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Year-end: Time to Pre-Buy, Get Financing
With the farm economy getting tighter and tighter, it is critical that farmers look at every way to reduce costs. One of the best ways to do so, said Keith Steiner, Federated's business relationship specialist, "is to get your crop input loan at a low interest rate and use that to purchase your inputs at the lowest price."
Steiner noted that Federated Co-ops works with a finance co-op out of Kansas City, the Cooperative Finance Association, to offer its patrons competitive interest rates with a very flexible due date of March 15, 2019. This gives farmers a longer window to market their grain and provides more flexibility on the farm and, Steiner added, "you can use this loan to complement your existing operating loan or use CFA for all of your crop input loan needs through Federated Co-ops."
When doing business with CFA, growers work on the loan with a Federated employee, "which provides a personal touch and someone who understands what it takes to keep your farming operation successful," said Steiner. He highlighted the following benefits of obtaining financing through CFA:
- Experience a quick and easy application process.
- Use the loan for seed, fertilizer, crop protection, and fuel purchases made through Federated.
- Take advantage of early purchase discounts on seed, fertilizer, crop protection, and fuel.
- Save time with the convenience of a one-stop source - Federated Co-ops, Inc. - for all crop input needs.
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Why are Seed Treatments Important?
"Your investments in seed traits and genetics are important to protect," said Craig Gustafson, Federated's eastern division agronomy manager. Rather than wonder how seed will fare against disease and insects, Federated offers peace of mind to growers with EPA-approved seed treatments that can help protect seed and seedlings from harmful early season diseases and insects.
The disease triangle above illustrates the three components needed for disease development: a susceptible host, a virulent pathogen, and a favorable environment. Plant diseases can be prevented by eliminating any one of these components.
The value of seed treatments is in their ability to minimize or eliminate the pathogen, which breaks the disease triangle.
"What does this mean to you, the grower?" asked Gustafson. He offered the following list of benefits.
- Treated seed can be planted earlier, in spite of early season pests.
- Seed treatments provide an early defense against disease.
- Treated seed germinates better.
- Treated seed produces higher stand counts.
- Seed treatments give plants a healthy start with more rapid root and plant growth.
- Seed treatments protect yield potential.
Contact your
Federated Agronomist to formulate a seed treatment program that will provide you with both peace of mind and return on investment.
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From Federated's Operations Manager, Mike Meelberg...
While this fall has been challenging, there have been bright spots. Yield has been higher than most expected and the weather came around to allow most growers to get a lot of the harvest completed. We have had a few growers take advantage of fall fertilization again this year and I think that will pay off in the spring. As everyone remembers, it really sped up planting in the spring for those who applied fertilizer the fall of 2016. If you have not yet applied fertilizer this fall, check with your Agronomy location; there still may be time to get it done before the weather brings our season to an end.
We understand that customers have choices when it comes to purchasing inputs for their operation, and we appreciate the trust you give us. We hope the services we provide are of great value as we strive to live up to our customers' expectations. If you ever feel we are not delivering the service you need, I hope you will contact your nearby Federated location or me (Mike Meelberg) directly.
We are deeply committed to providing the best customer service and products available. I know that I repeat these sentiments every year but we truly appreciate your business. Everyone at Federated Co-ops thanks you for your continued patronage and we hope to keep you as valued customers for years to come.
I would also take this time to thank our employees for the job they do and the extra effort they put in all year long. Employees throughout the entire company put in the extra effort to truly make a difference for our customers. Thank you for all that you do. We hope to continue to build strong relationships with our customers well into the future.
Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!
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Federated Co-ops, Inc. |
763-389-2582
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