CONNECTIONS FALL 2021
DELIVERING STRATEGIES
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FARMING FOR THE FUTURE
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FARMERS. THEY KNOW SOME SEEDS ARE PLANTED FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
We equip farmers with the tools to best protect our soil, water and air. 2
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Contents IN EVERY ISSUE 4
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Straight from President and CEO Brad Stedman’s desk.
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NEWS BRIEFS The latest from MKC and its employees.
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TMA COLUMN A word from our grain partner.
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PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD See what MKC has been up to.
FEATURES 8
Mid Kansas Cooperative @midkscoop
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Mid Kansas Cooperative @midkscoop MKC - Mid Kansas Coop
MKC Mission To create customer, employee and partner success to provide a safe and sustainable food supply.
Q&A WITH A GLOBAL STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE FIRM MKC gets the scoop on the economic outlook of agriculture.
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DELIVERING STRATEGIES New wheat management practices have brought new success to one Kansas producer.
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FARMING FOR THE FUTURE One producer is finding new ways to improve conservation practices without breaking the bank.
Editorial Staff Shelby Berens - Communications Specialist Katlin Allton - Communications Specialist Becca Paine - Communications Intern
Board of Directors Allan Wegner - Chairman Jason Gaeddert - Vice Chairman David Mills - Secretary Duane Johnson James Mosiman Hal Mayer Ben Schrag J. Daniel Eakes John Borth C.J. Blew
MKC Vision Partner with customers to successfully navigate the complexity of modern agriculture and industry.
Management Brad Stedman - President and CEO Danny Posch - Executive Vice President and CFO Dave Spears - Executive Vice President and CMO Erik Lange - Executive Vice President and COO Anne Warren - Executive Vice President and CHRO
MKC Values The success of our business will be determined by our ability to focus on safety, courtesy, image and innovation.
Connections is distributed free to MKC member-owners. When reporting an address change, contact (620) 345-6328 or contact us@mkcoop.com.
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COLUMN | NEWS | FEATURE
SHARED GROWTH. SHARED SUCCESS. RE-IMAGINED. PRESIDENT’S COLUMN BY BRAD STEDMAN, MKC PRESIDENT AND CEO
I “ MKC IS WELL POSITIONED TO RE-IMAGINE HOW YOUR COOPERATIVE IS SET TO PERFORM IN THIS EXCITING ENVIRONMENT
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“
’m not a big believer in worrying about things I can’t control. Carlton Young once said, “There are things in your life you can control – and there are variables you can’t. The more diligent you are at controlling what you can, the more influence you’ll have over your destiny. You just have to figure out which are which.” The world has had to think differently about nearly all aspects of our personal and business lives over the past 18 months. COVID certainly gave us a taste of the uncontrollable. And yet, it also gave us the opportunity to re-imagine how we do business, leverage our investments in technology and approach talent. Our team rallied and worked hard to continue to meet your needs. I appreciate how many of you - our member-owners - adapted with us as we worked together to better plan and anticipate needs. As we think about the future, I’m excited about the changes we will navigate together. Our industry is moving fast, and we are prepared as your cooperative to move at the speed necessary to bring new innovations to your operation. MKC’s commitment is to bring value-added resources that help you successfully navigate the complexity of modern agriculture. A key part of our ability to honor this commitment is looking to the future and evaluating growth opportunities. Growth helps us keep pace with our customers, other competitive retail entities and supply chain partners; all of which are consolidating and growing faster than ever before. Our growth is always intentional, and we are constantly assessing opportunities for both traditional and not-so-traditional ways to add value to our members through growth. A big part of our growth strategy is recognizing our strengths and amplifying them. Part of that process is identifying areas where strategic partners can bring expertise and resources to and through MKC. We will continue to look for partnerships that better align our member-owners vertically in the market. We will keep discovering ways to drive out redundant costs and obtain partners that bring geographics, scale, shared vision and other resources to the game for the benefit of our member-owners. Many agricultural industry segments have moved faster in the past 20 years than the farmer owned cooperative model has. We need to not only challenge ourselves, but those who are supply chain partners, to help us move faster in the agriculture industry of today. The cooperative model has many great advantages, but in some cases can be slow to adapt. Our growth mindset has always been to keep pace with our fastest moving customers. We must grow, innovate, access talent and provide value as our customers evolve. While there are many things we did in the past that still provide value, our competition, the markets, consumers, and you, are changing faster than ever before. Our time to move faster as a cooperative, is now. The pace of change in all industries, including agriculture is only going to accelerate. MKC is well positioned to re-imagine how your cooperative is set to perform in this exciting environment. Our passion around our tag line “Shared Growth. Shared Success.” is something our team lives every day. Our goal is that our customers and strategic supply partners feel that shared success when they do business with MKC. As always, thanks for supporting your cooperative!
COLUMN | NEWS | FEATURE
DELIVERING VALUE TO OUR MEMBERS COLUMN BY: DEVIN SCHIERLING, TMA SALES AND MARKETING MANAGER “Plant in the dust and your bins will bust” is just one of the many wives’ tales that generations of farmers have used to describe the potential of the upcoming harvest. Most of the wisdom you have heard around kitchen tables and coffee shops throughout the Midwest focus optimistically on highproduction and yield scenarios. The current definition of success for many farming operations is determined by the amount of production raised off the land. This definition continues to be reinforced by incentivizing producers to grow more volume to meet the broader demand needs of the industry. In our primary crops today, we see corn grown for the feed and ethanol industry; wheat grown for milling flour and livestock feed; and soybeans grown to produce meal for feed, oil for cooking and biodiesel. These industries are important to the traditional demand story of each commodity. Consumers continue to drive change up and down the supply chain of every industry in the world. The newfound demand from consumers, and industry specific needs, are beginning to change cropping practices of our local producers. These changes are impacting the demand for specific products which our producers can grow, and have the potential to bring additional value to the producer’s bottom line. Today, we are seeing multiple examples of growing industry specific crops in our backyard. In the past year, TMA has helped producers participate in growing Enogen corn, Variety Specific Wheat Programs, and in-contract growing peas for protein. The Enogen corn program is a great example of growing industry specific crops. Producers contract
with the ethanol plant to grow the variety of corn the plant needs. This variety of corn will produce an enzyme in the ethanol process that many plants are required to purchase. So, instead of paying the company to produce the enzyme, they use that money to pay the producer to grow corn containing the enzyme the ethanol plant needs. This is just one of many examples of producers and industry working together to add value to each other throughout the process. The programs we are currently offering are only the tip of the spear of what is possible. New avenues of grain use will continue to create opportunities for producers. The specific needs of the consumer will continue to drive the opportunities that are available. The industry is adjusting to these needs by beginning to focus on using food as medicine, creating new plant-based proteins, specific fiber for digestive health, and reduced chemical usage in crops. Many of these markets are currently niche markets that require small amounts of production. These markets will continue to evolve and the trend towards more specific products will continue to grow. TMA will continue to look at grain and other opportunities, connecting producers and industry to identify profitable markets. The most profitable partnerships in the future may be for commodities that have yet to be explored in our part of the world. As exciting as it is to dream about what the future may hold, rest assured, TMA is seeking out these valueadded opportunities for you as our top priority.
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MKC Scholarship Winners For 2021 Program MKC is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 MKC Scholarship Program. Ten high school seniors and ten college students have been selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year. Since 2008, a total of $164,000 has been awarded through the MKC Scholarship Program. “The MKC Scholarship Program is one way the cooperative can help support exceptional students who someday soon will enter the workforce to make a difference in the industry and communities where their career paths take them,” says Brad Stedman, MKC president and CEO. “The number of talented young men and women applying for our scholarship program increases each year making the selection process more difficult. We are honored to help these young students financially.” Students who received the scholarship provided information on their community involvement, extracurricular activities and employment. In addition, they addressed their college and career goals along with key aspects of the cooperative system, such as how co-ops create a community environment among the local producers and employees. High school students awarded scholarships are: Chloe Fischer, Onaga; Sarah Headrick, Southwestern Heights; Alyvia Johnson, Abilene; Anna Livingston, Kingman; Ty Miller, Smoky Valley; Kara MKC Senior Location Manager Jonathan Reazin presents the scholarship on behalf of MKC to Riffel, Rock Creek; Lucas Roth, Hesston; Kinley Siemens, Buhler; Sarah Headrick from Southwestern Heights High Trey Strnad, Caldwell; and Lucas Wiens, Goessel. school. College students awarded scholarships are: Janelle Bergkamp, Kansas State University; Walker Clawson, Kansas State University; Tyler Entz, Kansas State University; Kady Figge, Kansas State University; Carissa Klatt, Kansas State University; Rachel Koch, Washburn University; Lauren Maurer, Kansas State University; Jay Nightingale, Kansas State University; Hope Schriner, Hutchinson Community College; and Shelby Varner, Butler Community College.
MKC Wheat School It's been some time since we've had the opportunity to hold an in-person event, so our level of excitement was high as we hosted the first-ever MKC Wheat School in Newton on August 13. We were honored to have more than 100 producers and employees eager to learn about wheat fertility management, wheat placement, disease management and key products from our guest speakers. Speakers included Dr. Brian Arnall, precision nutrient management extension specialist at Oklahoma State University; Lance Embree, WestBred Wheat regional sales manager; John Fenderson, WestBred Wheat technical agronomist; and Jeff Ball, Bayer Crop Science senior customer business advisor. Kent Nichols, MKC regional sales manager, kicked off Wheat School with a warm welcome, followed by Jake Shelton, MKC seed manager. Shelton provided an overview of MKC's contribution and added value to wheat production. Shelton reviewed MKC's recent investments in wheat production and wheat cleaning equipment and gave insight WestBred Wheat Regional Sales Manager John into the CoAxium system along with best practices for use. Fenderson speaks on disease management at MKC Wheat School.
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COLUMN | NEWS | FEATURE
Fighting Hunger in Local Communities In partnership with Land O’ Lakes, MKC presented $31,000 to food banks in 23 different Kansas counties in 2021. The donations were part of the cooperative’s annual stewardship efforts to alleviate hunger. These monetary donations are supported through a matching funds program with the Land O’ Lakes Foundation. According to statistics from Feed America, one in eight Kansans struggle with hunger and will turn to a food bank for meals in the next year. “This is an opportunity for us to assist the local food banks that provide meals to many people within our trade territory,” says Brad Stedman, MKC president and CEO. “We are committed to addressing food insecurity in the communities we operate in and proud to support our local hunger relief agencies.” Since its first annual food drive nearly 10 years ago, MKC has donated over 40,000 pounds of non-perishable food items and $194,500 to local food banks. Organizations benefitting from this year’s cash donations are: Clay County Food Distribution; Abilene Area Food and Clothing Center (Dickinson County); El Dorado Food Pantry; Ellsworth County Food Bank; Gray County Food Pantry; Obadiah Pantry (Harper County); Haskell Food Pantry; Harvey County Harvest of Love; KAMI Food Bank (Kingman County); Marion County Food Bank; McPherson County Food Bank; Meade County Food Pantry; Morris County Food Pantry; Ottawa County Food Bank; Center Food Outreach (Pottawatomie County); Food Bank of Reno Moundridge team members gather food donation County; Northern Rice County Food Bank; Flint Hills Breadbasket to give to their local food bank. (Riley County); Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank (Saline County); Sedgwick County Food Pantry; Liberal Food Pantry (Seward County); Wabaunsee Food Pantry and Wellington Community Food Bank.
MKC Hosts Summer Interns College students across the country crave getting a taste of the “real world” that’s waiting for them post-graduation. For 13 students, MKC and TMA offered just that. For 11 weeks this summer, students from Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri were mentored by successful professionals in their field of interest. The interns had real-world, hands-on experiences as they learned applicable skills for their future careers in agriculture. Interns were selected earlier this spring from surrounding colleges including Kansas State University, Fort Hays State University, Hutchinson Community College, Missouri State University, Pittsburgh State University, Oklahoma Panhandle State University and Oklahoma State University. Interns began orientation on May 19, at the MKC Training Center in Moundridge. They were emerged in MKC’s culture and were encouraged to find ways to make a difference in their jobs every day. During the summer, MKC interns completed projects, developed personal skills, built a professional network, and grew as agriculturists. At the end of their experience with MKC in August, interns presented their project findings to the entire company. MKC and TMA deeply value the opportunity to invest in the future leaders of the agricultural industry and look forward to The 2021 MKC interns gathered at the MKC providing opportunities to future interns. Training Center in Moundridge for orientation.
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COLUMN | NEWS | FEATURE
Q&A
With a global strategic intelligence firm BY: SHELBY BERENS, MKC COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
With the daily challenges of agriculture, sometimes it is hard to stay up to date on the latest news of our industry. Follow along as we ask Brett Sciotto, Aimpoint Research CEO, to share Aimpoint’s forecast for the coming year on finances and inflation, the U.S. economy, trade and the direction of agriculture.
Q: What is the current outlook on farmer finances? Sciotto: Farmers are experiencing higher commodity prices, which we have needed, so we can certainly celebrate that. However, farmers are still seeing supply chain shortages and inflationary forces on crop inputs, which is largely due to Chinese logistical disruptions and port backups. We also know that net margin gains are not going to be linear for the average farmer, they may not make as much profit as expected, even with higher commodity prices. Moving forward, we are expecting elevated commodity prices to be maintained through the 2022 crop, but we are also seeing supply chain disruptions that will continue to escalate input prices. Right now, fertilizer prices
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are highly elevated throughout the country. China is experiencing some disruptions for base materials that go into glyphosate, and it is very possible that some farmers will need to figure out how to grow crops without glyphosate next year. Even with elevated commodity prices, next year’s crop could be more expensive to grow.
Q: Are there any concerns about the economy? Sciotto: From a consumer lens, other than supply chain disruptions, which will ultimately work out, the U.S. economy is going to recover just fine. In fact, if anything, we are going to rein it in a little bit. There was a lot of money on the sidelines during the pandemic and it is flowing back into the economy now, so the Federal Reserve will begin to taper and increase interest rates in the next year. In terms of inflationary forces, we are seeing it at play in food, crop inputs, cars and many other areas due to supply chain disruptions. Most of these disruptions are because of labor shortages, chip shortages and other
post-pandemic variables that are driving inflation. These disruptions have definitely hit farmers and will continue to impact them for some time.
Q: What do farmers need to know about global trade right now? Sciotto: There are a few things farmers should know in the global sense. First being China. China purchases a lot of our corn and soybeans, they are our number one U.S. soybean customer, and in the last year, China has been buying more corn from the U.S. than ever before. A major dynamic that's driving their U.S. corn imports is China's hog industry. As a result of African Swine Fever and the pandemic, China has banned the practice of swell feeding hogs, which means a large amount pigs can no longer be fed food scraps. China is moving their hog production into western style containment facilities, and they need significant traditional feedstocks to feed those hogs. As those facilities grow, China will be able to produce more of their own pork, which will eventually erode the pork export opportunities for the U.S.
Meanwhile in Europe, many of their farm to fork initiatives are being actively considered at the U.N. Food System Summit. These initiatives promote the reduction of animal agriculture in the world, promoting plant based alternative proteins and a more environmentally conscious view of agriculture. The European Union said they don't see the need to export and will focus on a Europe first policy. Our Ambassador to the Food System Summit does not expect any agreement on these initiatives around the world, but there is risk of the anti-animal agriculture message impacting consumer demand. The President of Mexico is considering banning GMOs and glyphosate. 25% of U.S. corn goes to Mexico and that would eliminate almost all our opportunity there. It is not clear if this is mere political rhetoric, or a real consideration, but we're watching it very closely. There is also some pressures in South America that will help U.S. soybean farmers continue to have elevated prices and tremendous export opportunities and we expect soybeans will be strong in the future. There are many dynamics around the world influencing American crop prices, we expect
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COLUMN | NEWS | FEATURE
About Brett Scottio
supply chain disruptions to persist for some time along with elevated commodity prices through the 2022 crop.
Q: What does the future of farming look like?
A
graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a former Army Intelligence Officer, Aimpoint Research CEO Brett Sciotto brings a practical, results-oriented approach to the civilian business world. His training in and emphasis on mission-critical information gathering and targeted research methodology make him unique in his approach to problem-solving in a corporate environment. Sciotto’s disciplined, vetted approach to research is coupled with his military precision in detailed analysis and final presentation to his clients. With nearly two decades of research expertise, Brett has had tremendous success advising corporate leaders, government officials and state and national organizations at all levels.
We’ re hiring!
various positions If you are looking for a rewarding career with advancement opportunities, contact your nearest MKC location about job openings. • Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. • Training will be provided.
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Sciotto: We are in the early stages of the Fourth Agricultural Revolution, it is a revolution driven by data, technology, genetics and digitalization. We are seeing evidence of the disruption that's coming to agri-food, one of those being food as medicine and the deepening understanding consumers have about how food impacts their health, longevity and energy levels. This matters to agriculture because it means farmers will need to diversify cropping systems, increase food traceability and transparency and increase crop trait diversity. There will be increased scrutiny on agriculture and an even higher need for food traceability and reduction in chemical application. This means we will need to grow crops with less chemicals, so scientists will need to find ways to genetically alter, modify or enhance crops to thrive in systems using less chemicals. The farmer of the future will evolve and find innovative ways to accommodate the changing wants and needs of consumers. Farmers who are able to adapt to these forces of change will find great opportunity and success in the future state of agriculture.
Y
T
ENROLL NOW IN CFA
MAXIMIZE
YOUR $EED DOLLAR$ NOVEMBER
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JANUARY
8%
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JANUARY
6%
FEBRUARY
28 25 4%
2%
MKC and the Cooperative Finance Association are making special financing programs available to you for the 2022 crop year. These special rates are only available for products and services provided by MKC.
2022 CROP INPUT FINANCE PROGRAM DETAILS PRE-PAY SEED AND CHEMICAL
YOUR GREATEST OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE Prepay discount rates decrease each date change. Volume discounts start at $15,000.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INPUT FINANCING THROUGH MKC
CROP INPUTS
0.0%* fixed until 3/31/2022 on pre-pay seed (row crop and alfalfa seed only) and chemical
2.25%* variable until 12/31/2022 on fertilizer, chemical, application, services and seed (wheat and cover crops)
* As of July 1, 2021, variable interest rates are based on the CFA Advantage Rate. CFA interest rate indices are published at www.cfafs. com/financials
Finance Program------Subject to CFA Credit
We’ve made special financing options available including 0% on seed and chemical until March 31, 2022. BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! We’re offering 0% financing on select seed brands until November 2022.
approval and $200 loan fee advanced on the loan
Maturity-------------Loan matures 2/15/2023 Access CFA Online---------------------Online at
Offering these quality seed brands:
www.cfafs.com you can review your loan balance, review, download and print existing and historical statements, make online payments, update personal and financial profile and more!
To learn more or to sign-up for CFA, contact MKC Ag Finance Manager Tim Bergkamp at 620-747-0839.
FERTILIZER
FERTILIZER
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Delivering Strategies BY: SHELBY BERENS, MKC COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
Farmers are constantly trying to do more with less, that is why many producers across the United States are switching to a more intensive wheat management program to increase yields without sacrificing soil health. MKC is leading the way in strategic wheat management by combining data and technology to achieve greater yields and bottom line. One fifthgeneration farm has embraced the concept and partnered with MKC to accomplish their new wheat management goals. Jared Gregory of Gregory Farms in Cheney, Kansas has teamed-up with Chris Chandler, MKC Strategic Account Manager to re-imagine the wheat
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management program at Gregory Farms. “My dad taught me the old-school mindset,” Gregory says. “But I am working to bring that new-school mindset we need to make the farm more money.” Abandoning the old-school wheat management mentality of “plant it and leave it” has brought this 6,500 acre operation some astounding wheat yields during the 2021 harvest. Proper nutrient management, applying fungicides and variety selection and placement are all pieces of the new wheat management puzzle.
Jared Gregory Gregory Farms Operator
Chris Chandler MKC Strategic Account Manager
Nutrients at Work Armed with the latest knowledge and precision farming tools, producers have an opportunity to build nutrient dense soils for future generations. Being good stewards of the land is a priority for Gregory Farms and they are constantly looking for new innovations to improve their soil and nutrient management for the next generation. The previous one-size-fits-all wheat management programs have been left in the dust by precision farming and innovative technologies and Gregory knew it was time for change.
“MKC cares about the people they’re working with and have the same goals as a producer,” Gregory says. “It’s like a high school athletic director and the football coach; both are working towards the same goal.” The first steps in strategic wheat management are analyzing the farm’s goals, budget and potential limiting factors on their wheat yields. Gregory chose to use the MKC Optimal Acre program to dig into the operation’s soil nutrient profile. The two-and-a halfacre grid soil sample program pinpointed within each field where soil nutrients were on target and where treatments were needed.
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Chris Chandler and Jared Gregory discuss the success of the 2021 wheat harvest.
Now nutrients can be applied as needed at the right location and rate, leading to reduced application costs. Through years of research and farming, producers have learned the importance of micro-nutrients in corn and soybeans, but experts are finding that micro-nutrients play a critical role in wheat management as well. “We understand the importance of macro-nutrients, but micro-nutrients play a more vital role than we realize,” Chandler says. “We’ve tried applying micro-nutrients at different times with fungicide and we saw impacts on stalk strength, plant health and overall production." Intensified management tactics and increased plant health have proven to boost yields on Gregory Farms. “I started changing my management style, and with the help of MKC, I have become very aggressive in wheat management,” Gregory says.
Importance of Fungicides Applying fungicides have shown to increase wheat yields by an average of 7.8% according to recent findings from Kansas State University research. The power of using fungicide on wheat, improves overall plant health and prevents diseases like stripe rust, leaf rust and head scab.
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“We know using fungicides adds yield to wheat,” Chandler says. “It keeps diseases out of the field and maintains plant health.” MKC provides the products and services to maximize efficiency on Gregory Farms and sprays almost half of their crops. Gregory Farms practices two-pass fungicide application faithfully at green-up and flag leaf every year, regardless of disease pressure. “Just like an athlete prepares for the Olympics, we are preparing a wheat plant for production,” Chandler says. “In years with little disease pressure, we still use fungicide because it helps maintain overall plant health.”
Selecting for Success When it comes to selecting wheat varieties, it pays to be picky. Using only one variety on an entire operation could be more costly than realized. “We may have a list of seven or eight varieties, and we place them on fields based on their characteristics,” Chandler says. “Knowing what variety to plant involves knowing the stresses it can handle, researching the ground
COLUMN | NEWS | FEATURE and planting varieties with high yield potential on our best ground.” With MKC’s guidance from experts like Chris Chandler, Gregory Farms found the best wheat varieties that fit their fields. Every producer knows their field’s performance; this knowledge is critical for variety placement on farming operations. One of the varieties Gregory selected for the operation was a dwarf wheat variety. Instead of using energy to make steams, this variety focuses on making grain, bringing more yield to producers. “We are feeding more people on fewer and fewer acres,” Chandler says. “We have to increase productivity on each and every acre to meet the growing demand for food.” As knowledge of intensive wheat management practices increase, the future is looking bright for wheat growers. Producers like Gregory are living proof of how new management programs can bring success to farmers willing to try new strategies. One of MKC’s core missions is to help producers achieve their management and production goals by bringing recourses and innovations to each doorstep. “MKC’s support for my farm through services and dedication were ahead of other competitors,” Gregory says. “MKC has great people in the right positions and they are leaders in service and knowledge.”
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Farming
for the
Future
BY: SHELBY BERENS, MKC COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
MKC Ag Technology Manager Ross Benisch (left) shows Darcy and Floyd Nickel precision tools.
In 2021, one U.S. farm typically feeds 166 people annually, which is almost seven times more compared to 1962. This astounding achievement can be credited to the many advancements in plant genetics, farm equipment, soil management, farming technology and much more. With the expected global population increase of 2.2 billion by 2050, farmers must grow about 70% more food globally than they do today, according to American Farm Bureau. Precision farming, proper nutrient management and soil conservation practices are critical components to accomplishing this feat. One fifth-generation farm in Goessel, Kansas, has been working with MKC and adopting innovative technologies since the formation of MKC in 1965. Darcy and Floyd Nickel recognize the importance of soil health and conservation in agriculture, and they have taken measures to improve conservation practices on their operation. Woody Brook Farm uses no-till farming, GPS grid soil sampling through Optimal Acre, the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), cover crops and nitrogen stabilizers to improve their soil quality.
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The CSP
When Darcy Nickel learned about the CSP administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, he was skeptical of its value. “One of my biggest concerns about the program was the amount of nitrogen CSP allowed us to apply,” Darcy Nickel says. “There were some fields I didn’t think would do well in the program, but we used nitrogen rich strips to monitor it and the program worked." After the first year of being skeptical, we started to gain confidence in the program." The CSP helps farmers build on current conservation efforts and identify natural resource problems on their operation while providing technical and financial assistance to those enrolled. The program has the potential to decrease inputs and save farmers money. Guided by Matthew Meyerhoff, NRCS Supervisory District Conservationist and Ross Benisch, MKC Ag Technologies Manager, Floyd and Darcy Nickel are completing their final season in the five-year program and are happy with their results.
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“We have a really good man in the Marion County NRCS office,” Floyd Nickel says. “Matt Meyerhoff has helped us a lot and made us aware of some other NRCS programs that we never would have known about before. Our operation has benefitted from the program.” Giving farmers the opportunity to start a conservation program on their acres, the CSP has proven to be profitable for Woody Brook Farm. “NRCS gives an incentive payment to get you started with a conservation program,” Darcy Nickel says. “But after using the CSP for a while, we saw its value and after finishing the program we’re still utilizing the same practices because we understand the benefits Ross Benisch and Darcy Nickel discuss the soil testing program on Woody Brook Farm. of it.” The CSP is a tool that successful in the CSP and has helped decrease their gives farmers a guide to nitrogen inputs. conservation on their operation. “Optimal Acre was a good fit while in the CSP “Producers know fields have some areas that yield because we needed to measure our soil fertility and better than others,” Matthew Meyerhoff says. only add what we need,” Darcy Nickel says. “Optimal “Precision nutrient management allows the producer Acre provided the soil sampling and chemical to capture additional yield in those better spots prescription services we needed to be successful in without increasing risk to the environment from the program.” excessive nutrients or wasting input dollars through Benisch provided expert advice on soil sampling over application of fertilizer on less productive areas.” and management options that gave Floyd and Darcy Nickel peace of mind as they moved through the CSP. How MKC HELPED “The Optimal Acre program allows farmers to utilize Before enrolling in the CSP in 2017, Darcy Nickel GPS grid soil sampling which helps growers use the had been using the Optimal Acre Program along right nutrients, in the right spot and at the right rates,” with the guidance of Benisch on a small percentage Benisch says. “This allows us to reduce our application of the farm. Understanding that the CSP required rates which saves farmers money.” widespread soil sampling, Darcy Nickel chose to Cutting back nitrogen rates can be concerning, even utilize the Optimal Acre Program paired with the differed billing option, which allows farmers to spread with extensive soil sampling. Benisch chose to utilize nitrogen rich strips on many fields as a safety net to the cost of Optimal Acre out over four years. Together ensure the nitrogen levels were on target. these systems have helped Woody Brook Farm be
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COLUMN | NEWS | FEATURE “Sometimes we cut things close with how much nitrogen we apply,” Benisch says. “But that’s when using nitrogen rich strips have ensured our accuracy, which has allowed us to be more efficient with our application rates.” This GPS grid soil sampling program provides an inside look at soil fertility on a two-and-a-half-acre grid basis. The Optimal Acre Program combined with the differed billing option allows farmers to spread out the cost of Optimal Acre. Taking advantage of this program, Woody Brook Farm was able to use the financial assistance provided by the CSP to cover most of the Optimal Acre costs.
so we have come a long way.”
ON THE HORIZON
Moving forward, Darcy Nickel plans to continue adopting new ideas and farming technology to be more sustainable for future generations. “I’m always trying to do more with less,” Darcy Nickel says. “That’s why we are implementing the nutrient management program and measuring the nitrogen in the soil so we can apply less and hopefully produce more by putting the fertility where we need it.” Darcy Nickel is interested in the advancements of farming equipment and is looking forward to using his new high-speed planter. The planter will help WHAT THEY LEARNED Woody Brook Farm plant faster and efficiently without The opportunity to work with Woody Brook Farm sacrificing stand quality. through this project has helped MKC learn more Benisch believes that the use of drones in agriculture about nitrogen and farming will continue management. to increase as technology “Testing the deep evolves and becomes nitrate in soil has more efficient for allowed us to get a widespread coverage. better look at what is In the ever-changing going on in the soil,” world of agriculture, Benisch says. “This the knowledge and helped us confidently experience of the MKC cut-back our nitrogen team members will help rates, improve overall farmers remain successful profitability and on their operations. apply less nitrogen, Adopting new ideas which is also good for and technologies at the the environment." cooperative and on the Darcy Nickel farm are critical to meet echoes this the growing demand for Floyd Nickel provides insight on the changes he has enthusiasm about food, fuel, and fiber. MKC seen in farming. deep soil sampling. is dedicated to delivering “Pulling deep innovations and helping nitrate samples our producers farm for provided a road-map the future. of what my fields For more information needed,” Darcy Nickel says. “Before doing this, we about the Conservation Stewardship Program or any always applied enough nitrogen so we wouldn’t run out. other NRCS conservation programs, contact your But if you always add nitrogen without measuring what’s nearest NRCS office. in the field before, you will apply more than you need. If you would like to learn more about how Optimal By knowing what’s already in the soil, we have cut our Acre can benefit your operation, contact Ross Benisch nitrogen rates considerably.” at 620-386-4139. Despite his years of farming, Floyd Nickel says he has learned from this experience too. “It was an eye opener to see how often we must have been over-applying nitrogen,” Floyd Nickel says. “It’s a remarkable change to what we were doing when I started farming. I remember when we didn’t soil test and just got told what we should apply. When we did start soil sampling, we only took one sample per field,
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Connections
MKC PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD
Top Left: Pod Worm found by Chris Thompson in a McPherson area soybean field. Top Right: MKC Custom Applicator being loaded with dry fertilizer. Middle Left: Lawson Hemberger, Rail Terminal Manager and Sarah Bellar, Grain Office Manager, presenting at Farm Safety Day in Haven, Kansas. Middle Right: Applying fertilizer for wheat pre-plant. Bottom: Harvest time on Gregory Farms.
www.mkcoop.com
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307 W. Cole St. P.O. Box D Moundridge, KS 67107
MKC Canton Terminal Turnaround In March, MKC shut down the Canton location for a scheduled 10 days of maintenance. Based on a detailed walk-through, it was determined that the six-year-old facility needed some improvements and modifications to make daily operations more efficient. Shutting down the entire facility gave MKC no limits on the projects they could complete while complying to safety regulations. These projects ranged from new inspection doors and reinforced steel to new auger tiles and fresh concrete. There were about 50 employees and contractors present during the Canton Turnaround with approximately 4,050 man-hours worked over a seven-day period. This is equivalent to 506 eight-hour days worked, all without accidents or injuries. Matt Gentry, Canton Rail Terminal Manager and Lawson Hemberger, Sumner County Rail Terminal Manager, agree that the Canton Turnaround provided learning opportunities for everyone at MKC. “With everything at the terminal opened up, it was a great opportunity for everyone to walk through and see what a grain leg looks like,” Hemberger says. “We will make sure more employees have this learning opportunity at our next turnaround.” Finishing two days ahead of Pictured are just a few of the 50 employees who helped with the Canton Terminal Turnaround. schedule, the Canton Turnaround was a massive success because of everyone’s hard work and cooperation. The improvements and modifications made in Canton will help MKC deliver service faster and more efficiently to our farmers.