News

Letter from the CEO

John McDaniel, CEO

I hope most of you avoided significant damage from the derecho that came through our area this summer. I’m not sure I want to experience that again! What stood out to me after that event was how many people showed up the very next day to help clean up the storm damage. I don’t know where all the people and equipment came from, but it was remarkable, and a reminder of how fortunate we are to live in an area here people care for and look out for each other.

What a difference a year makes when it comes to moisture. Last year, we couldn’t buy a rain; this year, it came almost like clockwork, arguably too often at times. The result, however, is a fantastic corn crop and a very good soybean crop. Many are expecting record corn yields locally, across several major corn-producing states, and nationally. While soybeans may not be record-breaking here, they still look strong, and seven states (mostly outside the Corn Belt) are projected to reach record yields, contributing to a record national soybean yield.

In this environment, with huge corn production, strong soybean output, and very little soybean export demand, it is even more critical to have a grain marketing plan that is both time-and price-based. Selling forward in years when the market is showing large carries is key to success. Please talk with our grain marketing team about building a plan that fits your operation (see page 11 for details).

As we wrap up the final month of our fiscal 2025 year, it looks like a decent year. Every year has its challenges, and this one was no different: tough grain markets with unusual basis behavior, the launch of a new business (Member’s Cut), low grain prices paired with high input costs, and the continuation of disease pressure in hogs, to name a few. In years like this, the strength of our team really shows, and I’m proud of how well we navigated these challenges. On the positive side, cattle prices have remained strong (longer than expected), hog prices are improving, and high yields should help offset lower grain prices.

Looking ahead, I expect the next fiscal year, underway as of August 1, to be even more challenging, not only for your cooperative but for everyone in agriculture. As we face these headwinds, please remember that we are here for you. Our team of experts, covering crop inputs, grain marketing, livestock production and marketing, financing, equipment technology, and crop innovation, is ready to help you navigate tough times and find solutions that work for your farm.

Thank you for your continued support of your cooperative. Wishing you a safe and bountiful harvest!

Be Safe!

Turn Timing Into ROI

Flexible, affordable input financing designed to boost yield and ease stress.

Stacie Groeneweg, Controller

In today’s evolving agriculture landscape, access to timely and affordable resources can make the difference between a profitable harvest & a failed season. With lower commodity prices, the demand for input financing has been increasing. That’s why FCS has partnered with CFA (Cooperative Finance Association) to develop our own financing program, FCS FlexPay.

FCS FlexPay is primarily aimed at helping farmers acquire agronomy inputs, such as seed, fertilizer, & chemical at the start of every season. Rather than utilizing cash up front, farmers can utilize FlexPay financing to secure the inputs they need and repay throughout the year, at harvest, or even after harvest, typically when cash flow is more stable

Benefits for Farmers:

1. NO APPLICATION

DEADLINES! Enjoy complete flexibility with no deadline restrictions with FlexPay.

2. Farmers can choose better, yield enhancing inputs that may have been unaffordable without credit.

3. Access to inputs at the right time can significantly boost productivity & profitability.

4. Buying at the best time locks in early order discounts.

5. Competitive rates and flexible payment options

a. Prepay for crop inputs.

b. Ability to divide or delay payments into manageable amounts spread across the year.

c. No interest or low interest until a set date after harvest.

Modern input financing is evolving with the help of technology. With FCS FlexPay you will be able to apply online and get approval within 24 hours. You will also be able to view & pay your loan online through your portal.

Input financing is transforming agriculture by providing farmers with the tools they need, when they need them most. When implemented, it not only supports food production but also helps build more stable rural economies. As FCS FlexPay expands and evolves it holds the potential to make agriculture more equitable, efficient, and resilient for the future.

Plant with confidence, grow your security, and pay when your harvest pays you. Flexible, farm friendly financing is built for your operation. Your season, your schedule, your success enroll in FCS FlexPay today.

Big Stakes. Bigger Payoffs.

Turn today's record cattle prices into tomorrow's strongest returns.

Katia Zwart, Beef and Dairy Production Specialist

If you are feeding cattle today, you are likely working with some of the most expensive stock you have ever purchased. Cattle prices have remained elevated through the first half of the year, while the national cow herd remains at historically low levels. These market conditions mean that every head represents a significant financial investment, making the question of how to protect and maximize your return on investment more important than ever. Fortunately, there are proven management strategies that can help safeguard profitability.

Running Projections

Your beef consultants at Farmers Co-op Society can assist you in running cost projections on cattle before they even get to your feedlot. By looking at cattle costs, estimated days on feed, the rations you feed, along with other factors we can estimate your breakeven costs and what plan of action may work best for you.

Updating Rations

It’s important to make sure that the rations you’re using are up to date. Talk to your FCS beef consultant about taking new feed samples and inputting up to date nutritional information into the formulation of your ration. The quality of your feed can change over time, and even a small adjustment to your ration can make a big difference in cost and performance.

Walking Pens

Frequently walking pens can help increase efficiency and aid in catching any health issues or concerns more quickly. FCS beef consultants are available to set fresh eyes on your cattle and discuss what they find with you.

Feed Additives and Supplements

While feed additives may seem like an unnecessary added cost, this may actually be the best time to implement them. Feed additives and supplements are designed to improve health, performance, and efficiency, all of which can add to your return. Listed below are just a few of the additives and supplements available to you at Farmers

Coop Society.

Elanco Experior

Experior is approved for the reduction of ammonia gas emissions per pound of live weight and hot carcass weight in beef steers and heifers. This product should be fed during the last 14 to 91 days on feed.

Fortiva EfficienZ Fermentation Product

A cost-effective way to optimize fermentation of feedstuffs and growth potential with a strong return on investment potential. Increase VFA production and average daily gain, greater daily dry matter intake, and improve carcass quality.

Purina Beef Abate

Cattle lose intake drastically due to metabolic heat whether they’re experiencing direct heat in the dry lot or are in full shade in a barn. Learn how Beef Abate can mitigate these losses when fed all summer long, or target fed during periods of high heat stress.

Stress Tubs and Stress Care Starter Feed

Getting young stock started on the right foot is incredibly important. Utilizing stress tubs in receiving and hospital pens and feeding a starter feed with Purina Stress Care in it are great ways to optimize starting cattle’s response to stress and to common health challenges.

Talk to your FCS beef consultants today about working together to create a strategic custom plan for optimizing profitability on your operation. Whether it’s formulating rations, running projections, walking pens with you, or setting up a feeding trial on a new supplement, we are here to help! It’s our passion to work with you to discover which methods and management strategies work best on your unique operation.

Give Us a Call Today!

Al Clough | (515) 570-6038

Katia Zwart | (712) 578-2616

Smarter Agronomy, Stronger Returns

How FCS pairs agronomy expertise and financial tools to grow your bottom line.

Kris Norgaard, Sr. Director of Agronomy

Achieving return on investment (ROI) should always be a top priority when running any business. When it comes to managing agronomy inputs, there are a lot of variables to achieve ROI including agronomics and many customer factors such as management strategies, risk tolerance, land status, access to capital, and many others. The primary job of the team of agronomists is to understand each customer and each field and utilize the tools we have to help you customize plans with the goal of ROI.

Agronomic Tools

The cornerstone of effective input management starts with high density soil testing such as 2.5 acre grids, but also can include manure testing, tissue testing, and newer technology like DNA soil testing. These tests combined with baseline university recommendations combined with local testing are the starting point to fully understand field to field variability. The use of variable rate technologies on FCS application equipment and/or your equipment can be fully unlocked for the most effective input management.

The list of other agronomic tools is lengthy and includes seed technologies, cover crops, chemical products, data management and analysis, and a full selection of bulk fertilizer products.

Finance and Risk Tools

Access to capital, payment flexibility, along with just simply being smart with money has pushed FCS to add even more crop input financing tools and options. These options include Secure, JDF, Corteva Cash/TruChoice, along with our new FCS FlexPay.

Prepay options on fertilizer and chemicals have also expanded significantly in the past few years to deal with the volatility we have all experienced.

New Programs To Push Profitability

This summer, we introduced our new Grain + Fungicide Program, designed to create value for both FCS and our customers. While fungicide technologies have been available for many years, ongoing advancements have made them more effective than ever. The ROI from these products, when applied strategically, is well established. Our goal was to pair these proven benefits with financial incentives, encouraging the adoption of newer technologies and more aggressive crop management practices, such as harvesting corn earlier to reduce losses and lower risk.

For FCS, this approach means more bushels to handle. For our customers, it delivers measurable returns: higher yields from fungicide applications and reduced harvest losses translate into real income.

We also launched the Innovation Assurance 2025 program, a no-cost yield warranty tied to the use of proven yield enhancers. Like the Grain + Fungicide Program, it’s built around driving ROI by boosting the top line of your budget through yield gains with a positive return.

The Coop Model Shapes Our Approach

The cooperative model thrives when our customers succeed. That’s why we pair agronomic and economic expertise with a strong, experienced team, delivering customized solutions that help each operation capture more

Harvest More Than Bushels

Using timing, planning, contract diversification to protect your bottom line.

Joe Hofmeyer, Manager of Grain Origination and Marketing

For corn growers, few decisions impact profitability more than marketing. Timing and diversification of contract type can make all the difference. In today’s volatile market environment with historically high input costs, relying on a single pricing strategy is like planting a single hybrid variety across all of your acres and hoping for the best. Here’s why forward selling and layering different contract types into your marketing plan isn’t just smart, it’s economically essential for the longevity of your operation.

Proactive forward marketing isn’t just for risk-averse farmers, it’s for those chasing consistent returns. Here are some reasons why:

• Historical trends show that futures markets often offer higher prices ahead of harvest, especially in late Spring and early Summer. History shows that forward selling out preforms selling at harvest 80-90% of the time.

• Without a plan, many producers wait too long or sell into market dips. The development of a strategic marketing plan reduces emotional decision-making.

• Knowing breakeven costs per bushel informs better contracting and the ability to pull the trigger when it makes sense. By planning ahead, producers can target profitable price levels months in advance and if markets present opportunity they can execute.

No single contract type is the silver bullet. Economic resilience comes from using a combination and diversifying your sales. Using this mix of contract types allows producers to manage risk dynamically while targeting different market opportunities throughout the year

In summary, planning ahead and using multiple contract types isn’t just a hedge, it’s a strategy to unlock more value from every acre while proactively managing risk. Corn producers who treat marketing like a year-long or multi-year campaign and use the combination of the marketing tools at their disposal, lead their business to less volatility and more predictability which will allow them to outperform their peers over time.

The FCS Grain team is here to help you develop an in-depth marketing plan specific to your operation.

Contact Joe or Bill to develop your plan today!

(712) 722-2671