Heritage Tractor Adventure

The eighth annual Heritage Tractor Adventure was held June 6-10, 2009 through the Heritage Corridor, along the I & M Canal. Participants drove their antique tractors nearly 150 miles over the course of the event.















This year, 217 tractors took part in the drive. The gasoline and diesel fuel was donated by GRAINCO FS, Inc. and tractors were fueled on site by GRAINCO employees Brent Ericson, Mark Hansen, Rich Henry, Larry Mattison, Lisa McDonnell, Cornel Recknor, Robert Rosengren, Jim Snyder, Jim Thomson, Mark Tuttle, and Tom Wallace.






















"In other tractor drives, the fuel is not supplied, and it makes for some logistical challenges," said Mary Beth DeGrush, Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau vice president and event coordinator. "We greatly appreciate GRAINCO's involvement, and I know our drivers do, too."



Brad Eike, Heritage FS, Inc. Energy Management Specialist, drove his 1966 Minneapolis Moline M670.


"This tractor has been in my family since it was new, and it's never used anything but FS fuels and lubricants," he said.



More information about the Heritage Tractor Adventure is available at http://www.heritagetractoradventure.com/.

The Intern Experience

The 48 GROWMARK interns convened for their mid-summer meeting in June. They enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect and learn from each other's summer experiences throughout the GROWMARK System.

The meeting began with a fun night in Bloomington, Ill., where the group enjoyed a meal together and took advantage of bowling, miniature golf, and sand volleyball facilities at Pheasant Lanes.

(Left to Right): Kathryn Tokarz, Seedway, LLC; Joe Leslie, GROWMARK FS, LLC; Lucas Waybright, GROWMARK FS, LLC; and Kristina McAllister, GROWMARK FS, LLC enjoy their meal at Wings, Etc...

Minature golf was a popluar choice at Pheasant Lanes. Travis Rudat, GROWMARK Logistics lines up his putt while Mitch Lindberg, GROWMARK Facility Planning and Supply (red shirt) and Travis Coty, Ag View FS, Inc. (green shirt) plan their next shots.

The next morning, the interns boarded a bus and headed to Sunrise Ag Service Company's Havana, Ill. facility on the Illinois River. There, they saw the barge loading and unloading dock, grain storage system, and fertilizer products building. Rich Vanderpool and Bob Bess led the tour.

The next stop on the tour was the WESTERN GRAIN MARKETING, LLC site near Adair, Ill. where GROWMARK Facility Planning and Supply's Tom Nealey and Randy Holthaus boarded the bus and explained the ongoing construction project. After stopping for lunch, the group toured the John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline, Ill. and had free time at the nearby John Deere Pavilion. Supper at Joe's Crab Shack in Peoria, Ill. ended the day.

Jennifer Mormann, Three Rivers FS Company (left) and Andrea Beatty, Ag View FS, Inc. (right) play checkers at the John Deere Pavilion.

(Left to right): Mitch Lindberg, GROWMARK Facility Planning and Supply; Joel Lasack, AgVantage FS, Inc.; Drew Nesemeier, Gold Star FS, Inc.; Jacob Robinson, Gold Star FS, Inc.; Ross Brunsman, Three Rivers FS Company; and Jake Bonnell, GROWMARK Seed Division wait for their seafood at Joe's Crab Shack.

The following day the interns were in the Bloomington office. They completed a personality profile and learned how to identify and interact with people who have different relational styles from their own.

Additional Family Photos

There were a few photos submitted that we couldn't fit into the May/June issue of Spirit. Take a look!

Jeff Lynn, bulk fuel transport driver, Lincoln Land FS, Inc. poses with his family in San Francisco at You Tube. Son Tanner (front) wrote to the Dream Factory of Central Illinois requesting a visit to see where his favorite podcast Digg Nation was created and the Google and You Tube headquarters. The whole family - (left to right) Jared, Lori, Jeff, and Tucker - enjoyed the trip together.

John and Mary Lou Perrott enjoyed their trip to the Cathedral in Toledo, Spain in 2008. John is works for Huron Bay Co-operative in Belgrave, Ontario and has been in the Co-op system for more than 40 years.

Roger Marcoot, operations manager, South Central FS, Inc. (pictured) is a cousin to Randy Marcoot, retired director of IMS, GROWMARK, and nephew to Don Marcoot, retired Iowa regional manager.

A note from Jessica Beam at Gold Star FS, Inc.'s Cambridge, Ill. warehouse read: "We might not all be related by blood or marriage, but we are one big happy family!"

From left to right: James Main, petroleum energy specialist; Dan Wigant, LP specialist; Bobby Phillips, sales support/grain systems sales support; Mick Carr, grain systems specialist; Steve "Reno" Ebens, petroleum energy specialist; Matt Happel, multi-products specialist; Ashley Cocquit, customer service; "Big" Bob Sandburg, LP sales support; Dave "Spanky" Spangler, structures; Davie Nelson, sales support; Perry Coziahr, plant manager (retired April 30, 2009); Les Matson, sales support; Jason Dobbles, tire department; Chuck Blaszczyk, tire department; Rob Weston, LP sales support; Jon Loitz, Certified Crop Specialist; Jessica Beam, customer service; Matt Warner, crop specialist; and Steve Brown, sales support.

Expanded Photo Captions for System Family photos in May/June 2009 Spirit

1: Dan Pannier, assistant chief dispatcher, GROWMARK (left) and Cindy Fletcher, system administrator – LAN, GROWMARK (right) are step-brother and sister.

2 and 3: Father and son John Crosby, sales support, Gold Star FS, Inc. Atkinson facility (Photo 3) and Aaron Crosby, agronomy marketing manager, AgriPride FS, Inc. (Photo 2).

4: Roger Read, general manager, Illini FS (left) and Warren Gillett, sales and operations manager, GROWMARK Facility Planning and Supply Division (right) are first cousins.

5: Brothers Jerry Sutton, environmental, health, and safety manager (left) and Tim Sutton, energy marketing manager (right) work for Christian County Farmers Supply Company.

6: Sue Collins, administrative assistant, WESTERN GRAIN MARKETING, LLC (front right) and Gary Spoon, southern region grain operations manager, WESTERN GRAIN MARKETING, LLC (back right) are brother and sister. Gary is married to Cathy Spoon, office manager, Western Illinois FS Feeds and controller, Alpha FS (back center). Ryan Ward, feed warehouse manager, Western Illinois FS Feeds (back left) is Cathy’s nephew. Valarie Collins, administrative assistant, WESTERN GRAIN MARKETING, LLC, (front left) is Sue’s daughter-in-law.

7: Wabash Valley Service Company employs father David Coles, Energy Management Specialist, Browns/Grayville territory (right) and son Todd Coles, crop salesman, Ellery territory (left).

8: WESTERN GRAIN MARKETING, LLC employs Gordon Miller, general manager (left) and son Ryan Miller, merchandising manager (right).

9: Mother Karen Slade, receptionist, Evergreen FS, Inc. (right) and daughter Cindy Boward, facility equipment product specialist, GROWMARK (left).

10 and 11: (Photo 10, Left to Right): John Barman, feed blender and warehouseman, Alpha FS; Jeff Barman, turf blending lead person, Alpha Distribution Center; and Mark Barman, first shift warehouse lead person, Alpha Distribution Center are brothers. Their uncle Doug “Fuzzy” Barman (Photo 11) works for Ag View FS, Inc. as a floater operator at the Buda, Ill. facility.

12: GROWMARK Lubricants inventory and production manager Makayla Umphreys (left) is married to AGRILAND FS, INC. lubricant specialist Rod Umphreys (right).

13: Barb Walters, store supervisor (center) and husband Paul Walters, grain elevator employee and fuel truck driver (right) work with son Brandon Truckel, elevator operator and part-time fuel truck driver (left) at Foxboro Co-op in Ontario, Canada.

14: Tom Wolters, custom applicator, Evergreen FS, Inc. (right) is married to Judy Wolters, marketing research/information technology administrative assistant, GROWMARK (second from right). Their children are Erika Curtis, product specialist, electronic payment systems,

GROWMARK (second from left) and Jason Wolters, serving in the Army National Guard.

15 and 16: Richard Stiltz, feed delivery driver, Menard Service Company (Photo 15), poses with his Dodge two-ton feed truck that cost $947.75 new. Sixty-one years later, son Dick Stiltz, agronomy marketing manager, Lincoln Land FS, Inc. (Photo 16), stands by a new Case 4520 dry air machine with a sticker price of $270,000.

17: Husband and wife Travis (right) and Becky (left) Wiedenhoeft work for Frontier FS Cooperative’s Mapleton facility. She is an administrative assistant/customer support representative and he is a custom applicator/mechanic.

18: Illini FS employs Nicholas Eisenmenger, assistant plant manager, Kemp facility (left) and father Bernie Eisenmenger, Tuscola Tire Center manager (right).

19: Megan Leopold, seed marketing communications manager, GROWMARK (left) and Debbie Bachman, broker assistant, MID-CO COMMODITIES, Inc. (right) are sisters.

20: Kristie Israel, crop protection supply coordinator, GROWMARK (left) is married to Richard Israel, spray operator, Ag-Land FS, Inc. (right).

21: Three generations of the Irle family have been involved with the GROWMARK System over the years. Joe Irle (left) was a GROWMARK Director from 1980-1990 and served as an Illinois Grain District Director prior to GROWMARK’s formation. Son John (center) is currently energy department operations manager, refined lubes and fuels for Illini FS. John’s son Jonathon (right) was recently hired as seasonal help at Illini’s FarmTown in Urbana. John’s older sons Gale and Bryan were also seasonal Illini FS employees during their college years.

22: Susan Hagen, office manager, Medora FS, Inc. (left) is a sister to Don Prather, warehouse manager, Medora FS, Inc. (right).

23: Brothers Aaron Wickersheim, LP bulk delivery (left) and Dan Wickersheim, energy department manager (right) followed their father Larry Wickersheim, general laborer (center) to Servco FS Cooperative.

24: Father John Knobloch, general manager (left) and son Ross Knobloch, GROWMARK Lubricants specialist (right) work for AGRILAND FS, INC.

25: Jeff Baker, crop applicator, Rushville facility (left) is the nephew of Mary Ann Baker, Astoria plant secretary (center) and Bob Baker, tender driver/Ipava warehouse (right), all of whom work for Two Rivers FS, Inc. Mary Ann and Bob are brother and sister.

26 and 27: Brothers Fritz Oncken, Lyndon Crops plant manager (Photo 26)and Brent Oncken, Lyndon Energy LP deliveryman (Photo 27)work for Gold Star FS, Inc.

28 and 29: Jeff Baldwin (Photo 28) is a crops salesman at Gold Star FS’s Aledo facility while son Mark Baldwin (Photo 29) is a custom applicator for Evergreen FS, Inc.

30: GROWMARK FS’s Milford West facility employs husband Terry Willey, Jr. as a spreader truck operator (left) and wife Kandi Willey as office manager (right).

31: Second cousins Patti Meyer, energy assistant (left) and Nathan Schmidt, energy specialist (right) are Servco FS Cooperative employees.

32: Husband and wife Bob Clark, retired feed mill/Paris FarmTown manager, Illini FS (right) and Mary Ruth Clark, who worked in the business office of Edgar County Supply Company (left) are parents-in-law of John Knobloch, general manager, AGRILAND FS, INC. (Photo 24). Bob worked with John at Illini FS and introduced him to daughter Cindy, who John married.

33: Servco FS Cooperative employs Betty Rolling, FAST STOP manager (right) and daughter-in-law Kristen Rolling, marketing assistant.

34: Mindy Miller, marketing communications assistant, GROWMARK (center) poses with father Dave Miller, AGRILAND FS, INC. energy sales manager, Eastern territory (right) and mother Lu Miller (left).

35 and 36: Mother Peggy Weiss, Reynolds location secretary (Photo 35) and son Nathan Weiss, custom applicator, Aledo (Photo 36) are Gold Star FS, Inc. employees.

37: Brothers-in-law Aaron Wickersheim, LP bulk delivery (left), Lewis Bowman, LP department manager (center), and Eugene Peters, LP service/bottles (right) work for Servco FS Cooperative.

38: AgVantage FS, Inc. employs husband and wife Rick, LP technician (right) and Myrna Zanatta, administrative assistant, Hazleton facility (left), who enjoy riding motorcycles together.

39: Husband and wife Nathan, custom turf lawn specialist/applicator, Evergreen FS, Inc. (right) and Amanda Ellis, accounts receivable, Evergreen FS, Inc. (left) are pictured with daughter Ellie.

40, 50, and 60: John Grandin, Western Region seed agronomist, GROWMARK (Photo 50) and wife Holly Grandin, ag finance specialist, New Century FS, Inc. (Photo 60) welcome another generation of the family to the GROWMARK System as daughter Lynnae Grandin (Photo 40) will serve as a crop scout for New Century FS, Inc. this summer.

41: Heritage FS, Inc.’s Bourbonnais grain facility is where father Clark (left) and son Matt Gregorie (right) work.

42: Retired agronomy department and part-time Arrowsmith plant food employee Bill Schuth (left) and wife Gloria, Yuton Elevator grain accounting (right), work for Evergreen FS, Inc.

43: (Left to Right): Kenneth Whittaker retired from Spoon River FS in 1979. His son, Reg Whittaker, is GROWMARK’s logistics planning and operations analysis manager. Cathy Hanes, marketing service coordinator for GROWMARK is Reg’s daughter. Mike Mackie, agronomy marketing manager, RIVERLAND FS, Inc. is Reg’s cousin and uncle to Beau Johnson, operator, RIVERLAND FS, Inc.

44: GROWMARK Dispatcher Corey Loercher (top) and wife Tiffany Loercher, GROWMARK graphic designer (left) smile with son Oliver.

45: Tom Salrin, market development representative (right) and son Chris Salrin, propane product manager (left) both work at GROWMARK.

46 and 47: Gold Star FS, Inc. employs brothers Bill Stropes, credit manager (Photo 46)and Warren Stropes, River City Turf and Ornamental (Photo 47).

48: Lindsey Powell, marketing specialist, GROWMARK Facility Planning and Supply Division (center) credits stepfather Robert Cameron, Certified Crop Specialist, Two Rivers FS, Inc. (left) with introducing her to the GROWMARK System. Detrik Hendee, Robert’s nephew and Lindsey’s cousin (right) has been a crop scout for Two Rivers FS, Inc. for the past three summers and will continue that role this year. Robert’s cousin, Michael Kessler, Certified Crop Specialist, also works for Two Rivers FS, Inc.

49: Heritage FS, Inc. employs brothers Ed Lambert, operations manager, Bourbonnais Grain (left) and Mike Lambert, grain manager (right).

51: Husband Jeff Haas, spray truck driver, St. Clair Service Company (standing) and wife Tessa Haas, secretary, St. Clair Service Company (seated) are expecting their second child this fall.

52: Brenda Linton, dispatcher, GROWMARK (left) poses with daughter Jessica Haycraft, Northern Region services coordinator, GROWMARK (right).

53: Eric Engle, Western Region seed sales manager, GROWMARK (left) and Vanessa Smock, administrative assistant, New Century FS, Inc. (right) are brother- and sister-in-law.

54: Jim Welch, custom applicator (left) and son-in-law Mannie Linder, warehouseman (right), are employed by Gold Star FS, Inc.

55: Kirk Kaiser, custom applicator, Anchor facility (right) and wife Cathy Kaiser, accounts payable (left), work for Evergreen FS, Inc.

56, 57, and 58: Brothers John Van Casteren, operations supervisor, Elmvale facility (Photo 58)and Jerry Van Casteren, operator II, Stayner facility (Photo 57), work for FS PARTNERS. John’s son Dave Van Casteren (Photo 56) also works for the cooperative as agronomy sales advisor for both Stayner and Elmvale facilities.

59: Gold Star FS, Inc.’s bin crew includes uncle Dave Spengler (right) and nephew Alex Spengler (left).

61: Stephenson Service Company employs cousins Ken Ils, operations manager, Stockton facility (left) and Joe Ils, sales and delivery/custom applicator, Lena facility (right).

62 and 63: Vince Ochs, marketing manager, South Central FS, Inc. (Photo 63) and brother Brent Ochs, plant manager, West Liberty and Newton facilities, Wabash Valley Service Company (Photo 62).

64: Father Dan Schmitt, LP sales and service, New Century FS, Inc.(right) and son Jake Schmitt, energy marketing development specialist, New Century FS, Inc. (left) work out of the New Traer, Iowa facility.

65 and 66: Husband and wife Dave, propane sales and delivery (Photo 65) and Gretchen Greenholt, energy marketing assistant (Photo 66) work for Heritage FS, Inc.

67: GROWMARK’s Keith Milburn, director, IMS (left) and wife Jane Milburn, business appraisal administrative assistant, GROWMARK (right) hold son Ryan.

68: Gordon Cooper, retired Aledo facility operations manager, Gold Star FS, Inc. (left) and son Dave Cooper, Aledo plant manager, Gold Star FS, Inc. (right).

69 and 70: Heritage FS, Inc. employs brother and sister James Fruendt, operations, Beaverville/St. Anne facility (Photo 70) and Julie Fruendt, secretary, Beaverville/St. Anne facility (Photo 69).

71: Joe Wrench, logistics, Illini FS (left) works with cousin Dwight Wrench, accounts payable, Illini FS (right).

72: Sisters Mary West, benefits administration coordinator, GROWMARK (right) and Kathie Wickenhauser, Wapella/Clinton office manager, Evergreen FS, Inc. (center) are passing on the family System tradition to Kathie’s son Rob Wickenhauser, welder, Evergreen FS, Inc. (left).

73: Lindsay Otten, safety and environmental services coordinator, GROWMARK (left) and stepfather Joe Luechtefeld, board member, St. Clair Service Company (right).

74: Dennis Meseke retired from Fayette Service Company (now South Central FS, Inc.) after 39 years of service (left); son Randy Meseke works for GROWMARK as facility equipment petroleum manager (right).

75: Evergreen FS, Inc. employs brother and sister Dave Jenkins, plant manager, Long Point facility (left) and Laurie Orr, seed marketing assistant (right).

76: Ed Fehlhafer, retired LP department manager, Carroll Service Company (left) passed on his FS legacy to daughter Susan Fehlhafer, marketing assistant, Ag-Land FS, Inc. (center) and son Tommy Fehlhafer, crops marketing manager, Ag View FS, Inc.(right).

77: Lori Weber, tax compliance assistant (left) and son-in-law Brian Gulso, business analyst (right) both work for GROWMARK.

78: Father Larry Bowen (left) and son Ronnie Bowen (right) work for South Central FS, Inc.’s grain and feed department.

79: Husband Jim Sample, Dewey facility agricultural commodities relocation specialist (left), works for Illini FS while wife Belinda Sample, IT project planning specialist (right), works for GROWMARK.

80: Father Mike Wilson, area marketing coordinator, Wabash Valley Service Company (left) enjoys turkey hunting with daughter Ashley Wilson, precision farming coordinator, Illini FS (right).

81: Mother Deb Jolly, Midwest Grain grain marketing assistant, (right) and daughters Kara Jolly, seasonal worker (left) and Stephanie Jolly, Holder Elevator bookkeeper (center), work for Evergreen FS, Inc.

82: Husband and wife Tim Connolly, certified propane specialist (left), and Jonie Connolly, sales support specialist (right) work for Ag-Land FS, Inc.

AGRIS Co-operative Team Visits Japan

This post was written by Scott Vandehogen, AGRIS Co-operative Seed Specialist.



Earlier this year, a team from AGRIS Co-operative had the opportunity to travel to Japan on a two week business trip. Representing AGRIS was board directors John Sauvé and Scott McGeachy along with seed specialist, Scott Vandehogen. Also making the trip were five of AGRIS Co-operative’s marketing partners from London Agricultural Commodities.

The marketing position of AGRIS Co-operative has been to try and put our farmer-owners closer to the export customers who buy their crop. The main purpose of this trip was to provide Ontario farmers the opportunity to visit the end users of their product, allowing them to better understand their needs and help those end users understand farmers’ needs. In addition, the AGRIS Co-operative team was able to meet their export customers, reviewing their current and future grain needs, as well as general Ontario and Japanese trends in the marketplace.

At each meeting a fair amount of time was spent helping our Japanese buyers better understand the Ontario growers’ cost of production using an AGRIS Co-operative-produced breakeven calculator for corn, Roundup Ready soybeans, identity preserved conventional soybeans and Roundup Ready 2Y soybeans. The Japanese buyers showed interest in exactly how identity preserved grower premium payments are calculated. They also had several questions and concerns in regards to Roundup Ready 2Y soybeans and the potential threat that these beans may bring to their market.

Pictured at one of the many Japanese offices they visited are Scott Vandehogen (second from left), Scott McGeachy (fourth from left), and John Sauvé (sixth from the left).

The AGRIS Co-operative team found Japanese buyers are very interested in meeting and talking with the Ontario farmers who grow their food. They traditionally visit Ontario in the summer and early fall to get a closer look at the actual crops; pluck the pods and taste-test the beans in the fields themselves.

For now, Japan has bought what it requires and is hesitant to support higher premiums. Their uncertainty is due to the current global economic situation and the possibility of an eventual turn to genetically modified beans that would result in possibly being caught with high premium inventories.

“Japan is not tapped into the genetically modified market, but thinks that they most likely will be someday,” said John Sauvé. “If Japan does switch and agree to use genetically modified soybeans for tofu production, there will still be a need for an identity preserved system because buyers will always require certain characteristics to match their end use.”

Scott Vandehogen, AGRIS Co-operative seed specialist meets with (left to right) Mr. Shinohara, Mr. Miyashita from Sanko Shokuhin Co. and Mr. Kobayashi of Sojitz Corporation in Japan. AGRIS Co-operative supplies identity preserved soybeans directly to the Sojitz Corporation.

Today the world demand for soybeans is changing. Soybeans are not only required for animal feed and human consumption but also for fuel production as well. With global production increasing through genetically modified crops, Scott McGeachy believes AGRIS Co-operative has an opportunity to help supply a growing food shortage in a niche market.

“I believe that we need to grow this market or risk losing it,” he said. “Food safety is very important to the Japanese consumer and it is gratifying to know that AGRIS
Co-operative can provide assurances in this area through its traceability process and well-developed identity preserved system.”

Growing identity preserved soybeans is not for everyone. It takes a farmer who is willing to go that extra mile. Once one understands how much is involved, it becomes clearer as to why premium payments to these farmers are necessary to enable them to remain interested in this unique market. Some of the added restraints include no night time or early morning combining to eliminate dirt tag and a strong commitment to equipment preparation such as cleaning planters, combines and conveyor equipment before each use. It is a niche market that typically appeals to the smaller or mid-size grower.

It was a valuable experience for John, Scott and Scott who all felt the Japanese buyers truly appreciated their visit. They value long-term relationships and are eager to continue meeting with AGRIS Co-operative and the Ontario growers.