Progress Ag, Oil, and Industry 2019

GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 •

Special to the Great Bend Tribune Sunday, February 10, 2019

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

PHOTO COURTESY CONGRESSMAN ROGER MARSHALL

The House-Senate conference report on the Farm Bill was signed Monday in Washington, D.C. Pictured left to right are Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee Mike Conaway, Congressman Roger Marshall Marshall’s legislative director Dalton Henry as Conaway and Marshall sign the report.

Marshall proud to be a part of Farm Bill After long road, massive ag measure becomes law in December

BY DALE HOGG dhogg@gbtribune.com

WASHINGTON — It finally happened in December.

President Donald Trump Thursday signed the $867 billion Farm Bill. The massive bill reauthorizes agriculture and conservation programs without any cuts to the food stamp program and received broad bi-partisan support in both houses.

And, First District Congressman Roger Marshall was present when this took place. He was impressed.

“It was truly incredible to see this process from start to finish,� said Marshall, a House Ag Committee member who was on the House-Senate Conference Committee. “I am so proud of this Farm Bill and happy to report that we have delivered on our promise to provide farmers with five years of certainty.

This Farm Bill will be a great Christmas present to our producers across Kansas who will see many wins in this bill.�

Trump signed the bill Dec. 20 after the Agriculture Department announced plans to tighten work requirements for recipients of food aid. Negotiations over

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the farm bill had stalled for months in Congress over a provision by the House to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and over the Senate’s unwillingness to go along.

Coupled with signing, the Department of Agriculture announced that it would move a key focus of the House’s Farm Bill that was lost in the final negotiations forward, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) reform.

Secretary Sonny Perdue proposed a rule to restore SNAP’s integrity. “I am happy to see the White House take the groundwork that the House

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Agriculture Committee laid and expand upon it to make meaningful reforms to this welfare program,� Marshall said. “This rule helps able-bodied Americans move off welfare and into work, and cracks down on states that are waiving the 20-hour per week work requirements. We want to help people by assisting them in finding work, and preparing them with the skills and training they need so that they can prosper. I am thrilled that the Trump administration is tackling this issue.�

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 •

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FARM, from page 2

Kansas lawmakers all supported ag bill Also part of the bill was the Facilitating Accessible Resources for mental health and Encouraging Rural Solutions For Immediate Response to Stressful Times (FARMERS FIRST) Act, to provide our nation’s agricultural community with critical mental health support and resources.

Prior to the final approval, Marshall said since his election, he has said the Farm Bill was a top priority. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee he has advocated on behalf of Kansas producers and the ag community. “This legislation has been years in the making,� Marshall said. “We’ve hosted hundreds of hearings and made stops across the country to listen to rural America’s needs.� “We can pray for the weather to cooperate all day long, but I came to Washington to do more than a rain dance, I came here to deliver certainty to our producers who are struggling, and this bill does that,� Marshall said.

A long road Trump had voiced strong support for stricter work requirements.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the regulation to tighten work requirements was a tradeoff for Trump’s support for the bill.

The farm bill will cost roughly $400 billion over five years or $867 billion over 10 years.

Consideration of this Farm Bill two years ago in Manhattan, by listening to producers, Kansas Senator Pat Roberts said, who chairs the Senate Ag Committee. “We ended up with a bill crafted to address the concerns of all regions and all crops. In a tough economy, the evolutionary, not revolutionary approach of our bill received the most votes of any farm bill in history.�

The Farm Bill received widespread support from more than 900 agriculture groups throughout the country including the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas State University and many more. “Our first commitment was to provide farmers and ranchers with certainty and predictability and this

PHOTO COURTESY CONGRESSMAN ROGER MARSHALL

Surrounded by U.S. agricultural officials and farmers, President Donald Trump signs the Farm Bill Wednesday afternoon. First District Congressman Roger Marshall was present for the ceremony Dec. 20.

is what attracted broad, bipartisan support,� Robert said. “I am proud of the members of my Committee who have worked so hard to give rural America the tools to produce the safest and most affordable food and fiber in the world.�

Roberts was also glad to have had the support of Trump and Vice Mike President Pence. “They understood how important this bill is to all Americans, but especially to farm country.� “Farmers and ranchers are facing a net farm income that has been cut in half over the last five years, continued low commodity prices, uncertain

market access and unfavorable weather,� said Sen. Jerry Moran, who championed the measure in the Senate. “The inclusion of this legislation in the Farm Bill will provide the ag community with necessary mental health programs, such as a crisis help line and suicide prevention training for farm advocates during these tumultuous times for our producers. I will continue working with my colleagues to make certain this legislation is implemented in a way that will best serve our farmers and ranchers who need help during trying times.�

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Technically, the farm bill is known as Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, this is primary agricultural and food policy tool of the federal government. The comprehensive omnibus bill is renewed every five years or so and deals with both agriculture and all other affairs under the purview of the United States Department of Agriculture. The last farm bill was approved in 2014 and funds these programs through this year. The 2018 installment met resistance from both Republicans and Democrats, but eventually cleared both houses of Congress in September.

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olden n Val Valley, Inc. is a farm farmer owned grain ain and supply uppl cooperative oper e formed for Dece Decemberr 1, 1 2001 by th 2 the consolidation nsol ion o of Golden den P Plains Cooperative pera of Ro Rozel and S Sanford, ord, Farmers F ers Co Coop Grain n and an Supply pply of Burdett urdet and d TriTri-Ag Coop oop o of Sanford. nfor Located ated in Pawnee awnee County, unty, Kansas as, Golden den Valley han handles whea wheat, corn, rn, m milo and d soybeans eans at three ee locations lo ns wi with approximately proxi y 5.2 millio million bushels hels of combined mbine grain in sto storage.

Our full ull service se Crop Production ction Department artmen in Sanford prov S provides a full range of agr agronomy my ser services including ding custom appl application n of d dry and d liqu liquid fe ertilizerr and chemicals, cals, soil testing, sting wholesale esale a and d rretail sales ales of o fertilizer zer and a chemicals, emical application licatio equipment pmen rental,, custom cus blending endin and NH3 N outlets utlets at Rozel, el, Bu Burdett and Sa Sanford.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Ag Systems specializes in irrigation design, service

Ag Systems, Inc. 810 E 14th/U.S. 56, Larned has serviced this area since 1983.

Rocke Foster, Manager has worked in irrigation design and service since 1997. The service department of 8 factory-trained technicians has more than 200 years of combined experience. For service or irrigation design, contact Rocke Foster, Tyson Atteberry, or Justin Woods.

They service and stock parts for all brands of center pivots covering an area from Dodge City to Lyons and Hays to Pratt.

Valley Center Pivots are celebrating 60 plus years of service and are committing all of their future years in conserving water with the newest innovations in sprinkler packages and computerized panels.

To better serve their customers, Valley Center Pivot Dealer, Ag Systems, Inc. of Larned, provides insurance services for all major brands of irrigation equipment.

Debora Fox-Johnson is licensed by the state of Kansas and Nebraska to write policies through Diversified Agrisurance. Diversified has been insuring and financing center pivots, new and used, for more than 40 years. They are the largest single insurer of irrigation equipment. Contact Debora for your “no obligation� quote for your financing and insurance needs.

Services at Ag Systems include a well stocked parts department carrying McCrometer flow meters, galvanized check valves, and Ag Sense monitors.

They have also expanded into Sub Surface Drip.

Ag Systems is committed to offering the best Service, Parts, and Irrigation Design for years to come.

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Ag Systems, Inc. 810 E 14th/U.S. 56, Larned has serviced this area since 1983.

Specializing in insurance coverage for center pivots Ag Systems Inc. 810 E. 14th St. (U.S. 56), Larned, only wants the best for their Customers.

That is why they utilize Diversified Agrisurance for their Customers’ center pivot insurance needs.

Trouble – even disaster – can happen in the blink of an eye. Don’t wait until you have a claim to find out what is and isn’t covered!

When choosing an insurance provider for your “major brand� center pivots, it is important to pick a company that knows and understands the irrigation business. Diversified Agrisurance has over 40 years of experience and has become the single largest insurer of mechanized irrigation equipment in the nation! Coverage is provided through Central States Indemnity Co. of Omaha, an A+ rated Insurance Company.

Their policy covers most direct physical losses to covered property. Unlike most of the competitors, their policies do not depreciate the value of the equipment in the event of a loss. They pay full cost, less deductible, on pivots up to 34 years of age, to repair or replace, whichever is less, up to the insured value shown on the policy.

In addition, coverage is available for sudden structural damage to your pivot caused by or resulting from mechanical or electrical failure for qualifying pivots less than 20 years old. Limited coverage is available on pivots over 35 years of age.

Claims always seem to happen at the most inopportune time – usually within the heart of irrigation season. Ag Systems Inc. promises to get you up and running as quick as possible – Diversified Agrisurance can settle most claims quickly with an estimate, photos of damage, and simple proof of loss form!

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 •

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Ag in the classroom Local business teaches children about farmers

BY RUSSELL EDEM redem@gbtribune.com

It is important to learn about agriculture from an early age and this is what Barton County Farm Bureau county coordinator Jerry Esfeld does, she teaches Ag in the classroom to elementary students. Students learn all about agriculture and how it plays a role in their lives.

“This is very important not only to the children, but the adults as well,” Esfeld said. “It is important to learn about agriculture and how farmers and ranchers play a vital part of our everyday lives. It is important to know where our food and clothes comes from and we need to teach this at an early age.”

Each grade learns something different, so by the time the children get through the fourth-grade, they will have attended all the classroom material.

Kindergartens learn about where milk comes from, first-graders learn about wheat and the different uses of it, secondgraders get some hands on in the classroom by participating in garden in a glove. This exercise teaches children about how plants provide food, fiber, oxygen and much more to animals and humans. They are an important part of people’s livelihood and well-being.

Although plants may take on complex life cycles and structures, the germination, or sprouting, process can be simple enough to

RUSSELL EDEM Great Bend Tribune

Jerry Esfeld of Barton County Farm Bureau teaches 1st graders at Lincoln Elementary about wheat during Ag in the Classroom day on Tuesday.

demonstrate in the classroom. This activity will allow the observation of the germination process, and provide a good view of the plant’s root system.

Third-graders also get some hands-on experience by making earth bracelets. Students will use different colored beads that represent different parts of the earth including people and make a bracelet. Fourth -graders will get a bet-

ter understanding about farmers and the how they play an important part of their lives. Even though teaching about framers is taught in all the programs, but the forth grade students get more of an experience about framers through a presentation.

Ag in the Classroom Kansas Farm Bureau understands that no gender, age or vocation should be avoided when

Farm Bureau: Your Family's Best Investment

educating about agriculture. The vast majority of Americans are several generations removed from the direct experience of farming.

Kansas Farm Bureau education outreach efforts encompass children to state legislators and all those in between.

Through a variety of programs, tours, conferences and media, Kansas

Farm Bureau impacts Kansas agriculture daily and improves the perception of agriculture.

Kansas Farm Bureau encourages family time and educational opportunities to teach children about the importance of agriculture in each of our lives. One intention of the Safety and Agriculture Education is to provide teachers

and parents with sound educational material that will engage young minds to be more agriculture savvy.

Kansas Farm Bureau hopes these activities will be fun for both the teacher and the child, and demonstrate how it is important to maintain a safe clean and healthy environment for many years to come.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

By any name, soft skills are essential

BY SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

In 2017, the Kansas State Department of Education decided it was time to rethink how schools are asked to operate. A statewide initiative called “Kansas Can” emphasized a switch from standardized academic curricula in favor of personalized plans tailored to each student’s college or career goals.

Rob Gilligan, governmental relations specialist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, visited the District Education Center in Great Bend that summer to talk about the new directions being taken.

“It’s not as much about making sure that our students can pass a test on reading, writing and math, but we’ve got to develop some additional skills – those ‘soft skills.’

We’ve got to enhance and broaden the scope of education,” Gilligan said.

The importance of these skills has long been known. A survey of 750 managers published in 2015 by software company Instructure found that many of them find it easier to hire people with strong interpersonal skills and then help them hone their technical skills than to do it the other way around.

Various focus groups were asked about the characteristics of a successful high school student in the years following graduation.

One characteristic of success cited 70 percent of the time was “nonacademic skills.” The so-called “soft skills” so

SUSAN THACKER Great Bend Tribune

Dr. Vic Martin from Barton Community College talks about “essential skills” in a recent program to the Great Bend Kiwanis Club.

often cited have lots of names: social-emotional, personality skills or 21st Century skills. At Barton Community College they are known as “Essential Skills” and are incorporated into as many courses

as possible, in a variety of ways.

An official BCC Board goal, or “end,” states that students will acquire the skills needed to be successful for the program they are in — the skills to

succeed in the workplace and the skills to lead productive lives.

Dr. Vic Martin, instructor and director of the agriculture program at Barton, explained essential skills during a recent

presentation to the Great Bend Kiwanis Club.

“We like to say, ‘don’t come to us for a job; come to us for a career,’” Martin said. “I don’t do job training, I do career training.” Essential

skills include work ethic, discipline and collaborative skills. Above all, they involved emotional intelligence. “Students have to see that they’re responsible for themselves,” Martin said.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 •

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From crude to steel, the word is volatility But, drilling taking place with environment in mind

BY DALE HOGG dhogg@gbtribune.com

Going forward into 2019, needs smart progrowth energy policies, oil industry annalists agree.

Policymakers at all levels should pursue energy policies that drives economic growth, lower costs for consumers, protects the environment, increases American competitiveness, and uses our considerable energy resources as a way to lift people up.

“Americans support developing domestic energy resources and believe that can be done in a way protective of our environment,” said Ed Cross, president of the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association. “For our part, the oil and natural gas industry will continue our high standard of environmental stewardship.”

There were 10 new Kansas drilling permits in the last week of January, noted Chris Smith of Smith Supply in Great Bend, citing figures from the Independent Oil and Gas Service Inc.. The year-to-date total is 62 permits, compared to 107 a year ago (down 42 percent). Kansas Common crude price rose $1 per barrel from the previous week to close at $44.50.

At the same time, Southcentral Kansas crude was $46.25 and Eastern Kansas crude was $41.75.

The number of active drilling rigs in Kansas was down by 3 in the closing week of January to 31 (down 9 percent). In the month prior, there were 35 rigs active in Kansas (down 11 percent) and 28 rigs a year ago (up 11 percent).

Drilling activity in the Western Ranges is down about 52 percent and Eastern Ranges is down by nearly 62 percent from this time last year.

Even though crude oil prices rose steadily for much of 2018, prices fell 40 percent in November and December from earlier 2018 highs, Cross said.

Volatile crude oil prices have a significant impact on the small businesses that make up the Kansas oil and natural gas industry.

Several energy economists and analysts have recently warned that prices in 2019 could reach new highs ranging from $120 to $150 dollars per barrel or lows ranging

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

An oil drilling rig is shown operating east of Ellinwood last summer.

“

The oil and gas industry has helped prove, conclusively, that oil and gas production and environmental stewardship are compatible.

– Ed Cross, KIOGA president

from $30 to $40 per barrel. In late 2007, oil price was approaching $80 per barrel and various experts projected that oil price in 2008 could reach as high as $120 or as low as $40.

As it turned out the price not only reached $120, but went on to $145 on the futures market that July. By the end of 2008 it was in the low $30s.

Looking locally, “there is some activity around here,” Smith said. But, in addition to the volatility in the price of crude, there is another concern for producers – steel.

The Section 232 investigation is the result of a campaign pledge by President Donald Trump to protect domestic steelmakers against foreign steel imports. Section 232 uses as its test whether imports have been detrimentally harmed the U.S. ability to produce steel for its defense industry.

This may be good for tanks, but for Kansas oil production it has raised the cost of cheaper, foreign carbon steel commonly

used in oilfield piping, Smith said. Most domestic steel is an alloy, which is fine for deep wells but is overkill around here.

What about policies?

“Debate continues across the country on our nation’s energy future,” Cross said. “What is our best energy policy going forward?”

Few doubt that energy has improved lives and enabled human progress. Yet one of the biggest challenges facing the world is the polarized debate over the future of energy, he said.

“Facts and economics are too often replaced with assertions and emotions,” he said. Discussion about fossil fuels and alternative energy sources often degenerate into a battle to delegitimize the other side.

“This is a recipe for inaction,” Cross said. And it keeps billions of people trapped in energy poverty. Almost 40 percent of humanity has access to only rudimentary forms

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of energy and a very low standard of living. The world expects and deserves better.

Energy policy In the 1970s, many experts forecasted a permanent energy shortage in the U.S. Fast-forward to today and we see the U.S. is the top producer of oil and natural gas in the world. Technological developments and efficiency gains have resulted in U.S. oil production doubling since 2008.

U.S. oil production is now projected to grow another 50 percent over the next decade, he said. The energy shortage predicted in the 1970s has not come true. In reality, we did not have an energy shortage in the 1970s, but had a shortage of imagination and loss of confidence in our ability to innovate.

Concerns about carbon “Fossil fuels are needed throughout the world to lift people up, which is different than a philosophy of embracing a zero-emissions world,” Cross said.

Over 80 percent of the energy that the peoples of the world use to survive come from fossil fuels, because that is the cheapest, most plentiful, most reliable source ever developed. Anyone who cares about our environment and climate recognize that

cheap, plentiful, reliable energy is essential.

Burning fossil fuels to generate electricity or provide power necessarily releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a gas we exhale every time we breathe.

Erupting volcanoes, decaying trees, wildfires, and the animals on which we rely for food all emit CO2.

This by-product, which is essential for plant life and an unavoidable aspect of human life, is at the center of today’s climate change controversies.

“There is vigorous debate about the effects of carbon emissions,” Cross said. The United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest climate change report in October 2018. “In case you hadn’t heard, we are all doomed. Yet, the world mostly yawned,” he said.

But an EPA report released later in October 2018 shows the world may not be ending after all. According to new EPA data, greenhouse gas emissions, mostly CO2, fell 2.7 percent from 2016 to 2017.

This downward trend is occurring even as U.S. oil and gas production grows dramatically.

False concerns?

“All too often state and federal proposals to tax carbon directly or launch

new carbon tax schemes have much more to do with raising revenue than helping our environment,” he said. “For those who prefer higher taxation to spending cuts, having an entirely new source of revenue is appealing.

However, taxing carbon only takes more resources from the private sector to support swelling state and federal government.”

A recent study analyzed probable effects of a U.S. carbon tax that starts at $20 per ton and then rises 4 percent per year, which is in line with recent proposals. The study suggested that such a tax would decrease household consumption, due to the increased cost of goods.

The average household would have to pay 40 percent more for natural gas, 13 percent more for electricity, and more than 20 cents per gallon extra for gasoline. Costs would rise even more in subsequent years.

“Price hikes like these can only mean lower standards of living and less opportunity,” Cross said. Families that spend a bigger portion of their household income on transportation, utilities and household goods are hurt, not helped, by carbon tax schemes that make traditional forms of energy more expensive.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Scales program opens opportunities

BY SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

They aren’t always obvious, but scales are an integral part of our daily lives.

Whether someone is weighing a few pounds of produce at a grocery store or tons of grain at a co-op elevator, the devices used must be accurate and precise. That creates a need for trained scale technicians, which is why Barton Community College launched at Scales Technician program in 2018.

The program is completed in one semester of vigorous training and prepares students for work in the weights & measures industry, said Dr. Vic Martin, coordinator and instructor of agriculture at the college.

Overseeing weights and measures is one of the oldest government functions, specifically mentioned in the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. “This is actually a good thing the government does,�

Martin said.

According to the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Weights and Measures, inspectors test all kinds of commercial weighing and measuring devices. They test scales used in grocery stores, grain elevators, livestock sale barns and pawn shops. They

test gas pumps and meters used to sell chemicals or to sell propane to homeowners. They check packages containing edible and inedible products to ensure that the consumer receives the quantity stated on the label. They even verify that in-store scanners scan the correct price. Essentially, all consumer goods are subject, in one way or another, to the weights and measures law.

The industry is facing a shortage of skilled workers as many workers begin to retire, Martin said. Barton’s program opens opportunities for those interested in starting a career in the industry or for those looking to advance their careers. “We placed a student last semester who started at $18 an hour, with a company truck and a medical plan,�

he said.

The average annual salary in the field is $50,000, college officials report.

Mary Foley, Barton’s executive director of Workforce Training & Economic Development, agreed that the program got off to a good start. “We have had 10 students enroll in the first two semesters,� Foley said. “The interest continues to grow as we work to promote the program. We offer the full 25-credit hour certificate program each semester. Students are able to complete in one semester because we schedule courses in a work format, meaning students attend class Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.�

Concepts taught include “tech math,� computer concepts, AD and DC electronics, safety and regulations, and how to certify both analog and digital scales.

Students also acquire a class A or B Commercial Driver’s License. “This is the only program of its kind in the Midwest,�

Martin said. “The State of Kansas will recognize this certificate as the training to get your certificate from the state to certify scales. Once working with a company, the state will provide you a license to certify scales.�

For more information, contact Martin at martinv@ bartonccc.edu or 620-7927207.

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTOS

Barton Community College Coordinator of Agriculture and Scales Vic Martin, left, works on a scale with a student in this undated file photo.

Science updates the official kilogram The official way to measure a kilogram changed on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018.

Until that day, the definition for the kilogram was based on a physical object — a golf-ball size metal cylinder stored in a locked vault at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sevres, France. Since it was fabricated in 1799, that platinum artifact was the one true kilogram upon which all others were based. “A kilogram was equal to the heft of this aging hunk of metal, and this cylinder, by definition, weighed exactly a kilogram,� The Washington Post reported. “If the cylinder changed, even a little bit, then the entire global system of measurement had to change, too.�

Copies of the interna-

tional prototype kilogram are stored throughout the world. America’s official kilogram prototype, K20, arrived in the United States in 1890 to begin its work and is now preparing for a May 2019 retirement.

Copies may vary by several micrograms, and the prototype itself was prone to small change over time.

On Nov. 16, 2018, representatives of more than 60 nations gathered in Versailles, France and approved a new definition for the kilogram. Scientists redefined the kilogram for the 21st century by tying it to a fundamental feature of the universe — a small, strange figure from quantum physics known as Planck’s constant, which describes the smallest possible unit of energy. “Thanks to Albert

Einstein’s revelation that energy and mass are related, determining exactly how much energy is in that unit can let scientists define mass in terms of Planck’s constant — a value that should hold up across space and time — rather than relying on an inconstant metal cylinder.

(Mass determines something’s weight, and for most purposes mass and weight are interchangeable,)� The Post reported. “Though the newly defined kilogram won’t affect your bathroom scale, it will have practical applications in research and industries that depend on meticulous measurement.�

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES IN ANCIENT TIMES

Weights and measures have existed for as long as humans have built or traded. They are mentioned many times in the bible, from the instructions for building an ark to laws of fair trade. In Leviticus 19:35-36, the Israelites are told, “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 •

9

Agriculture 2019 – A Cloudy Crystal Ball It’s normally helpful to know what you are discussing. This is a Progress Edition regarding agriculture but how is progress defined? The word may be used as a noun or a verb. As a noun progress is defined as “moving forwards towards an end goal, or making things better or more advanced.� As a verb, “progress is to move forward or advance towards completion.� The purpose of this article is to look forward, to agriculture in 2019 and maybe a bit beyond.

However, in agriculture it is often three steps forward and two back. While the future in agricultures is typically a bit uncertain, this year’s crystal ball is cloudy to say the least. • Weather – If you accept the NOAA forecasts as of

VICTOR

MARTIN

today, here in Kansas we are to have normal to slightly above normal temperatures for the 2019 growing season and precipitation is likely to be above normal until July and then likely normal. This can certainly change. What does this mean in our area?

With a sixty-day outlook of normal temperatures and slightly above normal precipitation, this may present challenges for topdressing wheat and in planting 2019 summer crops. It will be crucial, if the forecast is correct, to be ready perform field operations as soon as

field conditions permit. • Crop Outlook – The wheat crop in the area is all over the place with wheat planting spanning a period from late-September until the end of 2018. The condition ranges from wellestablished and tillered to no evidence of emergence.

With the soil moisture present the wheat not emerged has likely at least germinated and should have accumulated enough cold to flower. The question is how many tillers this late planted wheat has and it is likely not many. This indicates three things. First, yields in these fields will suffer. Second, it is critical for producers to do everything possible to maximize the yield potential present, from pest control to fertilizers. Third, thin wheat fields are more vulnerable

to weed pressure. Producers will have to decide how much to invest in the 2019 crop which for many looks to be below average. The positive side is that there should be adequate moisture to produce a wheat crop and establish summer crops. • Economics, Prices, Trade, and Tariffs – It is no secret that the farm economy isn’t rosy overall, there are some brighter spots primarily in the cattle industry and for cotton farmers. All of the factors in this section are working together to put pressure on producers’ bottom line. Most are aware of the “Trade Warsâ€? with major trading partners and the tariffs involved. Even with strong demand, U.S. and world stocks of agricultural commodities are still

strong although weakening a bit. The result briefly, higher input prices and lower output prices. We are in negotiations with China, have a deal needing Senate approval with Canada and Mexico. The upshot in one sentence is things don’t look great, efficiency is the key, and many economists are forecasting things to start in improve a year or so out. • Weeds - The Dicamba controversy with soybeans will continue. The challenge of Glyphosate resistant weeds will continue and decisions will have to be made regarding tillage and diversifying herbicide technologies. • Farmers and Farming – Finally, with the stress on the farm economy bankruptcies in Kansas are among the highest per

capita in the country. Debt to asset ratios for many are climbing and access for many is tightening for many and this doesn’t look to change anytime soon.

Efficiency is the key. However, this has resulted in a dramatic increase in suicide rates for farmers across the nation and rates in parts of Kansas are higher than the national average. This is compounded by the lack of mental health care access in rural areas.

Is 2019 all doom and gloom? No. But it is a year for producers to slow down, evaluate, and obtain all the help and resources they can.

Dr. Victor L. Martin is the agriculture instructor/coordinator for Barton Community College. He can be reached at 620-792-9207, ext. 207.

POLICY, from page 7

Sensible oil, gas policies needed Taxing carbon to tackle climate change is one of those big ideas that have long held a bipartisan sway.

However, recent polls continue to show climate change lagging behind health care, jobs, immigration, and the federal budget deficit among voters’ priorities.

In addition, fuel-tax riots in Paris in December and the defeat of a carbon-fee ballot measure in the state of Washington in November shows the difficulty of getting people to support a levy on the energy sources that heat their homes and power their cars, he said.

Public support for climate action appears to be broad, but it is shallow.

Addressing climate change enjoys widespread approval, until climate action comes with a tangible price tag. “Citizens around the world will continue to reject climate policies that cost them personally, either by direct taxation or by undermining the competitiveness of their own economies,� he said. The good news is that recent polls show that the American voter clearly

want policymakers to set aside outdated assumptions and partisan talking points and work together on safe, responsible, and fact-based energy policy that grows our economy, creates well-paying jobs, and maintains our nation’s global energy leadership, Cross said. “Voters’ clearly expect their elected leaders to place what’s best for our state and nation’s economy and energy future above partisan ideology and political posturing.�

A better way The energy policy choices our nation makes today are among the most important and far-reaching policy decisions we will make in the 21st century. “If we are to continue our nation’s positive energy trends, we must implement energy policies based on current reality and our potential as an energy leader. American energy policy should focus on what’s important: American jobs, American energy security, and American global energy leadership,� Cross said.

The U.S. currently has a better, more

sensible approach to energy development than any other country in the world, both short-term and long-term.

Where government policy has been absent, free markets have filled the void with great success.

Energy prices affect all corners of the economy, and keeping up with demand is essential for maintaining a high standard of living, he said. “Thankfully, that doesn’t require abandoning efforts to protect the environment.�

The key is to avoid placing unnecessary political or legal obstacles in the way of innovation and expansion, Cross said. Let America’s entrepreneurs continue modernizing our energy technology as they work to meet growing demand. That’s a prescription for economic prosperity and a cleaner environment.

Just a few years ago, no one would have imagined the U.S. could increase production of oil and natural gas while cutting carbon emissions, which are now the lowest they have been in nearly

seven decades, he said. “The oil and gas industry has proven that over the long-term, it is possible lead in energy production and environmental stewardship. By focusing on more efficient use of energy, it is possible to lower emissions without imposing a carbon tax or even more environmental restrictions.�

An American energy policy that values innovation over regulation can turn energy policy challenges into great opportunities for economic growth and energy security, he said. This approach is not just good business, it’s good stewardship and a much better strategy for improving the quality of life for all. “The fact is our nation’s 21st century oil and gas renaissance has made domestically produced oil and natural gas economical and abundant,� he said. “This market-driven success has helped our nation achieve significant emission reductions. The oil and gas industry has helped prove, conclusively, that oil and gas production and environmental stewardship are compatible.�

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

New location, new faces at Barton County Conservation District

BY VERONICA COONS vcoons@gbtribune.com

Last year marked the completion of the new location for the USDA Service Center and office of the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Barton County Conservation District. Mid-year, employees moved into their new space located at the intersection of Patton Road and West 10th Street.

Shortly after the move, it was announced that long-time Barton County Conservation District Director Pam Tucker would retire at the end of the year. In November, a new director, Sara Martinz, was announced. The community turned out in late December for a farewell reception for Tucker, and to welcome Martinz.

In recent years, Martinz returned to college as a non-traditional student and earned a degree in Agricultural Business Management. After school, she served as a temporary employee at the Farm Service Agency here, but soon realized she had a heart for conservation. In April, she began a

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

Pictured are Ron Klein, Natural Resource Conservation Service supervisory district conservationist, and Sara Martinz, the new Barton County Conservation Service district manager, at the Barton County Commission meeting in December 2018. She replaced Pam Tucker who retired last year.

contract position with the NRCS, and later applied for her current position.

Shortly after becoming director, Martinz prom-

ised many changes at the organization when she was introduced to the Barton County Commission in December. First on the

list, the upcoming meeting annual meeting and 2019 Bankers Awards promises to be fresh and new.

With many annual

board meetings being held in January, the Thursday, Feb. 21 date was an easy choice, she said. This year’s venue, the Hoisington

Knights of Columbus Hall, allows for a cocktail hour prior to the meeting and a whole hog roast provided

by Boot Style BBQ of Great Bend. Entertainment will be provided by the Hoisington High School Forensics Club members, and Martinz is planning a raffle and door prizes to be given away throughout the evening. “We wanted to find a way to breathe some new life into the annual banquet,� she said. “We want this to be an event where people can socialize and that they look forward to attending.�

Martinz also looks forward to more involvement with the schools county wide.

In the coming months, Martinz is looking forward to increasing involvement in local groups including Women on the Farm and the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce. In March, Martinz will man a booth at the Great Bend Farm and Ranch show, and in April, BCCD and NRCS will partner with the Kansas Wetlands Education Center for their Earth Day celebration.

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11

Great Bend Coop turns 60

BY RUSSELL EDEM redem@gbtribune.com

The Great Bend Coop turns 60 this year and without the help, knowledge and business sense of several men, the Coop would not be where it is today.

Let’s start the story with some history of the Great Bend Coop and how it became the Coop that all the area farmers know and become the place where they sell their grain.

The beginnings of the Coop The beginning of the Great Bend Cooperative Association started in early 1959. A thought, dream or maybe just the need to feel secure and basic survival instincts were the factors that lead seven men to start a business that has far exceeded their expectations. Those seven men were; Don Neeland, Leo Button, Harry Gaunt, K W Kirkman, D L Mullin, lsom Wright and William Wells. They didn’t have dollar signs in their eyes, nor did they want to monopolize the farming industry.

A simple need to survive was seen and the Coop organization looked like a good place to start. The Great Bend Cooperative Assn. Main office is located at 606 S. Main, in Great Bend; Which was the original location of the Farmers Grain & Supply Co., which was purchased in April 1959 for $275,000.00. At the time of the purchase, The Great Bend Coop only had $43,000.00 from the sales of stock, for their capital. It took men with strong wills and common sense to start a company with such adversity and it was just the beginning.

COURTESY PHOTO

The Great Bend Coop is turning 60 this year and it has continued to serve its customers.

After visiting with a few men who helped pave the way for this organization, They were amazed at the obstacles they encountered and their ability to overcome them. I researched the Great Bend Tribune and found an ad in the Feb. 27, 1959 edition, ‘Farmer’s in which it called for a Co-op day to be held on March 5. On this day “60 or more farmers will be calling on neighbors and friends for investment and membership in the elevator and farm supply co-op,

it continued to advertise the strengths of a co-op, “Help farmers store their grain properly, provide a cash market and terminal storage Be ready for this year’s harvest Have complete service in farm supplies Pay for itself from storage and service income (examples of neighboring of co-ops is ample proof) Be a permanent asset to the entire farming and business community in the Great Bend area.

The goal advertised at the time was to have 150 members and $100,000.00

of member stock as assets.

The $100.00 membership bought one vote per member and gained 5% annually on their certificate of indebtedness. One would think that this was a good thing. But the coop was not met completely with open arms. On March 8, another advertisement was found in the same local paper, but this one deemed the coop as more of a federal tax evader.

The ad headlined: “Does Great Bend Need A Coop?

Co-ops Compete but Don’t

Share Taxes�

The ad went on to explain the number of coop type businesses which were currently in business; this included farm co-ops, telephone co-ops and banking co-ops. While the advertisers agreed that coops paid property and sales tax, they believed that the co-ops themselves did not pay income tax. This was based upon the assumption that we handed all excess profits to the members and therefore did not have any profit. And the mem-

bers, themselves need not included these refunds as taxable refunds. It was further explained that the growing number of co-ops was adding additional cost to our Federal government. Whereas co-ops and their members receive the same benefits as military protection, highways, court systems and government agencies, we were not paying our fair share of taxes, which supported these causes.

See 60 YEARS, 12

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019

60 YEARS, from page 11

Coop has a long history of serving its customers The complexity of this situation must have been overwhelming to the people who wanted to start a business in fairness and who of course understood the questions and concerns voiced by the “National Small Business Men’s Association”. Rest assured the Great Bend Cooperative Association has paid and will continue to pay taxes and will continue to support our farming & Business community.

The original building site at 606 S. Main, consisted of the farm store, the current elevator, a feed mill and a fueling station. The storage capacity at that time 487,000 bushel and the feed mill was merely used for milling the grain that was brought in on pickups.

The fertilizer industry was quite different also.

Bags of dry fertilizer were unloaded off railroad cars and stacked in the warehouse. It was picked up by the farmer and applied with a large cart attached to the back of the tractor.

And of course, the fuel was ‘skelly’. A small fuel truck delivered the customers’ fuel, which was laden with ‘lead’. The current variety of unleads, gasahol and diesels were not yet in the making.

During Oct. 1959 a decision was made to purchase grain dryer for the elevator and to purchase the facilities at 10h and Morton in order to move the fueling and service station. The business was growing and so was our membership.

In visiting with some of the board members of yesteryear and reading over the old board minutes, I was truly amazed by their dedication at seeing the Coop grow and become an

The vote took place at the Annual Meeting on May 27, 1975. Ag Valley Co-op carried the winning number of votes; but a vote had to be taken on the resolution to change the name. That vote did not pass on a 67 no and 40 yes count. So, we have remained the Great Bend Cooperative Association.

COURTESY PHOTO

Pictured above is the Great Bend Coop elevator in 1969

important part of the business and farming neighborhood.

The Coop held Annual Meetings to inform the stockholders of the business growth and to receive input on their ideas for furthering possible expansion.

‘Coop Days’ and Customer Appreciation’ days were held to thank customers for their business and to offer special savings throughout the Coop. The directors felt that public relations were very important and the Coop needed to be viewed as a vital important industry in this community. In 1962, the Coop purchased Elevator ‘B’ from the Great Bend Milling Co. The Coop needed the extra grain storage for our expanding business. With an expanding business the need for instituting a credit

policy became necessary.

The board understood the need for credit, but also knew that the business needed to keep a steady cash flow to stay afloat. No decision was by any board member without thorough forethought and discussion. Decisions were not made is haste or even in a short time. Purchases had to be dealt with slowly as the monies needed has to be ascertained. The board’s objective was to sell stock and C of l’s to cover expense, so the borrowed capital was held down.

Expansion and purchasing became an important part of the Cooperative as the needs of the customers grew. More grain storage was needed to accommodate our growing feed industry and customer growth. ln June of 1969 a

hole was made in a steel tank behind elevator ‘A’ so the excess wheat could spill on the ground. The Boyd facilities were purchased in 1970 after a lengthy discussion on the leasing possibilities. This also helped the Coop serve customers to the South of Great Bend. The merging of the Great Bend Coop and the Ellinwood Coop took quite a bit of time and much discussion before it was realized in 1974. The fear of losing Ellinwood’s identity and not being able to keep up with public relations were considered; but the advantages for blending bulk fertilizer, handling LP, and cutting down on railcars and faster grain handling pushed the merger through.

This was a very important step for the Coopera-

tive. The Ellinwood Coop had been an established business for many years and this merger was not viewed in the same light with all the patrons. A few Ellinwood directors and the general manager resigned before the merger was realized, which put a strain on the businessChanging the name of the entire Cooperative became quite an ordeal. A contest was put in place; $100 would be awarded to the winner whose suggested name was selected at the time of the voting. Radio announcements were used to inform the patrons of the contest and drawing boxes were placed at each location. The names selected as entries for the official vote were: Ag United, United Ag Way, Ag Valley Co-op and Kanco.

The Coop Today Over the years the Great Bend Coop has expanded its roots. It owns a majority of elevators in the surrounding communities.

The Coop is more than just a place for farmers to sell their grain. The Coop operates gas stations, bulk fuel supply, a farm store, tire shops and a feed mill.

Everything a framer would need to operate their farm.

In order to be better for the Coops customers, The Coop is always keeping its facilities updated and able to handle all of the customer’s needs. In recent years, the Coop updated its grain facilities, fueling sites, and its agronomy department.

In 1972, the Coop acquired Ellinwood and Boyd in 1976, Albert Pawnee Rock and Dundee in 1995, Radium and Seward in 2001, and Russell Dorrance and Susank in 2017.

The Coop also built the Riverside location from the ground up in 2007.

From humble beginnings in 1959, Great Bend Coop now has 10 Elevators, eight Fueling Site Locations, and services Agronomy, Seed, Feed, Grain, and Farm Supply Customers. Its commitment to excellence is why the Coop continues to strive to do better for its customers and employees and the reason it is turning 60 this year.

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