By the time this update reaches you, we will have wrapped up the first month of our new fiscal year and will be underway with our external financial audit for the year completed on September 30th. Next month, I look forward to sharing the results from our 2023 fiscal year. While we anticipate very solid results from last year, you won’t find our team taking too much time to celebrate. We have already moved on to the busy fall grain harvest, preparing for the winter propane demands, replenishing crop nutrients, developing crop plans for the next season, making seasonal product line changes for retail, and, as they do every day all year long, our feed team works to grow the business and help their producers provide the highest quality nutrition to their herds and flocks.
Your cooperative’s board of directors and employees have been planning for 2024 (and beyond) fixed asset investments needed to better serve our members. As always, there are a lot of new trucks, applicators, and other rolling stock in the budget. In addition, we are exploring ways to improve production and increase efficiencies at several of our locations through new, larger equipment and facility improvements/expansions.
While the fall harvest got off to a strong start with ideal conditions, late October rain and thunderstorms slowed progress for bringing in this year’s crop. Still, by the time you receive this, we hope conditions have improved and we are in the home stretch. Early reports of yields may not prove to be a record crop, but I think, by most accounts, yields have been above average. Given that most of the territory we cover was in a severe drought nearly the entire growing season, I feel our producers will be pleased with this year’s results.
We have once again reserved the Wisconsin Riverside Resort in Spring Green to hold our next annual meeting on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Please check out additional updates in this and future newsletters for more information, including scholarship opportunities, director elections, and more.
In a few weeks, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. Holidays always add stress to our business as employees take extra well-deserved vacation days to spend with family, and our workweek loses a day to serve you. Please help the co-op staff you work with by calling in your feed, propane, lumber, and other deliveries as far in advance of the holidays as possible. With one less day in the workweek to operate, it’s greatly appreciated by all the staff as it allows them to get home at a decent time to spend the holidays with their families and friends.
Veterans Day is on November 11. Thank you, veterans, for your service and sacrifice. Please stay safe, and have a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving.
