October Grain Update

October is here, which means another grain harvest is starting. We will be a little later than last year, since last year we had considerable harvest activity in September in some of our growing area. However, I expect things will really get going these next two weeks. Best of luck to all! 

Ease Labor with Mini Bulk Bins

Replace your bagged feed with a Mini Bulk Bin.  It is exactly what it sounds like, a mini bulk bin, that Premier Cooperative furnishes on farm for any type of bagged feed you may be handling.  The Mini Bulk System brings multiple benefits to producers, such as, eliminating the need for 50 lbs bags, reduce feed cost, reduced labor and reduced waste.

Grain Notice

Premier Cooperative participates in Wisconsin’s Agricultural Security program.  If we fail to pay you for grain when payment is due, you may file a claim under this program.  The program may provide some compensation.  However, our “estimated default exposure” exceeds program coverage, and we have not filed security to cover the difference, so compensation may cover only a portion of your loss.  For more information, you may contact the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, 2811 Agriculture Drive, Madison, 53708-8911 (phone 608/224-4998).   

The Best Tub Prices of the Year

The best tub prices of the year are here! Save money and have the opportunity to earn an Eddie Bauer vest, tumbler, or a Wisconsin Badger football ticket and tailgate package. From now until November 4th, booking select Purina livestock tubs can help you earn prizes and take advantage of quantity discounts.

Making the Most of your Silage Crop

Corn silage season is knocking at the door and it’s time to start preparing to put up the best possible silage you can for the upcoming year. Between get the chopper set, processor in, opening fields and getting the silage in at the correct moisture, there is a lot that can go wrong. That’s why it’s in you best interest to equip yourself with the best tools, people, and information needed before heading to the field. 

Overcrowding - One Size Does Not Fit All?

As a livestock nutritionist traveling the countryside, it is not often a question of “if” herds are overcrowding, but more so “how much.” Back in May of 2020, there were farmers wanting to sell cows to reduce their milk production, only to find that their bulk tanks did not budge an inch when they did so. Now in August 2022, we find ourselves with considerably better milk prices, but excessively high feed costs. Where does that leave farmers in the decision-making tree of what to sell and what to keep? Here are five essential areas to focus on if we want to be successful in keeping some of those extra cows around.

Changes in the feed business over the past 37 years.

I have given it a lot of thought and have decided that after working in the ag nutrition field for 37 years, it is time to retire. Not from agriculture altogether, but to work on my family farm alongside my children and grandchildren.

Silage Inoculant

Ensiled forages account for the majority of most dairy rations around the world. The main purpose for feeding ensiled forages is to preserve and recover organic dry matter, while retaining nutritional value and palatability.

Proper or improved silage management can have a significant impact on the overall profitability of the dairy. One way to do this is to use a silage inoculant.

How Good is your On-Farm Feed aDivision?

The last 2 years in the dairy business have brought out the most volatile times that any of us in the business of milking cows, processing milk, selling food, manufacturing feed or providing nutrition services have witnessed so far in our careers. I’ve spent 28 years as a nutrition consultant to farms and this past year witnessed some things for the first time, along with market instability getting more volatile with quicker peaks and valleys than ever before. I’d never dream it was sustainable for a year with most being over $25 cwt total pay price now. We saw $2 and some odd cent corn 2 years ago in August and pushing $8 corn now. $290/ton soybean meal in August to now over $500 a ton.  I could go on and on with other ingredient disruptions, erratic prices and limited or no availability but I’ll stop there. I’d like to think that we won’t see this again but these times might be here to stay. How does your farm handle this volatility? I don’t think there is a magic answer in how we manage this. However, there are multiple tools available that we can use to help mitigate these variables.   
 

How Good is your On-Farm Feed Division?

The last 2 years in the dairy business have brought out the most volatile times that any of us in the business of milking cows, processing milk, selling food, manufacturing feed or providing nutrition services have witnessed so far in our careers. I’ve spent 28 years as a nutrition consultant to farms and this past year witnessed some things for the first time, along with market instability getting more volatile with quicker peaks and valleys than ever before. I’d never dream it was sustainable for a year with most being over $25 cwt total pay price now. We saw $2 and some odd cent corn 2 years ago in August and pushing $8 corn now. $290/ton soybean meal in August to now over $500 a ton.  I could go on and on with other ingredient disruptions, erratic prices and limited or no availability but I’ll stop there. I’d like to think that we won’t see this again but these times might be here to stay. How does your farm handle this volatility? I don’t think there is a magic answer in how we manage this. However, there are multiple tools available that we can use to help mitigate these variables.   
 

Crop Input Planning

I want to start this out with a BIG thank you to all who have come in and made commitments and prepayments for your 2022 crop needs. This is a big help to get us off on the right foot with direction on what products to stock for the upcoming spring season. 

As we head into the tail end of winter and turn the corner into spring, I want to take a few moments and comment on an opportunity that still lies ahead in the coming month: planning. Though discussions of planning ahead have happened over and over this past winter, it remains important as we get closer to spring. 
 

Increase your value and net return per acre with CROPLAN® Alfalfa

A strong start to your alfalfa stand is important. The soil environment that alfalfa is seeded into can mean success or failure for the stand. Management practices like seedbed preparation and soil fertility can influence stand establishment. Soil borne diseases in the upper Midwest and Eastern U.S. like Aphanomyces root rot and Anthracnose can also have a serious impact on your stand establishment and alfalfa productivity.
 

Aphanomyces Root Rot and Anthracnose in Alfalfa

The combination of healthy roots and healthy stems lead to higher alfalfa yield potential. Below ground, alfalfa roots gather water and nutrients. Above ground, stems and leaves produce and transport plant energy to make valuable forage. Diseases such as Aphanomyces root rot and Anthracnose can limit these plant processes.

Crop Input Planning and Budgets

Every year crop input planning and budgeting are important but with the abnormal fluctuation in the prices of your inputs, they are now more important than ever. The Premier Cooperative Team has the tools to work through your budget spreadsheets with you and calculate your breakeven cost per bushel. This will help you develop a crop input plan to meet or exceed your profit goals. 

 

Herbicide Shortage - Fact or Fiction?

We are living in some unprecedented times regarding supply and demand. As many of you know, there has been a considerable amount of press about glyphosate and other CPP product shortages for the 2022 growing season. There are several different factors for the herbicide shortage including a decline in the number of laborers to unload tanker ships at gulf ports, lack of truck transportation from the ports to get the ingredients to U.S. formulation plants and formulated products to the retailers, reduced supplies of some of the inert ingredients of the formulation, shortages of materials to make containers and packaging, and Hurricane Ida that damaged a glyphosate production plant in Luling, LA. 

 

Planning for Profits

With the 2021 season behind us our thoughts have turned to planning for 2022. Many of you started that thinking process during harvest and decided to buy/book and apply fall fertilizer. In general, fertilizer prices have remained strong throughout the fall with potentially more upside. Some supply concerns have made the news as well. We have worked hard with our suppliers to secure fertilizer tons for the remainder of the fall application season and to fill and re-fill our bins for spring application. Premier’s storage capacity is one of the largest in the area which helps lessen our dependence on shipments in the spring. Working with your local agronomist to plan your needs for spring will help us forecast product amounts and timing of those tons for application in the spring.

Agronomy Year End Prepay

Last year we changed up our “Year End Prepay Days” due to the COVID-19 guidance that was in place and went to offering private one on one appointments. These appointments ended up being very efficient and timely for all, giving us time to prepare in advance for the appointment and locking in a time for yourself to help in your day-to-day schedule as well. We have decided to continue with this same layout for our “Year End Prepay Days”. We would like to offer you a window of time between Mid-December and the first week of January to prepay for your 2022 crop inputs. Please call your local agronomy location to schedule a private one on one appointment. We appreciate your business and look forward to meeting with you.
 

Use technology tools to support in-season decision-making​.

Making good seed decisions starts with leveraging the data that’s best suited for your operation. Ideally, this means fusing national data with highly localized data from your region or your farm specifically. ?Although you never know what the season will bring, the highest odds of success come from managing the seed as recommended.

Fall Armyworm

Fall Armyworms have begun to make an appearance in alfalfa fields in Southwestern Wisconsin, Northeast Iowa, and Northern Illinois. Fall armyworms range in size large to small, so feeding will continue for some time yet.  Small worms (the size of pencil lead) can feed for another 10-15 days especially in cooler temperatures.  In final worm growth stage, (size of pencil eraser) this is the most destructive stage … they can destroy and consume a lot of alfalfa very quickly.   Here's what to know: 
 

Fall Fertilizer Applications

It’s hard to believe how fast the summer has flown by.  While I’m ready for more fall like temperatures and the beginning of corn silage harvest, followed closely with soybeans and corn, I am not looking forward to less sunlight hours and cold weather.  I am however, looking forward to high school, Badger, and Packer football games. 

Maximize Fertilizer Efficiency with Grid Sampling

Phosphorous (P), potassium (K), and soil pH have an optimal range in the soil. Underapplying fertilizer will lead to nutrient deficiency in the plant and reduced yields. Overapplying fertilizer will increase costs without improving yield. Soil tests provide the information needed to determine what rate of fertilizer will maximize yield potential without excessive cost.

Potato Leaf Hopper Management

In the Midwest and Eastern US, PLH are considered the most damaging insect pest to alfalfa yield and quality. PLH damage can lead to stunting, lower yields, reduced crude protein content, loss of forage palatability, and loss of stand density.

Protect Your Crops from Insects

Nobody likes insects, plain and simple. But, we really don't like insects when they're affecting our crops and livelihood. Both Japanese beetles and spider mites can cause problems on your farm. Here's some solutions to the problems they may cause.

Identifying & Treating Tar Spot

With cooler, wet conditions moving into our geography the past week, it is going to be very imporatnt to scout our corn crop for Tar Spot. As the name implies, tar spot can be identified by small black and circular lesions. They are slightly raised, and bumps can be felt on affected plant tissue. Lesions can appear on leaves, husks or stalks and are often surrounded by a light tan colored halo.

R7 Tool Available For Free to All Members Receiving Custom Application Services

Nobody knows your farm as well as you do, but the R7® Tool can give you a whole new perspective to identify new challenges and opportunities.   Personalized to fit your fields, the R7 suite of tools combines powerful data with localized information to help you make the best decisions for your crop. 

Your Farm at Your Fingertips

When you're away from your desk, you can access your farm's information using our Boss Grower™ mobile app to see how your fields are trending in the R7 Tools, message your Premier team, and view weather and grain bids.

Micronutrients Aren't Optional

When you hear the word “micro,” what comes to mind? Do you immediately think “inconsequential,” “insignificant” or “nonessential”? If so, you may assume that micronutrients are an optional component of your plant nutrition program. But that’s not the case. Micronutrients are needed in smaller quantities compared to macronutrients, but their importance on plant nutrition for your corn and soybean crops can’t be overstated.

Protect Plants From Stress with Biostimulants

During the lifespan of a crop, it’s faced with numerous stressors that can chip away at yield. So what can you do to protect plants from stress? It starts with keeping crops healthy from day one with good management practices. Toggle^® is a biostimulant fertilizer used in corn, soybeans, cotton and other crops. It’s derived from seaweed and enhances root growth, promotes synthesis of antioxidants and improves photosynthesis by increasing chlorophyll production in plants. 

Assessing Frost Damage

Frost has speckled a few areas of the across the northern Midwest this weekend. Fortunately, most of the corn has the growing point below ground and soybeans are either not planted or they have not emerged. However, some of the Midwest, these crops are at more susceptible stages for injury. Frost issues create a number of grower questions as to their effect on emerged corn and soybeans. The following may help answer some of these questions.

The Big 5 This June

As we progress thru the growing season, we are entering a period of time that making correct agronomic decision can have great impact on your ending yields this fall. Stress as we know it is often not a good thing. How to mitigate that for your crops is key. Looking ahead to the coming month there can be decisions to help decrease stress. I am going to call it “The Big 5” for the month of June.

Get Notified When We Finish Applying in Your Field

ANVOL® Nitrogen Stabilizer

Maximize your yield by supplementing nitrogen, sulfur or other valuable micronutrients when the crop’s needs are at its highest demand. Including a nitrogen stabilizer like ANVOL can reduce cumulative ammonia loss to 12 percent, compared to losses of more than 30 percent with untreated urea.

Fungicide Application Windows

A fungicide targeting foliar diseases is only as effective as its application timing. Generally, there are three key growth stage options to choose from — V5-V7, V8-V10 and VT-R1 — for making a fungicide application, and there are advantages and disadvantages associated with each stage.

We’ve taken an in-depth look at these options, the pros, cons and expectations associated with a foliar fungicide application at any of these stages.

Interactive Alfalfa Maturity Map

There is an optimum time to harvest alfalfa based off on the maturity and height of the plant. Once the maturity and height of plant is captured, feed value can be predicted.

Winter Damaged Alfalfa Management

A question producers have every year is “How is the alfalfa going to over winter?” We had a lot of conditions that warrant the concern, but now is where the rubber hits the road and decisions will be made.

Tips for a Robust Alfalfa Crop

As we round the corner on winter, spring alfalfa planting is just around the corner. Here are some key strategies and tips our Premier Cooperative forage team recommends for success in the next few weeks as you plan for the upcoming season.

Alfalfa Seeding Date Recommendations

Many times producers will plant alfalfa early out of convenience. But, planting alfalfa later has its benefits and may lead to more success on your farm.

Stop Loss of Nitrogen with Spring Applications

You’ve probably heard about the benefits of using nitrogen stabilizers to protect fall-applied nitrogen over the winter, but did you know that spring nitrogen applications are at risk for loss as well? That’s because the majority of the nitrogen that is applied at planting is not going to be taken up by the plant until about 60 days later. If that nitrogen converts to nitrate before the crop is able to use it, it can be lost. It often becomes a race between the nitrate leaching and the growth rate of the plant’s roots. In a wet year, nitrate is more likely to reach the tile lines before the plant has a chance to take it up. Stabilizing nitrogen helps keep it in ammonium form longer, which greatly reduces the risk of leaching. That helps protect your nitrogen investment and improves your return on investment potential and yields..

Maximize Nutrient Applications

As a producer, you want to get the absolute most out of your nutrient applications. Adding in AMS or Toggle can help you accomplish this. 

5 Products to Enhance Your Alfalfa Yield Potential

Enhancing your alfalfa yield potential is easier now with the addition of several new tools. Make sure you check the basics first; soil pH, phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), and Sulfur (S).

These 5 yield enhancing products and tools work great when you have your soil fertility foundation built.

Premier Cooperative Mini Bulk System

Premier co-op's mini bulk system is perfect for anyone tired of throwing around 50lbs bags of feed. The system is a refillable mini bulk bin that uses 2,000 lb tote bags that are cut in using a built in cutter. It is perfect for mineral, pellet and textured feeds.

Take the High Octane Supplement Challenge

Let Premier Cooperative help you get the winning edge in your next 4-H show project with Purina® High Octane® supplements.

The experts in show nutrition think this line of supplements will give your project the winning edge. Each of our supplements has a different use and benefit for your animal. They may need more muscle, more cover, more shape, or more depth of body. Whatever adjustment you need to make to your show project to get into the winner’s circle, we have got something in our toolbox for you.

Prepping for Calving Season

As beef cattle producers calving season is one of the most anticipated times of the year but can also be one of the most stressful times burdened by cold, late nights checking cows. Although many of our seedstock operators have been through the rush of their calving season many of Wisconsin’s commercial cattleman are just getting prepared. Now is the time to make sure your team and facilities are adequately prepared to ensure a smooth calving season. 

3 Key Abilities of a Mineral Program

As you consider a minreal program for your cow herd, there are 3 key things to consider:

• Bioavailability
• Palatability
• Weatherability

Biome Boost Promotion

Premier Cooperative has a NEW & IMPROVED calf feed lineup featuring Biome Boost; an exclusive calf feed technology to support the microbiome of the calf. As a part of this new feed lineup, Premier is running the following promotion: 

Managing Mycotoxins in Feed for Dairy Cattle

Growing conditions during the crop year often leave cattle feeders and nutritionists concerned for mold and yeast growth on corn and other grains throughout most of the Corn belt. The 2020 growing and harvest season seemed to be an improvement over the last three years, but there are still pockets of the region that are experiencing challenges with mycotoxins. Simply observing mold on corn does not mean that mycotoxins are present. A first but important step is to identify the main types of molds and yeast  present. Identification of the potential mycotoxins in the feed is important when formulating a plan for minimizing the effects on cattle. 

Formulating Winter Rations

To date fall weather has been rather mild, however, soon enough good ol mother nature will bless us with the season livestock producers dread…. WINTER. As the saying goes, if you like winter you never owned livestock. However, owning cattle, winter can be a time of excitement as you await the coming calving season and get things geared up to see the success of last years breeding decisions. More importantly during this time  though is being aware of the nutritional demands of the cows as you transition from a typical maintenance type diet to diets that meet the needs of a cow in the last 1/3 of gestation.

Feeding your Top Replacements

As producers continuously push to get more pounds of milk and combined solids, there tends to be more conversations around developing healthy eating habits within the lactating herd. As nutritionists, we might recommend switching up the feed routine to avoid running the bunk out of feed or even increasing feed push – ups per day. However, have we ever thought about how we train our cows to eat in the stages before they get to the lactating herd? Here are four points to consider when feeding your herd’s top replacements.

How Does Your Herd Stack Up?

Fall is a busy time for cattleman, harvest, weaning and
selling of the calf crop, and preparation for the months
ahead. I challenge you this year, to consider a new annual
routine when it comes to fall herd management. Take the
time this fall to subjectively body condition score (BCS) the
cow herd on the scale from 1 (emaciated) to 9 (obese) and
assess the distribution of condition scores across the cow
herd.

QLF Applications - Dealer Delivered

At Premier Cooperative we have a lot of producers that use our tubs, but we also carry Quality Liquid Feeds! QLF has been a great partner of Premier. Below are the QLF products we carry and a brief description where best used.

Cattle Market & Creep Feeding Webinar

As we wrapped up National Beef Month just a few weeks back, we THANK YOU all for everything you do day-in and day-out to provide us with wholesome quality protein to feed our families and friends. As we put national beef month behind us we still have everyday needs, marketing, and management decisions that need to be made to ensure our operations are profitable and we obtain the desired outcomes we expect in the fall when we decide to market or retain ownership of our calf crop. All this is dependent on market and how many pounds we sell can be influenced by management on farm, allow us to play a role in providing you some insight on dollars you can expect and dollars you could gain.

WI FARM SUPPORT PROGRAM - APPLY TODAY

From the WI Department of Revenue, the Farm Support Program will be providing direct payments to farmers that suffered economic damages in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on gross farm income from 2019, the minimum payment is $1,000 and the maximum amount is $3,500. While not a large payment, the online application should be relatively quick to complete with funds expected to be issued on July 15^th.

Get Rewarded For Your Show Animals

In 2002 Premier instituted a new program to reward the youth in our area for their participation in showing of LIVESTOCK at the fairs in our trade area. Over the years we have rewarded thousands of kids with tens of thousands of dollars for their hard work and commitment to animal agriculture.

This year, because COVID has canceled most fairs and pretty much everything else, we are offering a new program. Each student of a Premier member who had planned on showing LIVESTOCK at a fair will be eligible to earn $30 whether or not they were able to show the animal (and earn a ribbon). The student's parent will need to upload to our website a picture of themselves with their animal while holding the attached Premier logo for the picture. The logo can be printed in color or black and white. Each student who successfully uploads a completed form will receive $30 regardless of the number of animals they had planned to show. After receiving the emailed picture, we’ll compile them weekly and send out checks to the students. Look for your picture on our website—premiercooperative.com. Thanks for participating and supporting animal agriculture.

WI DATCP Guidance on Dicamba

The following guidance was issued by WI DATCP regarding the use of certain Dicamba products.

• If you were in possession of any of these herbicides as of June 3, 2020, you can continue to apply these products consistent with the label until July 31, 2020.?
• You cannot distribute or sell these herbicides as of June 8, 2020. This includes unfulfilled deliveries. If you purchased these products but did not take delivery prior to June 3, 2020, you will no longer be able to take delivery of these products.

June Crop Production Tips

Planting season is almost complete in Wisconsin. Here are a few crop production tips to remember this June.

Certain Dicamba Product Use Appealed

Late last night the US Court of Appeals overturned the EPA’s approval for the use of certain dicamba products including Engenia, FeXapan and XtendiMax. The ruling effectively makes it illegal for farmers to continue to use the product.
 

Coronavirus Financial Aid

USDA is accepting applications for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program now through August 28, 2020.

Coronavirus Financial Aid

Nearly daily there is new information released for grants, low interest loans, and other government assistance programs related to Covid-19 financial aid and direct producer payments.

Webinar for Producers on Applying for CFAP Payments

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) will host a webinar on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 1 p.m. ET, for farmers, ranchers and other producers interested in applying for direct payments through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

New Eligibility Notice for EIDL

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the US Small Business Administration (SBA) recently put out a notice for New Eligibility for Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Advance (EIDL). A few highlights from the SBA website...

Crop Production Tips

With the extra challenge of the pandemic coronavirus and resulting COVID-19, this Spring's planting season is on pace to be a crazy time for everyone trying to get a crop in the ground. Here are a few reminders of items to make sure you check off your list this May.

Premier Cooperative Mini Bulk System

Tired of throwing around 50 lb bags of feed? Our Mini Bulk System is perfect for you! 

It's Time to Rethink Particle Size

It is time to update our recommendations for optimal ration particle size. Physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) was defined by Dave Mertens in 1997 as the portion of forage or feed particles that are retained on the 1.18mm (millimeter) screen during dry sieving multiplied by the NDF content. This proportion of fiber is effective at stimulating chewing and forming a functional rumen digesta mat.

Crop Production Tips

With the extra challenge of the pandemic coronavirus and resulting COVID-19, this Spring's planting season is on pace to be a crazy time for everyone trying to get a crop in the ground. Here are a few reminders of items to make sure you check off your list this April.