2nd Quarter 2011 Co-Op Connection
Co-op Connection is published quarterly by the Communications Department of Southern States Cooperative to keep you, our customers and farmer-members, connected and up-to-date with news, special reports and timely information.
Southern States stores are found in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
Our Agway affiliate stores are located in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and most Northeastern states. To find the store nearest you or for more information about Southern States Cooperative, our products and services, please visit our Store Locator.
Make Your Voice Heard: Plan to Attend Your Annual Meeting
Spring is the time to begin making plans to attend your local annual meeting. These yearly events are underway now and various locations will hold their meetings well into the fall. Attending an annual meeting will do more than just inform you about Southern States Cooperative; it offers you the opportunity to renew old acquaintances, share valuable ideas and information with other local producers and enjoy good food.
One of the cornerstones of the cooperative business model is the principle of “one member – one vote.” Every member of a local co-op has the ability to influence the decisions made, not only in their local association, but at the district and corporate level as well. Participation is the key, for without your participation, others will make the decisions that will affect your cooperative, and ultimately, your business. Contact your Southern States location to find out the date for your local annual meeting, and mark your calendar to attend. Remember: your co-op is only as strong as the involvement and support of its members.
June is Dairy Month
Dairy Farming: It’s a Family Affair
Charles Moyer, Jr. doesn’t mind that he lives in the same house that he was born in. In fact, he is quite proud of it and is quick to relate his Amelia County dairy farm’s history. Charles, his sons and grandsons own and operate Oakmulgee Dairy Farm near Amelia Courthouse, Virginia.
The farm was purchased in 1895 by Moyer’s grandfather, who moved to Virginia after homesteading in Nebraska. After several harsh winters and severe summer droughts, the Nebraska farmland was sold for $1.25 an acre and the purchase of the Amelia County farm, already named Oakmulgee was made. Moyer reported that it was purchased for around $3.50 an acre.
The farm has been in continual operation ever since, and is designated a Virginia Century Farm by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “I believe that we are the oldest, continually operating dairy in the state,” Moyer said proudly.
Originally operated as a Jersey dairy, the first Holsteins arrived at Oakmulgee around 1920, about the time that Charles Moyer, Sr. took over the farm. He was active in agriculture and community organizations, and served on the Southern States Board of Directors. Oakmulgee Dairy Farm continued to grow and evolve as the years went by. Today, in addition to milking 240 Holsteins, the Moyers also raise some of their own cattle feed. Crop production consists of 600 acres of corn and 150 acres of hay.
At 79, Charles, Jr. has passed many of the farm’s daily operations on to his two sons, Larkin and Damon, both Virginia Tech dairy science graduates. Heading up the dairy cattle management is Larkin, with brother Damon managing the crop side.
Larkin’s son Jeremy (another Tech Dairy Science grad) has returned to the farm to work with crop production, machinery repair and upkeep, and Larkin’s youngest son Brandon will be completing his dairy science degree at Tech this spring, and not surprisingly, plans to return to the farm.
Continuing the family farm remains a high priority for each of the Moyers. “We’re getting to be a dinosaur,” Larkin said of the family dairy, noting that, of the 22 local dairies that existed when he graduated in 1974, only seven dairies now remain. The trend is causing a milk supply shortage on the East Coast.
“We’re always challenged by the weather, but our biggest challenge is trying to survive above the margin due to the cost of producing milk,” Larkin explained. His son, Jeremy, agreed and added that additional government regulations also add unnecessary expense to the constantly rising cost of production inputs.
“There are many challenges to farm families today,” said Charles, Jr. “All members of a farm family must be willing to work hard to support this lifestyle. It’s tough to support several families on one farm,” he added, “ but the rewards of a farming lifestyle are worth it.”
Giving back to the community and agriculture organizations is a priority for the Moyer family. Charles, Jr. spent many years serving on various agricultural boards and now his sons are carrying on this tradition. Damon currently serves on the Amelia County School Board, while Larkin is a member of the Amelia County Planning Commission. Larkin is also a Dairy Farmers of America cooperative area council member and is the chairman of the Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District.
“Educating people about agriculture is crucial to our industry and our lifestyle,” said Larkin’s wife Cecelia. “Offering school tours on the farm and volunteering at fairs and public events allows us to share the story of where milk really comes from.”
Oakmulgee Dairy Farm has a long history with Southern States Cooperative. “I’ve always been proud that my father helped shape the cooperative through his service on the board,” said Charles, Jr. In turn, he adds, “we have been pleased with the service we have received from Southern States.”
Larkin agrees and sings the praises of Southern States employees like David Baber, feed sales & tech rep. “David offers only the finest customer service to us and that keeps us coming back.”
Southern States is proud to provide quality products and services for dairy farms, and invites you to join us in honoring our dairy farmers during June Dairy Month.
Southern States Cooperative: A History of Service; A Future of Promise
Editor’s note: This is the fourth and final installment in a series which examines the broader aspects of cooperatives and, more specifically, agriculture cooperatives. This quarter we will look at Southern States Cooperative, its history and function today.
In our previous articles we outlined the history of cooperatives, beginning in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and we discussed how and why the modern day cooperative business model came into being.
We have looked at the laws that enable and protect the existence of cooperatives, and have explored the benefits and responsibilities that come with cooperative membership, especially as they relate to agricultural cooperatives. This month we will take a closer look at Southern States Cooperative.
Southern States was established in 1923, when a group of about 150 farmer-members of the Virginia Crop Improvement Association met in Richmond, Virginia to discuss ways they could acquire seed that was specifically adapted for growth in the varying soil conditions found in Virginia.
The result of that gathering was the founding of the Virginia Seed Service (VSS), an agricultural cooperative established under the provision of the Capper-Volstead Act of 1922. Virginia Tech graduate, and ag extension agronomist, W.G. “Bud” Wysor, became the cooperative’s first general manager.
In 1925, the service added binder twine to its inventory as its first non-seed product, and began operating a fertilizer plant. In the 1930’s VSS changed its name to Southern States Cooperative, and began operations in neighboring states. The period 1940 through 1986 saw it expand to include Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, West Virginia and North Carolina, and in 1998, Southern States acquired the retail assets of the Gold Kist Company, and extended its service into South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida.
Southern States is considered a purchasing cooperative, that is, an organization that combines the purchasing, storage and distribution (reselling) of farm inputs (fertilizer, seed, chemicals, etc.), supplies (livestock handling equipment, farm machinery, hardware...) and consumables (fuel, twine, animal feed, etc.) for their members. By taking advantage of volume discounts and utilizing other economies of scale, supply cooperatives bring down the cost of the farm supplies that the members purchase from the cooperative, as compared with direct purchases from commercial suppliers.
Southern States retail outlets include those stores owned by the cooperative (called services), independent co-ops who have entered management agreements with Southern States, and independent dealers who buy at wholesale from the cooperative and resell to their own customers.
Local farmers, who purchase farm supplies from a retail service or managed co-op, have the option of buying a stock certificate for one dollar, and becoming voting members of a local board. In addition to acting as an advisory group for the local retail outlet, and electing local board leadership, members are also eligible for a refund based on their purchases during the year. This refund, in the form of cash, store credit or equity is also known as a patronage dividend, and must be authorized by the Southern States Board of Directors.
Every three years, the local board meets to elect delegates to represent them at one of 14 districts meetings which are held on a rotating schedule. Districts are organized by state and county where their retail store is located, and meet to select a representative to serve on the Board of Directors of Southern States Cooperative.
The Southern States Board is made up of 14 elected district representatives, and six public representatives named by the Director of the Virginia Agriculture Extension Service. The Board, in turn, selects the senior management for the cooperative and sets the direction for the cooperative as a whole. Through the work of Board Committees, these directors have oversight of every aspect of the cooperative’s business and function.
Some 300,000 local members make up Southern States Cooperative, and through local elections and district representation on the cooperative’s board of directors, their needs shape the direction and operation of Southern States.
The past several years have seen struggles in the agriculture community with wide fluctuations in both the cost of farm inputs and the price being offered for farm commodities. It is the roll of ag supply cooperatives, like Southern States, to help smooth the peaks and valleys of operational costs and the uncertainty of supply availability for its farmer members.
A 1987 report, "Positioning Farmer Cooperatives for the Future," said that, "...to be successful in fulfilling the needs of farmers, cooperatives must be able to provide an appropriate economic response to marketplace situations faced by members. This response generally involves provision of competitive goods and services, or adoption of actions that balance or counter the forces present in the current business environment."
Both the domestic and international components of the agriculture business environment have changed considerably since 1987. Structural changes from the farm gate to retail shelves are having a significant impact on the markets in which cooperatives and their members operate. Farmers and farming are also evolving. Cooperatives can no longer take for granted that the producers they served last year are the same kind of producers they serve today, or will serve in the future.
As cooperatives like Southern States develop strategies for the future, they must consider their role in a savvy marketplace that values nimbleness, flexibility, and information vs. stationary structures and physical inventory. (1) In the final analysis, cooperatives exist to serve the farmers they represent, and the ability to change and adapt to an evolving global ag environment will likely separate the ones who survive from those who will not.
(1) From USDA “Agricultural Cooperatives in the 21st Century”; © 1987, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Rural Business Cooperative Services; Cooperative Information Report 60.
Thinking About Organic Fertilizers This Year? Think Southern States
Southern States offers a wide range of natural and certified organic amendments and pest control products for use in the home garden or for growers who want to raise organic produce for resale. It would be helpful to understand the criteria for products under these designations .
Although sometimes used interchangeably, the terms natural and organic are not necessarily the same.
Products labeled Natural are made up of primarily of natural or non-synthetic components or ingredients. They are produced using minimal processing , and are, ideally, contained in environmentally sensitive packaging. Natural products are free of petrochemicals, genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), synthetically produced colors, flavorings or chemical preservatives, and have not been exposed to radiation during production. In addition, natural products do not include toxic ingredients or other components with a suspected human health risk.
Natural fertilizers would include compost, various types of animal manure, seaweed, some types of sludge, blood and bone meal, and even wood ash and beer.
Natural pest control products include milky spore, diatomaceous earth, certain flowering plants (like chrysanthemums and marigolds), plant extracts like pyrethrins, and even things like vegetable oil that can be sprayed on insects to kill them.
Organic products are governed by federal law. The USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) develops, implements and administers national production, handling and labeling standards, including a seal producers or manufacturers’ may display on products that meet the certification guidelines. To be considered organic, USDA regulations require products to be produced and handled without the use of synthetic ingredients (although there are exceptions), and even exclude certain other non-synthetic ingredients including sewage sludge and some animal waste slurries.
Non-agricultural substances may not be used in the processing or production of the product (again, with some exceptions), nor can non-organic agricultural substances be used. The products may not be subjected to ionizing radiation.
Producers must also follow certain practices on their land (certain crop rotations, etc.) that provide for environmentally responsible farming. Some vaccines for animal health are also allowed under the organic production rules, although they may not contain genetically engineered organisms.
Products listed as Certified Organic, must be display a certification seal from the NOP or from the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). This is a national nonprofit organization that determines which input products are allowed for use in organic production and processing. OMRI Listed—or approved—products may be used on operations that are certified organic under the USDA National Organic Program.
Certified Organic pesticides are generally approved by the Environmental Protection Agency working in concert with USDA, and carry the EPA seal.
Southern States non-synthetic products for use on the lawn and in the garden, as well products for commercial growers will be listed as “Natural” or “Organic” depending on whether they have received USDA certification and bear the USDA, OMRI, or EPA seal. For more information about all-natural and certified organic products, visit your local Southern States retailer or contact your Southern States GrowMaster Certified crop professional.
127 Students, 30 Colleges Participate in 10th Anniversary Dairy Challenge®
Southern States is proud to be a Gold Sponsor the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge® (NAIDC) held March 31-April 2 in Hickory, North Carolina. The NAIDC has helped prepare nearly three thousand students for careers in the dairy industry since its inception in 2002.
NAIDC is an innovative two-day competition for students representing dairy science programs at North American universities. Its mission is to facilitate education, communication and an exchange of ideas among students, agribusiness, dairy producers and universities that enhances the development of the dairy industry and its leaders.
The 10th annual contest attracted 127 college students from 30 schools across the United States and Canada and was organized by North Carolina State University and Virginia Tech.
Each team of four students put their textbook knowledge to the ultimate test – actual consulting for dairies. The two-day contest started with a walk-through of an operating dairy, analysis of farm data and a question-answer session with owners. Then each team developed recommendations for nutrition, reproduction, milking procedures, animal health, housing and financial management. The teams presented recommendations to herd owners, while being evaluated by a panel of five judges including dairy producers, veterinarians and industry personnel.
In the 10th annual Dairy Challenge, the highest award of Platinum was earned by teams from California State University-Fresno, Cornell University, The Penn State University and University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Each of the Platinum team members received $200 scholarships.
Scholarships of $100 were presented to members of the Reserve Platinum teams from
University of Alberta, University of Idaho, Michigan State University and Washington State University
Gold Awards were presented to teams from Berry College, Cal Poly, University of Guelph, University of Illinois, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Louisiana State University, University of Minnesota, University of New Hampshire, The Ohio State University, University of Vermont, Virginia Tech and University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, one Gold Award team combined students from UW-Madison, Vermont and Michigan State.
Silver Awards went to teams from Alabama A&M University, Delaware Valley College, Eastern Kentucky University, University of Florida, University of Maine, Mississippi State University, North Carolina State University, South Dakota State University and University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Another Silver winner was an aggregate of students from Cal Poly, Iowa State, Penn State and Virginia Tech.
The 2012 national contest will be March 29-31, 2012, in Roanoke, Virginia. Four regional contests are scheduled for late fall 2011 and winter 2012. The program is fully funded through the generous support of companies and producer associations, like Southern States, which serve the dairy industry, as well as a growing number of alumni and individual dairy farm owners. For more information visit www.dairychallenge.org.
Responsible Use of Crop Inputs
“Agriculture is committed to environmental stewardship,” said Eugene Longest, VGPA President. “We believe that there is a need to achieve better water quality,” Longest said, “but it needs to be done the right way.”
Eastern Virginia producer (and Southern States customer) Scott Mundie voices the sentiments of many growers: “We are all concerned about the health of the Bay,” he said, “ but producers must be given an appropriate amount of time and resources to prepare for additional regulations.” Also a certified nutrient management planner, Mundie believes that the current nutrient management plan, required of all producers in the watershed who participate in government programs, is a valuable part of agricultural production.
Southern States employees, like Senior Agronomist Charlie Hubbard, work closely with producers to meet the needs of their individual nutrient management plans. “Right time, right place and right amount are the key to economical and environmentally responsible fertilizer application,” said Hubbard.
Applying the correct fertilizer for the crop is vital to the crop’s health and to water quality. Fertilizer recommendations are based on each field’s soil test results, which reveal the current levels of nutrients, along with a producer’s nutrient management plan.
Hubbard reminds producers that Southern States GrowMaster certified employees stand ready to assist with appropriate fertilization recommendations that are least harmful to the environment and economical for the grower. In addition, Southern States is proud to exclusively offer products to improve fertilizer efficiency and reducing environmental impact, such as Nutrisphere-N® and Avail®.
Nutrisphere-N® increases nitrogen use efficiency by inhibiting urea/urease volatilization and nitrification. Reducing the environmental impact of nitrogen and improving the efficiency of applied nitrogen makes Nutrisphere-N® a valuable tool in crop production.
Making the most out of phosphorus fertilizer is the job of Avail® Phosphorus Enhancer. Avail® surrounds phosphorus fertilizer with a water soluble polymer shield that blocks the bonds of attraction of chemical elements. Maintaining the availability of phosphorus for crop intake and delivering increased fertilizer performance for optimal yield potential.
Southern States GrowMaster certified specialists provide fertilizer guidance for homeowners as well as commercial agriculture producers. With approximately 16.6 million people living in the Bay watershed, there is potential for nutrient run-off from lawns as well as farming operations.
“We are living in a time where there is a continual trend of people being further detached from the farm and this is a source of concern for us,” said Mundie. “On our farm, we use the technology to apply our nutrients as precisely as feasible, and we would encourage homeowners who live in the watershed to do the same.”
Whether you’re growing 1000 acres of soybeans or trying to establish a ¼ acre lawn, Southern States growing experts have the knowledge you need to meet your production goals. GrowMaster specialists will provide recommendations that are both economically and environmentally sound. Whether you’re a homeowner or a farmer, Southern States can help you to “Save the Bay.”
