Feed Energy News - Issue 33 - 2017
Real Science and Solutions Always!
In This Issue
... Guest writer, Peter Rohde of Informa Economics, joins us this month to talk markets and upcoming projections.

Back to the Family Farm ... Feed Energy customer Jordan Carstens shares his journey to the farm after his professional football career ended.

Improving Dialogue Among Iowans and Farmers ... The latest results from the Iowa Food and Family Project show trust in Iowa farmers is growing.

Dynamic Duo Donation ... Hear about the great work being done in the industry to meet the needs of our communities. 
Quick Links
Feed Energy Product Offerings 
Industry Links
USDA Crop Production Report 
NEW! Service Bundles Now Available
Keeping your feed ingredients flowing smoothly is a vital part of your operation. At Feed Energy, we have a dedicated team that specializes in liquid systems, from tank to flow meter. Leverage discount pricing when you bundle services such as preventative maintenance, tank rises, remote tank monitoring, and more. 

To ask for a quote, call your account manager or Bryan Hanson, Mechanical Services Manager, at 
515-263-0408.
Upcoming Industry Events
International Production & Processing Expo
Atlanta, GA
Jan. 31 - Feb. 2, 2017
National Turkey Federation Annual Convention
Orlando, FL
Feb. 5-8, 2017
Iowa Beef Expo
Des Moines, IA
Feb. 12-19, 2017
Nebraska Poultry Industries Convention
Norfolk, NE
Feb. 22-23, 2017
Midwest Poultry Federation Convention
St. Paul, MN
March 14-16, 2017
Partner Websites for Issue 33
Informa Economics
As the leader in global agribusiness intelligence, we cover the entire value chain, helping you stay close to the market so you can anticipate changes. 

Food Bank of Iowa
The Food Bank of Iowa is a not-for-profit organization committed to its mission of alleviating hunger through food distribution, partnership and education. 

Iowa Food and Family Project
A consumer-facing initiative dedicated to empowering food-minded Iowans to make fact-based decisions about their food choices.

Click here for website

January 31, 2017
The Floor is Open
Phil Reeves, CEO

This is my first opportunity to share some thoughts in this forum since assuming the CEO role for Feed Energy. This is an honor for me.

First things first. To our customers who are reading this, thank you! You are the reason we exist, and we cannot thank you enough for your loyalty and support for our products and services over the past 30 years.

Second, 30 years from now we still want to be the go-to provider of premier energy products to growers and livestock producers. We know that our industry and your business is under continual change. We've changed a lot over the last 30 years and will continue to change right along with you.

We can all remember many quotes and sayings that we were told by our parents and teachers when growing up. Some were silly, some were cultural, some were made up to make us behave a certain way, but some were timeless wisdom. One that sticks in my mind as timeless is something like . . . "the only dumb question is the one that's not asked."

So, where am I going with this?

We want to hear from you! We want to help you! We want you to ask us questions! We have a very talented staff that is deep and broad in industry experience and educational training that are tremendous developers and problem solvers. We have a R&D and Product Development staff of PhDs and chemical engineers. We have plant operations and management staff of industrial and process engineers. We are here for you!

Talk to your Feed Energy account manager. Call us. Email us. I've listed my contact information below. Always assume that we can help you solve your challenges. We can adapt to your needs to help you succeed. Here's to a great 2017!

Phil Reeves, CEO
515-344-4406
preeves@feedenergy.com
Commodity Markets Follow South American Weather

The commodity markets
are demonstrating the roller coaster type of activity that we have come to expect this time of year. USDA has published the final 2016 crop production report confirming record large US corn and soybean crops. The market is now turning its attention to the South American crop and the weather market that is currently influencing commodity prices.

The US corn supply and demand picture shows that we have outstanding demand from large feed use, record ethanol use and large export projections but with a record large 174.6 bu/ac yield resulting in a 15.1-billion-bushel production. Ending stocks are exceeding 2.3 billion bushels equating to a 16.1% stocks/use ratio. This level of stocks on hand will make it very difficult for the corn market to rally much above the prices that we are currently seeing. Speculative fund buying and the influence of potential crop problems in South America could push futures up to the $3.80 mark but a more realistic value given the current 2016 crop balance sheet would be for corn to trade in the $3.30 to $3.50 range.

Back to the Family Farm: Jordan Carstens
On the edge of Guthrie County sits the small town  of  Bagley, IA - population 303. It is also home to a large hill, one that a young Jordan Carstens toughed out many times in order to reach friends near his family farm. "If we weren't working the farm, we were around the farm. You could hop on your bike and ride three quarters of a mile and be with your cousins, but that hill - that was not very fun to climb."

And yet, he climbed it time and time again. In talking with Carstens, you quickly learn that hard work and the extra effort have never been a stranger to him, who now farms row crops and helps run a swine operation with his family. While this isn't a revelation for farmers, Carstens' transition to farming was anything but typical.

Carstens started playing football in high school where he earned third team-All State honors before heading to play for Iowa State University. Once there he walked-on and was red-shirted, becoming the defensive scout team's player of the year. After graduation, Carstens married his college sweetheart and together they moved to Charlotte, North Carolina where he joined the 2004 Carolina Panthers. "It's the same game, but it's different. You look at a college team and there's probably 10-20 NFL players on that team - the whole team - going to the NFL, they're all NFL players. Everybody's bigger, faster, and stronger."

Over the course of the next three years Jordan battled the deteriorating health of his kidneys.

Improving Dialogue Among Iowans and Farmers
Working to connect food-minded Iowans with local farmers, the Iowa Food and Family Project (FFP)
encourages learning and dialogue about Iowa agriculture, building confidence in consumers that their food is not only affordable and delicious, but safe. Growing Iowa FFP engagement with Iowans is reflecting positively on their impressions of Iowa's farm families and today's agriculture.

"The combination of education, collaboration and participation is powering the significant and positive
increases we're experiencing in audience engagement," Aaron Putze, Director of Communications and External Relations at the Iowa Soybean Association, added. "It's an affirmation of our approach and why we'll soon be announcing new partners who want to be involved in our outreach to Iowans about all things food, family and farming."

Dynamic Duo Donation
According to the Food Bank of Iowa, 1 in 8 Iowans are food insecure, or lacking access to a sufficient quality of affordable and nutritious food. Even more, 1 in 5 children do not have enough to eat. Over the holiday season the Iowa Turkey Federation and Feed Energy recognized this need and partnered together to donate more than 8,000 pounds of turkey products to the Food Bank of Iowa.

"Feed Energy and the Iowa Turkey Federation's collaboration in providing this high quality protein is a great example of their commitment to our neighbors who are struggling," said Michelle Book, President & CEO of Food Bank of Iowa. "This turkey is a great source of lean, nutritious protein, and will help Iowans in need make wholesome meals for themselves and their families. We are so grateful for the Iowa Turkey Federation and Feed Energy's help in our work to end hunger in Iowa!"

Feed Energy publishes Feed Energy News four times a year:
January, April, July, and October.