WCO is looking for Board of Director nominations. Elections will take place at the annual meeting on Feb. 19, 2020, held in conjunction with the Symposium event at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

Did you know that many custom operators need to have a commercial pesticide applicator's license? WCO is hosting a training and test on Feb. 17, the Monday of the Forage Symposium.

The Symposium brings together members from WCO, MFA and PNAAW along with industry, extension and research professionals from across the Midwest. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to network with fellow forage and nutrient colleagues.

The fall Custom News is here!

In this issue:

• Feature: Silage safety revisited
• Crew of the Year
• Feature: Grain dust safety
• Feature: Farmer stress

By Keith K. Bolsen, Professor Emeritus, Kansas State University

I will begin my 50th year of working in the silage industry on January 1, 2020. This includes 32 years as a professor at Kansas State University, where I conducted over 300 research trials on silage production and management, and 18 years as a silage consultant for dairies, feedyards, and companies who provide silage-related products and services.

By Amanda Harguth, AgrAbility of Wisconsin

With the fall harvest in full swing, and if you produce corn, soybeans, or other crops in Wisconsin, dust exposure while working is inevitable. Breathing in grain dust can affect the health and overall comfort for grain farmers and others who work in the grain industry. Exposures can occur: in the combine, in bins, while unloading, during drying or processing and while grinding/mixing grain and other feed products.

By Maria Woldt for WCO

There is a stigma surrounding mental health, and farmers and farm service providers can be somewhat dismissive of the topic. As farmers, we often have the mindset that hard work fixes everything. But when someone is experiencing chronic, long-term stress, just “working harder” isn’t going to fix the problem.

One of the biggest issues in agriculture is labor. Even with our struggles, we have excellent employees!

Collecting on past due accounts can be a serious challenge in any business but especially in custom operating businesses. David Krekeler of Krekeler Strother, S.C. of Madison provided attendees at the Wisconsin Custom Operators 2019 symposium with challenges, opportunities and options when it comes to collecting on past due accounts.
 

Year after year, it seems like the same spots on the same town and county roads are being patched. But new roads require funds that local governments don’t have. At the same time, the ag equipment we use has gotten larger and heavier. While many people benefit from using the local roads, some are quick to cast the blame for worsening roads on our agriculture equipment. As local roads grow worse, funds diminish, pressure  increases to make visible users of the road pay the price.