News and Events

By John Osterhaus

Hello all,

I’m writing this column on a hot evening here in northwest Illinois. This summer has brought plenty of heat and humidity, making it very difficult at times to get hay completely dried down. Add in the smoke from the Canadian wildfires, and dry hay harvest has been a bit of a challenge. I hope your spring and summer crops have been good and that your harvest season has been safe and successful as well.

The WCO board had a meeting recently that was very productive. We worked out a number of details that needed to be addressed regarding the WCO/PNAAW merger. This merger has gone very well and smoothly so far, although there has been a lot of work being done behind the scenes by both the WCO and PNAAW boards.

I can honestly say that we have a great group of people on both boards who are looking at the long-term needs of our members and putting those needs first when making decisions. Thank you to all the board members for the work and effort you have put forth during this process. A big thanks also goes to Schultz Bros. for hosting our summer meeting. It is always interesting to see and hear how someone else runs their custom business. Getting together in person is a great way to share ideas and learn from each other.

I would also like to take a moment to thank all of our sponsors of the joint WCO/USCHI 2026 Safety Day. I feel that it was a successful event, and I want to thank everyone who attended as well. The topics and speakers were well received, and we got some great feedback. We will be making a few minor changes moving forward based on what we heard from those who attended.

That being said, we have already begun the process of planning the 2027 Safety Day. It will be held March 18 at the UW farm in Arlington, and we will once again be joining forces with USCHI to put this event on. Please make plans to attend and bring your crew. We will have some new speakers and topics planned for the day. Mandi from USCHI and Maria will also have some really great door prizes to give out. We hope to see you and your crew there.

It’s hard to believe, but corn silage and fall manure season will be here before we know it. As we head into another busy time of year, remember to take the time to look out for yourself, your employees, and the other people working alongside you. These seasons are demanding enough without someone getting hurt.

Be safe, and I hope you have a great harvest season.

– John