— Jason Tews, Grain & Feed
As we head into spring, grain markets have presented some challenges. While harvest was strong across our area and our locations remained busy through the fall, a significant amount of grain remains in storage both on-farm and in our elevators.
We did see a soybean rally in February that allowed some producers to capture opportunity. Corn, however, has yet to find that same momentum. With a large volume of grain still needing to move before next fall, planning ahead will be important. Global dynamics play a major role in grain markets and can cause quick swings in futures. Those movements often force local buyers to adjust basis in reaction to futures changes, making grain marketing especially challenging.
Our message to producers this spring is simple: have a plan. When market movement occurs, being prepared allows you to act quickly. Our grain team can walk through available contract options, hedging tools, and marketing alternatives that may help you work toward your pricing goals. We are here to provide the tools and information you need to make decisions that best fit your operation.
Please call our Grain Marketing Line at 507-232-1049.
On the feed side, our focus remains on manufacturing tons efficiently and delivering high-quality feed to our customers. Since the merger, we have been implementing systems across all five feed mills. This will provide consistent information and processes for feed customers, regardless of which mill their feed is produced at.
We continue to prioritize operational efficiency across our mills. This includes evaluating product mix, aligning manufacturing capabilities among locations, and improving truck routing to reduce unnecessary miles. In some cases, that means shifting tons between plants or reviewing ingredient availability to improve efficiency. These adjustments take time, but they strengthen long-term service and cost effectiveness.
Recent upgrades at the Klossner mill include installing a 72” triple-pair roller grinder, increasing our ability to grind corn and keep up with the mixer throughout the day. We also relocated the previous roller grinder from the basement to a new adjacent building next to the new unit. This provides backup capability and helps reduce downtime. Moving the equipment out of the basement also improves plant safety. In addition, we relocated how corn is delivered from the grain elevator to the mill. These improvements position the Klossner mill for future upgrades as needed.
Our goal is straightforward: deliver quality feed in the most efficient manner possible while keeping costs competitive for producers and supporting the financial health of the coop.
We continue to encourage customers to utilize the Central United Customer Portal as a tool for managing grain and feed information. The portal provides accessible, up-to-date visibility into contracts, balances, and transactions. It is especially helpful for tracking grain bank activity and monitoring accounts quickly and conveniently.
If you are not yet using the portal, we encourage you to explore its features and see how it can simplify account management. If you have questions about the portal, grain marketing strategies, feed programs, or account management tools, connect with our team. We are here to help you prepare for what comes next.