2/16/26 Meeting Minutes

2/16/26 Meeting Minutes
 
Attendees: Catti, Adam, Stephen, Lynn, Bob W., Casey, Ron, Bob F., Rich, Ben, Matt
 
Brag bucks:
  • Tom Louis’ birthday today!
  • Bob F. – went to ISU vs Kansas basketball game and ISU won. Need and ISU win tonight.
  • Adam – today is his first day on the job as the executive director of CCGP
            – Curt Pietig donated $300 back to us from Super Bowl winnings
 
Club business:
  1. Adam provided speaker update. We are scheduled out after next week all through March.
  2. Cindy Neil is going to attend the grant seminar for us on March 28th so that we can apply for grant $ should we need too.
    1. Cindy has experience writing grants and volunteered to attend on our behalf.
    2. Attendance is required yearly to apply for grant money.
  3. Donation requests for:
    1. Pheasants Forever $300
      1. Motion – Ben; 2nd Bob F.; pass
      2. Steve may want the tickets to the event on Saturday night at 5 in Arcadia; he will let Chris or I know.
    2. Carroll SuperDraft – formal donation request coming
Speaker: Grant Wells with Ben (Carroll rep) with Wells Ag Supply: Top Soil - Empowering Every Acre
Chemical company out of Fonda.
Top Soil – agency franchise model; want 1 store in every county.
  • revolutionized how to test topsoil.
  • beneficial for farmers b/c costs have gone up.
  • focuses on how to make better fertility decisions, seed decision and crop production decisions.
  • fertility decision measures phosphate and potassium in soil.
  • measures extractable amounts and tells what can mineralize.
  • rotating corn/beans isn’t always good for building up minerals in ground.
  • nitrogen and phosphorus that are being applied by farmers are killing natural mineralization.
  • Cover crops keep nitrate in the ground and out of the rivers; soil test will tell the farmer exactly how much nitrogen is needed to put onto their field.
  • farm is zoned by topography and then look at water flow so know how to test the mineralization.
  • timing and placement of chemicals is very important; it’s more about when it gets to the root and not tied up or trapped by the magnesium.
  • banks care about cash flow.
  • Farmers need to focus on fertility goals to get to yield; they need to make sure that you are applying the chemicals at the proper levels; if you apply enough of one but not enough of the others then you are over-applying the one and it won’t be enough to feed the root properly.
  • 98% of all synthetics are bad for the soil; Biodyne is a biochemical that helps recreate topsoil.
  • Charge per acre $17/acre for soil test for 1st year; 2nd year is cost of $7.50 consulting fee unless they buy products and then it goes away; 3rd year you do the soil test again.
 
Next meeting 2/23/26 – no scheduled speaker currently.