News
Letter from the CEO
John McDaniel
I hope this message finds you well and that you have managed to avoid, as much as possible, the flu and other seasonal illnesses that have been prevalent this winter. Thus far, we have experienced relatively mild weather, though the ongoing lack of moisture is becoming a growing concern. Many of you have likely noticed the deep cracks in the soil, signaling the need for significant precipitation in the coming weeks. If the old adage about fog days holds true, we can anticipate better moisture in late March and early April—let’s hope for favorable conditions.
This past fall was strong for Farmers Coop Society, with impressive yields in the western region. Overall, grain volumes have remained solid. Our dry fertilizer season was also successful, and the recent grain handling improvements in Ireton and Sioux Center performed exceptionally well, leading to reduced turnaround times at both locations.
The post-harvest market rally in corn has provided producers with favorable opportunities to market the 2024 crop and make forward sales for the 2025 crop. Unfortunately, soybean prices have remained stagnant, not even covering the interest cost of holding them. As I have emphasized before, it is crucial to stay engaged in forward selling for the 2025 crop rather than waiting for potentially depressed prices at harvest. There will be multiple opportunities between now and July 1—some of which have already passed—to make timely sales of new crop corn and beans. A sound strategy is to have 60% of the new crop sold by July 1, as carry markets reward those who sell into the forward months. I encourage you to consult our marketing team, who can guide you through the available contract options and discuss historically strong seasonal selling periods.
Following a successful fall, our agronomy team is well-prepared for the upcoming spring season as soon as weather conditions allow fieldwork to begin. I strongly encourage you to connect with your FCS agronomist soon to discuss the latest advancements in seed treatments, crop protection, and crop enhancement products. Maximizing yield potential is always essential, but in a lower-price environment, those additional 5, 10, or even 20 bushels per acre of profitable yield gain become even more critical. Ensuring your crop has every opportunity to reach its full potential is a worthwhile investment—cutting costs in the wrong areas can ultimately be detrimental.
The feed division has experienced steady demand, and hog producers had been seeing reasonable margins until the recent outbreak of health issues in the area. We remain hopeful that improved weather conditions—or at least an end to extreme temperature fluctuations—will contribute to better livestock health. The recent high mortality rates in swine may lead to higher prices later this year as the number of market-ready hogs declines. Meanwhile, cattle prices remain strong and appear likely to sustain those levels for the foreseeable future.
I am also pleased to share that Member’s Cut officially opened for business on January 28. If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit, I highly encourage you to do so—you will not be disappointed. As a member of FCS, you can take great pride in this new venture, which showcases the value and quality of the cooperative system to the broader public.
Here’s to a successful spring. Thank you for your continued support of Farmers Coop Society.
2025 Innovation Assurance: Top Line Focus - Maximize Your Yield & Profitability
Cody Van Drie
One clear takeaway from last year: highly managed crops delivered results! As we plant the 2025 crop, the focus remains on profitability and the in-season decisions that can help maximize every acre.
Keeping an eye on the top line of your budget will be essential. While many crop-year expenses are already set, the biggest factor for success—yield—is still in play. Yield and crop price are the key components of your top-line revenue, and while marketing your crop effectively is crucial, the markets remain unpredictable. However, there are still opportunities this season to directly influence your yield—and ultimately, your bottom line.
Fungicide provided a strong ROI last year, and capturing those benefits again in 2025 will be critical. Over the past few seasons, FCS has seen significant yield improvements when combining micronutrients and other yield-enhancing products with a fungicide application. To help growers confidently explore these options, we’re offering Innovation Assurance—a risk-free opportunity to use select products with the potential to guarantee up to 105% of your 10-year adjusted yield at no cost. Available products include Brandt Smart B-Mo, Voyagro, YieldON, PhycoTerra FX, and Ascend SL.
Pairing Brandt Smart B-Mo with a fungicide on corn delivers essential micronutrients at the critical reproductive stage. Boron supports pollination efficiency and kernel retention, while Molybdenum aids nitrogen assimilation and late-season nitrogen metabolism. For enhanced plant stress mitigation and improved Boron uptake, consider pairing Brandt Smart B-Mo with the bio-stimulant Voyagro. On high-yield potential acres, YieldON is an excellent complement, improving nutrient and sugar transport within the plant while enhancing cell division for increased seed capacity.
For soybeans, Brandt Smart B-Mo provides key micronutrients during reproduction, with Boron promoting pollination and pod retention, and Molybdenum supporting nitrogen metabolism. Pair it with PhycoTerra FX to enhance stress relief, boost nutrient uptake, and reduce leaf desiccation. Alternatively, combining Brandt Smart B-Mo with Ascend SL can stimulate growth, increase flowering, and improve pod retention.
Bundle these products and their yield guarantee with a brand name fungicide application and take advantage of our 0% financing program – no payment until January 15th, 2026! FCS can assist you with your late season application needs – ground, aerial or UAV! Talk with your local FCS agronomist and learn more about our 2025 Innovation Assurance offering.
Maximize Your Profits, Minimize Your Risk
Joe Hofmeyer
With lower corn and soybean prices, farm margins have tightened, making every penny even more critical. At Farmers Coop Society (FCS), our goal is to be more than just a grain buyer—we are committed to being a long-term partner and trusted advisor for our growers. That’s why ongoing education is a cornerstone of how we serve our producers.
Throughout January, we hosted producer education and marketing outlook meetings across our trade territory. Attendance was strong, and engagement was high, with producers eager to ask questions and learn strategies to better manage risk. These meetings reinforced what we already knew: growers want knowledge, tools, and confidence to make informed marketing decisions in an ever-changing market.
During these sessions, we covered key grain marketing concepts, from how cash prices are determined to the role of futures and basis. We explored hedging strategies, how pricing structures reveal market trends, and how spreads can be used to maximize earnings. Producers also gained insight into the fundamentals driving today’s markets, the benefits of technical analysis, and how a disciplined approach can help reduce emotion and create more predictable outcomes. Most importantly, we showcased the many tools and strategies FCS offers to help producers mitigate risk and seize opportunities.
ADVANCED GRAIN MARKETING WORKSHOP – WINTER 2026
Following these meetings, many producers expressed interest in taking their grain marketing knowledge to the next level. In response, we are excited to introduce the Advanced Grain Marketing Workshop, launching in Winter 2026.
This workshop is designed for producers who are serious about strengthening their marketing approach. We will take a deep dive into spread trading, option pricing models, multi-legged option strategies, market psychology, and cost of carry. These sessions will challenge participants to think differently, ask tough questions, and develop strategies that create more certainty in an uncertain market.
Beyond the technical aspects, this workshop is an opportunity to connect with other forward-thinking producers. By collaborating and sharing ideas, we can work together to find solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing today’s operations. At FCS, we believe that continued education is key to success in grain marketing, and we are committed to providing growers with the knowledge and resources they need to make confident, informed decisions.
If you’re interested in participating in the Advanced Grain Marketing Workshop, contact our Grain Marketing Team to let them know you’d like to be part of this program.
Additionally, if you have questions about today’s markets or marketing opportunities for old crop and new crop through this spring and summer, please give our team a call. Forward selling the 2025 crop should be top of mind, and we’re here to help you build a strategy that works for your operation.
Optimizing Feed Intake and Daily Gain with EfficienZ
Katia Zwart
With our current market situation, every animal on the feedlot today holds significantly more value than in the past. While there is great potential for gain, there is also the risk of loss. Poor performance, health issues, and mortality all have a bigger financial impact when prices are high. Given this, recognizing available tools to enhance health and efficiency is crucial. Key strategies include management practices, vaccination protocols, and feed additives like EfficienZ.
As the name suggests, EfficienZ is designed to improve efficiency in the feedlot. Purina EfficienZ is a fermentation product that supports feed efficiency by optimizing rumen function. The rumen, the first chamber of a ruminant’s stomach, enables cattle to extract nutrition from a forage-based diet. This process is driven by rumen bacteria that break down plant material through fermentation. By optimizing rumen function, we can enhance feed efficiency.
Research demonstrates that, when compared to a control group, cattle on EfficienZ may experience improved feed-to-gain conversion, greater daily dry matter intake, enhanced carcass quality, and optimized volatile fatty acid production.
The table below highlights research-based data comparing cattle fed a control ration versus those supplemented with EfficienZ. As shown, cattle fed EfficienZ had a 4.7% improvement in average daily gain, required less feed per pound of gain, showed a higher percentage grading USDA Choice or Prime, and increased their average daily dry matter intake.
To put these results into perspective, consider the potential impact on a pen of 100 steers. Based on research findings, when fed to a common endpoint, utilizing EfficienZ may result in an additional 2,600 pounds of final body weight. Alternatively, when fed to a common final weight, steers fed EfficienZ may require up to 4,400 pounds less dry feed. In today’s market, increasing out weights or reducing days on feed is especially valuable.
Want to learn more about EfficienZ or other feed-through tools available to you? Contact your local beef specialists today! We would love to work with you to find the best solutions for your operation and end goals.
