THE LAND ~ April 13, 2018 ~ Northern Edition

“Since 1976, Where Farm and Family Meet” © 2018

April 6, 2018 April 13, 2018

(800) 657-4665 www.TheLandOnline.com theland@TheLandOnline.com P.O. Box 3169, Mankato, MN 56002

Moving on, moving forward

Lake Crystal twins are retiring from farming.

An Amboy couple is taking it on. See page 14

Plus inside: Minnesota’s 1992-93 state FFA officers: Where are they now?

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THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

‘Downturn’ doesn’t quite cut it P.O. Box 3169 418 South Second St. Mankato, MN 56002 (800) 657-4665 Vol. XXXVII ❖ No. 7 32 pages, 1 section plus supplements

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COLUMNS Opinion Farm and Food File Life on the Farm: Readers’ Photos The Bookworm Sez Calendar of Events Table Talk Mielke Market Weekly Marketing Auctions/Classifieds Advertiser Listing Back Roads

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If misery loves company, a recent thing to happen to improve prices,” said report released by the University of Aaron Brudelie, farm management Minnesota shows the state’s farming instructor from Minnesota West community is not a lonely crowd.

Community and Technical College. “We’ve seen a little pop in prices this last few Data from the report comes from an weeks, with production problems in South annual farm income analysis conducted America. That has given producers a by the University of Minnesota chance to sell some 2017 crops at a profit Extension and Minnesota State. The as well as a chance to lock in a little betanalysis examined data from 2,164 parter price for some of their 2018 crop. We LAND MINDS ticipants in the Minnesota State Farm have a long way to go, but crop farmers Business Management programs and 104

By Paul Malchow are a little more optimistic about this members of the Southwest Minnesota next year.”

Farm Business Management Association. Participating producers Minnesota livestock producers fared represent approximately 10 a little better in 2017, although percent of commercial farmers. the median livestock producer earned only $32,800 from farm The statewide results, comNorthwest operations for the year. piled at the University of 2017: $57,000 Minnesota’s Center for Farm Pork producers were the only Financial Management, show farms that, as a group, had a 2016: $75,000 that across all types of farms, profitable year in 2017. The nearly one-third of Minnesota report states the median earnNorthcentral/ farmers lost net worth in 2017. ings for hog farms was just Northeast 2017: $4,800 The median farm income from over $122,000 — after losing last year was $28,551, down 2016: $10,073 Minnesota almost $5,000 in 2016. Pork from about $36,000 in 2016. producers received almost 55 Farm cents per pound produced, up West Central Corn and soybean growers from just under 50 cents in 2017: $22,500 Income had little to show for their high 2016. The average farm made 2016: $29,053 yields. The median crop farm 2017 about $11 per head finished. earned $23,722, down from South Southwest $46,831 in 2016.

Prospects for 2018 are cloudy, Central Southeast 2017: 2017: $19,000 according to Purdue economist 2017: $29,000 In Minnesota, corn yields $36,500 2016: Chris Hurt. Much depends on 2016: $52,322 $29,238 2016: $23,054 topped 200 bushels for the secfeed cost, which are inching up ond year in a row, up nearly 20 because of corn production percent from the previous 10-year average, the problems in South America. report says. But the 2017 crop also was strong across the U.S. Corn Belt and internationally — 2017 was another dismal year in cattle country, increasing stockpiles and pushing prices below the although not as bad as the year before. The median cost of production for many farmers. Prices averbeef farm lost money for the third consecutive year, aged $3.25 per bushel in 2017 after topping $7 per netting a farm loss of $3,800 in 2017 compared to a bushel just five years ago. loss of almost $12,000 in 2016. Cow-calf producers made about $17 per cow in 2017 after losing ($83) The report also stated producers whose costs per cow in 2016. Cattle finishers made $137 per include farmland rental lost an average of $25 per head, after losing ($77) last year. acre of corn.

Dairy farmers faced some of the toughest chal2017 soybean yields were 7 percent above the lenges as milk prices plunged in the second half of 10-year average at 48 bushels per acre. On average, the year — a drop which continues in 2018. each soybean acre contributed $28 to farm profits.

“2017 was really a tale of two halves,” said Nate “It seems like a lot of producers have been treadSee LAND MINDS, pg. 3 ing water these last few years, waiting for some-

OPINION

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

8 — Where are they now? Catching up with the 1992-93 FFA officers 22 — Farm management specialist is passing the torch

THERE’S EVEN MORE ONLINE... @ TheLandOnline.com • “Calendar of Events” — Check out The Land’s complete events listing • “E-Edition” — Archives of past issues of The Land

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Organic producers reported better year LAND MINDS, from pg. 2 Converse, farm business management instructor at Central Lakes College in Staples. “For the first six months, we had relatively profitable prices, but the bottom fell out in the second half. Right now, many of the dairy producers I work with are losing $2 per hundredweight produced and the outlook does not look much better for 2018.”

The median earnings for dairy farms was almost $50,000, up from $31,500 in 2016. The average dairy farm made $370 per cow, up from $135 in 2016, with producers receiving $17.94 per hundred pounds of milk, while production costs averaged $17.24.

Currently, most producers are receiving less than $15.50 per hundredweight.

Organic producers reported a better year. The 15 farms participating in the survey reported median earnings of $102,000 in 2017. Prices for organic milk are at about $33 per hundredweight, down slightly from $35 in 2016.

“Minnesota farmers came into this five-year downturn with very strong balance sheets,” said Extension economist Dale Nordquist. “But we see increased financial stress across Minnesota agriculture. Like any industry, every farm has a different cost structure and some farms are doing better than others. There is a lot of slow bleeding going on out there. It becomes a crisis for some individual farms who don’t have a strong enough balance sheet to withstand this extended downturn.”

“Downturn” sounds less painful than the farm “crisis” of the late 1980s, but the numbers are troubling nonetheless. Minnesota has about 23,000 fewer farm operations than in 1985 and the number continues to drop.

Farm and commodity organizations from Angus to zucchini are collectively holding their breath as U.S. trade negotiations with foreign countries twist and turn like a political soap opera. An interest rate hike is almost certain and the federal reserve is considering as many as three by the time the 2018 harvest is complete. It appears someone’s ox will be gored in the 2018 (or 2019) farm bill. There are too many players and not enough money to satisfy everyone.

If this all sounds too negative, I’m not alone.

According to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C., only 18 percent of Americans today say they can trust the government in Washington to do what is right — a new low.

Our elected officials don’t seem too worried about that downturn either.

Paul Malchow is the managing editor of The Land.

He may be reached at editor@TheLandOnline.com. v

OPINION

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THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

The long, sustainable view from our northern neighbor Who knew that the best view of ranch models. In subsequent blog posts, 21st century agriculture would be from this “avid observer of the big picture” Darrin Qualman’s farm office near notes that the last century of agriculture Dundurn, Saskatchewan? And yet, there — the century that brought high costs it is, charted by Qualman, a data bloodand low-to-no profits — is an outlier to hound who thinks graphically but writes the 100 centuries of agriculture that preplainly. ceded it.

The long-time researcher for Canada’s “For 99 percent of the time that agriculNational Farmers Union appeared on my ture has existed, there were few farm FARM & FOOD FILE inputs, no farm-input industries, and litradar in February 2017 with a blog post titled “Agribusiness takes all: 90 years of tle talk of ‘high input costs,’” notes

By Alan Guebert Canadian net farm income.”

Qualman in a January 2018 post.

In it, Qualman draws a bright blue/ The change, “admittedly,” has made green/red chart that tracks the key today’s agriculture “high-output. But elements of Canada’s farm economy from 1926 to this last fact must be understood in context: the 2016. Blue is farmers’ expenses, green is net farm incredible food-output tonnage of modern agriculincome and red is negative farm income. ture is largely a reflection of the megatonnes of fertilizer, fuels, and chemicals we push into the system.

The unmistakable feature of the graph is how its Nitrogen fertilizer illustrates this process. To problue area (the color depicting “the amounts (farmers) pay to input manufacturers”) has grown from a duce, transport, and apply one tonne of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer requires an amount of energy small area that once steadily corresponded to net equal to almost two tonnes of gasoline.” income into a yawning mouth that now devours nearly every cent of Canadian farm income.

This has made “modern agriculture … increasingly … a system for turning fossil fuel calories into In fact, Qualman states, “… in the 32-year period food calories.” from 1985 to 2016, inclusive, agribusiness corporations captured 98 percent of farmers’ revenues — And not efficiently, either. Before petroleum, every $1.32 trillion out of $1.35 trillion … (to make) them- “unit” of energy put into food production yielded five selves the primary beneficiaries of the vast food to 10 units of energy in terms of food, Qualman wealth produced by Canadian farms. They have left relates, quoting other research. Today, however, “(O) taxpayers to backfill farm incomes; approximately ur modern food system returns one unit of energy $100 billion has been transferred (through governfor every 13.3 invested.” That “energy” return on ment payments) to farmers since 1985.” investment works out to be an astonishingly tiny While that could be used as evidence to launch an 0.081. indictment of Big Agbiz, Qualman uses it as a crowGiven that diminished ratio, little in today’s agribar to pry farmers to consider alternatives to culture is either environmentally or economically today’s high-input, high-output, no-profit farm and

OPINION

sustainable. But, he adds quickly, relax, “We’re not going back to horses.” Instead, “It’s time to question the input-maximizing production systems agribusiness corporations have created, and to explore new methods of low-input, low-energy, low-emission production.”

A low-input, low-energy system, Qualman explains in an April 3 telephone interview, does not mean a stampede to organic farming. “But it does mean, for example, that big, non-organic farms will likely need to learn the low-input fertilizer methods that organic farms have already figured out and use.”

This “cross pollination” between high-input/lowinput farming, he offers, will be necessary if everyone in today’s agriculture “grasps the nettle” to harness the change that is coming, ready-or-not, before it harnesses us.

Equally important is that “We can do this,” he adds wryly, “because we’ve done it before.”

We have. In fact, we’ve changed from horses to tractors, from open-pollinated seeds to GMOs, from grandpa’s pencil to GPS. More recent changes have featured the cross pollination that Qualman suggests. Yesterday’s windmills are today’s wind turbines and every sunbaked acre can now “grow” electricity from solar cells.

Indeed, change is what farmers and ranchers do.

We also know that it’s better to drive change before change drives us.

The Farm and Food File is published weekly through the United States and Canada. Past columns, events and contact information are posted at www.farmandfoodfile.com. v

Life on the Farm: Readers’ Photos

W

inter has not let go of Minnesota yet. Rose Wurtzberger snapped these photos on her New Ulm farm after the snowfall on March 24.

She wrote, “I feel like I’m living in Siberia.”

That was before more snow blanketed southern Minnesota on April 3. Will April snow showers bring May flowers?

The evergreen trees bear the weight of the heavy spring snow on the Wurtzberger farm near New Ulm, Minn.

E-mail your Life on the Farm photos to mwood@thelandonline.com.

Your photo may be published in our next issue!

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

Land of 10,000 Opportunities for Soybean Growers? Today, Minnesota is becoming known around the world for our soybeans. Every day, the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council uses your checkoff dollars to open more new markets for Minnesota soybeans than you can imagine. Want to learn more? Visit mnsoybean.org.

Brought to you by the wise investment of checkoff dollars.

Thank you to these County Soybean Associations: Becker/Mahnomen Blue Earth Brown Chippewa Clay/Wilkin Cottonwood Dakota/Rice Dodge Douglas

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Olmsted/S Wabasha Otter Tail/ Grant Pennington/Red Lake Pipestone Polk Pope Redwood Renville Rock

Roseau/Lake Of The Woods Scott/LeSueur Steele Swift Todd Traverse Waseca Watonwan Winona Yellow Medicine

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THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Book explores amazing capabilities of the human body You need a shave.

It’s been awhile and, though you’ve been grooming and growing, you’re long overdue.

So, maybe just a little off the top. You’ll feel a lot better when you do, and in the new book “Endure” by Alex Hutchinson, you’ll see how THE BOOKWORM your body will adapt on track, SEZ path, ocean, drift and desert.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer Prior to 1954, it was believed that the human body was physically incapable of running a mile in less than four minutes — until the late Roger Bannister put that notion to rest quite handily. As for today, the belief that a marathon of 26.2 miles can’t be finished in under two hours still holds — but barely.

When it comes to endurance, effort and the human body, we’ve long been fascinated with possibilities.

The questions, in fact, go back centuries and countless tests and studies have been (and are being) done to determine answers when a hundredth of a second means something. Still, one thing’s for sure says Hutchinson, “the will to endure can’t be reliably tied to any single physiological variable.”

Much of the matter of endurance has to do with “the

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pose the same questions; why marathon runners are shrinking; why thirst shouldn’t matter; what diet can do; and how none of this may matter in the future.

We’ve all known that “can’t go another inch” feeling when a surprising well of reserve is suddenly present. Where did that come from? And can you utilize it at will? In “Endure,” you’ll see.

But first, this is not just a book for athletes.

While it’s true that author Alex Hutchinson writes extensively about men and women who participate in need to override what your instincts extreme, even elite, sports, the lip-biting anecdotes are telling you to do…” Perhaps not inside “Endure” prove that this is a book for anyone surprisingly, it very much has to do with the brain, who might find themselves in inclement weather or “but not in the simple it’s-all-in-your-head manner of unusual situations. Yes, it’s mostly about athletic self-help books.” The science of it all is “complex,” endurance, but its everyday relevance lies in the scimade even more so by outliers who, for any number of ence Hutchinson brings. Though the science is somereasons, can and do achieve beyond preconceived lim- times a bit too deep for the casual reader, it is appliits. Which is to say that we still don’t know where the cable whether you run to the finish line or the ’fridge. “ultimate limits” lie.

Athletes and trainers, of course, will soak this book The stories, even so, are tantalizing. up, and adventurers will jump for it. Even couch Hutchinson writes of Henry Worsley who, at age potatoes should enjoy it because “Endure” is razor 48, tackled a South Pole trek that “demanded every sharp. ounce of his reserves.”

Look for the reviewed book at a bookstore or a Hutchinson shows how early scientists helped save library near you.

v the lives of the men who built Hoover Dam. He examines how we pace ourselves, sometimes subconsciously; why we do better after we’ve suffered; and how hypnosis may increase strength.

He explains how deep diving and high climbing

“Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance”

by Alex Hutchinson foreword by Malcolm Gladwell c.2018, Wm. Morrow $27.99 / $34.99 Canada 306 pages

Calendar of Events Visit www.TheLandOnline.com to view our complete calendar & enter your own events, or send an e-mail with your event’s details to editor@thelandonline.com.

April 18 — 4-H Agriculture Round-Table Sessions — Crookston, Minn. — Help guide 4-H into the future — Contact Mike Compton at mcompton@ umn.edu April 18 – Pruning Apple Trees — Morris, Minn.

—UMN West Central Research and Outreach Center offers a free horticulture class at nearby apple orchard — Contact (320) 589-1711 or visit wcroc. cfans.umn.edu April 22-24 — Minnesota State FFA Convention — Visit www.mnffa.org April 26 — Growing & Marketing Minnesota Premium Garlic Workshop — Little Falls, Minn. — Choosing seed stock, planting, cultivation, harvest, curing and storing — Contact Sustainable Farming Association, jerry@sfa-mn.org or (763) 244-6659 or visit www.sfa-mn.org/the-garlic-project/ April 26 — Farm Bill Energy Listening Session — St. Paul — With staff of Sen. Tina Smith — Contact michelle@mfu.org or visit www.mfu.org.

Letter: Help save the pheasants, bees To the Editor: To my knowledge, the government has never recommended alfalfa or clover when we seed CRP land.

Alfalfa is the best habitat for pheasants. It provides bugs which the baby chicks need for food and cover from predators like red tail hawks, eagles, fox and coyotes. The bees love the clovers and alfalfa to produce their food and honey. They will also come back year after year.

The seed that the government is telling us to seed CRP land with has noxious weed seed and sometimes Palmer amaranth in it. Palmer amaranth is the worst weed in the country and is spreading fast. Let’s replace these noxious seeds with alfalfa and clover. It will help the pheasants, bees and farmers.

We are doing all we can to control weeds — not plant them. The seed the government is getting mixed up for CRP needs to get sent to a university to get tested before it can be used, as some weed seed cannot be identified.

You can learn a lot out of a book, but when it comes to pheasants, bees and weeds, talk to a farmer. We grew up with them. Please talk to your soil conservation and tell them we need alfalfa and clover in CRP. Chris W. Skaar Hayward, Minn.

OPINION

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

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Young or old, home or away, be careful out there Although we hear the words, “be careI explained that to them many times as ful” from many people over the course of they grew into elementary-aged school our lifetime, it’s almost always said for children. the same reasons.

They would always listen as I I used to hear it all the time growing explained, which also amazed me. Over up. While doing dishes, Mom would often time when I would tell them to be careful, hand us the steak knives to dry, along I would add, “You know what I’m saying, with an accompanying, “... careful, hon — don’t you?” those are sharp.”

When they were toddlers, they would TABLE TALK She still said that to me when I was in tell me what I was saying. But when they high school. I came to decide that my abili- By Karen Schwaller got a little older, I would usually see a big ty to retain information was apparently on red-faced grin as they trucked out the a train that had derailed somehow and left door for another round of highly-anticino survivors. pated toy farming that awaited them in the house Now that I’m in mid-life, the easiest thing I retain yard or sandbox. Their grins told me they understood, even after they were too cool to tell me. is water.

Switching to the grown-up world of farming, it’s I guess it doesn’t matter how old your children interesting to run into people we know on gravel are. Once a mother, always a mother. roads, in implement stores, hardware and farm But the reasoning for being told something like stores, grocery stores, at the elevator and out in the that is still the same: you want the people you care farmyard. If you’re with your husband and you run about to be safe and to not get hurt. into friends and neighbors who also farm, it takes less than 10 seconds for the conversation to turn to I used to say it to our young children when they farming. would go outside to play. Farms are great places to raise children, but common sense tells us that danIt used to drive me crazy — even as a farm wife ger lurks anywhere on a farm. When our children and part-time farmer. But more often than not, I were old enough to go outside alone to play, I told learn a lot from listening to the banter. That is, them to be careful. when I’m not morphing into an inanimate object “It’s the same thing as saying ‘I love you,’ because from the sheer amount of time that conversation usually takes.

I don’t want you to get hurt,” I said.

MDA launches new urban ag grant ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture recently announced $250,000 in grant funding for urban youth agricultural education or urban agriculture community development. The grant is part of the Agriculture Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) program.

“The AGRI Urban Agriculture grants offer an exciting opportunity to introduce kids and youth to agriculture before they leave the K-12 school system,” said grant administrator Erin Connell. “It would be great to see people using funds to build teaching labs, facilitate on-the-job ag-related training, or even to start an urban 4-H club or FFA chapter.”

Applicants may request up to $50,000 per project, and up to 100 percent of the total project cost may be covered by the grant. Half of the award may be requested as an advance.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. on April 19. For more information, visit www.mda.state.mn.us/grants/ grants/urbanaggrant or contact Erin Connell at erin. connell@state.mn.us.

This article was submitted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. v

But often times these days, I’ll hear farmers exchange parting words of, “Have a safe harvest” or “Have a safe calving season.”

And the reason they say those words to each other is still the same as the reason Mom used to warn me when handing me the steak knives to dry, and why I used to tell it to the kids when they were very young and just beginning to adventure life on their own.

We care about them and we don’t want to see them hurt — or worse. Field hours are often long and tedious. Calving season can be the root of many a sleepless night while awaiting a calf that’s coming, or following insomnia from a calf check at 2 a.m. on a frigid February night. Mama cows can turn cantankerous, and accidents anywhere on the farm take only a moment. And even when we’ve had a few short nights after field work or out in the barns, there’s usually a full agenda for the next day, tired or not.

So the next time someone tells you to be careful, enjoy the feeling. Because, disguised as a friendly greeting, they just told you they care about you.

Sometimes a red-faced grin is all we need to see to know someone understands what that statement really means.

That’s heart language at work on the farm.

Karen Schwaller brings “Table Talk” to The Land from her home near Milford, Iowa. She can be reached at kschwaller@evertek.net. v

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FFA

values of hard work, service and leadership run deep in state officers long after their terms end.

All carry stories of Jim Ertl, FFA executive secretary, and Paul Day, state advisor, in their hearts. In fact, Officers Mike Thofson and Sheila (Henning) Ripley created an ice cream for the Minnesota State Fair in Ertl’s honor — Snickers bar ice cream because he loved Dairy Queen Snickers Blizzards.

Catch up with the 1992-93 Minnesota State FFA Officer Team 25 years later! The 2018 Minnesota State FFA Convention is April 22-24 at the University of Minnesota.

The theme is “Go Beyond.” ­— FFA stories by Marie Wood, The Land Associate Editor

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Meet the Minnesota FFA officer team of 1992-93

Photo submitted

The 1992-93 Minnesota State FFA officer team is (left to right) Mike Thofson, Amiee Anderson, Sheila (Henning) Ripley, Tricia (Weis) Sheehan, Christina (Rohrer) Patnode and Michelle (Lammers) Sands.

FFA president credits public speaking contests for career Tricia (Weis) Sheehan President Tricia (Weis) Sheehan’s career in ag communications is rooted in public speaking contests in FFA. The 1992-93 Minnesota state FFA president heads up strategic communications and farmer relations for Dairy Management Inc.

“I enjoyed doing the public speaking contests and it led me into communications,” she said.

Sheehan works with dairy farmers, training them in crisis preparedness and elevating their comm u n i c a t i o n s k i l l s. B e s i d e s conducting media training, she netTricia Weis works with dairy farmers — introSheehan ducing herself, building trust and showing them how the checkoff works for them. Networking was part of the FFA skill set.

Before working for Dairy Management, she worked with an agricultural public relations agency for 18 years.

With her husband, Matt Sheehan, they make their home in Palatine, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. They are raising three children, ages 15 to 8. Sheehan grew up on a dairy farm in Pine Island and belonged to the Pine Island High School FFA chapter.

“My parents still have the crops, but they sold the milking cows when their help went away to college,” she said.

Matt’s parents operate a dairy farm near Rochester. Her children spend time between both grandparents’ farms in the summer. They are in 4-H and show dairy calves at the Olmstead County Fair.

“We’re working hard at trying to keep the ag roots for the kids even though they are suburban Chicago kids,” she said.

She joined FFA because she wanted to show her calves at the county fair in 4-H and FFA. Her advisor and other members encouraged her to attend state Greenhand and Leadership camps. The camps got her excited, energized and opened her eyes to everything FFA can do.

“Being open and trying new experiences, not being afraid to step outside your box, is another thing that FFA is great at doing,” Sheehan said.

Sheehan earned an agricultural communications degree at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She enjoyed her year with the officer team and the different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives that each officer brought to the team. As they got to know each other, they designed programs for the younger members.

Looking back, Sheehan said FFA was beginning to expand its focus from production agriculture and broaden its reach to urban schools. She talked to kids from urban backgrounds and told them: “You are involved in ag. You work in a grocery store. You like to eat.” That was a jaw dropper for many teens who never thought of it that way before.

Sheehan took the opportunity to teach them a little bit about all the parts of agriculture so they could speak to it.

Sheehan plans to attend the state FFA convention and looks forward to seeing her officer team there. v

The Land salutes MN FFA

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

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PAGE 9

VP Mike Thofson dedicates career to ag education, FFA Mike Thofson “I really cherish the FFA for Vice President the leadership, for the people I met across the state and across Mike Thofson has dedicated the country as a state officer,” the bulk of his career to agriThofson said. cultural education and FFA. In fact, the vice president of the He attended University of 1992-93 Minnesota state FFA Minnesota-Twin Cities, where officer team has attended every he graduated with a degree in state FFA Convention since Mike Thofson agricultural education. He was 1988. the only guy on the officer team so he took a lot of ribbing.

Thofson is principal of Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial High School.

His officer team was determined to do Before that, he was the agriculture things differently than everybody else. teacher and FFA advisor there for 20 For the state convention, they pitched a years. He began his career at Austin red-and-white circus tent next to the Public Schools.

FFA was organized nationally in 1928 in Kansas City, Mo. In 1950, Congress granted FFA a federal charter, making it an integral part of public agricultural instruction under the National Vocational Education Act. FFA receives no federal funding.

In Memoriam: Secretary known for energy, smile Michelle (Lammers) Sands Secretary Michelle (Lammers) Sands was the secretary of the 1992-93 Minnesota state FFA officer team. She died on March 3, 1998, at the age of 24.

“My best memory of Michelle is she always had a huge smile on her face.

She was that bubbly, welcoming person. She helped bring our team together,” said Trisha (Weis) Sheehan, FFA 1992-93 president. “The kids she interacted with really connected with her.”

Mike Thofson, FFA vice president, had a blast working with Sands. “She was bouncing and bubbly. She was so much fun. She had so many creative ideas.”

Sands was a member of the FFA chapter from Southland High School in Adams. In 1997, she graduated with a

degree in agricultural education from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Sands served as the Minnesota pork ambassador during her first year of college. In 1997, she received the chancellor’s award as outstanding ag student.

She achieved her dream of becoming an agriculture teacher in Colby, Wis. She was survived by her husband and two children.

Sheila (Henning) Ripley, FFA treasurer, said, “She lit up a room when she walked in. You just couldn’t help but smile when you saw Michelle. She was always such a happy person.”

Biographical information is courtesy of her obituary compiled by Adams Funeral Home. v

beef barn to house some activities. includes sound, lights, welcoming preBeing April, it rained and was muddy. senters and speakers and more.

“It was a fantastic year that we had.

“I’ve done that every year and include It was unique,” he said. as many of my students as I could,” he Thofson hales from the Albert Lea said.

High School chapter, where his interest With his wife, Amy Thofson, they in FFA was sparked in freshman year. have two sons. Patrick is a sophomore In sophomore year, FFA advisor Kim at the University of Minnesota-Twin Meyer fired him up.

Cities and Matthew is a sophomore at “He pushed me to do a little bit more. LCWM high school. They both had I raised sheep my junior and senior their dad as a teacher, which is what year and showed them at State Fair,” they wanted. Both sons are FFA memThofson said. “I did everything. I just bers. Patrick raised show goats and soaked it all in. I went to national con- Matthew raises dairy heifers. Amy vention every year I was in high school.” works at Associated Milk Producers Inc. in New Ulm. From FFA, he learned that hard work At this year’s FFA convention, Thofpays off. “If you want recognition, you son is passing on the job of stage direcsometimes have to seek recognition,” tor to Patrick. Patrick is majoring in he added. agricultural communications and marBy that he means students must fill keting with a double major in theater. out applications for state degrees, offi- Last year, Patrick was key in live cer positions and awards to get recog- streaming the convention. nized for the work they do.

After 24 years in the job, Thofson is He wanted to pay back FFA. Begin- happy to see his son is taking on the role. ning in 1993, he has been stage direcv tor of the state convention. The role

PAGE 10

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THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Treasurer grateful for opportunity, skills, friends Sheila (Henning) Ripley Treasurer Sheila (Henning) Ripley, treasurer of the 1992-93 Minnesota state FFA officer team, grew up on a farm in Okabena. Today she is raising four children on her husband’s family farm near Blue Earth and serving on the school board.

Sheila Henning Sheila and Ken Ripley’s children Ripley range in age from a college freshman to a fourth grader. The oldest three have been active in their FFA chapter. They grow corn and soybeans, but every summer the kids raise 4-H pigs.

Ripley knows the value of hard work — a value inherent to FFA. She works on the farm, raises their children and serves on the Blue Earth Area School Board. “Education has always been near and dear to my heart.”

She graduated with a degree in agricultural education from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

In the early years of marriage, the Ripleys lived in many places due to Ken’s job with John Deere crop insurance, now owned by Farmers Mutual Hail. Ken still works there. His career took them to Dickinson and Devils Lake, N.D., Reno, Nev., and Columbus, Ohio. Ripley was a substitute teacher during that time.

They returned to the farm 14 years ago. “We knew we wanted to get back to the farm before our kids started school.”

As a state officer, planning and leading the state Greenhand and Leadership camps were highlights,

Those were neat times because you got to meet so many different people, learn about everybody’s different experiences.

— Sheila (Henning) Ripley along with attending the National Leadership Conference for State Officers.

“Those were neat times because you got to meet so many different people, learn about everybody’s different experiences,” she said.

For their business and industry tours, they headed to northern Minnesota. Unlike southern Minnesota, the chapters were far apart, but the long road trip was fun.

The skills she learned in FFA have proven valuable in her life. Manners, courtesy and respect were

instilled. She uses her communication skills — especially in listening to those around her — on the school board.

Parliamentary procedure is also helpful. “You don’t think you will have an opportunity to use those (skills), but you sure do in different community organizations. Those skills stick with you,” she said.

She said her officer team was a great group of people and she keeps in touch with them, even if it’s just Christmas cards. At a high school basketball game this year, she waved across the gym to Mike Thofson, vice president of her officer team. Later, she sat next to him and caught up as Blue Earth played Lake Crystal.

“Coming back to southern Minnesota, it’s great to have those memories and connections,” she said.

She is grateful for the many opportunities in FFA to learn, compete in contests, travel, attend camps, grow as a person and meet people.

“FFA is a great experience,” she concluded. v

FFA sentinel is making difference through cancer genetics Aimee Anderson Sentinel For Aimee Anderson, it was important to have a career that makes a difference in the world.

That’s why she is a cancer geneticist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Anderson, of the New Prague chapter, was the sentinel on the Aimee 1992-93 Minnesota state FFA offi- Anderson cer team. As an officer, she was attending Minnesota State University Moorhead, where she graduated with a degree in biology premed.

As a geneticist, her focus is in clinical cancer cases.

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma, she can tell by looking at specific mutations what stage the cancer is in, what treatment might work best and the prognosis. She measures how well their treatment is working. She also works on prenatal diagnoses.

By choosing a technical field in medicine, she said “I can be non-stop working to help people.”

Anderson, of Rochester, is divorced with two daughters, age 10 and 6. She rides and competes in horse shows.

She has two horses — one for her daughter and one she is training.

As a state officer, she loved hitting the road every weekend from Moor-

head. Since most of her team was at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, she was sent to speak to chapters across northern Minnesota.

“I loved going and meeting people, FFA members, parents and community members. People who were so passionate about helping FFA,” she said. “I hear a town and I remember going there and what I had to eat at the VFW.” Sometimes she had three or four different events on the weekend. She pointed out that this was before Google Maps. “It was me and the map. Sometimes I’d bring a friend from college and we would just head out. It was really fun.”

In her career, Anderson has confidence to get up and speak, whether it’s at a genetics conference or a company meeting. She credits FFA with this skill.

Public speaking was just a regular part of what we did in FFA, she said.

“I know what I’m saying and if I’m asked a question I know I can back it up. It helps in job interviews too,” Anderson said.

She complimented Mike Thofson on being such a good sport as the only male officer on the team.

“He handled that so well,” Anderson said.

Anderson had a good time serving with the 1992-93 officer team and is looking forward to attending the state FFA convention. v

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

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PAGE 11

FFA reporter built career in livestock nutrition Christina (Rohrer) Patnode Reporter Christina (Rohrer) Patnode was the reporter on the 1992-93 Minnesota state FFA officer team.

After building a career at Cargill, she is currently working at home raising three young children in Christina Rohrer Corcoran.

Patnode Patnode earned an animal science degree from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. In 1997, she began working at the Cargill Innovation Campus in Elk River.

The campus is a research facility for livestock and aquaculture nutrition. She started as a technician carrying out research studies in the swine unit. She worked her way up as supervisor of poultry and aquaculture units and then to poultry statistics.

Today she is on call for Cargill. She goes in and helps out when they have busy days.

Her children are ages, 3, 4 and 7. Her husband, Brian Patnode, is a self-employed electrician. In addition to caring for her children and home, Patnode handles the administration and bookwork for her husband’s business.

They bought a piece of land on the Patnode family’s century farm and make their home there.

“We’re right across from his grandparents’ place and down the road from where he grew up,” she said.

Patnode came from the LeRoy-Ostrander FFA chapter. She was a freshman at U of M when she served as state officer. As reporter, she published three newsletters. She enjoyed leading the camps for the high school kids.

“It was neat to be an officer and be the one hosting and putting the programs together,” she said.

She continued to volunteer with youth in agriculture. She was involved in livestock and meat judging with the university and 4-H. She showed 4-H mem-

bers how genetics play a role in the carcass. Many of the kids knew how to feed an animal to get the proper look for a live show, but Patnode taught them about meat quality.

Patnode also served on the Minnesota State Fair 4-H Beef Show Committee. She assisted with weighins, data entry and office work to put on the show.

These days, her daughter has joined 4-H. When she watches the kids running the meetings, she coaches her daughter on parliamentary procedure — a skill she learned in FFA. She instructs her daughter to raise her hand and say “I move that… .”

When they are old enough, she hopes her children will join FFA. She commends FFA for teaching young people leadership and public speaking, as well as introducing them to careers in agribusiness.

She plans to attend this year’s FFA convention and participate in the opening ceremony. v

FFA looks to capture metropolitan interest in agriculture

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer OWATONNA, Minn. — With 41 years of agricultural history, Jim Ertl, retired executive secretary of Minnesota FFA, has a barn full of data about the Minnesota FFA organization.

When Ertl started teaching Minnesota FFA had 17,600 members.

our visibility is not that good. When it comes to telling the story about agriculture, the metropolitan area has been missing for decades.

Jim Ertl

“Then during those difficult farm income years in the early 1980s, we dropped all the way down to about 6,500 FFA members. We’re back up to about 11,000 right now,” Ertl said.

Ertl said part of this significant membership decline was the elimination of several FFA chapters in both northwest and southease Minnesota. “We used to have 290 chapters. We’re down to 190 chapters today.”

However, he points out many FFA chapters now have two instructors — a few even have three. Their teaching has expanded beyond the agricultural curriculum to include the power industry, food science, horticulture, pet care and small animal stewardship.

“One thing so very evident today is the demand for more hands-on opportunities in the workplace. There is now a demand for all kinds of career tech-ed positions — whether it be electricity, carpentry, concrete or the building trade in addition to what we need in the agricultural sector. There’s a serious demand and a shortage of skilled workers across the country.”

Are there sufficient post-high school community training centers to address this new demand?

Ertl reflected, “Doubtful. Years ago, in the 1970s, we had like 33 post-secondary institutions that had agriculture. Now we’re down to just a handful. Also,

“We may never get the metro area aware of our agricultural industry, but we can make some changes. The St. Paul public school district has three schools with an ag program. Como Park just started one this current year.”

We’re going to have a severe shortage of teachers in all areas.”

Jim Ertl was interviewed at the North American Farm and Power Show in Owatonna. Ertl can be reached at jim.ertl@state.mn.us. v

The University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences has hired Brandon Roiger, former FFA Star Farmer, as an outreach coordinator to recruit pre-college students of color into agriculture education at the university.

“Some of my ideas include providing more education at the Minnesota State Fair on the CHS Miracle of Birth Center. We’re going to take a look at how we can publicize and exhibit more about farm living.

Telling farm family stories on the stage and connecting with business and industry in some five-minute team-teaching demonstrations multiple times each day could be a great education process for fair goers.”

“City folks listening and seeing both farm kids and farm families mixing with ag industry people is a great story for anyone,” Ertl said.

What is Ertl’s take on the future of high school vocational agriculture?

“Again, we’re going through an economic squeeze in agriculture. And that impacts so much of our total ag industry as well. Plus, because there are many agrelated jobs available, I think young families wanting to farm might go that route instead. This could slow our national voc-ag program.

“But I say to those who have the drive, the ambition and can finance a four-year college program in ag education, by all means go for it. We need teachers to replace those ag teachers who are retiring.

255 16th Street South St. James, MN 56081

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THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Hylen brothers bid farewell to farming at auction

By MARIE WOOD explained.

The Land Associate Editor “Now with the crop prices as LAKE CRYSTAL, Minn. — low as they are, it’s not near as Farmers, neighbors, truckers much fun,” Maring said. and construction workers Plus, the average age of farmtromped through mud in a Lake ers is 58, according to the 2012 Crystal farmyard to get a deal U.S. Census, with 31 percent of on tractors, semis, pickups, principal farm operators age 65 ATVs, grain trailers, tools and and older. The Hylens turn 67 in firearms on a chilly March May. morning.

The Hylen operation does not Twin brothers Dennis and have debt and low crop prices Darrell Hylen, farmers for were not a factor in their deci40-plus years, held a retirement sion to retire. auction with Matt Maring Auc“We’d all like to see higher tion Co. More than 150 people prices in corn and soybeans,” came to kick the tires and sevDarrell said. “We still need to eral drove semi cabs and tracgrow food. Someone’s got to be tors right off the farm.

Photos by Marie Wood willing to do that.”

“It’s time to retire. We had no After 40 years of farming, Dennis (left) Caesar and Tanya Larson of one to take over the operation so and Darrell Hylen held a retirement aucAmboy are willing. They bought it made it real simple,” Darrell tion on March 22 in Lake Crystal. the Hylens’ home farm with its said. tillable acres, bins, dryer and Standing by a table of firebuildings. They also lease the brothers’ additional arms, Darrell looked at the farmhouse. cropland. This is the second year the Larsons are “This is where we were born and raised,” he said. farming this land.

bids. Maring moved the sales along quickly, pausing only to comment on the meticulous maintenance of the equipment.

“If you’re looking for used equipment, buy if from the Hylens,” he said.

In auctioning off a White planter, he said “Last chance, last call. Here we go. Let me know.”

Stone-faced and with a nod of the head, farmers on the ground bid on International semis; John Deere combine, corn head and tractors; Case IH tillage equipment; Wilson grain hopper trailers; Brent grain cart; and Ford pickups with dump boxes. All major John Deere machinery and grain trailers were bought new, including several John Deere 2013 models.

Kevin Maring and Allen Henslin worked the auction, flagging the caller as they moved between active bidders. Between bids, they spoke quietly to competing bidders about what a great deal the equipment was.

The John Deere 2013 S670 RWD combine sold for $157,500. Maring estimates between 3,000 and 4,000 of these models are for sale in the upper Midwest.

The biggest price tag was $177,000 Auctioneer Matt Maring began for the 2013 John the auction by selling off pallets Deere 9510 RT of tools and shop items includ- tractor on Camoing this pallet of bolts. plast tracks.

“It went well. It brought what it’s going to bring,” Darrell said.

All told, the sellers were happy, Maring said.

“It was an excellent sale. It brought very strong auction price money,” Maring said. v

“It’s beautiful land,” Caesar Larson said.

The tracts are close together with excellent drainage and fertility making it some of the most productive in the area, he said. He has already moved grain in and out of the bins. He didn’t have one dryer breakdown.

The Larsons grow corn, soybeans, yellow peas, white milo, sweet corn, sweet peas, small grains and navy beans. Larson said there are still margins that can be attained with focused production and marketing.

The transition has gone smoothly. The Larsons stored the equipment for a year and allowed the Hylens to hold their auction on site.

Many a neighbor came to show their Auction goers checked out the John Deere tractors at the Hylen support and wish the Hylens well in retirement.

Brothers farm retirement auction on March 22 in Lake Crystal.

All major John Deere machinery was bought new from Kibble “They’d do anything they can to help Equipment. you,” Mark Gronewold of Madelia said.

Dennis retired and moved from the house to Nor- Last call wood Young America last year. Darrell lives in It took less than three hours for Maring to sell Mankato and works fulltime for Wingert Realty and nearly a million dollars of machinery to the highLand Services. Both are married. Their dad, Swen est bidder.

Hylen, came from Norway and started this farm.

“One of the major enemies of an auction is time.

“It’s sort of the end. We accomplished what we You have to keep it rolling,” Maring said. wanted to do. It’s time to move on,” Darrell said.

Small items — pallets of tools, nuts and bolts, an Auctioneer Matt Maring has seen an uptick in the old seed sign, chains and chainsaws, firearms — auction business in 2018. One reason is the strong were auctioned off first. When it came time for the Matt Maring Auction Co. kept the auction rolling, calling rally in commodity prices in 2012 and 2013. Many big equipment, the auctioneer welcomed online out nearly a million dollars of machinery, firearms and shop items in less than three hours. farmers, like the Hylens, needed a tax break, pur- bidders. chased new machinery and now five years later they The online bids rolled in with the “on the ground” have received some of the depreciation, Maring

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

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PAGE 13

Commodity groups express concerns on Chinese tariffs National soybean and pork groups wasted little time responding to recent announcements by China on proposed tariffs on imported U.S. goods.

This article was submitted by the American Soybean Association.

Chinese Retaliation is no longer ‘what if’ for soybean farmers

April 4, 2018 — Following China’s announcement of a proposed 25 percent tariff on imported U.S. soybeans, the American Soybean Association is again expressing its extreme frustration about the escalation of a trade war with the largest customer of U.S. soybeans, and calling on the White House to reconsider the tariffs that led to this retaliation. China purchases 61 percent of total U.S. soybean exports, and more than 30 percent of overall U.S. soybean production. ASA president and Iowa farmer John Heisdorffer issued the following statement: “It should surprise no one that China immediately retaliated against our most important exports, including soybeans. We have been warning the administration and members of Congress that this would happen since the prospect for tariffs was raised. That unfortunately doesn’t lend any comfort to the hundreds of thousands of soybean farmers who will be affected by these tariffs. This is no longer a hypothetical, and a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans into China will have a devastating effect on every soybean farmer in America.

“Soybean futures are already down nearly 40 cents a bushel as of this morning. At a projected 2018 crop of 4.3 billion bushels, soybean farmers lost $1.72 billion in value for our crop this morning alone. That’s real money lost for farmers, and it is entirely preventable.

“We regret that the administration has been unable to counter China’s policies on intellectual property and information technology in a way that does not require the use of tariffs. We still have not heard a response from the administration to our March 12 letter requesting to meet with President

Trump and discuss how the administration can work with soybean farmers and others in agriculture to find ways to reduce our trade deficit by increasing competitiveness rather than erecting barriers to foreign markets.

“But there is still time to reverse this damage, and the administration can still deliver for farmers by withdrawing the tariffs that caused this retaliation.

China has said that its 25 percent tariff will only go into effect based on the course of action the administration takes. We call on President Trump to engage the Chinese in a constructive manner—not a punitive one—and achieve a positive result for soybean farmers.”

The National Pork Producers Council weighed in with this release in the beginning of the week.

National Pork responds to China’s tariffs on U.S. pork

April 2, 2018 — Here is the statement from National Pork Producers Council CEO Neil Dierks on China’s tariffs on U.S. pork which went into effect on April 2.

“We are disappointed that China has placed an additional 25 percent tariff on U.S. pork exports.

“Exports are extremely critical to the financial well-being of our producers.

Over the past 10 years, the United States, on average, has been the top exporter of pork in the world, and we’re the lowest-cost producer. In any given year, we export pork to more than 100 nations, and those exports support 110,000 American jobs. Last year, nearly $6.5 billion of U.S. pork was exported, which was more than 26 percent of U.S. pork production.

“China was the third largest value market, with more than $1 billion in U.S. pork being shipped there last year.

We recall that not long ago there was serious talk about termination of the U.S.-Korea FTA. We are pleased that the U.S and Korea were able to reach an agreement that has not prejudiced U.S. pork producers or other sectors of U.S. agriculture. We recognize that the U.S. and China are negotiating, and we

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are hopeful that the 25 percent tariffs our market share. Our farmers have on U.S. pork will be short lived.” done that, which is why agriculture has a positive trade balance. In 2018, the NCGA statement on U.S. is forecast to export $139.5 billion proposed tariffs and trade in agricultural goods to the 95 percent with China of consumers who live outside the U.S. The following is an April 4 statement Instead of new protectionist policies, from Texas farmer Wesley Spurlock, our nation’s focus should be on growing chairman of the National Corn Growers market access and promoting expandAssociation. ed trade from our most competitive “There are no winners in a trade war, industries. only casualties. As trade tensions con“We do have a window of opportunity tinue to mount with China, the expand- to reach a mutually beneficial trade ed list of tariffs on food and agriculture position with China until the time that exports are making America’s farmers tariffs are fully implemented. We need the first casualties. to be measured, professional and busi“Our corn farmers have worked for ness-like in our approach to keeping decades to support fair and open trade the trade doors open with China. practices because we understand that Equally important, we need the trade is a two-way street. In today’s President to understand the implicaglobal economy, we know that we need tions that these trade actions have for v to be competitive to grow and maintain America’s farm families.”

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PAGE 14

MILKER’S MESSAGE

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Global Trade Auction shows mixed results for dairy This column was written for the marketing week ending April 6.

The March federal order Class III benchmark milk price started climbing out of its hole this week and hit $14.22 per hundredweight.

This is up 82 cents from February, but is $1.59 below March 2017. It is 26 cents above California’s comparable 4b cheese milk price and

News and information for Minnesota and Northern Iowa dairy producers MIELKE MARKET WEEKLY

By Lee Mielke

equates to $1.22 per gallon, up from $1.15 in that processors within the state have less incentive February and compares to $1.36 a year ago. The to expand as a result of the higher raw milk costs first quarter average is at $13.87, which is down that will impact them as a result of the FMMO vs. from $16.49 at this time a year ago and compares to the state order.” $13.75 in 2016.

By the way, the USDA is also proposing a tempoClass III futures late morning April 6 portend an rary increase in the Class I milk price in the Florida April price of $14.45; May, $14.74; and June at order to help offset damages from last fall’s hurri$15.08; with a peak at $16.16 in October. cane.

The March Class IV price is $13.04, up 17 cents n from February but $1.28 below a year ago. Its first Meanwhile, anhydrous milkfat led the declines quarter average stands at $13.01, down from $15.37 while butter jumped in the April 3 Global Dairy a year ago and compares to $13.75 in 2016.

Trade auction. The weighted average of products California’s comparable March 4b cheese milk offered inched 0.6 percent lower, following a 1.2 perprice is $13.96. This is up 58 cents from February, cent drop March 20 and a 0.6 percent slide on 20 cents above a year ago and the highest 4b since March 6.

November 2017. The 4b average for first quarter Anhydrous milkfat was down a bearish 7 percent 2018 stands at $13.57, down from $15.19 a year ago but unchanged in the last event. Skim milk powder and compares to $13.12 in 2016. was down 1.8 percent after plunging 8.6 percent.

The 4a butter-powder milk price is $13.01, up 29 Gains were led by rennet casein, up 12.1 percent, cents from February, 95 cents below a year ago, but after slipping 2.9 percent March 20. Butter was up the highest 4a since December 2017. The three 4.1 percent, after holding steady last time. Cheddar month average, at $12.89, compares to $15.01 a was up 2.2 percent, following a drop of 3.9 percent, year ago and $12.98 in 2016. and whole milk powder was up 1.6 percent, after n inching 0.1 percent higher last time. Lactose was up 1.1 percent and buttermilk powder was up 1.0 perSpeaking of the number-one milk producer, the cent.

U.S. Department of Agriculture published its longawaited final decision to establish a Federal Milk FC Stone equates the GDT 80 percent butterfat Marketing Order for California. The proposed butter to $2.4313 per pound U.S. Chicago Mercantile FMMO would incorporate the entire state. The final Exchange butter closed April 6 at $2.2875. GDT decision is based on the evidentiary record of a pub- cheddar cheese equated to $1.6688 per pound U.S. lic hearing held in Clovis from September to and compares to the April 6 CME block cheddar at November 2015. $1.6025. GDT skim milk powder averaged 83.85 cents and whole milk powder averaged $1.4869.

USDA will conduct a referendum through May 5 CME Grade A nonfat dry milk closed April 6 at and will mail ballot materials to all known eligible 72.75 cents per pound. dairy producers supplying milk to the proposed marketing area. The FMMO would become effective n if approved by two-thirds of the voting producers, or USDA’s latest Dairy Products report pegged by producers of two-thirds of the milk represented February U.S. cheese output at 981.6 million pounds, in the voting process. Cooperatives can vote as a down 10.5 percent from January but 4.2 percent block. USDA allows a stand-alone California quota above February 2017. That put the two-month total program, but it will be administered by the at 2.08 billion pounds, up 4.6 percent from a year ago.

California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Italian cheese totaled 423.9 million pounds, down HighGround Dairy is skeptical, stating that it 10.6 percent from January but 4.3 percent above a “does not view the creation of a California FMMO year ago. Year-to-date Italian cheese sits at 898.3 as a ‘game changer’ in terms of saving farmers dur- million pounds, up 4.4 percent from a year ago. ing an industry supply/demand imbalance as the Mozzarella, at 325.9 million pounds, was up 3.5 permarket is enduring today. cent, with year-to-date at 692.9 million pounds, up “In addition, nothing is changing in terms of busi- 3.9 percent. ness, environmental or labor challenges that exist American-type cheese production totaled 396.6 within California to shift the direction of the state’s See MIELKE, pg. 15 dairy industry. In fact, HighGround could argue

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

MILKER’S MESSAGE

PAGE 15

Cheese makers finding plenty of discounted milk available MIELKE, from pg. 14

Nonfat dry milk totaled 158.5 million pounds, down News. Reversing a trend from previous weeks, 1.1 percent from January but 12.1 percent above a Italian style cheesemakers report steady to million pounds. This is down 8.5 percent from WE traditional BUILD OURstyle STALLS RIGHT! year ago. Year-to-date output stands at 318.8 million increased sales. While cheesemakJanuary, but 6.1 percent above a year ago, with pounds, up 8.2 percent.

Stocks climbed to 323.99 milers, who have recently provided generally positive Take a look at year-to-date at 830.3 million pounds, up 4.9 percent. lion pounds, up 17 million pounds or 5.5 percent from demand reports, are relaying decreasing sales in our tubing with Cheddar output, the cheese traded at the CME, January, and 61.9 million pounds or 23.6 percent some cases. totaled 291.8 million pounds, down 8.3 percent from unequaled corrosion above a year ago. January stocks were revised sharpJanuary but 5.7 percent above a year ago, with More cheesemakers are taking discounted spot protection! year-to-date cheddar hitting 610 million pounds, up ly lower to the tune of 33.2 million pounds. milk, with prices ranging $2.50 to $5 under Class Freudenthal Tubing are has been 3.8 percent.

Skim milk powder production totaled 36.5 million and milk offers are prevalent. Market tones engineered for your specific pounds, down 20.3 percent from January and 8.9 somewhat mixed. Some contacts expect prices to Churns produced 168.6 million pounds of butter, requirements where strength percent below a year ago. steadily increase near term, while point toare down 7.4 percent from January but 4.7 percent and others corrosion resistance CORROSION Auto Release Head Locks recent slipsPanel and question the market’s direction. above a year ago. Year-to-date output is at 350.7 critical design factors. n PROTECTION million, up 3.5 percent.

Western cheese is active as milk continues to be Dairy product prices were mostly higher the first readily available. Manufacturers expect CS-60 Comfort Tieproduction Stall Yogurt output amounted to 367.8 million pounds, week of April. Cheddar block cheese closed April 6 to remain solid in the coming weeks as they reach up 1.3 percent from a year ago, with year-to-date at $1.6025 per pound, which is up 7.25 cents on the abunThe Toughest hitting 733.2 million pounds, down 0.6 percent. week and 14.25 cents above a year ago. The barrels the upsurge of the spring flush. With current dant inventories, prices are fairly steady.

Some StallsconDry whey totaled 89.4 million pounds, up 14.6 per- finished at $1.45, up a penny on the week, 1.5 cents tacts report that prices are not reflecting the above a year ago, but an unsustainable 15.25 cents on curthe cent, with year-to-date output at 179.7 million rent condition of the market.

Cheese inventories/ block were Providesofsuperior lunge area traded on pounds, up 12.1 percent. Stocks totaled 88.6 million below the blocks. Six• cars market, production are more than demand. Therefore, the week at the CME• Much andstronger 32 ofthan barrel. our pounds, down 1.8 percent from January but 24.8 guaranteed beam systems percent above those a year ago.

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PAGE 16

MILKER’S MESSAGE

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Margin Protection Program enrollment period is underway MIELKE, from pg. 15 according to contacts, prices are supposed to be lower than they are.

Cash butter shot up 9.5 cents on April 4 to $2.3350 per pound — despite a lot of product finding its way to Chicago. But it closed on April 6 at

$2.2875, up 7.25 cents on the week and 19 cents above a year ago, with 51 cars sold this week. n Cream headed for the churns is not where some butter producers were expecting following the holiday, says Dairy Market News. Butter demand is not

slowing and 82 percent butterfat loads are sought after on the world market, whereas 80 percent butterfat loads have been moving fairly regularly in the domestic arena. Contacts continue to relay the increased cold storage data has not affected overall market positivity.

Western butter makers report spring holiday retail sales were good but orders have slowed somewhat. Cream is readily available, butter production is vigorous, and butter inventories are generally heavy and growing.

Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk closed on April 6 at 72.75 cents per pound, up 3.75 cents on the week; but 8.25 cents below a year ago, with 11 cars trading hands.

Spot dry whey price finished at 32 cents per pound, up 3.5 cents on the week. n The USDA is calling on dairy farmers to sign up in the “new improved” Margin Protection Program.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue says the MPP will “provide better protections for dairy producers from shifting milk and feed prices. We recognize the financial hardships many of our nation’s dairy producers are experiencing right now. Folks are losing their contracts and they are getting anxious about getting their bills paid while they watch their milk check come in lower and lower each month.” The enrollment period will run to June 1.

President Trump’s recently announced tariffs on a list of Chinese imports received a response this week in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products — including soybeans. NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council praised the administration for its “swift and effective negotiation with South Korea regarding the terms and implementation of the U.S.-Korea free trade Agreement.”

In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the two groups expressed appreciation that trade officials were able to “secure a result with South Korea that addressed certain dairy industry concerns while preserving the overall agreement.”

“South Korea is the fourth-largest U.S. dairy export market,” a joint press release stated. “Last year, it accounted for over $230 million in U.S. dairy sales. It is also the second-largest cheese market in the world,” said Tom Vilsack, president and CEO of USDEC. “With KORUS, the U.S. dairy industry will remain a competitive dairy exporter to South Korea. This puts U.S. companies, shipping products, manufacturers and American-made milk on the same footing with dairy competitors from other countries.”

Lee Mielke is a syndicated columnist who resides in Everson, Wash. His weekly column is featured in newspapers across the country and he may be reached at lkmielke@juno.com. v

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

MILKER’S MESSAGE

PAGE 17

Dairy operations boost production with LED lighting

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer OWATONNA, Minn. — A can’t-miss vendor at the recent North American Farm and Power Show in Owatonna featured electric lights that brilliantly illuminated the booth. And that’s because special electric lights were the display.

Tim Simon of IBA Dairy Supplies in Owatonna explained, “A well-lit dairy barn helps with production and the overall health of the animals. Here you are looking at 5,000 Kelvin which is like sunlight. On a good sunny day, you get 5,000 Kelvin.”

Color temperature is a way to describe the light appearance provided by a light bulb. It is measured in degrees of Kelvin on a scale from 1,000 to 10,000.

Typically, commercial and residential

lighting application Kelven temperatures fall somewhere on a scale from 2,000 to 6,500.

So why the higher production in a well-lit dairy barn? Simon said brightness encourages the cow to eat more.

And the net result is more milk and a healthier environment. Perhaps a safer work space for the milkers too.

However, light systems like this cost more money. “There’s a five-year warranty on the bulbs,” Simon said, “but you’ll get a good seven years out of these lights.” Plus, Simon added, they consume considerably less electricity, so an added bonus is a cheaper electric bill each month. Also, he said, most utility companies offer rebates for converting over to these LED lights.

So where are all these super bright lighting systems being installed? “All

Margin Protection Program enrollment open until June 1 In February, Congress passed a budget that included $1.2 billion in new funding for the farm bill. The budget package included some significant changes for the Margin Protection Program, or MPP. One key change is catastrophic coverage is now available at the $5 margin level, versus $4 in the past. In addition, the program will now cover up to 5 million pounds of annual milk production, up from 4 million pounds in past years. Another big change is margins will be calculated on a monthly basis instead of every two months.

Additionally, the $100 administrative fee will be waived for underserved farmers, which the USDA says includes veterans, the socially disadvantaged, minorities and women.

The biggest change to the Margin Protection Program through 2018 is the lowered premium price for producers who choose to buy up coverage. For example, coverage at the $5.50 level is now less than 1 cent per pound for the first 5 million pounds. In the old system, $5.50 level coverage cost 4 cents per pound for the first 4 million pounds.

4 cents per pound will now get a producer coverage at the $6.50 level. $8.00 coverage is now 14.2 cents per pound, down from 47.5 cents in the previous pay scale. Producers wanting to cover more than 5 million pounds of milk can still do so, although the additional premium costs remain the same as before.

Due to these changes, the MPP enrollment window for 2018 coverage will remain open until June 1. Dairy operations must make a new coverage election for 2018, even if they already enrolled during the previous 2018 signup period. Coverage elections made for 2018 will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2018.

All dairy operations desiring coverage must sign up during the enrollment period. Dairy operations may still opt out. All outstanding balances for 2017 and prior years must be paid in full before 2018 coverage is approved.

Producers wanting to re-enroll in MPP or make changes to their current MPP coverage should contact their local FSA office.

This article was submitted by University of Minnesota Extension. v

www.TheLandOnline.com

over. Hog buildings, poultry barns, farm shops, even some homes are now installing these lights,” said Simon.

Because dairy barns are their number one market, he admitted poor milk prices have dampened their lighting business as well.

Traffic at the Owatonna show held March 15-17 was terrific — partly because people were intrigued to see the best lit booth. Also, a lot of dairy barns are experiencing failures with their fluorescent lighting. “We have the retrofit kit where you can replace the fluorescent light bulb with LED.”

Besides these new lighting systems, IBA Dairy Supplies handles a broad lineup of dairy industry supplies including silage and hay preservatives, cleaning compounds, pest control products, calf milk replacers, animal health products, even paper towels and teat cups. IBA is a family-owned business and has been around Minnesota since 1980. Company headquarters are in Millbury, Mass., and have provided dairy products since 1960.

Rusty Paulson is the IBA Minnesota distributor. He can be reached at (507) 456-7585 or rustyiba@gmail.com. v

PAGE 18

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Manure injection gets nutrients to young corn roots

By DICK HAGEN so wind erosion isn’t an issue.”

The Land Staff Writer He also became aware of the Titan Manure ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Called the Titan Manure Application Bar and he liked what he saw. He Application Bar, this new piece of equipment bought one and now he and his son are dealers at attracted attention at the Central Minnesota their Bazooka Farmstar in Sauk Centre.

Farm Show in St. Cloud, held Feb. 27-March 1.

Fiedler explained, “If you do 2,000 acres per Telling the story was Jean Fiedler. You might year with this machine, your cost is going to be remember Fiedler from the March 9 issue of The about $6 an acre. If you do 3,000 acres (which is Land talking about flying pigs to China. Yes, very easy to do), your cost is $4.75 to $5.25 per Fiedler usually has more than one project brewacre — which is two bushels of corn no matter ing. how you look at it. Yet we’re conservatively pickApplying manure in a more equitable and shaling up at least 20 bushels per acre with the moldlower depth while improving soil health in the board plow and Titan manure application sysprocess is how Fiedler describes the Titan. And tem.” the net result is a healthier corn plant.

He can size up the health of his Stearns County “We want to put the manure in the root zone corn fields quickly and easily. Fiedler’s get-away Photo by Dick Hagen for early plant growth,” Fiedler explained. “With The Titan Manure Application Bar injects manure into plants’ vehicle is a Cessna 185 Skywagon. “I take a lot of 3-point hitch and chisel plow machines with root zone. photographs … been doing it for 20 years. And 24-inch spacing, the manure was getting 8 to 10 these aerial photos pinpoint virtually every trou“It’s smart to do a nutrient test of liquid manure ble spot in the field. Stearns County gives us a inches deep. Soil temps at that depth are 38 degrees when I’m planting corn. So when those young roots before pumping and applying,” Fiedler said. “Your remarkable variety of different soils. We used the sprout, they can’t get to the manure. Yellow corn purpose is to match application rates to what the Titan on every field last fall, so we’ll get a quick leswas too often showing up in these newly-planted soils in a particular field need for the crop to be son this spring on what we did right and where we grown.” fields.” did wrong. I think we will see that we have finally cured a 20-year old problem!

However, the bigger surprise is Fiedler said they had to add supplemental nitrogen to get those young corn plants into a healthier mode. Fiedler’s primary tillage. He’s defi“We had neighbors use this machine on 2,000 acres nitely a conservation-oriented farmof their own land. They are pleased. They purchased “Last year we spent $48,000 doctoring up our corn er, yet he uses the moldboard plow a machine for their own use.’’ because of our inadequate manure injection process.

So lots of extra expense, plus not doing any favors to in his continuous corn program! And Manufactured at Washington, Iowa, the Titan he claims it’s more cost effective. the soil environment either,” said Fiedler.

Manure Application Bar has a two-year warranty.

He explained, “We did 100 percent “This machine is made to turn in the ground on the Talking about the Titan bar, Fiedler explained its chisel plowing for 30 years.

But in headlands. That’s unheard of in farm equipment, so differences from conventional manure application obviously there is good engineering and construction equipment. “It’s pull-type, so you don’t need a 3-point the process of going from 100 bushel Jean Fiedler corn to 225-bushel corn, we had in these rigs. What they did was basically double the hitch on your tractor. When you turn at ends of fields, doubled the amount of surface trash.

We raise lots of size of the bearings in the coulters and the wheels to you don’t have to raise the bar. Raising the typical hogs, so manure application is key.

We were just getwithstand this added stress of turning in the ground. injection rigs usually means a temporary manure pool. These ‘surface spreads’ concern DNR ting too much trash. It was shielding the sun from You cover the entire headland. There aren’t any tell(Department of Natural Resources), local PCA warming the soil. So we tried moldboard plowing 100 tale markings of where you missed. You don’t leave (Pollution Control Agency) people, maybe even the acres. We had a 30 to 40-bushel yield increase. The any manure on top. That eliminates runoff into the sheriff driving by. When you are applying 20,000 gal- soil was 7 degrees warmer in the spring. It was still ditches. The environment is cleaner. And your neighbors are happier,” Feidler summed up. lons per acre, those manure pools at your turn- 5 degrees warmer at the four to five leaf stage.

“We plow 8 to 10-inches deep. We do not plow hilly arounds are a real mess. Nearby neighbors don’t How does Fiedler assess soil health? He says organappreciate that sudden stench either. This machine ground, nor do we plow highly-erodible land that ic matter and water absorption capability are two stays in the ground on these turnarounds. With that would be suspect to wind erosion. I’ve done research key criteria. “We’ve increased organic content 1 per16-inch spacing at 8 to 10 inches deep, it pulls easier. on this for 10 years. I’ve got yield data that shows we cent since going to the moldboard. That doesn’t sound Plus, the manure is placed in the root zone of the are averaging about 32 more bushels per acre with like a lot but that equates to about 100 tons of addithe moldboard plow. Plus it takes a half-gallon less tional organic matter on each acre of land. In 2016, young corn plant.”

Fiedler said the Titan bar is available from 32-feet fuel per acre. The moldboard plow is just more effi- we averaged 228 bushels per acre. Last year we were 225.4 bu./acre. Up here in the northern Corn Belt, wide up to 50 feet. For road travel, the unit folds to cient than the chisel plow.”

He also noted today’s moldboard and chisel plows that’s pretty good. You go 40 miles farther north and 12 feet wide and 10 feet high; whereas a pull-type unit is both wider and higher. A heavy duty pickup are designed to handle large quantities of trash so there isn’t hardly any corn. So we’re doing ‘Iowa readily moves the Titan rig down the road. In the maybe that stalk cutter attachment on your combine yields’ in Stearns County. I’m pleased.” field he indicated a 300 horsepower tractor does the head isn’t needed.

About 40 percent of their ground gets irrigated. But job. rains have been favorable. Fiedler says the pivots So did Fiedler just happen to have a 10-year old were used only a couple times each of the past two Application rates somewhat depend on nutrient moldboard resting in one of his sheds? “No, I went to seasons. my John Deere dealer and bought a new one.

I’ll content of the liquid manure, but 5,000 to 6,000 gallon rates are common, Fiedler said. Then 12,000 gal- admit new chisel plows today are better designed.

For more information, go to www.bazookafarmstar. lons per acre might be the next level. For some, They much better handle the trash. Today, we have a com and www.fiedlerpumpingandsales.com. v 14-bottom Salford on 20-inch spacing. That much 20,000 gallons is do-able. spacing leaves about 20 percent of the trash visible

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

PAGE 19

Beans or corn? Crop selection should be done field by field

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer MARSHALL, Minn. — At the Feb. 14 Farm Outlook and Education Seminar in Marshall, agronomy services manager Ken Franzky of Centrol Crop Consulting spoke on “Merging Agronomics with Ken Franzky Economics.”

Q: With five consecutive years of increasing yield trends, is a backspin likely this year?

Franzky: That’s the million dollar question. If we could nail that down, our jobs and farming too would be a little easier.

Q: Coffee shop chatter says if corn can’t make a buck this year, why not more beans?

Franzky: Good and logical question. Cash flow with our customers is telling us profits on corn aren’t likely this year. But depending on where you farm, soybeans on soybeans take some different management decisions. In some areas in central Minnesota, soybeans are a difficult crop because of iron chlorosis and soybean cyst nematode. In these situations, corn may still be a better choice than going beans on beans. Growers need to look at this field by field. We saw growers go that route on some of their fields last year. Some were better off because they pretty much knew the chemistry of their soils from field to field and could adjust inputs accordingly.

Q: Are we realistically going to see more dicamba damage simply because there likely will be more use of this product?

Franzky: I firmly believe we will. And that’s not because growers won’t do the right thing from an application viewpoint. But the inherent nature of dicamba gives us some challenge to keep it where we want. Off-target movement, temperature inversions and volatility are predictable issues regardless the accuracy and timing of application. Physical drift in the dicamba world is the easiest to manage. The new

dicamba products are better than the older labels for having less volatility risk. But less does not mean zero. If we put more dicamba into the total crop mix, more potential risk is inherent with that arithmetic.

Q: You’re OK with June 20 and 85 F temperature cutoff, plus sunlight to sundown application restrictions on dicamba use?

Franzky: Yes, a consensus agreement, but the June 20 cutoff is the primary driver in my opinion.

That gets dicamba applications before our soybeans start to flower which usually is near the summer solstice. If we have off-target movement in the vegetative stage, the probability for yield loss is much less than if soybeans are in the flowering and podfilling reproductive stage.

Q: Are treated seeds getting to be an overplay?

Franzky: Treated seed definitely continues on the increase … getting a big kick when soybeans hit $15 and we could invest for extra insurance and crop protection. Treated seeds with fungicides for disease prevention makes sense where you’ve got heavy soils, wetter soils, heavy residue conditions. In those conditions, treated seed will help get that plant up and running healthier. So you have more stand and healthier plants. Plus insecticide-treated seeds are a safeguard for ground insects like wireworms, white grubs and seed corn maggots. If those are issues in your soils, then treated seeds make sense. Also, treated seed makes sense with heavy manure applications, composted manure and cattle feed lot manure.

The third treated seed choice is inoculated seed.

That fits extreme conditions such as low pH, high pH, marginally drained soils or where we haven’t grown soybeans in a long rotation interval and you need to reinvigorate the soil rhizobia bacteria with inoculants to colonize the roots where the soybean can fix atmospheric nitrogen through the soybean root nodules. The newest seed treatments are the nematicides such as Clariva and Oliva. Unfortunately, in the real world of farming, these haven’t looked as good as they have in small plot and lab studies.

So generally I say seed treatments have been overplayed. But where you need them, they are a very wise decisions to make.

Q: Are neonicotinoids a real threat to our pollinator bee numbers or mostly just chatter?

Franzky: Yes, this is much chatter, but yet a very important topic. We know the neonicotinoid family of insecticides can have negative effects on honey bees and pollinators. But that’s not the only problem.

With colony collapse disorders, honey bee populations naturally vary. So is it overplayed? No. Is it over chatted? Maybe, but maybe that is a good thing because it helps make better overall agronomic conditions for particular environments. I think it’s quieting down because science is beginning to dispute some of the front-side chatter. We’re learning more through sound science that it is not just a neonic problem with honey bees.

Q: With new corn hybrids now being introduced yearly, how does a farmer develop reliability with his current hybrids if new choices are available each year?

Franzky: We never want to miss the opportunity of new being better than current hybrids. I would say the trick is to adopt slowly. Seed companies do extensive testing before introducing a new hybrid. Perhaps just as important as its high yield capability is its stability and reliability under a variety of different environments. I say the best thing with new products is to try on a limited amount that first year. Don’t expose yourself to the unknowns that we still haven’t learned. However, today the strong hybrids do last five to six years because they are dependable. Learn the merits and disadvantages on a limited basis first.

As a certified crop adviser, I have access to quantities of data — both farm and research locations — from various locations across the Corn Belt. I have access to a very reliable resource for my immediate area.

Visit www.centrolcrop.com. v

PAGE 20

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

MARKETING

Grain Outlook Tariff news rocks soybean market The following marketing analysis is for the week ending April 6.

SOYBEANS — We’ll start with beans this week since most of the recent news has a more direct effect on this market vs. corn. It’s bad enough we try to out-trade Mother Nature and all her forecasters, but now we’re having to trade politics front and center! After a “shocking” bullish Prospective Planting report on March 29, we came back from the three-day weekend to the calm before the storm.

Gains were extended early in the week, before China PHYLLIS NYSTROM announced its list of proposed CHS Hedging Inc. U.S. goods on which they would St. Paul put a 25 percent import tax. The list of 106 products included soybeans, corn, sorghum, airplanes, automobiles, to name a few. The market responded with a plunge lower at mid-week. May soybeans traded as low as $9.83.5 per bushel and November soybeans to $9.97.75 per bushel — their lowest levels in both since early February. A Purdue University study commissioned by the U.S. Soybean Export Council said U.S. exports to China could fall by 33 percent with a 10 percent tariff and 71 percent with a 30 percent tariff. China accounts for 60 percent of U.S. soybean exports.

Cash Grain Markets

corn/change* soybeans/change* St. Cloud 

$9.69 +.40 Madison $3.45 +.21 $9.70 +.35 Redwood Falls $3.38 +.18 $9.70 +.36 Fergus Falls $3.35 +.19 $9.50 +.31 Morris $3.40 +.21 $9.65 +.38 Tracy $3.42 +.22 $9.63 +.41 Average: $3.40 $9.65 Year Ago Average: $3.06 $8.61 Grain prices are effective cash close on April 10. *Cash grain price change represents a two-week period. On April 11, ADM’s website stated its St. Cloud facility was not taking corn. They are full. A corn train is scheduled to leave on April 13.

Livestock Angles Tariff scare stifles futures market

Prices rebounded the following day as the market absorbed the news and the fact that a comment period on the proposed tariffs is needed to take place in the United States before implementation. China indicated they would also wait to set an effective date for the new import tariffs until the United States did.

Brazil’s soybean premiums skyrocketed in response to the trade war posturing between the United States and China. Brazil would benefit from the conflict with higher soybean demand from China.

U.S. soybeans became the cheapest source in the world on the fluctuations. Traditional South American customers may be pushed to the United States by both price and execution.

Then, the next shoe dropped. President Trump asked U.S. trade advisors to consider $100 billion in additional tariffs on Chinese goods.

The markets again plummeted, but not by as much

It has been a rough start for livestock so far this spring. Hogs have led the way to lower prices with the cattle beginning to follow with the hogs to lower levels. The tariffs proposed have made the markets very nervous and defensive with the potential to harm the meat complex export business. The futures market of both the cattle and the hogs have moved to deep discounts to their respective cash trade as a result.

The cattle market has more recently moved lower in defense of the tariffs, but it has also been the fear that the number of cattle available for slaughter is on the JOE TEALE rise in the weeks ahead. The Broker combination of these two factors Great Plains Commodity has the cattle market back on its Afton, Minn. heels.

Currently, the market is oversold and could be subject to some rebound in prices. However, this is more likely in the futures market rather than the cash trade at this time. Because of the deep discounts of futures to cash, there likely could be an increase in green cattle or lighter-weight cattle being marketed to take advantage of the extremely positive basis.

This could change the outlook for the cattle market because of the lack of choice cattle if this continues to take place. It appears that the cattle trade will stay very volatile and unpredictable for the near future which means producers should maintain close attention to market conditions.

See NYSTROM, pg. 21

See TEALE, pg. 21

Grain Angles Future of cropland values While local auction results have been variable at both extremes, what does our data tell us about the cropland market across southern Minnesota? In general terms, the market has been fairly steady, but mixed, over the past two years. It really comes down to specific counties, the number of sales and the quality of land hitting the market in those areas.

When you look across the landscape of southern Minnesota and other corn-producing counties around the area, some land prices have increased 5 percent over the last year. Yet over that same period of time, prices might be down 5 percent in another coun- ADAM SCHMIDT Compeer Regional ty.

Appraisal Manager The chart below shows some Northfield, Minn. sales data to help demonstrate this point.

Our appraisal staff tracts sale data across the territory that we work in. Taking 25 counties in the southern Minnesota core agriculture territory, there were 375 total sales in 2017. This compares to 378 sales in the same area for 2016, so the number of sales occurring has been very steady with supply and demand in good balance.

In 2017, only 6 percent of the sales were over $9,000 per acre with most of these sales being in the southwest corner of the state where values tend to be slightly higher. A total of 20 percent of the sales are over $8,000/acre — meaning there are still some stronger market areas of high quality land. In fact, over half of the good sales analyzed in this area were between $6,000-$8,000/acre which seems to be the “sweet spot” for most cropland across southern See SCHMIDT, pg. 22

Information in the above columns is the writer’s opinion. It is no way guaranteed and should not be interpreted as buy/sell advice. Futures trading always involves a certain degree of risk.

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

PAGE 21

Argentina, Brazil corn crop estimates expected to fall NYSTROM, from pg. 20 as at mid-week. Prices clawed their way off the overnight lows as the day progressed on April 6 and managed to close in the black. In the end, it’s believed South America can’t supply all the soybeans China will need over the next 12 months. But that doesn’t mean they won’t try. Customers that would usually buy from South America may be inclined to take advantage of cheaper U.S. beans. And that’s what we saw.

At the end of the week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the sale of 65 million metric tons of beans to Mexico for both old and new crop, plus 327,000 metric tons of old crop beans sold to unknown and 131,000 mt of new crop beans to unknown. For the week, a total of 522,000 mt of old crop beans and 520,300 mt of new crop beans had been reported in the USDA’s daily report.

Also interesting was trade talk that U.S. soybeans work on paper into Argentina. The United States buys South American soybeans periodically to fill slots, so why not the other way around?

The market was whipsawed by tariff threats this week and anything else was pushed aside. Other news included the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange cutting its Argentine soybean production estimate by 1.5 million metric tons to 38 mmt. The USDA’s last number was 47 mmt, but it’s expected it will be cut on the next report. Argentina’s soybean harvest was put at 9 percent complete and Brazil’s at 77 percent complete.

The average trade estimates for the April 10 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report: U.S. ending soybean stocks at 574 million bushels vs.

555 million last month. World soybean ending stocks are pegged at 93 mmt vs. 94.4 mmt last month.

Argentina’s bean crop is estimated at 42.1 mmt.

Brazil’s soybean crop is estimated at 115.6 mmt vs.

113 mmt last month.

Weekly export sales were excellent and the biggest in the last 11 weeks at 41.6 million bushels. Total commitments at 7 percent behind last year. The USDA is calling for a 5 percent decline in year-toyear exports. We need to average 9 million bushels of sales per week to achieve the USDA’s current

MARKETING 2.065-billion-bushel forecast. The February National Agriculture Statistics Service crush report indicated 165 million soybeans were crushed — a record for the month. Soyoil stocks were larger than expected at 2.4 billion pounds.

Outlook: For the week, May soybeans were down 11 cents at $10.33.75, July was 10.75 cents lower at $10.44.75, and November soybeans fell 14.5 cents to $10.33.25 per bushel. The May beans traded a weekly range of $9.83.5 to $10.60.5 and the November beans traded from $9.97.75 to $10.60/bu. May soymeal was up $2.30 per ton for the week at $386.30 and May soyoil was down $.0034 at $.3153 per pound.

The trade will be watching the political shenanigans and U.S. weather ahead of the April WASDE report on April 10. The market showed us this week that there are wrenches that can still be thrown at us. U.S. weather should gain in trading prominence as will new business coming our way. For now, it’s all about political posturing, with no dates announced for any tariffs to take effect. Negotiations may work the issues out before any tariff is enacted, but you never know. Be careful and have your marketing plans in place.

CORN — Corn followed the same path as the soybeans this week. Corn will be affected by the proposed Chinese import tariffs, but China isn’t a major importer of U.S. corn. China has only imported 200,000 mt and 700,000 mt of U.S. corn in the last two years. May corn traded to a low of $3.72 and December to a low of $3.96/bu., neither one taking out their March lows. The market’s attitude in corn has been to buy breaks until proven wrong, and that mentality has continued.

Other corn news this week included the Environmental Protection Agency expanding Renewable Fuel Standard waivers for refiners. For 2017, 25 refiners received hardship waivers. In a typical year, six to eight hardship waivers are granted. There are 57 refiners that have capacity under 75,000 barrels per day, which is the threshold to qualify for a waiver.

Hog market extremely oversold TEALE, from pg. 20 The hog market has been most affected by the tariff news as of late with the report that China will cease importing U.S. pork products. Both cash and futures have come under extreme pressure and prices in each market have plummeted. Hog prices have now reached last year’s lows and could possibly even drift lower unless conditions change.

Obviously the market is extremely oversold and could see some recovery at any time. But consider

that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Hogs and Pigs report released on March 30 was seen as negative. Most categories showed there were more hogs than the trade had anticipated and the market came under extreme pressure on Monday following the report. All things considered, the hog market will have a difficult time in the face of the negative fundamentals. Therefore, producers should pay close attention to market conditions and respond to any changes in the current fundamentals that affect the market. v

Argentina’s corn harvest was 21.6 percent complete as of April 5 and Brazil’s first corn crop harvest at 60 percent complete. The BAGE left its corn estimate at 32 mmt.

Weekly export sales were poor and the lowest in the last 12 weeks at just 35.4 million bushels. We stayed at 2 percent behind last year’s total commitments.

The USDA is projecting year on year exports to be down 3 percent this year. We need to sell 16.1 million per week to hit the USDA’s current 2.225-billionbushel export target.

The average trade estimates for the April 10 WASDE report: corn carryout at 2.189 billion bushels versus 2.127 billion last month. The Grain Stocks as of March 1 was a bearish number and will be incorporated into the April balance sheets. World carryout is estimated at 197.3 mmt vs. 199.2 mmt last month.

Both Argentina’s and Brazil’s corn estimates are expected to fall. Argentina’s corn crop is estimated at 33.3 mmt vs. 36 mmt last month. Brazil’s corn crop is expected to come in at 91.6 mmt vs. 94.5 mmt last month.

Outlook: For the week, May corn was up threequarters of a cent at $3.88.5 after trading a weekly range from $3.72 to $3.92.5/bu. July corn was managed a three-quarter cent gain to $3.97 and the December corn was up a full penny at $4.12.5. The December’s weekly range was from $3.96 to $4.16/bu.

U.S. planting weather will garner more attention in the next couple of weeks if politics don’t overshadow it. Buckle up for the ride. It could be rough!

Nystrom’s Notes: Contract changes for the week ending April 6: Minneapolis May wheat gained 28.75 cents at $6.07.25, Kansas City soared 39.5 cents higher to $5.06.75, and Chicago was up 21.25 cents at $4.72.25 per bushel. Winter wheat weekly crop ratings as of April 1 showed only 32 percent of the crop in the good/excellent category. Crude oil tumbled $2.88 to $62.06, ULSD and RBOB were each down 6.5 cents, and natural gas fell 3.25 cents. The U.S. dollar at mid-afternoon April 6 was fractionally higher for the week. v

Letters to the editor are always welcome.

Send your letters to: Editor, The Land P.O. Box 3169 Mankato, MN 56002 e-mail: editor@thelandonline.com All letters must be signed and accompanied by a phone number (not for publication) to verify authenticity.

PAGE 22

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Farmland specialist’s career has seen many changes

By DICK HAGEN “I’ve had the good fortune of working The Land Staff Writer with good people. Pat Keltgen has been with us 45 years. Gary Hotovec brought OLIVIA, Minn. — Young people lookhis auctioneering skills into the business ing for an opportunity in the exciting, in 2009. Last fall both joined with me as challenging and often rewarding profesbusiness partners.” sion of farmland advisory work might want to contact the Heller Group in The Heller Group brings well-qualified Olivia. mentoring skills to the table. Heller is a past-president (1998) of the National “We are now offering opportunities for Realtors Land Institute. In 1984-85 he young people to join our firm as licensed was president of the Minnesota real estate agents with the intent they Association of Realtors. On Jan. 20, would become future partners,” Roger Hotovec was inducted into the Minnesota Heller said.

Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame. In At age 86, Heller is strongly hinting Photo by Dick Hagen the early 1960s, when Heller was teachretirement is next. Heller sees opportu- The Heller Group is made up of (left to right): Gary Hotovec, Roger Heller, Pat ing agriculture in Danube, Hotovec was nity for his staff to mentor these younger Keltgen and Marissa Castillo. one of his ag students. people.

Keltgen became a licensed realtor in Heller, founder of the original Heller Farm Land Management of New Ulm. In 2010, we associated 2009. She sees a growing need for skilled farm manManagement Company, explained, “We’ve had a suc- with 1 Stop Realty in Kasson, Minn. Then, in 2009, agers which often are a key link in farm loan develcessful business these many years — both on our we decided to launch our own operation called the own and in recent years with Upper Midwest Farm Heller Group specializing in farm auctions, farmland See HELLER, pg. 23 exchanges and farm management.

Liquidation sales could impact land values, demand SCHMIDT, from pg. 20 Minnesota. This distribution of sale price would look very consistent to the 2016 data.

In Minnesota, cropland is rated on a productivity index system which ranks each soil type based on productivity potential, ranging from 0-100. Average quality farms tend to be in the 80-90 range and good quality farms tend to be in the 90-95 range.

Another statistic that really tells how stable land values have been is the “price per productivity index” which appraisers track on the sales that have occurred. This is calculated by taking the price per tillable acre divided by the productivity index on the cropland soils. In a sense, this is a way to compare apples to apples on different quality farms.

The average price per productivity index on the 2017 sales data is $83.28, compared to the 2016 of $84. This amounts to less than a $100/acre difference between the two sets of data. This indicates that when compared as a whole, the land market has been extremely stable since the beginning of 2016. When you take into consideration some areas of good quality land showing a bit of strength, it is balancing out with some lower quality land showing a bit of weakness. And in some market areas, the gap between high-quality and low-quality land slowly continues to widen.

There seems to be a lot of different opinions on whether the land market is priced too high or if it has simply stabilized before the next increase. There are many factors at play when it comes to the current market and which direction it is headed.

Three years of good yields — It’s no secret grain

MARKETING prices have been much lower than most farmers would like, given the current cost structure to produce an acre of corn or soybeans. However, most farmers have benefited from record or near record yields over the past three years. High production volume has helped to offset lower prices many received for the grain they sold. This has enabled more expansion farmers to participate in the land market and bid up land prices and cash rent. Without the good yields, the financial position would look much worse on many balance sheets and potentially take buyers out of the market.

Going forward, yields and prices will certainly help determine which direction the land market will go. If commodity prices hold in the range they have been and we see reduced yields across the region it could have a negative impact on land values. Additional financial stress to producers could limit market participants and/or the prices they are willing to pay for land or cash rent.

Favorable Interest rates — Interest rates have remained relatively low over the last two years. This has a direct impact on land values because most buyers need to finance the purchase and lower interest rates make borrowing costs lower. Lower interest rates also make other alternative investments less attractive to investors who have been significant participants in the land market over the last two years and have bid up land prices in some areas.

Interest rates have started to creep higher with the Federal Reserve calling for a total of four rate hikes in 2018. If we see rates continue to rise, the higher

cost to borrow could certainly have a negative impact on land values along with the potential of investors looking for other places to put their money.

Supply — There have been a number of recent auction sales across southern Minnesota. There doesn’t seem to be a high concentration of sales in any one market area — meaning there is a good, healthy distribution that shouldn’t supply more acres than any single market can bear.

Potential scenarios which could disrupt supply and take things out of balance would include stressed or liquidation sales. So far, these types of sales have been limited and sporadic throughout the market, so they haven’t caused a disruption. If we see a lessdesirable 2018 crop year and the financial conditions continue to weaken, the likelihood of necessary liquidation of land assets will increase. The question will be whether the demand in those areas will be strong enough to handle the increased supply. If not, the market could become oversupplied and prices will decrease.

These are just a few of the factors at play. 2018 could prove to be a pivotal year in determining the direction of land values. Appraisers can be a great resource if you are looking for information on values in a specific market area or on a specific farm whether it be for sale, purchase or estate purposes. Good rural appraisers diligently track historical sale data and stay up to date with current factors influencing the market to help determine accurate values.

For additional insights from Compeer industry experts or to learn more about Compeer’s programs, check out Compeer.com/education. v

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

PAGE 23

Farm management services boomed during 1980s crisis HELLER, from pg. 22 opments.

Heller’s take on the future of farmland transactions?

“The activity level is down, as you might expect, in view of the cost-price squeeze now underway. But a decent balance remains between good farmland for sale and buyer demand. Land values have declined slightly on quality land, but there’s enough demand to generally meet asking prices.”

A 1953 graduate of South Dakota State University, Heller earned his master’s degree in 1957. He taught vocational agriculture for 10 years, 1953-62. Adult ag programs were common in those days. Heller had 26 families enrolled in his Farm Financial Records class.

“That was when I started to see the value of good farm management and good financial management. I started attending winter conferences on this subject and that got me acquainted with people managing land. It was called the Minnesota Farm Managers Association in those days.”

This association later became a chapter within the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.

His first year in farm management services was 1963. He teamed up with Frank Sanders, a Bird Island vocational-agriculture teacher who specialized in farm accounting. Heller enjoyed the cropland management challenges. In 1966, Heller and Sanders split the business with Sanders setting up his own farm accounting firm, which still flourishes, and Heller going solo in farm management services.

“I had 12 farms at the end of that first year,” Heller reflected. “Not enough to make a living so I got work wherever … including selling fertilizer and chemicals for a Bird Island dealer. And thankfully, I still had a great banker in Danube (Wayne Kircher) who believed in what we were doing and continued to finance us without any collateral.”

And his farm management service was growing. “By 1968 I had more than I could handle alone. I bought North Star Farm Management Company at Madison, Minn. I had

about 25 accounts at that time; that added 25 more, so now I had 50 accounts in three states. I realized I had to hire additional help … clerical help in my downtown Olivia office and a farm service manager at Appleton, Minn.”

The farm crisis of the 1980s necessitated further expansion because he was suddenly handling properties for eight major insurance companies with clients from the Mississippi to the Missouri rivers. Farm clients were up to about 100 by then because they were selling up to 60 farms a year.

Heller noted those crisis years were not rewarding work emotionally, but they were financially. “I could not avoid empathy for the farmers I had to deal with. Interest rates jumped as high as 25 percent. But I also had empathy for the guys making these loans because they too were losing customers. Those were not good years for agriculture, but you just had to deal with it.”

Heller recalls Renville County land selling for $3,000 per acre in 1980 and then selling for $800/acre in 1985. But the 1986 farm bill under President Reagan stabilized farm income. Interest rates came back down and people regained confidence in agriculture.

In 2005, Heller sold his firm to Upper Midwest Management in New Ulm. He agreed to manage its real estate department for 18 months which expanded to three years. Sensing an expanding real estate market, he licensed with 1 Stop Realty with name rights of The Heller Group. Soon he was rehiring some of his previous employees. As he put it, “We cranked up again.”

However, this past November Heller decided it was time to downsize. Today he has a four-person operation known as The Heller Group Land Company, LLC. In January, two young people — Tyler Waldner and Abby Kristensen, both from South Dakota — became licensed with The Heller Group. They now operate a successful farm sales and management business, the AgVisors, in Redfield, S.D. Brian Fernholz at Madison rounds out the staff of ag professionals.

To learn more, visit www.hellergroup landsales.com. v

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THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

Information management vital for successful farming

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer OWATONNA, Minn. — Stroll the North American Farm and Power Show and a predictable vendor year after year is Bernie Paulson of Bernie Paulson McPherson Crop Management in Janesville. A predictable lead question to Paulson each year is, “What’s new, Bernie?”

That question is like opening a dictionary. This year he asked, “Well, do you want to talk soil sampling, or crop scouting, or variable rate prescriptions, or data management, or Trimble software, or GreenSeeker crop sensors or UAV technology?”

There was more, but The Land just wanted the newest scoop.

To which, he responded, “Well then let’s just look at what’s going on in the country. And what we find is farmers struggling with all the data they are collecting these days. What we used to do was try to sell them some software

to access this world of information. But we realized that wasn’t really getting the job done. Then we got into more onthe-farm visits. But time and manpower didn’t get us very far down that road either.

“We found the most efficient — both for the farmer and us — was to bring his information to our office at Janesville. Then sit down with us and explain all these various pieces of information on his data cards that we might not know about. We’re talking information collected at the beginning of the season on planting, fertilizing, herbicide applications and at the end of the season, yield information.

“At this stage we can really focus on helping a customer digest all that information. It’s complex. Farmers collect scads of information. Our job is to simplify this entire process and give that farmer something he can take action on. We teach the process. He takes it from there.”

There are several ways to bring information in.

“There’s the cloud. A tech-savvy farm-

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er can upload to a site which we can then download. We have guys who aren’t so savvy and they just bring their data stick right to the office … once after planting, then again after harvest. Then before spring they want their action plan. We give their data stick back to them with their action plan now loaded on their data stick.”

So how many client visits are required either at the office or on farm? “We’ll see a client three to five times a year.”

And the obvious question: What do you charge your farmers for this warehouse of information which you plug into his data stick? A lot of the service work is done by the acre, Paulson said, based on pre-determined acre prices with costs from 50 cents an acre to perhaps $5.50 for all the steps of data management. There are some uploading fees to get things set up or intense analyses such as multiple treatments and multiple products or various rates of application comparisons. Those are by-the-hour charges.

“So if a farmer says, ‘I’ve got five different nitrogen treatments out here and I’ve got three hog barns. I’ve got different things going on. I’ve got them marked. Tell us what this means.’ Well, you can see that would be hourly rates because we don’t know how long this

might take. We make an estimation from our experiences. It could be $125 to $150 an hour. We’re not in that ‘attorney rate,’ but we need to cover our costs,” Paulson said.

In this day of questionable breakevens, Paulson said there is a growing awareness of need and a growing interest in our services.

“We are even seeing referrals from clients we have assisted in past years.

We’re a growing business because of the difficulties in making a margin in today’s environment. Sharp farmers are looking for information from their own data set and they’re looking for information from somebody who is not trying to sell them a product,” he said.

McPherson Crop Management is also an opportunity for college students looking for unique summer internships.

“We need field crew students. We need young guys, young gals with a good work ethic and who realize how important their job is to scout a field, to soil sample a field, to do tissue analysis. Our field workers are vital. South Central College at Mankato has been a great student source for us,” he said.

For more information, visit www. mcmfarmworks.com. v

Are livestock ready for spring?

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — It might not feel like it, but it is officially spring.

Spring will be wet, and wet conditions can lead to all sorts of problems for livestock.

Warm, moist environments are optimum for most bacteria. Animals in these conditions are susceptible to a whole host of issues and diseases. The single most important thing you can do is keep livestock clean and dry. Kneel down into the bedding. If you stand up with wet knees, your livestock are getting wet as well.

Also consider where livestock are housed, like at the bottom of a slope.

Buildings can’t be moved, but pens and paddocks could temporarily be relocated to prevent animals from standing in mud which can lead to significant hoof issues such as foot rot.

As temperatures increase, so should air exchange rates. This is done to remove any excess heat. Also look at

general air quality. Are your animals breathing heavy? Are their noses runny? Tying back to damp conditions, air exchange needs to increase if moisture and ammonia from wet and soiled bedding makes the space damp and smelly.

In addition to thinking spring, now is the time to also think summer. Take some time to look at your heat abatement measures. Make sure fans are properly functioning, complete any routine maintenance and repair any damages. In addition, make sure they are positioned at the proper angles.

Checking these systems now could help avoid delays in getting them working properly when the hot weather hits.

Spring is certainly a busy time, and most time is dedicated to the fields, but don’t forget about your livestock!

This article was submitted by University of Minnesota Extension. v

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

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Sod Retirement

AUCTION

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AUCTIONEER’S NOTE: Dale is retiring from the sod business and will be selling his equipment.

SOD HARVESTER / 2WD TRACTOR / SEEDER / SPRAYER MOWERS / RAKE / TILLAGE EQUIPMENT / OTHER EQUIPMENT TRUCK & TRAILERS / TIRES Steffes Group, Inc.

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Saturday, April 21st - 9 a.m.

55780 St Hwy 19, Winthrop, MN 1/4 mi W of Hwy 19 & 15 intersection

Boats & Vehicles: ‘12 Dodge Grand Caravan, 175,000 mi; ’92 Glastron 17’ boat w/ Mariner 90 HP motor w/ spare prop & 2 fish finders; ’79 Cajun Bass Boat, 15.5’, 100 HP Evinrude motor w/ trolling motor, aux plug-ins & trailer; ’55 Pontiac, 4-door, does not run; Stahl service truck box; Farm Machinery & Equipment: IH 656 w/ Westendor f loader w/ hyd, 3pt & PTO; IH 574 w/ loader, gas, 1703 hrs, WF, 3pt, PTO; IH 720 5-bt plow; Alfa Delaval 340 TMR mixer, 4-auger; Case IH 5200 drill, 20’, 3pt, markers; Tye drill, 3pt, 13’; New Holland 271 baler; New Idea manure spreader; New Idea sickle mower; Kewanee 300, 52’ elevator; Minnesota hay rake; silage box, 16’, 12 ton Minnesota tandem gear; cattle gates; 12 - cattle panels, 16’; hog nursery plastic fence; chicken waterers & feeders; milk & cream cans; Lumber, Lawn, Garden, Shop & Tools: Ber co 72” UTV snowblower w/ Honda GX690 engine, very little use; JD 14SB push-mower w/ new clutch & clean carb; Craftsman 21” push-mower w/ B&S 550 EX motor; Snapper self-propelled mower, 5.5 HP w/ bag; Simplicity snow blower; Toro Snow Hound snow blower; wood splitter; Homelite 16” diesel chainsaw; Tahoe 7000 LXH diesel generator, 10 HP, 120/240 volt; Kubota 2-cyl Pony Pack; Large Amount of home sawed lumber includes (quantity): Walnut 2” x 8” x 8½’ (5), 1” x 3-13” x 8-10’ (90), 1” x 7” x 13’ (6), 1” x 4-8” x 9’ (190) & 1” x 5-10” x 8-9’ (102), Oak 1” x 5-10” x 8-10’ (513), 2” x 11” x 11’ (1), 2” x 6” x 7’ (9); wooden fence posts; Guns, Outdoor & Sport Equip: Remington 700, 22-250REM, bolt; Winchester Model 70, 30-06, bolt; Remington 742 Woodmaster, 30-06, semi w/ Redfield Illuminator scope; Remington 742 Woodmaster, 30-06, semi w/ Redfield 3x-9x scope; Remington 1100, 12 ga, semi; Remington 870, 12 ga, pump; Remington gun barrels, 12 ga; assorted ammo including .22 cal, 30-06, 12 ga; deer hoist & gambrel; Caldwell Lead Sled; arrows; gun cases; pistol belt; fish finders; fishing poles; saddles; Kouba prints; Redlin prints;

Farm Antiques, Collectibles, Tools, Household, Toys & More!

View terms, complete list & photos at: magesland.com

Area Neighbors

Auctioneer: Matt Mages, 507-276-7002 Lic: 08-17-003

Clerk: Mages Land Co. & Auction Service, LLC. Terms: 10% Buyer s Premium Fire ar ms buyer s must have valid drivers license. Pistol buyers must have valid “permit to purchase”. Not Responsible for Accidents.

magesland.com

FOR SALE: JD 7000 6R planter; 28' Wilrich field cultivator; 6R Noble row crop cultivator w/Danish shanks; several gravity wagons. (507)426-7879 IH 620 24' press drill, 6” spacings, $1,850; Wil-Rich 614NT 27' HD disc, 26” blades, 10” spacings, 385x22.5 tires, HD 3 bar harrow, exc cond, $27,750; '08 JD 7830 MFW tractor, 20spd PQ, 3 hyds, 540/1000 PTO, 4500 hrs, 18.4x46 w/ duals, $74,750; Demco Conquest 1100 gal 90' sprayer, $5,450; Kongskilde 28' Danish tine field cult, w/ Case IH harrow, $2,450. 320-7692756

TRACTORS, LOADER, & LOADER ATTACHMENTS / GPS / CRAWLER DOZER / SKID STEER LOADER & ATTACHMENTS / HEADS & SWATHER / GRAIN CART / PLANTER / TILLAGE EQUIPMENT / SEMI TRACTORS / TRAILERS / FEED TRUCK & GRINDER / LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT / GRAIN HANDLING EQUIPMENT / OTHER EQUIPMENT / LAWN TRACTOR SHOP EQUIPMENT / RECREATION / TANKS / TIRES, PARTS & FARM SUPPORT ITEMS

COMPLETE TERMS, LOT LISTINGS AND PHOTOS AT

035

Stormor Bins & EZ-Drys. FOR SALE: '10 JD 3955 42' Little Giant grain eleva- FOR SALE: CAT 3pt forklift, $1,000. Truxedo roll top 100% financing w/no liens chopper; older 2RN corntor PTO, $400/OBO; 32' bale cover, fits GM 2014 or newor red tape, call Steve at head; 7 1/2' hay head; both elevator plus (2) 8' secer, fits 5' 8” box, like new, Fairfax Ag for an appointgreen Meyers 3516 chopper tions, $500/OBO; (4) 16' black, $250. 507-236-1387 ment. 888-830-7757 box w/12T MN running steel kicker racks gear; Meyers 4516 w/10T $1,000/ea/OBO; 3 PT head Meyers running gear; '08 mover, $500,OBO; RB 500 FOR SALE: Fantini chopGrain Handling Equip 034 ping 8R & 12R CH; 70' Patz LT 420 vertical mixergrain dryer, $12,000; large Elmer drag, Merritt alum FOR SALE:Used grain bins, left hand discharge w/3' exstraw bales, $35/ea. 608-539hopper grain trailers; '89 floors unload systems, stitension; 250' Berg Barn 2100 IH 1680 combine; 24R30” rators, fans & heaters, aercleaner chain 16" counter FOR SALE: 30' cargo water JD pl on Kinze bar; Big A ation fans, buying or sellclockwise; Berg 400 Shoretrailer, (3) 1,000 gal tanks, floater; 175 Michigan ldr; ing, try me first and also master drive unit; 430 15 gal inductor, 5HP gas IH 964 CH; White 706 & 708 call for very competitive Weaverline feed cart. 651motor w/2” hookups.

CH & parts; White plows & contract rates!

Office 278-1449 parts; 54' 4300 IH field culhours 8am-5pm Monday – FOR SALE: Clark forklift, tivator; JD 44' field cult; Friday Saturday 9am - 12 8300 JD drill with grass seed, 3pt hitch, 3 stage; also 43” 3300 Hiniker field cult; noon or call 507-697-6133 silver steel Adkins sawmill 13', $4,800. 612-390-2643 header trailer. 507-380-5324 Ask for Gary blade. 320-398-7112

4.42” x 5”

JD 520 3pt drill, 20', markers, 10” spacings, Tru-V press wheels, exc cond, $4,900; JD 7000 6x30 planter, dry fertilizer, monitor, insecticide boxes, $4,750; 2000 gal fuel tank w/ HD pump, $1,950; Degelman reel type PTO drive rock picker, $2,250; JD 1065 A running gear, w/ extension pole, $850. 320-769-2756 NH 315 hay baler, w/kicker & auto bale tightener, great shape, $8,000/OBO; (3) kicker wagons, 9x16, w/8 ton running gears, extra wide track, great shape, $1,800/OBO; 50' Eagle small bale elevator, w/1 HP 220V motor & 50' cord, w/running gear, $1,600/OBO; IH 180 rotary hoe, used 1x on 50acre field, $2,000/OBO; (2) Ford 8N hoods, 1 new & in box, plus 1 used grill, $350/OBO for all. All above equip has always been shedded. Call & leave message (507)689-2308 NH 8260 115HP CAH, MFWD, 18spd, PS, reverser trans, 11,500 hours, $22,500/OBO or trade. 320543-3523

HHHHHHHHHHHH H WEEKLY H H H H AUCTION H H Every Wednesday H H 4:30 PM - Firewood H H H Hay & Straw H H H H Homestead H H Sales, Inc. H H HWY 15 N, H HUTCHINSON, MN H H H H 320-433-4250 H homesteadsalesinc.com H H HHHHHHHHHHHH

4.417” x 4”

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

RETIRING

A. L. BUSEMAN Industries Closing Doors In June!

20% DISCOUNT

On All Parts On Hand

LOTS OF PARTS 18-20-22-24” Blades

For Most Brands Great Plains, Kent, Glencoe, Hiniker, Brady, C-IH, JD, Kewanee, Etc.

Used Farm Equip www.albusemanind.com

319-347-6282 Riteway Model RR 250 rock picker, like new, delivery avail, $6,950. 815-988-2074 We buy Salvage Equipment Parts Available Hammell Equip., Inc. (507)867-4910 Tractors

036

'68 JD 4020, 5,897 original hrs, year round cab, good shape, $10,900. 815-988-2074 FOR SALE: '02 MTX 140 McCormick, 3245 hrs, 2795 Buhler ldr w/ 90” bucket, has duals, 3pt, power shift, exc condition. 507-276-3654 FOR SALE: '09 Challenger MT675C, FWA, 320HP, loaded, $75,500. 507-376-3290 FOR SALE: JD 2640 w/ 146 loader, 3100 hrs, new front tires, chains, hay spear, bucket, excellent shape, $13,250. 507-584-1241 FOR SALE: JD 4640, powershift, 3 outlet, 7840 hrs, 18.4x42 tires & duals, nice, $22,500. (507)330-4028 FOR SALE: JD 8650, 16spd Quad, 7460 hrs, PTO, Qwik Tach, 3 SCVs, OH'd at 5355 hrs, 23.1x34 tires & duals, near St. Cloud, $23,500. 320493-0878 JD 6115D, MFD, w/JD H310 ldr, exc cond, $400; D19 Allis Chalmers gas tractor, w/3pt hitch, good rubber & tin, exc cond. (507)381-5781 JD 6125R, MFWD, w/ldr, 800+ hrs, premium tractor guidance ready, IVT transmission, very nice shape.

(507)642-8028 NEW AND USED TRACTOR PARTS JD 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 55, 50 Series & newer tractors, AC-all models, Large Inventory, We ship! Mark Heitman Tractor Salvage 715-673-4829 White 2-70 diesel tractor, very good condition, $5,500, w/implements.(608)712-6029 Harvesting Equip

037

FOR SALE: '08 Fantini 8R chopping cornhead, V/S drive gear box, double transmission drive, ear saving side augers, set up for JD combine, one owner, low acres, field ready $23,500. 507-327-6430 FOR SALE: '15 McDon FD75, 35' draper head, AWS air reel, one owner, low acres, approximately 1900 acres, field ready, $66,900.

507-327-6430

PAGE 27 4306 109th Ave SE, Litchville, ND

165.82ac of Sibley County Farm Land

Farm Retirement

$1,000,000 ($6,030 per acre)

RASM MLS: 7016975 N/S MLS: 4916206

THURSDAY, APRIL 19 | 10AM

Directions to land: From Gaylord, go North on County Rd #21 approx. 2 miles. Land will be on both sides of the road. Watch for signs!

AUCTIONEER’S NOTE: Major equipment begins selling at 10:30 AM. Live online bidding available on major equipment. Registration, terms, & details at SteffesGroup.com.

Location of property within Sibley County: Dryden Twp, Section 22, Range 28

Location: 4306 109th Ave SE, Litchville, ND. From I-94 Exit 288 (Hwy. 1), 8-1/2 miles south, 4 miles west to County Rd. 32 or 43rd Street; or from the jct. of Hwy. 1 and Hwy. 46, 11 miles north, 4 miles west.

PID’s: 2018 Proposed Taxes: 12.2202.000 $1,906 12.2205.000 $166

Tractors & Loaders / GPS & Monitoring Equipment / Combines / Heads & Header Trailers Grain Cart / Air Drill / Planters / Tillage Equipment / Semi Tractors / Trucks Pickups / Hopper Bottoms & Other Trailers / Sprayers / NH3 & Fertilizer/ Chemical Equipment / Hopper Bin & Grain Storage Ring / Seed Tender & Grain Handling Equipment Other Equipment / Radios / Farm Support Items & Parts

Total of farm: 165.82 acres, approx. 140.05 acres tillable.

Productivity Index: 89.7 This is an outstanding opportunity to own productive, well tiled farm land just North of Gaylord, MN. Do not miss this chance!

Note: All acres are published based on survey, Sibley County Online Records and FSA records.

Listing Agent: Matt Mages, 507-276-7002 Broker: Matt Mages 507-276-7002; Larry Mages 507-228-8352

magesland.com

FARM RETIREMENT

Steffes Group, Inc. 2000 Main Ave E, West Fargo, ND

SteffesGroup.com

LOCATION: 13649 358th Ave., Ipswich, SD 57451

AUCTION FRIDAY, APRIL 20

2018

035

FOR SALE: Gehl 1540 blower. 715-896-1050

|

10AM

2018

Farm Implements

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

AUCTIONEER’S NOTE: Major equipment begins selling at 11:00 AM. Live online bidding available on major equipment.

MFWD TRACTOR / COMBINE / CORN HEADS / FLEX, PICKUP, & RIGID HEADS GRAIN CART / CONVENTIONAL TRUCKS / SERVICE TRUCKS / PICKUP, SUVS, & BUS / HOPPER BOTTOM TRAILERS / COMBINE TRAILERS / HEADER TRAILERS / TRAVEL TRAILERS / OTHER TRAILERS & EQUIPMENT / SHOP EQUIPMENT / PARTS / AND MUCH MORE! Registration, terms, & details at SteffesGroup.com

Steffes Group, Inc.

24400 MN Hwy 22 S, Litchfield, MN | 320.693.9371

SteffesGroup.com

Randy Kath, Auctioneer

MAURER BROTHERS CUSTOM HARVESTING Greg, 605.380.0610

or Randy Kath at Steffes Group, 320.693.9371 or 701.429.8894

TERMS: All items sold as is where is. Payment of cash or check must be made sale day before removal of items.

Statements made auction day take precedence over all advertising. $35 documentation fee applies to all titled vehicles.

Titles will be mailed. Canadian buyers need a bank letter of credit to facilitate border transfer. SD Sales Tax Laws apply.

Brad Olstad ND319

CHUCK & MARY ANN RIEDMAN / 701.840.0592 or Brad Olstad at Steffes Group, 701.237.9173 or 701.238.0240 TERMS: All items sold as is where is. Payment of cash or check must be made sale day before removal of items. Statements made auction day take precedence over all advertising. $35 documentation fee applies to all titled vehicles. Titles will be mailed. Canadian buyers need a bank letter of credit to facilitate border transfer.

PAGE 28

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018 Please visit our website:

thelandonline.com

EDIGER AUCTION SERVICE Your Auctioneers

Col. Pat Ediger, Samantha Ediger-Johnson, Erika (Ediger) & Jim Connolly

AUCTION

Sat., ApRIl 21, 2018 - 9:00 A.M. 23228 401st Ave., Arlington, MN 55307 (behind Dollar General on Hwy 5)

See pics & list at: www.midwestauctions.com/ediger Complete wall-to-wall liquidation of all repair equipment, support equipment, SnapOn Tools, Ford tractor, JD lawn tractor, welders and shop supplies & inventory.

Complete set of Inland test & repair radiator test tanks; 54” Snap-On tool box full of 98% Snap-On tools; JD 318 riding lawn tractor w/60” deck, 44” blower, hard cab & chains; Ford 2N tractor w/step-up trans. and push blade; 18’ home built 5th wheel flatbed trailer; Miller, Lincoln & Chicago welders; clamps; stands; jacks; 7.3 Ford diesel engine; assortment of new & reconditioned radiators plus shelf inventory; office items.

OWNERs: A&N Radiator, Allen & Nicki scharn

Auctioneers: Col. Pat Ediger, Samantha Ediger-Johnson, Erika (Ediger) & James Connolly Lic. 70-06; 72-03; 70-85; 70-56 Belle Plaine & Arlington, Minn.

PHonE (952) 873-2292 or (952) 855-6607 Clerk: Ediger Auction Service-Belle Plaine, Minn. Deb Ediger Office Manager.

Terms: Settlement due within 15 min. of auction conclusion with Personal Check, Cash or Major Credit Card (Credit cards will be charged a 5% convenience fee.)

There will be a 10% Buyer’s Premium that applies to this auction.

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018 Planting Equip

038

Case-IH 5100 12' Grain Drill Double Disc Grass Seed Press Wheels, Excellent Condition, $4,900/OBO. 715307-4736 FOR SALE: 12 Martin til single disc fertilizer coulters, in good shape, $1,000/OBO. 320-293-3302

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

Now you can renew your subscription online and pay with your credit card when you visit our website

www.thelandonline.com

FOR SALE: 15' Marliss notill soybean drill, w/ coulter cart, 10” row spacing; 6”x12' hyd auger w/hoses, w/hopper for gravity box.

(612)741-7949 FOR SALE: 45' Great Plains solid stand drill, 7.5” spacing. Marietta, MN (320)2263837 HYDRAULIC FLAT FOLD MARKERS. Will fit anything, $3,500. Ray's Machine Shop, call or text 712297-7951 120 DAY SPECIAL JD 7000 planter, 6R30”, dry fertilizer w/cross auger, monitor, bean meters & corn finger pickup, $8,250.

(612)703-3710 JD planter 7000 8R30" Liquid Fertilizer, $3,500/OBO (or best offer). (507)676-0624 Trailer 1300G Liquid Fertilizer Tender Trailer - Honda pump, $5,000/OBO (or best offer). (507)676-0624 Unverferth 3750 Seed Tender 2010 - 6" conveyor, 2410 Scale, 2 bins, GX340 Honda Engine w/ electric start, Roll Tarp. One owner, always shedded. $19,000/OBO (320) 522-1212

Do you need farm equipment?

Look in THE LAND first!

Tillage Equip

039

FOR SALE: '13 Case IH 200 37.5' field cultivator, w/2 bar harrow, rolling baskets, exc cond. (320)522-1637 John Deere 22' model 220 disc. 715-896-1050 Machinery Wanted

040

All kinds of New & Used farm equipment – disc chisels, field cults, planters, soil finishers, cornheads, feed mills, discs, balers, haybines, etc. 507-438-9782 WANTED: Gear box for H&S 260 manure spreader or complete spreader. 507450-8554 WANTED: Youth 4 wheeler, 90cc, exc condition. 612-5545673 Spraying Equip

041

'10 Top Air 3pt sprayer, 80' scissor fold, less than 3000 acres, $3,000/OBO; CAT Challenger 55 spray tanks, (2) 250 gal fiberglass tanks, $1,000/OBO. Both always shedded. 507-360-3173 Very nice TopAir 1100 sprayer w/1100 gal tank, 200 gal rinse tank, handwash tank, 60' boom w/hyd fold, new Raven 440 monitor w/new elect valves, hyd driven pump, wide tires in good shape, field ready, $7,000. (507)380-6001

TRACTORS (I) 2013 JD 6125M, MFWD, 24 Spd. Pwr. Quad, Cab, 160 Hrs. ………….$74,900 (I) JD 4450, Cab, 2WD, Quad Range, 140 PTO Hp, Fresh overhaul.…….$35,900 (R) 1993 JD 8570, Cab Heat/AC, Radio, Quad Range, Duals……………….$39,500 (R) 2015 JD 6155R, Cab, MFWD, Duals, Guidance Ready, 640R Ldr….$145,000 (R) 2015 JD 7230R, Cab, MFWD, Duals, e23 Trans, 4 Remotes…………$169,900 EQUIPMENT (R) 2014 JD 835 Center Pull MOCO, 11’6” Cut, Impeller, 3pt Hookup..$28,900 (I) JD 7200 Planter, 6 Row, 30”, Dry Fer�lizer, Fert. Cross Fill Auger….$13,500 (I) 2010 JD 1750 Planter, 6 Row, 30”, Liq. Fer�lizer, 350 Monitor………$28,900 SKID STEER LOADERS (I) 2013 JD 333E Track Loader, Cab Heat/AC, Joys�ck, 2 Speed………...$49,900 (I) 2012 JD 320D, Cab w/Heat/AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, 900 HRS...$26,900 (R) 2010 JD 318D Skid Steer, Cab, Heat/AC, 2‐Spd, Foot Controls……..$25,900 LAWN & GARDEN TRACTORS AND ZERO TURN MOWERS (I) 2003 JD X475 Garden Tractor, 23 Hp Liq. Cool Kawasaki, 62”……….$3,500 (I) 2013 JD X730 Garden Tractor, 25 Hp EFI Kawasaki, 54” Deck………..$7,295 (I) 15’ JD X738 Garden Tractor, 25 Hp EFI, 4WD, 3pt Hitch, 54” deck..$10,495 (I) 2017 JD Z930M EFI Z‐Turn Lease Return, 60” Deck, 209 Hrs………….$9,495 (I) 2017 JD Z930M EFI Z‐Turn, 60” Mulch on Demand, 230 Hrs………..$9,995 ATV’s & Gators (I) 11’ Polaris Ranger 800XP, So� Cab Enclosure. 4 Wheel Drive………...$8,995 (I) JD 825i XUV, Power Steering, Pwr Box Li�, 4WD, Box Li�……………..$10,500 (R) JD 625i Gator, 4WD, Alloy Rims, Radial Tires, Brush Guard……………$7,900

MINNESOTA EQUIPMENT

(R) Rogers: 763‐428‐4107 (I) Isan�: 763‐444‐8873 www.MinnesotaEquipment.com

PAGE 29

PAGE 30

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet” Spraying Equip

041

FOR SALE: Century sprayer, 60' boom, tandem axle, 750 gal tank, hyd fold, height, pump, very good cond, always shedded, $4,300/OBO. 507-451-9614

Spraying Equip

041

FOR SALE: FAST 963P 60' boom & Demco Sidequest tanks, Three point Fast boom and Demco 500 gallon tanks, JD 8000 mounts, $7,500/ea. (712) 260-5077

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018 Farm Services

Upcoming Issues of THE LAND Southern MNNorthern MN Northern IA April 27, 2018 April 20, 2018 May 11, 2018 May 4, 2018 May 25, 2018 May 18, 2018 June 8, 2018 June 1, 2018 June 22, 2018 Deadlines are 8 days prior to publication with Holiday deadlines 1 day earlier.

Ask Your Auctioneer to Place Your Auction in The Land!

051

BIO-CALCIUM (this is larger font and bold if possible) When Bio Liquid Calcium is cheaper and more effective tan lime! Let us help fix PH and Hardpan problems!

Also Avail. Organic certified Product Missed liming last fall, you are not out!

Apply Calcium now!

Fix hard pan.

Call Gary at 715-533-0174 Fertilizer Equip: S/S 1650 gal 4 whl nurse caddy, $1,750; S/S Adams 5T dry spreader, $1,950; John Blue LM 4955s grd dr pump w/ drive Like New, $895; Hutch Enterprises 40' 15 shank applicator, $3,995; John Blue 4455 grd drive pump, $3995; 9”x48” Kelborg duals 90%+ w/ JD 9 bolt hubs, $995. 507381-6719 Livestock

054

FOR SALE: Black Angus bulls also Hamp, York, & Hamp/Duroc boars & gilts.

320-598-3790 Dairy

PO Box 3169 • Mankato, MN 56002 Phone: 507-345-4523 or 800-657-4665 Fax: 507-345-1027 Website: www.TheLandOnline.com e-mail: theland@TheLandOnline.com

Cattle

056 Swine

Niesen's Silo Demolition 28 registered pure bred black We pay cash for Harvestors, Angus cows and heifers. charge for Stave silos. Turn Dan at 715-559-2989 your old combines and machinery into cash.

Call FOR SALE OR LEASE REGISTERED BLACK Dennis 507-995-2331 ANGUS Bulls, 2 year old & yearlings; bred heifers, Feed Seed Hay 050 calving ease, club calves & balance performance. Al FOR SALE: Dairy quality nd th sired. In herd improvement alfalfa hay, 2 & 5 cutprogram. J.W. Riverview ting, 3x3x8 squares. (507) Angus Farm Glencoe, MN 227-2602 55336 Conklin Dealer 320OPEN Pollinated Seed Corn.

864-4625 Outproduces Hybrid for Silage. $67/bushel plus ship- FOR SALE: 37 head of Hereping. 217-857-3377 ford cattle.

Indianhead Polled Hereford AssociaWANTED TO BUY: Damtion 2018 Spring Opportuniaged corn, soybeans & othty Sale; Sat., April 14, er grains. Call Schwieger 2018;UW-Mann Valley Lab Cattle LLC. (507)236-5181 Farm Auction 12 p.m. View Wheat straw 3x4x8 tops & Cattle at 10:30 a.m. Selling btms, dried out, tops 5 bulls, 9 young cows caramelled, exc feed & bedw/calves, 22 open heifers, 5 ding when ground. $55/ton embryo packages.

One st del. Also lg rnds 1 grass & heifer to be raffled as a 1st alfalfa, $90-$115/ton del. fundraiser. View or request Tim 320-221-2085 catalog online at: Fertilizer & Chem

If you’re having a Farm Auction, let other Farmers know it!

045

055

5 Angus Holstein, Breed to calve Sept. 2018. Call (715) 363-2456 Fancy Fresh Holstein Heifers and Springing Heifers, AI sired, reasonable price, low SCC. 608214-3798 WANTED TO BUY: Dairy heifers and cows. 320-2352664

065

Compart's total program features superior boars & open gilts documented by BLUP technology. Duroc, York, Landrace & F1 lines.

Terminal boars offer leanness, muscle, growth. Maternal gilts & boars are productive, lean, durable.

All are stress free & PRRS free. Semen also available through Elite Genes A.I. Make 'em Grow! Comparts Boar Store, INC. Toll Free: 877-441-2627 FOR SALE: Yorkshire, Hampshire, Duroc & Hamp/Duroc boars, also gilts. Excellent selection.

Raised outside. Exc herd health. No PRSS. Delivery avail. 320-760-0365 Pets & Supplies

070

Australian Shepherd puppies.

Red merles & red tri's.

From working parents with www.indianheadherefords.com excellent depositions. Shots Or contact us at done. $600 cash. No Sunday 715-760-2350 sales. Reuben A. Schrock, S2104 Eagle View Ln, WestPolled Hereford bulls, exc by, WI 54667 growth & calving ease, semen tested; also Hereford black baldy replacement Livestock Equip 075 heifers.

Jones Farms, LeSueur. (507)317-5996 FOR SALE: Berg Barn Cleaner counter clockwise Registered Texas Longhorn complete power head chute breeding stock, cows, & 176' of chain. One round heifers or roping stock, top hog feeder, two farrowing blood lines. 507-235-3467 crates, Priced reasonably.

815-632-7254 or 815-535-5236 Salers & Salers/Angus cross yearling bulls, low birth 090 weights, good disposition, Miscellaneous easy calving. Call Oakhill Automatic 200 roller mill, Farms (507)642-8028 3HP, 220V, $225. Mayrath 6" auger drive head, 1.5HP, WANT TO BUY: Butcher $50. 715-557-0762 cows, bulls, fats & walkable cripples; also horses, FOR SALE: Country Clipper sheep & goats. 320-235-2664 zero turn 60” mower, Challenger 510 commercial Horse 057 grade w/24 HP Kawasaki engine, hand rail & joy2 - Red Sorrel Belgium stud stick, 32 hrs of use, 2014 colts, full brothers, pulling model, excellent condition, bloodline, very stout made. $5,500. (507)294-3373 Yearling, $3,500 & 2 yr. old, $4,500. Call (715)308-7608 WANT MORE READERS TO SEE YOUR AD??

Sheep 060 Expand your coverage area!

The Land has teamed up FOR SALE: Dorset & Sufwith Farm News, and The folk fall ram lambs, for Country Today so you can breeding or show. (952)466do just that! Place a classi5876 fied ad in The Land and have the option of placing it Goats 062 in these papers as well.

More readers = better reFOR SALE: Registered sults! Call The Land for Nigerian Dwarf newborn more information. 507-345kids and also adult does.

4523 • 800-657-4665 608-606-1743

CLASSIFIED LINE ADS WORK! Get Results! Sell it FAST when you advertise in The Land!

Call us today at 507-345-4523 or 800-657-4665

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet” Miscellaneous

PAGE 31 090

Miscellaneous

090

Miscellaneous

090

FOR SALE: 10'x10'x7' chick- PARMA DRAINAGE WANTED: Anything blacken coop; (4) Osborne round smith related, anvils, powPUMPS New pumps & hog feeders; 58' of 2”x8” er hammers, swage blocks, parts on hand. Call MinPVC plank; Snapper 30” cones, welton vises; Neil at nesota's largest distributor lawn mower. (507)342-5416 260-413-0626 HJ Olson & Company 320974-8990 Cell – 320-212-5336 One call does it all!

Winpower Sales & Service With one phone call, you can Reliable Power Solutions place your classified ad in REINKE IRRIGATION Since 1925 PTO & automatThe Land, Farm News, Sales & Service ic Emergency Electric New & Used AND The Country Today.

Generators. New & Used For your irrigation needs Call The Land for more Rich Opsata-Distributor info @ 507-345-4523 • 800-657- 888-830-7757 or 507-276-2073 800-343-9376 4665.

ADVERTISER LISTING Ahrens Bin Sales .................................................... 31 Anderson Seeds ...................................................... 13 Compeer Financial ................................................... 3 Courtland Waste Handling ...................................... 17 Dahl Farm Supply .................................................... 8 Dakota Auctioneers ................................................ 28 Diers Ag & Trailer Sales ........................................ 10 Doda USA ............................................................. 11 Ediger Auction ....................................................... 28 Factory Home Center ............................................... 6 Freudenthal Dairy & Mfg ....................................... 15 Gehl Company ....................................................... 16 Greater MN Two Cylinder Club .............................. 25 Greenwald Farm Center .......................................... 29 Henslin Auctions .................................................... 27 K-Bid Online Auctions ............................................. 9 Keith Bode ............................................................. 30 Larson Implement .............................................25, 29 Lundeen Auction .................................................... 25 Mages Auction ..................................................26, 27 Mid-American Auction ........................................... 26 Minnesota Equipment ............................................. 29 Minnesota Soybean .................................................. 5 Pruess Elevator ...................................................... 31 Resler Spots & Durocs ............................................. 7 Schwartz Farms ...................................................... 28 Schweiss Doors ...................................................... 30 SI Feeder/Schoessow .............................................. 14 Smiths Mill Implement ........................................... 31 Spanier Welding ..................................................... 19 Steffes Group ....................................... 25, 26, 27, 28, Wayne Pike Auction ................................................28

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PAGE 32

www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”

THE LAND — APRIL 6/APRIL 13, 2018

This week’s Back Roads is the work of The Land Correspondent Tim King. Photos by Jan King.

I

Metal masters

f what you need is made from steel or aluminum, Mark’s Welding and Steel Sales near Osakis, Minn. probably has it or can make it. And if you already own it but it’s broken, they can likely fix it.

“No job is too big or too small for us,” owner Ken Kraemer says.

To prove his point, he takes us to the work station for Timmy — one of the shop’s metal workers. Timmy is doing a quick repair job on somebody’s broken Revere Ware kitchen kettle. When he finishes that TIG (gas tungsten arc welding) job, Timmy turns back to the big tubular steel stand he’s fabricating.

“Panther Distillery needs this to put a big piece of equipment on,” Timmy says.

Kraemer, who farms near Osakis, bought the business from the original owner in 2014.

“My dad came here and I was also Mark’s customer,” he said. “When Mark wanted to retire after 30 years, buying the shop seemed like a good idea.”

Osakis, Minn.

The purchase has worked out for Kraemer, who continues to have a first-class farm equipment repair shop nearby, and for the customers that come from as far away as St. Cloud, Willmar and Morris.

They come because Mark’s Welding can custom machine a PTO shaft for them and provide all of the hardware necessary to get back to work ASAP. They also come because they have an idea and the crew at Mark’s can probably turn it into a reality.

“An area farmer wanted a large reel to mount on his skid steer loader to use for rolling up manure hose,” Kraemer said. “We made that and he liked it so much he wants a couple more.”

Customers come because Mark’s has a retail store with most sizes of chain, sprockets, pulleys, bearings, PTO yokes, and most sizes, grades, and types of bolts and nuts.

“We expanded our bolt selection when we took over,” Kraemer said. “I hate to have somebody come and not find what they want.”

Like any good blacksmith shop, Mark’s has some of its own products.

Kraemer says his line of bale feeders for cattle, calves and horses are popular. So are the field tile guards.

“We’ve made some improvements on the tile guards,” Kraemer said. “Ours don’t fall or blow over.”

Mark’s Welding is a good place to work also, says precision machinist Kyle Baker who started when he was 15 years old and had to ride a bicycle to work.

“I remember I drilled a lot of holes that first year,” Baker, who’s been at Mark’s for 33 years, said. v

Page 4 - April 2018

THE LAND, Advertising Supplement

PROPER INSULATION LOWERS HEATING BILLS AND PREVENTS CONDENSATION & RUST ESTIMATES ARE FREE

© 2018

April 2018

(800) 657-4665 www.TheLandOnline.com theland@TheLandOnline.com P.O. Box 3169, Mankato, MN 56002

O G T ’ N O D R E H T ANO H T I W R A E Y G N I K A E L A F O O R L A T ME

Before

After

Before

After

Eliminate Leaks • Tighten Fasteners • Prevent Rust

greener world solutions CALL EDULE H C S TO E A FRE ATE ESTIM

855-612-8038 www.greenerworldsolutions.com A Minnesota Family-Owned Business

MN LIC BC639351

greener world solutions CALL E HEDUL TO SC E A FRE ATE ESTIM

855-612-8038 www.greenerworldsolutions.com A Minnesota Family-Owned Business MN LIC BC639351

SPRAY FOAM

Page 2 - April 2018

THE LAND, Advertising Supplement

S P O SH S N BAR S D SHE S E INSULATION M O H

greener world solutions CALL E HEDUL TO SC E A FRE ATE ESTIM

855-612-8038 www.greenerworldsolutions.com A Minnesota Family-Owned Business MN LIC BC639351

THE LAND, Advertising Supplement

O O T T N N I I G G N N I I PR SR SP A A H H T T I I W W G G N N I I R R P P SS T T A A O O C C H H S S E E R R FF ! ! ! ! ! !

T T N N I I A A P P OFOF

April 2018 - Page 3

Custom colors available

greener world solutions CALL E HEDUL TO SC E A FRE ATE ESTIM

855-612-8038 www.greenerworldsolutions.com A Minnesota Family-Owned Business MN LIC BC639351

SPRAY FOAM

Page 2 - April 2018

THE LAND, Advertising Supplement

S P O SH S N BAR S D SHE S E INSULATION M O H

greener world solutions CALL E HEDUL TO SC E A FRE ATE ESTIM

855-612-8038 www.greenerworldsolutions.com A Minnesota Family-Owned Business MN LIC BC639351

THE LAND, Advertising Supplement

O O T T N N I I G G N N I I PR SR SP A A H H T T I I W W G G N N I I R R P P SS T T A A O O C C H H S S E E R R FF ! ! ! ! ! !

T T N N I I A A P P OFOF

April 2018 - Page 3

Custom colors available

greener world solutions CALL E HEDUL TO SC E A FRE ATE ESTIM

855-612-8038 www.greenerworldsolutions.com A Minnesota Family-Owned Business MN LIC BC639351

Page 4 - April 2018

THE LAND, Advertising Supplement

PROPER INSULATION LOWERS HEATING BILLS AND PREVENTS CONDENSATION & RUST ESTIMATES ARE FREE

© 2018

April 2018

(800) 657-4665 www.TheLandOnline.com theland@TheLandOnline.com P.O. Box 3169, Mankato, MN 56002

O G T ’ N O D R E H T ANO H T I W R A E Y G N I K A E L A F O O R L A T ME

Before

After

Before

After

Eliminate Leaks • Tighten Fasteners • Prevent Rust

greener world solutions CALL EDULE H C S TO E A FRE ATE ESTIM

855-612-8038 www.greenerworldsolutions.com A Minnesota Family-Owned Business

MN LIC BC639351

greener world solutions CALL E HEDUL TO SC E A FRE ATE ESTIM

855-612-8038 www.greenerworldsolutions.com A Minnesota Family-Owned Business MN LIC BC639351