1. Comfrey • Morgan • Morton • Springfield • Wabasso
Vol. 15 No. 1 • April 2013
www.HarvestLand.com
109 years
Strong
Investing in You
One would like to believe that the winter is a slow time to network with board members
for agriculture and Harvest Land. After all, the crop is in and producers from around the
the bins, the fields are tilled, and we are ready for spring United States. Read more about
planting. our involvement in both programs
on page 6.
Yes, the operational activities are completed, but as you
know, the paperwork and planning for the work of the Harvest Land Cooperative
upcoming year is ongoing. actively supports our area com-
munities, FFA chapters, 4-H,
Your team at HLC has been busy planning! Based on and Farm Safety 4 Just Kids
feedback throughout the year from you, our owners, we programs, just to name a few.
are making significant investments in your cooperative. Internship opportunities are also
By DENNIS SCHREIER
programs that Harvest Land and
GENERAL MANAGER
One major area of investment is the addition of 1.5 AgQuest have been providing
million bushels of storage and a new receiving station for the past five years. In 2013, we will be employing
at our Morton facility. This is in response to increased eight interns.
business and your need for faster dumping. You can
read more about this project on page 5. The best part about all of this is that it’s yours. Please
keep the ideas coming! These ideas, activities, and
The agronomy division has added additional equipment investments could not happen without your involve-
to fine-tune your nitrogen management. This will help ment and participation.
address regulatory compliance, production economics,
and environmental concerns. More importantly, it will We’re answering the call to make the right decision for the
help meet the narrow time frame to plant your crop. right reasons—always guided by the understanding that
Take a look at Joel’s article on page 4 for details. we are COMMITTED TO OUR OWNERS’ SUCCESS. n
Our best investment
As vital as application and storage capacity are to
Harvest Land and our patrons, our most important
investment may well be the one we make in our next
generation of owners, leaders, and advocates of the
co-op system.
Co-ops Yes! Youth Leadership Conference is one way
of introducing high school students to the cooperative
business model. This program enables them to learn
about cooperatives and their value. They are potentially
our next patrons and employees and ensure the coop-
erative system is strong in the future. CHS New Leaders
conference is an opportunity for our young producers

2. Director Brings Positive Outlook to Board
Each newsletter we’re featuring a member him be more effective as a Harvest Land
of the Harvest Land board of directors. This director. In return, he willingly shares his
month the spotlight is on Bob Liesenfeld. experience and wisdom to help other board
members and the employees of Harvest
Bob has been a valued member of the Land and AgQuest.
Harvest Land board since 1996. As of 2009,
he has served as our Vice Chairman. There Bob has always been supportive of Harvest
is no doubt that Bob is a highly engaged Land and its vision. Thank you, Bob, for all
director, who is known for his positive that you do on behalf of the employees and
energy and outlook on life. He is always patrons of Harvest Land! n
open to learning new things that will help
By Dave Stuk, CEO
Board Profile – Bob Liesenfeld
As a 17-year veteran, Harvest Land board end when you’re looking at inputs and on
member Bob Liesenfeld has seen plenty of the back end when you’re trying to market
change—in his cooperative and in the ag your crops and livestock.”
industry.
Bob raises corn and soybeans near Comfrey
“As a farmer, I’m also a business manager,” with help from his wife, Teresa, who also
Bob states. “There are no shortages of works for Thrivent Financial. Their oldest
challenges in agriculture. For me, one of son, Neil, also farms with them. Son Kyle is
the primary benefits of being a part of the a test engineer for C.N.H. Having been a part
Harvest Land board is the chance to gain a of the Comfrey community all their lives,
different management perspective.” Bob notes that the community involvement
of board service is also one of the top attrac-
Among those challenges, Bob states that tions for him.
managing the markets is foremost in his
opinion. “The volatile price swings we When he’s not farming and taking care of
see in the markets are major issues going cooperative business, Bob likes to keep
forward for our cooperative and my farming moving, enjoying motorcycling, ATVing,
operation,” he says. “That’s true on the front snowmobiling, and travel. n
AgQuest Financial Service Update
It is hard to believe I have been With a smooth renewal season entering our rearview
with the AgQuest and Harvest mirror, we are looking forward to the upcoming planting
Land family for nearly 6 months! season. Feel free to contact me with any questions
But with 2013 well underway regarding your advance requests, loan payments, or any
and spring right around the loan services. I can also assist you with scheduling your
corner, it is true! We have had appointments with Mark and Steve.
a very busy couple of months
wrapping up the loan-renewal As you finalize your 2012 taxes, keep in mind you can
season. However, I have thor- request that your tax preparer email a copy of your
oughly enjoyed the opportuni- returns directly to AgQuest. This will eliminate the
ty of meeting so many of our need for you to make copies and then mail or drop
borrowers and Harvest Land them off. Your returns can be emailed to mrobertson@
By Melissa Robertson
patrons. I’m anxiously looking agquest.biz.
forward to meeting those of you I
have not met yet. I also want to thank everyone who has You can reach me directly at 507-723-7378 or by email
welcomed me into the AgQuest/Harvest Land family and mrobertson@agquest.biz. n
allowed me to assist you with your questions, concerns,
and loan requests.
Page 2 2
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©2010 Harvest Land Cooperative. All RightsRights Reserved. Published in partnershipVistaComm (www.VistaComm.com).
® ®

3. The Technology Pipeline Is Full
Think of the upcoming growing technology for the future to help us achieve new yield
season, and the word “drought” goals.
may be the first thing that comes
to mind. It’s easy to remember FieldScripts coming
how dry it was last year and hard Harvest Land is one of the pilot dealers that will be testing
not to think about the current the new FieldScripts technology from Monsanto’s IFS
lack of sub-soil moisture. It was group. This technology takes genetic data and matches
encouraging to see some weather it to soil types and previous field history.
systems come through and bring
some moisture. We hope they This platform matched up very well with our Harvest
keep coming as we enter the Max program, so we are hoping to utilize both of these
By Brett Braulick spring season. programs in the future to place hybrids on your acres.
seed division manager
That leads me into one of the hot Surviving the storm
topics of the off-season—drought-tolerant corn hybrids. The 2012 drought, extreme heat during pollination, and
Whether it’s Artesian™ from Syngenta or DroughtGard™ the amount of corn acres we will plant in 2013 have
from Monsanto, I think we still have a fair amount of come together in a perfect storm for seed supplies this
time until this type of technology is perfected and ready spring. Thankfully, Harvest Land has a diverse portfolio
for commercial use. I will say we did see some positive of seed genetics to ensure we get the right genetics on
results and data from some of the pre-commercial trials your acres.
each company had out in 2012.
With our purchase of a top-dress urea machine last year
Monsanto is the first company to claim they will have and a Hagie machine, we will have the ability to side-
a bio-tech trait for drought. DroughtGard is a gene that dress nitrogen on mature corn this spring. We now have
is inserted in the corn that improves the plant’s ability the tools to help our hybrids perform to their utmost
to use water more efficiently. The trait focuses on a potential. Over the past two years, we have lost nitrogen
survival mechanism that helps the plant conserve water in the best producing areas of the field due to excessive
by slowing down growth. moisture. Now we will have the ability to accurately and
efficiently feed hybrids the nutrients they need.
This is just one of many trait platforms that the industry
is working on, including dicamba tolerance, nematicide Have a safe planting season, and be sure to contact one
technology, new rootworm technology, and traits that of us at Harvest Land Cooperative with any questions or
promote efficient nutrient use. The pipeline is full of new needs you may have. n
Page 3

4. Sometimes You’re Forced to Adapt!
As the picture illustrates, agri-
culture is not the only way of
life that is forced to look for
improvements. Mother Nature is
constantly changing the game!
Recently we held a couple of
spraying seminars focusing
on better weed control. The
Finally, it is critical to achieve acceptable control on the
message was threefold—the
first application. Unlike glyphosate, many of these herbi-
right product, used the right
cides (Flexstar®, FirstRate®, or Marvel, for example) may
way, at the right time. Focusing
By Tim Woelfel only be applied once in a growing season. Or they may
on any one aspect without the
Crop Protection Manager have a maximum legal rate because of the possibility
others won’t solve our problem.
of injury, carryover concerns, or ground water contami-
nation issues. As always, any good herbicide program
Resistance issues with problem weeds, like waterhemp
starts with the proper soil-applied foundation herbicide.
and giant ragweed, have forced us to utilize various
chemicals other than glyphosate. Soybean weed control
The topics discussed at our seminar included tip
has been more challenging, mainly because, unlike corn,
selection, carrier, volume, use of deposition aids, and
soybean chemistries in many cases do not have the broad
additives, to name a few. A demonstration spray table
spectrum control that products like Banvel®, Callisto®, and
was used to compare patterns, pressures, and nozzle
Laudis® offer.
types. All these specific pieces fit together like a finished
puzzle to give us the desired result.
We first must choose the proper herbicide(s) that control
the individual weed or weed spectrum we are targeting.
If you were unable to attend the session, make sure you
Second, we must pay much closer attention to the size
speak with your Harvest Land account manager prior to
of weeds we are applying herbicides to. Just because
hitting the field this spring to formulate a plan for your
a herbicide is labeled for control (maybe 90% or better
individual needs.
mortality) at a 4- or 6-inch weed height, if that weed is
sprayed when 8 to 10 inches tall or larger, the potential
As always, have a safe spring. n
control is greatly diminished or lost altogether.
Equipped for Spring
The agronomy operations team is prepared to meet your The Hagie sprayer will allow us
spring planting needs. To better serve you, we have to meet timely nitrogen side-
added new equipment based on your feedback through- dressing needs and enable
out the year. Our newest service will include: high-clearance applications for
• Hagie High Clearance Sprayer fungicides or late-application
o 120-foot booms crop-protection products.
o 16-row coulter bar for side-dressing of nitrogen
The equipment listed below
was purchased to eliminate
downtime for custom applica-
tors and increase acres covered
each day: By Joel Kretsch
Operations Manager
• Ten 24-ton semi tenders
• Two Terragators
• Three Case IH Crop Sprayers with 120-foot booms
Along with the new equipment, you will see some fresh
faces in your fields. We welcome three new full-time
employees. We’re looking forward to working with you,
and as always, stay safe this planting season! n
Page 4

5. Markets Move With Southern Neighbors
South America is driving the markets coming back online. It’s corn exports that
these days, with the anticipation of record are lagging so far. As we move down the
soybean and corn crops—though the corn road, exports may not catch up to USDA
isn’t significant from an export standpoint. projections. There is still some foreign
At this point, we’re just waiting to see demand out there for feed use. Our corn
how much of a record it will be. Brazil and has been priced pretty competitively to the
Argentina get all the headlines, but other rest of the world. However, at this point in
countries, such as Paraguay and Uruguay, the year, there are quite a few feed grains
are notable contributors to the totals. Their on the market, with wheat the primary
crop will be the biggest factor until the competitor.
next weather or planting event here in the
U.S. shifts the focus. We have some corn moving now, and we
have a few trains scheduled to head to the
By Kevin DeBerg Domestic demand for corn has been fairly southwest feed market. This year we have
Grain Merchandiser good. A few ethanol plants have shut shipped more beans by rail for export than
down, but quite a number of those are ever before. n
Speed and Space
Coming to Morton
A major expansion project will add 1.5
million bushels of storage space and
plenty of grain-handling capacity to
Harvest Land’s Morton location.
Two 105-foot-diameter GSI bins will
be built in the open area just to
the southwest of the existing bin
complex. The bins will be served by
a 20,000-bushel-per-hour leg. The
new facility will be able to dump at
double the speed of the existing setup.
An enclosed dump area will feature
a 1,000-bushel pit, which will hold
the contents of an entire semi. That
capacity, coupled with the new leg,
will keep trucks moving quickly.
The new elevator will be run by
computer with touchscreen controls.
The system will also constantly monitor
rub sensors on the leg and conveyors
as well as hot bearing sensors. The
addition will more than double our
total capacity in Morton, boosting it
from 950,000 bushels to 2.45 million
bushels.
The project is scheduled for comple-
tion in September 2013 in time for
harvest. n
Page 5

6. Encouraging Young Leaders
Harvest Land is committed to helping our patrons and Co-ops Yes!
upcoming young producers learn more about all aspects The Co-ops Yes! Youth Leader-
of agriculture. As part of that effort, each year we select ship Conference was held in
producer candidates for the CHS New Leaders Forum March in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
at the CHS Annual Meeting. During this conference our Harvest Land sent 12 students
candidates learn, network, talk, advise, engage, explore from the area schools to attend.
and connect on agricultural topics. This year we sent seven Sleepy
Eye, three Cedar Mountain,
This year they’ve enhanced the program, focusing on and two Springfield students.
insights to help young owners manage volatility and Students in grades 10-12 who
grow. They’ve also put together a more robust seminar are members of the FFA, 4-H,
agenda with increased interactivity and are providing DECA, FBLA, FHA/HERO, VICA,
more network activities so producers gain valuable By Fawn Dauer
and HOSA and students whose
ongoing connections for their future. Marketing and media
parents or grandparents are Manager
members of Harvest Land are
Who makes a good candidate? Active members between eligible to attend.
25 and 45 years old who take pride in Harvest Land
ownership, bright members who make smart business Those who attend the conference develop new friend-
decisions but don’t yet have strong personal ties to ships and meet youth leaders from all over Minnesota
and Wisconsin. They
learn from exciting
speakers with
powerful messages
about leadership and
the value of coop-
eration, discuss
important teen
issues, and solve
challenging coopera-
tive case studies.
During one of the pre-
sentations, students
are split into groups
where they develop
and build their own
cooperative. Students
must work as a team
and educate the
group on what they
will sell, who their
customers will be,
how they will market
to their customers, if
they will have a board
of directors, etc. The
entire program is very
Harvest Land (this includes those whose farms may be educational for students who plan to pursue a career
transitioning from one generation to another), and smart in the field of agriculture. Highlights of the conference
prospects who would benefit from learning about our included “Breakthrough Leadership Skills,” a hands-on
cooperative’s global connections. leadership workshop presented by Craig Hillier, and a
personal excellence workshop conducted by Keith Nord.
This past year we sent Matthew Petersen, Mike Schreier,
Kevin Malecek, and Mike Sather to the conference. Past This year Harvest Land increased the number of students
candidates have included Eric and David Madsen, Adam we sent because of the high number of applications we
Guetter, Andy Plotz, Brandon Kerkhoff, Pat Sullivan, and received from area students. For more information or to
Neil Liesenfeld. If you are interested in attending this attend, please contact Fawn. n
conference in 2013, please contact Fawn.
Page 6

7. Spring Insurance Checklist
Crop insurance coverage levels, plans, and options are First, replanting is defined
locked in for 2013 with crop prices very close to where as planting back to the same
they were a year ago—corn at $5.65 and soybeans at crop. If you are thinking of
$12.87. replanting to a different crop,
please contact the office before
The earliest planting dates for 2013: replanting. Remember that you
must turn in a claim if you
• Corn and Sugar Beets – April 11
replant and the initial crop must
• Soybeans – April 21 appraise at less than 90% of the
By kathy mainer
guarantee to qualify. Agquest insurance
• Spring Wheat: South – March 21, Central – March 27,
North – April 1 office manager
If you find yourself in a prevented
planting situation, you must notify us as soon as you
Please note that planting prior to the earliest plant
know you can’t get the crop planted.
date will void your replant coverage. However, we do
offer an early bird coverage that will allow you to plant
corn, soybeans, and sugar beets earlier. Contact your A hedge against weather
AgQuest agent for further details. AgQuest Insurance has partnered with eWeatherRisk
to give our producers another alternative for additional
protection against drought, early freeze, no rain, or too
We hope you don’t need it much rain. It is a product that allows you to choose the
Every year, some of you run into significant weather
weather risks you want to cover.
problems that either prevent you from planting or
require that a portion of your crop be replanted. Here are
If you are interested in adding hail or wind coverage,
a couple of quick reminders that will help you with your
please contact us for a quote. n
claim in either situation.
AgQuest Insurance is an equal opportunity provider.
Getting It Right in Your Field
As spring nears, there are a lot of things we should created a 300-bushel Yield Quest
be thinking about. One of the most important things is in corn and a Century Club in
variety placement. Our data has shown year after year soybeans.
that placing a hybrid in the right yield environment and
on the right soil type allows us to better manage risk These trials will be conducted
and reduce the effects that Mother Nature has on that on 20- to 40-acre blocks within
crop. fields, and a standard protocol
will be followed for those acres
Along with matching the right hybrid to each particular throughout the growing season.
field, we’ve begun writing more variable-rate planting These acres will be scouted
prescriptions than ever. Growers utilizing these pre- intensely throughout the growing
scriptions have seen within their Harvest Max reports season by our account managers
By matt pietig
that placing the right population in better areas of their and interns to track progress. harvest max Manager
fields drives yields. On the other hand, reducing popu- You will receive updates on how
lation on lighter soils not only reduces seed costs but things are changing during the
increases yields. season. If this is something that is of interest to you,
contact your account managers or me for more informa-
Many seed companies across the industry are experi- tion.
encing supply issues once again this year. This can be
very frustrating, as many of us have had orders in since One last item I’d like to touch on is contacting your
early last fall. Fortunately, our ability to place these “sub- account manager to see which fields need to be grid
stitutions” on the right acres will ensure their success. sampled. If it has been four years, your fields are due to
be re-gridded. Re-grid sampling is critical to a successful
Join the club intensive soil-sampling program, as this process allows
This coming summer, we will be conducting numerous us to return to the original geo-referenced points to
product trials within the Harvest Max program on things retest and evaluate your fertility program. Your account
like fungicides, seed treatments, side-dressing, and manager will have a list of your fields that will need to
growth promoters. Along with those trials, we have be sampled. n
Page 7

8. PO Box 278
Morgan, MN 56266-0278
Licensed Agquest CROP INSURANCE agents AgQuest Insurance Agency is an Equal Opportunity Provider.
Morgan 877-626-7453 Lynn Button, Kathy Mainer, Mark Kubesh, Cheryl Manderfeld
507-249-3196 Pat Macht, Dennis Schreier, Mark Vogel, Matt Pietig
Comfrey 507-877-2441 Rick Kastner
Morton 507-697-6113 Todd Beran, Keegan Mammen
Olivia 800-463-3616 Sheri Bakker, Amber Weber
Springfield 507-723-7350 Jim Boyle, Joel Heiling, Tim Woelfel
Wabasso 507-342-5184
Time Is Up for SPCC Implementation
For those who couldn’t make it and certified by
to the 2013 Producer Meeting, a professional
you missed Marty Bonnell engineer (PE).
speaking on the Spill Preven-
tion Control Countermeasure If you decide,
Regulation (SPCC) program. however, to use
Let me recap the highlights certain alternate
for you, since we’re rapidly measures allowed
approaching the May 10 imple- by the federal
mentation deadline. SPCC rule, you
will need a PE.
By Pat Macht Who needs a SPCC plan? Growers that have
Energy Division Manager Owners or operators of more than 10,000
petroleum facilities that have gallons of storage
discharged or, due to their location, could reasonably will need to hire an engineer to write their plan and
be expected to discharge oil in harmful quantities into design their containment system.
or upon the navigable waters of the United States
or adjoining shorelines need to prepare, in writing, For most of our producers, the process is relatively
an SPCC Plan. Does your farm qualify? If you fit the simple. Some of you, on the other hand, may need
following description, you qualify as an SPCC farm: professional assistance. For additional information, go
1) The facility total above-ground storage in tanks or to our website, harvestland.com, and go to the 2013
containers is more than 1,320 gallons and/or under- HLC & AgQuest Full PowerPoint Presentation under the
ground storage is more than 42,000 gallons. news tab. The SPCC presentation starts at slide 125.
2) It is a non-transportation related facility. You can also contact me at 507.249.3196. For more
3) There is a reasonable chance of a discharge to detailed questions, get in touch with:
waters of the U.S. or adjoining shorelines.
Marty Bonnell, PE
If your farm falls under the SPCC guidelines, what you will Senior Civil Engineer
be required to do varies by the amount of above-ground Brams Engineering, LLC
storage you have. If your farm has 10,000 gallons or less 172 Spruce Drive
in aggregate above-ground oil storage capacity and the Apple Valley, MN 55124
facility meets the oil discharge history criteria, you may 952-261-9351
prepare a self-certified SPCC Plan instead of one reviewed martybonnell@charter.net n