This document discusses Harvest Land Cooperative's investments in safety, health, and wellness for both employees and the community. It highlights the creation of safety director and wellness committee positions to promote these initiatives. Events like a Farm Safety & Wellness Day were well-received. The cooperative also invests in training programs, equipment, and educational resources to encourage safety practices and healthy living both within and beyond the cooperative's boundaries. While these efforts require substantial resources, their positive impacts on employee health, happiness, and safety are considered very valuable.

1. 109 years
Strong
Comfrey • Morgan • Morton • Springfield • Wabasso
www.HarvestLand.com
Vol. 15 No. 2 • July 2013
Invisible Investments Pay Dividends
Investment is sometimes a tough thing to measure.
Granted, some of the investments we’ve made at
Harvest Land are easy to pick out—the new bins and
grain leg, or the state-of-the-art applicator working in
your fields. Strong, progressive companies make these
kinds of investments for the good of their members. But
they also invest substantial resources in areas that their
patrons never see.
For example, safety is one of those areas, as there
are certain aspects of accident statistics that can be
measured. Much of the time and effort that we put into
creating a culture of safety in the workplace extends into
the communities where we live and work and creates
benefits that are tough to put a value on. At Harvest
Land, however, we firmly believe that the value is there.
In 2010, we created the position of safety director,
which Aaron Guggisberg has so ably filled. We’re
serious about training our workers so that safety is their
first thought when taking on any job at our locations or
in the field. Our employees have embraced our efforts
and are running with them, looking out for one another
and for our patrons, being proactive, and making sug-
gestions for improvement.
Beyond safety
We see our responsibility in
this area extending beyond the
boundaries of our cooperative.
As a good citizen of the com-
munities we serve, we want
to do all we can to encourage
safety and, in the bigger picture,
healthy living.
To that end, we’ve also created
a wellness committee at Harvest
Land, AgQuest, and Northland
Capital. They’ve put together
programs to challenge our employees to adopt a healthy
lifestyle, but they’ve also taken their health and safety
message outside our walls. In June, roughly 40 children
attended a Farm Safety & Wellness Day event in Morgan,
sponsored by Harvest Land and AgQuest. We received
some very positive feedback from parents who appreci-
ated our concern for their children and our efforts to help
teach their children the importance of safety in a fun way.
We’re reaching out, running safety ads on the radio
and in publications targeting youth. We’re investing
in training programs and safety equipment for our
employees. These efforts aren’t without cost. But the
payback is huge when our people can go home healthy
at the end of the day and are happier in their jobs.
Congratulations to all the employees and owners of
Harvest Land on receiving the Meritorious Achieve-
ment Award. This award couldn’t have been achieved
without all of you. We encourage you to continue to be
engaged. We’re continually looking for ways to educate our
employees, families, and customers through our website
and special events. Safety, health, and wellness are part of
who we are, and we welcome your involvement and your
suggestions. We want to be a source of tools you can use
to live healthier and more safely. n
BY DENNIS SCHREIER
GENERAL MANAGER

2. Focus on Communication Strengthens Board
We’re featuring a member of the Harvest
Land board of directors with each news-
letter. Harvest Land is fortunate to have a
great group of directors who take their roles
as directors very seriously. This month the
spotlight is on Tim Sullivan.
Tim joined the board in 1997 and has served
as our secretary/treasurer since 2010. As
you can tell from Tim’s profile, healthy com-
munication is very important to him. That
fits well with one of Harvest Land’s core
values: “Encouraging engagement through
consistent communications.” Our Harvest
Land directors play a key role in making that
happen.
Tim is always available when needed, and
it is clear he has a passion for wanting
Harvest Land to not only be the best it can
be today—but also well into the future.
Thank you, Tim, for the time, effort, and
dedication you have for Harvest Land. It is
greatly appreciated! n
BY DAVE STUK, CEO
Board Profile – Tim Sullivan
Keeping the lines of communication open is a principle
that Tim Sullivan lives by, whether that takes place in
the Sullivan family farming operation, in the Harvest
Land board room, or with a cooperative patron. “You’ve
got to keep an open mind, not make assumptions, and
listen,” Tim states.
A member of the Harvest Land board for 15 years,
Tim raises corn, beans, peas, and sweet corn with his
father, Mike, and brothers, Pat and Joe, near Franklin,
MN. “Farming with family requires a lot of communica-
tion, and we do a pretty good job with that,” he says.
“The great thing about farming together is that there
is always someone to pick up on things if you overlook
something. We look out for each other.”
Two hats
Since the Harvest Land board is comprised of patrons,
everyone wears two hats—farmer and board member.
“Sometimes, you have to take that farmer hat off for a
while and look at the bigger picture,” Tim notes. “On the
other hand, we represent the farmer patrons as well, so
it is a balancing act.”
Board service has been a good experience for Tim, who
notes that being a part of the board has given him a
different perspective on the ag industry. “As a patron, I
appreciate the chance to see the business from the other
side,” Tim says. “The cooperative world is such a unique
business model, because your owners are also your
customers. Profit still drives the bus, because you have to
make money, but there are other priorities as well.”
Tim sees, too, that many of
the challenges he faces in his
operation are the same for Harvest
Land. “One of the biggest for both
of us is recruiting and retaining
quality people,” he emphasizes.
“Ours is such a cyclical business
that finding enough seasonal help
is difficult, not to mention finding
good full-time people. The reality
is we couldn’t do what we do
without the excellent employees
we have, and we certainly couldn’t
succeed without our patrons. It’s
a partnership, and we’re always looking for good partners.”
The open-mindedness Tim practices is particularly
important, in his opinion, as the cooperative works to capi-
talize on opportunities down the road. “We’ve been good
as an organization at seeing opportunities that others
miss,” he notes. “I want to make sure that I don’t get
into the trap of doing things like I’ve always done them,
because we need to be positioned to take advantage of
opportunities when they do present themselves.”
Tim and his wife, Sarah, fill their non-farming hours
keeping up with twin sons Parker and Spencer, 14, and
daughter Lydia, 11. “We do some camping in the summer
and head up to my folks’ cabin as often as possible,”
he says. “But sports are big, with the boys in baseball
and our daughter in softball this summer. Then there’s
football and basketball later. That’s our calendar.” 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).

3. Stay on Top of Your Crops
Even though we struggled to get
our crop in the ground this spring
and some of us suffered major
hail damage, we should all feel
very blessed by how good our
crops look. We have the potential
for high yields, and it appears we
are the garden spot of the Corn
Belt. I want to thank everyone for
your business, and I’m looking
forward to seeing some good
yields this fall.
Diseases?
We have seen a lot of moderate-to-severe crown rot
this year. You can check your fields by splitting the corn
stalk and checking the crown at the base of the plant.
A healthy crown will be white, so if it is a brown color,
you’ve got some crown rot. Crown rot is caused by the
fusarium fungus, which also can cause anthracnose,
and that in turn can cause stalk quality problems late
in the year. We’ll have to keep an eye on this going into
fall.
We are also seeing excellent results from our soybean
seed treatments, Warden™ and Acceleron. Untreated
soybeans are suffering from pythium and fusarium,
while our treated beans look very healthy and boast an
11% better emergence score. With our crops looking
good, fungicides could be an excellent yield booster.
Some hybrids respond better to fungicide than others,
so talk to one of us to see if fungicides could work with
your seed selections.
Plant nutrition
With the ample amount of moisture we have received
this spring, a lot of our nitrogen has moved lower in
the soil profile. We need things to dry up a bit so roots
start to penetrate and reach the nitrogen. Corn takes
up the most nitrogen at V10-V12—up to 10 pounds a
day. We’re also seeing 75% of our samples coming back
deficient in zinc and boron.
The best way to find out what’s going on in a field that
is yellowing is to take a tissue sample. Harvest Land has
different ways to side-dress the nutrients your plants
may need, so ask your account manager about tissue
sampling and in-season nutrient application.
Save the dates
There are a few seminars scheduled throughout the
summer at our area Answer Plots®
by Winfield. Check
www.harvestland.com or ask your account manager
for the details on the next one. Also, keep in mind the
Harvest Land Plot Day coming up on Aug. 22. I look
forward to visiting with you there. n
BY BRETT BRAULICK
SEED DIVISION MANAGER
PAGE 3
Is the Low-Interest Era Over?
Some 30 years ago interest rates peaked at levels no one
ever wants to see again, and have been trending slowly
lower ever since. Today the question is being tossed
around: Is this low-interest era for borrowers coming to
an end? No one can say for certain that rates are going
to change dramatically or for how long they may change.
Numerous factors, however, have caused interest rates to
begin climbing. Just a mention that the Federal Reserve
might cut back on its trillion-dollar infusion into U.S. money
markets helped interest rates on benchmark 10-year trea-
suries finish up approximately 0.45%. Although we have
seen a slight increase in rates, they continue to be his-
torically low compared to some 30 years ago.
Where farmers find their credit, and how much they pay for
it, could be a much higher priority as rates normalize. Now
may be the perfect time to do an analysis of your current
situation to review any current loans you may have, as
well as take a look at any capital expenditures you may
need to make or have been considering. Mark and I are
available to meet with you and assist you in your credit
review and planning, and
we have numerous tools to
assist you in your planning
process.
We also want to remind you
that if you haven’t turned
in a copy of your 2012 tax
returns to us, please do so
as soon as possible. Most
tax preparers will email or
mail them to us on your
behalf if you request they
do so. All tax returns can
be emailed to Melissa at: mrobertson@agquest.biz.
If you have any questions or are in need of new or addition-
al financing services, please call Steve, Mark, or Melissa. n
BY STEVE BACH, AGQUEST SENIOR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
Steve: 507-430-7748
Mark: 507-995-4394
Melissa: 507-723-7378

4. Over the past three years, I
have written many articles
on the need for preplant and
pre-emerge herbicides. I’ve
explained that these changes
were necessary to achieve
early-season weed control and
to introduce “mode of action”
changes to help combat resis-
tance in certain weed species.
One thing occurred to me as I
recently drove around the heart
of our trade area looking at what
Mother Nature decided to send
our way (approximately 3 to 7 inches of rain, depending
on your location). That thought was, “Most of these
fields look pretty clean.”
I arrived at the office and started comparing the sales of
certain products in 2012 to sales in 2013, and here is
what I found.
With our primary corn herbicides used for at-plant-
ing applications (acres applied at normal use rates),
Capreno®
, Harness®
, Triple Flex™, and Verdict™, we had
a 25% increase in the number of our customers’ acres
being protected from yield-robbing weed competition.
We had a 20% increase from 2011 to 2012—in total, a
45% increase in two years!
Oddly enough, though, our cooperative’s glyphosate
sales from 2011 to 2012 increased by only 1%. That
merits a further look.
When monitoring soybean at-planting product usage
(Authority®
(First and Assist), OpTill®
, Outlook®
, and
others) from 2012 to 2013, 56% more acres were
protected earlier in the season than just one year ago.
Conclusion?
It seems pretty obvious to me. We are not treating
more acres, we are treating them differently. This is a
testament to you and our sales staff working together to
do things better from the standpoint of risk management.
And after recent heavy rainfall, I, for one, will sleep a little
better for it.
Again, we aren’t doing more—we are doing it smarter!
So, on behalf of Harvest Land Cooperative, I want to say
thank you to our patrons! n
A Thank You Is in Order
PAGE 4
BY TIM WOELFEL
CROP PROTECTION MANAGER
Corn Staying Home as Exports Lag
With the USDA reporting corn exports down
800 million bushels this year—and that on
top of a decline the previous year—finding
a home for your corn has been one of our
priorities. We’ve found at least one new
market, shipping several trains to Arkansas
to feed Tyson poultry. Other trains have
headed west to the southern California dairy
market. These have proven to be nice export
alternatives.
It is likely to take a while to win those export
markets back, as the world has found alter-
natives in feed wheat and barley. The USDA
projects a recovery this coming year, but
not to the levels we saw in the previous
marketing year.
We shipped a fair number of bean trains last
fall and in January, and we haven’t seen a lot
of activity until recently. Tightening supplies
have brought processors back into the market.
In contrast to corn, the export market for
soybean meal is strong right now. As a
result, the soybean basis has risen to levels
we haven’t seen in several years.
If you have any questions related to your
marketing plan, please talk to us. We’re here
to help. n
BY KEVIN DEBERG
GRAIN MERCHANDISER

5. PAGE 5
Key Questions for Nitrogen Management
Now that we’re done spraying weeds, it’s time to look
ahead at the next few weeks and think about whether
or not to side-dress your corn fields. With the wet spring
and heavy rainfalls we’ve been receiving, it might be
something worth considering. Here are some questions
I would consider asking when deciding whether or not
to side-dress. How much nitrogen did I apply up front?
What hybrid did I plant? Is the field corn-on-corn? What
are my current yield expectations, and do I want to keep
them high? What stage is my corn?
Starting at V12, the corn plant will take up 11 pounds of
N per day until the grain fill period has ended. Shorting
the crop on nitrogen during this critical period will result
in tip-back in ear length and firing of lower leaves. Harvest
Max growers will be doing test blocks within fields, along
with whole-field applications with our three side-dressing
options. We will also be conducting tissue tests on eight
fields each week throughout our territory to monitor
whether or not the nutrients we applied are being utilized
within the plant.
Proof is in the field
Some other things we have
going on this summer include
over 50 side-by-side Ascend®
trials in-furrow with starter. For
those of you who haven’t heard
about what Ascend is and
how it works, it is a product
from Winfield Solutions which
contains three amino acids
that are naturally found within
plants.
• Cytokonin is a natural
plant growth regulator that
promotes cell division and
leaf expansion while slowing
leaf aging.
• Gibberellic acids are naturally
occurring plant growth regu-
lators that stimulate cell
division and elongation in
leaves and stems.
• Indolebutyric acid is a plant
growth regulator that stimu-
lates vigorous root formation
and development and
increases cell elongation.
As a result of the applications in-furrow with 10-34-0 and
zinc, we have seen improved emergence and early-season
vigor, increased stalk diameters, and increased plant devel-
opment rates. These trials are being tracked with root digs
and pictures by the interns throughout the summer to help
tell the story all the way up to the combine. Harvest Max
growers will also be trying some Ascend on soybeans this
summer, and we will track their results as well.
The last item I’d like to touch on is grid sampling. We
have completed and have the results back on roughly
20,000 acres so far this season.
Talk to your account manager
about creating fertilizer recom-
mendations from these results as
we begin pre-paying for fall fer-
tilizer applications. Some things
to consider when evaluating your
results are: What have my levels
done? What do I need to do to keep
them up or build them? Are there
any yield zones that need to be
treated differently based on yield
potential? For those who would
like to grid sample this fall, let’s get
these acres lined up early so we
can get those fields sampled right
after the crop is harvested. This will help with turnaround
time and our ability to make fertilizer applications. n
BY MATT PIETIG
HARVEST MAX MANAGER
New Tools Put to Good Use
Though the weather held us out of the fields more than we hoped, we actually
enjoyed an exceptionally smooth spring. The fact that we had a very good fall and
added new machines and tenders for this spring really helped. Having worked
closely with Joel Kretsch for several years, I knew our processes, so we were able
to make a pretty painless transition.
A couple of pieces of newer equipment, the Hagie applicator for side-dressing and
spraying and the spinner box applicator for top-dressing, also proved to be good
investments this spring.
Thanks for trusting us with your business. I look forward to working with you
through the 2013 production season. n
BY SCOTT ARNSDORF
OPERATIONS

6. Over the summer months, Harvest Land Cooperative
is quite busy supporting our area communities during
town celebrations and parades. Harvest Land also
donates to area FFAs, 4-H, and Farm Safety 4 Just Kids
chapters during the area fairs, our own customer appre-
ciation events, and much more.
This past year Harvest Land, AgQuest, and Northland
Capital created a wellness committee. Our goal is
to make sure our employees know that their health
and safety are our main concern. To that end, we
have organized several challenges to encourage our
employees to develop healthy eating habits, drink
plenty of water, and exercise more frequently. That’s a
message we also want to share with you, our owners.
We encourage you to get enough sleep, eat healthy
foods, and drink plenty of water, especially during the
stressful spring and harvest seasons.
Starting young
Youth education and involvement is vital to Harvest
Land and AgQuest. In June, around 40 youth attended
our Farm Safety/Wellness Day. We invited area daycares
and children to Morgan to educate them on grain,
chemical, and animal safety. We also incorporated
wellness and the importance of healthy eating and
staying active into the stations.
Many of you may have heard
the quote “It’s easier to bury
a tradition than a child.” At
Harvest Land, we believe that
safety and wellness are key
components in keeping our
children safe and healthy.
Hosting events such as our
Farm Safety Day and having
Farm Safety 4 Just Kids at our
Plot Day event teach children
at an early age the dangers
that are part of life on the farm.
We encourage your ideas and
input. It only takes one educa-
tional topic to prevent an accident that could have tragic
consequences.
Tee it up
On Tuesday, July 16, we will be holding our Golf Day
event. Like last year, we will have a $10,000 prize if a
hole-in-one is made on the designated courses. Thanks
to our sponsors who made the prize possible: Bayer,
Dekalb and Asgrow, Winfield, and FMC. Tee times for
Springfield Golf Course can be arranged with Judy or
Jamie in Springfield, and contact Sue in Morgan for the
Mayflower-Fairfax course.
Plot Day will be held at the Springfield terminal on
Thursday, Aug. 22. We encourage you and your family
to attend. Farm Safety 4 Just Kids will be sharing farm
safety information in a way that will interest youth. Also,
we will have speakers discussing farm and women’s
topics. Continue to watch the website, Facebook, and
your mail for updates and invites. n
PAGE 6
Making a Serious Commitment to Your Health
BY FAWN DAUER
MARKETING AND MEDIA
MANAGER
Enforcing Regulator Regulations
Regulators—those large, red
devices on the top of your
propane tank—are a very
important part of your propane
system. The manufacturers
require us to replace regulators
every 15 years, and summer is
the best season for us to take
care of those replacements.
We’ll notify you if you’re on the
replacement list.
Also, if you’re building a new
addition, purchasing new appli-
ances that use propane, or changing your system in any
way, please let us know. For safety reasons, we have to
leak check your system after any additions or modifica-
tions to make certain everything is tight and ready to
use. We do need you to be present when we perform
any of this service work.
One thing you don’t have to be present for is tank
painting. If you’re renting a tank from us that’s in need of
painting, give us a call and we’ll get it on the schedule.
SPCC—yes or no?
There’s been talk lately of changing the SPCC laws to
increase the capacity limits that trigger the need for an
SPCC plan, or even to exempt farmers altogether. That
may happen, but what we know today is that the plans
were still supposed to be in place by May 10. However,
the EPA won’t be in the field enforcing that regulation
until Oct. 1.
The bottom line is, at this point you’re required to have
the SPCC plan ready to go. If you need assistance, we
can guide you to some good resources. n
BY PAT MACHT
ENERGY DIVISION MANAGER

7. Harvest Land Recognized for Safety Efforts
Harvest Land Cooperative received a Governor’s Safety
Award from the Minnesota Safety Council at the Gov-
ernor’s Safety Awards luncheon May 16. Harvest Land
was one of 227 employers recognized for superior per-
formance in workplace safety and health.
“An effective safety program reduces injuries and costs,
maximizes productivity, and builds morale,” said Carol
Bufton, president of the Minnesota
Safety Council. “Employers like
Harvest Land Cooperative understand
that protecting employees is not only
the right thing to do—it’s also good
business.”
Harvest Land received the Meritori-
ous Achievement designation, which
recognizes incident rates that are
better than the industry average for
at least three years and a score
between 50 and 74 on a 100-point
safety program evaluation scale.
Aaron Guggisberg, Harvest Land
safety director, states, “We are
always looking for ways to improve
the working environment at Harvest
Land. The best way to improve the
environment is to eliminate as many
safety hazards as possible. Our
employees are always on the lookout
for anything that may cause harm to themselves, other
employees, and our patrons.”
He admits that can be a challenge in a business where
large machinery is constantly moving and unexpected
tasks are always coming up. “That’s why safety has to
always be step one on the path to completing everyday
tasks,” Aaron stresses. “If we can’t do a job safely, then
the job does not get done. We cannot cut safety out of
the plan just to accomplish the task.”
Creating a culture
Admittedly, there was room for improve-
ment. But changes throughout the
organization, starting with the hiring
process, have changed the culture and
dramatically lowered incident numbers—
from more than 25 in 2010 to only one
so far in 2013. “We involve Aaron in the
hiring process now, so potential new
employees understand the importance
of safety even before they are hired,”
notes Harvest Land HR manager Kristin
Henning. “We also evaluate their safety
awareness as part of our assessment.”
That effort is paying off, as both Aaron
and Kristin attribute Harvest Land’s
safety success to the quality of our
employees. “We’ve come full circle, in
the fact that our safety culture is adding
to our reputation as an employer of
choice in our area,” Kristin concludes.
“We hear it a lot in our interviews that
people see Harvest Land as a team that takes care of
each other like a family. That’s the kind of company they
want to work for.” n
The spring reporting season is in full swing, and, with
that in mind, here are a few points to remember as you
report your acres. With the high rainfall totals we’ve
had in some areas, we expect some prevented planting
acres. It is very important that you report that unplanted
ground—even if it’s only five acres—by July 15.
If you have a prevented planting claim that will pay
out more than $200,000, a three-year review will be
triggered. Production records will need to be pulled
together, so if you have any questions regarding this
process, please contact your AgQuest Insurance agent.
One frequent question we’ve received this year is,
“Am I required to plant a cover crop on any unplanted
ground?” From the crop insurance standpoint, we do
not require you to plant a cover crop. However, please
double check with your FSA
office to make sure you’re in
compliance with their rules and
deadlines as well.
Although it is too late to replant
corn, you could potentially still
replant soybeans. If you have
that situation, please contact
your AgQuest agent prior to
doing so.
To qualify for the replant payment, 20 acres or 20% of
the insurance unit would need to be planted back to the
same crop. As you report your acres, report your initial
planting date and not the replant date. n
Reporting Deadline Draws Near
BY KATHY MAINER
AGQUEST INSURANCE
OFFICE MANAGER
ACREAGE REPORTING DEADLINE JULY 15
PAGE 7

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
507-249-3196 Pat Macht, Dennis Schreier, 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.
Snow slowed us down on the
front end, and you know about
the rain, but our crews are making
up time, and the progress is really
starting to show. Right now, the
most visible piece is the leg, but
that is changing in a hurry. Crews
are beginning to raise the first
bin, which is always an interest-
ing process to observe. The dump
shed is also finished.
These new GSI bins are among
the first to be built with a new,
stronger roof design. It’s better for
our employees, too, as the work space on top is almost 10
feet wide, as opposed to four feet on older bins.
We’re still on track to have everything up and running by
Sept. 10. These new bins and leg will be a great asset
for our area farmers this fall and should also improve the
logistics for our other area locations, particularly Spring-
field.
Thanks for staying clear of the construction area and
allowing the crews to do their work. We understand how
attractive construction is, particularly to children, and
your safety is our first concern.
Continue to watch the website’s live camera feed of the
construction and our Facebook page for changes. n
Despite Weather, Bin Project
Progressing Nicely
BY MATT MUDE, MORTON
LOCATION MANAGER