talk, technologies. he simplified The all-day and lessened the event brought confusion around together the increasingly farmer innovaof attendees farm over 1,000 acres significant world tors, industry of big data in visionaries, and agriculture. technology com“Consider that panies. They a 1-square-meter area of a shared tools and technolofield can generate 650 billion gies that farmers can put to data points. You can’t buy a use in the field and become notebook big enough to remore profitable as soon as cord that,” said McClendon, next year. who recommended hiring Farmers and agribusiness an outside company to help members captured valuable sort through, information from what they manage, and saw and heard from the interpret experts at the event. Here is just a taste of the insights the speakers had to offer.

60%

Big Data ROI urrently, 80% of the data generated on the farm is

52 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

data in a way that is then actionable for farming operations. Soil Health over crops make for a much richer biology, said Steve Berger, a 30-year no-till Iowa farmer who plants cover crops on 100% of his acres. “Farmers find that aspect of cover crops surprising – the fact that they boost yields. Cover crops have definitely contributed to our corn yields,” he said. Berger reported yields as high as 260 bushels per acre in fields covered with cereal rye. Experiencing yields that high, Berger lives and breathes what he practices, and he continually shares ways that farmers can accomplish greater yields, foster more robust organic biology, and enjoy the dynamic long-term benefits of using cover crops and no-till.

Imagining the Future uturist for Intel Corporation, Brian David Johnson, is no amateur to the agriculture landscape. Growing up on a small farm, Johnson knows the functionality and mentality of farmers quite well. “If you want to know if something works, give it to a farmer. If it works, he’ll use it; if not, he won’t,” said Johnson at the lunchtime keynote address. Johnson considers himself a pragmatic futurist. His job is to look 10 to 20 years down the road to predict how technology will impact a company, industry, or consumers. With regard to agriculture, a tractor will still look and feel like a tractor, he said, but it will also be a computer. “Imagine your entire farm as a computer. Yes, that includes your soil as a computer,” Johnson challenged the audience. “One of the most underutilized tools in agriculture is your imagination. The future isn’t an accident. Your imagination will make it possible for you to invent how your business will thrive in the future.” Those in attendance had the opportunity to see the latest tools in a parade of innovation including UAVs, 3-D printing, multihybrid planters, and robotics. Attendees also heard firsthand what’s next on the technology horizon and how it can make their farming operations more efficient and profitable.

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™

Team Coverage Mike McGinnis covers the grain markets. Email mike. mcginnis@ meredith.com. Jessie Scott covers new machinery products. Email jessie.scott@ meredith.com.

Dave Mowitz covers machinery, shops, and irrigation technology.

Email dave.mowitz@ meredith.com.

By Mike McGinnis There is a rear-end collision in the making. Huge carryover stocks from last year’s harvest are blocking the storage lane ahead. Even overseas trading partners are full up on grain. Careening into this storage road hog is a potentially recordbreaking 2015 crop. A detailed analysis of this situation starts on this page followed by two strategies you can employ to steer around a space-shortage pileup. Find tips on how to prepare the 2015 crop for year-long storage and account for all the hidden costs of storage at Agriculture.com/grain. 54 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

sing grain bins as a marketing strategy has a lot of appeal this year, as the farm markets hover at or below cost-ofproduction levels. Some farmers choose to use storage to help capture higher cash basis prices later in the season or to help with marketing grain to local buyers such as ethanol plants, soybean processors, or livestock feeders. This fall, will U.S. farmers have enough storage capacity? It’s interesting to note that USDA data comparing the time frames of 2000-2004 and 2010-2014 show increases in on-farm storage (17.6%) have not outpaced increases in corn production (28%). In 2015, farmers were told to store grain and to wait for a spring market rally. Spring

came and went without a rally. As of this writing, the markets started to build in a weather premium, pushing old-crop soybean futures to $10.57 per bushel and old-crop corn futures toward $4.22. The desire continues to keep the old crop locked in the bin and to wait for higher prices. Pete Meyer, PIRA Energy senior market analyst, says there is more proof that U.S. farmers are still holding onto a lot of old-crop stocks, namely corn, headed into a new harvest season. “When you look at it from a year-over-year basis, Iowa farmers are still holding on to a tremendous amount of corn,” Meyer says. “They have 120 million bushels more in storage this year vs. Photography: Michael Snell

Share of Total Grain Storage Capacity On-Farm (%) North Dakota

68.3

54% from the June 1, 2014, stocks of 405 million bushels. On-farm stocks totaled 246 million bushels, .6 up 126% from a year ago. Off.4 farm stocks, at 379 million .4 bushels, are up 28% from a .3 year ago. So why are .9 there so many more bushels of corn and soybeans on hand vs. a year ago? .4 That is mainly due to prices .6 falling in 2015. Also, U.S. pro.9 duction keeps growing, and corn exports were set back in 2015 due to China buying less. Global production of corn Chart Source: American Farm Bureau Federation and soybeans continues to increase, giving foreign buyers more options to source those two bined off- and on-farm corn ag commodities. storage is up 150 million bushels vs. a year ago. GRAIN Meanwhile, Illinois STORAGE TRENDS farmers have 330 million n the U.S., grain storage bushels stored on-farm, up is measured in two ways: 50% from a year ago. Plus, on-farm and off-farm. Illinois’ combined off-farm Research indicates that and on-farm storage totals although the ethanol boom 845 million bushels vs. 566 and the recent boom in farm million a year ago, up 50%. incomes have enabled more “I can understand Illinois farmers to invest in bins, farmers still having a lot in on-farm storage has not storage, because they had increased to the point widely such a big crop last year. believed. But it could create a probDavid Widmar, lem this harvest season,” Agricultural Economic Meyer says. Insights director and blogFor soybeans, the USDA ger at ageconomists.com, sees June 1 stocks at 625 recently noted that 55% of million bushels vs. the total grain storage capacity trade’s expectation of 670 (on-farm + off-farm) in the million bushels and up U.S. is on-farm. However,

Minnesota

South Dakota

Wisconsin

66.7

Iowa

Nebraska

56.8 Kansas

Michigan

Indiana

50 61

Illinois

Ohio

Missouri

Kentucky

Tennessee

oklahoma

24.2 Texas

last year. It’s a big number.” In its June 30 Quarterly Stocks Report, the USDA estimated that as of June 1, U.S. corn stocks totaled 4.45 billion bushels, up 15% from June 2014. Of the total stocks, 2.2 billion bushels are stored on farms, up 22% from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 2.17 billion bushels, are up 9% from a year ago. More specifically, two of the major corn-producing states, Illinois and Iowa, have large amounts of old-crop corn still being stored on-farm. Iowa farmers are holding onto an estimated 480 million bushels, up from 360 million bushels last year at this same time. In addition, Iowa’s com-

Arkansas

58 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Mississippi

prior to 2000, the share of on-farm storage was near 58%. (The highest share of on-farm storage was recorded at 58.3% in 1992.) “Since then, levels have been trending lower,” Widmar says in the article, “A Look at Trends in Grain Storage Capacity,” published in early June. BY STATE he share of on-farm vs. off-farm storage varies from state to state. For instance, while Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota all have on-farm storage levels over 65%, according to USDA data, farmers in Iowa and Illinois only store half of the grain while commercials store the other half. In Indiana, on-farm grain storage shares equal 61.9% with the rest stored off-farm.

2015 STORAGE ooking toward this fall’s harvest, storage shortages could occur based on farmers’ location, Widmar says. “For instance, farmers in Kansas and the Dakotas who experienced 150% of average yield last year will have a big challenge this year if they see another big crop. Anytime you have multiple big crops, the risk of storage issues grows,” he says. The grain industry is also hoping transportation issues get resolved to release the pressure of shipping the expected big 2015 crops, Widmar says. Another major factor that could decide how much grain is stored is the direction of the market. “All farm operations have to decide this for themselves. If funds are tight, they will sell more quickly. If they have financial flexibility, they could hold onto multiple crops,” Widmar says.

Are you filled to the brim?

Expanding ake a look at the acres you are harTyields.vestingThenthistakeyeara look and their expected inside your Storage grain bins. If you’ve held on to too much grain from 2014, you need to act now. Strategies By Jessie Scott

n the early 1990s, Roger Carlson had a modest grain-drying facility with 30,000 bushels of storage near Red Oak, Iowa. Over the years, neighbors watched as Carlson’s on-farm storage grew from a few 10,000-bushel bins, decently sized at the time, to 15 bins. The newest was put in this year, with a whopping 198,000-bushel capacity. Carlson now has the ability to store 750,000 bushels of grain at this site, giving him flexibility in how he markets his crops. “I can add about 30¢ to the price of my crops by not being required to deliver them at harvesttime,” he explains. The large amount of grain storage also allows Carlson to store grain for landlords as part of their crop-share agreement, a service they greatly appreciate. Carlson charges less than the local elevator, but he still makes a profit on the storage – a win for all involved. “Within five to seven years, I will have the new bin paid for between the storage fees and the additional revenue I’ll derive from crops,” says Carlson. Cost isn’t the only advantage of on-farm grain storage. Time is also a precious commodity during the fall. “Harvest is such a labor-intensive time that sitting in line at an elevator isn’t an option for me,” says Carl Ryan, who farms near Wyoming, Illinois. The advantages to on-farm grain storage are clear. What isn’t so straightforward is how much storage you will need each year.

“In August, we are still able to get some grain bins installed for that harvest season, as long as the farmer is just adding storage,” says John Hanig of Sukup Manufacturing. “However, there are some dealers who are already booked for the rest of 2015.” The ability to get grain storage installed quickly often comes down to the labor availability – not the manufacturer’s capacity to supply bins, says Gary Woodruff with GSI. The best way to find out is to call your local grain bin dealer to see what’s available. If you’re going to be short on storage and you can’t find available bins or labor, check out the temporary grain storage ideas on page 60.

Sizing up storage needs f you don’t need more storage this year but think you will for 2016, you should still act now. “Farmers should think about grain storage during harvest, when yield numbers are still fresh in their head,” advises Hanig. “Early winter is a good time to meet with dealers and to order equipment.” As a bonus, winter is also when most grain storage companies have discounts on grain bins. Planning early also gives you time to think through grain storage before you have a real shortage. “The number one issue with planning on-farm storage is that farmers don’t make a plan until it’s an emergency situation,” says Woodruff. “The second biggest issue is that farmers tend to size equipment for today’s needs rather than looking five, 10, or 15 years down the road. Plan ahead for next year “If your farm “The only time you can determine how long you can expands and yields continue to rise, you store grain is when you are running the combine will need 35% to 50% and your grain dryer,” says Gary Woodruff, GSI. “The more grain storage in moisture you choose will determine how long it can 10 years,” he adds. safely store.” The general rule is that corn should be Carlson has dried to 15% to store through May, 14% to store through learned this lesson fall, and 13% if you want to store it for a year or more.

the hard way. “Every time I’ve put up a bin, I wish I would have doubled the size of it,” he says. “I wish I had five bins instead of 13.” Building bigger is better, concurs Ryan. “If you’re thinking of building a 40,000-bushel bin, build a bigger one,” he says. “The more bins you have, the more fans, legs, and unload augers you need, which increases the expense.” It may be worthwhile to tear out older, smaller bins in lieu of a new, larger bin. “Taking out three small bins and putting in one big one will often pay you back in a short period, because your system will be so much more effective and efficient,” says Woodruff. Building for efficiency uilding smart will help increase your grain-drying efficiency during harvest. “Don’t set up your system so every truck has to go down one aisle to dump and load grain,” says Woodruff. “Set up two lanes so you can dump in one and load out in the other. Besides improving grain-handling efficiency, that second lane gives you the option to expand by going on the other side of that lane and making that your new center.” You also need to look at your graindrying capacity and wet storage. To keep your dryer from becoming the bottleneck of harvest, you may need to replace it or to add a second one to your operation. If you start drying more grain, you will need more wet storage capacity. “The rule of thumb is to have eight to 12 times your dryer’s capacity,” explains Woodruff. “If you have a 1,000-bushel-per-hour dryer, you probably need 8,000 to 12,000 bushels of wet storage.”

Work with experts ake some time to think about what you want in your grain storage system, make a list, and then go visit your local dealer. “The dealer may have done something similar to what you want 10 miles down the road, so you can go visit the site,” says Hanig. “Then you can bounce ideas back and forth and come up with a better solution.”

August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 59

Put Grain On Hold Until a New Bin Arrives By Dave Mowitz

f you are caught short on storage and can’t get a bin put up prior to harvest, there is another option besides taking grain to the elevator and suffering market-low prices. You can successfully hold grain outdoors for a couple of months until a new bin is ready. The key is creating a temporary holding area that minimizes quality losses. “Sufficiently dry corn (15% moisture or less) stored in piles only during cooler fall and winter weather does not usually need to be covered and aerated,” says Dirk Maier of Kansas State University. “It’s when grain is stored into the following spring and summer that tarp covers are used and provisions need to be made for aeration.” Thus, you will want to wait to pile grain outdoors until the last of the harvest. That crop will have dried down to 15% or less in the field and will be cooler (50°F. to 60°F. is ideal). By waiting until the end of harvest, the grain won’t be exposed as long to rain while a new bin is finished.

Optional indoor storage spaces efore resorting to outdoor piling, consider potential spaces in farmstead buildings. “Existing buildings can be used to store grain for three months if the

grain is not piled against the outside walls,” says Timothy Herrman of Kansas State University. Or, “with modifications, grain may be piled up to 4 feet deep along the walls for temporary storage. In the final analysis, the most economical answer for strictly short-term storage is to pile grain on the floor and peak the pile as much as possible.” Another storage alternative is to invest in a grain bagging system. A 10-footdiameter bag, for example, can store about 60 bushels per foot. If grain is put in a bag, it should be dry and cool, advises Ken Hellevang, of North Dakota State University. The cost of a single-use storage bag is around 5¢ to 7¢ per bushel plus loading and unloading equipment, which can cost between $50,000 and $165,000.

pubs/mf2363.pdf. When sizing up space, include area for conveying equipment and maneuvering trucks and trailers. Trucks need ¼ to ½ acre (or a 130foot diameter) to turn around. Creating the pad fter the storage size is calculated, select a location that is well drained. The storage pad itself should be crowned under the pile, Hellevang advises. A 1% to 2% slope offers good drainage. Create the pad by mixing lime, fly ash, or cement in the soil prior to compacting it to reduce water permeability. Technically, the amount of compression necessary for a good pad should approach 95% of the standard proctor density. This value can be measured by the engineering firm using a density gauge. Hellevang also advises placing 6-mil plastic on the surface to prevent ground moisture from wetting grain.

and also makes it easier to remove the corn later. To aerate, use low-velocity fans that provide approximately 0.1 cubic foot of air per minute per bushel for dry grain (under 15%). Ducts placed at the front and back ends of the pile should extend approximately 70 feet beyond the grain. For large piles (length of the long axis is greater than 200 feet), ventilation of the pile core may be accomplished by running ducts in from the sides and intersecting at the center of an 80-foot duct running parallel to the long axis, thus forming a T-shape. Achieve maximum slope inally, when building the pile, keep the drop distance from the spout of the auger to the pile at a minimum. Doing so will achieve maximum slope. The maximum angle of repose and pile height occurs when grain rolls down the side of the pile. You may want to cover the pile with plastic tarps if the fall is wet and if the pile is left exposed for several months. Hellevang says just 1 inch of rainfall evenly distributed across a pile could potentially rewet the top 12 inches of grain to near 9% moisture.

Estimating storage space utdoor storage is not without cost, however. What about To avoid excessive spoilage aeration? losses, you need to invest f you are concerned about in site preparation. Good the center of the pile drainage and the way a pad heating up, you can locate is created are crucial to sucventilation ducts so they’re cess, Hellevang points out. positioned parallel to the The first step is estimating long axis of a rectangular how much area you need to pile. Positioning ducting hold crop overflow. Get a this way cools the pile’s core rough estimate of that area by using Area Required for the table at right. Unconstrained Grain Piles Also, a detailed area estimaHEIGHT OF tion table can be 15' 20' 25' GRAIN PILE found on page WIDTH OF BUSHELS WIDTH OF BUSHELS WIDTH OF BUSHELS 6 of the Kansas THE PILE PER FOOT THE PILE PER FOOT THE PILE PER FOOT State University publication CORN 74' 445 bu. 99' 792 bu. 124' 1,237 bu. Emergency Storage of Grain: Outdoor 386 bu. 85.8' 686 bu. 107' 1,072 bu. WHEAT 64' Piling (publication MF-2363). You SORGHUM 58.9' 353 bu. 78.5' 628 bu. 98' 981 bu. can access that free report on the Grain angle will vary depending on grain moisture content, foreign matter, piling method, and type of grain. Piles higher than 25 feet may result in burial of the auger and damage to the undercarriage during movement. Overhead conveyors are recommended for deeper piles. Web at bookstore. Packing or density of grain has not been included in the bushel calculation. Find a detailed grain pile estimator table for a wide variety of ksre.ksu.edu/ pile heights and lengths in the publication Emergency Storage Of Grain (MF-2363) at bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/mf2363.pdf.

60 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Chart Source: Kansas State University

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YOUR FARM FINANCES PRODUCERS ARE SHIFTING UP AND THROTTLING BACK TO GAIN THE ECONOMIC TRACTION REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM. BY CHERYL TEVIS, RISK MANAGEMENT EDITOR • ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL LANGE

he growing season got off to a nearly perfect start at Ron Moore’s farm in Warren County, Illinois. “Our crops looked good until we had 10 inches of rain in 10 days in June,” he says. His perspective on the price outlook also has been watered down. As Moore and other U.S. grain producers head to their shops to ready their combines for harvest, they’re wrapping up 2015 crop operating expenses, and weighing their early input decisions for 2016. “We’re making some changes due to lower crop prices,” Moore says. “We’ll limit fungicide applications to the corn acres that may be susceptible to diseases. We’ll apply two split applications of nitrogen instead of three.” Lower crop receipts and rising expenses are putting the brakes on ag profitability. Working capital, a key measure of financial liquidity, has backtracked from its peaks in 2012 and 2013. Moore and many other farmers feel a growing sense of urgency to get under the hood and fine-tune their farm’s financial engine to keep it running at peak capacity in 2016. “Producers who see today’s environment as an agriculture efficiency cycle and find ways to drive down cost per unit of production can position themselves for continued success,” says Jeff Swanhorst, AgriBank’s chief credit officer. One of the first under-the-hood adjustments is bringing income and expenses into line. The challenge is shaving cost structure without sacrificing profit. “The first rule is do no harm,” says Dale Nordquist, Center for Farm Financial

Actual U.S. Net Farm Income From Farming, 1930-2013, Compared With USDA Forecast, 2014-2024 Real Net Farm Income

Forecasted

Decade Average Real NFI

$140

2013: $112.85

1973: $130.16

$120 $100 $80 $60

2024: $52.98

$40 $20 $0 1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

62 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

2000

2010

2020

Management, averages to reach University of breakeven. Minnesota. “What “So far, there’s been saves money also a few rate adjustcould cut income.” ments,” Swanhorst Inputs – fertilsays. He expects izer, chemicals, and “some turmoil” beJeff Swanhorst seed – offer only a fore rents realign. modest potential for Nordquist agrees. savings in 2016. Lower fuel “Last year, FINBIN’s and feed costs will provide a database showed the largest temporary patch. farms had the highest cost “I believe we’ll see reof production for corn,” he ductions in fertilizer costs says. “They were competing per ton,” Swanhorst says. for higher-cost acres.” “Manufacturers may not As farmers look at renewmove down unless they’re ing their leases, he suggests forced to do it.” asking calculated questions: Access to low-cost What are the yields? What are nutrients is a big plus, the costs? Is fertilizer up to Nordquist says. Steve and capacity? Cathy Peterson and their “There are likely to be sons, Drew and Kent, own tough negotiations,” he two hog finishing barns with says. “You can take a loss the barn operator. “We have for a year or maybe two, but rights to the manure,” Drew, rented land has to pay for 29, says. For more fineitself in the long term.” tuning on their Salem, South Dakota, farm, see page 66. cash is king Renegotiating inflated arm balance sheets recash rents tops the maintemain strong. However, nance checklist for many protecting working capital producers. Few walked should be a priority. away from their leases last Working capital is current year. Patience may wear thin assets that can be converted this fall, as they prepare to to cash in one year or less run the numbers for 2016 minus current liabilities with their lenders. due within one year. It may erode rapidly if rented land At $3.75 per bushel for is a major component of the corn and $9.50 for soybeans, operation and the rate is in a University of Illinois farmthe top tier. Some farmers doc daily report indicates borrowed to buy new equipthat cash rents need to drop ment or to tile, using accelover $70 per acre from 2014

Photography: Courtesy AgriBank; Cory Hall; Harlen Persinger

erated depreciation as their tax-management strategy. Others may be holding unpriced grain that is declining in value. “Cash flow was good in 2013 and 2014, and some producers made decisions to purchase equipment to reduce their income tax without recognizing their decreasing inventory values,” Nordquist says. “Their profits didn’t support those decisions, and they used up working capital. Cash flow doesn’t tell you anything about profit. Accrual accounting brings you face-toface with what is going on in your operation.”

ndy and I are reviewing our balance sheet, breakevens, and cash flow more frequently. Understanding our overall financial picture makes it easier to make sales when opportunities present themselves. Our overall financial picture helps determine where we need to make sales in our marketing plan. However, the markets may not give us all we need or want. So we sometimes make sales if we’re getting to a point in the year when we need to execute more sales. Then, we’ll look at whether to reown at a later date. We mostly utilize a hedge account to sell futures and make cash sales based upon when basis is strong. – LaVell Winsor, Kansas

examine your ROI

e have

stopped making any capital purchases that don’t result in a high return on investment. Our equipment dealer came up with some pretty good offers, but with $3 corn and $9 beans, we’ll get by using our equipment for a few years. We upgraded our tractors and combine in 2009 and 2011. We’ve experimented with vertical tillage, but some of our soil types benefit from chisel plowing. This year we no-tilled into the cornstalks where we had used vertical tillage. We had one pass in the fall, put on the burndown, and then planted. It reduced expenses, was more timely, and preserved soil. We’ll see what happens with our yields. – Ron Moore, Illinois

Maintaining a 40% ratio of working capital to gross revenue makes a strong case for renewed operating credit for most row-crop operators. Farmers who make an appointment with

their lenders today are better positioned in case negative profit margins trigger the “check engine” light. Unlike the 1980s, interest rates are at historic lows, with the potential for a modest rate increase soon. Many producers have already reamortized their existing loans and locked in fixed rates. The 2015 debt-to-asset ratio is projected to be 10.9%, up slightly from 2014, but debt is more concentrated. In 2012, about 4% of farmers held 68% of total U.S. farm debt. That’s why risk-management strategies will play a key role in maintaining agriculture’s financial engine. A survey of Farm Credit lenders in the AgriBank district reveals more demand from farmers for market risk management (57%), followed by business planning, interest-rate risk management, and crop/revenue insurance. “Producers who know their costs of production can take advantage of opportunities to set prices or to sell before the crop is harvested,” Swanhorst says. “They’re careful to limit forward sales to a certain percent of annual production.” modifying Costs of production s chief agricultural economist for Wells Fargo Corporation, the largest U.S. commercial ag lender, Michael Swanson sees significant variation in the University of Minnesota’s FINBIN data. “There are widespread gaps between high-profit and lowprofit farms in cost of production and farming performance,” he says. “Lower production cost is a competitive advantage, and a good agronomic skill set is a driver. It’s a leverage point.” Gearing your operation for an ag efficiency cycle will demand sophisticated financial diagnostics. “We benchmark our farm against other farms by using Kansas Farm Management data,” says LaVell Winsor of Topeka. “From the benchmark, we can understand where our farm is doing well and where to tighten up. The reality is that we’re in a weaker time. We use several tools to try to be a little better and to keep our farm competitive.” (See top left for more about the Winsors’ tool set.)

Working Capital Per Acre (Illinois Farm Business Farm Management Association) $800 $700 $600 $500 $/A

Focus on breakevens and marketing

$400 $300 $200 $100 $0 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13

64 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

As harvest nears, paring down the cost structure of on-farm drying and storage may be a timely adjustment for some operations. Family living costs also may require a belt-tightening pulley. “It’s all about less money taken out of the business,” Swanhorst says. He says achieving a lower cost per unit of production differs from lowering total production cost. In some cases, implementing new practices, techniques, or technologies would increase unit production enough to lower the cost per unit of production. “It’s not driven just by cost per acre,” he says. position for the long Haul roducers who are burning working capital may need to explore several scenarios, including an overhaul of their financial engines. Dale Nordquist provides an example in “On-Farm Diagnostics” on page 66. A farmer has about 1,200 acres of corn and soybeans with 225 acres owned. The average per-acre cash rent is $250. New machinery was purchased in 2013 to save taxes.

Three scenarios are planting less corn and more soybeans; dropping cash rented acres; and debt restructuring.

“Many farmers won’t part with money-losing land,” Swanson says. “Farm the best, leave the rest.” Nordquist counters, “It’s a tough decision. The returns from most rented land cover direct costs and some of the overhead. Most farmers have geared their operation to their land base. Can they make other adjustments? The question is long term.” He adds, “Debt restructuring is a last resort. My concern about preemptive debt restructuring is that short-term debt may build back up again.”

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Producers under age 30 also have lower levels of working capital. Yet, they can look for opportunities to improve their operation’s mileage for the long haul. “After good years at record price levels, some producers may decide to slow down and rent ground to younger farmers,” Swanhorst says. Diversification also offers a cushion. “Our biggest expenditures stare at us the hardest,” Peterson says. “For us, it was silage cutting in the fall for our 800-head cow herd and 1,999-head feedlot. After years of hiring out, we have our own self-propelled cutter, trucks, and wagons. We team with a neighbor to fill out the crew and equipment. We’ve been taking on some custom work for neighbors.”

Here are six additional adjustments to consider. 1. Own equipment jointly with other farmers. 2. Outsource some tasks. 3. Buy inputs with others to gain volume discounts. 4. Share financial experts. 5. Use managerial accounting and accrual accounting to identify problems early and to preserve cash and working capital. 6. Join a farm-management business group that benchmarks.

Almost 82% of aggregate farm asset value is held in real estate. Land value, a key source of loan collateral, has dipped 15% in the past two years. “Most lenders haven’t reduced balance sheet values yet,” says Kelvin Leibold, Iowa State University farm and ag business management specialist. “Fewer land sales make it hard to peg values,” Swanson adds. Other factors, including global demand and corn use for ethanol, will impact ag’s comeback capacity in 2016. Over time, Swanhorst expects less corn will be grown on fringe acres. “Farmers will have to make changes to gain efficiencies,” Cheryl Tevis is senior risk Swanhorst says. “They’ll need management every ounce of their entrepreeditor for neurial spirit to meet the Successful Farming challenges and to emerge from magazine. this at full throttle.” Per-Acre Operator and Farmland Returns, Cash Rents, and Share Rents, Central Illinois HighProductivity Farmland $600

on-farm diagnostics

quick look at three scenarios reveals how this sample cash crop farm will have a large negative cash flow, says Kelvin Leibold, Iowa State University. “At year’s end, it will have a lower current ratio, less working capital, and struggling net income,” he says. New machinery was purchased in 2013. “If you buy machinery with cash, you eat up working capital, and this can put your business at more risk,” he says. “Buying machinery utilizing credit will impact future cash flows and working capital.” In 2014, this producer had 38% of dollars (working capital)

$500 $400 $/A

stay positive n improperly set chopper consumes horsepower and drains power from the combine. In the same way, an out-of-balance financial engine must be recalibrated to achieve greater efficiency.

$300 $200 $100 $0 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 Operator and Land Return

Cash Rent

Share Rent

dO It Yourself

e have always hired a custom crew to apply the manure from the barns, but it was a struggle to get them there on time and have them do the job the way we would ourselves. Recently, we bought a 9,500-gallon tanker, two transport tanks, agitators, and transfer pump. Now we’re able to pump our barns in a timely manner, and we save a lot of cost. We pump a neighbor’s barn, too, so it was an opportunity for more business. The savings will cover our investment in a little over two years, not counting any custom work. Knowing that we’ll get the manure pumped before the ground freezes has a huge value to us. We also plan to start selling bred heifers every year. It’s always been our plan, but we’re finally up to our target herd size. We have AI’ed about 300 heifers, and we’ll market them in December. Our commercial herd is built on good genetics from leading Angus and Red Angus breeders. Getting that value out of the bred female vs. a backgrounded yearling should improve our net gain. – Drew Peterson, South Dakota

needed; by 2015, it had dropped understand their financials before equipment. Or you could lose to 24%. The current ratio slipped meeting with a lender. “It’s a money feeding cattle and have from 2.2 to 1.6. challenge to explain how you can positive cash flow if you keep Replacing corn with soybeans have declining net worth and still borrowing. Be ready to explain the would improve net cash flow by be profitable,” he says. “You can change in your numbers. Was it a $23,000 – a bigger help than be profitable with negative cash divorce? Or was it a new grain dropping 200 acres of high cash flow if you’ve spent it on bins and dryer to improve efficiency?” rent ground. Stretching debt out would help net cash flow, shore up the 2014 2015 More Drop 200 Debt current ratio, and improve Actual Base Soybeans Acres Restruct the working capital-toNet Cash Flow $-114,000 $-91,000 $-92,000 $-65,000 gross revenues ratio. “We need to know the Working Capital to family living costs and how 38% 24% 29% 34% 43% Gross Revenues government payments are included,” Leibold says. Net Farm Income $-69,000 $-25,000 $-6,000 $-6,000 $-7,000 “This producer is living off of working capital.” He advises producers to

66 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Sample Cash Crop Farm

OM M O DI T Y P RICE TICKER

LO CAL CO NDI TI O NS BY ZI P C O D E

D AI LY F I RS T CAL L AND WR AP UP

X PE RT A NA LY SIS

LI VE RADAR

USDA REPO RT S

D O W J O N E S WI R E F E E D S

SU C C E S S F U L FA R M I N G 速 E D I TO R S

PALMER DRO UG HT SEVERI TY I NDEX

RAINFALL ACCUMULATION

L AT E S T A G A P P S

M ARKET I N D I C E S

CASH GRAIN BIDS

CROP MOISTURE INDEX

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S F

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This month in technology. Join us on Twitter at #sftech.

By Laurie Bedord, Advanced Technology Editor

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER.

of old computers and other technology devices are trashed in the U.S. each year. Source: Environmental Protection Agency

60% of smartphone shoppers make mobile purchases at least once a month.

At the end of 2014, there were

It sounds simple. Optimize yield year after year. But getting the most out of your acreage takes more than just a new plan. It takes new technology, new practices and new thinking. It takes satellite data and on-the-ground agronomic insights. It takes a plant nutrition system that has no off-season. It takes advanced crop protection programs that complement your seed selection strategies. And, ultimately, it takes someone with the resources to make it all work together, so you can be greater on every acre.

Source: Our Mobile Planet: United States of America - Understanding the Mobile Consumer, May 2013

broadband Internet users in the U.S. That number represents an increase of more than

10 million users in just four years. Source: Statistica

There are over 7 billion people on the planet. Over

4 billion people use a mobile phone. Yet, about of consumers would rather give up TV than their smartphone. Source: Our Mobile Planet: United States of America - Understanding the Mobile Consumer, May 2013

Illustration: Olivia Curti

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people do not have access to a working toilet. Source: eMarketer/un.org August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming Bonus

b u s i n e s s PARTNERS By Cheryl Tevis, Risk Management Editor

Steve Berger (left) and his dad, Dennis, stand in a cover crop field on their Wellman, Iowa, farm prior to drilling soybeans into cereal rye.

SOIL SAVVY

THERE’S NO PROMISE OF A QUICK FIX, BUT THE BERGERS SAY STICKING WITH CONSERVATION PAYS DIVIDENDS.

teve Berger came by his livelihood naturally. Growing up on his family’s Wellman, Iowa, farm, he watched his parents apply the values of hard work, financial stewardship, and adoption of new farm methods. In 1988, a few years after graduating from Iowa State University with an ag business degree, Steve returned to the family farm, becoming the fourth generation to farm there. “The farm crisis dominated agriculture at that time, and not many in my age group came back to farm,” he says. Steve began partnering with his parents, Dennis and Janice, in their cash grain operation, and he soon was able to rent ground. In 1992, Steve bought his first farm for $1,050 per acre. Steve also came by his passion for soil conservation naturally. Dennis was planting corn at the age of 14, and by 1960, he was farming on his own. He used contour and chisel plowing, and he built the first cost-share terraces in the county in 1964. “I grew up on flat river bottom land,” Dennis says. “When I was in high school, I bought some rolling ground. A forward-thinking soil conservationist helped me get started with these practices.” Steve has taken soil saving to the next level. Together with his wife, Julie, and his parents, he farms about 2,200 acres today. Their land, which drains into the English River Watershed, has 15 miles of terraces. Steve singles out three key farm investment strategies: • Adding on-farm grain storage, beginning in 1975. • Joining a farmer-owned farrow-to-finish sow unit in 1994. It produces 20,000 head of hogs annually. • Practicing soil conservation by using no-till, terraces, and cover crops. Bonus Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Steve began experimenting with cover crops 15 years ago. By 2007, he had planted 1,000 acres to cereal rye. Today, every acre is covered. He partners in a variety of field trials and speaks at field days. “We want roots in the ground through the winter,” he says. “Roots aerate and change soil structure over time. Organic material is one of the best measures of soil quality. It increases water infiltration and reduces erosion. No-till alone isn’t enough for us.” Steve received the 2015 National Conservation Legacy Award from the American Soybean Association. He was recognized with the 2014 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture from the Leopold Center at Iowa State University. The Bergers drill cereal rye after harvest. “Harvest

was late and wet in 2014, so we used aerial application for half of it,” Steve says. “It’s a different management system and requires a learning curve using soil science and biology.” The Bergers say it pays dividends. “Even after a 6-inch rainfall, there’s not much erosion,” Steve says. In 2014, they harvested their first 300-bushel corn. He says manure and anhydrous applications are challenging. “Anytime you stir soil, you oxidize carbon and lose organic material and soil quality,” he says. As soil structure improves, he’s using more surface application. Nitrate concentrations in water from their tile lines last year were 31% lower than the average of all monitored tiles in southern Iowa. They were 51% below the state average, notes Adam Kiel, Iowa Soybean Association water resources manager. family teamwork teve handles spraying and makes seed and chemical purchases. Dennis took the lead in marketing until they began feeding most of their crop. Julie has taken over record keeping from Janice, who also ran the grain dryer. The Bergers were early RTK (real time kinematic) adopters and have a GPS base station. “Julie does a lot of IT using MapShots software,” Steve says. In the future, the Bergers want to update seed singulation and to diversify their cover crops. “There are no quick fixes,” Steve says. “It’s a slow process with the soil.”

Photography: Lynn Betts

w o r k SMARTER By Paula Barbour, Content Editor

DON’T DO IT THE HARD WAY

CHECK OUT THESE 8 READERS’ SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING SOME FAMILIAR FARM JOBS GO MUCH EASIER.

eaders of Successful Farming magazine demonstrate time and again how innovative they are through the ideas they share with others. The select group of “All Around the Farm” ideas on these pages shows you some ways to streamline things a bit at your place. After all, even if you’re strong and fit, there’s no need to strain or risk minor injury when it’s preventable. Take an example from these eight farmers who all thought to themselves, “Wouldn’t it be easier if . . .”

Having a shovel along when running the snowblower is

important. There are places the tractor can’t go, and it’s nice to get it all done at once. Space in the cab is limited, though, so you need a good place to fasten a scoop shovel to the tractor. “Since the shovel is an awkward shape, that makes it a challenge,” says Ken Miller (ken61@gmail.com) of Rochelle, Illinois. This dilemma propelled Miller to go to work designing and fabricating a self-clamping shovel holster that he could mount next to the ladder. “It works great! I grab it on the way down to clean doorways and sidewalks around my buildings. I drop it in on my way back up into the cab,” he says. A self-locking slide loop keeps the shovel tight until it’s needed the next time. Using the tractor door latch is tricky sometimes, es-

pecially if your hands are full or it’s wet outside. To circumvent the squeezing or twisting motion required to open his tractor door, Henry Potter (hpotter@frontiernet. net) of Illinois City, Illinois, built a longer handle that lifts instead. His handle slips over and clamps to the small thumb latch, giving the person entering the tractor more leverage. Potter’s wife was his muse. “There is arthritis in my wife’s hands, so that’s what prompted me to install this handle,” he explains.

Climbing in and out of the grain bin is now a little easier for Richard Marbach of Decatur, Indiana. Instead of taking just one big step, he takes three smaller ones. “I used steel tubing to build the framework, then I attached a set of aluminum steps from a semitrailer to the frame,” he explains. The frame is anchored to a cement slab, which serves as the base.

3 August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming Bonus

w o r k SMARTER Continued

Opening planter box lids is facilitated by the

addition of grab handles on Gary Osborn’s (garyo@rrg.net) farm in Fairmount, North Dakota. He bolted a 4-inch-long piece of ½-inch plastic conduit onto the back of each lid on his planter. “It gives me that extra leverage I need and saves on fingernails,” he says. Now he no longer has to use two hands to lift the lid. Another plus is that the bolt helps keep the lid latched in place, which “makes the lid last longer,” says Osborn. Hauling heavy-duty water hose around isn’t exactly a cakewalk. That’s because there’s a lot of weight in an unstable condition. Tony Micenhamer of Brookland, Arkansas, sensed imminent injury to himself, so he took action to keep that from happening. He fastened a water hose hanger to his two-wheeler to carry the weight of the hose in a more contained way. Micenhamer used self-tapping screws to attach the hanger, “which allows easy removal if need be,” he says. The twowheeler’s height also keeps him from having to bend over, which is not the case with the portable water hose devices sold in stores, he points out. Trying to see the polarity markings on a battery in the

dark is sometimes frustrating, especially in areas without good lighting. Then again, the embossed (black-on-black) symbols can be hard to see, even in bright sunlight. Rex Roush of Claremore, Oklahoma, says every time he replaces a battery in his car, truck, or tractor now, he puts a dab of red paint on the positive post. After all, reversed polarity can lead to the expensive and time-consuming replacement of electrical components. Balancing a heavy load in a wheelbarrow can be cumbersome, and it takes a lot of strength. Orvil Krueger found himself frequently pushing a wheelbarrow loaded with firewood from his wood cellar over to his furnace. So he installed 6-inch wheels on the heels of the wheelbarrow, and now he doesn’t have to lift it at all. To steer his load, he presses down on the handles and slides the front wheel around. “It pushes as easy as a shopping cart,” he comments. Tightening insulators on electric fence takes less effort

with this technique from Allen Keim of Kinderhook, Illinois. He made a tool to get insulators on tight enough to keep fencing from slipping out of the post. “I use 3∕8-inch rod for my electric fence posts. So I used a large, flat washer big enough to get over the insulator and put on two ¼-inch bolts about 1 inch long to catch the knots. Then, I welded a ¼-inch rod about 6 inches long to the washer for a handle.” Another ergonomic solution! Bonus Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

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c r o p s By Gene Johnston

The long taproot of the Tillage Radish helps to break up compaction.

COVER CROP CLASSROOM

THE BEST WAY TO LEARN ABOUT COVER CROPS IS TO GET YOUR FEET WET ON YOUR OWN FARM.

here’s a giant classroom happening on farms all across the Corn Belt today, and that’s a good place for it. So says Bert Strayer about the on-the-job learning curve that is happening with cover crops. Strayer is a regional manager for LaCrosse Seed, a supplier of seed for cover crops (lacrosseseed.com). If you aren’t enrolled in the cover crop class yet, your day is coming, he thinks. “We’re not far out on the learning curve,” he says. “We’re years behind and millions of dollars behind growing crops like corn.” The good news, he says, is farmers themselves are learning on their own farms. “What works on one farm We’re seeing good won’t necessarily work on success with another. It depends on condiaerial seeding tions and what you’re trying in the Upper to accomplish.” he says. Midwest in late August,” he says. Following are Strayer’s “If you choose the six tips and techniques for right cover crops, enrolling in the cover crops they work very class and for earning a passwell. ing grade.

Hold nutrients and soil in place. One thing bringing

– Bert Strayer

cover crops into the limelight now is the emphasis many

Bonus Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

states are placing – sometimes by legislation – on nutrientreduction strategies into waterways. Cover crops that sprout in the fall and put a blanket of forage over cool soils help hold nutrients and soil in place. That may satisfy some newer or pending regulations. It can be good for the water, but it’s even better for you, says Strayer. Your most valuable resources – the soil and its nutrients – stay put.

Get creative. Cover crops

are a little easier to establish and manage as you move south across the U.S. It’s about the length of the growing season and the crop choices. In areas with more wheat and small grains that are harvested in the summer, there’s more time for a late-summer seeding of a cover crop.

As you move into the Corn Belt, the window of seeding opportunity is smaller. Cover crops generally need a few weeks ahead of a hard freeze to sprout and to establish ground cover. There are ways around that narrow planting window. For one, you can plant shorter-season corn and soybeans on some acres. That has the dual advantage of stretching your harvest season, while also giving an earlier cover crop planting season. Another solution is to seed the cover crop into a standing crop of corn or soybeans, Strayer says. “We’re seeing good success with aerial seeding in the Upper Midwest in late August,” he says. “If you choose the right cover crops, they work very well.”

Start with livestock. There are many cover crop strategies that provide good grazing opportunities in the late fall, winter, or early the following spring. Photography: Shane Yoder, Gene Johnston

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c r o p s

Continued

What about that Tillage Radish?

Bert Strayer says to consider the goals you’ve set for your cover crop before selecting a species or mix.

“It’s easier for livestock producers to try their hand at cover crops, because they can see an immediate benefit from grazing or haying,” says Strayer. Cover crop grazing may reduce the length of the season that a cowherd needs harvested hay at both the beginning and ending of winter.

Consider ryegrass. Strayer says ryegrass is easy and quick to establish, will hold soil in place, and provides good winter cover. In northern areas, annual ryegrass winterkills and isn’t a factor the following spring. “If you just want to get your feet wet in cover crops, start with this,” he says.

Experiment with different grasses. One negative

experience for some early adopters is that cover crops thrive heartily into the next

spring, are hard to kill, and delay corn planting, especially in a wet spring. That’s a situation where you would do well to experiment in your farm classroom with annual grasses like ryegrass or oats. They winterkill and don’t leave much trace in the spring. However, on some fields, there are situations where you want a cover crop that comes back strongly in the spring to prevent erosion. In that case, a perennial rye cover crop intended for grain or forage production may work. You would seed it in the fall, and it may sequester (capture and hold in place) existing nutrients. If you’re only concerned about erosion control, you could frost-seed rye in the winter to give early spring growth and soil cover until you are ready to plant. If you harvest, graze, or kill the cover crop in May or early

Bonus Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

ennsylvania farmer Steve Groff is the man behind the Tillage Radish. He experimented with cover crops on his farm for many years and launched a company, Cover Crop Solutions (covercropsolutions.com), to help other farmers manage them. Through experimentation and selective plant breeding, Groff perfected his favorite cover crop, the Tillage Radish. He says it is deeper rooted and more robust than the traditional radish he started with. Its value is in sending taproots deep into tight soils, 30 inches or more, helping to break up compaction. It also opens the soil to water and air infiltration and transfers deep crop nutrients back up to the normal root zone of corn. “Farmers can usually see and experience a difference in the soil the following year after Tillage Radish,” he says. Whether it’s radish or another cover crop, Groff says,

June, you still have time to plant soybeans. If one of your goals is to add nitrogen to the soil, you’ll definitely want to include legumes (such as crimson clover or hairy vetch) in your cover crop mix.

Break up the soil. Strayer’s company sells seed for the Tillage Radish, a unique plant developed by Cover Crop Solutions (for more, see “What About That Tillage Radish”). Its taproot reaches 30 inches or deeper, and it also sequesters nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. Some research says a radish

in some areas, you may have to intentionally create an early fall planting window. Cover crops need to be seeded at least three weeks before the average first killing frost. One easy strategy for creating the early window is to plant a field in a shorter-season corn so it can be harvested early. “Those genetics are now fairly competitive in yields [with full season],” Groff says. He recommends that radish be planted at 6 pounds per acre, which costs around $16. “If you plant a companion cover crop, oats is the preferred crop, as it will also winterkill and require no management in the spring. It’s easy for beginners,” Groff says. When mixing oats, the radish seeding rate is reduced to 4 pounds per acre with 25 pounds of oats. Groff says the price is still less than $20 per acre. Experiments at universities and on Groff’s farm have shown yield boosts of 10% for both corn and soybeans following cover crops, making it very cost effective.

cover crop can increase yields for subsequent crops of corn or soybeans by 10% or more. “It not only helps break up compacted soil, it also lets air and water deeper into the soil,” says Strayer. “It will do more than any other cover crop to reduce compaction in soils, but it probably won’t completely fix compaction in one year.” The biggest problem with a radish cover crop is the timing of seeding. In the central Corn Belt, radish needs to be established by mid-September, which means it may need to be seeded aerially into standing crops.

a g EDUCATION By Jordan Anderson, Digital Content Editor

Centennial FFA Chapter hen corn was $7 and soybeans bordered on $15, habitat for wildlife was turned to farmland quickly, minimizing habitat and much of the native wildlife. Students of the Centennial FFA Chapter in Utica, Nebraska, are working to turn that trend around. Centennial’s ag education features an ongoing natural resource program that includes establishing habitat, testing water, building predator-proof nesting, learning wildlife ID and population counts, lining up mentored turkey hunts, identifying and determining usefulness of native plants, and seeding pollinator plants. Its crown jewel is raising and releasing 100 pheasants each year. “Students wanted to try [raising and releasing pheasants], as we have low numbers of pheasants in our area,” explains ag teacher and FFA adviser Arne Anderson. “We pick them

The 10- to 12-acre North Clackamas ag program’s farm, located on the outskirts of the Portland, Oregon, metro, is completely surrounded by houses and the school.

AG EDUCATION LANDSCAPE

FFA PROGRAMS ACROSS THE U.S. ARE SHIFTING FOCUS WITH AGRICULTURE.

griculture isn’t all about cows, plows, and sows anymore. Neither is agricultural education. Vocational ag is shifting with the changing landscape of agriculture to include classes such as natural resources, alternative energies, and animal science in urban communities. Following are three chapters taking on the movement.

North Clackamas FFA Chapter n the outer fringe of the Portland, Oregon, metro where houses still reach as far as the eye can see, there’s a 10- to 12acre patch of heaven featuring an apple orchard, greenhouses, and a traditional red dairy barn with white borders and fences. This little farm is home to 30 ewes, five beef cows, and the North Clackamas FFA Chapter. Most of the students don’t have an ag background and hadn’t even heard of FFA. However, this 173-member FFA chapter is thriving. Advised by Wynn and Kathy Mayfield, the North Clackamas agricultural education program is what Kathy Mayfield calls a traditional ag program in a nontraditional setting. “Our program’s main focus is animal science,” says Mayfield, ag teacher for 26 years. “Animals are a huge draw. Their friends may have animals, or they own a dog and hope to become a veterinarian. We bring them into our program, show them other directions they can take with that passion, and open doors. “The goal of North Clackamas’ ag program isn’t to persuade, it’s to educate,” says Mayfield. “These students will go home and have conversations with their parents. They will

Photography: Garry Gibson; Arne Anderson

dictate the future votes on agricultural issues. “We want to be sure they are advocates for agriculture who can engage in intelligent conversations in their schools and communities,” explains Mayfield. This chapter’s efforts reach well beyond the fences of the farm. The North Clackamas FFA Chapter holds a plant sale each year to merchandise the flowers and vegetables grown Centennial FFA Chapter releases pheasants. in its greenhouses. Mayfield estimates it has quadrupled in the past up the day they are hatched six years because people want and raise them until they are to grow their own food. 7 to 8 weeks of age.” Kids learn, too. FFA The birds are released in members host 1,600 elemencarefully determined areas tary students during their selected by students based on annual spring kindergarten habitat and available food. tours, when they learn about Such a project has led to livestock production. students learning about August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 67

a g EDUCATION

Continued

Whites Creek ag students tend to the 2-acre plot of soybean varieties that they will use to produce biofuels in their Alternative Energy Program.

pheasant diets, needs, history, and type of habitat required to thrive in the ever-changing land dynamic. Exchanging their findings for the use of a local farmer’s land, Centennial’s program has added scouting wetlands for wildlife, testing water, learning about plants that enhance wetlands, and identifying and estimating waterfowl. Anderson teaches a variety of traditional ag classes, but the natural resources program gives the ag program some uniqueness that excites students and blends well with the other classes offered. “We utilize our greenhouse for agronomy and landscape plants, but now we will also grow and conduct experiments with native plants that are useful for food and habitat,” says Anderson. “This generation needs to do something about wildlife habitat, or it may not be able to enjoy wildlife in the years to come. This program gives students ownership, and they have “These run with it,” he students says.

will go home and have conversations with their parents.They will dictate the future votes on agricultural issues.” – Kathy Mayfield

68 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Whites Creek FFA Chapter ood vs. fuel has been the hot topic of debates in the wake of biofuels. While much high-scale research is being done in ethanol and biodiesel production, it’s quite rare to

find someone with less than a master’s degree – let alone a group of high school students – experimenting and working with the production firsthand. Welcome to the Alternative Energy Program at Whites Creek High School, the only program in the U.S. where students can study alternative energies as a career pathway for three years of high school. Grounded in Nashville, Tennessee, students study all sources of energy, including wind energy, solar energy, biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen, geothermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, and fossil fuels in three core classes: Introduction to Alternative Energy, Greenhouse Management, and Advanced Alternative Energy. The students of Whites Creek not only study but also produce ethanol and biodiesel in their school laboratories. This year, the Whites Creek FFA Chapter ac-

quired a 2-acre plot of land where they planted numerous varieties of soybeans to test in their biofuel production using their adviser’s equipment from his own farm. “These students are taking education to a new level – a level where students become teachers,” says Garry Gibson, ag adviser for the program. “They are learning public speaking skills in a real-world situation. That experience is invaluable no matter what career path they choose.” Pulling their 24-foot mobile laboratory with a school pickup run purely on biodiesel made by the students, Gibson and his chapter travel to schools across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. Their purpose is to educate other ag ed programs on the research their chapter is conducting in their biofuel production. The Alternative Energy Program at Whites Creek won the Governor’s Environmental Award for Driving Across Tennessee on Soybean Fuel and was a Models of Innovation finalist at the National FFA Convention. “Students in the program are becoming highly sought after by colleges and universities,” explains Gibson. “Most students who graduate from this high school program will be going to college to study a career pathway in agriculture/alternative energy. Some students will end up with a dual major in engineering. “High-paying jobs are waiting for these students,” he says.

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l i v e s t o c k SHOW BOUND By Laurie Bedord, Advanced Technology Editor

effort,” says youngest daughter Grace. At 17, the high school senior has spent more than half of her life showing cattle. “I started when I was 7,” she recalls. “I really fell in love with it in middle school.” As Grace enters her final year of showing cattle, she, along with her parents, reflect on their journey and the valuable skills acquired along the way. Here are seven lessons they learned. Lesson #1 Grace Tusha, 17, has spent more than half of her life showing cattle.

7 LESSONS LEARNED FROM LIVESTOCK getting cattle show ring-ready provides a wealth of opportunities for instilling good values in our youth.

ne show halter and one show stick guide a 1,000-pound animal. Those seemingly simple pieces of equipment have harnessed a lifetime of lessons for Liz, Maddie, and Grace Tusha. “I don’t think kids really understand what they are learning as they show their animals,” says Tim Tusha of Garner, Iowa. “Now that our two oldest daughters, Liz, 20, and Maddie, 18, are in college, they are realizing they gained a lot of skills while showing cattle. I knew it as a parent. It is why our family started this project.” solid foundation is central aising children to be decent people means devoting a great deal of time guiding them down the right path. Showing cattle has helped Tim and wife Ellen build a family-focused foundation centered around instilling good values.

70 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

e responsible. “I’ve definitely learned responsibility by waking up every morning at 6 a.m. I knew if I didn’t do what I needed to do in the barn, it was going to take me two steps backward,” says Grace.

Lesson #2 “Kids need structure. We wanted our three girls to have a reason to get up in the morning and to have a purpose,” says Tim, a fifthgeneration farmer. “For us, showing cattle wouldn’t be successful if it wasn’t a family project. I’m not saying it’s always been great times in the barn because it’s a lot of hard work,” he says. “It’s a good family bonding time, because everyone has a role to play. It’s a team

“It’s hard to describe the feeling of being in the show ring. It all comes down to that moment – the early mornings, the twice-a-day washings, the countless hours of caring for my animal.To me, it’s all definitely worth it.” – Grace Tusha

anage time. Grace juggles her time in the barn not only with schoolwork but also with sports. “Before I even get to the first show, I have spent more than 100 hours caring and working with my show cattle,” she notes. “I’ve learned to set time to do homework in order to get everything done and to meet deadlines.” At the shows, the Tushas wash animals early to allow enough time for the cattle to eat and lie down before they are fit and shown.

Lesson #3

e confident. “When I was in the show ring in the past, I wasn’t as confident as I am today,” says Grace. “Over the years, my confidence has definitely grown.” For example, she’s no longer afraid to use the show Photography: David Ekstrom; Laurie Bedord

show memories

In the show ring, Grace Tusha is judged on how her animal is groomed, how she maneuvers it, and how she showcases its muscle.

stick to set an animal up in its stance while the judge is looking. “It’s important for the judge to see the animal’s best side,” she notes. “I’ve grown more comfortable using the show stick to help me better place feet and to calm an animal down.” Lesson #4

eal with the different personalities. “We have been fortunate to have very tame steers the past few years,” she says. “However, Big Boy does get riled up easily.” With 11 animals under her belt, getting to know each one and building trust are key. “Brushing Big Boy as soon as we get him home and talking to him has helped,” explains Grace.

Lesson #5 e patient. “The first four or five months you have an animal is tough, because you have to break him in,” she notes. “Stay with it, because he does eventually “This process learn.”

has helped our girls make great decisions throughout their young lives, and I trust they will continue to make good choices.” – Tim Tusha

Lesson #6

evelop a strong work ethic. As

the winner of the 2014 Iowa State Fair Reserve Grand Champion in her division, Grace knows it takes a strong work ethic to produce a quality animal. “It’s hard to describe the feeling of being in the show

ring,” she says. “It all comes down to that moment – the early mornings, the twice-aday washings, the countless hours of caring for my animal. To me, it’s all definitely worth it.” That pride in a job well done will resonate with her throughout her entire life. “Winning made me realize that all of my hard work paid off,” notes Grace. Lesson #7

hallenge yourself and others. “I can be the

hardest guy in the world, but this process has helped our girls make great decisions throughout their young lives, and I trust they will continue to make good choices,” says Tim. “I’m so proud of the women they’ve become. I’ve watched them develop into three young ladies who are genuinely good people.” Learn more Watch video of the Tusha family’s journey to the show ring by visiting Agriculture. com/showbound2.

hen asked, members of Agriculture.com’s Cattle Talk discussion group shared their most memorable moments in the show ring. Here’s what one website visitor, jsgfarms, had to say. “This takes me back to 1976. I took my 4-H calf to the county regional fair Thanksgiving weekend in the back of the pickup. Dad had made a new set of racks the week before. It was raining, so we put the tarp on. “When we got to the fair 45 minutes later, my calf was going ballistic in the back of the truck. “I think the flapping of the tarp scared him. Just as I got him untied, he bolted back, turned, and started to drag me across the fairgrounds. After several rounds of his left hind foot whizzing by my right ear, I finally let go of the rope. “When I finally got him cornered, he was in among the Clydesdales, whose owners weren’t impressed. We got him settled down, and my calf ended up taking third in confirmation. He went on to win the overall in showmanship against several steer jockeys from other clubs. “The trophy still sits on my desk. It was a memorable moment for me because my parents, grandparents, and a very special uncle (who taught me how to groom without the fancy equipment) were in the crowd to see it! “4-H and the show ring instilled in me the pride of owning quality livestock. “Today, my small cowherd is pastured in two fields along the road. I get a lot of compliments on the quality of my calves from cattle dealers wondering if they can have first chance at buying them.” – jsgfarms

August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 71

b u y e r s’ GUIDE By Bill Spiegel, Crops Editor

KEEP CALM AND HYDRATE ON

THE RIGHT WATER JUG CAN KEEP YOU REFRESHED.

rinking enough water while working on the farm is easier said than done. When you are busy, it’s hard to remember to drink fluids. Failure to do so, however, can be a risk to your health.

“Failure to keep hydrated can lead to fatigue, muscle soreness, and muscle cramping,” says Ryan Knopp,

with Stonecreek Family Physicians in Manhattan, Kansas. Challenges such as kidney problems and heat exhaustion can be traced back to not drinking enough water, Knopp says. “The cause of a nonspecific health problem like recurrent dizziness, weakness, or fatigue may be hard to pinpoint. When we ask enough questions, it often comes back to the fact that the patient simply didn’t drink enough water,” he explains. At minimum, adults need to drink at least 2 liters per day (just over ½ gallon) to stay well hydrated. In times of extreme heat and humidity or extra physical activity – common conditions for farmers and ranchers – water consumption must increase,

64 ounces

Minimum amount of water an adult should drink each day. In extreme conditions, that may increase to 196 ounces. Source: Ryan Knopp

Knopp adds. “On a really hot day with lots of exertion and perspiration, you might easily have to double or triple your water intake,” he says. water jug to the rescue good water jug is essential in helping you stay hydrated. Unfortunately, water jugs can be more frustrating to use than they are helpful. On the floor of a tractor cab, many of today’s water jugs are unstable and often tip over during fieldwork. Remember all the times you’ve had to reach down to keep a water jug upright when turning a corner or bouncing across a field in a pickup truck? As if the stability issue isn’t bad enough, leaking lids can quickly dump the jug’s contents on the floor. If you are seeking to quench your thirst, there is no greater frustration than finding the contents of a 1-gallon container spilled onto the floor of your vehicle. The resulting mold and mildew stench that results from an uncleaned spill fouls the vehicle’s interior, as you probably know. How many times have you raised a jug to your lips to drink, only to have the contents dribble onto your shirt because of a leaky spout? At the end of the day, you want a jug that is stable and doesn’t leak. Is that too much to ask?

72 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

the evolution of water jugs arly water jugs were built tough, with long-lasting components, says Michelle Stone, group product manager at Igloo Products in Houston. “In 1947, Igloo’s first product was a metal water container, used primarily to provide cold, clean water to oil field workers,” Stone says. “Steel had natural cold-retention properties and essentially made existing water jugs obsolete.” Water jugs prior to that time were often made from wood and unable to keep water cold for an entire day. Over the next 15 years, metal jugs kept water cold and workers hydrated. By

Coleman’s 2-gallon jug has both a spout and a faucet, so you can either drink straight from the jug or use a cup.

the 1960s, Igloo developed jugs made from plastic, which were lighter and less expensive than metal. An array of sizes were available, with 5- and 10-gallon jugs considered ideal in construction, oil field, and team sports applications, where multiple people could drink from the same device. Soon, consumers began clamoring for personal-use jugs, and manufacturers filled the need. Early on, these personal jugs were smaller versions of the larger jugs, keeping the same wide base of their big brothers Photography: Manufacturers

Water Jugs (1- and 2-gallon sizes) Manufacturer

Model

Size

Bubba Keg

Sport Jug

1 gallon (128 ounces)

Price $19.98

Steel exterior; threaded lid; integrated handle; insulated; push-button spigot

Features

Coleman (pictured)

Jug with Faucet and Spout

2 gallons

$19.99

Push-button spigot and swivel spout; bail handle; threaded lid

Coleman

Party Stacker

2 gallons

$19.99

Large base; removable spigot; bail handle; threaded lid

Coleman

Teammate Beverage Cooler

1 gallon

$14.99

Various colors; bail handle; flip-top spout; threaded lid

Igloo

400 Series

2 gallons

$31.99

Vented, pressure-fit lid; spigot; insulated; bail handle; yellow and red high-visibility color; USA made

Igloo (pictured)

Sport with Hooks

2 gallons

$16.99

Integrated hooks and bail handle; insulated; doublegasket spigot; USA made

Rubbermaid

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2 gallons

$15.95

Snap-fit top spout; insulated; threaded lid; push-button spigot; USA made

Rubbermaid

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1 gallon

$9.95

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but having a shorter stature. Consumer demand for this design faded. “Those weren’t necessarily as popular with our customers. They were wider and took up a bigger footprint. Our competitors came out with tall, skinny water jugs, and consumers preferred those,” Stone says. Alas, the needs of farmers and ranchers were trumped by those of soccer moms and triathletes. it’s all about the basics ollowing are five basics that count in the water jug world. • Lids: They are either pressure fit or threaded. Threaded are more secure, but pressure-fit lids stay cleaner and can be operated while wearing gloves. Lids usually have gaskets to ensure a tight seal and to minimize leaks. • Insulation: Jugs made only from plastic may fail to keep water cold all day. Those made with plastic lining the

Igloo’s water jug lineup features gasketed lids and spigots. Some models have the company’s patented Chain Links hooks that let you hang the jug on a fence.

inside and outside usually have a foam insulation core. This helps to ensure your drink stays cold longer. • Spigots: Flip top and swivel are the two types of spigots. Better water jugs should have gasketed spigots. • Handles: These will be either integrated (molded into the body) or bale (forming a carrying handle). • No BPA: Many companies are now limiting the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in the plastics used to make their water jugs. other Features anufacturers are getting creative with new features. To its Sport line of water jugs, Igloo, for example, has added two patented rotating hooks that allow you to hang the jug on a fence. While ideal for use by athletes to keep the jug off the ground, farmers and ranchers can use these hooks to hang a jug on a barbed wire fence or in a tractor or combine. Some jug manufacturers have a blank place on the label for you to personalize your container.

Find the right one t the most basic level, an inexpensive jug will hold water and keep you hydrated. Just know that it may not be as user friendly, leakproof, and well insulated as more expensive models. A water jug is like your favorite tool – once you find the perfect one, you don’t want to use anything else. If you yearn for a past model, search Craigslist or eBay to see if you can find it.

August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 73

By Cheryl Tevis, Risk Management Editor

leading the way

ommunicating effectively, establishing and achieving goals, and making a strategic plan rank at the top of a list of key leadership skills for women in agriculture to master, according to a recent Farm Bureau survey. Nearly 2,000 women completed the informal online survey, which was conducted to determine the goals, aspirations, achievements, and needs of women in American agriculture today. Most of the women surveyed report being comfortable advocating for agriculture, and most believe they have the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful. Social media is their preferred avenue. “Farm and ranch women continue to be seen as credible sources of information on the production of food, fiber, and renewable fuels,” says Sherry Saylor, an Arizona row-crop farmer and chair of the Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. “Working to develop connections with consumers and being transparent when responding to questions about how food is produced benefit all of us in agriculture,” she says. The survey was open to all women. Responses were received from women in 50 states and Puerto Rico.

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n the rush to reach our destination in life, we seldom pause, look back, and appreciate how far we’ve come. We assume that each mile marker was destined to be there for us. American Agri-Women (AAW), a coalition of state and commodity affiliates, won’t make that mistake. It’s celebrating 40 years of ag advocacy by putting women in the driver’s seat – literally – on a months-long educational and advocacy tour. The last stop is its November 5 convention in Portland, Maine. In many ways, AAW’s history reflects the journey of women on farms over these four decades. Now representing 40,000 women in the U.S. and Canada, AAW (americanagriwomen. org) was formed by four groups: Women for the Survival of Agriculture in Michigan, Oregon Women for Agriculture, Washington Women for the Survival of Agriculture, and Wisconsin Women for Agriculture. Leaders of these groups were invited to the first National Farm Women’s Forum in Milwaukee, hosted by Farm Wife News (FWN) in November 1974. AAW’s charter meeting followed the 1975 forum. I was FWN’s associate editor that year. AAW’s focus on legislative and regulatory policies at the local, state, and national levels was groundbreaking. It challenged the status quo. At that time, women weren’t allowed individual memberships in farm organizations. Instead, they were assigned to auxiliaries to promote ag products and educational efforts.

credit overdue lthough women were assuming greater roles in the farm business by the 1970s, they had to prove their contributions, or pay estate tax on the entire farm value if it was in joint

74 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

tenancy when they were widowed. Wives went to ASCS offices to sign forms for government programs and were turned away. At implement dealerships, they often were treated rudely by male employees. Their self-image suffered. “I’m just a farm wife,” was a common disclaimer. The experiences of women in ag were mirrored in society. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act was passed in 1975, with the aim of allowing women the option of having a separate credit file. Yet, ag women didn’t identify with women’s libbers. Their focus was on ag policies and their farms. pedal to the metal ther women also wanted to navigate their ag future. Women Involved in Farm Economics (WIFE) organized in 1976 at Sidney,

American Agri-Women: Lisa Campion

Nebraska, with a goal of improving profitability in production agriculture. In 1977, WIFE organized an ethanol convoy from Montana to Washington, D.C. In 1980, an alcohol still (made from a pressure cooker) was featured at their convention in Lubbock, Texas. They experimented with recipes made from dried distillers’ grain with solubles to demonstrate that gasohol wouldn’t take food away from people (wifeline.com). The 1980s farm crisis exacted a toll on farm women’s activism, and the trend of off-farm jobs siphoned energy and time from pursuing leadership. Women in agribusiness, who contributed their talents and skills, were welcomed into ag groups. By the mid-1990s, most ag women’s auxiliaries were disbanded, and a few women began serving on major farm organization boards. Not enough, however, to satisfy the founders of the Women, Food & Agriculture Network (WFAN). They also advocated a new model of sustainable production and direct marketing (wfan.org). The share of U.S. farms primarily operated by women had been growing, from 5% in 1978 to about 14% in 2012. Today, WFAN has an on-farm apprenticeship In 1975, program that includes women farmers. American It’s also working with the Rural Women’s Agri-Women Project of the Midwest Organic and participated in a USDA program in Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) Washington, D.C., on Plate to Politics, a project to strengthen called Women in women’s leadership in the food system. Agriculture and Women’s ag promotion roles have been the Changing World. lifted up in blogs and other consumeroutreach initiatives, including Common Ground. Earlier this year, Krysta Harden, deputy secretary of agriculture, launched the USDA’s Women in Agriculture Mentoring Network (email: Agwomenlead@usda.gov). See more on page 76. It’s OK to LOOK Back, but don’t stare omen have come a long way, baby – in society and in agriculture – and our daughters are the beneficiaries. Yet, these new opportunities need to go beyond window dressing. Ag women still struggle to achieve the vision of the late Sister Thomas More Bertels, who urged them to overcome differences and to speak with one voice. She wrote, “The most important task facing farm entrepreneurs today is capturing a significant degree of influence over the policy-making function as it relates to food, feed, fiber . . .” There’s no road map. However, in 1980, Illinois Women in Agriculture held Getting to Know You meetings with the leaders of 25 ag groups. Their goals were to speak out for farmers and farm industry, to work together for effective legislation, to educate consumers about ag’s economic importance, and to create greater public awareness of ag as a business. It’s still a good starting point today. After all, a journey of 1,000 miles starts Cheryl Tevis with one step.

Photography: Provided by Jolene Brown

LOOK WHO’S HERE!

TURN TO CAN THEIR PROBLEM BE SOLVED NEXT MONTH FOR STRAIGHT TALK FROM JOLENE BROWN.

uring the past decade, an increasing number of young farmers have entered agriculture, encouraged by record profits and heady land values. The current downturn in the farm economy isn’t a crisis. The projected 2015 farm debt-to-asset ratio of 10.9% is far below the 22% ratio during the 1980s. In 2012, about 4% of farmers held 68% of total U.S. farm debt. Today, fewer farm operations than in the 1980s have large debt loads. The farmers who do have large debt, however, have about the same level held by 30% of farmers in 1979. Succession and transition are even more challenging to achieve in lean economic times. With lower profit margins, the younger generation will struggle to build enough net worth to buy out the owner generation. Women are key members of the farm crew when it comes to keeping the books and navigating

the choppy waters of succession. That’s one reason why Successful Farming magazine is pleased to welcome Jolene Brown as a new member of the “Can Their Problem Be Solved?” adviser team. See page 22. Brown is a professional speaker, author, and family business consultant who farms near West Branch, Iowa (jolene@ jolenebrown.com). She’s known for her unique style of straight talk. “Farmers lie,” she says. “Not intentionally, but they say the same thing over and over, and then they don’t do it or it’s not true.” Brown says these are the three biggest family farm business lies: 1. Work hard, someday this will all be yours. “A conversation is not a contract,” she says. “If it’s not in writing, it doesn’t exist.” 2. I’m going to retire. “Farmers are willing to transition the labor but not the management, the leadership, or

August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 75

f a m i l y Continued

the control of assets,” she says. 3. Don’t worry about your brothers and sisters. They have their own jobs, and they’re not interested in the farm. “That may be true – until Dad dies. Then everyone’s interested in the money,” she says. Farm business planning encompasses a daunting range of other management issues, Brown says. “The challenge isn’t just transitioning from one generation to another,” she says. “It’s making sure that you operate as a business and that you have the tools and processes in place when times are good so you can use them when times get tough.” Look for Brown’s “Can Their Problem Be Solved?” column in the September issue.

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series of three new free webinars have been archived on the new Women in Ag Learning Network. • Leading the Way: How Women are Changing Board Rooms and Rural Landscapes • By the Numbers: What the Census of Ag Tells Us About Women Operators • Heart of the Farm: Why Women’s Unique Family and Farm Business Roles Matter The network is part of the national Extension initiative to connect farm and ranch women to one another and to Extension. Krysta Harden, the USDA deputy secretary of agriculture, introduced the webinar series, which features national experts, as well as women in agriculture. For instructions on how to watch the webinars, visit learn.extension.org. Visit the Women in Ag Learning Network website at extension.org/ womeninag.

Prep: 35 minutes Chill: Up to 4 hours 2 8-ounce cartons vanilla yogurt 2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel 4 oranges, peeled and sectioned 3 cups cubed cantaloupe and/or honeydew melon 3 cups halved strawberries ¼ cup sliced green onions 3 9-ounce cans solid white tuna, drained and coarsely flaked Leaf lettuce (optional) ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

To serve, if desired, place a lettuce leaf on each salad plate. Spoon tuna mixture onto plates; sprinkle fruited tuna salads with pecans. To tote: Transport salad and nuts in an insulated cooler with ice packs. Just before serving, sprinkle with nuts. To save time: Omit the fresh orange sections and substitute one 11-ounce can mandarin orange sections, drained, for the 2 oranges. Buy a mixture of already cubed melon or melon balls from your supermarket deli or salad bar. Number of servings: 8 Nutrition facts per serving: 272 calories, 9 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 43 mg cholesterol, 405 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrates, 12 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 27 g protein. Daily values: 45% vitamin A, 126% vitamin C, 15% calcium, 9% iron

In a large bowl stir together vanilla yogurt and orange peel. Add orange sections, cantaloupe, strawberries, and green onions. Toss gently to coat. Add tuna; toss gently. Cover and chill for up to 4 hours.

76 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

For more quick and delicious ways to use the season’s fresh melon, visit the Recipe Center at bhg.com. For recipe questions, contact: Paula Barbour, SF Food Editor 1716 Locust Street/LS257 Des Moines, IA 50309-3023 Email: paula.barbour@meredith.com Photography: Scott Little

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Available in gravity feed and pump packages as well as in our portable dispensing systems

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Simple yet effective Rock-Gard made of virgin UHMW poly, DOORZV WKH KHDG WR Ă&#x20AC;H[ DV QRUPDO WKH VWDJJHUHG GHVLJQ DOORZV beans to pass through, but not rocks. We install them 4â&#x20AC;? to 6â&#x20AC;? BEHIND the sickle to stop shatter loss at the sickle and allow more beans onto the platform and feeder house. Stops beans from rolling off of the platform as well. Works much better than hose installed at the sickle.

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PA RT S

CFC

C IN

E SP LI ZI NG

QUALITY TOOLS R PE SU

32 PIECE SCREWDRIVER SET

SAVE 60%

LOT 61259 90764 shown

$ 99 REG. PRICE

$14.99

LIMIT 9 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R PE SU

HIGH LIFT RIDING LAWN MOWER / ATV LIFT LOT 61523 shown 60395/62325/62493

SAVE $60

8999 REG. PRICE

$149.99

SUPER COUPON

20% OFF

ANY SINGLE ITEM

LIMIT 1 - Save 20% on any one item purchased at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon, gift cards, Inside Track Club membership, extended service plans or on any of the following: compressors, generators, tool storage or carts, welders, ﬂoor jacks, Towable Ride-On Trencher, Saw Mill (Item 61712/62366/67138), Predator Gas Power Items, open box items, in-store event or parking lot sale items. Not valid on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase date with original receipt. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

WOW

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R PE ON SU UP CO $

SAVE

LOT 95659 shown 61634/61952 • 580 lb. Capacity

870 LB. CAPACITY 40" x 49" HEAVY DUTY UTILITY TRAILER WITH 8" WHEELS AND TIRES

SAVE $180 $ 99

• DOT Certiﬁed LOT 42708 shown 62646/62667/62209

179

R PE ON SU UP CO

SAVE 46%

REG. PRICE

$279.99

REG. PRICE 99 $249 .99

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

60 LED SOLAR SECURITY LIGHT LOT 62534 69643 shown

We have invested millions of dollars in our own state-of-the-art quality test labs and millions more in our factories, so our tools will go toe-to-toe with the top professional brands. And we can sell them for a fraction of the price because we cut out the middle man and pass the savings on to you. It’s just that simple! Come visit one of our 600 Stores Nationwide.

WOW

SUPER COUPON

26", 4 DRAWER TOOL CART

LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R PE ON SU UP CO

SUPER COUPON

SAVE 42%

61878/61837

Most Vehicles LOT 69252 60569/62160 62496/62516 68053 shown

SAVE $60

5999

R 12" SLIDING COMPOUND PE ON SU UP DOUBLE-BEVEL MITER SAW CO

WITH LASER GUIDE LOT 61776/61969

SAVE $165

LOT 69606/61173 68099 shown

$13499

$69.99

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

12 VOLT, 10/2/50 AMP CHARGER/ SAVE BATTERY ENGINE STARTER

62%

SUPER COUPON

1/2" ELECTRIC IMPACT WRENCH

3999

REG. PRICE

R PE ON SU UP O LOT 46163 shown 68442/69649 C

MECHANIC'S SHOP TOWELS PACK OF 50

WOW

How Does Harbor Freight Sell GREAT QUALITY Tools at the LOWEST Prices?

LOT 60653 shown 66783/60581/62334

LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R PE ON SU UP CO

SAVE 42%

STEP STOOL/ WORKING PLATFORM LOT 62515 66911 shown

REG. PRICE

Includes 6V, 900 mAh NiCd battery pack.

99 REG. PRICE

$59.99

SAVE 50%

$79.99

$ 99 REG. PRICE

1999 REG. PRICE

$34.99

• 350 lb. Capacity

$19.99

R PE ON SU UP CO

16 OZ. HAMMERS WITH FIBERGLASS HANDLE

AUTO-DARKENING WELDING HELMET WITH BLUE FLAME DESIGN

LOT 61610/91214 shown

CLAW

RIP

LOT 69006/47872 60715/60714

LOT 47873 shown 69005/61262

SAVE 62%

YOUR CHOICE!

$ 99 REG. PRICE

$7.99

LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

SAVE 52% LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

SAVE 66%

12 VOLT MAGNETIC TOWING LIGHT KIT LOT 62753/69925 69626/62517 67455 shown

$ 99 REG. PRICE

$29.99

SAVE $140

6500 PEAK/ 5500 RUNNING WATTS SUPER QUIET LOT 68526/69674 CALIFORNIA ONLY • 74 dB Noise Level

45999

REG. PRICE

$599.99

LOWEST PRICES

WOW

600 Stores Nationwide

SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

SUPER COUPON

"The Perfect Compressor with Powerful, Quiet and Consistent Airﬂow...Plus We Love the Low Price"

REG. PRICE

DIGITAL

SAVE $70

AWARD WINNING QUALITY

149

LOT 90899 shown 98025/69096

$219.99

SAVE 53%

LIMIT 1 - Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior purchase. Coupon good at our stores, HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one FREE GIFT coupon per customer per day.

SAVE 55%

REG. PRICE

WOW

SUPER COUPON

LOT 61249/91684/69341 shown

$14.99

WOW

3 PIECE CURVED JAW LOCKING PLIERS SET

$ 99

1499 VALUE

R PE ON SU UP CO

LOT 97214

7999 REG. PRICE

$149.99

WITH ANY PURCHASE

– Street Trucks Magazine

3-POINT QUICK HITCH

FREE

2.5 HP, 21 GALLON, 125 PSI VERTICAL AIR COMPRESSOR

R PE SU

12 VOLT, 15 GALLON SPOT SPRAYER

SAVE $45

LOT 61263 9583 shown

LOT 60658 97711 shown

R PE ON SU UP CO

2500 LB.

LOT 61258 shown 61840/61297/68146

SUPER COUPON

3/8" x 14 FT. GRADE 43 TOWING CHAIN

SAVE $70

• 2000 Lb. Capacity • 27-3/16" Clearance

™

4999

$149.99

R PE ON SU UP CO

SAVE $100

REG. PRICE

3/8" x 50 FT. HEAVY DUTY PREMIUM RUBBER AIR HOSE LOT 61939/62250 69580 shown

R PE ON SU UP CO

1999

• 5400 lb. Capacity

Not for overhead lifting.

REG. PRICE

$44.99

R PE ON SU UP CO

R PE ON 170 AMP SU UP MIG/FLUX O LOT 67227 shown 69567/60566/62532 C WIRE WELDER

1899

REG. PRICE LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

27 LED PORTABLE WORKLIGHT/FLASHLIGHT Batteries included.

SAVE 36%

SAVE 40%

WE CARRY A FULL LINE OF WELDING WIRE AND ACCESSORIES

SAVE $ 99 $ $135 99 SAVE REG. PRICE LOT 61888 62% $7.99 REG. PRICE $299.99 6888 5

MOVER'S DOLLY

LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R PE SU

LOT 60497/93888 shown 61899/62399

3" FULL TRASH PUMP WITH 6.5 HP GAS ENGINE (212 CC) LOT 69746/61990 68370 shown • 15,840 GPH

SAVE $100

$ 99

• 1000 lb. Capacity

shown

REG. PRICE

$14.99

REG. PRICE LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

R PE ON SU UP CO

R PE SU

R PE ON SU UP SAVE CO

SAVE $50

1650 PSI PRESSURE WASHER

7999

SAVE 70%

3" HIGH SPEED AIR CUT-OFF TOOL

LOT 60243/47077 shown

REG. PRICE

$129.99

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-3567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

56", 11 DRAWER INDUSTRIAL QUALITY CABINET $500 LOTROLLER 69395/62499/67681 shown • Weighs 441 lbs. • 3458 lb. Capacity

56"

LOT 69488 • 1.3 GPM

42"

PRICE $ 99 REG. $19.99 LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

$29.99

$349.99

R PE ON SU UP CO

8 FT. 6" x 11 FT. 4" FARM QUALITY TARP

LOT 2707 shown 60457/69197

69999

REG. PRICE

$1199.99

• 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed • No Hassle Return Policy • 600 Stores Nationwide • Over 25 Million Satisﬁed Customers • Lifetime Warranty On All Hand Tools • HarborFreight.com 800-423-2567

SAVE 41%

$ 99 REG. PRICE

$11.99

LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/3/15. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

a l l

a r o u n d THE FARM

Two pages written by our readers. Compiled by Paula Barbour, Content Editor

convenient boot spray helps prevent the spread of disease I installed a boot cleaner on the semi tractor that I use for hauling livestock. An air canister from a semi is converted to hold about 12 gallons of water with disinfectant added. Air pressure is provided by the air brake system. With a short garden hose attached to the canister to spray off boots, I have a good way to prevent the spread of disease and to keep the cab clean. Phillip Hartke | Teutopolis, Illinois

there’s the drain plug! A visible reminder that the drain plug isn’t back in yet is to simply place the drain plug on top of the fill cap. You won’t pour in any oil (or make a major mess) as long as the drain plug is in the way of the fill cap. We all know someone who’s made such a mistake, so try this nearly foolproof and valuable technique. Eric Johnston | Geneseo, Illinois johnston.ej150@gmail.com

keep feed off the floor Tired of bending down to readjust feed pails, I raised the feed bin by 3 feet. Then I made a platform for sliding the pails around with a 32×32-inch piece of expanded metal. An 18-gauge 48×20-inch galvanized plate is bent in the center and bolted onto the back. Now I just push the pail to the corner for filling. Jonathan Stahl Wecota, South Dakota tsstahl97@gmail.com

hydraulic hoses stay safe Because I use a three-point quick-hitch on my planter, there is risk of damaging the hydraulic hoses in the back. So I made an iron guard to attach to the planter’s jacks. Centered over the three-point hitch, they won’t dangle off the sides or get too low to the ground. Josiah Stahl | White, South Dakota

88 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

Send us your ideas Submissions should be precise. Include a sketch or photograph when needed. The Idea of the Month receives a $2,500 Firestone in-store credit offer. We pay $200 for ideas that appear with drawings and $100 for unillustrated ideas. All material submitted becomes the property of Meredith Corporation. If your idea is used, you give Meredith the right to use it in any manner. Send idea, a daytime phone number, and email address to IdeaEntry@Agriculture.com or to Successful Farming Magazine, All Around The Farm, 1716 Locust Street/ LS257, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Subject to Official Rules at Agriculture.com/ ideaofthemonth. The Successful Farming – All Around the Farm – Firestone Idea of the Month Contest begins at 12:00 a.m. C.T. on 1/1/15 and ends at 11:59 p.m. C.T. on 12/31/15. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia, 21 years or older. Limit twelve (12) entries per person and per email address and per household per monthly entry period. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Meredith Corporation.

handy shop organizer is built from disks The organizer I built for cans of paint, lubricants, and other sprays has a second top tray for bolts, springs, and more small items. I wrapped two old planter disks each with a 3-inch-high lip. The disks rotate on a 5∕8-inch rod and are supported by a 6-inchwide mounting plate. This stand’s size and style make it a good fit in many locations within the shop. Steve Wurtz | Artesian, South Dakota

full-tilt fuel stand gives easier fills

ALL AROUND THE FARM

My son built a hinging metal rack out of pipes and other pieces we had on hand to hold a 55-gallon drum filled with gas. The bottom hole has a hose with a nozzle, and the top is vented. Since one end of the cradle is hinged, we can easily adjust the angle of the barrel. This prevents gas from blowing out the vent due to expansion caused by temperature changes.

IDEA OF THE MONTH

$2,500 MONTHLY

Victor Yoder | Belvidere, Tennessee victoryoder@emypeople.net

high-Visibility signage makes things clear I needed to identify my individual fields for fertilizer and chemical applications, so I used ½-inch plywood cut 5½ inches high and 5 inches long. If a field identifier has three characters, then that sign is 10 inches long. I used 4-inch stencils for the letters and numbers. They are all undercoated with white paint and have two coats of white gloss enamel. Each sign is screwed to a 1½×4-foot-tall stake. Bill Kranz | Columbus, Wisconsin

IDEA OF THE MONTH

PRIZE Firestone Farm Tire salutes the inventive spirit of the American farmer and has partnered with Successful Farming® to award $2,500* to the All Around the

Turn to page 90

Farm® Idea of the Month winner.

FIND MORE ALL AROUND THE FARM® IDEAS

Congratulations to all whose ideas and innovations make agriculture safer and more productive.

Agriculture.com/tv Agriculture.com/aatf

SHOW TIMES ®

The award-winning All Around the Farm program brings together the latest, greatest ideas for the farm that help save time, money, and labor. Check out a few of the latest ideas from farmers for other farmers. Then, chat about your own ideas in Machinery Talk.

Thursdays at 8 p.m. Fridays at 12 a.m. Sundays at 9 p.m. All times Central on RFD-TV. Found on DISH Network, DIRECTV and most major cable systems.

www.firestoneag.com *Prize will be in the form of an in-store credit with a Firestone Certified Dealer. Terms and conditions apply.

August 2015 | Agriculture.com | Successful Farming 89

More ideas from readers on pages 88 and 89.

a l l

a r o u n d ®

IDEA OF THE MONTH

SWING CRANE COVERS 80% OF THE SHOP FLOOR WITH 16 FEET OF LIFT HEIGHT.

hen Joe Vinton works alone (which is 90% of the time, he says), he appreciates having an extra hand in the form of his swing crane. When describing how it’s built, he says, “The pipe was an oil and gas line section that once was buried beneath our farm ground.” It is ½-inch thick and 2 feet in diameter. Both ends were capped, and the lower end has several shafts running through it. They act as an anchor in the 6-foot-deep, 4-foot-square pit that is filled with rebar-reinforced concrete. The pit had to be hand dug by Vinton and his son, Heath, since the swing crane didn’t go up until well after the farm’s new shop construction was done. They achieved the 16 full feet of lift height they needed for removing an engine from a combine. Since the two hoists (a 1-ton electric and a 2-ton air hoist) are trolley-mounted, the Vintons made the upright pipe 18 feet tall. The horizontal H-beam flexes 1½ inches with a full 1-ton load at its end, says Vinton. The pivot was constructed around a salvaged electric

A 30-foot-long horizontal beam pivots near the corner of the shop. Its 1- and 2-ton hoists can handle lifting needs such as pulling an engine from a combine.

pallet-style jack frame, and the main top bearing came from a salvaged semitrailer axle. Vinton says he cut the axle end off and used the heavier inner wheel tapered bearing. The stub axle was welded in the pipe’s end cap. “I also machined a heavy plate out to accept the race of the bearing, and then I welded it to the pallet jack frame,” he says. EXTRA AIR RESERVOIR he main vertical pipe assembly has an extra air tank for the shop’s compressor. “Before it went into the hole, I decided to turn the pipe into a large-volume air reservoir. We sandblast used equipment for periodic painting, so we always need

90 Successful Farming | Agriculture.com | August 2015

an extra air supply. I did plumb the pipe separately, which means we don’t have to fill it every time it gets used,” he says. To purge water from the pipe base 6 feet underground, Vinton welded a fitting inside an outside valve at floor level, where he attached a hydraulic hose. The hose inserted in the pipe hangs down to the bottom, and air pressure pushes all condensation out of the pipe. a $2,500 winner inton is the next recipient of a $2,500 Firestone in-store credit offer for having his idea chosen as the Idea of the Month. See page 88 to learn how to send in your idea.

JOE VINTON Operation: Vinton Brothers is a corn and soybean farm on Missouri river bottom and loess hills near Glenwood, Iowa. The Vintons: Joe and his brother, Steve, are partners. Son Heath and grandson Nathan help out. Dad Burl runs the fertilizer business. Venture: Twelve years ago, one field was converted to create I-29 Highway 34 Campground. It has since expanded – twice. Better half: Wife Sandra does the farm bookkeeping and all grounds maintenance for the campground, which has a waiting list. Email: i29hwy34rv@yahoo.com Photography: Sandra Vinton

Successful Farming (ISSN-0039-4432); August 2015, Volume 113, No. 8, is published monthly except for two issues in February, March, and November, and no issues in June and July by Meredith Corporation, 1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, Iowa, and at additional mailing offices. Successful Farming reserves the right to refuse nonqualified subscriptions. Subscription orders must show farm or ranch connections as owner, operator, or related occupation to subscribe at basic price: $15.95 per year in the U.S.; $27.95 (U.S. dollars) in Canada; $27.95 (U.S. dollars) overseas. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to Successful Farming, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508. In Canada: Mailed under Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069223; Canadian BN 12348 2887 RT. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Successful Farming, 2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, ON, N8T 3B7. © Meredith Corporation 2015. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

By Paula Barbour, Content Editor

FROM DIRT ROADS

TO PAVED ROADS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

You know us for automotive parts. But when it’s time to get to work, we’ve got quality parts and the KNOW HOW to help you keep your agricultural equipment running. NAPAOnline.com | 1-800-LET-NAPA

We are innovators We are producers and livestock caretakers. Our job is to ﬁnd a better way forward and keep improving. We demand the same from our equipment. More power. New products. Better technology. We’re not afraid of innovation, in fact, we pursue it. Because no one gets ahead by staying the same.

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