keep your nitrogen internships lead - maxyield …...2000s. here are some interesting facts about...

Internships Lead to Careers

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SEPTEMBER 2015www.maxyieldcoop.com

Keep Your Nitrogen in the Zone

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®Solutions

here’s a lot of talk about Millennials, the young people born between the early 1980s and early 2000s. Here are some interesting facts about Mil-lennials from the Brookings Institute and the U.S. government:

• Millennials are the largest generation in the United States and will comprise more than one in three adult Americans by 2020.

• Millennials will make up as much as 75% of the U.S. work-force by 2025. With the first cohort of Millennials only in their early thirties, most members of this generation are at the beginning of their careers and will be an important en-gine of the economy in the decades to come.

• Millennials are one of the most ethnically-diverse genera-tions in history. About 42% identify with a race or ethnicity other than non-Hispanic white, around twice the share of the Baby Boomer generation when they were the same age.

• The significance of Millennials extends beyond their num-bers. This is the first generation to have Internet access during their formative years. These young people were practically born with a computer in their hand. For them, technology is a way of life.

• Millennials also stand out because they are the most educat-ed generation to date. About 61% of adult Millennials have attended college, whereas only 46% of the Baby Boomers did so.

We work with Millennials daily, whether they are new team mem-bers or interns. It’s exciting to work with these young adults, who bring a new perspective and a strong work ethic to MaxYield.

For us, a successful internship program and year-round recruit-ing efforts have made a huge impact on MaxYield. Students gain a clearer understanding of the career path they’d like to pursue, while their contributions help MaxYield achieve at a higher level and build our talent pool.

We were also excited to expand our internship program this summer to include the Ag Entrepreneurship Initiative, which is a partnership with Iowa State University. We had a specific market research project lead to this need, and this opportunity allowed another intern to work with us this summer. You can read more about our 2015 interns and students who chose MaxYield for their full time career on page 6.

Balance sheet remains strong As we look ahead, MaxYield is entering a time of change. We expect to see earnings less than what they’ve been in recent years. As the ag economy has slowed down, lower earnings will be common at ag businesses across Iowa, not just at MaxYield.

Still, our balance sheet remains strong. We’ve been able to invest in key projects, such as upgrading our rolling stock and enhancing our grain storage capacity to serve you better.

As always, thanks for doing business with MaxYield. Your sup-port will keep us strong, both now and in the future. ■

TBy Keith Heim, CEO

Meet the Millennials, the Future of MaxYield

Joining the Team: Internships, on-the-job training, lead to MaxYield careers. . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Learning to Lead: Meet MaxYield's 2015 summer interns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Keep Your Nitrogen in the Zone:Get the most from this vital nutrient. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

One Roof, One Team, One Year Later:MaxYield's Service Center celebrates one-year anniversary . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Never Forget:Kossuth County Freedom Rock honors veterans . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Top 6 Reasons to Invest in Premium Fuel:It pays in more ways than one. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

contents

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September 2015

©2015 MaxYield Cooperative. All Rights Reserved. Published in partnership with VistaComm® (www.VistaComm.com).

MAXYIELD EDITORIAL TEAM

Patti Guenther Chad Meyer Diane Streit Steve TassinariTaylor Kluver

My Solutions® magazine is sent to you courtesy of MaxYield Cooperative® to of-fer you an exclusive look into farming and rural life in Iowa and southern Minnesota. MaxYield is a local agricultural coopera-tive that not only works to maximize the harvest but also never loses sight of the bigger picture of why people farm. More information about MaxYield is available at www.maxyieldcoop.com.

My Solutions is published by MaxYield Cooperative, 313 3rd Avenue NE, West Bend, IA 50597.

To subscribe or provide address changes, please send to: MaxYield CooperativePO Box 49, West Bend, IA 50597Call 515-887-7211 ext. 216 or email [email protected]. Subscription cost is $10 per year.

Photography by Greg Latza.

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Board Chairman

Howard Haas, Algona (central region)515-295-7993ViCe Chairman

David Garrelts, Emmetsburg (central region)712-852-2792SeCretary

Eric Marchand, Britt (east region)641-843-4167

Barry Anderson, Greenville (west region)712-262-0480 James Black, Algona (central region)515-341-7858Don Hejlik, Britt (east region)641-843-3438Todd Meyer, Everly (west region)712-834-2153Ron Rouse, Curlew (west region)712-855-2434Jim Wirtz, West Bend (central region)515-887-6554

On the cover: Discover why these recent college graduates chose MaxYield.

LEARN MORE

To learn more about MaxYield Cooperative, visit us on Facebook,

Twitter, and YouTube, or log on to www.MaxYieldCoop.com.

ig opportunities can grow from small beginnings. MaxYield Cooperative is pleased that a number of former interns, part-time team members, and college students completing on-the-job training have joined MaxYield’s team full time.

Want to know what it’s like to make this transition? We asked Ryan Mayland, Brock Beadle, Levi Quayle, Justin Zwiefel, and Kristin O’Connell to share their stories.

RYAN MAYLANDAgronomy Specialist Level 1Ryan Mayland has enjoyed a trifecta of success at MaxYield. After starting as an agronomy and seed intern in 2013, he completed an advanced sales internship in 2014 and accepted a full time position as

an agronomy specialist level 1 in the Central Area in May 2015.

“I graduated May 9 and started at MaxYield the next Monday,” said Mayland, who majored in ag studies and minored in agronomy at Iowa State University (ISU). “I appreciate the opportunity to learn how to be an agronomist.”

Mayland will receive a full year of training to help him learn the

skills required for a MaxYield agronomist. The Britt native has soil sampled, worked with the SciMax Solutions team, and learned more about crop protection products from MaxYield agronomy specialists Tim Bruns and Amanda Peterson. He also looks forward to working with clients this fall and winter.

“I’ve always liked the seed part of the business,” Mayland said. “I’m interested in how the different genetics respond to various soil types, weather conditions, soil moisture, and crop protection prod-ucts. It will be interesting to see the yield checks this fall.”

It has been valuable to learn the crop protection side of the busi-ness, added Mayland, who has ridden in an applicator to observe the process first-hand. Mayland has also enjoyed the chance to see how the SciMax team uses the latest technology to help clients manage crop inputs more effectively.

“Being an agronomy specialist level 1 lets you go more in-depth than you can as an intern, and you cover a lot of areas,” Mayland said.

The team-based environment at MaxYield enhances the learning process. “I don’t just have one person who can answer my ques-tions,” Mayland said. “I have multiple people teaching me so I can tap into a lot of expertise and develop my own style of working with clients.”

JOINING THE TEAM: Internships, On-the-Job Training Lead to MaxYield Careers

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• September 2015 • My Solutions

JOINING THE TEAM: Internships, On-the-Job Training Lead to MaxYield CareersMayland is grateful for the chance to live and work in the area where he grew up. “There’s no way I would have been ready to be an agronomist right out of college without this training. I ap-preciate the opportunity to take my career to the next level at my hometown co-op.”

KRISTIN O’CONNELLClient Care Leader, MallardKristin O'Connell chose to work at MaxYield on the day of her graduation from Iowa Lakes Community College this spring. “I was excited to join the MaxYield team full time,” said O’Connell, who began her

duties in May 2015 as a client care leader in Mallard. O’Connell became acquainted with MaxYield when she started her on-the-job training at MaxYield’s Dickens location in the fall of 2013, where she ran the scale and handled other office duties. The experience convinced her that she made the right decision to change her college major to ag business. “At first I planned to become a social worker, but I decided it wasn’t the right fit for me,” she said. “I became interested in agriculture,

because it’s a solid job choice, and there’s always room to grow.” O’Connell completed more on-the-job training at MaxYield’s Emmetsburg location, where she helped the SciMax Solutions team compile field recommendations. She also worked at the Mallard location one spring and helped Brad Shirk with various agronomy jobs, such as loading fertilizer. All these experiences helped her decide which side of the business she enjoyed the most. “I’m a so-ciable person, so I like being able to work with clients,” O’Connell said.

When she had the chance to join MaxYield full time, she was ready. “The transition from on-the-job training to full time work was a breeze,” said O’Connell, who grew up in Cushing in western Iowa. “I really like the MaxYield team. They are like family.”

O’Connell has taken on a variety of new job duties in her role as a client care leader. In addition to weighing trucks, she handles the billing, including train billing, and helps Mick Hoover with grain merchandising. “I get to do lots of things and especially enjoy work-ing with our clients,” O’Connell said. “They are friendly, down-to-earth, and easy to talk to.” For someone who loves the rural lifestyle, MaxYield is an excellent

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option, added O’Connell, who spends her free time boating, golf-ing, and helping out at her boyfriend’s hog operation near Mallard. “There are lots of people here who help me learn,” said O’Connell, who met her boyfriend, Matt Ruppert, through her job at MaxYield. “This is a great place to work.”

LEVI QUAYLEAgronomy Specialist Level 1MaxYield’s reputation for excellence caught Levi Quayle’s attention when he came to ISU’s Ag Career Day.

“I really like MaxYield’s training programs, because they are some of the best in the

industry,” said Quayle, who earned his ag business degree from ISU in December 2014.

Quayle is based in MaxYield’s East Area, where he works with Cody Ostendorf, a MaxYield agronomy specialist. “The agronomy spe-cialist level 1 training is really well rounded,” noted Quayle, who grew up on a grain farm near Forest City.

Since he started in December 2014, Quayle has been helping with soil sampling, job-shadowing with the seed solutions specialists, working with MaxYield’s agronomists, riding along in an applicator, spending time with the SciMax Solutions team, and more. “I started in the West Area and now work in the East Area, which has given me a better understanding of the whole company,” Quayle said.

Along the way, he has even developed new ways to handle some routine duties, such as figuring out a better method to use the tech-nology involved with soil sampling. For Quayle, working outside,

getting dirty, and taking on new challenges suit him just fine.

“I like being in the field, getting to know our clients, and providing them the right solutions. That’s really cool.”

Quayle also likes interacting with the MaxYield team. He worked with four agronomists in the West Area and is now learning from his colleagues in the East Area. “Everyone here works as a team,” he noted. “They are also very helpful and are just a phone call away when you have questions.”

All this is helping Quayle pursue his goal of becoming the best agronomist he can be. “You never quit learning in this job, because there’s so much to know. The industry is always changing, so I nev-er get bored.”

MaxYield is clearly a leader in the ag industry, added Quayle, who enjoys bow fishing and farming in his free time. “I encourage other people to consider working here. The training is excellent, everyone is helpful, the technology is cutting-edge, and the future is exciting.”

BROCK BEADLEGrain Solutions ProviderA successful grain operations internship in the summer of 2014 at Belmond convinced Brock Beadle that a ca-reer at MaxYield was worth pursuing. After earning his ag studies

major from ISU in December of 2014, Beadle joined the MaxYield grain team full time.

“It was a smooth transition,” said Beadle, who grew up on a farm near Swea City. “I already had a lot of con-nections at MaxYield, so I was able to hit the ground running.”

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Beadle is based in MaxYield’s corporate office in West Bend, al-though he travels throughout MaxYield’s territory, from Algona to Klemme, providing grain solutions for clients.

“Risk management plays a big role in these volatile times, and each farming operation has different risk tolerances,” Beadle said. “I sit down with clients and explain the different programs MaxYield can tailor to their operation.”

His goal? Give clients peace of mind when it comes to marketing grain while focusing on profitability. “A lot of companies advertise that they do this and that, but can they actually back it up? In my MaxYield internship, I saw the company not just talk the talk, but walk the walk and provide the solutions our clients need.”

Building relationships with clients is key at MaxYield. “Our team shares a common goal of serving clients,” said Beadle, who enjoys farming with his older brother, Brandon, and their grandfather, Clifford. “This is a great place to work, and I feel good about my decision to join the MaxYield team.”

JUSTIN ZWIEFELAgronomy Specialist Spending a year as an agronomy specialist level 1 in 2013 prepared Justin Zwiefel to take the next step and become a full time

agronomy specialist based at MaxYield’s Mallard location.

“After college I wanted to move back home,” said Zwiefel, a north-ern Iowa native who earned his agronomy degree from South Dakota State University in 2013. “MaxYield had a lot to offer.”

As an agronomy specialist level 1, Zwiefel started in Fostoria and later worked with Mark Eisenman, an agronomy specialist in the East Area. Zwiefel enjoyed working with a variety of people and also appreciated the chance to learn the fertilizer, seed, and crop protection aspects of the business. “You get a lot of in-depth train-ing that first year,” he said. “You also see how MaxYield team mem-bers work with clients. The big point I learned from Mark Eisenman was to always give the client options.”

Now that he’s a full time agronomy specialist, Zwiefel is strength-ening relationships with existing clients in his area and is attracting new business to MaxYield. He also enjoys the diversity of agrono-my. “I’m always learning something new, from seed to technology,” said Zwiefel, who competes as a steer wrestler and calf roper on the Midwest rodeo circuit in his free time.

The agronomy specialist level 1 job eased the transition to full time agronomy specialist, he added. “The level 1 experience is key. While a lot of companies just throw you in to sink or swim, MaxYield helps you learn a lot that first year.” ■

ant to see the future of agriculture? It’s right here at MaxYield Cooperative, thanks to our internship program. “I’m glad our commitment to MaxYield’s

internship program continues to grow,” said Keith Heim, MaxYield’s CEO. “It’s one of the best strategic actions we’ve implemented to guide students on their career path in agricul-ture and attract top talent to MaxYield.”

MaxYield interns work on a variety of key projects that help

MaxYield deliver solutions to clients. Interns also challenge “the-way-we’ve-always-done-it” mentality and bring fresh, new ideas to the company. In addition, they become advocates who help spread the word about MaxYield on campus.

“Internships also allow MaxYield to give back to the commu-nity and support the future of agriculture,” Heim said. “This program is a win-win for everyone.”

What’s it really like to be a MaxYield intern? Let’s hear from the students themselves. ■

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Dominic Snyder, Market Research Internarket research is key to staying competitive in business. It has also created a unique internship opportunity for Dominic Snyder, thanks to a new partnership between MaxYield Cooperative and the Agricultural

Entrepreneurship Initiative at Iowa State University (ISU). “I started working with MaxYield in January 2015 doing some market research in grain,” said Snyder, an ag business major who is a senior at ISU. “This summer, I’ve been researching MaxYield’s agronomy market share to determine how we stack up against the competition.”

Q: What inspired you to study agriculture in college?A: I grew up in Logan, IA, and was a history and education ma-jor before I switched to ag my sophomore year. I decided there were more job opportunities for ag majors than there are for history teachers. I also like the people in agriculture, because they are friendly and down-to-earth.

Q: What have you enjoyed about your MaxYield market research internship?A: I like coming to work every day. I’ve gotten to do lots of different projects, including researching how much on-farm and commercial grain storage is available in the area. I’ve also done market research to confirm whether it made sense for MaxYield to add another liquid propane storage tank. Con-ducting research and compiling the data so it’s useful fits with my history background. I’ve also appreciated the chance to learn more about the ag cooperative system. I've worked at MaxYield's scale house at Kerber Milling in Emmetsburg and

helped load a soybean train in West Bend. I’ve enjoyed getting to learn about every area of the company.

Q: How have you benefited by having Harry Bormann as your mentor at MaxYield?A: Harry gives me a lot of freedom, but whenever I need help, he’s there to answer questions and brainstorm ideas. I’d rec-ommend a MaxYield internship to other students. The people here are great, and everyone is friendly and helpful.

Q: What are your career goals after graduation?A: I’m pretty open to going anywhere, although I’d like to stay in the Midwest and work in agriculture. ■

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LEARNING TO LEAD:Meet MaxYield’s 2015 Interns

Interesting Facts About Dominic

• Dominic learned how to fish from his grandpa and likes to catch catfish and take fishing trips to South Dakota.

• If he’s not fishing, you might find Dominic at garage sales. It’s a hobby he has enjoyed since high school. He’s always on the lookout for fishing gear and still uses one of his fa-vorite purchases, a 12-foot aluminum john boat he got in high school for about $100. One of his latest treasures is a horse-hair rug he found at a garage sale in West Bend this summer.

• Dominic enjoys kayaking on the river and recently got a new kayak. ■


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A Minute With MaxYield Mentor Harry Bormann, Grain Team LeaderQ: What have you enjoyed about working with Dominic?A: Dominic has been great to work with. He’s always ready to learn something new. He has also been really good about re-searching data on short notice. I appreciate how he has found new ways to compile the data we’re looking for.

Q: What traits/skills does Dominic possess that fit well with MaxYield's culture?A: Dominic is a self-starter. He also comes to me with innovative ideas and finds better ways to provide solutions. ■

A Minute With Kevin Kimle, director, Agricultural EntrepreneurshipInitiative, Iowa State University

A new partnership between MaxYield Cooperative and the Agri-cultural Entrepreneurship Initiative at Iowa State University (ISU) is creating new opportunities for internships at MaxYield.

Q: What appealed to you about MaxYield and its internship program?A: I became acquainted with MaxYield through one of my past companies, Decision Commodities. Without question, MaxYield is one of the top agribusinesses I worked with. Their profession-alism, innovative spirit, and great people make them a delight to work with. When I joined ISU’s Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative, it was natural to look for ways to connect our students with MaxYield.

Q: How do internships like Dominic Snyder’s benefit both the student and the employer?A: We look for opportunities to move high-impact projects for-ward at organizations like MaxYield. We want employers to look back on projects involving our students as opportunities that add-ed significant value. For students, we want to expose them to great organizations like MaxYield, which work hard every day to find ways to solve problems and provide solutions in agriculture.

Q: What excites you about the future of the Ag Entrepreneurship Initiative’s partnership with MaxYield? A: There are some really special things happening in agriculture in Iowa today because of outstanding organizations like MaxYield. There is great value in an education at ISU, but this is magnified by experiences at MaxYield. The Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative connects the hardworking, creative souls who make ag-riculture such a great place to pursue a career. ■

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KIM DORNBIER, Grain Accounting/Finance Internhile Kim Dornbier’s family has done busi-ness with MaxYield for years, Kim has seen a whole new side of the

cooperative, thanks to her internship in West Bend.

“I didn’t realize just how many divisions MaxYield has,” said Dornbier, the daughter of Phillip and Michelle Dornbier of Garner. “Since I’m a numbers person, I like the busi-ness side of the company.”

Q: What inspired you to study agriculture in college? A: I grew up around agriculture and have always enjoyed math. It made sense for me to major in ag business at ISU, where I’ll be a sophomore this fall. I also like how agricul-ture is so diverse. We’ll always need agricul-ture to feed people, so there will always be career opportunities.

Q: What have you enjoyed about your MaxYield accounting/finance internship?A: I’m learning a lot, plus I get to work with many different people and like the variety in my work. Each morning I make sure the hedges balance, cancel price-laters, and handle truck settlements. During the day I help with other accounting work and have billed three-quarters of a million dollars at a time.

I also help with grain settlements, work with grain contracts, call farmers when their contract hits the trig-ger, and work with the Enogen® corn program, which is separate from the other grain accounting work.

This is a presti-gious internship, because you’re treated like a MaxYield team member and are responsible for im-portant work. You

also get a lot of different learning experienc-es, including tours to MaxYield locations to learn about various aspects of the coopera-tive and a trip to the soil sampling lab that MaxYield uses.

Q: How have you benefited by having Rick Abrahamson as your mentor at MaxYield?A: Rick worked with me my entire first day to help me learn MaxYield’s accounting system and show me how to do the settle-ments. Rick is fun and really easy to work with, plus he explains things and answers my questions as I go along.

Q: What are your career goals af-ter graduation?A: Before I graduate I’m thinking about get-ting my accounting degree. Since I like to work with numbers, I might like to work as a grain merchandiser or loan officer. I’ll see where my career opportunities take me. ■

A Minute With MaxYield Mentor Rick Abrahamson, Corpo-rate Grain Accountant

Q: What have you enjoyed about working with Kim?A: Kim has a head for numbers and catches on quickly. She also asks good questions and is adaptable.

Q: What traits/skills does Kim possess that fit well with MaxYield's culture?A: Kim has a can-do attitude, is a self-starter who gets things done, and is a good leader.

Q: Why do you value MaxYield’s internship program? A: I like working one-on-one with in-terns like Kim to help them learn about different areas of the company and give them a roadmap of where they’d like their career to go. The interns help us work on projects we might not have time for otherwise. Their insights give us a new way of looking at things, which can sometimes help us work faster and more effectively. ■

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Interesting Facts About Kim• Kim is a 2014 Garner-Hayfield/Ventu-

ra High School graduate and went to school with two fellow MaxYield 2015 interns, Mark Wellik and Taylor Kluver.

• Kim has been involved in many ag-related organizations throughout high school and college. She was a member of the Concord Challengers 4-H Club and served as the historian of her FFA chapter.

• At ISU, Kim is a member of the Sigma Alpha Delta ag sorority and serves on the philanthropy committee. She’s also a Block and Bridle member and serves on the travel committee of the Ag Business Club. ■


hen you’re just weeks away from graduating, it pays to get all the hands-on work experi-ence you can before joining the “real world.”

“That’s why I was interested in working for MaxYield,” said Marcus Christensen, an ag business major who will graduate from ISU in December 2015. “I’ve known some other peo-ple who had good experiences with their MaxYield internships, and I knew I’d learn a lot here.”

Q: What inspired you to study agri-culture in college? A: I grew up on a grain farm near Estherville and have always had a passion for agriculture. It’s a vital industry, and some of the best career opportunities are in ag.

Q: What have you enjoyed about your MaxYield grain operations internship?A: If you want to gain some valuable work ex-perience and learn a lot about a cooperative, this is a good place to be. MaxYield gives me responsibilities and treats me like a team mem-ber. I’ve learned a lot about the grain side of

the business by loading trucks and trains. We load 110-car trains at the Belmond location and have 15 hours to get each train prepped, filled, and sealed after it arrives. MaxYield pro-vides plenty of training from day one to help us learn the job and keep us safe.

It has been interesting to see what goes into the decision-making process at a grain eleva-tor. I like how MaxYield gives us a lot of oppor-tunities to learn. We had lunch with the CEO, Keith Heim, and have had local economic de-velopment leaders speak to us, too.

Q: How have you benefited by hav-ing Dave Hubka as your mentor at MaxYield?A: I see Dave every day. He’s knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and is willing to answer my questions. MaxYield team members like Dave are friendly and are good at explaining things to help me learn.

Q: What are your career goals after graduation?A: I’d like to work in ag lending or financial services. I’m open to going anywhere for a job, and I’m also open to living in Iowa. ■

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A Minute With MaxYield MentorDave Hubka, Belmond Location Leader

Q: What have you enjoyed about working with Marcus?A: Marcus is willing to handle lots of different jobs, asks good ques-tions, and can work independently.

Q: What traits/skills does Marcus possess that fit well with MaxYield's culture?A: Marcus is willing to learn and is self-motivated. He’s the kind of person we’re looking for on our team.

Q: Why do you value MaxYield’s internship program? A: Our interns play a key role in providing solutions to our clients, and we enjoy helping them learn new skills. We also appreciate them giving us a helping hand during busy times. It’s great to see former MaxYield interns transition into full time MaxYield team members. ■

Interesting Facts About Marcus• Farming is a tradition for Mar-

cus’s family, which includes his parents, Roger and Theresa, his brothers, Michael and Daniel, and his grandpa, Don Christensen.

• Marcus has worked in the sales and service departments for a marina in Okoboji and contin-ued to work at the marina on weekends during the summer of 2015.

• In his free time, Marcus enjoys spending time outdoors, boating, watching baseball, basketball, and football, and reading non-fiction books, including business books. ■

MarcusChristensen

Grain Operations Intern


• Taylor was a member of the Orthel Jolly Work-ers 4-H Club for nine years and enjoyed work-ing on a variety of projects, from livestock to sewing to woodworking.

• While Taylor was a Woden-Crystal Lake-Titon-ka Tiger through her junior year of high school, she became a Garner-Hayfield Cardinal for her senior year in 2011-2012. While most of her friends went to Forest City High School, Taylor open-enrolled to Garner-Hayfield/Ventura due to the school’s phenomenal ag program.

• Taylor showed hogs and cattle through FFA, which also allowed her to expand her ag net-work. She especially loved the showmanship competitions. She continues to enjoy working with livestock on her family’s farm, especially at calving time. ■

TAYLOR KLUVERCommunications Intern

ince Taylor Kluver grew up on a farm near Britt and was a past MaxYield scholarship winner, she was no stranger to MaxYield. She wanted to learn

more about the company, however, and is glad she applied for an internship. “I’ve talked to a lot of past MaxYield interns, and they all had a lot of good things to say about the company,” said Kluver, a senior at ISU who is majoring in ag studies and minoring in agrono-my. “I wanted to see for myself.”

Q: What inspired you to study agriculture in college? A: I always knew I wanted to study ag and work in agriculture. Ag offers end-less career options and a lot of oppor-tunities for women.

Q: What have you enjoyed about your MaxYield commu-nications internship?A: I was interested in working for a cooperative and wanted to see it from the inside out. MaxYield has given me the chance to work on lots of different projects. I’ve helped with MaxYield’s 2016 tractor calendar and have en-joyed talking to the farmers and hear-ing their stories. I’ve also written blog

posts and created videos featuring MaxYield’s 2015 interns. It has been interesting to work on a media contact list for MaxYield and get a behind-the-scenes look at how My Solutions is cre-ated. There’s a lot of attention to detail that goes into the final product.

I like how MaxYield encourages interns to learn about the various divisions of the cooperative and helps them achieve what they want from their internship.

Q: How have you benefited by having Chad Meyer as your mentor at MaxYield?A: Chad is very approachable and is open to suggestions. He’s also available to answer questions and help guide me. While he helps me learn, he’s not a micromanager. About once a week I get a task list from him, and he trusts me to get the work done. At MaxYield you’re treated like a team member, not an intern.

Q: What are your career goals after graduation?A: I think I’d like to work in communi-cations and marketing. I’d like to stay in Iowa, especially around my home-town area. ■

A Minute With MaxYield Mentor Chad Meyer, Client Relations/Communications Team Leader

Q: What have you enjoyed about working with Taylor?A: Taylor is a self-starter with a positive attitude. When I give her a priority list of projects to com-plete, she gets things done. She also has a passion for agriculture that’s contagious. This reminds me why I pursued agriculture as my career.

Q: What traits/skills does Taylor possess that fit well with MaxYield's culture?A: Taylor is a hard worker with a great attitude. She’s eager to learn, shows up every day ready to tackle projects, and doesn’t require a lot of su-pervision.

Q: Why do you value MaxYield’s in-ternship program? A: Each intern brings a fresh perspective and new ideas. Working with the next generation of ag leaders keeps us motivated. It’s also rewarding to teach interns about agriculture and communica-tions and then see them put their skills into prac-tice. The students benefit from our internship by learning real-world workplace and life skills, plus they leave here with many industry networking opportunities. We’ve been blessed to hire many former MaxYield interns in the last five years. ■

SInteresting Facts About Taylor

hen Mark Wellik says he’s willing to go the extra mile to get the most from his MaxYield intern-

ship, he’s not kidding. Even if the job involves getting up at 3:30 a.m. to pull soil samples before a storm hits, he’s up for the challenge. “My older brother, Jared, was an intern at MaxYield, so I know it’s a good com-pany to work for,” said Wellik, who is a sophomore majoring in ag studies at ISU. “I also know former MaxYield in-terns who have gotten good jobs in seed sales and agronomy, so I wanted to try an internship here.”

Q: What inspired you to study agriculture in college? A: I grew up on a farm near Woden, where my dad, Jim, and uncle, Roger, grow corn and soybeans. I’ve always liked agriculture and still come back each fall to help with harvest. I also help a farmer near Ames at harvest and do some fall tillage for him.

Q: What have you enjoyed about your MaxYield crop scouting/soil sampling internship?A: While a lot of the big ag companies want resumes only from juniors and se-niors, MaxYield is willing to work with

you if you’re a freshman or sophomore. I’ve helped with crop scouting and soil sampling in the East Area. I’ve learned a lot about agronomy and have also made a lot of great connections at MaxYield. I know many people in the East Area and especially like the Meservey guys, who are a hoot. The networking is the big-gest thing.

Q: How have you benefited by having Cody Ostendorf and Rachel Amundson as your mentors at MaxYield?A: Cody is very understanding and re-laxed, plus he’s very knowledgeable about agronomy. He has taken the time to go through everything from agrono-my basics to more complex topics.

Rachel helped me learn about SciMax Solutions. Mentors like Cody and Rachel guide you and help you learn a lot more. I can ask them questions and find the answers I need. Building these re-lationships also gives me references for future opportunities.

Q: What are your career goals after graduation?A: I’d like to work in agronomy sales. While I’d be willing to relocate for a full time job, I definitely want to end up back in Iowa. Eventually, I’d like to come back home and farm. ■

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A Minute With MaxYield Mentor Cody Ostendorf, Agronomy Specialist

Q: What have you enjoyed about working with Mark?A: After finishing his freshman year at ISU, Mark knew he would need to learn a lot about crop management. I’ve enjoyed working with Mark, because he wants to expand his skills. He is very attentive to detail while scouting, and he’s not afraid to ask questions to learn more about man-aging weeds, disease, and insects in corn and soy-beans.

Q: What traits/skills does Mark possess that fit well with MaxYield's culture?A: Mark is dedicated to our clients and under-stands their needs. With his farm background, he realizes that clients want a return on their invest-ment with agronomy inputs. Whether he’s soil sampling or crop scouting, Mark works hard to do the work with precision. He also completes the work in a timely manner and relates well to our clients.

Q: Why do you value MaxYield’s internship program? A: Since I started my agronomy career as an in-tern in 2010, I know that MaxYield’s internship program can open up a lot of opportunities. As a mentor, I see how valuable this program is for MaxYield, too. We get the chance to work with talented young people who are eager to learn the business. This challenges me as a mentor, since I have to systematically go through every possibil-ity to provide our interns with accurate answers. I value how skilled interns help us provide timely solutions for our clients. ■

Interesting Facts About Mark

• Mark, a 2014 graduate of Garner-Hayfield/Ventura High School, served as vice president of the Britt Broncos 4-H club and sentinel of the local FFA chapter.

• Mark shows hogs through the Iowa Swine Jack-pot series and travels to Colfax, Grundy Center, Sac City, Spencer, and other towns for shows. His Berkshire barrow won championships at three out of four shows in one weekend.

• Back at ISU, Mark is a member of the Block and Bridle Club and the Beginning Farmers Network. ■

Mark WellikCrop Scouting/Soil Sampling

Intern


Brandon BenschoterCrop Scouting/Soil Sampling Intern

hile he grew up on a farm east of Algona and had worked with Pioneer® Hi-Bred, Brandon Benschoter is

getting a whole new perspective through his MaxYield internship. “I’m new to the cooperative system,” said Benschoter, a Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) graduate who is now a junior majoring in agron-omy at ISU. “I wanted to see a different side of agriculture and am learning a lot at MaxYield.”

Q: What inspired you to study agriculture in college? A: There are a lot of great careers in ag-riculture. It’s exciting to see all the new things coming along in this industry.

Q: What have you enjoyed about your MaxYield crop scouting/soil sampling internship?A: I always knew I didn’t want an office job, so this internship has been great. I have a blast meeting with growers in the Central Area. They all have different styles of farming, and I’ve learned a lot just by listening to them.

Also, MaxYield doesn’t just throw you un-der the bus and give you busy work like some other companies do with their in-terns. They give you valuable, hands-on experience and guide you every step of the way. They also give you a lot of opportuni-ties to learn. I’ve appreciated the chance to spend time with MaxYield’s grain team and learn more about grain marketing. I’ve also gotten to learn more about SciMax So-lutions, which is interesting.

Q: How have you benefited by having Tim Bruns as your men-tors at MaxYield?A: Tim does a great job of helping me learn weed identification and what crop protection products to use in certain situations. He takes the time to explain things and does a really good job of help-ing me learn. If we’re in a field and Tim sees an issue, he’ll pull a plant and show me what to look for.

Q: What are your career goals after graduation?A: Working with growers this summer has definitely put a career in sales on my radar. I’m willing to travel and look for-ward to seeing what opportunities come along. I’ll never stop learning. ■

A Minute With MaxYield Mentor Tim Bruns, Agronomy Specialist

Q: What have you enjoyed about working with Brandon?A: Brandon pays attention and is very eager to learn. He asks questions if he doesn’t under-stand something. He’s also another set of eyes and may see things from a perspective I hadn’t considered.

Q: What traits/skills does Brandon possess that fit well with MaxYield's culture?A: Brandon has a great work ethic and is a good listener. He’s also very client focused and picks up on things fast.

Q: Why do you value MaxYield’s internship program? A: The interns get a chance to see if their sum-mer job is something they would like to pursue as a career. They also get to see what MaxYield is all about. I enjoy passing on my knowledge to help the next generation of agronomists and ag professionals get started in their careers. The internship program gives MaxYield a chance to evaluate potential team members’ abilities and attributes in everyday work situations and see if they’d be a good fit for MaxYield. It’s a win-win all the way around. ■

Interesting Facts About Brandon• Brandon is taming the flame as he learns to

smoke and grill foods. He especially enjoys the bratwurst from Skoglund Meats in West Bend.

• Brandon is an outdoorsman who enjoys fish-ing. He also hunts for deer, ducks, pheasants, and turkeys.

• Brandon likes to stay active and plays basket-ball in his free time. ■

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Keep Your Nitrogen in the Zone

op quiz—where does most nitrogen loss occur? Below ground. It’s an issue that can easily cost you 15 to 20 bushels of corn per acre. “If you multiply 20 bushels by $3.50 a bushel, that's a

loss of $70 per acre,” said Joe Bollig, an integrated solutions spe-cialist with MaxYield Cooperative. “That’s also a conservative es-timate, since nitrogen losses can lead to yield losses of 40, 50, or even 60 bushels per acre.”

It’s a costly proposition, especially now that nitrogen has become one of the most expensive crop inputs. Nitrogen stabilizers offer a proven solution to combat this challenge. Not all stabilizers are created equal, however. Some are only active on the soil’s surface, for example. “Using the right stabilizer is more important than ever to keep nitrogen in the root zone and maximize your crop input investment,” Bollig said.

Instinct® II and N-Serve® stabilize nitrogen in the root zone, so this vital nutrient is available when your crops need it most. While there are less expensive products on the market, their effectiveness is questionable, Bollig said. Instinct II and N-Serve are the only ni-trogen stabilizers accepted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as proven nitrification inhibitors. “There’s solid science behind these products,” Bollig said. “N-Serve, for example, has been rigorously tested by third-party experts for

more than three decades.”

What’s the “magic” behind the method?While there’s nothing magical about nitrogen stabilizers, it helps to brush up on a little chemistry to understand how they work. Before anhydrous ammonia is applied, the product is in the NH3 form while it’s still in the tank. After it is applied, however, the product is attracted to moisture in the soil and becomes NH4+. Soil itself has a negative charge. “Opposites attract, which is a good thing,” Bollig said. Unfortunately, if the soil temperature is 50 degrees or warmer, a bacteria in the soil (Nitrosomonas) begins to convert the NH4+ (ammonium) to NO2- (nitrite) and then the nitrite is quickly oxi-dized by another bacteria in the soil (Nitrobacter) and converted to the NO3- (nitrate) form of nitrogen.

Because the nitrate form carries a negative charge like the soil, it is not tightly bound. This makes the nitrate mobile in the soil and more readily available for plant uptake, but because of this mobility, it also makes it subject to loss by both leaching and denitrification.

Nitrogen stabilizers circumvent this process by using nitrapyrin to kill the bacteria that start the nitrification process. “Nitrogen stabi-lizers keep nitrogen in the NH4+ form for 60 to 90 days,” Bollig said. “This protects nitrogen against leaching and makes more

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Learning and WinningEarlier this year, targeted growers were sent information about the importance of nitrogen stabilizers from DOW. MaxYield’s agronomy specialists then discussed the ben-efits of N-Serve® and Instinct II® with each grower. Quali-fied growers were entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of five 42-inch Vizio® Smart TVs.

Congratulations to the winners, who included Kim Kroger of Spencer, Jordan White of rural Meservey, Jason Nedved of rural Britt, Brent Renner of Klemme, and Don Salton of rural Dickens.

For more information about nitrogen stabilizers, contact your local MaxYield agronomist. ■

nitrogen available to the plants later in the growing season, when the crop really needs it.”

Think of stabilizers as insurance Nitrogen stabilizers deliver this protection for approximately $10 to $12 per acre. They can generate a return of $40 to $50 per acre, Bollig said.

Nitrogen stabilizers are like full-coverage auto insurance, he added. “You wouldn’t send a valuable new car or truck down the road without proper insurance. Why would you plant a valuable crop and not protect it with nitrogen stabilizer?”

Nitrogen stabilizers can be applied in the fall or spring. N-Serve works well for fall-applied anhydrous ammonia. Instinct II offers versatility, since it can be applied with multiple nitrogen sources, including UAN, urea, and manure.

Now’s a great time to try nitrogen stabilizers, Bollig said. Since Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad approved $9.6 million earlier this summer to support the Iowa Water Quality Initiative, growers who qualify can receive a rebate of $3.50 on every acre where nitrogen stabilizer is applied.

Talk to your MaxYield agronomy specialist or SciMax Solutions specialist for more information about nitrogen stabilizers for your acres. “This best-management practice protects your yield potential and the environment,” Bollig said. ■

“Using the right stabilizer is more important than ever to keep nitrogen in the root zone and maximize your crop

input investment.”

—Joe Bollig, MaxYield

hat sounds good in theory doesn’t always live up to the promise. That’s certainly not the case, however, with MaxYield Cooperative’s new service center, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary in West Bend.

“This beautiful new facility has been a boon to the commu-nity,” said Bryan Traub, MaxYield’s service station team leader. “We’re so pleased to provide new services that haven’t been available before through MaxYield.” Eric Thomas, tire service technician, has brought a new skill set that allows MaxYield to offer a wider range of services, in-cluding wheel bearing replacement, ball joints, more extensive engine repair, suspension service, transmission flushes, radia-tor flushes, and more. The shop also includes top-of-the-line diagnostic equipment to pinpoint what maintenance or repairs your vehicle needs. In addition, the expanded service center team contributes to more timely service. “Having Eric here takes a lot of the sched-uling pressure off when Gene Sewell or another team member isn’t here,” Traub said. “This means we can serve you quicker.”

Pick up and delivery available Located east of MaxYield’s corporate office in West Bend, the new 80-foot by 240-foot facility houses the service station, along with MaxYield’s maintenance shop and tire inventory. The build-ing also includes a spacious, comfortable lobby area, two restroom facilities, and client parking areas on the building’s west side.

Don’t have time to stop by? MaxYield will pick up your vehicle and drop it off when it’s done, said Traub, who noted that the service station is all about efficiency.

Bringing MaxYield’s service station and internal maintenance op-erations under one roof made this much easier. “We can share ex-pertise and labor, as needed, to increase our efficiency,” Traub said.

The new shop’s four bays easily accommodate both routine work and emergency jobs. This allows small projects and long-term projects to be underway at the same time, noted Jeff Bonnstetter, shop supervisor in West Bend.

Watch for good deals The service center has offered some new specials this summer, including $5 off a vehicle service and/or free tire rotation, for clients who schedule a Saturday morning appointment. More specials will be announced this winter.

Throughout the year, the service center offers a variety of tire brands, along with high-quality Interstate® Batteries, refined fuels, Cenex® premium fuels, filters, oil, grease, hoses and fit-tings, refined fuel tanks, liquid propane tanks, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), and more.

“See what we can offer,” Traub said. “There’s no com-parison to MaxYield’s new service center, which is a win-win for everyone.” ■

What ClientsAre Saying“The new service center is out of this world. I’ve always gotten quality service from MaxYield, but now it’s a lot easier for their team to work more efficiently. I rely on them to fix tires and change tires on my truck and tractor. I feel comfort-able taking my vehicles there, because I know they’ll get the job done right.”

—Bruce Bonnstetter, West Bend

ONE ROOF, ONE TEAM, ONE YEAR LATER

MaxYield’s Service Center Celebrates First Anniversary

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We’re Here for You

MaxYield’s new service station in West Bend is open:• Monday to Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.• Saturday: 8 a.m. to noon

Contact us:• 515-887-5531 (service center)


The End ofan Era:

CORN ORIGINATION AGREEMENTS CONCLUDE AT LAKOTA, RIGA

hile MaxYield Cooperative has served as the grain originator for the ethanol plant at Lakota from the beginning, Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) is changing the way they do business at both their Lakota plant and their Riga, MI, ethanol plant.

“GPRE has consistently given high compliments to the MaxYield team for their corn origination work,” said Harry Bormann, MaxYield’s grain team leader. “GPRE has made a strategic de-cision to originate more of their corn for ethanol production internally, however, rather than outsource this origination ser-vice.”

As a result, GPRE has opted not to renew its grain origination contracts with MaxYield. The Riga and Lakota contracts both end Sept. 30. “MaxYield will work with our clients to provide a seamless transition during these changes,” Bormann said.

What’s ahead for Lakota?MaxYield began originating grain for the Lakota plant before the facility was operational. In 2002, the plant’s original owner, Midwest Grain Processors (MGP), asked MaxYield to put to-gether an origination agreement. This took a substantial investment and required fast decision-making, Bormann said. “We got a call from MGP late on a Thursday afternoon, and by Wednesday of the next week we had approval from our board and CoBank to move forward on this agreement.”

MaxYield has originated grain ever since for the plant, which is now on its third owner, GPRE, which began operating the plant in October 2010. MaxYield has also been proud to support various organizations in the area, including Hunting with Heroes, local

fire departments, after-prom activities, and more. Some of these partnerships will endure, Bormann said.

“MaxYield values the relationships we’ve forged in Lakota and the surrounding communities. We extend a sincere thank you to each of our clients who have worked with us during our time at Lakota.”

MaxYield looks forward to working with Lakota-area clients through SciMax Solutions. The MaxYield team will also provide grain, seed, and energy solutions. “Rest assured that we’ll still be here to serve you,” Bormann said.

Moving out of Michigan Internal changes at GPRE also mean the end of MaxYield’s grain origination in Riga, MI, a partnership that started in 2010.

“We came to Riga at the request of the plant’s previous owner, Global Ethanol,” Bormann said. “We’ve enjoyed working with the Riga team, including Barb Kunkel, Paul Geiger, and Natalie Thompson.”

The MaxYield team also appreciated the opportunity to cover a wider geographic area. “We’ve learned a lot about the east-ern Corn Belt, which has given us a broader view of the grain industry,” Bormann said.

While MaxYield will miss working with clients in Riga, the team is glad the ethanol plants will continue to benefit Riga and La-kota. “It was fun to be part of all this,” Bormann said. “Thanks again for the trust you’ve placed in MaxYield. We look forward to continuing relationships with our Lakota-area clients, bring-ing solutions to your farm, and being a trusted partner and sup-porter of the communities we serve.” ■

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t’s all too easy to take for granted the people who most deserve our gratitude. That’s why Whittemore residents enlisted support through-out the community to create a

Freedom Rock to honor military veterans. “Many men and women have died for this country,” said Stu Simonson, senior vice pres-ident of Farmers State Bank in Whittemore and member of the American Legion’s Seely Walsh Post #425. “We wanted Kossuth County’s Freedom Rock to tell a story of sacrifice.” This story is told through patriotic images ranging from the bald eagle to the American flag being raised at Iwo Jima, all painted by Iowa artist Ray “Bubba” Sorensen of Greenfield. While Sorensen completed the artwork just in time for the Fourth of July this summer, the process began two years earlier with the late Kathy Fraser, a former Whittemore deputy city clerk and city council member. “Kathy was very passionate about

Whittemore,” Simonson said. “When she heard about the plan to put a Freedom Rock in each of Iowa’s 99 counties, she said we had to have a Freedom Rock here.” Timing was everything, since the Kossuth County town that sent its application first would receive a Freedom Rock. Whittemore community leaders submit-ted their request just in time in 2013, along with the $1,000 application fee. “From the application process to the final stages of the Freedom Rock project, this community has gone all out,” said Simonson, a Vietnam War combat veteran.

Telling a story in stoneThe community made plans to move a boulder into town after they were notified that Whittemore would be the home of the 30th Freedom Rock in Iowa. The perfect stone turned up on the Wirtz brothers’ farm near Rodman. After the 6-foot-tall boulder was dragged from the field to the edge of the road, Tom Mader with Heartland Building Moving of

West Bend worked with Aletha King of Cylinder and her son to haul the rock to Whittemore in August 2014. The 10-foot-diameter boulder was set on a concrete slab poured west of the Seely Walsh Post #425 American Legion Hall. Next, Legion members and community leaders brainstormed concepts for the Freedom Rock’s artwork. “We had a list of about 24 ideas—way too many,” Simonson said. “We sent the list and a photo of the rock to Bubba, who helped us select which scenes would work best.” Scenes that made the cut included:• Marines raising the American flag at Iwo

Jima for the front of the Freedom Rock.

• A bald eagle with the American flag in his beak, with the flag draped over both sides of the Freedom Rock.

• A Gold Star mother being presented with an American flag at a cemetery to grace the back of the Freedom Rock.

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Help Dedicate the Freedom Rock

Kossuth County’s Freedom Rock will be dedicated Saturday, Sept. 12, starting at 5 p.m. in Whittemore. The event will include live mu-sic and a hog roast at the Seely Walsh Post #425 American Legion Hall. Ray “Bubba” Sorensen, who painted the Freedom Rock, has been invited to attend.

The winner of the fundraiser to guess the weight of the Freedom Rock will be awarded a $250 cash prize. If two people have the same correct guess, they will split the prize.

For more details, contact Stu Simonson at the Farmers State Bank in Whittemore at 515-884-2293. ■

It took Sorensen four and a half days to paint the Freedom Rock, which was completed on July 3. He conveyed the emotion of these touching scenes perfectly, Simonson said. “Bubba is ter-rific. He’s knowledgeable, patriotic, and pro-fessional, plus he’s easy to work with.”

Sorensen appreciated the opportunity to work in Whittemore. “They are such a welcoming community and have such a strong American Legion,” he said. “It was great to visit with these folks after a long day of painting.”

Designed to last Just as freedom isn’t free, neither are Freedom Rocks. Sorensen uses a high-quality, all-natural paint that offers exceptional durability. Blue is the most expensive color at $500 per gallon.

It will cost nearly $20,000 to complete the Kossuth County project, which includes a new fence, a sidewalk to the Freedom Rock, and additional artwork. Mark Lentch, a tal-ented airbrush painter from Whittemore, will paint scenes that didn’t make it on the Free-dom Rock onto panels that will be mounted

around the stone. By June 2015, the local American Legion had raised more than $7,000 to help pay for the Freedom Rock. The community is also grateful that an anonymous donor stepped forward and contributed another $5,000 to the project. The Legion is now sponsoring a fundraiser where people can guess the weight of the rock for $10 a chance.

Simonson is thankful so many people have sup-ported the project, which is meaningful to so many veterans. “I get such a feeling of tranquil-ity at the Freedom Rock,” he said. “It’s soothing there.”

Honoring America’s heroes motivates Sorensen, who is now painting his 31st Freedom Rock. “It all starts with conversations about veterans and their stories, which have almost been forgotten sometimes. Each Freedom Rock will help tell these stories for years to come.” For more information about Iowa’s Freedom Rock project, visit www.TheFreedomRock.com. ■

NEVER FORGET:Kossuth County Freedom Rock

Honors Veterans

sk Kody Trampel about his 2015 award from the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura FFA Chapter and he’ll say he’s helped out the chapter now and then. Ask Bob Baumgard about Trampel’s recent Honorary Chap-ter Farmer Award, however, and you’ll discover there’s a lot more to it.

“Kody is a great friend of FFA,” said Baumgard, Garner-Hayfield/Ven-tura FFA’s chapter advisor. “When I mentioned the Honorary Chapter Farmer Award to the members, Kody’s name came up immediately.”

Trampel, a MaxYield Cooperative agronomy specialist, has worked closely with the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura FFA on a 13-acre test plot near the school. In 2014, MaxYield provided soybean seed and custom spraying for the crop, along with agronomic advice throughout the growing season. Trampel has continued to assist stu-dents with the test plot and enjoys helping them learn more about crop and livestock production.

“Kody is a strong supporter of agriculture, and the students look up to him,” Baumgard noted.

Advocating for agriculture This isn’t the first time Trampel has received an Honorary Chapter Farmer Award, which recognizes those who advance agricultural education and the FFA. The 2007 Belmond-Klemme High School graduate received the Honorary Chapter Farmer Award from the Belmond-Klemme FFA Chapter in 2014.

FFA has long been important to Trampel, who served as the Belmond-Klemme chapter vice president and attended both state

and national FFA conventions. “FFA teaches leadership, builds your work ethic, and teaches you responsibility through Supervised Ag-ricultural Experiences (SAEs),” said Trampel, who has worked for MaxYield full time since 2012. “SAEs also give you the chance to work on different projects and expand your knowledge.”

These experiences not only sparked Trampel’s interest in studying agriculture in college, but continue to fuel his desire to advocate for agriculture. In addition to serving as a director on the Hancock County Farm Bureau Board, Trampel plays a key role with the Hancock County Ag Day Breakfast.

This attracts more than 350 people each spring and helps non-farm people learn more about modern agriculture. State legisla-tors, bloggers, and members of the media are invited to the Ag Day Breakfast, a joint project of the Hancock County Farm Bureau and Garner Chamber of Commerce. Guest speakers at the popular event have included Trent Loos, a well-known ag advocate and radio personality.

“I want to help share the facts about agriculture, especially with the younger generation,” said Trampel, who is concerned about schools cutting their funding for ag education. “These are the con-sumers and voters of the future, and they need to be well informed about agriculture and food production.”

Educating others is a natural fit for someone who once thought about becoming an ag teacher. “It’s important to give the students real-world learning experiences,” Trampel said. “Many of the kids we meet through FFA will be working in agriculture someday. MaxYield wants to start building this relationship early.” ■

ATrampel Receives Honorary Chapter Farmer Award


Meet Chris WarrenSCIMAX PRODUCT SOLUTIONS SPECIALIST

ith his analytical mind and ag in his blood, Chris Warren is ex-cited to help SciMax Solutions clients find new ways to maxi-mize their results and add more

value to their farming operation.

We recently caught up with Chris, who joined Sci-Max in mid-June and is based in the West Region, to learn more about his diverse background and how he’s helping clients find the right solutions for their acres.

Q: What’s your farm background?A: I grew up in Fairmont, MN, but spent a lot of time helping on my family’s farm near Ringsted, where my dad, Dan, raises corn and soybeans. My fam-ily’s roots run deep in the Ringsted area. Some of my ancestors came to this area before the town was founded in 1899 by Danish immigrants. I’ve always enjoyed coming back in the spring and fall to help on the farm, because agriculture means a lot to me.

Q: How does your diverse work experi-ence add value for SciMax clients?A: I graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2008 with a bachelor of science degree in construc-tion management. I had worked a lot of construc-tion jobs and like working outdoors, but then the 2008 recession hit. Since the construction industry was hit hard, I looked elsewhere for work. I became a financial advisor at Ameriprise Financial for five years. I learned a lot about business and building relationships with clients.

Q: What do you enjoy about SciMax?A: I’m an analytical person, so I like how SciMax is focused on information management. I enjoy help-ing clients put data in a usable form to create an ac-tion plan to help them manage nutrients better and improve efficiencies.

Q: What excites you about the future of SciMax?A: I look forward to seeing the results from our multi-hybrid planter, which we used to plant ap-proximately 1,300 acres this year. Our goal is to help clients find new ways to use cutting-edge tech-nology to manage information, make smart deci-sions, and consistently boost their yield potential. I also look forward to working with more SciMax clients. If you’d like to contact me, call me at 712-260-9564. Editor’s note: Chris moved back to Ringsted in 2013. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, spending time with friends at the lake, and traveling, especially to the western United States, including Colorado. ■

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TOP 6

“Premium fuel ultimately puts more money back in your pocket.”

—Chad Besch, MaxYield energy team leader

ou invest a lot of money in your farm equipment. When profit margins tighten, it’s more important than ever to protect this investment. That starts with a premium fuel.

“It’s a myth that cheaper fuels are just the same as a premium fuel,” said Chad Besch, MaxYield’s energy team leader. “There are some key advantages to a premium fuel, which can pay for itself quickly.”

To separate the myths from the facts, here are the top six rea-sons why a premium fuel like Cenex® RoadMaster XL® (which is available at all of MaxYield’s cardtrols) offers you the best value:1. Improved mileage. While Cenex says its premium prod-

ucts improve fuel economy by as much as 5%, MaxYield put this to the test. “We had purchased a truck that had run on #2 diesel and continued to run it on #2 for eight weeks,” Besch said. “Then we switched to Cenex Road-Master XL for eight weeks and got 7% better fuel mileage.”

2. Greater lubricity, more engine power. Cenex premium diesel fuels optimize performance with a complete, high-quality, balanced additive package. Not only do they im-prove fuel economy by 5% or more, but they increase fuel lubricity by 10% to 15% and power by up to 4.5%.

3. Lower risk of equipment failure. Today’s diesel engines

use high pressure common rail (HPCR) direct injection technology to provide significantly greater efficiencies than conventional diesel engines. These engines operate under high temperatures and pressures that can literally “cook” typical #2 diesel. This results in fouled fuel that recirculates in the fuel system and can damage engine parts. Cenex pre-mium diesel fuels help eliminate this worry.

4. Better performance. Since injection occurs multiple times per combustion cycle at engine pressures up to 35,000 pounds per square inch (PSI), even the smallest deposit can cause issues within the tight tolerances of the injector (typi-cally 1 to 3 microns). With typical #2 diesel fuel, deposits occur in two places. First, nozzle coking deposits occur in the injector nozzle tip. These orifices spray microscopic fuel droplets into the combustion chamber. Because they are so finite, they can become clogged by even the smallest amount of deposits. These deposits may only be a stain or varnish, but they can also lead to power deficiencies and decreased fuel efficiency. Internal diesel injector deposits (IDID) are of critical concern with high-pressure injection (HPI) engine technologies. Unlike conventional deposits, IDID form deep inside the high-precision injectors, wreaking havoc due to tight tolerances. These deposits can appear suddenly inside the injector and can significantly reduce power and fuel

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REASONS TO INVEST IN PREMIUM FUEL


Warranty Offers Peace of Mind

Cenex premium diesel fuels are more than a fuel; they are a guarantee. Cenex Ruby Field-master carries the best warranty program of its kind in agriculture. This no-hassle warranty program covers farm equipment for up to 10 years or 10,000 hours, includ-ing fuel injectors in new or used equipment for 5 years or 5,000 hours.

“Repair costs on today’s farm equipment can easily soar into the thousands of dollars,” said Chad Besch, MaxYield’s energy team leader. “This $99 warranty is another way that using premi-um fuels pay you back.”

For more information, contact MaxYield’s energy solutions spe-cialists, including Mark Collins (641-425-5184) and Doug Shirk (515-320-5629), or call Energy Central at 515-887-7282. ■

economy. In some cases, they can result in injector failure. Laboratory and field tests confirm the upgraded injection stabilizer in Cenex premium diesel fuels success-fully removes and prevents IDID while maximizing power in today’s high-tech engines.

5. Reduced fuel-filter plugging. Another issue that affects HPI systems is prema-ture fuel filter plugging. Fuel filters cap-ture unwanted contaminates from the fuel. Left unchecked, they can cause serious damage. With the extreme high temperatures and pressures generated by HPI engine technology, typical #2 diesel is thermally decomposed in the injection system and results in fuel filter plugging. As the fuel flow through the fuel filter becomes restricted or plugged, a loss of power will result. Black sludge, a com-mon problem, is a critical issue in HPCR engines operating at high temperatures, where contaminants from unburned fuel and combustion soot combine to further

diminish performance. Cenex premium diesel fuels eliminate this worry.

6. Less downtime. How much does a breakdown cost you? Cenex premium diesel fuels meet the demands of new and existing engine technology and are designed to operate with higher efficien-cy and less downtime.

You get all this with Cenex premium diesel fuels for only 5 cents more per gallon. “By investing a little more now, you’ll spend less over the long run,” Besch said. “Premium fuel ultimately puts more money back in your pocket.”

For more information on premium fuels, contact MaxYield’s energy solutions special-ists, including Mark Collins (641-425-5184) and Doug Shirk (515-320-5629), or call En-ergy Central at 515-887-7282. ■

We’re Ready for Harvest 2015

MaxYield Cooperative will stick with a daily rate for warehouse receipt storage and a price-later service charge on all new-crop grain. If you sell a week after you store the grain, for exam-ple, you won’t be penalized.

“We switched to the daily rate two years ago, and clients re-ally seem to like it,” said Harry Bormann, MaxYield’s grain team leader.

Also don’t forget that MaxYield offers an on-farm pickup service at harvest. Think of this as an af-fordable “hired hand” that fits farms of all sizes, said Bormann, who added that incentives may also be available for early har-vest. Watch for details. ■

ow much is your time worth at harvest? We know every minute counts and were touched by a gesture of thanks during last fall’s harvest.

“A client left some envelopes of $20 bills at one of our locations, along with an unsigned note thanking our team members,” said Harry Bormann, MaxYield’s grain team leader. “The note basically said, ‘I know I’m not your biggest client, and I know I was a little grumpy at harvest. While this money isn’t a lot, I wanted to thank all of you who helped me.’”

A story like this reminds us that we have the opportunity to make your harvest experience more efficient and pleasant, from extended hours to personalized client service. It’s also why we’re continuing to upgrade MaxYield Cooperative’s grain facilities to serve you better. Our big projects include:• Phase two at Mallard. We’re undertaking the second phase

of a four-phase grain project at Mallard. Phase one began in the winter of 2013-2014, when we began building a 720,000-bushel bin that was completed by the 2014 har-vest. “This new receiving site has been a great investment for MaxYield,” Bormann said. In 2014-2015, MaxYield has add-ed a second 720,000-bushel bin that will be put into service this fall. “This allowed us to phase out some outdated storage and eliminate some outdoor storage,” Bormann said. “We think phase two will position us well for a few years before

we focus on phase three.”

• New bin at Fostoria. As MaxYield’s business has continued to expand at Fostoria, so has the location’s grain complex. New bins were added in 2007 and 2011, followed by a new 720,000-bushel bin in 2015 that will be put into service later this year. “We made these investments based on the business growth at Fostoria, the bushels we were transferring out of Fostoria at harvest, and the amount of grain we were piling on the ground,” Bormann said. “The new bin will allow us to continue providing excellent client service.” In addition, MaxYield’s board has approved plans to sell up to 375,000 bushels of the new bin’s 720,000-bushel capacity as condo storage. By early July, MaxYield had sold more than 95,000 bushels of condo storage, Bormann said. Because of the strong yield prospects for the 2015 crop, several clients have asked to purchase condo storage. For this reason, we will re-open our condo storage offering until Sept. 30, 2015, or until we sell the remaining units. Give us a call at 800-383-0003 for more details and to request a prospectus.

MaxYield will also continue to look for more ways to improve its facilities and meet clients’ grain needs throughout the coop-erative, Bormann said. “We’re gearing up our facilities to help you harvest quickly and serve you efficiently.” ■

HMORE BINS, FASTER SERVICE:Expansion Projects Take Shape at Mallard, Fostoria


That’s Where the Tall Corn Grows


LIVINGHere

That’s Where the Tall Corn Grows

n many parts of northern Iowa, the summer of 2015 has been defined by timely rains, lush crops, and the promise of a bountiful harvest. This truly is the land where the tall corn grows, just as the lyrics of “The Iowa Corn Song” proclaim.

While it’s not the official state song, “The Iowa Corn Song” has an interesting history that dates back more than a century. When George E. Hamilton, a Des Moines civic leader, created a song praising Iowa, he had no idea his catchy tune would be sung—and talked about—for decades to come.

Hamilton became a composer on a train trip to a Shriners con-vention in Los Angeles in 1912. As the captain of the Za-Ga-Zig temple drill team with Shriners from Des Moines, Sioux City,

Davenport, and Cedar Rapids, Hamilton wanted a rousing, peppy tune for the Iowa Shriners to sing as they entered the convention hall.

Hamilton composed some of the verses and choruses and then added them to the melody of “Traveling,” a song he recalled from boyhood. “The Iowa Corn Song” was joyfully received and continues to showcase Iowa to this day. ■

“We're from I-o-way, I-o-way,State of all the landJoy on ev'ry hand,

We're from I-o-way, I-o-way,That's where the tall corn grows.”

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NOT ALL INTELLECTUALS WEAR TWEED JACKETS AND LOAFERS.Make the smartest decisions in your fields with insights gained at WinField Answer Plot® events. Our agronomic experts tailor their recommendations to local weather and soil conditions. This helps ensure that the advice you implement in your operation is always precise and relevant. Visit answerplot.com to find an event near you.

Carl ScholtingRegional Product Manager

WinField is a trademark and Answer Plot is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. ©2014 Winfield Solutions, LLC

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