I would first like to invite all members to the Two Rivers Cooperative 2015 Annual Meeting. It will be held on Thursday, December 10 at Graham Hall on the campus of Central College. The meal will begin at 6:00 pm, with the business meeting and a night of fellowship to follow. We are excited to announce our guest speaker this year is Col. Mark Tillman. I can assure you, you will not leave disappointed with him as our guest of honor. I am also pleased to say I will be reporting on another successful year of operations that evening, and I would thoroughly enjoy seeing a full house.

In other news, the harvest season is winding down within the trade area. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our member-owners for another year of their business and trusting us with the fruits of your labor. I would also like to thank our dedicated team of employees who worked diligently to ensure harvest ran as smooth as possible. In the last few months, we

moved approximately 1.7 million bushels of grain out of our facilities to make room for the crops coming out of the field. We are still adding up the final numbers, but I believe this will go into the record books as the largest harvest Two Rivers Cooperative has ever seen.

The 2016 year ahead will come with a much-needed expansion to your cooperative. You may have noticed the stakes and drilling equipment at the Monroe facility. I will report further on our plans at the Annual Meeting, but this expansion will create the ability to better serve you during next year’s harvest.

I look forward to spending the evening with you on December 10. I always enjoy the Annual Meeting, as it gives me the opportunity to talk to our owners about their business. We are proud of the successful year and financial growth and look forward to another year of serving you.

ANNUAL MEETING WILL REPORT ON SUCCESSFUL YEAR Tracy Gathman-General Manager

A newsletter of Two Rivers Cooperative, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to building

profitable relationships based on integrity and quality.

TRIBUTARYTRIBUTARY

NOVEMBER 2015

©2015 Two Rivers Cooperative

You’re Invited!! To The 2015 Two Rivers Cooperative Annual Meeting

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015GRAHAM HALL | CENTRAL COLLEGE CAMPUS

Meal to begin at 6:00 pm with Business Meeting and Guest of Honor to follow.

Chosen as the nation’s 12th Presidential pilot, Colonel (ret) Mark W. Tillman served as a pilot and commander of Air Force One from 2001-2009. Col. Tillman was at the controls of Air Force One through numerous national events. Most notably, he protected the President on September 11, 2001 by keeping him out of harms way and connecting the flying oval office to the nation’s first responders.

Another historic event was being the first pilot to fly the Commander-In-Chief into a war zone. The challenge was unprecedented- transport the most targeted man in the world into the heart of terrorism. One mistake would have left the President open to attack and cost the lives of US service members. Col. Tillman personally orchestrated and executed the covert operation with flawless success. His planning, done in complete secrecy, allowed for a complete surprise to the entire world.

Col. Tillman’s distinguished career spans 30 years in the United States Air Force. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 2004 and promoted to Brigadier General by the President of the United States- the first military line officer to receive this honor. For political reasons this was not confirmed by the Senate, hence Tillman retired as a Colonel.

A man devoted to his country, this captivating storyteller will give you a first-hand account of remarkable moments in history. We are honored to have Col. Tillman join us at this year’s Annual Meeting and we hope you all take advantage of this great opportunity!

COL. MARK TILLMAN

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Commander of Air Force One (2001-2009)

Air Force One Pilot on September 11, 2001

First to fly the President into a war zone

The recently released USDA issued report talks heavily about the record carryout levels we are seeing for corn and how the world markets are currently affecting us here in the United States. Although I hate to be repetitive, especially with this particular topic, I fear the outlook isn’t as bright as we would like to see it for commodity prices.

It was reported that the average corn yield was raised 1.3 bushels per acre to 169.3, which produced about 100 million bushels more than last month. Demand was lowered by the same amount due to large cuts in exports and ethanol, despite feed usage being on the increase. In total, a 200 million bushel increase in carryout leads a market reaction of rallies seemingly unlikely, especially with Chinese corn stocks reported larger than previously anticipated.

World corn production came in larger than expected by about 24 million tons. There is an extra billion bushels in the world market, specifically in China, and now the market needs to figure out how to work through that. It will be interesting to see if China keeps their corn in the country, or if they head to the free market with it to work off their supply. If they do go the latter, then the question is: where is the bottom? Currently, we are faced with the most burdensome carryout levels we have seen in over a decade. The best way to get rid of the excess corn is through exports. However, with our stronger dollar, it makes our corn more expensive in the world market, thus creating a low export demand that will be tough to improve. This also comes as the Federal Reserve is looking primed to raise interest rates as early as December. The US economy has been good in a time where it seems like so many other large economies are struggling and

looking to lower interest rates, which ultimately leads to a weaker currency in those countries. Argentina’s upcoming election will be something to watch, because the leading candidates are promising an easing of export taxes for grains.

The report for soybeans didn’t look as bleak as corn. It showed soybean yields increased 1.1 bushels per acre, which means there is now 96 million more bushels available than last month. The USDA increased export demand and domestic crush, but I wonder how likely that export demand will be at the end of the year, particularly if our currency stays strong and barring any sort of crop loss in South America. World carryout was reduced 2.28 million tons after demand was increased worldwide.

Back to back record crop years, both domestically and internationally, have led to international buyers no longer struggling to source grains. Instead, the situation has resulted in sellers needing to consider lower commodity prices to become competitive, which is difficult for US export sellers given the very strong dollar.

However, we could see an improvement here shortly. When harvest is completed and the bin doors begin to shut, cash bids typically raise as end users look to source grains from a reluctant seller.

Also to make note of, South America is now in their planting window, so their weather will be closely watched for the next few months. The weather they receive during their growing season will no doubt affect the market either way.

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CARRYOUT LEVELS HIT RECORD HIGHS WORLDWIDE Justin Huebner- Grain Division Manager & Financial Services

The following names are the Two Rivers Cooperative Class A members who are seeking election to the Board of Directors. These members are dedicated to Two Rivers, believe in the cooperative business structure and are willing to serve as a voice for the members. We ask that you please carefully select the members who you think would best serve as a Director. We would also like to thank the nominees for their continued support to Two Rivers.

NOMINEES FOR YOUR 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION

Bryce has been actively farming near Tracy for 25 years. He is seeking to serve as a director for Two Rivers, because he believes in the cooperative. Before beginning his first term on the Board three years ago, Bryce

was an Associate Board Member for one year. He hopes to be reelected to continue being a decision maker for future plans of expansion he wants to see through.

Bryce became a member of Two Rivers when the cooperative opened the Tracy location. Along with farming corn and soybeans, Bryce also backgrounds a few calves every year. Recently, he started incorporating cover crops into his operation. This will be his third year experimenting with the added

rotation and his first year planting rye. Bryce is excited to see the results.The Keldermans are members of the Christian Reformed Church. He and his wife, Beth, have three

children, Payton (16), Riley (14) and Carson (10). Beth teaches third grade at Twin Cedars, and when they aren’t busy watching their children’s activities, Bryce enjoys fishing and has been volunteering as a little league coach.

Bryce KeldermanTracy Area

Just northeast of Monroe, Greg raises corn and soybeans with his brother and nephew. He also diversifies his operation by feeding Holstein cattle. Staying current on farming practices, Greg incorporates cover crops into his crop rotations, and almost all of his acres are no-till.

Greg served as Director for Two Rivers for six years. After taking a few years off from the Board, Greg has served the past three years as a Director . He enjoys the challenges that come with being a representative for fellow producers within the cooperative and coming together to share opinions or ideas.Greg and his family are members of First Christian Reformed Church in Pella. He and his wife, Marti,

have two children, Regen and Carissa. Greg and Marti are National Cattlemen members and enjoy bicycling during the warmer months.

Greg VanWalbeekMonroe Area

Farming near Otley, Steve has been raising corn and soybeans for 33 years. This will be Steve’s first election for the Board and is excited to potentially become a voting Board Member. He was advised by fellow members to run for the seat to be able to see another side of the cooperative as a member-owner. Steve is looking forward to helping make decisions that not only better Two Rivers but also improve members’ operations.

Steve and his wife, Gail, are the parents to three children, Troy, Amber and Jeff and proud grandparents to three grandchildren. Gail works at Leighton State Bank in Pella, and the couple is members of the Third Reformed Church, also in Pella. In his free time, Steve enjoys woodworking and runs a small metal fabrication business. He delights in sharing his finished products with others.

Steve SeekampOtley Area

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NOMINEES FOR YOUR 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION

Jerry raises corn, soybeans, alfalfa, hogs and runs a cow-calf operation southeast of Monroe. He is looking forward to his youngest son returning to the operation, carrying on the farming tradition.

Jerry is not new to the Board representation. He was at the Otley-Monroe Co-op when the merger with Pella was approved. The merger allowed only a select number of directors from each cooperative board to serve, so Jerry elected to step down. He hopes to be elected as a voting Board Member for Two Rivers. He believes strongly in the cooperative system and would like to help Two Rivers remain a successful, viable business.Jerry and his wife, Brenda, have three children, Justin, Jordin and Jerin. They are also grandparents of

two, with one on the way. Brenda works at Leighton State Bank in Monroe, and they are members of the First Reformed Church in Prairie City.

Jerry VanWykMonroe Area

Scott has been farming full-time with his dad and brother near Otley for the past six years. Although they stay busy farming corn and soybeans, Scott also serves on the Monroe volunteer fire department.

Serving as an Associate Board Member currently, Scott hopes to become a voting member of the Board this year. He is prepared to help make decisions for the cooperative and serve as a voice for the member-owners.

Scott DePrengerOtley Area

Rob began farming near Harvey over 25 years ago and has been a member of Two Rivers for the last 20 years. He would like to serve as a voting Board Member, and bring in a fresh perspective. Rob believes Two Rivers to be an excellent organization, serving as a necessary entity in not only the agriculture industry but also in our small communities.

In addition to farming corn and soybeans, Rob has also been a District Sales Manager in southeast Iowa for Champion Seed since 2005. Recently, he began conducting field trials and research on cover crops to see if it is viable for his operation and the benefits the crops could bring. Rob believes strongly in the

idea that everything we do here, in Iowa, has a worldwide impact. “Our state is a great source of renewable energy. We just need to determine how to best position ourselves in terms of global relations and how we can work to not only better our state and country, but improve our practices universally.”

He and his wife, Teri, have three children, Jessica, Ben and Jack. The Vos family enjoys traveling together and cooking and entertaining for friends. Rob also serves as a 4-H Leader for the Leighton Strivers.

Rob VosTracy Area

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As we head into winter, a lot of cattle producers will be moving their cows out onto corn stalks or putting them on a total mixed ration to get through the cold months ahead. This is great time of year to save some money on feed, but still get the weight gain and added benefits with the help of proven performance additives.

At Two Rivers, we offer a number of additives to keep expenses down and improve the overall health and well-being of your herd. Rumensin is one of those products to think about adding into your feed ration. This product helps to improve feed efficiency, increase immunity in calves, and keep cows in better shape heading into calving season. Rumensin is particularly important here in Iowa during the winter months as the quality of forage changes.

We also offer protein supplements that contain urea. This is another additive that is crucial to introduce into your rations during the harsh winters, as it aids in the digestion of lower quality feed.

A helpful tool I use on the computer, called Cow Program, can tell you if you are giving your cows the adequate amounts

of protein and energy. If you are interested in using this program for your own operation, I can gladly walk you through it. It is important to remember that so much of your calving outcome is dependent on what shape the cow is in during pregnancy. By incorporating additives into your ration, you can help to safeguard your investment.

Throughout the countryside, we are also seeing feedlots starting to fill back up. Many of our producers who have

bought calves are reducing their risk by using one of our starter programs. I would encourage all of our feeders to look into one of these programs if you haven’t in the past.

This is the time of year to review your feed options and see where you can make improvements to

ensure the overall health and well-being of your herd, while also protecting your investment. As you all well know, it doesn’t take much to lose a profit with our volatile market.

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For Feed Questions Contact Ryan Healy at 641-204-2526

SAFEGUARD YOUR INVESTMENT Ryan Healy- Beef Nutrition Specialist

Two Rivers has partnered with Cenex to provide our member-owners with a program that helps protect their equipment investment. The Cenex Total Protection Plan extends beyond equipment manufacturers’ warranties to provide valuable coverage and peace of mind to producers who use premium Cenex fuels and lubricants. Two Rivers member, Bruce De Bruin, recently received a check for $1,388.00 to cover costs associated with a repair to his Case IH tractor. The reimbursement came as a great surprise to Bruce. The Cenex Total Protection Plan can be a great way to get big coverage with little hassle. The plan covers new equipment for up to 10 years or 10,000 hours (8 years or 8,000 hours on used equipment), with no deductible.

The Cenex Total Protection Plan warranty exceeds the

competitions by the length of the warranty coverage, the strong performance of Cenex premium fuels and lubricants, and the valuable information you get from a regular LubeScan analysis. These factors add up to an unbeatable combination.

Call me today to have your new or used equipment enrolled in the Cenex Total Protection Plan. Bruce is just one example of how the warranty can pay out and is of benefit to enroll in. I will help you determine the right energy products and warranty protection for all your equipment.

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CENEX TOTAL PROTECTION PLAN PAYS OUTLonnie DeZwarte- Certified Energy Specialist

CONTRACTS NOW AVAILABLE

FOR SPRING FUEL

Take advantage of current diesel fuel prices by contracting for your spring needs. We never know when prices could shift, so safeguard yourself by booking your fuel today!

For Questions Contact Lonnie DeZwarte at 641.780.0156

109 South StreetPella, IA 50219800-223-5512

www.tworivers.coop

Locations in Pella- 641-628-4167Otley- 641-627-5311Monroe- 641-259-2232Tracy- 641-949-6411

A CornerPost Marketing Communications Publication

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR! FEBRUARY

Iowa State University Extension Services Private Pesticide Training

February 2, 2016 Session 1 - 1:30 pm Session 2 - 7:00 pm

Located in the meeting room at the Pella office

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