1. 109 years
Strong
Comfrey • Morgan • Morton • Springfield • Wabasso
www.HarvestLand.com
Vol. 15 No. 3 • October 2013
Our goal in the Harvest Land
feed division is to help our
customers build viable and prof-
itable livestock enterprises. The
livestock industry continues to
change, and to better meet the
changing needs of our producers,
we’ve changed as well.
We’re taking a team approach,
with a collection of specialists,
each with a different area of
expertise. Together, we have decades of experience
in swine and beef nutrition, commodity and ingredi-
ent pricing and sourcing, and feed manufacturing. Our
delivery team is also very experienced and well versed
in HAACP procedures.
As agriculture becomes more and more technical, it
becomes more difficult to be a jack of all trades. That’s
why we have someone specializing in every step of the
process, from sourcing through delivery.
Structured to compete
We have turned an unfortunate situation—a fire that
destroyed our feedmill in 2008—into a competitive
advantage. We now have a new mill with the capacity
to grow and the ability to manufacture feed to very
precise specifications.
Our computerized equipment ensures uniform, high-
quality feed. We have the ability to precisely customize
mixes. If you have all PIC or other genetics, we can tailor
the feed to meet the particular source. The same holds
true if you have a particular feeding situation unique to
your operation.
Cost-plus pricing allows us to take markets and ingre-
dient availability into account and remain extremely
competitive. We offer grain bank, as well as contracts
for corn and soybean meal to help with your risk man-
agement strategy.
Your need, our mission
The Harvest Land feed division has a lot to offer. Whether
you are trying to expand to bring in the next generation,
looking for contract barns, or considering independent
ownership, we can connect you with industry resources
that can make it happen. That’s what our Production
Alliance Services are all about.
Many of the management services we offer are unique
to our area. For example:
• If you need expert guidance on facilities, genetics,
veterinary issues, or marketing, we have industry con-
nections that can provide these specialized services.
• If you want to make adjustments in your marketing,
buying, or even change packers, we provide on-farm
production consultations.
• We can help with changing feed ingredients, diets,
and feed budgeting. Sometimes the biggest feed cost
you have results from missing your budget. We’ll help
you determine the check points at which you can
switch to a different, more cost-effective diet.
• We offer different risk management options and can
source weaned and feeder pigs.
• If you’re considering a new facility we can offer consul-
tation to help you walk through the different quotes. We
don’t sell equipment, but are familiar with area builders.
• Finally, if your facilities are getting tired, we can
advise you where to spend your money to get the
biggest bang for your buck.
Harvest Land wants to help livestock producers make
their business even better. If you’re interested in giving
us a try or learning more about any of our services,
please give me a call at 507-720-5561. n
Feed Division Sharpens Service Focus
BY KEVIN LANGEMO
SWINE SPECIALIST

2. Prepare for Harvest Safety
The harvest season is a busy
time of year for farmers and their
families. Working against Mother
Nature while trying to meet a
tight deadline can cause stress
and fatigue for everyone involved
in the harvesting process. During
harvest, it can be tempting to
bypass some basic safety pro-
cedures—one reason why the
season is a peak time for agricul-
tural-related injuries and deaths.
In order to help prevent this type
of tragedy, safety should be a top
priority for everyone on the farm. One of the first and most
important safety steps is preparation. You should make
sure that your machinery is in good working condition,
which includes checking the lights, tires, brakes, shields/
guards, etc. You should also be in good physical condition,
which means getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods,
and taking breaks during longer work days.
To help prevent injuries, keep these recommended safe
work practices in mind as you head out to the field:
• Equip tractors with a rollover protective structure (ROPS)
and a seatbelt. Always wear the seatbelt with a ROPS.
• Always follow the “No seat, no rider” rule.
• Make sure a clean and reflective slow-moving vehicle
(SMV) sign is located on the rear of any tractor and
on every piece of towed equipment that is used for
roadway travel. If your SMV sign is dull, it does little
to no good in preventing accidents and should be
replaced with a new one.
• Place an ABC fire extinguisher (minimum of 5 pounds)
in all tractors, combines, and trucks. Make sure each
fire extinguisher is in good working condition and fully
charged.
• Make sure to have a fully stocked first aid kit available
at all times.
• Make sure everyone who operates equipment has been
adequately trained.
• Never bypass start a tractor, combine, or truck. Always
follow the correct starting procedure.
• Make sure all protective guards and shields are in place
at all times.
• Check for clearance from overhead power lines when
moving augers and other tall equipment.
• Lock brake pedals together before traveling on the road.
• Never lean or step over a power takeoff (PTO) while it is
in operation.
• Keep combines as clean as possible while harvesting.
Large accumulations of dust and other trash can easily
be ignited­—causing a deadly fire.
• When possible, make sure all equipment being serviced
is shut down and/or locked out.
• Keep all younger kids away from machinery during
operating hours. Kids, in general, can be very curious
and often will try to get a closer look at equipment while
it is running. Making sure kids are supervised at all times
and a safe distance away will ensure their safety.
Remember, if you can’t do a job safely, then it should not
be done at all. Please keep these tips in mind while har-
vesting this year’s crop. Please have a safe and productive
harvest. n
PAGE 2 ©2010 Harvest Land Cooperative. All Rights Reserved. Published in partnership with VistaComm®
(www.VistaComm.com).PAGE 2 ©2013 Harvest Land Cooperative. All Rights Reserved. Published in partnership with VistaComm®
(www.VistaComm.com).
BY AARON GUGGISBERG
SAFETY DIRECTOR
Expanding Nutritional Support
We are excited to announce the addition of a Ruminant
Specialist to our HLC team. Jeff Berdan has worked in
the cooperative system for 25 years, holding a variety
of feed sales positions dealing with all species and even
working as a floater operator. He’s spent the past 15
years with Land O’Lakes, serving in both the feed and
agronomy divisions as a forage harvest specialist. In
that role, he supported cooperative businesses through-
out the U.S., working with all sizes of dairies, feedlots,
and commercial cropping operations.
As a forage harvest specialist Jeff’s role was to present
opportunities to improve forage yield and quality,
which is ultimately reflected in ration costs and cattle
performance. He worked hand in hand with the retail
nutrition and agronomy teams
on hybrid selection, trouble-
shooting, and managing the
harvest to build better rations
and extend forage inventories.
Jeff resides in New Ulm with
his wife, Jill, who works at
Southpoint Federal Credit
Union in Sleepy Eye, and boys,
Elias (EJ), 15, and Ian, 13.
He enjoys fishing, attending
school activities, and volun-
teering at church and school. n
BY JEFF BERDAN, RUMINANT
SPECIALIST

3. Seed Outlook Brighter for 2014
In sharp contrast to last year, the
seed production outlook is very
positive for 2014. We’ll have
good supplies of several new
hybrids that have performed
very well in plots this year.
The corn crop looks very nice
throughout our territory. Some
corn on lighter soils took a hit
early in the season, but our
heavy soils handled the lack of
moisture well. It looks like an
average to a bit below average
year for area soybean yields.
Homegrown results
Looking ahead to 2014, we’re excited about how well our
products are performing this year. A lot of that success
has to do with seed placement. Our testing program
for both old and new hybrids is heavily integrated into
our Harvest Max platform, allowing us to really find out
where each one will perform the best for you. We have
taken notes throughout 2013 on our product field trials,
and we’re excited to use that data when we put your
order together for 2014. If you have any questions about
this platform, please contact your account manager.
We have a couple of soybean early order incentive
programs available from seed companies for orders
placed in early October. Talk to your account manager to
take advantage of these programs. n
BY BRETT BRAULICK
SEED DIVISION MANAGER
PAGE 3
Harvest Time is Financing Update Time
Once the Great Minnesota
Get-Together has come
and gone, vacations have
been taken, and schools
are back in session, the
natural progression for
rural Minnesota is to
begin thinking about the
fall harvest. This time
of year also signals the
beginning of the transi-
tion from the current crop
year to the upcoming
crop years for the Harvest
Land/AgQuest Team.
With our focus on
making sure our AgQuest
customers have two
years of operating funds in place at all times, now is
the time of year we begin to look at your input and
financing needs for the 2014 and 2015 crop years.
We call this our Plus Loan Review Process. We’ll
review your operating loan needs through the current
year and begin to put into place the necessary funds
to secure your Harvest Land-provided inputs for the
2014 crop year. This two-year approach allows you
the comfort of knowing you can take advantage of any
and all Harvest Land early booking programs, while
still maintaining individual year-specific records.
Once harvest is complete we can begin to finalize
the 2014 operating loan while initializing the 2015
operating loan.
Important dates to remember:
Jan. 15, 2014 – the maturity date for 2013 Direct
and Direct Max notes.
Jan. 31, 2014 – the 2013 Companion Secured
operating loans’ maturity date.
If we don’t have a copy of your driver’s license or
your driver’s license has been renewed, please get us
a copy for your file.
When your fall harvest work is completed and you
would like to get your 2014 and 2015 operating loans
in place, please feel free to call Melissa to schedule
an appointment on your farm or at any one of our
office locations with Steve or Mark. n
Steve: 507-430-7748
Mark: 507-995-4394
Melissa: 507-723-7378
BY STEVE BACH
AGQUEST SENIOR BUSINESS
RELATIONSHIP MANAGER

4. PAGE 4
Focusing on the future while keeping the interests of
patrons first and foremost is just one of the challenges
facing those who serve on the Harvest Land board of
directors. Board member Terry Flesner believes that the
cooperative has been successful because it has been
able to do that.
“To be an organization that truly puts a priority on
service, you have to maintain a committed focus and
perspective to set our natural self-interests and agenda
aside and keep the customer/patron our first priority.
Harvest Land has the right values and the integrity to
do that.”
Terry partners with another producer in the Walnut
Grove - Tracy area, raising corn and soybeans. A three-
year board veteran, he views board service as a serious
responsibility.
“When asked to serve I knew the role of a director was
an important responsibility,” he says. “I’m committed to
doing the best that I can in fulfilling that role.
“To do this well takes an understanding of the company
and the business,” he continues. “Knowing what the
mission of this cooperative is, you work to instill the
principles that make it a solid, integral business while
also being sensitive to the changes taking place within
the industry.”
Challenges of capital, consolidation
While the past few years have been a time of prosperity
for agriculture, Terry sees challenges ahead for younger
farmers. “The difficulty of a younger generation partici-
pating in a consolidating industry is steadily increasing,”
he notes. “A lack of opportunity and the high demand
for capital is, in my opinion, the biggest challenge and
perhaps the most disheartening part of rural America.
I’m glad that Harvest Land is sensitive to this priority
and is doing what
they can to help
in this challenging
time.”
“There are opportu-
nities for individuals
who are aggressive-
ly working to find
a niche where they
can play a role,”
Terry continues. “It
will take an entre-
preneurial spirit to
accomplish that
goal. Hard work and integrity are the foundation for
building a successful outcome, but a variety of building
blocks are needed. Hopefully, Harvest Land can provide
some of the building materials.”
Terry and his wife, Carol, have two married children,
Matthew and Melissa, who live with their families in the
Twin Cities metro area. Terry’s non-farming activities
focus on music, as he plays bass guitar and sings in his
church worship team. “We’d like to spend more time in
the warm weather during the winter,” Terry adds. “That
warm time will have to be shared with family needs and
community commitments.” n
In each newsletter, we feature
a member of the Harvest Land
and AgQuest board of directors.
This month the spotlight is on
Terry Flesner. As I have stated in
previous articles, Harvest Land
and AgQuest are fortunate to have
a great group of directors who
take their roles very seriously.
That certainly describes Terry.
Terry joined the board in 2010,
and as you can tell from his
profile, Terry believes it is important that a director
thoroughly understand the company and the business
it serves. Terry also knows and supports the mission
of Harvest Land, which is the importance of delivering
strong performance today while at the same time con-
tinuing to build a foundation that will help Harvest Land
and its owners be successful in the future.
We all want to thank Terry for being a part of this great
organization, and we will continue to benefit from the
insight and wisdom he brings to Harvest Land! n
Board Profile: Terry Flesner
Serious About Serving
BY DAVE STUK, CEO

5. We’ve just finished placing the
conveyor for the second 750,000-
bushel bin in Morton, and our
new additions are ready to take
grain this fall. The project was
completed right on schedule,
and we are more than pleased
with the quality of the work. As
we anticipated, the additional
storage and new high-capacity
pit and leg system will be true
assets to area farmers.
Have a safe fall. n
PAGE 5
Anytime Access to Account Information
Harvest Land customers will soon have easy, convenient, and secure online access to
your most important account information. The My Farm Records application allows you
to log in and take a look at invoices, scale tickets, contracts, statements, and purchases
by product category, such as petroleum or agronomy. You can also sort records using a
number of different variables.
My Farm Records is now available. Watch for a more detailed explanation in your next
billing statement along with instructions on how to sign up. You can also contact your
account manager at any time for more information on My Farm Records. n
BY KEVIN DEBERG
GRAIN MERCHANDISER
BY ROGER VASKE
SPRINGFIELD LOCATION
MANAGER
Morton Upgrade on Track
Pull the Trigger on Soil Sampling
With fall here, there are a few items that I want to
touch on. The first is fall soil sampling. If you have any
fields that are due to be sampled, contact your account
manager to get these acres lined up. Turnaround from
the time we get the samples to the lab until we receive
results in the fall is typically 3-4 days. This doesn’t seem
very long but when we need to make fertilizer recom-
mendations and applications, it doesn’t give us a very
big window to get things done.
Looking back on the 2013 growing season, our crop has
gone through a lot of ups and downs. We began with a
cool, wet, late start, experienced below-average temps
through July, and finished with record temperatures
to close out August. Your ability to manage these risks
by fertilizing adequately, placing
the right genetics on the right
acres, and managing drainage
will give your crop the best
chance to produce high yields.
Each year within Harvest Max,
the growers that are doing these
things are at the top of our yield
rankings.
Finally, I want to remind Harvest
Max growers to turn in their
yield monitor cards right after
harvest so we can make any
yield adjustments and create your yield reports. n
BY MATT PIETIG
HARVEST MAX MANAGER

6. The past few years have taught us that too much of a
good thing can turn bad. Driving around the country-
side this summer, I could see more and more unwanted
guests rising above some soybean fields like they
owned the place. An over-reliance on a singular defense
strategy is the primary cause.
Relying on one mode of action for many years will
promote resistance in any plant or organism. In this
case, the poster child is waterhemp, while the defense
was centered mostly around glyphosate. Why is the
practice of using products with different modes of
action effective in slowing resistance? Because there is
a limited number of modes of action available, and each
mode attacks a different part of the plant. So, putting
modes of action to work in our fields and alternating
them will affect the plant in different ways and will not
let those weeds get comfortable with any single mode
of action.
For example…
Those growers who put on a pre-emerge herbicide may
say that they had better control of waterhemp in their
soybean fields this year. They had better control in those
fields because they were hitting the weeds with two
different modes of action.
When looking at different pre-emerge, soil-applied
soybean herbicides, we have four different groups with
activity on waterhemp to choose from. There are the
seedling shoot growth inhibitors (Zidua®
, Boundary®
,
Outlook®
, and Warrant®
), PPO inhibitors (Authority®
,
Sharpen®
, and Valor®
), photosynthesis inhibitors
(Boundary®
and Sencor®
), and seedling root growth
inhibitors (Prowl®
and Treflan®
). Note that Boundary
appears in two groups because it’s a premix of Dual®
and Sencor.
Here’s where it can get tricky, and why we need to really
think through our herbicide plan for the year. Our post-
emerge “burner” types of herbicides are PPO inhibitors.
If a PPO inhibitor is applied pre-emerge and also post-
emerge as a burner (Flexstar®
, Marvel®
, Cobra®
), that
weed is getting hit with the same mode of action twice
in the same year. Those weeds are going to get comfort-
able with that mode of action.
We are not saying that an Authority brand or Valor
cannot be used if you are planning on spraying Cobra
post-emerge. It depends on the situation. If, for example,
Authority or Valor was applied
on a particular field in 2012,
then a product like Boundary
(different mode of action) should
be alternated in its place in 2014.
Another way to change mode of
action is to use different modes
in corn. For example, Harness®
and Laudis®
or Callisto®
give you
two different modes of action
the following year, breaking
the cycle. But if Verdict (which
contains Sharpen) instead of
Harness is used, then you
could be using a PPO three
applications in a row.
Another way to get a second mode of action out there
is to use two different soil-applied modes of action. We
can use a PPO inhibitor pre-emerge or pre-plant incor-
porated followed by an early post soil-applied product
(Warrant, for example) approximately 21-28 days after
planting.
The idea here (provided we get rainfall to activate the
chemical) is instead of allowing the weed to germinate,
then applying Flexstar or Cobra, we attempt to extend
soil activity from the first application with a second soil
treatment and hopefully prevent the vast majority of
waterhemp from emerging. In the event of an extended
dry period, we still would have the opportunity to use a
post product like Cobra.
For some of you, the effects of the post-emerge applica-
tions (speckling, browning) are a little tough to swallow.
This would be an attempt to avoid that effect. Please
keep in mind these products are not foolproof. Even with
adequate and timely precipitation, 90% control with a
single application is a realistic expectation.
We need to be stewards of the land and take control of
the weeds in our fields. We need to start strategically
choosing different modes of action when creating our
herbicide plan for the next year. Let your agronomist
help you distinguish which herbicides exhibit what
mode of action if you are not completely comfortable
making the selections. The better approach we take to
weed control management in the next couple years, the
more options we will have available in 5 to 10 years.
This is another reason to take time with your account
manager and develop a crop plan for 2014. n
BY JUSTIN PROKOSCH
HARVEST MAX/
AGRONOMIST
PAGE 6
Don’t Let Weeds Get Comfortable

7. We would like to remind you to pay particular attention
to a few items that will help us at AgQuest Insurance
provide you with the best possible service.
First, call your AgQuest agent before you chop corn for
silage or destroy any crops. This appraisal will be crucial
in the event you have a claim this fall. If prices remain
low, this could result in a revenue-based claim despite
having a respectable yield.
Call us immediately if you intend to store 2012 crop in
2013. We need to verify bushels so there is no confusion
in the event of a claim.
The RMA requires that a notice of loss be turned in within
72 hours of completion of harvesting. Please do not wait
until harvest is complete. Instead, call us as soon as
possible and we can turn in your loss notification.
Revenue losses
If you have a revenue policy, the spring prices are $5.65
for corn, $12.87 for soybeans, and $8.44 for wheat.
The fall price for corn and beans will be determined
in the month of October based on December corn and
November soybean futures. The fall price for wheat
has already been set at $7.33. A revenue loss will be
triggered if the fall price falls below the spring prices.
Keep in mind that if you insured your coverage as optional
units, you will need to keep production separate. If you
insured as an enterprise unit, the loss will be based on
the accumulated total, but we recommend keeping track
of each unit in the event you wish to go back to optional
unit coverage. This is also critical if you have a produc-
tion plan hail policy.
For record keeping, you will need to document farm/field
ID or unit numbers on scale tickets. One unit per bin
or structure is acceptable, or the unit may be weighed
across an elevator scale before it goes into a bin with
another unit.
Commingled production
When commingling production
from two or more units, keep a
ledger or notebook, and please
record as many of these guide-
lines as possible:
1. The number of loads of
grain from each unit # or
farm/field ID
2. Estimated bushels on each
load
3. Bin or structure the loads
were put in
4. Identification of the wagon
or truck used
5. Date of harvest
6. Combine monitor yields for the unit # or farm/field ID
7. Grain cart loads with estimated bushels by unit # or
farm/field ID
8. Any weights from scale equipped implements by
unit # or farm/field ID
9. Mark outside of bin between units, date, and note
unit # or farm ID
Following these guidelines and keeping necessary
records will allow you to commingle production from
two or more units. The records will aid the adjuster in
accounting for all the grain in the bin.
One final note: MPCI premiums that were not post-
marked on or before Sept. 30 will have interest of 1.25%
added for the month of October. To avoid additional
interest for November, have your premium payments
postmarked on or before Oct. 31. Hail premiums are due
by Nov. 1.
If you have any questions, contact your insurance team
or call 866-259-3666. n
AgQuest Insurance is an equal opportunity provider.
Details Make a Difference Where Claims Are Concerned
BY KATHY MAINER
AGQUEST INSURANCE
OFFICE MANAGER
PAGE 7
Energy Addition
Our newest propane technician has made the switch from fixing fenders
to setting propane tanks. Prior to joining Harvest Land, Springfield
native Travis Wendt worked as an auto body technician for four years. A
graduate of Minnesota West Community & Technical College in Granite
Falls, Travis is enjoying the move from autos to energy.
“It’s nice to be out every day, meeting new people and learning about
the energy business and the cooperative,” he says. “I work with some
good guys too.” In addition to setting tanks, you’ll likely see Travis
trenching lines, performing leak checks, and handling any other pro-
pane-related task.
Travis spends most of his spare time riding or working on motorcycles. n

8. PO Box 278
Morgan, MN 56266-0278
LICENSED AGQUEST CROP INSURANCE AGENTS
MORGAN 877-626-7453 Lynn Button, Kathy Mainer, Mark Kubesh, Cheryl Manderfeld, Steve Bach
507-249-3196 Pat Macht, Mark Vogel, Matt Pietig
COMFREY 507-877-2441 Rick Kastner
MORTON 507-697-6113 Todd Beran, Keegan Mammen
OLIVIA 800-463-3616 Sheri Bakker, Amber Weber
SPRINGFIELD 507-723-7350 Jim Boyle, Joel Heiling, Tim Woelfel
WABASSO 507-342-5184
AgQuest Insurance Agency is an Equal Opportunity Provider.
Supplies of certain crop protec-
tion products that have become
hard to come by the past couple
of years look to tighten even
further for the coming season.
Some supply issues are driven
by high demand and some
by decreasing production as
suppliers plan for significant new
product introductions. Chemical
manufacturers and distributors
are trying to minimize invento-
ries of proven chemical technol-
ogies, which may be impacted
by these new introductions.
Understandably, they don’t want to get caught with
excess inventory.
As a result, we will experience very tight supplies of
some products. Corn and soybean herbicides that will
be most affected include Laudis,®
Calisto,®
Status,®
Boundary,®
Fierce,®
Outlook,®
Zidua,®
Liberty,®
Banvel®
(dicamba), and the Authority®
brands. Also tight will be
at-planting corn insecticides, including Force®
brands
and Capture®
LFR®
, to name a few.
With this fact in mind, it will be extremely important to
get together, put a plan in place, and determine your
needs to ensure we can secure an adequate (but not
burdensome) supply of product. Most of these products
will become much more difficult to obtain or, in some
cases, will be sold out after the first of the year.
Unfortunately, this situation will also begin to affect
our ability to return products. Even during the past two
seasons, distribution has begun to limit the quantity
that can be returned and, in some cases, banned certain
product returns completely.
Your help is needed
As our staff begins to plan with you for 2014 and
beyond, words and phrases such as allocated, limited,
and non-returnable will become more commonplace.
This is one more reason to put together an accurate crop
plan. The better we do in planning together next year,
the less restrictive we will have to be in the future.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call me or
talk to your account manager. Thanks again for your
continued support. n
Tight Supplies to Require Prompt and Accurate Planning
BY TIM WOELFEL
CROP PROTECTION MANAGER