December Newsletter
From
The Manager’s Desk
I hope that you had a very good Thanksgiving.
On November 30, 2020 wheat was $4.83, corn was $4.41 and millet was $22.00 CWT. 2021 wheat is $4.97, Iliff cash corn is $4.46..
We are still doing our LP safety checks. Call in and get your LP safety check. Most customers are very happy knowing that their home is safe. When you are on our program, your system will be tested for leaks and all codes every five years. We think propane is a safe product but only if handled correctly.
USE APPROVED HEATERS
Winter is just around the corner and with cold temperatures, come heaters. Before you fire up the furnace, make sure your heating system is approved for the area it’s used in. Determine if the area is classified as hazardous. Hazardous locations are areas where fire or explosion hazards exist due to the presence of flammable gases, vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dusts, or ignitable fibers.
Is the heater used in feed or fertilizer mixing areas, grain elevators or pesticide storage?
Find out if your heater is approved for hazardous locations. Not all heating systems are created equal and some are not approved for hazardous dusty areas such as grain warehouses or feed mills. Unapproved heating systems in hazardous locations have resulted in catastrophes. Heaters in dusty areas must be approved for fire codes Class II. (A location where there is a danger of explosion due to the presence of a combustible dust) Group G (Atmospheres with grain, flour, starch, combustible plastic or chemical dusts).Grain dust has an ignition temperature between 200 degrees C to 400 degrees C making some heaters a potential ignition source. Approved heating systems are designed not to exceed the ignition temperature of the combustible dusts. The maximum external temperature of the equipment can’t exceed the minimum ignition temperature of the atmosphere that the equipment is located in. Any heater that has an exposed flame or exceeds the minimum ignition temperature is not approved for hazardous locations. The heating units should be designed and installed according to the National Electrical Code. Used motor oil burners are being used in agribusiness shops. Make sure the burners have a UL approval and the oil is not stored near the furnace. Check with your insurance provider before replacing or installing new heaters. Even though the local building inspectors might not classify an area as dusty, the insurance company may. If the area is classified as dusty and you don’t want to locate the heater within the hazardous location, an alternative is to place the heating unit outside the area and duct the heated air into the facility. Again, check with your insurance provider to make sure the heating ducts are approved, also the appliance is vented.
CHOOSE PREMIUM DIESEL- GET PREMIUM RESULTS
Diesel powered equipment gets more sophisticated every year. That’s why Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels are continually tested – over the road and in the lab – to ensure they are the best-performing fuels on the market. They consistently outperform #2 diesel fuel and set the standard that other ‘premiums” try to measure up to but only Cenex Premium Diesel Fuels contain a top-quality, multifunctional additive package that’s proven to improve the performance and extend the life of your equipment.
The benefits of Cenex Premium Diesel Fuel are:
1) Optimizes performance in all diesel engines.
2) Improves fuel economy by as much as 5%.
3) Increases fuel lubricity by 10-15%.
4) Improves power by up to 4-5%.
5) Has a higher cetane number – typical 48.
6) Lowers maintenance costs.
7) Extends life of injectors/injector pumps.
Above claims are in comparison to a typical #2 diesel fuel.
We lost two stockholders in the month of November, Mel Nelson of Peetz and Warren Johnson of Sidney, NE. Our sympathy goes out to their familes. They will be missed.
#1 Ruby/Fieldmaster DIESEL FUEL
This year we have decided to sell #1 Ruby/Fieldmaster diesel fuel. This fuel has all the additives you need for your fuel. My favorite winter blend for when it is cold is 70% #1 and 30 % #2. When you order fuel it does not come blended you MUST order as a winter blend. Please get some in your diesel before the diesel jells up. Winter blend is already available at our pumps.
We will be closing all day on Christmas Eve Day and New Year’s Eve, and we will be closed all day Christmas and New Year’s Day. Please schedule all of your business and year end transactions in advance. Deferred grain checks will be issued mailed on Mon., January and 4, 2021 unless you notify us that you will be picking your check up at the office.
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Sincerely yours,
Phillip M. Schumacher
President/CEO
