March 2015 Newsletter - South Central Grain & Energy
MARCH 2015 South Central n BUFFALO LAKE • 320-833-5321 • 800-642-6727 LOCATIONS n COSMOS • 320-877-7261 n DARWIN • 320-693-2311 • 800-275-8216 n EDEN VALLEY • 320-453-3200 • 800-240-8835 n FAIRFAX 507-426-8263 • 800-328-0131 n GIBBON • 320-834-6534 • 800-690-6534 n HECTOR OFFICE & FEED MILL • 320-848-2273 • 800-547-5576 n HECTOR C-STORE • 320-848-2286 n STEWART • 320-562-2650 GRAIN & ENERGY PO BOX E HWY 4 SOUTH FAIRFAX, MN 55332 Treated Seed and Soybeans Don’t Mix From United Soybean Board A er you’re finished plan ng, you may be tempted to dump your remaining seed in with any soybeans you s ll have from last year’s harvest. Don’t. “It is illegal in the United States to put treated seed into your soybeans and take them to the elevator. It is unacceptable, not only in the United States, but worldwide, as well,” Dwain Ford, United Soybean Board interna onal opportuni es target area coordinator and a soybean farmer from Kinmundy, Illinois, said. “It’s important that U.S. soybean farmers use and know the laws here in the United States for disposing of PART-TIME Providing high-quality, contamina on-free soy shipments helps the United States remain the preferred supplier of soybeans around the world and helps U.S. farmers maintain their access to key markets. As soybean seed treated with cropprotec on products has become more popular in recent years, it has also become more important for farmers to properly dispose of le over seed. Some interna onal customers forbid the presence of any l Hector • C-Store Clerk FULL-TIME: l Hector, Gibbon • Bulk Feed A endant/ Feed Delivery Driver l Fairfax • Custom Applicator More informa on about these posi ons can be found at scgemn.com 2015© South Central Grain & Energy. Published by South Central Grain & Energy in partnership with Madsen Ink Co., New Ulm. GRAIN & ENERGY treated seed in commodity soybean shipments, and farmers viola ng U.S. laws on treated seed disposal may be subject to legal ac on. treated seeds and that they’re very conscious in ensuring that those are disposed of in the proper, legal manner.” EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE South Central “I believe that U.S. soybean farmers are very conscious about this and do a very good job in segrega ng and keeping those treated seeds out of commercial soybeans,” Ford added. “However, customers can reject a whole shipload of our soybeans over just a few soybeans that have been treated, and that could cost all of us millions of dollars.” SEASONAL CDL DRIVERS WANTED www.scgemn.com Join us for our W Tuesday, March 31 • 7 p.m. ANNUAL MEETING Cosmos Legion, Cosmos Note new loca on • Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) with HAZMAT and tanker endorsements and current medical card required. • Seasonal Class B CDL holders encouraged to apply. • Work assignments based out of Fairfax, Gibbon, Buffalo Lake and Cosmos agronomy facili es. Apply at any SCG&E loca on, call 320-833-3003 or visit scgemn.com. INSIDE: AGENDA • 2014 Financial Report • Elec on of one director • Other business which may properly come before the membership • Dividend checks will be distributed • Lunch will follow mee ng —Brian Broderius, Secretary • 2015 Board Candidates • HACCP Cer fica on • New Seed Line Added 2 Annual MeetingWElection l By Tom Dueringer Feed Dept. Manager Introducing your 2015 Board Candidates 8 Ballot #1 K Fairfax Area • Elect one WW en Firle and his wife Renae raise corn, soybeans, and sweet corn just north of Fairfax. They have two grown children and four grandchildren. The Firles have been farming for 42 years and Ken has been a member of the coopera ve all those years. He was elected to the board of directors when the co-op was South Central Co-op of Gibbon and Fairfax. He was board president when the merger of United Grain and Energy and South Central Co-op took place, forming SCG&E. Since that forma on of SCG&E nine years ago, Ken has been board president and has seen the co-op grow from three loca ons to eight. KEN FIRLE He stated, “SCG&E has experienced tremendous growth, not only in trade territory, but also in business volumes. Although we may not always like change, change and growth are necessary to remain a strong and successful coopera ve in today’s ever evolving and global business world. SCG&E is a very diversified co-op, which has allowed this rapid growth to be accomplished and s ll remain a locally owned co-op. Your board of directors is very proud to be able to say that we have been able to do all of this growth without any outside partners.” He went on, “A coopera ve is described as being a group of members with common goals and needs, working together as a group to achieve the most benefit for all of its members. This is something that cannot be done as a sole individual. One of the most difficult challenges of being on the board of directors is to leave the individual farmer’s hat at the door when entering the board room, and pu ng on a director’s hat to represent the best overall interests of the company, and all of its members. I have a very deep passion for SCG&E and have truly enjoyed the opportunity and honor of represen ng you, the owners of this co-op. I believe that SCG&E—as a locally owned co-op—has a very strong, posi ve, and profitable future. I believe that my past experience, knowledge, and dedica on to this company will be very beneficial during these ever changing and challenging mes of your coopera ve’s history. The me it takes to fully understand, learn, and comprehend the func on and responsibili es of represen ng a co-op as a director is complex and can take years to achieve. I would be honored to con nue being a part of the direc on, challenges, and opportuni es that your coopera ve is now experiencing and will face in the future.” l By Eugene Lu eke General Manager HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Cri cal Control Point) is recognized by the animal feed industry globally. It requires a rigorous, credible feed safety management scheme. R on Wendinger farms 950 acres with his brother Larry at Fairfax. They raise corn, soybeans and some alfalfa. Wendinger has been a farmer all his life and has been involved with the co-op the en re me. Ron graduated from Fairfax High School in 1985 and studied ag produc on in a two-year program at Willmar VoTech. SCG&E has achieved HACCP cer fica on by demonstra ng excep onal feed safety standards and quality management prac ces. As of January 9, 2015, SCG&E has been awarded this interna onally recognized cer fica on status by SGS, a third party cer fying body. RON WENDINGER Wendinger is currently in his second year as an associate director on the SCG&E board. In that appointed posi on, he has all the rights of a board member except vo ng, since he was not elected. With that experience, Wendinger commented, “Being on the board is an eye-opening experience for me. There’s a lot more to it than I thought. It’s been a pleasure to serve as an associate member and I’d be honored to serve South Central Grain & Energy as a director.” Ron and his wife Lori live at rural Fairfax. He has two step-kids—Ma Cuff, 28, and Missy Vorwerk, 26. Missy and husband Tyler have one child. Wendinger served on the Renville County Fair Board for six years; he was food superintendent for five of those years. He was also involved with Fairfax’s 125th anniversary celebra on. Ron’s hobbies include hun ng, fishing, and camping. 2014 a decent year for SCG&E There were ups and downs but, overall, South Central Grain & Energy had a good financial year in 2014. Among the causes for the ups and downs, and affec ng some of our departments, were fall harvest yields and low commodity prices, all impac ng our volumes and margins. Overall, however, our decent financial year was due to the diversifica on of our organiza on. That’s always been a strong point for us. I thank all of our patrons for their business in 2014. We sincerely appreciate it. Without great patrons and dedicated employees to get the job done, we would not be successful. That combina on makes a winwin situa on. Please take note of the annual mee ng announcement on the front page. We’ve moved the mee ng to Cosmos this year, a different loca on within our territory. We will review last year’s business, covering events of last year and the challenges that confront us, as well as those that may be ahead as our company moves forward. In other ma ers, our grain project is progressing well. It’s at or ahead of schedule, due to the good weather so far this winter. The grain bin is up and we expect the project to stay on schedule. Our agronomy project is on hold for now, with the board reevalua ng old informa on, current informa on, and some new informa on. This evalua on will lead us to an upcoming decision. With that, I’d like to again thank you for your business in 2014. We look forward to serving you again in 2015. I hope to see you at the annual mee ng March 31 in Cosmos. 7 SCG&E achieves HACCP certification HACCP cer fica on, knowing their feeds are manufactured with both quality and feed safety as a priority. Such cer fica on valida on is increasingly important in animal products, with producers increasingly demanding greater feed safety assurances. SCG&E already was recognized as a pioneer and a leader in quality and feed safety. We are proud to be among an elite few who have achieved this cer fica on. The HACCP cer fica on validates our HACCP cer fica on requires a third party (SGS) assessment to verify safe feed program, while addi onally adherence to the me culous requirements of feed safety standards. valida ng the outstanding feed Evalua on is conducted on all aspects of the company’s animal feed quality. safety and quality management program, including a poten al biological, chemical, and physical risk assessment, personnel prac ces, feed quality control, housekeeping, and facility sanita on (pest control); ingredient supplier approval, product traceability, and quality management. HACCP cer fica on Feed department employee Jason Re g validates the programs that SCG&E has in place, as well as headed the HACCP commi ee and went con nuous monitoring procedures of these programs. above and beyond in helping the eightmember commi ee to complete the lengthy Animal producers prefer suppliers of animal feed that have process successfully. He flashed a big smile when the HACCP cer ficate arrived. l By Bill Meyer Agronomy Div. Manager I am pleased to announce that we have added a new seed line to our lineup. In early December, we became a Prairie Brand seed dealer. Many of you are probably aware of that name, as Prairie Brand is well known for its soybeans. We feel that this is a good fit with the brands that we already have available. While we got a late start with the company for this growing season, we are excited about future growth opportuni es with the Prairie Brand line. Seed supplies for the upcoming season look to be adequate for all lines of seed that we handle. Some of the “hot” numbers are in short supply or sold out, but otherwise inventories for all other varie es look to be good. Seed line added months. We have seen minor swings both ways on all products, but I do not expect to see much ac vity either way un l we get past the spring plan ng season. Even then, I do not expect that we will see any significant changes unless there is a 15 to 20 percent drop in worldwide consump on. For the foreseeable future, there just is no indica on of that happening. We have not looked at locking in any product for fall 2015 yet. However, if you want us to get an indica on of what pricing is possibly going to look like, let me know and I can get some numbers for you. As we get closer to spring, those of you who will be applying NH3 or wan ng NH3 custom applied, need to let us know early so we can make arrangements to get equipment ready and to get tractors lined up for our use. If you possibly have a tractor available, let us know so we are aware of our op ons. Since we generally do not custom apply NH3 in spring, we need to plan ahead as much as possible. Chemical supplies also look to be in good shape as we head into the upcoming season. We have not had to deal with shortages this year as we did the past two or three years. If there are any “specialty” products that you have read about and are interested in trying, let us know and we will do our best to help you get them. Even though we work with two main distributors for our chemical and surfactant needs—Rosens and West Central—we can get products from other distributors, if you are looking for special products. Just let us know, and we will work with you. We have good rela onships with many distributors. Here are a few reminders as we prepare for spring. Please make an effort to get into the offices in March or early April to get your field maps ready. On applica on, we would like to see a two- to three-day lead me. That makes it much easier to plan routes, as we generally plan the following day’s routes the night before. We try to s ck to our plans for the day as much as possible, but occasionally we can slip a field in as we go by. Please try to work with us as much as you can, as that me of year is hec c enough as it is. Fer lizer pricing has been somewhat stagnant for the past four to six Thank you ahead of me for your coopera on. 6 l By Brad Kohls Grain Dept. Manager Markets stay in sideways mode The average season price contract was a success, filling up both time slots. It will be completed July 1 on corn and July 29 on soybeans. Call if you have questions or want updates. The corn and soybean markets remain in a sideways mode, like they have for most of the winter. The January crop report did not have a lot of op mis c news in it. The final crop report for 2014 by the numbers were as follows: Corn—14.21 billion with yield of 171.0 and carryout of 1.877 bushels. Soybeans— 3.969 billion bushel produc on with yield of 47.8 bushel/acre and carryout of 410 million bushels. The final numbers had a delayed reac on of nega vity. The market Our Stewart facility is going to two-day a week operations until fall. We will be open Tuesday and Wednesday, unless special arrangements are made. We will be open with regular harvest hours in September. l By Renee Anderson Energy Sales seems to have been rallying through the last quarter of 2014. Once the final numbers were released, the grain markets have con nued to slide. As stated in previous newsle ers, I feel any me soybeans get above $10.00 they should be sold. That opportunity has been there and many of you have taken advantage of it. South America’s produc on this year seems to be quite large, and will keep pressure on the futures markets going forward. West coast exports are down slightly from the past, which will keep basis levels in check as well. With the local produc on being quite good last year, the local processors will not need to stretch too far to buy soybeans. The local corn basis should remain firm with local demand and our area corn crop being trimmed by flooding and drought this past growing season. Cash markets remain in the $3.40 to $3.65 price range; I don’t see that changing a lot in the next few months. Generally speaking, we do have an adequate amount of corn le over. We are coming in to a seasonally up-trending market for the next 90 days or so, so have your orders in. If I do have some op mism going forward it would be in the corn market. I think corn acreage will be down. I don’t believe we can match the yield from last year, with reduced acres we could see carryout ghten and prices remain firm. 3 SCG&E ! k c a B s e v i G South Central Grain and Energy believes in giving back to its communi es to help them grow and prosper, and to enhance the quality of life. SCG&E, in conjunc on with matching dollars from the Land O’ Lakes Founda on and CoBank supported the community. Our 2014 Dona ons totaled $28,940.00 Local Area Fire Departments: $9,470 total was distributed to the Gibbon, Fairfax, Hector, Buffalo Lake, Stewart, Cosmos, Eden Valley and Dassel Fire Departments. Dona on Sibley Co FoodShare SCG&E,togetherwiththeLandO’Lakes FoundationMatchProgram,gifteda inancialdonationtoareafoodshelvesto helpmeetthecommunities’hungerneeds. SCG&EBoardmemberBruceFroehlich presentedadonationtoJackiKruggel, SibleyCountyFoodSharePresident. Local Area Food Shelves: $9,470 total was distributed to the Sibley, Renville and Meeker County Food Shelves. Local Area FFA Chapters: $10,000 total was distributed between the GFW, BLHS and ACGC FFA Chapters. March is Oil Booking Month With spring approaching, there are several things we need to start thinking about. We started out the year with a petroleum product mee ng at the end of January where there were presenta ons from our CHS representa ves on Cenex Premium Diesel Fuel as well as Cenex Brand Lubricants. The mee ng was well a ended and quality discussions were had to gather informa on on how products and machines are changing. CHS con nues to test its products on a regular basis to make sure they hold up to new equipment requirements. We can’t stress enough how important it is to use quality products on your equipment to keep them running at op mum performance for years to come. The word has go en out about the excellent warranty program that Cenex provides and several customers have signed up through South Central Grain & Energy. The Cenex warranty is a very inexpensive way to protect your investment and give you peace of mind. Please call me or stop in the Hector office for details. As March rolled around, we again hosted our annual oil and filter sale. On March 25, we have the bulk oil truck scheduled to do our spring farm deliveries. Please note, once again, that deliveries will not be made to loose 55 gallon barrels to ensure quality product. We do provide bulk storage containers, please contact us if you are in need. If you would like to be added to the delivery route, or have any ques ons please contact Dan or myself. We also have several op ons for filling your barrels at the warehouse if that suits your needs be er. We have someone there Monday through Friday 7:30-9:30 a.m. or give us a call to schedule a me. Diesel exhaust fluid has become a necessary product for some machinery and trucks. We currently carry this product in several sizes. As this becomes a bigger need, our op ons have expanded. We are looking into new ways to offer and deliver product, along with equipment available to you as well. Please contact us for what we currently have available or let us know what you might be interested in and we will see what is available. l By Ken Koch Swine Produc on Specialist As we move from one season to the next, there are always a number of management items that need close a en on. These include— but are not limited to—ven la on, stocking density, pig management, and nutri on. I have addressed these topics in my past newsle ers. If you would like copies of them, let me know and I can send them to you. For this issue I want to touch on nutri on. Now is the me that we should take a look at possible ra on changes, not only to address seasonal needs and changes, but also to address changes in product prices. Added fat has a higher value in the summer than in thermo neutral weather. Lysine levels may need to be adjusted, along with increasing fat levels to maintain a correct lysine to energy balance. Dona on Eden Valley FD SCG&E board members Larry Dean, Brian Broderius, and Jason Boll presented a financial dona on to Fire Chief Joe Thielen of the Eden Valley Fire Department, le . Together with matching funds from the Land O’ Lakes Founda on Match Program, the dona on will help rural communi es prosper and prepare for tomorrow. Dona on ACGC FFA SCG&EandtheCoBank“SharingSuccess”MatchProgrammadeagenerous donationtotheACGCHighSchoolFFAChaptertohelppreparefutureleaders inagriculture.Front,fromleft:SCGEAssociateBoardMemberJasonBoll, KaylaKutzke,SkyllerSchmidt,andMadisonWhitcomb.Back:SCGEBoard MemberBrianBroderius,LucasLilleberg,MorganPaulson,MorganErickson, DillonGratz,andSCGEBoardMemberLarryDean. l By Dan Filzen Hector Loca on Manager Importance of Nutrition With the current higher price of ddgs, they no longer present the money-saving opportuni es they did in the past. We have lowered the ddg levels for all ra ons, based on best cost of produc on. We do keep a close eye on prices and make adjustments accordingly. Evaluate your paylean strategy. Like fat, it has more value in hot weather. Manage the feed systems on your farms. Feed outages are more common in pigs fed in the summer, as bridging of bins and feeders is more common. Manage your feeders and ensure that at least 50 percent pan coverage is available in each feeder. Restric ons in intake are more costly in the summer. Do a good walkthrough late in the day to make sure all pigs have access to feed. Pigs will eat much of their feed at night in hot weather, so having feed available at night is cri cal. As always, feel free to contact me at any me with ques ons, concerns, or comments. Your business is greatly appreciated! There has been a lot of talk about the crude oil market lately, as well as gas and diesel fuel prices. Farm diesel prices were down as low as $1.80 a gallon in January, though as of this wri ng they are up about 30 to 35 cents a gallon from the low. Gas prices were down in the $1.80 range as well. I believe we may see fuel prices come down again, though right now the steel workers’ strike is causing some supply concerns that puts upward pressure on the fuel markets. Once the strike gets se led, I would think prices will stabilize or go down again. U.S. crude inventories rose almost five million barrels last week, to reach nearly 418 million barrels, the highest since record keeping began in 1982. U.S. crude oil inventories are at the highest level for this me of year in at least 80 years. I would expect that we would see all petroleum product prices—including LP—to come down some yet. I Fuel Price Update would suggest that you keep an eye on price levels of fuel and LP and watch for favorable contract prices, then lock some in for your specific needs. LP inventories have been steadily increasing throughout this winter. Here are some sta s cal inventory numbers that give you some perspec ve on LP inventories across the country. Mid-Con is 11.8 million above last year’s inventory level and is up 5.1 million from the five-year average of 15.7 million. Gulf Coast inventory is 22.4 million above last year and 12.9 million above the five-year average of 25.1 million. East Coast is up 1.6 million from last year and is 600,000 above the five-year average of three million. As you can see, the inventory numbers look posi ve for prices to come down. But as we look at this, we must also remember that if crude oil prices go up, we will see all the products follow to some degree, including LP. I would suggest watching prices through spring and summer, and if you see a favorable price, you might think about taking advantage and contract some of your spring and fall needs. EMPLOYEE NEWS 4 New Opportunity! Josh Evenson transferred to feed delivery from agronomy on December 22. He delivers out of both Hector and Gibbon. While delivery is Josh’s primary role, he may s ll help out in agronomy if needed. A Gibbon na ve, Evenson graduated from MVL High School in 2010, studied plumbing for a year at Pipestone, then moved to Alaska for a few years where he was a store manager for Safeway. O o Hartmann, Jr. is a new regular part- me employee and started his new posi on that combines feed warehouse and delivery responsibili es on December 15. Hartmann keeps the Gibbon warehouse stocked and delivers bagged feed products to other SCG&E loca ons. O o has lived in the Gibbon area his en re life and graduated from Gibbon High School in 1976. He then studied ag produc on at Mankato Technical School. Hartmann has been in the livestock business all his life and con nues to operate an organic crop and cow-calf beef opera on five miles south of Gibbon. O o and his wife have three grown sons. In his spare me, he enjoys bowling, fishing, and traveling. l By Allen Baysinger Regional Loca on Manager If you’ve been through Buffalo Lake lately, you may have no ced a new bin hoisted up in the air. Your co-op invested heavily into rail expansion three years ago. This next phase of the project is much more than just storage capacity. Opera on func onality and environmental controls are also a key part of the project. I’ll address a few. A. Second leg and dump pit. This not only improves dumping speed but also handling different commodi es side by side and addresses rail unload op ons. B. Dual (upgraded) swing Lori Holden joined SCG&E on December 31 as a quality assurance and accoun ng employee in the Gibbon feed department. It’s a unique combina on, but one for which Holden is well qualified. A na ve of Minnetonka, Lori earned a bachelors in chemistry and biology at Augsburg College and a master’s degree in science from the University of Minnesota. She worked as a chemist at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis for 10 years. When husband Greg had a job opportunity in New Ulm, the family moved there about seven years ago. Holden con nued to do research for businesses seeking suppliers of ingredients and equipment, working from home. Since 2009, she’s done purchasing and accoun ng work. At SCG&E, Lori creates blend ckets for Gibbon and Hector and will be trained to be program leader for the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Cri cal Control Point) and quality assurance programs. Lori and Greg have two sons, Hunter, 21 and a junior at MSU, and Trapper, 17, a senior at MVL High School. In her spare me, Lori is a “bag lady,” carrying kni ng and croche ng projects and/or books. She also enjoys jogging. 5 l iden fica on numbers on your account. The government fines us if our patron accounts do not have correct tax iden fica on numbers. It has been quite a process to get the system up and running and our patrons have been terrific in helping us through the process. We thank you. By the me you are reading this ar cle, spring has hopefully become a reality. As I am wri ng it, winter is whipping past my window at 40 mph. I think we all are ready to put all our year-end 2014 chores behind us and get ready for a successful One of the great 2015. As you are going through your receipts so you can file your 2014 tax return, be on the lookout for any uncashed patronage checks and grain checks. We s ll have a few uncashed 2014 checks, and issuing replacements is expensive. Please take your checks to the bank, enjoy the money, and help us at benefits of doing the same me! business with South “ We get a lot of ques ons every year about the amount in Box 3 of Form 1099PATR. The amount Central Grain & Energy in Box 3 represents the gross dollar value of the One of the great benefits of doing business with South is the patronage grain South Central Grain & Energy paid you for in Central Grain & Energy is the patronage program. In 2014, program. 2014. Grain check-offs, drying charges, price later SCG&E made $2.3 million in cash distribu ons to our fees, etc., do not affect the Box 3 number. So, if you patrons. SCG&E also gives patrons who have reached age 72 are trying to recalculate this number yourself, you have the opportunity to have any equity retained in their accounts to add those fees back into the grain checks you received paid out to them. Only one re rement payment of this kind will be from the coopera ve. Any deferred payments you received in made on any account. If you are past age 72, have not received your 2014 are included in Box 3; payments you deferred to 2015 are not. re rement payment, and wish to receive it in 2015, contact one of our local offices. We will be processing 2015 re rement checks very soon, so let us know as soon as possible. If you want us to be able to pay you The installa on process for our new accoun ng system is con nuing. automa cally when you are eligible for a re rement payment, please The form(s) 1099PATR you received in January are the first we have generated in the new system. Please look them over carefully and let us make sure we have your year of birth in your account informa on. know as soon as possible if you see any errors in your account informa on. Please be especially sure we have the proper tax ” l New bin in Buffalo Lake— it’s about more than storage! set distributor will handle both legs and commodi es to all bins, including further expansion equipment, rail load out, and overheads. C. Another key component of the project will be a dust suppression system hooked into the receiving pits. This will help control dust emissions from being forced out of the dump pits and will help keep patrons and employees in cleaner air. D. A driveway building is being added to keep the west dump sites covered from outside elements and eliminates covering pits with mats for safer opera ons. Over the last two years, we ran over 100 shu le trains through Buffalo Lake. That correlates to roughly 40 million bushels of grain through the system. We look to move more volume forward and to get you, the producer, the best price advantage we can. Thank you for all your support. Have a safe spring season. Keep an eye on your bins! Without a lot of grain moving it’s extra important to check those grain bins frequently to avoid problems such as insect ac vity and mold. Be aware of moisture and temperature levels. End of year paperwork By Chuck Braun Controller By Bruce Beussman Safety and Compliance Director South Central Grain & Energy offers convenient credit terms to its customers. All new customers go through a credit evalua on process before credit can be extended. It is very important and expected that customer account balances be kept current. It has been a while since we printed our credit policy in the newsle er so I am including it here. Please read the policy and feel free to contact any of our offices with any ques ons you may have. South Central Grain and Energy Credit Policy 1. 2. The purpose of this credit policy is to extend only convenience credit to patrons and customers. Any other terms of credit must be approved by the appropriate authority prior to the me of purchase. All purchases made on credit during the month are due and payable by the 15th of the following month. ANY TH REMAINING BALANCE DUE AND UNPAID BY THE 15 OF THE MONTH FOLLOWING THE MONTH OF PURCHASE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A FINANCE CHARGE COMPUTED AT THE PERIODIC RATE OF ONE AND ONE-HALF PERCENT (1.5%) PER MONTH, WHICH IS AN ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE OF EIGHTEEN PERCENT (18%). A minimum finance charge of fi y cents (50¢) shall be assessed on past due accounts. Credit policy review 3. The closing date of the billing cycle shall be the end of the month. All periodic statements shall be mailed as soon as possible following the closing date of the billing cycle. 4. If the account is not paid by the 15th of the month, the account shall be classified as delinquent and the account shall be placed on a cash only basis. Credit shall not be extended to any account which has a past due balance. 5. Cash discounts may be given on certain items in certain departments. Check with the Department for further details on cash discounts. 6. In the event that collec on proceedings are ini ated to collect any balance due, you may be subject to addi onal court costs, a orney’s fees, or collec on agency charges. It is understood that SCG&E has a first lien on any equity held by the applicant in the Co-op. 7. This policy may be changed from me to me by no fying you. Use of the account a er no fica on will indicate your agreement to the change. 8. Management reserves the right to deny or limit extension of credit. EMPLOYEE NEWS 4 New Opportunity! Josh Evenson transferred to feed delivery from agronomy on December 22. He delivers out of both Hector and Gibbon. While delivery is Josh’s primary role, he may s ll help out in agronomy if needed. A Gibbon na ve, Evenson graduated from MVL High School in 2010, studied plumbing for a year at Pipestone, then moved to Alaska for a few years where he was a store manager for Safeway. O o Hartmann, Jr. is a new regular part- me employee and started his new posi on that combines feed warehouse and delivery responsibili es on December 15. Hartmann keeps the Gibbon warehouse stocked and delivers bagged feed products to other SCG&E loca ons. O o has lived in the Gibbon area his en re life and graduated from Gibbon High School in 1976. He then studied ag produc on at Mankato Technical School. Hartmann has been in the livestock business all his life and con nues to operate an organic crop and cow-calf beef opera on five miles south of Gibbon. O o and his wife have three grown sons. In his spare me, he enjoys bowling, fishing, and traveling. l By Allen Baysinger Regional Loca on Manager If you’ve been through Buffalo Lake lately, you may have no ced a new bin hoisted up in the air. Your co-op invested heavily into rail expansion three years ago. This next phase of the project is much more than just storage capacity. Opera on func onality and environmental controls are also a key part of the project. I’ll address a few. A. Second leg and dump pit. This not only improves dumping speed but also handling different commodi es side by side and addresses rail unload op ons. B. Dual (upgraded) swing Lori Holden joined SCG&E on December 31 as a quality assurance and accoun ng employee in the Gibbon feed department. It’s a unique combina on, but one for which Holden is well qualified. A na ve of Minnetonka, Lori earned a bachelors in chemistry and biology at Augsburg College and a master’s degree in science from the University of Minnesota. She worked as a chemist at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis for 10 years. When husband Greg had a job opportunity in New Ulm, the family moved there about seven years ago. Holden con nued to do research for businesses seeking suppliers of ingredients and equipment, working from home. Since 2009, she’s done purchasing and accoun ng work. At SCG&E, Lori creates blend ckets for Gibbon and Hector and will be trained to be program leader for the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Cri cal Control Point) and quality assurance programs. Lori and Greg have two sons, Hunter, 21 and a junior at MSU, and Trapper, 17, a senior at MVL High School. In her spare me, Lori is a “bag lady,” carrying kni ng and croche ng projects and/or books. She also enjoys jogging. 5 l iden fica on numbers on your account. The government fines us if our patron accounts do not have correct tax iden fica on numbers. It has been quite a process to get the system up and running and our patrons have been terrific in helping us through the process. We thank you. By the me you are reading this ar cle, spring has hopefully become a reality. As I am wri ng it, winter is whipping past my window at 40 mph. I think we all are ready to put all our year-end 2014 chores behind us and get ready for a successful One of the great 2015. As you are going through your receipts so you can file your 2014 tax return, be on the lookout for any uncashed patronage checks and grain checks. We s ll have a few uncashed 2014 checks, and issuing replacements is expensive. Please take your checks to the bank, enjoy the money, and help us at benefits of doing the same me! business with South “ We get a lot of ques ons every year about the amount in Box 3 of Form 1099PATR. The amount Central Grain & Energy in Box 3 represents the gross dollar value of the One of the great benefits of doing business with South is the patronage grain South Central Grain & Energy paid you for in Central Grain & Energy is the patronage program. In 2014, program. 2014. Grain check-offs, drying charges, price later SCG&E made $2.3 million in cash distribu ons to our fees, etc., do not affect the Box 3 number. So, if you patrons. SCG&E also gives patrons who have reached age 72 are trying to recalculate this number yourself, you have the opportunity to have any equity retained in their accounts to add those fees back into the grain checks you received paid out to them. Only one re rement payment of this kind will be from the coopera ve. Any deferred payments you received in made on any account. If you are past age 72, have not received your 2014 are included in Box 3; payments you deferred to 2015 are not. re rement payment, and wish to receive it in 2015, contact one of our local offices. We will be processing 2015 re rement checks very soon, so let us know as soon as possible. If you want us to be able to pay you The installa on process for our new accoun ng system is con nuing. automa cally when you are eligible for a re rement payment, please The form(s) 1099PATR you received in January are the first we have generated in the new system. Please look them over carefully and let us make sure we have your year of birth in your account informa on. know as soon as possible if you see any errors in your account informa on. Please be especially sure we have the proper tax ” l New bin in Buffalo Lake— it’s about more than storage! set distributor will handle both legs and commodi es to all bins, including further expansion equipment, rail load out, and overheads. C. Another key component of the project will be a dust suppression system hooked into the receiving pits. This will help control dust emissions from being forced out of the dump pits and will help keep patrons and employees in cleaner air. D. A driveway building is being added to keep the west dump sites covered from outside elements and eliminates covering pits with mats for safer opera ons. Over the last two years, we ran over 100 shu le trains through Buffalo Lake. That correlates to roughly 40 million bushels of grain through the system. We look to move more volume forward and to get you, the producer, the best price advantage we can. Thank you for all your support. Have a safe spring season. Keep an eye on your bins! Without a lot of grain moving it’s extra important to check those grain bins frequently to avoid problems such as insect ac vity and mold. Be aware of moisture and temperature levels. End of year paperwork By Chuck Braun Controller By Bruce Beussman Safety and Compliance Director South Central Grain & Energy offers convenient credit terms to its customers. All new customers go through a credit evalua on process before credit can be extended. It is very important and expected that customer account balances be kept current. It has been a while since we printed our credit policy in the newsle er so I am including it here. Please read the policy and feel free to contact any of our offices with any ques ons you may have. South Central Grain and Energy Credit Policy 1. 2. The purpose of this credit policy is to extend only convenience credit to patrons and customers. Any other terms of credit must be approved by the appropriate authority prior to the me of purchase. All purchases made on credit during the month are due and payable by the 15th of the following month. ANY TH REMAINING BALANCE DUE AND UNPAID BY THE 15 OF THE MONTH FOLLOWING THE MONTH OF PURCHASE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A FINANCE CHARGE COMPUTED AT THE PERIODIC RATE OF ONE AND ONE-HALF PERCENT (1.5%) PER MONTH, WHICH IS AN ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE OF EIGHTEEN PERCENT (18%). A minimum finance charge of fi y cents (50¢) shall be assessed on past due accounts. Credit policy review 3. The closing date of the billing cycle shall be the end of the month. All periodic statements shall be mailed as soon as possible following the closing date of the billing cycle. 4. If the account is not paid by the 15th of the month, the account shall be classified as delinquent and the account shall be placed on a cash only basis. Credit shall not be extended to any account which has a past due balance. 5. Cash discounts may be given on certain items in certain departments. Check with the Department for further details on cash discounts. 6. In the event that collec on proceedings are ini ated to collect any balance due, you may be subject to addi onal court costs, a orney’s fees, or collec on agency charges. It is understood that SCG&E has a first lien on any equity held by the applicant in the Co-op. 7. This policy may be changed from me to me by no fying you. Use of the account a er no fica on will indicate your agreement to the change. 8. Management reserves the right to deny or limit extension of credit. 6 l By Brad Kohls Grain Dept. Manager Markets stay in sideways mode The average season price contract was a success, filling up both time slots. It will be completed July 1 on corn and July 29 on soybeans. Call if you have questions or want updates. The corn and soybean markets remain in a sideways mode, like they have for most of the winter. The January crop report did not have a lot of op mis c news in it. The final crop report for 2014 by the numbers were as follows: Corn—14.21 billion with yield of 171.0 and carryout of 1.877 bushels. Soybeans— 3.969 billion bushel produc on with yield of 47.8 bushel/acre and carryout of 410 million bushels. The final numbers had a delayed reac on of nega vity. The market Our Stewart facility is going to two-day a week operations until fall. We will be open Tuesday and Wednesday, unless special arrangements are made. We will be open with regular harvest hours in September. l By Renee Anderson Energy Sales seems to have been rallying through the last quarter of 2014. Once the final numbers were released, the grain markets have con nued to slide. As stated in previous newsle ers, I feel any me soybeans get above $10.00 they should be sold. That opportunity has been there and many of you have taken advantage of it. South America’s produc on this year seems to be quite large, and will keep pressure on the futures markets going forward. West coast exports are down slightly from the past, which will keep basis levels in check as well. With the local produc on being quite good last year, the local processors will not need to stretch too far to buy soybeans. The local corn basis should remain firm with local demand and our area corn crop being trimmed by flooding and drought this past growing season. Cash markets remain in the $3.40 to $3.65 price range; I don’t see that changing a lot in the next few months. Generally speaking, we do have an adequate amount of corn le over. We are coming in to a seasonally up-trending market for the next 90 days or so, so have your orders in. If I do have some op mism going forward it would be in the corn market. I think corn acreage will be down. I don’t believe we can match the yield from last year, with reduced acres we could see carryout ghten and prices remain firm. 3 SCG&E ! k c a B s e v i G South Central Grain and Energy believes in giving back to its communi es to help them grow and prosper, and to enhance the quality of life. SCG&E, in conjunc on with matching dollars from the Land O’ Lakes Founda on and CoBank supported the community. Our 2014 Dona ons totaled $28,940.00 Local Area Fire Departments: $9,470 total was distributed to the Gibbon, Fairfax, Hector, Buffalo Lake, Stewart, Cosmos, Eden Valley and Dassel Fire Departments. Dona on Sibley Co FoodShare SCG&E,togetherwiththeLandO’Lakes FoundationMatchProgram,gifteda inancialdonationtoareafoodshelvesto helpmeetthecommunities’hungerneeds. SCG&EBoardmemberBruceFroehlich presentedadonationtoJackiKruggel, SibleyCountyFoodSharePresident. Local Area Food Shelves: $9,470 total was distributed to the Sibley, Renville and Meeker County Food Shelves. Local Area FFA Chapters: $10,000 total was distributed between the GFW, BLHS and ACGC FFA Chapters. March is Oil Booking Month With spring approaching, there are several things we need to start thinking about. We started out the year with a petroleum product mee ng at the end of January where there were presenta ons from our CHS representa ves on Cenex Premium Diesel Fuel as well as Cenex Brand Lubricants. The mee ng was well a ended and quality discussions were had to gather informa on on how products and machines are changing. CHS con nues to test its products on a regular basis to make sure they hold up to new equipment requirements. We can’t stress enough how important it is to use quality products on your equipment to keep them running at op mum performance for years to come. The word has go en out about the excellent warranty program that Cenex provides and several customers have signed up through South Central Grain & Energy. The Cenex warranty is a very inexpensive way to protect your investment and give you peace of mind. Please call me or stop in the Hector office for details. As March rolled around, we again hosted our annual oil and filter sale. On March 25, we have the bulk oil truck scheduled to do our spring farm deliveries. Please note, once again, that deliveries will not be made to loose 55 gallon barrels to ensure quality product. We do provide bulk storage containers, please contact us if you are in need. If you would like to be added to the delivery route, or have any ques ons please contact Dan or myself. We also have several op ons for filling your barrels at the warehouse if that suits your needs be er. We have someone there Monday through Friday 7:30-9:30 a.m. or give us a call to schedule a me. Diesel exhaust fluid has become a necessary product for some machinery and trucks. We currently carry this product in several sizes. As this becomes a bigger need, our op ons have expanded. We are looking into new ways to offer and deliver product, along with equipment available to you as well. Please contact us for what we currently have available or let us know what you might be interested in and we will see what is available. l By Ken Koch Swine Produc on Specialist As we move from one season to the next, there are always a number of management items that need close a en on. These include— but are not limited to—ven la on, stocking density, pig management, and nutri on. I have addressed these topics in my past newsle ers. If you would like copies of them, let me know and I can send them to you. For this issue I want to touch on nutri on. Now is the me that we should take a look at possible ra on changes, not only to address seasonal needs and changes, but also to address changes in product prices. Added fat has a higher value in the summer than in thermo neutral weather. Lysine levels may need to be adjusted, along with increasing fat levels to maintain a correct lysine to energy balance. Dona on Eden Valley FD SCG&E board members Larry Dean, Brian Broderius, and Jason Boll presented a financial dona on to Fire Chief Joe Thielen of the Eden Valley Fire Department, le . Together with matching funds from the Land O’ Lakes Founda on Match Program, the dona on will help rural communi es prosper and prepare for tomorrow. Dona on ACGC FFA SCG&EandtheCoBank“SharingSuccess”MatchProgrammadeagenerous donationtotheACGCHighSchoolFFAChaptertohelppreparefutureleaders inagriculture.Front,fromleft:SCGEAssociateBoardMemberJasonBoll, KaylaKutzke,SkyllerSchmidt,andMadisonWhitcomb.Back:SCGEBoard MemberBrianBroderius,LucasLilleberg,MorganPaulson,MorganErickson, DillonGratz,andSCGEBoardMemberLarryDean. l By Dan Filzen Hector Loca on Manager Importance of Nutrition With the current higher price of ddgs, they no longer present the money-saving opportuni es they did in the past. We have lowered the ddg levels for all ra ons, based on best cost of produc on. We do keep a close eye on prices and make adjustments accordingly. Evaluate your paylean strategy. Like fat, it has more value in hot weather. Manage the feed systems on your farms. Feed outages are more common in pigs fed in the summer, as bridging of bins and feeders is more common. Manage your feeders and ensure that at least 50 percent pan coverage is available in each feeder. Restric ons in intake are more costly in the summer. Do a good walkthrough late in the day to make sure all pigs have access to feed. Pigs will eat much of their feed at night in hot weather, so having feed available at night is cri cal. As always, feel free to contact me at any me with ques ons, concerns, or comments. Your business is greatly appreciated! There has been a lot of talk about the crude oil market lately, as well as gas and diesel fuel prices. Farm diesel prices were down as low as $1.80 a gallon in January, though as of this wri ng they are up about 30 to 35 cents a gallon from the low. Gas prices were down in the $1.80 range as well. I believe we may see fuel prices come down again, though right now the steel workers’ strike is causing some supply concerns that puts upward pressure on the fuel markets. Once the strike gets se led, I would think prices will stabilize or go down again. U.S. crude inventories rose almost five million barrels last week, to reach nearly 418 million barrels, the highest since record keeping began in 1982. U.S. crude oil inventories are at the highest level for this me of year in at least 80 years. I would expect that we would see all petroleum product prices—including LP—to come down some yet. I Fuel Price Update would suggest that you keep an eye on price levels of fuel and LP and watch for favorable contract prices, then lock some in for your specific needs. LP inventories have been steadily increasing throughout this winter. Here are some sta s cal inventory numbers that give you some perspec ve on LP inventories across the country. Mid-Con is 11.8 million above last year’s inventory level and is up 5.1 million from the five-year average of 15.7 million. Gulf Coast inventory is 22.4 million above last year and 12.9 million above the five-year average of 25.1 million. East Coast is up 1.6 million from last year and is 600,000 above the five-year average of three million. As you can see, the inventory numbers look posi ve for prices to come down. But as we look at this, we must also remember that if crude oil prices go up, we will see all the products follow to some degree, including LP. I would suggest watching prices through spring and summer, and if you see a favorable price, you might think about taking advantage and contract some of your spring and fall needs. 2 Annual MeetingWElection l By Tom Dueringer Feed Dept. Manager Introducing your 2015 Board Candidates 8 Ballot #1 K Fairfax Area • Elect one WW en Firle and his wife Renae raise corn, soybeans, and sweet corn just north of Fairfax. They have two grown children and four grandchildren. The Firles have been farming for 42 years and Ken has been a member of the coopera ve all those years. He was elected to the board of directors when the co-op was South Central Co-op of Gibbon and Fairfax. He was board president when the merger of United Grain and Energy and South Central Co-op took place, forming SCG&E. Since that forma on of SCG&E nine years ago, Ken has been board president and has seen the co-op grow from three loca ons to eight. KEN FIRLE He stated, “SCG&E has experienced tremendous growth, not only in trade territory, but also in business volumes. Although we may not always like change, change and growth are necessary to remain a strong and successful coopera ve in today’s ever evolving and global business world. SCG&E is a very diversified co-op, which has allowed this rapid growth to be accomplished and s ll remain a locally owned co-op. Your board of directors is very proud to be able to say that we have been able to do all of this growth without any outside partners.” He went on, “A coopera ve is described as being a group of members with common goals and needs, working together as a group to achieve the most benefit for all of its members. This is something that cannot be done as a sole individual. One of the most difficult challenges of being on the board of directors is to leave the individual farmer’s hat at the door when entering the board room, and pu ng on a director’s hat to represent the best overall interests of the company, and all of its members. I have a very deep passion for SCG&E and have truly enjoyed the opportunity and honor of represen ng you, the owners of this co-op. I believe that SCG&E—as a locally owned co-op—has a very strong, posi ve, and profitable future. I believe that my past experience, knowledge, and dedica on to this company will be very beneficial during these ever changing and challenging mes of your coopera ve’s history. The me it takes to fully understand, learn, and comprehend the func on and responsibili es of represen ng a co-op as a director is complex and can take years to achieve. I would be honored to con nue being a part of the direc on, challenges, and opportuni es that your coopera ve is now experiencing and will face in the future.” l By Eugene Lu eke General Manager HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Cri cal Control Point) is recognized by the animal feed industry globally. It requires a rigorous, credible feed safety management scheme. R on Wendinger farms 950 acres with his brother Larry at Fairfax. They raise corn, soybeans and some alfalfa. Wendinger has been a farmer all his life and has been involved with the co-op the en re me. Ron graduated from Fairfax High School in 1985 and studied ag produc on in a two-year program at Willmar VoTech. SCG&E has achieved HACCP cer fica on by demonstra ng excep onal feed safety standards and quality management prac ces. As of January 9, 2015, SCG&E has been awarded this interna onally recognized cer fica on status by SGS, a third party cer fying body. RON WENDINGER Wendinger is currently in his second year as an associate director on the SCG&E board. In that appointed posi on, he has all the rights of a board member except vo ng, since he was not elected. With that experience, Wendinger commented, “Being on the board is an eye-opening experience for me. There’s a lot more to it than I thought. It’s been a pleasure to serve as an associate member and I’d be honored to serve South Central Grain & Energy as a director.” Ron and his wife Lori live at rural Fairfax. He has two step-kids—Ma Cuff, 28, and Missy Vorwerk, 26. Missy and husband Tyler have one child. Wendinger served on the Renville County Fair Board for six years; he was food superintendent for five of those years. He was also involved with Fairfax’s 125th anniversary celebra on. Ron’s hobbies include hun ng, fishing, and camping. 2014 a decent year for SCG&E There were ups and downs but, overall, South Central Grain & Energy had a good financial year in 2014. Among the causes for the ups and downs, and affec ng some of our departments, were fall harvest yields and low commodity prices, all impac ng our volumes and margins. Overall, however, our decent financial year was due to the diversifica on of our organiza on. That’s always been a strong point for us. I thank all of our patrons for their business in 2014. We sincerely appreciate it. Without great patrons and dedicated employees to get the job done, we would not be successful. That combina on makes a winwin situa on. Please take note of the annual mee ng announcement on the front page. We’ve moved the mee ng to Cosmos this year, a different loca on within our territory. We will review last year’s business, covering events of last year and the challenges that confront us, as well as those that may be ahead as our company moves forward. In other ma ers, our grain project is progressing well. It’s at or ahead of schedule, due to the good weather so far this winter. The grain bin is up and we expect the project to stay on schedule. Our agronomy project is on hold for now, with the board reevalua ng old informa on, current informa on, and some new informa on. This evalua on will lead us to an upcoming decision. With that, I’d like to again thank you for your business in 2014. We look forward to serving you again in 2015. I hope to see you at the annual mee ng March 31 in Cosmos. 7 SCG&E achieves HACCP certification HACCP cer fica on, knowing their feeds are manufactured with both quality and feed safety as a priority. Such cer fica on valida on is increasingly important in animal products, with producers increasingly demanding greater feed safety assurances. SCG&E already was recognized as a pioneer and a leader in quality and feed safety. We are proud to be among an elite few who have achieved this cer fica on. The HACCP cer fica on validates our HACCP cer fica on requires a third party (SGS) assessment to verify safe feed program, while addi onally adherence to the me culous requirements of feed safety standards. valida ng the outstanding feed Evalua on is conducted on all aspects of the company’s animal feed quality. safety and quality management program, including a poten al biological, chemical, and physical risk assessment, personnel prac ces, feed quality control, housekeeping, and facility sanita on (pest control); ingredient supplier approval, product traceability, and quality management. HACCP cer fica on Feed department employee Jason Re g validates the programs that SCG&E has in place, as well as headed the HACCP commi ee and went con nuous monitoring procedures of these programs. above and beyond in helping the eightmember commi ee to complete the lengthy Animal producers prefer suppliers of animal feed that have process successfully. He flashed a big smile when the HACCP cer ficate arrived. l By Bill Meyer Agronomy Div. Manager I am pleased to announce that we have added a new seed line to our lineup. In early December, we became a Prairie Brand seed dealer. Many of you are probably aware of that name, as Prairie Brand is well known for its soybeans. We feel that this is a good fit with the brands that we already have available. While we got a late start with the company for this growing season, we are excited about future growth opportuni es with the Prairie Brand line. Seed supplies for the upcoming season look to be adequate for all lines of seed that we handle. Some of the “hot” numbers are in short supply or sold out, but otherwise inventories for all other varie es look to be good. Seed line added months. We have seen minor swings both ways on all products, but I do not expect to see much ac vity either way un l we get past the spring plan ng season. Even then, I do not expect that we will see any significant changes unless there is a 15 to 20 percent drop in worldwide consump on. For the foreseeable future, there just is no indica on of that happening. We have not looked at locking in any product for fall 2015 yet. However, if you want us to get an indica on of what pricing is possibly going to look like, let me know and I can get some numbers for you. As we get closer to spring, those of you who will be applying NH3 or wan ng NH3 custom applied, need to let us know early so we can make arrangements to get equipment ready and to get tractors lined up for our use. If you possibly have a tractor available, let us know so we are aware of our op ons. Since we generally do not custom apply NH3 in spring, we need to plan ahead as much as possible. Chemical supplies also look to be in good shape as we head into the upcoming season. We have not had to deal with shortages this year as we did the past two or three years. If there are any “specialty” products that you have read about and are interested in trying, let us know and we will do our best to help you get them. Even though we work with two main distributors for our chemical and surfactant needs—Rosens and West Central—we can get products from other distributors, if you are looking for special products. Just let us know, and we will work with you. We have good rela onships with many distributors. Here are a few reminders as we prepare for spring. Please make an effort to get into the offices in March or early April to get your field maps ready. On applica on, we would like to see a two- to three-day lead me. That makes it much easier to plan routes, as we generally plan the following day’s routes the night before. We try to s ck to our plans for the day as much as possible, but occasionally we can slip a field in as we go by. Please try to work with us as much as you can, as that me of year is hec c enough as it is. Fer lizer pricing has been somewhat stagnant for the past four to six Thank you ahead of me for your coopera on. MARCH 2015 South Central n BUFFALO LAKE • 320-833-5321 • 800-642-6727 LOCATIONS n COSMOS • 320-877-7261 n DARWIN • 320-693-2311 • 800-275-8216 n EDEN VALLEY • 320-453-3200 • 800-240-8835 n FAIRFAX 507-426-8263 • 800-328-0131 n GIBBON • 320-834-6534 • 800-690-6534 n HECTOR OFFICE & FEED MILL • 320-848-2273 • 800-547-5576 n HECTOR C-STORE • 320-848-2286 n STEWART • 320-562-2650 GRAIN & ENERGY PO BOX E HWY 4 SOUTH FAIRFAX, MN 55332 Treated Seed and Soybeans Don’t Mix From United Soybean Board A er you’re finished plan ng, you may be tempted to dump your remaining seed in with any soybeans you s ll have from last year’s harvest. Don’t. “It is illegal in the United States to put treated seed into your soybeans and take them to the elevator. It is unacceptable, not only in the United States, but worldwide, as well,” Dwain Ford, United Soybean Board interna onal opportuni es target area coordinator and a soybean farmer from Kinmundy, Illinois, said. “It’s important that U.S. soybean farmers use and know the laws here in the United States for disposing of PART-TIME Providing high-quality, contamina on-free soy shipments helps the United States remain the preferred supplier of soybeans around the world and helps U.S. farmers maintain their access to key markets. As soybean seed treated with cropprotec on products has become more popular in recent years, it has also become more important for farmers to properly dispose of le over seed. Some interna onal customers forbid the presence of any l Hector • C-Store Clerk FULL-TIME: l Hector, Gibbon • Bulk Feed A endant/ Feed Delivery Driver l Fairfax • Custom Applicator More informa on about these posi ons can be found at scgemn.com 2015© South Central Grain & Energy. Published by South Central Grain & Energy in partnership with Madsen Ink Co., New Ulm. GRAIN & ENERGY treated seed in commodity soybean shipments, and farmers viola ng U.S. laws on treated seed disposal may be subject to legal ac on. treated seeds and that they’re very conscious in ensuring that those are disposed of in the proper, legal manner.” EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE South Central “I believe that U.S. soybean farmers are very conscious about this and do a very good job in segrega ng and keeping those treated seeds out of commercial soybeans,” Ford added. “However, customers can reject a whole shipload of our soybeans over just a few soybeans that have been treated, and that could cost all of us millions of dollars.” SEASONAL CDL DRIVERS WANTED www.scgemn.com Join us for our W Tuesday, March 31 • 7 p.m. ANNUAL MEETING Cosmos Legion, Cosmos Note new loca on • Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) with HAZMAT and tanker endorsements and current medical card required. • Seasonal Class B CDL holders encouraged to apply. • Work assignments based out of Fairfax, Gibbon, Buffalo Lake and Cosmos agronomy facili es. Apply at any SCG&E loca on, call 320-833-3003 or visit scgemn.com. INSIDE: AGENDA • 2014 Financial Report • Elec on of one director • Other business which may properly come before the membership • Dividend checks will be distributed • Lunch will follow mee ng —Brian Broderius, Secretary • 2015 Board Candidates • HACCP Cer fica on • New Seed Line Added
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