Volume 18 Issue 5 September 2008

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CROP QUEST AGRONOMIC SERVICES, INC.

GREENSBURG
Creating A New Future
By Saturday afternoon most people around the country had seen the photos and aerial video of what had been a thriving farm community in south central Kansas just 12 hours earlier. As the sun rose over Greensburg, KS, on the morning of May 5, 2007, there wasnt a shadow to be cast anywhere. Thats because a massive EF5 tornado ripped through the town Friday evening, literally vaporizing a two-mile swatch of anything trees, buildings, homes, poles, signs that might have blocked the rays. What the nation saw wasnt the rubble of collapsed buildings but total annihilation. After the 24/7 coverage of Katrina and the routine reporting of natural disasters, Americans can seem blas about the footage they see on television. This time, however, the devastation was unspeakable and reporters at times appeared speechless. Generally, hurricanes, floods, fires and lesser tornadoes leave some vestige of the structures so residents can at least have a reference point to measure the destruction or to determine their location. But the damage here was so complete there were no familiar landmarks, says Farrell Allison, a Crop Quest agronomist and Greensburg resident. The town was evacuated Friday night after the tornado, and folks were not allowed back in until Monday morning. Upon their return, the first thing people said was where is everything? Allison who has lived in Greensburg for 31 years recalls his family asking each other, Where do we live? Nature had pulled off the perfect identify theft. Like just about everyone else in Greensburg, Allison and his family lost everything. When the sky ominously darkened and the wind whipped up that evening, Allison felt a knot form in his stomach. Like many who make their living from the land, he considered himself a storm watcher and would have gone out to take a look. But something told him this was different. Then with 20 minutes to spare, the National Weather Service confirmed an impending disaster and warned citizens to take cover. Still, as we headed to the basement, says Allison, noting this was the first time he and his family had ever retreated to the cellar, I thought this really looks dire; we could lose a tree. That would have been getting off easy. Instead, he lost his two story house and his dream shop where he stored an antique tractor and a vintage 1936 GMC ton-and-a-half farm truck he had restored. Sadly, the elderly gentleman from whom he bought the truck and who had been sentimentally attached to it even after the sale died in the tornado. I guess it was fitting and appropriate that the truck went with him, Allison rationalizes. Amazingly, only 11 people were killed and, thankfully, Allisons family was safe. My parents had come up that day from Texas for a visit, Allison says, and afterwards my step-father, no stranger to danger who experienced front line combat in Korea, said he had never been so scared.

Greensburg native, Farrell Allison stands in front of a new rebuilding project.

of the tornado rolled around, farmers in the area had already replanted some of this seasons crops. While it wouldnt be difficult and would be completely justified to dwell on last years tragedy, Greensburg is moving on. Allison, who has been with Crop Quest since it was formed 16 years ago, focuses on the current weather that has battered the area with hail, rain and strong winds. Despite the trauma caused by the tornado and the added burden of trying to forge ahead while still in a recovery mode, Greensburg farmers planted their corn, soybeans, grain sorghum and wheat crops on schedule. We had a pretty good start this season, Allison mentions until the weather took a bad turn. Half our annual rainfall came in May alone, and pounding hail has been a major destructive force. Now after an early August heat wave when temperatures topped 100 degrees, he is concerned with the strong winds that have been kicking up this season. Itll whip the plants around and set them back, he says. But it is all part of the scheme of nature, and it is his job as an agronomist to anticipate and figure into the plans he provides for Crop Quests clients in his territory.

REBUILDING

FAST FORWARD

Although getting back to normal might take some time, the people of Greensburg have gotten back into something of a routine. When the first anniversary

The inconvenience and cost of replanting much of this years crops pales in comparison to the overall expense and effort facing the Greensburg community as it rebuilds its town. Greenburg is an agricultural area, Allison stresses, and rolling with natures punches is simply part of the process of rural life. This is what its all about, he concludes. Farmers realize that weather isnt necessarily their friend, but they have this attitude that it cant get them down. Greensburg farmers, however, are confronting their two-pronged challenge with true grit and gumption. Rebuilding, according to Allison, has been a financial struggle. The high cost of building materials has either prohibited a number of rebuilding starts or cut them off before completion. Many households, farms and business were underinsured. The catastrophic absence of an administration infrastructure and services has been an impediment, as well. Despite these shortcomings, the community did manage to erect a new water tower that is up and running a feat by most municipal standards that generally takes more than two years. About 700 of the 1,400 families living in Greensburg before the tornado are back in town. Additionally, with the help of Continued on Page 2
Crop Quest Perspectives 1

Not Just Rebuilding ... Continued from Page 1

the USDA a business incubator facility is being constructed which will allow 50 different companies to provide services and products to the community. John Deere is rebuilding its sales and service center, and a biodiesel plant is slated for development and construction. Not to be overshadowed by the towns agricultural and business roots, the arts will be served by the rebuilding of the Twilight Theatre which will be used as the high schools auditorium, too. that, as the major networks and cable news descended on the town to report on the situation. But as the news value of the event itself diminished, other media outlets followed up on the recovery efforts. Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio got wind of Greensburgs intentions to go green and jumped on the opportunity to produce a 13-week documentary for the Discovery Channel. In July, Planet Green, part of the Discovery network, decided to create six more episodes. As one of Hollywoods leading advocates for sustainable living, DiCaprio created more publicity for the town, not only highlighting its spot on the map, but also ensuring it a place in the galaxy of rising environmental stars. Capitalizing on its green fame, the Greensburg City Council recently approved a resolution that all city building projects will be built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System) Platinum level standards. LEED encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. This makes us the first city in the U.S. to do this, and it shows the world how green we are, boasts a Greensburgs city council member. For his part Crop Quests Farrell Allison is keeping pace with the city fathers. I was going green anyway, he says. He doesnt like paying utilities bills and is constructing his new home with insulated concrete and using only electricity no gas. Not long ago, a Discovery Planet Green video team happened by his property and was intrigued by the sustainable design. As a result, Allison, his family and their home have had a part in the series. Over the last year, Allison says he has met numerous people from New York, Hollywood and places he never would have expected. There have been so many truly nice, concerned people that I might never have met, he adds. Folks are bringing in trees we desperately needed, and people are always coming in and feeding the whole town. Farrell Allison explains that this entire hubbub doesnt mean Greensburg farmers are environmental extremists. We love plants; as farmers we are all conservationists.

GREENING OF GREENSBURG

If there are prevailing sentiments binding the community together, it has to do with opportunity and adventure and a little glamour and celebrity. Actually, it is exciting to be part of something new, Allison offers, especially in rural America. At the moment it could be argued that Greensburgs notoriety is being fed not so by the tragic visitation of natures most powerful climatologic force and the morbid fascination with the destruction it left behind, but by the appearance of President Bush for the high schools commencement, by celebrities, the media and by environmentalists who view the little town as a petri dish for creating sustainable living experiments. When the dust had settled in the aftermath of the tornado, Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius issued a challenge to the town on one of her visits. Why not put some green into Greensburg, she suggested as the recovery got underway. The high school kids embraced the idea, as did a young city administrator who asked what else the town could do to draw people. The tornado initially took care of
Crop Quest agronomist Farrell Allison.

The 2008 corn crop looks like a big oneUSDA estimates 12.3 billion bushels, the second highest yield on record and up 600 million bushels from early estimates. Likewise prices have stabilized from early season highs of $7-8.00 per bushel to around $5 per bushel. All looks good for the 2008 crop, but what comes next? How can growers insure a second top production year to take advantage of high grain prices and help offset the astronomically high cost of crop inputs? Crop Quest agronomists conclude that growers should address several post harvest issues to get ready for next year:

After CORN Is Combined, What Comes Next?

If the grower knows what will be planted in the spring, and he is going to have to put a burndown herbicide on, its usually better to go with the full rate in the fall. Usually, growers have more time in the fall and winter annuals are a lot easier to kill in the fall than in the spring, Summerville contends.

Whether to burn down corn stalks and if so, when and how? Chop cornstalks or not? Plant a cover crop or not? Consider rotation changes? Evaluate hybrid performance in 2008 and decide which to keep for 2009. Buy seed, chemicals and fertilizer now or wait to see if price drops? Evaluate herbicide program to determine whether to make crop or herbicide changes.

TO CHOP OR NOT TO CHOP

SPRING VERSUS FALL BURNDOWN

Rod Summerville, a Crop Quest agronomist in Hutchinson, KS, says fall burndown in his area is more common than split spring and fall or spring burndown because its a lot easier to get the herbicide on in the fall. On corn, if volunteer wheat or cheat grass is a problem, wed use atrazine and 2,4-D or atrazine plus a sulfonylurea herbicide, he says.
2 Crop Quest Perspectives

If growers are ridge tilling, they have to chop cornstalks. If they are on flat land, Summerville says he usually advises farmers not to chop cornstalks. Rod Summerville Chopping and/or shredding, he says, leaves debris on the ground that can be a problem when its moved around by the wind. Less than a hundred miles away, in the sandy soils around Pratt, KS, Crop Quest Agronomist Vernon Flowers says many of his growers leave the stalks to help catch the snow in the winter time to help capture moisture. In the spring, probably a third or so of our growers will go in and chop the stalks, he adds.

WINTER COVER CROPS

Flowers says many growers in his area drill 40 lbs. to 50 lbs. of wheat as a cover crop or for grazing. Planting wheat at low rates in the fall gives the Continued on Page 4
www.cropquest.com

On August 26, 2008, Crop Quest was recognized as the 2009 ESOP Member, National Alliance of Independent Crop Company of the Year during the Consultants, CPCC-I Certified annual fall conference for the Heart of America (HOA) Chapter of the ESOP Association. This comes after receiving the 2008 Semi-finalist honor for the same recognition a year ago. In addition, Crop Quest will now be representing the HOA Chapter at the national level for National ESOP Company of the Year which will be determined this coming May in Washington, DC. For those who dont already know, an ESOP company is one in which employees of the company have some degree of ownership within the company. Shortly after Crop Quest was founded 16 years ago, it was converted to a 100 percent employee owned company within an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) recognized by FIFRA and the IRS. Unlike ownership of stock in other companies, the ESOP plan is treated as a defined benefits retirement plan with ownership of stock in the company in which a person works. It was determined early-on that ownership in the company would improve an employees desire and dedication to serve the clients and customers of the company. Our motto is Employee Owned and Customer Driven and
President

By: Ron OHanlon

Crop Quest Recognized As Top Company

as long as we are fulfilling the needs of our customers to their satisfaction or above, most of us have never really felt the need for further accolades. But, as a company that must compete in the marketplace for new employees to continue the growth of our service territory and to further meet the needs of our clients, it is important to these new recruits that the company they are committing a portion of their lives be recognized as a leader in the industry. It is also important to our customers that the company they have chosen for providing their professional agronomic services be recognized as an outstanding company in which the employee/owners have a stake in the success of their company. In addition to the above recognition, a group of Crop Quest owners will be attending the 2008 Winning Workplaces Conference in Chicago during October as one of the top 35 finalists in the Winning Workplaces & Wall Street Journal best small companies across America to work for. The award recognition will be given during a dinner ceremony at which time the finalist for this award will be announced. This recognition is only possible with the dedicated employee/owners who have chosen to commit their lives to serving the needs of the greatest group of people in America. For this, we thank you all.

Our producers in far western Kansas, along with much of the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle, are grateful to have the 2008 wheat crop behind them. Producers east of these locations reaped the benefit of a very solid wheat crop, complimented by higher commodity prices. As many of our producers in Central Kansas were hoping for drier conditions just to get crops in and out this past spring, producers in the western High Plains would have settled for at least a little humidity to ease the burden of incredibly dry conditions. All producers are now anticipating what the 2009 crop will bring. Farmers are known to be eternal optimists, so with great hope, we will begin to sow the 2009 wheat crop. In this environment of good commodity prices and high input costs, many questions come to mind as we make decisions relating to spending money on high-priced fertilizer, fuel, seed and pesticides. One thing to remember is that just because fertilizer prices are quite high, it doesnt mean that we can meet our yield goals without applying the proper nutrients. Just because seed costs are high, it doesnt mean that we can expect good stands and plant health from poor quality seed or seed too far out of certification. Just because it is more expensive to treat weeds, it doesnt mean that weeds wont grow in your fields this year. What all this amounts to is nothing has really changed. We must constantly make good decisions as to whether we can justify spending a dollar to make more than a dollar return. I encourage you to use your expense budget wisely. This starts with a solid soil testing and fertilizer program. This will help you pinpoint what nutrients need to be supplemented, and which ones do not.

Wheat Production in 2009

One area to concentrate on is phosphorus. If you have a limited fertilizer budget, I encourage you to consider those fields that need phosphorus and apply an adequate amount. Even if you need to substitute a few nitrogen By: Dwight Koops dollars to get your phosphorus amount Regional Vice President where it needs to be, it may be worth Ulysses, Kan. doing. Phosphorus is very expensive now, but at todays commodity prices, fertilizer is still one input that has a solid return on investment. This past year, even in the toughest weather conditions, wheat fields with adequate phosphorus levels out-performed fields with low phosphorus levels. Plants had healthier crowns, generated more tillers, and withstood the drought much better than fields with low phosphorus levels, and it paid off in yield. It is important that you give your crop the best chance to reward you with a profit. Many of the same areas that were stricken with drought last year remain in a critically dry state. Other areas are blessed with adequate soil moisture and can anticipate getting the 2009 crop off to a good start. Regardless of your situation, I encourage you to work with your Crop Quest agronomist to help make the best input decisions possible. Good decisions are required when conditions are ideal and are even more critical when conditions are very tough. Farmers dont like to give up, and we all know that conditions can turn on a dime. We need to constantly be prepared to take advantage of whatever hand is dealt, and make the best of it.
Crop Quest Perspectives 3

After Corn Is Combined ... Continued from Page 2

grower some options. If wheat prices are good, they can go to grain with the crop. Summerville says cover crops have not been an option for his growers. Some are considering the benefits, but no one has figured out quite how they can incorporate it into their operation and make it work, he says. Its a combination of cost, labor, and something that most farmers just dont want to do, he adds.

CHANGING ROTATIONS

Choosing the right variety is the first step in making a good crop. Fortunately, corn growers have a multitude of

HYBRID SELECTION

Deciding whether to change crop rotations is a tricky question that has been made even more difficult because of radical changes, both up and down, of grain prices. Summerville says some of his growers will make a late decision on changing crops, based primarily on commodity prices. However, most will stay close to a 50-50 corn and soybean rotation to help keep nitrogen prices down. With corn and soybeans both selling for good prices, either a 50-50 corn/soybean or two-year corn and one-year soybean is a good option. Flowers says, We are seeing corn yields gradually coming down in fields that have been planted to corn year after year, and its clear these fields need a break. Weed pressure also is a big factor in changing crop rotations. Going to double crop or full-season soybeans is a good option because it allows a grower to come in with a different herbicide to clean up problem areas, Flowers adds. Fertilizer prices being so high over $1,000 per ton for anhydrous in western Kansas is a factor in crop rotations. Corn requires more N and some growers are looking at beans as a way to reduce fertilizer costs, both Crop Quest agronomists agree. Double crop corn and beans behind wheat has drawn more interest recently because of the high price of wheat. It is something that more growers are interested in, but timing and other factors make it a decision that should be looked at closely, according to Summerville.

good hybrid varieties that come with various genetically transferred traits, giving growers an opportunity to custom fit a variety to their particular production conditions. I like to look at the consistency of a variety, not just its one-year yield, Summerville states. I think some growers get too carried away with how many bushels per acre a variety produces under one set of criteria. I would rather look at varieties over a few years and at multiple locations and try to fit the best varietiesnot necessarily the top-yielding varieties with my growers. With the high cost of fuel for drying and for transportation, we are looking closely at hybrids that mature well in the field and hold up under a variety of weather conditions. I want my growers to have varieties that are drought tolerant and Vernon Flowers stress tolerant. Those issues are tied into yield but are more important than sporadic high yields, Summerville stresses. Flowers says, I look at variety testing, but I take those results with a grain of salt. Most farmers are not going to try something new that hasnt proven to be successful in on-farm situations. Mostly, Im going to go with my experience and what Ive seen on the farm and try to help the grower pick the ones best suited for their conditions.

CLEANING UP TROUBLE SPOTS

Taking time after the crop is harvested to identify areas in particular fields that did not efficiently use fertilizer is important to overall yield efficiency. We can identify those areas and come back the next year with a plan that will usually make those spotty areas go away, Summerville adds.

AVOID HERBICIDE RESISTENCE

Herbicide resistant weeds are a concern worldwide these days and both Crop Quest agronomists stress the importance of rotating modes of action. With so many acres in the Midwest planted to Roundup Ready corn and soybeans, it is particularly important to keep close tabs on glyphosate use. Breaking the monoculture of glyphosate with 2,4-D, atrazine and other modes of action are critical to maintaining both efficient and economic weed control. Planning is a major strategy for Crop Quest agronomists and determining what to do after the crop is sometimes as critical as addressing problems that come up during the crop year. Staying on top of production and marketing issues is a good way to insure both productivity and profitability in the next cropping season.

Crop Quest is an employee-owned company dedicated to providing the highest quality agricultural services for each customer. The quest of our network of professionals is to practice integrity and innovation to ensure our services are economically and environmentally sound.

Mission Statement

Crop Quest Agronomic Services, Inc. Main Office: Phone 620.225.2233 Fax 620.225.3199 Internet: www.cropquest.com cqoffice@cropquest.com

Employee-Owned & Customer Driven

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Crop Quest Board of Directors

President: Director: Director: Director: Director: Director: Ron OHanlon Jim Gleason Dwight Koops Cort Minor Chris McInteer Rob Benyshek