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The importance of manure management Dick Hagen and a touch of the grape Iowa’s oldest organic orchard Swine and safety PLUS: From The Fields, Table Talk, Back Roads and more!

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THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

God made McNamara

P.O. Box 3169 418 South Second St. Mankato, MN 56002 (800) 657-4665 Vol. XXXVII ❖ No. 19 28 pages, 1 section plus supplements

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Cover photo by Paul Malchow

COLUMNS Opinion Farm and Food File Table Talk From The Fields Swine & U Marketing Mielke Market Weekly Auctions/Classifieds Advertiser Listing Back Roads

2-5 5 5 12 9 19-20 21 22-27 27 28

STAFF

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Yes, abstaining from political commenal program reads: tary is a challenge these days — even at And on the 8th day, God looked down friendly environments such as the Round on his planned paradise and said, “I need Table at the Chatter Box Café in Olivia, a caretaker.”

Minn. Sure, we wander into political chitSo God made a farmer. chat virtually every day it seems. But just like the chattering from Washington, God said, “I need somebody willing to D.C., none of us really listen to each get up before down, milk cows, work all other at the Chatter Box. Even after the day in the fields, milk cows again, eat third cup of coffee, it’s obvious no one has supper, then go to town and stay past LAND MINDS changed their mind. And if they did, they midnight at a meeting of the school

By Dick Hagen certainly aren’t going to let any of us board.” know of any conversion. It’s a big So God made a farmer. table, and fortunately its round. So “I need somebody with arms strong usually, at least eight of us are solving enough to rustle a calf and yet gentle enough to world issues each day. deliver his own grandchild; somebody to call hogs, But The Land Managing Editor Paul Malchow tame cantankerous machinery, come home hungry, sort of opened the door with his Sept. 7 Land Minds have to wait lunch until his wife’s done feeding vistitled “Political asylum.” Staying out of a political iting ladies, then tell the ladies to be sure and come rut is indeed a challenge. Paul mentioned I spin back real soon — and mean it.”

Paul Harveyesque tales, or trips to Israel, or chatter So God made a farmer. about Olivia Lions and Corn Capital days. But even these wanderings have a short shelf span.

God said, “I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt, and watch it die, then Not so, however, the funeral service of a long-time dry his eyes and say, ‘Maybe next year.’ I need someBird Island area farmer friend. Sept. 7 was the body who can shape an ax handle from a persimfinal farewell to Lawrence McNamara — Larry to mon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, all of his acquaintances. who can make harness out of haywire, feed sacks Larry punched out with 89 years of a life filled and shoe scraps; who, planting time and harvest with treasures, family joy, community achievement, season, will finish his forty-hour week by Tuesday and a huge service and commitment to agriculture noon, and then pain’n from tractor back, put in —especially the sugar beet industry here in Renville another seventy-two hours,” County and across the entire sugar beet belt.

So God made a farmer.

Larry was a founding member of the Southern God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts Minnesota Beet Sugar Co-op — serving as director and later president. Today, this facility is the largest at double speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain clouds, and yet stop in mid-field and race to help sugar beet processing facility in America. He also when he sees the first smoke from a neighbor’s place was president of the American Sugar Growers Association. Needless to say, a chat with Larry So God made a farmer. about world trade and President Trump’s current God said, “I need somebody strong enough to clear tariff and embargo issues would have been most trees and heave bails, yet gentle enough to tame interesting. lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-combed pulLarry enjoyed his ‘winter retreat’ in Florida with lets; who will stop his mower for an hour to splint other members of the McNamara clan. Golf, travel, the broken leg of a meadow lark.” It had to be winter cruises, playing cards and visiting with his somebody who’d plow deep and straight and not cut many friends were priority items. He is survived by corners; somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed and his four children, eight grandchildren, a greatrake and disc and plow and plant and tie the fleece grandchild, his sister and two brothers. and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week’s work with a five-mile drive A fitting tribute to Larry McNamara was Paul Harvey’s famous radio commentary, “God made a See LAND MINDS, pg. 4 farmer.” Harvey’s message printed on Larry’s funer-

OPINION

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

13 — Irrigation organization looks to change public’s perception 17 — Wills organic orchard is much more than just apples

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

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THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Paul Harvey’s message a fitting farewell

Thank You Buyers

4H

39th Anniversary Purple Ribbon Auction Grand Champion Market Beef: $34,000 (*) Exhibitor: Maxwell Ehrich, Faribault County Buyer: Ames Construction Reserve Champion Market Beef: $15,600 (*) Exhibitor: Ben Freking, Jackson County Buyer: MN Farmers Union Industries and Minnesota State Fair Concessionaires Grand Champion Dairy Steer: $18,000 (*) Exhibitor: Makenna Jacobs, Freeborn County Buyer: American Foods Group, Central Livestock Assn., and O & S Cattle Co. Reserve Champion Dairy Steer: $11,000 (*) Exhibitor: Tyler Jax, Mower County Buyer: American Foods Group Grand Champion Market Barrow: $13,000 Exhibitor : Gretta Anderson, Goodhue County Buyer: Cargill Animal Nutrition Reserve Champion Market Barrow : $13,000 Exhibitor: Thomas Freking, Jackson County Buyer: Hormel Foods, Lockton Companies, EPS, Nutra-Blend, Wilson Trailer, Hog Slat, Triple V Concrete and Becks Hybrids Grand Champion Market Gilt: $13,000 Exhibitor: Payten Benda, Jackson County Buyer: Cemstone Reserve Champion Market Gilt: $12,500 Exhibitor: Addie Nielson, Freeborn County Buyer: MN Farmers Union Foundation, Farmers Union Agency, and Farmers Union Industries Grand Champion Market Lamb: $8,300 Exhibitor: Lauren Arthur, Steele County Buyer: MN Farmers Union Foundation, Farmers Union Agency, and Farmers Union Industries Reserve Champion Market Lamb: $6,550 (*) Exhibitor: Kelsey Hermanson, Houston County Buyer: Michael Wood Entertainment and Houston County Businesses Grand Champion Meat Goat: $5,250 Exhibitor: Elizabeth Krause, Olmsted County Buyer: Minnesota Farmers Union, Farmers Union Agency, and Farmers Union Industries Reserve Champion Meat Goat : $5,200 Exhibitor : Anna Ridenour, Dodge County Buyer: Dodge County 4-H Supporters Grand Champion Dairy Meat Goat: $6,250 (*) Exhibitor: Marshall Johnson, Fillmore County Buyer: LongCheng Hmong Meats, Fillmore County Market Auction, and Rushford Business Assn.

Other “Champion Buyers’ Club” Donors ($5,000.00 or more in contributions): • • • • • • • • •

Compeer Financial MN Farm Bureau Boehringer Ingelheim Supreme International Old National Bank Featherlite Trailers Steele County Purple Ribbon Club Jackson County Purple Ribbon Club Mower County Purple Ribbon Club

(*) denotes a new record pice in 2018

Total 2018 Auction Premiums = $700,000 (*) 106 4-H Exhibitors – Over 1,250 Auction Buyers 80 percent of the proceeds from the Purple Ribbon Livestock Auction go to the 106 youth participants, with the balance of the funds used to fund special youth animal science projects and programs throughout the year, as well as to help fund the Auction scholarship program.

In 2018, three outstanding 4-H junior leaders received $4,000 scholarships, thirteen received $2,000.00 scholarships, and twenty-four received $1,000 scholarships, for a total of 40 scholarships and $62,000 awarded through the Purple Ribbon Auction.

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John Altendorf, Goodhue Co. Hannah Berg, Pipestone Co. Lincoln Bryan, Goodhue Co. Michael Carroll, Mower Co. Sydney Chicos, Freeborn Co. Kyra Flom, Rice Co. Emelia Melson, Martin Co. Gabrielle Nemitz, Yellow Medicine Co. Madeline Patterson, Goodhue Co. Bailey Ruen, Fillmore Co. Carmen Saxton, Martin Co. Haley Schwecke, Sibley Co. Austin Weckwerth, Sibley Co.

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LAND MINDS, from pg. 2 to church; somebody who would bale a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says he wants to spend his life “doing what dad does.”

So God made a farmer.

You younger folks don’t recall Paul Harvey, a Tulsa, Okla. native who first got into radio in 1933.

Joining with ABC radio, his 10 p.m. news time in the 1950s became a ‘most listened’ radio show in America. His unique voice captured and held listeners. We seniors remember Paul Harvey well. His radio presentation of “So God made a Farmer” endeared him to all farmers and much of America.

Check him out on the internet. “Paul Harvey God Made a Farmer” will get you there. And those of us attending Larry’s funeral agree: Paul Harvey’s message 30 years ago were most fitting for this final farewell to our dear friend!

Dick Hagen is staff writer of The Land. He may be reached at rdhagen35@gmail.com. v

LA-CO Industries Pipestone Grain Midwest Machinery Albert Lea Seed House MN Pork Board Boehringer Ingelheim Cargill Animal Nutrition Riverview, LLP/ Wulf Cattle Boehringer Ingelheim MN Farmers Union Compeer Financial Independent Community Bankers of MN Michael Dove, Gislason Law Office & Gary Koch, Christensen Farms

$1,000 Scholarship:

Kaylee Athey, Big Stone Co. Megan Beckendorf, Renville Co. Emma Bliss, Hubbard Co. Jacob Brown, Washington Co. Matthew Collins, Swift Co. McKenzie Cselovszki, Brown Co. Jason Donkers, Rice Co. Carter Espinoza, Dodge Co. Byron Frank, Renville Co. Elizabeth Hanson-Roe, Todd Co. Ellen Harth, Pine Co. Carter Herbst, Mille Lacs Co. Tess Hokanson, Goodhue Co. Danielle Jax, Mower Co. John Morrison, Scott Co. Emma Nelson, Stevens Co. Samantha Phillips, Lyon Co. Mariah Posthumus, Freeborn Co. Mikayla Sauber, Cass Co. Abbey Schiefelbein, Meeker Co. Grace Schlueter, Waseca Co. Emily Sheehan, Renville Co. Damia Siebenahler, Blue Earth Co. Colin Weidauer, Pope Co.

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THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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PAGE 5

Farm bill history: Tell me if you’ve heard this before Truisms don’t need to be This recent streak of legcompletely true. For examislative lateness has a long ple, “If you live long enough, history. “The longest conyou’ll see everything” tinuing drama in Congress,” doesn’t mean you will see noted the Dec. 19, 1981 everything if you live a long New York Times, “the Farm life. You may see a great Act of 1981, ended with deal, but it’s highly unlikely more losers than winners you’ll see “everything.” and with nobody really satFARM & FOOD FILE isfied…”

Simone de Beauvoir turned that optimistic truism into a That farm bill was

By Alan Guebert darker one: “If you live delayed because a new long enough,” she wrote, president, Ronald “you’ll see every victory Reagan, demanded that turned into defeat.” the four-year cost of the law’s commodity price supports be Again, not always true. Unless, of held below — get this — $11 billion. course, you’re Congress and have a After five months of fighting, Reagan farm bill to write. Then, every four or got what he wanted, a commodity title five years, happy chatter about biparonly $400 million overweight. tisanship victory will regularly turn into bitter partisanship defeat.

But, reported the New York Times, “‘It’s a bummer of a bill for the farmPast farm bill fights confirm it. The ers,’ said Representative Neal Smith, 2002 farm bill finally passed two weeks after the 1996 law expired. The Democrat of Iowa. It accomplished just 2008 law drew two presidential vetoes what David Stockman (Reagan’s budbefore Congress voted to override both get director) wanted: Divide each commodity group from the others and to finally finish it. then beat them down, one at a time.’”

The 2014 bill was written in 2012 Smith was soon proven correct. and 2013, then rewritten by a new By late 1982, record interest rates Congress in 2014 before it limped out were clobbering farmers and nearof Congress two years late.

OPINION

record crops were clobbering prices.

Widespread drought in 1983 then clobbered net farm income. Nationwide, it fell from $23.8 billion in 1982 to $14.3 billion in 1983. Farm equity, based on 1970s-inflated land prices, drained away and the rural economy spiraled downward with it.

The 1981 farm bill, however, had no tools to repair the damage and it took time for Congress to act. In 1983, Congress created the Payment-in-Kind Program that quickly cost U.S. taxpayers $25 billion. Then, in 1985, Congress created the Conservation Reserve Program, a long-term resource protection program that slowly removed 25 million acres from crop production to (hopefully) boost prices.

Even then, the cost of the 1981 farm bill’s failure was high. From 1982 through 1989, federal farm payments totaled $83 billion. The high water mark was 1987’s $16.7 billion.

The toll on rural America was even higher. Local institutions like schools, hospitals, grocery stores and banks saw their once-solid foundations crack as farms began to consolidate and rural communities began to empty. It’s an exodus that continues today.

Why the history lesson?

Because Congress, the White House, and most commodity groups are positioning U.S. agriculture to repeat that colossal farm bill failure. In fact, today’s farm bill delay — just as in 1981 — is largely over how cheap Congress can get federal farm and food aid spending in the coming decade to better pay for a massive tax cut that (like the massive 1981 cut) will never pay for itself.

It would be one thing if the delay was due to debate over policy questions like, “Will continuing the policies that delivered today’s depressed prices ever bring higher prices? If not, what’s in the bill to stem the red ink?”

Or maybe, “Should Congress restrict a president’s authority to impose income-cracking tariffs, then stick taxpayers with the cost of his whim?”

Farm bill players are not asking these questions. That’s unwise.

Because, if history is any teacher, we may need those answers soon.

Maybe very soon.

The Farm and Food File is published weekly through the United States and Canada. v

Farm wife wedding anniversary — with stalk stompers could inspect after a coupleNot long ago my husband hour drive, so he proposed and I celebrated our wedthat I come with him and ding anniversary — number then go out to eat for our 32 on the way to a lifetime anniversary. together.

So when the time came, That’s a long time to clean we emptied the truck bed of up after the farmer and all its contents. It’s amazing of his animals, a lot of seed what you can find in the corn caps to wedge into the back of a farmer’s pickup. To closet, a lot of mending, and TABLE TALK date, we have not ever found a whole lotta water under

By Karen Schwaller anything with less than four that bridge. legs living back there.

As the sun rose, the day Yeesh. was ours to plan. The farm wife knows Once we deemed it vacant enough to that any plans to be made will be hold the stalk stompers (if we bought made at the last minute, since the “last minute” arm is the only one that them), we dusted and deloused ourselves, climbed into the pickup and seems to work on the face of her husbegan our journey. It was going to be band’s watch. nice to have a couple of hours to talk It reminds me of the singer Roger about the things we had accomplished Miller’s quote that he was always, in 32 years. “...15 minutes ahead of his time.”

With the crops being as they are this As we dined on grilled burgers and year, my husband found it most interfresh home garden produce for lunch, my husband announced that he need- esting to observe how different they all looked as we drove. What started ed some new stalk stompers for the out to be a couple of hours to remicorn head he had just purchased. He nisce was turning into 100 miles of had known of some for sale that he

commentary and analysis of agronomic conditions in a five-county area.

I began to think our anniversary trip was really a farm trip. I’m just sharp that way.

We arrived at the farm to find the stalk stompers in good shape and just what he was looking for. They had a little rust on, but my husband said, “I’m not afraid of a little rust.”

That is how farmers who started out with nothing sound as they continue to build their legacy for generations down the line that he won’t even know. A little rust will help ensure that Schwallers for generations will be associated with the vocation of farming — just as generations before us had been — and who had probably also known their share of rust.

I got in the pickup, but my husband stayed behind to ask the man if he could recommend a good place to wine and dine a wife of 32 years on their anniversary, following a two-and-aquarter hour drive to buy stalk stompers for the corn head.

There we dined on cuisine that was better than the ham sandwiches and potato salad we served our wedding guests all those years ago. We could afford a little better meal now than we could then. We also did the math and determined that in another 32 years, we’ll be in our 90s. It was a little creepy to think about, knowing Medicare is just around the bend for us.

We drove home in the dark and quiet, with our newest treasure of corn head stalk stompers behind us, and a tinge of heartburn working us over now. Only a few years ago we drove home from everywhere with hearts full and children in the back.

This past anniversary may not have gone down in the halls of romance, but it was familiar and comfortable. And if there is anything a farmer likes, it’s people and situations that are familiar and comfortable.

I’m just wondering what implement he will buy next year.

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

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THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Grape industry has room to grow

dominate the Minnesota vineyard industry,” Unverzagt said.

He noted grape production worldwide is located around the 42 degree latitude belt.

“That particular location crosses directly over the major grape areas of France and Europe, the northern U.S. area of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and Oregon. Unbeknown to most of us, that same belt also correlates to the grape growing regions across China. Currently, Chinese plantings of grapes are outpacing all the other plantings on the planet,” he said.

That 42 degree latitude also applies to grape production in the southern hemisphere which explains why you see wines from Australia, New Zealand and He said there are 15-20 winSouth America. Grape cultieries buying local grapes from vars developed by Minnesota additional local vineyards researchers can be grown sucLike wine-making processes found because they cannot produce cessfully around the world in in other parts of the world, blending this 42 degree latitude area. enough cold hardy grapes from their own vineyard. local wines adds complexity in the “Frontenac, released in Minnesota wineries also purglass. Many winemakers say their 1996, two years ago passed chase juice from California, consumers are used to tasting a the 1 million vines planted Oregon, Washington and New more complex flavor profile. mark,” Unverzagt said.

York grape processors to supHowever, when it comes to blended “Marquette, released in 2002, plement their Minnesotaalready has eclipsed the 1 wines, Minnesota regulations are grown grapes — especially in million planting. So just these more strict. years when severe weather two University of Minnesota substantially reduces yields.

— Steve Unverzagt releases now number over 2 Because of growing markets at Minnesota’s licensed million vines planted — many in Minnesota, but also wineries (over 50 currently), Unverzagt said consum- by vintners around the globe.” ers are virtually buying out wineries every year. “So Why is there remarkable acceptance of these winsourcing grapes is often a concern for several ter-hardy Minnesota varieties? These two words: Minnesota wineries.” extreme winters! The extensive testing program at He noted most wineries process multiple grape the University of Minnesota Horticulture Research varieties because there are taste differences when Center, puts new vines through 20 years of field testblending grape juices. ing before being approved.

“Almost all French red wines from Bordeaux are Unverzagt is keenly aware of the steep learning technically blended wines. Like wine-making pro- curve for most newcomers in establishing a vineyard. cesses found in other parts of the world, blending But he credits the grapevine’s remarkable ability to local wines adds complexity in the glass. Many wine- thrive on a variety of landscapes — especially southmakers say their consumers are used to tasting a facing hillsides — as the primary reason vineyards more complex flavor profile. However, when it comes are now sprouting across Minnesota’s various landto blended wines, Minnesota regulations are more scapes. That is why he also speculates vineyards strict. For example, for a Minnesota winery to call a established 20 to 25 years ago likely have had some wine “Marquette,” (one of Minnesota’s most popular serious replanting issues. Those older varieties were varieties) there needs to be at least 75 percent not fully cold hardy and suffer cold and freeze damMarquette wine in the bottle,” he said. age every year.

A few Minnesota wineries now produce their entire The 2017 passage of Sunday liquor sales was a vintage from Minnesota-grown grapes. One such win- home run for the Minnesota wine industry. Although ery is Indian Island Winery in Janesville, which prides Unverzagt ventured that the additional day of puritself on producing 100 percent Minnesota grape chase hasn’t made a huge increase in state liquor wines. sales, wines included.

Minnesota’s five widely-grown, winter-hardy vari“It’s mostly a matter of convenience for the custometies are Frontenac, Frontenac Gris, LaCrescent, ers. And the ratio of California wines vs. Minnesota Marquette and its newest release Itasca. wines hasn’t changed much either. Also, farm wineries “There are a handful of varieties from other breed- in Minnesota were already allowed to sell wine on ers, but these five releases from the University of Sunday. Retail locations, however, are selling more Minnesota’s horticulture program very likely now See GRAPES, pg. 7

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — As marketing director and five-year board member of the Minnesota Grape Growers Association, Steve Unverzagt understands the current and future status of the Minnesota grape growing industry. He provides consulting services to several Minnesota vineyard and winery operations.

Unverzagt attended the Minnesota Grape Growers Association Cold Climate Conference held March 15-17 in Bloomington. When asked if the Minnesota grape and wine industry is outgrowing consumer demand, Unverzagt responded, “It will be a while before we are in balance with consumer demand.”

THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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PAGE 7

Firm sells blankets to tuck in grapes for winter

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — A display of blankets for winter protection of vines captured high interest at the Minnesota Grape Growers Association Cold Climate Conference held March 15-17 in Bloomington.

The blankets were featured at Richard Dubois Agrinovation out of Quebec. Tressier “In Canada, we are now into our seventh year with these blankets,” spokesman Richard Tessier said.

“Our birds learned long ago to fly to the warmer south. But our vines rooted in the soil are unable to escape Quebec’s winter.

“So to help them out, we have little tents that protect them by creating thermal insulation against ambient air. When temperatures drop outside, the fabric confines a cushion of air heated up by the ground kept bare. This cushion keeps a temperature high enough to prevent losing primary fruiting buds.”

He explained the blankets’ fabric tie system has tie rails mounted on each spike and a stretched wire running at the base of the tents on each side of the row. Once stretched, this system creates a heat transfer environment while maximizing the tents’ imperviousness on the ground.

“Now we are able to grow the grape-type vines no matter the cold we have,” said Tessier explaining

that even with minus 25 F outdoor temperature, temperatures under the blanket consistently are in the 15 to 20 F range.

Preparation for installing the blanket is pre-pruning the vines, then laying out the fabric and attaching it to your fruit wire (providing it is only about 20 inches above ground level). The blanket is almost 6 feet wide, so you have a tent about 3 feet wide sealed to the ground with soil.

The company also featured assorted equipment to facilitate about every chore in the maintenance of a

vineyard including bird control netting.

Bird control netting is common these days in Minnesota vineyards. Originally, a single net draped over the top of each row of grapes was the spoiler to keep birds away. Then side nets came along because they are easier to hang up. But coverage ideas keep expanding. Tessier has a client now using netting that is 60 feet wide and covers six rows! “Already some Canadians are covering five rows with a single net,” said Tessier. “Take proper care of the net and they will last up to 10 years.” v

Tax bill proposed for imported wines GRAPES, from pg. 6 Minnesota wine than ever before,” he said.

Currently pending is a proposal for a tax on imported wines being sold in Minnesota from other states (particularly California) which get shipped directly to the consumer without any tax being collected by the state. However, 36 other states currently collect tax on wines purchased from other states.

“The repeal of prohibition in 1933 gave states the individual right to control liquor sales,” explained Unverzagt. “But so far, Minnesota is lagging behind the cultural curve. Our bill would track the incoming wines sold in our state and tax those wines, plus a permit application would be required for the privilege

of selling their wines in Minnesota.”

This could generate around $2 million of new tax revenue for various uses within the state, including promotions of the Minnesota wine industry, which is now funded primarily by the non-profit Minnesota Grape Growers Association.

This bill could also establish resources to build a wine advisory council which could use revenue for many marketing and research functions within the grape industry. This could include financial aid and grants to startup grape growers, winemakers and to the Minnesota Grape Growers Association.

Currently MGGA has 60 paid members. To learn more, visit www.mngrapes.org. v

Pruning remains a common issue for Minnesota growers

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Minnesota’s first vineyards date back 45 years and Minnesota’s first wineries appeared almost at that same time. Today, there are an estimated 845 acres of grapes grown in Minnesota and an estimated 200 Annie Klodd vineyards producing for 47 licensed wineries. The Minnesota grape and wine industry is now a projected $112 million business employing an estimated 3,000 or more people. The grape and wine business are enjoying enviable growth.

And finally, the University of Minnesota has an extension educator for fruits, vegetables and vineyards. Now state grape farmers have an Extension information specialist.

Meet Annie Klodd, who was introduced at the Minnesota Grape Growers Association’s Cold Climate Conference held March 15-17 in Bloomington. Klodd has offices at the University of Minnesota Horticultural Research Center and the Regional Extension office in Andover.

Klodd didn’t say specifically that grapes and vineyards would be her specialty. But she grew up on an

Iowa farm that just happened to have a vineyard too.

“My position covers fruits and vegetables for the entire state. But since my background is in viticulture, vineyards will be one of my focus areas,” Klodd said.

Klodd’s farm background was on her parent’s corn and soybean farm near Indianola which included a 2-acre planting of grapes. The Klodds established the vineyard in 1997 which has since increased the size to 15 acres and likely will keep expanding. When asked what she thinks will be a common issue with Minnesota vineyards, she said proper pruning.

“This relates directly to the health of vineyards and the quality of grapes,” she said.

She suggested most vineyard operators are likely doing a good job with their seasonal trimming of vines, “But there are factors, year by year that might impact what pruning intensity is needed.”

She added that growers should be inspecting their vines mid-summer to see if some shoot thinning is needed or if they should alter their pruning for next year.

“Here in Minnesota, another probable issue is cold weather damage. A late spring frost creates a multitude of issues, some immediate, some lasting throughout the season,” she said.

Klodd’s parents’ vineyard has mostly Minnesota varieties with winter hardy vigor.

“I love the Midwest grape industry. It is one of my passions and I’ll always be a huge advocate for Minnesota and Midwest wines,” Klodd said.

Klodd is a Grinnell College graduate with a master’s degree studying viticulture from Penn State.

She expects the Minnesota and upper Midwest grape industry to continue to grow.

“We have tremendous space for growth,” she said.

“We are no longer in our infancy. We are now an established industry. The university’s breeding and development program at the Horticultural Research Center is recognized nationwide.”

The University of Minnesota is recognized as one of the top wine grape research programs in the country.

Today, more than 12,000 experimental vines are cultivated on 12 acres. More than 100 U of M selections are in advanced testing as well as more than 400 selections from other breeding programs around the world. Marquette was introduced in 2006 and is now planted on over 400 acres of Minnesota’s vineyards.

Annie Klodd can be reached at kloddann@umn.edu or via Twitter at @MNFruitLady. v

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Microbes are backbone to manure management

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer MORGAN, Minn. — Clean up soybeans with manure? Sure, the idea sounds a bit preposterous.

However, a Farmfest visit with Doug Rohlik of C & G Custom Services in Seaforth, Minn. suggested some big benefits when Doug Rohlik becoming a “Manure Master.”

Rohlik is candid, but also cautious. “There’s a lot of manure treatment products out there I wouldn’t use if they gave them to me,” he said. Rohlik should know.

He’s logged 21 years in custom manure applications and today operates one of the larger manure management businesses in Minnesota.

C & G pumps, hauls and spreads manure for many livestock producers in west central Minnesota. And he is technically well-connected. Dr. Jim Ladlie, president of ProfitProAg in Albert Lea, Minn. is his mentor.

Rohlik commented, “I handle about 40 million gallons of liquid manure a year and have about 60 clients. I started with two 6750s in 2004 and averaged 764,000 gallons every 24/7. Now I’m using two new tanks, each 8,700 gallons, and now am hauling right at a million gallons every 24/7.”

“I started about 10 years ago because of the dangers of manure storage. Every year, manure is being subjected to more dangerous conditions. You almost have to treat if you are going to minimize dangers, or fires or worse yet, death.

“Ten years ago when I was a 10 million gallon hauler I started treating half my clients. I don’t advertise. I don’t have a business card — not even a phone number in the phone book. But clients that I was treating were telling their neighbors. I soon went to a 20 million gallon business.

“My wife said, ‘If it’s good for half our clients, why aren’t we treating all of them? Darn good logical question. So the next year I started treating all my clients and now we’re at 40 million gallons.”

And there’s no debating the costs. “They don’t have a choice,” Rohlik explained. “If they want us to haul, their manure is going to be treated. There’s also an environmental bonus. It stabilizes nitrogen in the manure and considerably reduces the volatility of that manure into the atmosphere. Nature takes three to four months to break down manure in the soil; but these microbes do the same in the manure pit before we start hauling. The manure I’m applying is available to the crop on Day 1. An hour after we’ve applied manure you can put seed in the ground.”

D & G Custom will surface apply or incorporate. “I automatically incorporate because I tell my neighbors, ‘If you don’t see me hauling, you will not have any smelling.’ It completely takes odor out of the picture.

You don’t have any flies with this procedure either”.

Rohlik incorporates 3 to 4 inches deep with a double disk unit — confirmed by Iowa research as the best

system. “The P and K isn’t going anyplace — regardless the injection; but your nitrogen is volatile.”

Rohlic doesn’t agitate manure pits before pumping.

“Nothing is taken out of suspension,” he said. “These microbes added into the manure pit create a liquid profile uniform from top to bottom. I used to test the top third, the middle third and the bottom third for nutrient measures. I don’t do that anymore. Because of the microbes, everything stays in suspension — even 20-year old hard rock phosphates.

“It’s amazing what these microbes do. Instead of wasting time and fuel, these microbes do all the work for me. ProfitPro microbes even digest salt molecules.

They will minimize ammonia down to one-third of its previous content. Salt is measured in EC units.

Generally, raw manure in a finisher barn is around 30. With these microbes, I can take that all the way down to around 12. Net result is you also clean up alkali ground.

“Where you had anemic yellow soybeans, that ground gets cleaned just from the microbes being applied in the manure!”

So does Rohlik have a variety of microbe suppliers trying to get into his business stream? “I started out with ProfitPro products and that continues my primary source,” he replied. “But I do use a combination of different products to add extra strings of microbes.

ProfitPro stays on the cutting edge, so I’m not shopping for others.”

“They have about 100 microbes in their current manure management program. Each microbe does a different job. Some work on flies, some on odor, some on sludge, some for better sediment decomposition.”

Perhaps not a surprise, Rohlik gets the most positive feedback from the wives. “They’re way more sensitive to smells and fly irritation,” he admitted. “When

More proactive...

I was also able to speak with Dr. Jim S. Ladlie, president of ProfitProAg. He had this to say about treating ag waste products: “We’ve been in business over 35 years. Even though livestock markets are down, we are seeing tremendous growth in both the swine and dairy industries — plus beef facilities moving into slotfloored facilities. This is generating more pushback from environmentalists about odors, flies, reduction in land values, etc. Anyone putting up a building is facing pushback.

“I have these thoughts: As an industry we need to be more proactive! I’ve visited several vertical integrators the last few months. They have a vested interest in this technology of manure management if they want to grow and expand. This involves brand value, risk management, community and industry image, neighbor relations, grower retention and I’m talking about profitability.

See LADLIE, pg. 10

I started treating my brother’s manure pit 10 years ago, he had used every conceivable product under the sun — even air purifying machines from Rio Ranch.

He had the first five-barn site in Redwood County. To eliminate odors and flies they would spend up to $5,000 a year just treating those five barns.

“I stumbled on this manure treatment program of ProfitPro about 12 years ago and started using it at my brother’s setup as a test. They said, let’s use it on all five barns. Well, I’m still the dumb farm boy and have got to prove this to myself first. So I told my brothers, ‘You keep using whatever in two of the barns; I’ll treat two barns and we’ll leave one barn that we don’t do anything to.

“Well, the funniest thing happened. My youngest sister — who does all the daily walk-throughs in each hog barn — came to my brothers and said, ‘I don’t know what you are doing in barns 3 and 4, but you need to do the same in those other three barns.

There’s no fly irritation for the pigs. The air is so much cleaner. I can now load pigs out of these barns without wearing a mask!’”

According to Rohlik, this treatment is dissolving all the liquid solids — creating a more “pudding-like” substance which is drawing all the dead pig dander and feed dust into that liquid. There’s nothing building up in that surface area and it’s cleaning up the hydrogen sulfate problem also.

“I’ve got meters that monitor all this. So when I come into a new site, I take readings right away. And then each additional treatment we get a meter reading. This cuts down the ammonia, the carbon monoxide, the methane … all those health issues become a moot point.”

So how soon should you treat your pit before you pump? Rohlik said you can see a benefit within two weeks of treating. “I like to be treating year-round.

With my own clientele, when we pull a pump out we add the treatment. So from the floor up, it’s got a treatment going.”

Rohlik doesn’t charge for the pit treatments or the manure analyses he does on each pit being pumped. “I think that’s part of my job assignment,” he stated.

“Instead, I try to educate my growers (clientele) that it doesn’t pay to be wasting anything — especially their livestock manure. Because at some point, the State may come in and handcuff you and say, ‘you’ve been over-spreading. You better let this sit five years before you try it again.’ You don’t want to get yourself in that predicament. I’ve learned through the Custom Haulers Association, (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, EPA) … if you’re at 3,000 gallon per acre with finisher manure, they’ll never question that. But anything over that sends up a red flag. So I’ve gotten 90 percent of my clients into that 3,000-gallon range with no issues from state agencies … or nuisance flies!”

Rohlik’s invoices are 1.5 cents per gallon right off the site to the center of the field up to the first mile.

For every half-mile beyond that, he adds two-tenths of a cent. “I come full of fuel,” he said. “I leave full of fuel. So these refills on fuel are my clients’ expense.v

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PAGE 9

Safety on the swine farm is a year-round effort

September is a busy and favorite time of year for all of us in agriculture. Harvest is near, there’s a lot to be done in crisp fall weather, and most farm families are working through repeated long days and short nights.

Sept. 16-22, is National Farm Safety and Health Week, and it’s a good time to review some of the most important safety issues facing swine producers.

UMASH on the front lines Working to educate and inform both farmers and the public is the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center. UMASH is a consortium of five research and health care institutions. University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and College of Veterinary Medicine collaborates with the Minnesota Department of Health, the National Farm Medicine Center in Marshfield, Wisc., and the Migrant Clinicians Network, based in Austin, Texas, to provide occupational health and safety education in agriculture. In addition, UMASH is on the front lines to address emerging health and safety issues in agriculture.

UMASH focuses on Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and North and South Dakota agriculture. So much of the work they do relates to swine and dairy employee safety and health. They provide train-the-trainer programs for rural firefighters and for immigrant farm employees. Their fact sheets and resource materials are available in both English and Spanish to assist farm employers in reaching all of their animal handlers. UMASH is closely affiliated with the University of Minnesota and can be found on the internet at umash.umn.edu.

Swine farm safety equals special challenges Livestock farmers must address different types of farmer safety issues beyond those of the modern crop producer. When working with swine, caretakers deal with an intelligent, gregarious being with a long memory. Calm treatment and regular positive interaction quickly establish the pigs’ good behavior habits.

A 2006 12-week study showed that when a human

UniversityofMinnesota

EXTENSION

SWINE &U

walked through the pigs’ pens three times a week, 50 percent of them showed reduced flight behavior in seven weeks. Only 20 percent of the pigs who had been walked through one time per week exhibited reduced flight response in seven weeks.

SWINE & U Swine producers know that

By Diane DeWitte slowly walking pens regularly will help pigs become accustomed to positive interactions with people.

Some stages of swine production produce different kinds of safety issues.

Working with live animals Handling piglets during post-farrowing health care can cause the sows to become agitated. If the pigs begin to squirm and make noise, the sow will respond to protect her young. Caretakers working with young pigs should keep a sorting panel close to block the sow from causing injury.

With the exception of young piglets and nursery pigs, most of the animals on the hog farm outweigh the caretaker. Steel-toed footwear is a must. In both Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA+) and Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) certification education for producers, the most highly recommended animalhandling implement is a solid sorting panel. The panel ensures the safety of both caretaker and pig.

Although many swine operations today conduct reproduction through artificial insemination, most still have a few boars on the farm for heat detection.

A large sexually-mature male animal on the farm should be moved and handled with caution and pro-

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tection. Again, the solid sorting panel is the tool of choice when moving boars.

Injections UMASH statistics show that over 80 percent of farm workers and 73 percent of swine veterinarians have accidentally stuck themselves with a needle while giving injections to livestock. Most accidental needlestick injuries are minor; but secondary results could be skin infections, allergic reactions or a wound which might need surgery.

Vaccines are the most common product animal handlers inject into themselves. In swine farrowing settings, hormone products used to induce labor in pigs carry a warning against exposure to, or accidental injection by pregnant humans. If possible, in the pig barn, pregnant employees should not handle hormones.

In addition to medical issues caused by rushed or thoughtless needle handling, mechanical problems can occur. Bent needles should never be straightened and used needles should be disposed of in proper sharps containers. Appropriate low-cost sharps containers are empty plastic detergent or fabric softener bottles with the lid screwed on tightly. Milk jugs are too flimsy for sharps containment and should not be used. When the sharps container is full, it should be tightly capped, sealed with heavy tape and labeled that it contains sharps. Different counties have differing recommended methods for sharps disposal. A call to the county environmental services department can provide information for producers’ sharps disposal.

UMASH has been at the forefront of the needlestick injury issue by providing bilingual fact sheets See SWINE & U, pg. 10

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THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Emergency response is available to transporters SWINE & U, from pg. 9 and producing videos to help farmers teach their animal caretakers. Needlestick prevention posters and more are available to producers on the internet at umash.umn.edu/needlestick-prevention.

Zoonotic diseases A zoonotic disease is one which can pass from animal to human or vice versa. A common example in cattle and small ruminants is ringworm — the skin fungus which spreads easily. While ringworm in pigs is possible, it’s not much of an issue. More common is the chance of influenza spreading from caretakers to pigs or back.

The influenza viruses found in swine can infect humans, although it isn’t a common risk. However, human influenza viruses can infect pigs and can cause the outbreak of new viruses in the herd. Swine health professionals lament that in many large herds, influenza is present on a regular basis. For this reason, producers vaccinate against swine influenza. Human caretakers must also get a seasonal flu vaccination to reduce the chances of variant viruses forming and infecting the swine herd.

Additional influenza information for swine producers can be found on the U.S. Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/ Manure handling safety Now that it’s September, we will soon see plenty of semi-truck manure tankers on the roadside and tractors moving through the fields across our counties. As harvest progresses and the soil temperature decreases, pig farmers and commercial manure applicators will be working quickly to get hog manure applied and incorporated into the crop residue in the fields.

As drivers share the road with the large equipment needed to do this work, it’s important attention is paid to what’s moving on the road and how fast. For drivers in farm country, this is also a time to be patient. The operator has limited speed capabilities and may not even know that a driver is behind the equipment.

Back in the barn, the manure handler has to be extra careful when pumping the pits. Methane, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide is released as the stored manure is agitated and pumped. They are naturallyoccurring gases, but they pose serious safety risks and can quickly overcome a human or a pig.

Producers should sure hog buildings are fully ventilated when moving manure from the pits beneath.

Use of the STOP tag on barn doors will alert everyone that manure is being pumped. These STOP tags can be obtained by contacting the Minnesota Pork Board at 1-800-537-7576 or University of Minnesota Extension swine educators Diane DeWitte (stouf002@ umn.edu) or Sarah Schieck (schi0466@umn.edu).

More information about safe manure handling can be found on the University of Minnesota Extension manure management website at www.extension. umn.edu/manure under the “safety” heading.

Pigs on the road National Pork Checkoff reports that more than one million pigs are transported on U.S. roads daily. Our Minnesota contribution to that number is substantial, and the overwhelming majority get to their destination safely. Pig transport requires the driver to be alert and undistracted, to recognize his/her own symptoms of fatigue, and to know how to prevent or manage it.

In the event of a pig hauling incident on the road, the Minnesota Pork Board and Minnesota’s Region 5 Emergency Management put seven emergency response trailers at strategic fire departments. The trailers contain equipment for handling and containing animals at an accident site — including gates, chains, tarps and wire.

Buffalo Lake, Fairmont, Granite Falls, Pipestone, Sleepy Eye and Worthington. In the event of a livestock-hauling accident, responders can contact the nearest livestock emergency response host fire department. Department personnel will deliver a trailer to the site and assist with roadside training to get the animals contained.

Safety first — all year long September is the time when we see more farm machinery traffic on the road and in the field, but safety is on farmers’ minds year-around. Knowing how to work safely with swine, machinery and other caretakers prevents loss or injury of humans and pigs!

Diane DeWitte is an Extension swine educator with Currently, the livestock emergency response trail- the University of Minnesota Extension. She can be v ers are housed with fire departments at Adams, reached at stouf002@umn.edu.

Livestock industry needs to wake up LADLIE, from pg. 8 “Too often these integrator/investors tend to disconnect themselves from these issues when it comes to handling of the waste products of these facilities. This produces a major impact on perception. The point being, we can effectively mitigate a lot of these concerns by properly managing and treating manure biologically. We can mitigate virtually all issues surrounding manure while still maintaining pig capacity. And we can improve this product as an agronomic fertilizer.

“We just attended an Iowa meeting on manure management and manure safety. We listened to University of Iowa specialists discuss a beef barn at Hanover, Iowa. In 2009, the young man, Jason Johnson, lost his father and a worker to hydrogen sulfide. A chain fell into the pit after pumping. His dad went down after it and didn’t come up. A worker went down after it and didn’t come up. The wife was going to go down but her dad pulled her away. In that same barn in 2016 they lost 23 head ready to go to market. At that point the University of Iowa got involved and started monitoring these sites because of a rash of cattle being killed over slatted floors because of hydrogen sulfide.

“The stories this University of Iowa registered nurse told us were devastating and sad of people dying the last 10 years. What people don’t understand is that putrefied manure generates a lot of different toxic gases.

Hydrogen sulfide is easy to produce in a beef barn because of finishing rations that contain a lot of DDGs (Distillers dried grains from the ethanol production process). When we start pumping those pits, 500 parts per million of hydrosulfide will kill you in two breathes!

“We all need to become educated on these toxic issues. The cost of treating manure in a swine operation is like $4.50 an acre! You are getting multiples of that back in fertilizer value. We retain most of the nitrogen, the potassium, the phosphate, the trace elements. We get rid of putrefactions. You’re putting preprocessed manure into the soil and this all fosters soil health. The microbes in our cultures will continue

their work in the soils — improving the soils and reducing the toxicity of the salts. We’ve measured up to a 50 percent increase in yields after 2 to 3 years of treated manure applications to these fields.

“The livestock industry is facing two groups of people: Those who are concerned about their neighborhood; and those who are just simply opposed to concentrated livestock production regardless.

“The industry needs to wake up. Just watching television you’ll note about every fifth ad is an attorney waiting for someone to call him on an asbestos or drug issue or foul air concerns. The same thing is going to happen with concentrated livestock production facilities because these groups see them as a honey hole and they’re coming after it. Right now, if you have an odor problem and a fly problem and your neighbor sues, you’ve got a 90 percent chance of losing!

“When you treat manure with microbes they produce enzymes. Enzymes are catalyst. Catalysts speed up chemical reactions in the growing of things or in the tearing down and recycling of things. Manure digestion is a microbial enzymatic process. Every microbe produces one or two enzymes to digest certain things in the manure. It may be salts, it may be carbohydrates/proteins. The native population of microbes in that manure are overwhelmed with the diversity of things getting into manure like DDGs, disinfectants, antibiotics — even discarded bakery goods. This stuff passes through the hog gut into the manure and this needs attention.

“This is why we are continually looking at new cultures of microbes to handle these increasingly difficult situations. The first task of these microbes is to take out toxicities; second is to balance the manure. This happens in the pit before manure is pumped and hauled to the fields. These microbes take away these negative attributes making the manure a more valuable fertilizer.”

For more information, visit www.profitproag.com.

Ladlie can be reached at (507) 383.1325 or via email at jladlie@profitproag.com. v

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Northern soybean harvest seeing mixed results



By KRISTIN KVENO, The Land Correspondent



Blair Hoseth

Blair Hoseth, Mahnomen, Minn., Sept. 21

Soybean harvest is finished on the Hoseth farm with unimpressive yield results. The Land spoke with Blair Hoseth on Sept. 21 as he reported he wrapped up soybean harvest on Sept. 19 with average yields.

There were “a lot of 40-bushel beans.” It took one week to complete harvest.

Right now no combines are running as one-and-a-half inches of rain fell on Sept. 20. As soon as the fields dry out, Hoseth will check out the corn progress.

His concern this fall is the stock strength of the plant due to corn borer and the lack of moisture in the growing season.

Hoseth still has the fourth cutting of alfalfa — though he’ll “wait until after a frost so it goes dormant.” Triticale was planted two weeks ago and it’s “coming up nicely.”

It definitely feels like fall on the farm as it was 90 degrees on Sunday and 40 degrees this morning. Overall, this year’s harvest is “just a little earlier than normal. It’s nice to be getting done a little bit early.” As for the yield results for the corn, “I think it’s going to be highly variable, more so than in other years.”



Matt Haubrich, Danube, Minn., Sept. 14

500 Bushel Grain Dump

Steer Self Feeder

Fall harvest is in full swing on the Beyer farm. The Land spoke with Jamie Beyer on Sept. 21 as she reported half of the soybeans have been combined. This is the “best beans ever.” The yields are running 50 to 75 bushels per acre. There was a half an inch of rain that fell yesterday, resulting in a day off from combining.

Beyer has already harvested 150 acres of corn “they look really good too.”

The corn is currently at 23 percent moisture. Sugar beet pre-lift begins tomorrow. It’s an earlier pre-lift date than was expected.

Jamie Beyer

The grapes have all been harvested though there are 5,000 pounds that haven’t been sold and as of right now it looks like the birds and other wildlife will get to feast on it.

In the midst of harvest, Beyer is already thinking of next year’s crop rotation. “It’s possible we’re going to see more corn and less beans.” While “corn on corn here isn’t common” that may change if the bean market doesn’t improve.

The focus right now is to get back in the field and “try to get the soybeans out.” Then start regular sugar beet harvest followed by corn.

Harvest has been going well so far, with a wonderful soybean crop.

There’s great optimism that good yield results will be the norm this fall on the Beyer farm.

 FROM  THE  

FIELDS

“We’re working on some last minute things for soybean harvest.” The Land spoke with Matt Haubrich on Sept. 14 as he was in the midst of harvest preparations. “We have some earlier maturity beans that may be ready to go.” He plans on taking some samples tomorrow to see where the beans are at, with the hopes of starting full harvest on Sept 24.

There is rain in the forecast for next week which is why Haubrich would like Matt Haubrich to get in the field now to see how the beans are running.

Haubrich has “been arranging fall help, getting everyone on board. We got a great group” as he’s had the some of these same fall employees for years.

The corn is “in full black layer right now.” Haubrich is “worried about the stock strength” due to stress on the corn. He’s also observed that “disease is out there.” On good note, the crop has “gotten its heat units.”

“Hay season is over for us.” Haubrich finished fourth cutting on Sept. 10. Because of the rain this year’s hay “was a challenge, conditions were not ideal.”

As summer’s wrapping up and fall approaches “I’m looking forward to the bean harvest. That one looks the most attractive, but we’ll find out.”

Jamie Beyer, Wheaton, Minn., Sept. 21



Karson Duncanson, Mapleton, Minn., Sept. 14

“I think we’re going to be pleasantly surprised with beans.” The Land spoke with Karson Duncanson on Sept. 14 as he reported that while he’s looking forward to seeing what the yields are for soybeans; harvest is still at least two weeks away. Though “with the weather we had this past week things are turning fast.” Duncanson expects the beans to be pretty close to proven yields as “we had about perfect temps.” Duncanson sees that’s “there’s a lot of variability in the beans as you drive down the road.”

Karson “We’re still a ways out in corn.” Some of the earlier corn is now at black Duncanson layer. Just like the beans, the “corn is going to be variable.” Duncanson expects to get start harvesting it around the first of October.

In the meantime, he’s has been finalizing machinery as well as hauling manure to the barns he owns and operates. He’s also doing some “final prep on grain bins.”

With harvest right around the corner, Duncanson wants everyone on the roads to “be safe. Not only farmers, but anyone driving down the road.” For the non-farm vehicles, please “take your time — give them (farm implements) the space.” That’s a good reminder to us all this harvest season.

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PAGE 13

Irrigators on the defense for watering practices

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer RICE, Minn. — To learn about the implementing and popularity of irrigation in the state, a good start is Alan Peterson, who is president of the Irrigators’ Association of Minnesota. The Irrigators sponsored a tour on Aug. 1 at the shop of Prairie Alan Peterson Farm Inc. north of Rice, Minn.

My first question to Peterson: How big today is the Minnesota Irrigators Association? He replied, “We have approximately 400 paid members and approximately 600,000 irrigated acres in Minnesota. Not all irrigators have joined IAM, but a steady expansion of irrigation across Minnesota continues to happen.”

Is finding reliable sources of water an issue?

Peterson explained, “The State of Minnesota is fortunate. We have a quality aquifer under our landscape virtually everywhere. Yes, some areas have access iron in that water, but for the most part, we are blessed with good water. We are not part of the Ogallala reservoir which is so big for Nebraska irrigators. That reservoir is now experiencing some recharge issues. We recharge very fast here in Minnesota. We’re very conscious of that recharge fact and monitor it closely wherever irrigation is happening in Minnesota.”

In view of this new era of agriculture, when someone is always pointing their finger at agriculture, is it smooth sailing with Minnesota irrigators? Peterson responded quickly, “We always have to defend the fact that we irrigate. Everyone thinks that we are wasting water. Or depriving villages that are expanding and don’t seem to have enough water for their own expansions. The facts are that in some areas, irrigation is the single biggest builder of their local economy.” Peterson mentioned some small changes they’d like, such as cutting down on permit transfer rules; but for the most part, Minnesota legislators are not challenging the irrigation industry.

Peterson thinks corn is the biggest percentage of total irrigated acres, but he mentions soybeans and potatoes as also being major irrigated acres. Many crops are now using irrigation — crops like kidney beans and other edible bean crops. Peterson farms in Clear Lake, Minn. which is in Sherburne County, about 20 miles southeast of St. Cloud. Peterson is a dark red kidney bean producer under irrigation.

“In my area, green beans are contracted, and sweet corn is contracted,” Peterson said. “I think more new crops will keep emerging partly because of this emerging interest by consumers of laboratory-generated new foods. Companies like to come to our irrigated areas for their potential ‘new food’ items because we irrigators can control so much more of the total nutrient content of that crop.

“Consumers are particular about the looks of these food crops. The consumer wants a perfectly red potato.

By being able to control the water and the nutrients that crop is getting, we can control the looks of that red

potato so much better. Even the Russets (white potatoes) appearance can be improved with irrigation.”

Irrigation gives growers some leverage when the weatherman doesn’t cooperate. For example, frequent and access rains seemed the pattern over much of Minnesota early this spring. But not on Peterson’s fields. “Some of our small grains are doing poorly as we harvest now. May was so dry we actually had to water to sprout some of our crops this spring. Then June turned wetter. We barely used our system. July was spotty, but we’re getting dry again so we’re watering a little more regularly.”

Expierenced irrigator that he is, does Peterson still rely on sensors? He thinks they are good tools to use.

“We do lots of field scouting,” Peterson admitted. “It sounds strange perhaps, but we still go out into each field with a spade, dig a hole and use our ‘finger touch’ to see how wet that soil is.” That’s a 6-inch to 12-inch depth he’s checking. “I actually use a soil probe to more easily get these soil indicators. But when we don’t get rain from Mother Nature, we do on a schedule — depending on the crop — with an inch of water every 5 to 7 days.”

Though fertilizing through irrigation systems is fairly common, Peterson has fields with low spots where “fertigation” might not be best. Instead, his crew split-applies fertilizers as needed.

Peterson stated the use of sub-surface irrigation depends upon where you live and your soil structure.

“Where we farm, you dig down 10-12 inches and you’re pure gravel. You need a clay layer underneath to hold that water up near the roots of the growing crop,” he said.

Peterson admitted irrigation is keeping him sustainable financially. “Yes, it most certainly is. I wouldn’t be farming today if it weren’t for irrigation.

We went through some terrible droughts in 1964, ‘76.

In 1976 is when irrigation really started to take off in

this area. And we all know the 1988 drought that virtually scoured the fields. Yields for us would have been virtually pointless.

“I now have my oldest son farming with me. My youngest son is talking about coming back. Irrigation is what is making this possible. In my area, we have seed corn fields also for seed companies. Anymore they only contract with irrigated producers. We got into kidney beans in the mid ‘90s. They’ve been good revenue. As you can see, other options besides just corn and soybeans is what keeps us going. I love to grow different things. If the opportunity is there, I take it. Plus, these changes in our rotation are good for soil health too.”

Obviously, getting into irrigation costs some big bucks. Peterson said money-down payments can vary — depending upon the potential supplier of the equipment. But a 10 percent down payment gets the paperwork started. Once your well is dug and the center pivot installed, another 75-80 percent of the balance is likely. Once the system is operational, that supplier is likely expecting final payment.

Warranties on center pivot systems are generally at least one year on piping and water distribution systems. But gear boxes might depend on the quality of what you buy. Peterson suggests “good, better or best” are the options when buying gear boxes and the best could have up to seven-year warranties.

Depending on the technology and sophistication of the system, Peterson indicated estimated costs of $2,500 to $3,500 per irrigated acre.

Memberships to the Irrigators’ Association of Minnesota are $100 per year or $275 for three years.

Twenty farmers make up the IAM board of directors; plus four advisors: Lee Hanson, legal; Bruce Kleven, ag lobbyist; Grant Anderson, AFREC representative; and Jerry Wright, technical advisor and membership director. v

Farm equipment may need an escort Sgt. Troy Christianson of the Minnesota State Patrol reminds farmers that farm equipment may be driven or towed to the left of the center of a roadway only if it is escorted at the front by a vehicle displaying hazard warning lights visible in normal sunlight.

The equipment also must not extend into the left half of the roadway more than is necessary.

If someone is not being escorted, it would be required to remove the header and tow it on the highway.

Motorists traveling on Minnesota highways this fall need to be aware of large farm equipment transporting crops to markets, grain elevators and processing plants. Because farm equipment is large and heavy, it can be difficult for operators to accelerate, slow down and stop. The machines also make wide turns and sometimes cross over the center line. In addition, farm vehicles can create large blind spots, making it difficult for operators to see approaching vehicles. All

of these factors can cause serious crashes.

During 2015-17, 386 traffic crashes took place on Minnesota roads involving at least one farm vehicle.

The biggest factors contributing to farm equipment/ vehicle crashes are inattention and speed. Motorists should always use caution when approaching farm equipment.

Motorists should watch for debris dropped by trucks hauling crops. It is safer to brake or drive through debris than to veer into oncoming cars or off the road.

Farm equipment operators should use lights and flashers to make equipment more visible. Use slowmoving vehicle emblems on equipment traveling less than 30 mph. Consider using a follow vehicle when moving equipment, especially at night.

This article was submitted by the Minnesota State Patrol. v

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Potter: 2018 could be record year for aphids

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer LAMBERTON, Minn. — Other than bragging rights at the local coffee shop, it’s pretty obvious soybean aphids enjoyed another bumper crop.

If you have aerial applicators in your area, you’ve noted the aerial guys are also having a good season. At the Bruce Potter Olivia airport, four airplanes were busy this cropping season!

First, some Internet history on this atrocious pest: Soybean aphid, Alphis glycines Matsumura, a native of eastern Asia, was first discovered in North America in July 2000 in Wisconsin. By September it was identified in 10 north-central states. Currently, soybean aphids are in 20 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces — thus putting 60 million acres of soybean at risk to crop injury caused by this exotic insect.

An Aug. 15 visit with my favorite ‘bug man,’ Dr. Bruce Potter of the Southwest Research and Outreach Center in Lamberton, Minn., shared some Minnesota history on the entry and explosion of the soybean aphid. Potter’s professional title is “Integrated Pest Management Specialist.” And now you understand why ‘bug man’ works just as well.

Potter said aphids first showed up in Minnesota in 2000. He saw his first soybean aphid at Lamberton in 2001. “But 2003 was the big ‘blow-up’ year. This year, aphid populations (at least here in southwest Minnesota) might be matching that 2003 explosion.”

“We have normal and several heavy insecticide trials here at the station. This was a good season for seeing how well the various insecticide products performed both for initial control and their residual effect. None lasted very long this year,” he noted.

“But this year, lots of evidence of growing resistance to the pyrethroid class of insecticides … here at Lamberton and throughout most of western Minnesota. We first noticed some of this in 2015 in three or four area counties. However, this year, test plots ranged from good control to virtually no control.

It depends upon which females started those colonies.

“Bob Cook’s lab ran essays on aphids here at Lamberton and across the state. Depending upon the pyrethroid insecticide, he found 60 to 70 percent of the aphids surviving! That potentially suggests lots of offspring in a hurry and those offspring like to travel. When that population develops wings, that resistant trait is moving across the countryside.”

There’s no simple solution, said Potter, because of the limited groups of insecticides. “We basically have the pyrethroids and they are the ones now struggling. We’ve got the neonicitinoids used in seed treatment. Plus we have chlorpyrifos (e.g. Lorsban and other generics) which again are under regulatory scrutiny. We have a couple new compounds — Siovaonto is one. It’s expensive but it seems fairly effective. Hopefully, we can get a label for Transform back again. Toxicity to honey bees is why they were

pulled off the market.”

Yes, 250 bugs per plant is still the threshold count for spraying. Potter acknowledged if you average 250 aphids per plant, your parasites and predators are not keeping aphids under control. That is when you should “pull the trigger” on your spraying.

He said 2018 has been a phenomenal year for aphids. “They got started in a relatively small area north of Willmar where soybeans got planted earlier.

Here in Lamberton area, we had all those heavy rains.

We too had aphids early, but they just couldn’t hang in there because of the rainfall. But lots of winged aphids coming out of that Kandiyohi/Stearns County areas got down here too. With winds, they could travel 100 or more miles quickly. The point being, these aphids can cover a big area in a short time.”

So if insecticides don’t do the job, is genetic resistance a possibility?

Potter cautiously said there are a number of genes which provide aphid resistance. “So we’re working to develop pyramids of one of these genes. That’s the focus of the North Central Soybean Research project here at Lamberton and the breeding program at our St. Paul campus. With increasing problems with insecticide resistance, hopefully we can develop more genetic-resistant varieties to reduce the stress on everybody in this soybean business.”

Unfortunately, geography seems to dictate locations of aphids. Minnesota, northern Iowa counties and eastern Dakotas tend to have the most consistent problem. Aphids are also common in Manitoba

and Ontario. China, being the country of origin, has concerns. However, because of natural enemies, it is only a sporadic pest.

“One issue making aphids such a problem here is that we don’t have many natural enemies in their native habitat. We’re got an attractive environment with large areas planted to soybeans and plenty of buckthorn where soybean aphid eggs overwinter.,That is why Minnesota is the focus of this troubling pest.”

But don’t get the impression the aphid is the only challenge to soybeans. There’s the ‘wooly bear’ caterpillars, Japanese beetle, and more recent issues like brown marmorated stink bug, and a tiny fly maggot called the gall midge. Potter credits farmers concentrating on building soil health. “Growing a high-yield crop helps perpetuate soil health. And don’t forget that time-tested recipe: Be clever on how you rotate your crops. And that may include throwing in a small grain or alfalfa into that sequence.”

Even cover crops such as winter rye or oats can potentially help reduce aphids. But there are some insect risks associated with cover crops. Complete elimination of buckthorn, the host plant for early aphid mutations, isn’t a logical answer. Potter noted that when aphids do their fall migration to buckthorn, parasitic wasps, the fungal diseases and other predators move with them.

“So just maybe that buckthorn has a bit of a beneficial role in managing aphids. Since we can’t get rid of all the buckthorn, maybe hosting these beneficial predators going through the winter is important.” v

Grants to fund livestock investment ST. PAUL — The AGRI Livestock Investment Grant program is now accepting applications. The grant encourages long-term industry development for Minnesota livestock farmers and ranchers by helping them improve, update, and modernize their livestock operation’s infrastructure and equipment.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture anticipates up to $2 million in grant awards.

The grant is intended to promote economic growth as well as environmentally sound practices in Minnesota’s $7 billion livestock industry. The program encourages new farmers and generational transitions in order to sustain the livestock industry in the state.

“The Livestock Investment Grant will benefit farmers and ranchers all over the state,” said Minnesota Department of Agriculture Assistant Commissioner Whitney Place. “Minnesota livestock producers are some of the most innovative in the country. The goal of

these grants is to invest in that innovation by improving production facilities that can help sustain profitability of the next generation of livestock producers.“ Livestock farmers with operations in Minnesota may apply for funding. Funding under this round will have a maximum of $25,000 per project.

Applications must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on Dec. 15. The online application is available at the MDA website: www.mda.state.mn.us.

Funding for the grants was established through the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation program to advance Minnesota’s agricultural and renewable energy industries.

For more information about the grant, visit www. mda.state.mn.us/grants/agri or contact Michael Greene at Michael.Greene@state.mn.us.

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

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Organic orchard evolved into more than just apples

By TIM KING The Land Correspondent ADEL, Iowa — Wills Family Orchard in Dallas County is Iowa’s oldest certified organic orchard. Maury Wills, who started the orchard with his wife in the early 1990s, says the family has about five acres of apple trees, an acre of peaches, and 30 to 35 cherry trees in production.

Maury, who is also the bureau chief for the State of Iowa’s Agricultural Diversification and Market Development Bureau, says the orchard probably has a few more varieties of apples than the dozen listed at the orchard’s website. The dozen listed varieties however, reflect the both the orchards disease control strategy and its marketing strategy.

“When we started, we did a lot of research looking for scab-immune varieties,” Wills said. “That’s why we have varieties that aren’t your typical grocery store variety. Over the years we’ve also selected varieties that are resistant to cedar apple rust which is a disease that challenges us. We also chose

Photos submitted

Mary (left) and Maury Wills started their orchard in the early 1990s. It is the oldest certified organic orchard in Iowa.

varieties that span a harvest season from August through October.”

Cedar apple rust is a fungus that attacks apple trees and apple scab can attack not only the tree, but cause significant damage to the fruit. Orchards

Helping to preserve the proud traditions of farming for future generations

generally rely on fungicide sprays to control both diseases. Organic orchards don’t have that option.

Redfree, an apple grown and harvested at Wills Family Orchard in mid-August, has been bred to be immune to apple scab and also resistant to cedar apple rust. In addition, Redfree, which was bred in a cooperative project between Purdue University and the New Jersey Agricultural Research Station, is also an attractive and tasty apple.

“It’s a red apple with some yellow blush to it,” Wills said. “It’s a very good multi-purpose early season apple that can be used for apple sauce or apple pie and is also a good fresh eating apple.”

Liberty, a dark red dessert apple, is

also grown at the Wills orchard and is harvested in mid-September. It is scab immune.

Enterprise is a red late-season apple, harvested by the Wills in mid-October.

Purdue University, which also cooperatively developed this scab-immune and cedar apple rust resistant variety, speaks very highly of Enterprise’s quality after a few months in storage. So does Maury Wills.

“Enterprise is a great keeper,” he said. “It’s better after it’s been in storage for a month or so and it will keep until April or May.” Wills said his family originally planted most of its apple varieties on semiSee ORCHARD, pg. 18

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Pesky weevils are causing problems in the fruit orchard ORCHARD, from pg. 17 dwarf root stock. However, over the years, that strategy has changed.

“We’ve migrated to a dwarf root stock called B.9,” he said. “It’s my favorite root stock for a number of reasons. Part of the reason we went to dwarfing root stock is so we do less ladder work and less pruning. I believe it will give us a much more productive orchard.”

Over the years, the Wills family has had significant success in keeping a disease-free organic orchard. Recently, The Wills use dwarf root stock for their new trees to make it easier to harvest however, a new problem has risen.

“Plum Curculio is our newest chal- the apples. lenge,” Wills said. “We are trying every“We’re pushing the limit on the norththing except standing on our heads to ern edge of the peach production range,” get rid of this insect.”

Wills said. “Last year, we had some Plum Curculio is a small weevil which peaches. And the year before, we did lays its eggs under the skin of apples, pretty well. But this year we won’t plums and peaches. Wills has yet to have any.” discover an organic control for the pest.

Central Iowa’s cold winters are the The Wills family seems to like a chal- reason for the 2018 peach crop failure. lenge — whether it’s keeping destruc“You get to where it’s 14 below zero in tive diseases out of the orchard, controlling pesky weevils, or growing the winter and that pretty much takes peaches in a challenging environment. out your fruit buds,” Wills said. “Last

winter we were down to -21 F and the batch of that cider made into the year before we hovered around -14 or orchard’s Panther Creek Gold apple -15. The year we had a good harvest we wine. weren’t anywhere near those temperaAll of these products are sold through tures. I suspect that we will get peaches the orchard’s on-farm store along with a couple years in a row and then we’ll honey, chrysanthemums, jack-o-lango a year or two without them. That’s terns and decorative gourds that are OK with us, because they ad diversity grown or produced at the orchard. to our orchard and when we do harvest Wills Family Orchard is open with them the flavor is wonderful.” variable hours for the Diversity is important August apple harvest to the Wills family in and has regularly schedboth the crops they grow uled Friday through as well as the products Sunday hours in they market. Early in September and October. the orchard’s history, The apple and pumpkin they made the decision festival starts in late to have a licensed comSeptember. mercial kitchen in the “Every weekend that basement of their home. we’re open from late Recently they’ve moved September into October the kitchen into an is a festival weekend,” attractive red multi-purWills said. “Those weekpose barn. end are when the kitchIn the kitchen they The Wills’ popular fruit en is open and we have make strawberry, peach, spreads add a bit of diverinteractive activities for blueberry, and tart cher- sity to their orchard opera- children and adults.” ry fruit spreads. They tion.

Wills says they work also make apple sauce, hard to come up with activities that apple butter and apple pie. reflect their farm values. There are no “We don’t skimp on the apples,” Wills plastic inflatable bouncing houses, for said. example, but there is a corn maze and The kitchen crew also turns out apple a smaller hay bale maze. There’s also a cider donuts, fresh caramel, cherry corn pool, gourd painting, hay rides, filled sweet rolls and caramel apples. and of course apple picking.

Wills works with another Iowa Learn more about the Wills Family orchard to press and bottle fresh apple Orchard by visiting their website or cider. At the end of the season he has a calling (515) 321-1847. v

Soybean Association offers scholarship

ST. LOUIS — The American Soybean Association is offering a $5,000 scholarship to a high school senior interested in pursuing agriculture.

The Soy Scholarship is a one-time award presented to a high school senior who plans to pursue agriculture as an area of study at any accredited college or university in the 2019-20 academic year. High school seniors may apply online until Nov. 19.

The scholarship is awarded in $2,500 increments (one per semester) for the 2019-20 school year. The student must maintain successful academic progress

and be in good standing with the college or university to receive the full amount of the scholarship.

In addition to the scholarship, BASF will provide the winner and one parent or guardian with a trip to attend Commodity Classic in Orlando, where they will receive special recognition at the BASF booth and the ASA awards banquet.

For more information, visit soygrowers. com/award-programs/soy-scholarship.

This article was submitted by the American Soybean Association. v

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PAGE 19

MARKETING

Grain Outlook Corn harvest off to a good start Editor’s Note: Joe Lardy, CHS Hedging research analyst, is sitting in this week for Phyllis Nystrom, the regular “Grain Outlook” columnist.

The following marketing analysis is for the week ending Sept. 21.

CORN — The corn market got off to a weak start early last week, shedding 8.5 cents over the two sessions. But a big, late-week rally ensued to see the December contract close 5.5 cents higher for the week.

I believe the rally was fueled by news out of Argentina. In their latest budget proposal, the Argentinian government could tax grain exports up to 33 percent.

JOE LARDY Corn and wheat were at a zero tax CHS Hedging Inc. rate until this month when the St. Paul government put on new taxes at roughly 10.5 percent. The Argentine peso is historically weak right now and the government feels like the farmers are making extra money with the weakened exchange rate. The government feels justified to raise taxes so farmers pay their fair share. Argentina exports 27 million tons of corn, making them a major player. If taxes are increased to the maximum level, it would create more opportunities for U.S. corn exports in the world market.

Corn harvest is off to a good start. So far, 9 percent of the crop has been taken off the fields. The five year average is 6 percent, and last year at this time the harvest was 7 percent done. The weather should be conducive for an active harvest in the eastern corn belt. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas have been extremely wet and will keep the harvest slow in the upper Midwest. Crop conditions for corn held steady this week at 68 percent good/excellent.

This is slightly better than the five-year average of 66 percent.

Ethanol production continues to run at a high level. Weekly production numbers have topped 1 million barrels per day since April. Ethanol margins have been trending lower and lower for a while now and have now reached zero, forcing facilities to make tough decisions. Several ethanol plants announce this week that they are either closing or being idled until margins improve.

Corn exports were very good this week. Sales topped 54 million bushels and were the best sales in See LARDY, pg. 20

Cash Grain Markets

corn/change* soybeans/change* St. Cloud $2.96 -.03 $7.11 +.14 Madison $3.01 -.06 $7.21 +.09 Redwood Falls $3.13 +.02 $7.56 +.14 Fergus Falls $2.87 -.03 $6.73 +.11 Morris $2.92 -.03 $6.91 +.14 Tracy $3.04 -.03 $7.41 +.14

Grain Angles Are you in position to grow?

The livestock markets appear to be trying an attempt to end the downtrends they have been in for several months. All three of the live cattle, feeder cattle and the live hog markets have rallied into the middle of September.

Two things have elevated these markets: one being weatherrelated problems; the other being livestock disease in other countries. These events have catapulted the futures markets which in turn aided the overall cash trade during the past few weeks.

There seems to be a change in JOE TEALE the attitude in the cattle market Broker primarily in the futures market Great Plains Commodity during the past several weeks.

Afton, Minn.

The futures have gone from a discount to cash to a premium.

This is a turnaround in the psychology of the market over the past several months which had been a bearish outlook.

Several things appear to have changed that bearish tone to a positive tone. That being increased interest in the export market as exports have picked up in recent weeks. Another item that seems to be changing is the wall of cattle that has plagued the market is slowly decreasing. The fact that the beef cutouts seem to be attempting to bottom is also suggesting things are changing to a more positive outlook for the cattle market.

The caveat to all of this has been the rapid increase in the futures market over the cash price which

Are you in a position to grow your business? Now I know you may think I’m crazy for even asking that question, given the current ag economy, but the opportunities are still there. In order to determine whether you are in a position to grow your operation, you must first understand what additional risk you are able to take on. For those who remained conservative during times of higher prices, they are seeking out those opportunities for growth. But how to determine whether now is the time for you?

And to answer that question, there are three areas to focus on in considering your answer.

Do you have the capacity?

One of the first questions you should answer when considering BOB FOERDER growing your operation is whethCompeer er you have the capacity to do so.

Financial Officer If you are in the position to grow, Rock Falls, Ill. you likely are in that position by doing a great job running your operation. If you choose to grow your operation, I encourage you to do so in a way that wouldn’t negatively impact your current performance, or altering the processes in place which have allowed your operation to remain successful over time.

Look at the equipment you currently have. Would your current equipment inventory have the means to service your growth? And if not, do you have the capital available to purchase additional equipment? In addition, one of the largest challenges ag faces when it comes to capacity is a strong, reliable labor force. Do you have labor in place to handle additional growth?

And, if not, do you have access to good labor? Remember that having to train a new labor force, or onboarding new employees into your operation requires additional resources — including time and money — to get them up to speed. Infrastructure is another factor to consider when looking at your capacity to grow. Is your operation equipped to handle any additional overhead? Whether it is your own infrastructure in grain storage capacity, or looking at your access to grain elevators in your area to handle additional inventory.

Financial ability to grow. Experiencing any kind of growth requires reflection on your current financials. Does your current financial position support the ability to add additional debt? Taking on risk in a downturn, even with current strong financials, still requires extra examination and thought. Things that your lender will certainly want to examine include

See TEALE, pg. 20

See FOERDER, pg. 20

Average:

$2.99

$7.16

Year Ago Average: $2.74 $8.71 Grain prices are effective cash close on Sept. 25. *Cash grain price change represents a two-week period.

Livestock Angles Futures market is volatile

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.

PAGE 20

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THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Soybean market rallies despite bearish headlines LARDY, from pg. 19 the past eight weeks. Mexico was the best buyer this week and they continue to be the number one destination for U.S. corn exports.

Outlook: The next quarterly stocks report will be released on Sept. 28. This report has held some surprises in the past and created some big market moves. The market will be trading harvest reports early in the week before squaring up ahead of the stocks report and month end.

SOYBEANS — The soybeans followed the price action of the corn market this week. A slow start to the week was met with a big rally on Sept. 19

and 20. I believe that the bean rally was tied to the Argentina situation as well. We are also starting to hear talk about the planted acreage for next year. Informa came out with an increase in corn to 93 million acres, but a huge cut to bean acres at just over 82 million. That is huge change which we haven’t seen in while and is certainly a friendly input.

The tariff war is moving in the wrong direction. President Trump said he will impose new 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods beginning Sept. 24. These tariffs will increase to 25 percent at the end of the year. China is expected to respond in kind. Trump

said if any retaliatory action is taken against our farmers, then he will immediately pursue an additional $267 billion of tariffs. The tariff situation remains the biggest bearish input for the soybean market.

Soybean harvest is underway. In the first reading of the year the crop was 6 percent harvested. This is ahead of both last year’s 4 percent and the five-year average of 3 percent. Weather will be a factor in the upcoming week as eastern areas are dry and ready, but the upper Midwest has received too much rain.

Soybean exports continue to disappoint, but that is not a big surprise

strategy. During times of downturn, when producers may be looking to cut costs, crop insurance should never be viewed as an option. It is a requirement. Work with your financial services provider to help develop these plans.

Having them in writing, rather than just floating around in your head, will help you stick to the plan and make decisions more efficiently. Plus, having these plans well organized and documented will give you the ability to more easily share them with your lender.

Taking advantage of opportunities. Operations can always grow, but the question is, should they? As opportunities present themselves, evaluate whether they are the right one to accept;

and whether they will be a benefit to the operation in just the short-term, rather than a long-term business play.

In my experience, this is one of the most difficult decisions producers struggle with — determining which opportunities to take advantage of. It is just as important to know when to walk away from a bad opportunity as it is to take advantage of a prosperous one. For example, accepting additional land could be a good opportunity. But don’t overextend yourself by committing to rent that is above what you can reasonably afford, or that may tie you into a long-term lease that prevents you from taking advantage of other options. Nontraditional opportunities are also an option, like finding alternative revenue streams. I have seen producers find a niche market to enter into, or create a

MARKETING

given that China has been absent from the market for so long. The only export activity with China this week was a very small cancellation.

Crop conditions declined by 1 percent to 67 percent good/excellent this week.

Outlook: The bean market feels tied to headlines and tweets, plus the Sept.

28 quarterly stocks report. When you look at the price action of the futures over the past month, it is either a very choppy or very quiet day — without a happy medium. Some analysts are saying the market is untradeable, but I think you need to ready to execute your marketing plan if the market gives you the right opportunity. v

Crop insurance should never be viewed as an option FOERDER, from pg. 19 your working capital and equity position, as well as your history of profitability. As an operation who is looking to grow and expand, a lender will want to see evidence of you being able to consistently generate profits throughout these challenging times. I would encourage you to focus on getting better before getting bigger. Rarely does a business grow its way into profitability simply by growing.

Having a strong risk management strategy in place is also important when expanding and taking on additional risk. Things like a solid crop insurance policy and a grain marketing plan are vital to any risk management

African flu news boosts hogs TEALE, from pg. 19 might slow the futures and then slow the cash increase at the same time.

Because fear has dominated the market for several weeks, sudden changes and a more volatile market may ensue in the weeks ahead. This will require that producers should be aware of any changes that could affect cattle prices and protect inventories if needed.

Hogs have seen a rapid turnaround over the past couple of weeks as the result of a African flu virus which has developed in Asian hog herds. This has resulted in the idea that the United States’ export of hogs will increase because of that situation and prices have increased at a rapid rate. Another

big influence has been hurricane Florence which has disrupted large hog packing plants in the Carolinas. Thus, pork production could possibly be reduced for several weeks.

The hog futures market, like the cattle futures market, has moved from a discount to a large premium as a result of all the possible changes in future world pork production. As like the cattle market, the possibility of rapid changes in market conditions could result in extreme volatility in the price of hogs. Therefore, producers should maintain a close eye on market conditions and consider protection of inventory if necessary. v

unique arrangement that provides value to your operation while complimenting your grain enterprise.

In conclusion, even during times of downturn, be on the lookout for opportunities for growth. Evaluate those opportunities. Understand your financial position as best you can by keeping up-to-date and accurate financials so that when those opportunities present themselves, you can act more quickly if the fit is right. Understand your current capacity to know what level of growth you can handle. And of course, always reach out to your trusted partners to help you navigate those changes.

For additional insights from Bob Foerder and the rest of the Compeer team, visit Compeer.com v

333 South Seventh St. - Ste. 1330

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*Trading commodity futures & options involves substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for all.

THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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PAGE 21

Production report shows big declines in east and midwest tons were the lowest since January and This column was written for the maronly up 1 percent from last year,” the keting week ending Sept. 21.

Margin Watch reports.

Increased milk per cow coaxed U.S. The dairy world was hoping for some milk output to climb in August more positive developments in this week’s than most expected. The U.S. Department Global Dairy Trade auction. They didn’t of Agriculture’s latest data for the top 23 get much. The weighted average of prodstates put output at 17.2 billion pounds, ucts offered fell 1.3 percent, after slipping up a bearish 1.4 percent from August 0.7 percent Sept. 4 and 3.6 percent on 2017 and the 57th consecutive month MIELKE MARKET Aug. 21. Sellers brought 86.3 million output topped year ago levels. The WEEKLY pounds of product to the sale, up from 50-state total, at 18.3 billion pounds, was 85.6 million in the last event and the also up 1.4 percent. Revisions added 16

By Lee Mielke highest total this year. million pounds to the July estimate, now put at 17.3 billion pounds, 0.5 Cheddar cheese led the declines, percent above a year ago. dropping 3.5 percent, after it led the gains last time, jumping 4.2 percent.

August cow numbers in the 50 Whole milk powder slipped 1.8 percent, after a 2.2 states totaled 9.4 million head, up 5,000 head from percent drop last time, and skim milk powder was July but 4,000 less than a year ago. This is the secdown 1.1 percent, following a 2.2 percent uptick. ond time cow numbers were below a year ago since Anhydrous milkfat was off 0.6 percent, after inching May 2016. Output per cow averaged 1,946 pounds, up 0.2 percent, and butter slipped 0.1 percent, after up 27 pounds from a year ago. leading the losses last time with a 2.8 percent U.S. dairy cow culling also jumped in August and plunge. Rennet casein was the only positive move, remained well above a year ago. The USDA’s latest up 1.7 percent.

Livestock Slaughter report shows an estimated GDT skim milk powder averaged 89.79 cents per 279,700 head were slaughtered under federal pound and whole milk powder averaged $1.2555. inspection, up 39,900 from July and 14,100 or 5.3 CME Grade A nonfat dry milk closed Sept. 21 at percent above a year ago. A total 2.1 million head 87.25 cents per pound. were culled in the eight month period, up 101,400 head or 5.1 percent from 2017. n Matt Gould, editor and analyst with the Dairy Cash block cheese closed Sept. 21 at $1.6350 per and Food Market Analyst newsletter, stated in the pound, up 3 cents on the week and 2.25 cents above Sept. 24 Dairy Radio Now broadcast the Milk a year ago. Traders absorbed the milk production Production report showed extremely strong produc- and culling data and anticipated the Sept. 24 tion in the west and southwest and big declines in August Cold Storage report. The barrels fell to $1.36 the east, southeast, northeast, and midwest. on Sept. 21, down 6 cents on the week, 24 cents below a year ago, the lowest CME price since July Gould said the report “put data to something 23, and a precarious 27.5 cents below the blocks. 28 we’ve been aware of for some time — namely that cars of barrel sold on the week and none of block. things are hard at the farm level, especially for the smaller farms characteristically located in the midFC Stone reported in its Sept. 14 Early Morning west and east.”

Update that American cheese demand in July was 5.8 percent above a year ago, but down 7.1 percent n versus previous-month levels, according to USDA’s Dairy margins were pretty flat over the first half Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook. Demand for of September, with lower trade in both milk and feed markets largely offsetting one another, accord- the “other” cheese category increased 7.4 percent from 2017 levels and was 0.8 percent higher than ing to the latest Margin Watch from Chicago-based month-earlier levels. Total cheese use was up 6.8 Commodity and Ingredient Hedging LLC. percent from a year ago but 2.4 percent below June.

“Margins remain above the 70th percentile of his- 2018 American cheese use is 3.1 percent higher and torical profitability over the past ten years, continu- other than American cheese, use is up 2.7 percent, ing to offer producers attractive opportunities to which puts total cheese use up 2.9 percent. protect margins into 2019. Milk prices have slipped “This report follows July’s bearish dairy products following weakness in cash cheese trade, with for cheese in which American cheese was up 6.1 perfutures dropping about 7 cents recently to the midcent at 439.8 million pounds, so without good $1.60 range.” demand perhaps prices could have been a lot “Dairy product exports during the month of July worse,” FC Stone suggests. “Of course, were looking totaled 400.1 million pounds, down 9.1 percent from at older data in both cases, but the main takeaway June but still 10.6 percent above last year. After is to remind ourselves that demand for cheddar is running well above average through the first half of keeping pace and growing nicely in 2018 — trade the year, dairy exports have been slipping for the wars notwithstanding.” past three months and are now running closer to Dairy Market News reports cheese sales have the five-year average. July cheese exports of 27,636 slipped for some Midwest producers. The drop-off

MARKETING

did not come as a surprise to contacts who have seen barrel prices slide more than 20 cents below the blocks. “Even with the uncertainty of recent market tones, Midwestern contacts expect a propitious return to positivity near term. They suggest increased sales, new and growing customer bases and more balanced cheese supplies are all favorable for a return to form and in creating less apprehensive buyers,” says Dairy Market News.

Western cheese production is steady to higher than expected due to readily available milk at some localities. Inventories remain abundant but not burdensome and domestic cheese orders are solid.

International demand is generally good, though cheese prices have been declining and some participants have put off purchase plans and are reevaluating market conditions. n Cash butter climbed to $2.3050 on Sept. 19, but plunged 7 cents on Sept. 21 and closed at $2.2350 per pound. This is unchanged on the week, but 21.25 cents below a year ago. Twenty-three carloads exchanged hands on the week at the CME. Cream availability has lightened for butter makers in the central region. Adverse milking weather and cream being pulled toward increased cream cheese production has caused cream offers to dwindle, relative to the past two weeks. Butter sales reports continue to be mostly bullish, says Dairy Market News.

Western butter output continues at a steady pace with adequate amounts of cream. However, bulk butter demand has softened as buyers appear to have most of their needs filled for the remainder of the year.

Grade A nonfat dry milk closed Sept. 21 at 87.25 cents per pound, down a quarter-cent on the week, but a nickel above a year ago, with 16 sales reported.

Nonfat dry milk use dropped 13.9 percent in July and butter demand was 12.4 percent higher, compared with previous-year levels. On a month-tomonth basis, commercial disappearance of butter increased 3.7 percent, while nonfat dry milk use gained 11.6 percent. Nonfat dry milk use is up 7.2 percent in 2018, while butter use is 3.7 percent higher, according to the USDA. Cash dry whey climbed to a record 52.5 cents per pound on Sept. 18, but closed Sept. 21 at 51.5 cents.

This is down three-quarters on the week, with one sale reported. That was the first decline in the newly-established market since July 24.

The USDA announced the October Federal order Class I base milk price at $16.33 per hundredweight, up $1.48 from September, 11 cents below October 2017, but the highest Class I since December 2017.

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

PAGE 22

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THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 TH

Real Estate

Real Estate Wanted

Feed Seed Hay

Blue Earth Co. Farm For WANTED: Land & farms. I Alfalfa, mixed hay, grass hay, Sale: Judson Township NE have clients looking for and feed grade wheat straw.

1/4 Sec. 14, SE SW 1/4 Sec. dairy, & cash grain opera- Medium squares or round 11. 187.9 tillable. Contact Ag- tions, as well as bare land bales. Delivery available. ricultural Resource Manage- parcels from 40-1000 acres. Call or text LeRoy Ose. 218ment Co. John Murphy Bro- Both for relocation & invest- 689-6675 ker PO Box 4097 Mankato, ments. If you have even MN 56002 507-625-1363 thought about selling contact: Paul Krueger, Farm & Sell your land or real estate in Land Specialist, Edina ReYour ad 30 days for 0% commission. alty, 138 Main St. W., New could be here!

Call Ray 507-339-1272 Prague, MN 55372. paulkrueger@edinarealty.com 507-345-4523 www.thelandonline.com (612)328-4506 Stearns County MN Farm St. Martin/Freeport Area 77 Acres with Farm Buildings Michael Meagher Realty 320-250-5391

Classified Line Ads

WORK!

Call 507-345-4523

WANTED TO BUY: Damaged corn, soybeans & other grains. Call Schwieger Cattle LLC. (507)236-5181

THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21 /SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 Bins & Buildings SILO DOORS Wood or steel doors shipped promptly to your farm stainless fasteners hardware available.

(800)222-5726 Landwood Sales LLC

Farm Equipment DMC 30 foot stir-ator, 3 screw, good condition, $16,000/OBO. 715-572-1234

Farm Equipment

Tractors

Tillage Equip

International Model 55 25’ JD 4240 powershift, 5800 hrs, ‘09 3710 JD plow 7 bottom, chisel plow; 7 bottom Inter- 3 outlets, 18.4/38 Firestone hasn’t been used since 2015, national spring reset mold rears (75%), matching duals exc condition, plowed averboard plow. (507)859-2766 (40%), 4 rib front (80%+), age of 500 acres per year, rock box, quick hitch, clean $29,500/OBO. (507) 951-5237 JD 680 15’ chisel plow, tru cab, $23,700/OBO. (507) 451depth shanks, Summer 3pt 9614 or (507) 213-0600 FOR SALE: IH 700 series HD harrow, $7,900; Westenplow, 8 bottom 18”, w/mountdorf 400 bu gravity box, 12T, w/ 16.5x16.1 tires, $2,250; NEW AND USED TRACTOR ed harrow, $3,000. (651) 775JD 2700 3pt 4x18 spring re- PARTS JD 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 0236 set plow, $1,250; JD 2700 55, 50 Series & newer trac3pt 6x18 spring re-set plow, tors, AC-all models, Large FOR SALE: IH 735 6 bottom $1,350; JD 443 cornhead, w/ Inventory, We ship! Mark plow; also IH Farmall B knife rolls, $2,450; Wil-rich Heitman Tractor Salvage tractor, nice shape. 507-350614NT 27’ disk, 26” blades, 715-673-4829 9580 385x22.5 tires, HD 3 bar harrow, $26,900; 320-769-2756

FOR SALE: Fantini chopping 8R & 12R CH; 70’ Elmer hay, drag, Merritt alum hopper aw. grain trailers; 24R30” JD pl und on Kinze bar; Big A floater; JD4020 DSL3PT JDW, $7,995; ble. 175 Michigan ldr; IH 964 JD2940DSL New tires with 218- CH; White 706 & 708 CH & loader, $11,500; JD2955 CAH parts; White plows & parts; overhauled, $11,900; all good 54’ 4300 IH field cultivator; runners. 320-543-3523 JD 44’ field cult; 3300 HiniNew Idea #325 corn picker; ker field cult; header trailer.

Little Giant portable ele507-380-5324 vator; 170 bu barge box JD FOR SALE: C-IH 3900 disk, wagon & hoist. (320) 587-5823 25.5’, heavy bearings, We buy $13,000; C-IH 7500 6-bottom Salvage Equipment vari-width plow, w/coulters, Parts Available $5,500, both good cond. (507) Hammell Equip., Inc. am- 557-8357 (507)867-4910 herFOR SALE: JD 6600 dsl comCat- bine, JD 220 flex head, JD 643 cornhead. JD 7720 combine. JD 8300 grain drill. All excellent condition. 320-5832751

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Tractors

FOR SALE: ‘17 Soucy tracks, came off JD 690, will fit JD or Int’l combines, like new condition, $53,000. 320-2698719 or 320-226-0296 FOR SALE: Brent 644 gravity ‘00 JD 8410T track tractor, wagon, 1999 green, fenders, Auto Trac Ready (plug & brakes, LH unload, lights, play) 120” wide stance W/ no tarp, very nice condition, 24” Camoplast belts (80%), $9,000. 612-743-5823 undercarriage good, 3 pt & FOR SALE: JD 27 stalk chop- PTO. Many new parts-excelper, 15’; (2) 6” augers - 1 is lent mechanical condition, 21’ & 1 is 29’; 1 Sukup Stir- $57,500. Call 507-789-6049 way new style twin auger.

FOR SALE: 2008 New Holland (952)492-6144 Boomer TC45DA, construcFOR SALE: 230 JD 21’ tandem tion tires, front assist w/sudisc, new tires, good blades; per steer, 740 hrs, one owner, 7’ Tebben heavy duty 3pt ro- always shedded, never used tary cutter. (507)640-0146 in winter mos. Call Jim (605) 637-5319 or leave mess.

FOR SALE: Oliver 880 used parts - good wide front, $375.00; narrow front end w/ PS, $350.00; good sheet metal, wheel weights, & parts for other Oliver models 60GENERATORS Used, low 2255. (218) 564-4273 hour take-outs. 20 kW - 2000 FOR SALE: 2002 JD 8520T, kW. Diesel, propane, & nat4400 hrs, 100 hrs on new reural gas. CAT, Cummins/ man engine, 18” belts - 75%, Onan, Kohler, Detroit Diesel, undercarriage in excellent & more. www.abrahamincondition, $55,900/OBO. 612dustrial.com. (701) 371-9526 756-4420

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Tillage Equip

THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 TH Harvesting Equip

Harvesting Equip

Harvesting Equip

FOR SALE: IH model 720, 5-18 1994 Gleaner R-52, 2085 eng FOR SALE: ‘82 JD 6620 side- RETIRED: CIH 2366 combine, bottoms plow, nice shape, hrs, 1250 sep hrs, clean ma- hill combine, 3885 hrs, AC 1,687 sep hrs, 2,666 eng hrs, extra parts. 507-334-7637 chine, always shedded, will converted to R134A, 643 low specialty rotor, long unloadcome with 6R cornhead & 20’ tin oil bath cornhead, 216 ing auger, field tracker, grain FOR SALE: JD 235 30’ cush- beanhead, $32,000. (507)524- bean head, 212 5 belt pickup loss monitor, header control, ion gang disc, $4,900. 507- 4754 or (507)995-8110 head, always shedded, quit heavy duty final drives, 327-6430 farming, $19,750. (763)497- chain oilers. 605-359-6205 7353 FOR SALE: JD 120 stalk cutFOR SALE: JD 115 15’ Flail Grain Handling Thank you for reading ter, always shedded, have Shredder, ‘02 model, one Equipment owner’s manual for item.

THE LAND! owner, chopped a total of $7,500/OBO. 507-840-0483 1800 acres of corn stalks, FOR SALE: Burchland drive like new condition, $10,500 over pit, 10” auger, belly or or make offer. (763) 497-7353 side dump, hydraulic drive, stored inside, very nice. 507IH 1460 combine, IH engine, 236-5394 3100 hrs, 28Lx26 tires, $8,000 in updates, field ready, exc shape, always shedded, Livestock w/1063 cornhead, exc shape, Equipment $14,500. (507) 533-4620 or (507) 951-5071 Swine Feeders: Used Thorp Wet/Dry Feeders, 84”, Good JD 3300 gas combine, w/2R36” Cond, $125. (507)381-2290 cornhead, new drive tires; JD 4420 combine, diesel, w/12’ beanhead, both exc Wanted cond, field ready. (320) 2520674 All kinds of New & Used farm Late model 9550 JD comequipment - disc chisels, field bine, fully equipped w/ most cults, planters, soil finishers, options, Contour Master, cornheads, feed mills, discs, 240HP eng, always shedded, balers, haybines, etc. 507very good shape; 893 CH w/ 438-9782 hyd deck plates, header hgt control, Contour Master. 507236-3138 or 507-236-5394

Livestock

Sell your farm equipment in The Land with a line ad.

507-345-4523 Please recycle this magazine.

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

320-598-3790

THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21 /SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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FOR SALE: Yorkshire, Hampshire, Duroc & Hamp/Duroc boars, also gilts. Excellent selection. Raised outside.

Exc herd health. No PRSS. Delivery avail. 320-760-0365 Spot, Duroc, Chester White, Boars & Gilts available.

Monthly PRRS and PEDV. Delivery available. Steve Resler. 507-456-7746

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Sheep RETIRING. For Sale 49 big Rambouillet open ewes, 2-6 years old. Excellent stock.

320-796-5666 Spicer MN

Cars & Pickups FOR SALE: ‘91 Ford F250 Lariet, standard cab, 7.3 diesel, 5 spd, spring hitch, 5th whl ball, brake control & toolbox, good tires & recent brake work done, $2995/OBO. (320) 760-0692 or (320) 239-2761

Trucks & Trailers 1973 Mack truck Model DM685, w/20’ grain box & Knapheide hoist. (507)4590376 FOR SALE: ‘90 Freightliner day cab, N-14, 9spd, 192” WB, jb, alum wheels, 90% rubber & brakes, 661K miles, excellent, farmer owned, $6,000. 507-381-3840 FOR SALE: 2000 Ford 350, 7.3 diesel, 4x4 dually, crew cab, AT, new heavy duty tranny, extra clean sharp truck, $9,900. (320) 583-0881 FOR SALE: ‘79 Ford LN800 twin screw, 475 gas, Allision transmission, 19 1/2’ steel box & hoist, roll tarp & no rust, $9,995. 507-220-2834 FOR SALE: ‘74 IH 1800 tandem truck, 20’ box & hoist.

507-427-3561

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THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21 /SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 Miscellaneous

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THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 21/SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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

T

Holdingford has it covered

he town of Holding’s Ford was founded in Stearns County Minnesota by Randolph Holding in the 1870s. It was called Holding’s Ford, presumably, because it was a pretty good place to cross Two Rivers River which come out of Two Rivers Lake not too far away.

When the railroad came through town in 1907, they built a pretty long bridge over Two Rivers. That likely put an end to the need for a ford across the river; but folks continued to call the place Holding’s Ford. They called it that until the 1930s at which time they changed it to, simply, Holdingford. During those years the town also earned the moniker, “Moonshine Capitol of Minnesota” due to its copious production of Minnesota 13 — an illicit adult beverage made from a corn variety of the same name.

Well, history moved on and the train that crossed the river loaded with cases of amber-colored Minnesota 13 in the 1930s blew its whistle for the last time late in the last century. Across Minnesota there was a frenzy of track and tie removal. Towns and counties were stuck with thousands of miles of railroad right-of-way and hundreds of bridges.

In those days, Minnesotans could still agree with each other. They came up with the crazy idea of a trails network for bicyclists, walkers and snowmobilers. Thanks to that

Holdingford, Minn.

vision, Minnesota now hosts a remarkable statewide network of trails that criss-cross the state.

The Soo Line Bicycle Trail travels through Holdingford and crosses over Two Rivers River on the old Soo Line railroad bridge.

Now, as I mentioned, that bridge is a pretty long bridge. But there are longer bridges in the trail system.

One day, early in this century, Holdingford Mayor Rosemary Scepaniak had a superlative idea. Why not turn our pretty long bridge into Minnesota’s longest covered bridge. Crazy!

Audacious! Brilliant!

So it was that Holdingford’s gifted mayor worked with the Holdingford Lion’s Club and the Army Corp of Engineers to construct, in 2008, Minnesota’s longest covered bridge near Randolph Holding’s old ford on Two Rivers River.

Now-a-days, young athletic bicyclists travel from afar, ride through Holdingford’s pretty park, past the tin man sculpture, to the bridge where they have themselves photographed at Minnesota’s longest covered bridge.

They come from nearby St. Cloud, far away Montana, and even from London England. Many of them sign the guest book.

“Worth the journey,” the Londoner wrote. v

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Sept. 21/Sept. 28, 2018

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