Two Minutes in Ag: May

The other day I saw a meme on social media that said, they call it May because, it “may” rain, it “may” snow, the sun “may” shine, the wind “may” blow. Honestly, I felt that “may” have been the most accurate thing I have seen online in a week or two. I know I am ready to plant veggies and flowers, but May Nature sure isn’t ready for that, so instead, we’ll celebrate with my favorite protein.

May is Beef Month. That is definitely worth celebrating! Although many protein choices offer great flexibility and choices, beef is always a great choice. And the researchers associated with the Beef Checkoff are always one step ahead developing new recipes. Just last weekend, I was looking for some new ideas for the endless supply of ground beef we have and couldn’t believe all the options at https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/ recipes. Check it out for some new ideas, quick recipes and more. I know my family was excited to try something besides tacos or burgers!

Now is the Time to Enroll in CRP. USDA is accepting more than 2 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and landowners through the Conservation Reserve Program general signup, the first of the program’s multiple signups occurring in 2022. Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux says about 90% of enrolled acres were accepted, and the agency hopes to encourage producers to consider additional enrollment options in the Grassland and Continuous signups, both of which are currently open.

“Our conservation programs are voluntary, and at the end of the day, producers are making market-based decisions as the program was designed to allow and encourages,” says Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in a statement. USDA has been under pressure by some to allow for early release of contracted CRP acres to encourage additional production with potential Ukrainian shortfalls. An estimated 3.4 million acres of enrolled CRP acres expired this year.

Cattle on Feed. . .were up 2% from April 1, 2021, to the same time this year to 12.1 million head. This is the highest April 1 inventory since 1996. A lot of that supply was in Texas and the west and could be attributed to the prolonged drought.

Letters From Lisa – May 2022

This month’s focus is on Sure Champ® and Vita Charge®, two product lines that have experienced growth. What has created this success? Supporting young people involved in livestock. I know you are wriggling your nose right now, and thinking this lady is nuts. Nuts since we all know that helping young people doesn’t grow sales or pay bills. While whether I am nuts or not is debatable, my response is not. Economics are not all that matters, even in business.

BioZyme®, under the leadership of Bob Norton, started supporting youth in livestock back in 2007 when it became the title sponsor of both the National Junior Hereford Expo and the National Junior Angus Show. Why did we do this? Because these events and junior programs help create and shape youth that matter. As I was writing this note to all of you, I took a moment and asked Bod why he started making this a focus. His response was pretty simple, “The people in the industry are a lifestyle worth working to sustain. Livestock families are unique and special and extremely important to the welfare of the community, the state and the country.”

Darcy from the blog, Success is Reason Enough, lists the following facts about youth people who show cattle, but in my opinion, it applies to kids who show any animal.

  • They wake up early before school, to feed and care for their animals.
  • They stay up late in the evenings working hair, feeding rations and making sure their steer is rinsed one more time before they head to bed.
  • They know how to respect others.
  • They know how to receive critique, how to ask questions and how to push just a little bit longer.
  • They know how to evaluate their own cattle and others; and how to defend themselves verbally in front of a judge.
  • They know that one little tweak in a showing can be the difference between a championship slap…. or nothing.
  • They know that whatever you placed first or last…. you still need to shake the judge’s hand.
  • They can load up a trailer and set off to a show halfway across the country by themselves, because they know how to care for their livestock and budget their money, so they still have enough for diesel on the way home.
  • They know that those around them are trying to beat them in the ring…. but when they walk out the gate, if a fellow showman needed the proverbial shirt off their back, they’d hand it to them in a heartbeat.

That sounds like the perfect applicant for every position we have at BioZyme. And without this type of workforce in out future, the USA will never reach its full potential.

If you are still asking why we do this, let me reiterate that these young people are our future. More importantly, they are agriculture’s future. And for them, the experience of showing matters. And making kids feel like they matter; well…. it matters to us.

Changes Happening In May 2022

CHANGES COMING IN MAY 2022 Known at this Date

SHIPPING & PRICING:

  • In April, BioZyme was forced to make the following changes due to an extremely volatile supply chain, highly fluctuating market pricing and fuel surcharges:
    • Beginning with all orders placed April 4, a ship date of 3 days will be automatic; extended requested ship dates will not be available.
    • There will be no custom price list. Any order for a custom requires a call to the Outreach Support Center (ORSC) to request a price. These requests will take a minimum of 24-hours to be processed and confirmed.
    • A SCMV (Supply Chain Market Volatility) charge is listed as a separate item on the invoice. The rate for the SCMV charge will be evaluated weekly and adjusted with the fluctuating market, so you are not paying a fixed rate if the cost goes down. Utilizing this charge, rather than raising product pricing for the entire month, allows us to follow the lows in the market and pass the value on to you.

Please reach out to your Area Sales Manager for more information.

  • LTL Calculator
  • This tool and its results are for estimation purposes only. There are no guarantees these rates will be accurate when a shipment is rated and booked. If the carrier has Interline on the calculator this could take an additional 6 days or more to receive your order. The Logistics Team usually picks the lowest cost unless it is Interline. If you would like to keep the lowest rate on freight and would like to go interline, please reach out to Ashley Jones at ajones@biozymeinc.com. (interline- a shipment that is transferred between two or more carriers for movement to final destination).

EMPLOYEE CHANGES

  • Patti Long is the Executive and Leadership Business Administrator.
  • Justin Packard has been hired as the ASM in Oklahoma.
  • Samantha Albers is the Marketing Manager – Small Livestock (DuraFerm & Backyard Boost).
  • Kylie Patterson has transitioned from sales to the Marketing Manager – Show Livestock (Sure Champ).

CHANGES COMING IN JUNE 2022 Known at this Date

PRODUCT UPDATES

  • Watch for a new product to join the Backyard Boost line in June. We are very excited to grow this product offering. Look for more information to be forthcoming in the Dealer Center and via email.

Dealer Spotlight: Results Lead Lazy SK to Believing in Amaferm ® Advantage

Seeing is believing. That’s what it took to get Spike Buffington hooked on the BioZyme® products. Spike, a Montana rancher, who has been involved in the cattle business his entire life, had never heard of the products five years ago. But when he went to work for his wife’s uncle and saw the way it worked on that cow herd, he became a became a believer. 

“I liked what I saw. The cows seemed healthier, and they looked healthier. I studied about the Amaferm® in the VitaFerm products. That seems to make a big difference,” he said. 

Since there wasn’t a dealer very close to his family’s ranch, Spike decided to become a BioZyme dealer, under the name of Lazy SK LLC, to be able to access the products more easily near Miles City, Montana. He said with a ranch to tend to and four kids, he wasn’t looking for another full-time job, but more of a sideline.  

Even as a “sideline” business, Spike has been able to grow his BioZyme dealership as word spreads from rancher to rancher. In the big country where his located, larger herds of commercial cow-calf operations exist. He interacts with the ranchers and shares the benefits of the Amaferm in the VitaFerm line, his most popular products. He has diversified to offer DuraFerm® and Vitalize®.  

“The results are noticeable. If a guy hasn’t fed a mineral for a while or is a new customer, they will notice the visual things right away. The hair coat quality is better and on black cattle, the color turns a true black,” Spike said. “Overall, my customers find their herd health is better and with the Concept•Aid®, their conception rates are better.” 

He shares a story about a customer who switched to Concept•Aid, who saw a 10% jump in his herd’s conception rates and weaned off calves 25 pounds heavier than previous years – during a drought. Both Spike and his customer credit the nutrition program with those results since that is the only change that ranch had made in at least two decades.  

Spike uses the resources and tools that BioZyme offers and suggest that other dealers do as well. From the marketing support to ASMs, he said the people are professional and have helped him promote a good product. 

“Lean on your ASM. If they don’t know the answer, they will find it for you. The Marketing Team does great, professional work and is easy to work with. Everyone just wants to see you succeed,” he said. 

When seeing is believing, and that is backed up with results – that defines “Care that Comes Full Circle.” Thanks for being a great promoter of Amaferm and the BioZyme products, Spike! We’re glad you’re part of the BioZyme family.   

Remembering Bob Norton

It is with shock and sadness that we announce the sudden death of BioZyme® Inc. CEO Bob Norton. He passed away April 13, 2022.

Bob was a driving force behind BioZyme, and he encouraged everyone to be, and do, their best.  He was a fine, generous person and his spirit will forever be the foundation of our great company.

Bob started with the organization in 2000 after a lengthy career in the meat packing industry. As CEO, Bob oversaw the activities of the employee-owned company, headquartered in Saint Joseph, Missouri, and worked closely with the President and COO to monitor growth both domestically and internationally. Although day-to-day activities had transitioned to the President and COO and the leadership team several years ago, Bob remained the ultimate team leader and innovation champion. His lasting legacy and philosophy will remain the guidepost for BioZyme.  Business is strong and will continue to grow.

The Saint Joseph native enjoyed giving back to others, aviation and was active in the Veterans Airlift Command. He was also passionate about the future of agriculture and has been recognized for his contributions by being inducted in the Honorary Angus Foundation. He previously served on the Certified Angus Beef® Board of Directors. He was a promoter of the National Junior Hereford Association, currently serving on the Hereford Youth Foundation of America Board.

Bob epitomized the BioZyme motto, “care that comes full circle,” in all he did and with everyone he met. His smile was infectious, his handshake firm and his words sincere.

The BioZyme Incorporated offices and operations will be closed on Tuesday, April 19 until 1 p.m. The memorial service for CEO Bob Norton begins at 11 a.m., at Wyatt Park Baptist Church, and will be live-streamed via www.meierhoffer.com

TUNE IN TODAY!

You won’t want to miss this month’s Facebook Live! With so many new updates and things happening, we thought it was time to hear from a familiar voice to many – Jennifer Miller! Jen is going to provide updates on the Updated Master Dealer and the new look of the Online Dealer Center. And as always, she’s got a little fun up her sleeve, so you won’t want to miss this Facebook Live! TODAY at Noon, Central.

Two Minutes In Ag: April

They say the world is full of bad news; unfortunately, there is some truth in that. However, we can always find the good if we look, too. This month we will bring you some of both in our industry in a quick two-minute read.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has impacted poultry production in more than half the states so far. To date, the virus is linked to the death of nearly 23 million birds. Iowa—the nation’s largest egg producer—is the hardest-hit state, having lost 13.2 million poultry already. This is the largest virus outbreak in the poultry industry since 2015.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a relief package specifically for livestock producers. USDA will launch the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) to address increases in supplemental feed costs in 2021. The ERLP will use data from the 2021 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) to make payments to affected producers—producers do not have to apply for the aid if they were approved for an LFP payment. There will be a pay cap, but details have not been released on that front.

Phase 1 of the payments is expected to total $577 million, basing the payments on percentage of an eligible producers’ gross 2021 LFP payment—90% for historically underserved producers and 75% for all other producers. USDA said it was evaluating impacts of 2021 drought and wildfires on livestock producers as it develops the Phase 2 component.

Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, does offer some encouragement for profitability in the cattle business, as prices are higher than they were a year ago at this time, and he doesn’t expect them to dip. Where the revenue will be affected is on the expense side of the equation, as drought continues. Feed prices will be the highest input cost for producers. Peel recommends grazing cattle as long as possible without feeding hay, even if that means some targeted fertilizing for both pasture and hay production. This is just another reason promoting a mineral with Amaferm® is so important for that nutrient utilization.

Meet the BioZyme Family

Team: Operations Support – Production

Leader: Dan Wierzba, Senior Manager of Production

Number of people on your team: 8

Key Responsibilities: Ensure we produce, package and palletize the highest quality product in the world in an efficient and timely manner.

List of each team member and role they play at BioZyme:

Dan Wierzba – Senior Manager of Production: Oversees daily operations with all aspects of production, plans and manages capital projects at Stockyards facility.

Cody Jensen – Manufacturing Manager: Oversees daily operations ensuring product and packaging accuracy, daily run list completion and constant monitoring and improvement of production efficiency.

Garret Glaubius – Stockyards DryingCoordinator: Operates the Amaferm® dryer. Ensuring the demands of mixing, domestic and international Amaferm customers are met with the highest quality product available.

Cody Grider – Mixing Technician: Operates the batching system responsible for the completion of the daily mixing run list, ensuring only safe, accurate product reaches the bag.

Brent Schultz – Concetti Line Operator: Responsible for verifying the accuracy of bagging runs, organizing product inventory in the warehouse and ensuring the highest quality pallets are delivered from the Concetti.

Charlie Lett – Drying Coordinator: Operates the Amaferm dryer ensuring the demands of mixing, domestic and international Amaferm customers are met with the highest quality product available.

Timmy Wilson – Pelleting Operator: Operates the pellet mill and pellet bagging line, responsible for producing the highest quality pellet, combined with packaging the pellets in a qualitative and timely manner.

Benjamin Shaw – Concetti Bagging Operator: Operates the Concetti bagging line, ensuring all supplements and additives are accurate in their packaging and weight and bagged in an aesthetic manner that surpasses the customers’ expectations.

How does your team help with “Care that comes full circle” for BioZyme customers: We monitor every batch that is produced and ensure each individual bag is of the highest possible quality. The Production Team is always mindful of our customers and the health and safety of the animals we feed.

Effective Action: People Offer Ultimate Support “Systems”

Sometimes the best support system comes in the form of your fellow person, and that can be said for the various teams at BioZyme. Our dealers are very important to us, and we want to ensure they have all the tools to succeed, that is why we offer a variety of systems and people to assist them in their business.

Area Sales Managers
The ASMs are BioZyme’s boots on the ground team who represent the company across the country. This team of knowledgeable men and women are likely the first people that dealers will have face-to-face interactions with and are their go-to for assistance on product information and ways to build their business. Dealers are encouraged to reach out to their ASM when they need help understanding new products or need a sounding board for how to reach out to prospective customers.

Outreach and Customer Support
The Outreach and Customer Support Team is available via phone and email to help customers – you – to make sure you have a positive experience. They help with placing and tracking orders, keeping your contact information updated and answer a myriad of questions that you might have about products, merchandise and literature.

Nutrition Support
One of the best benefits a nutrition company can offer is full-time nutrition support,
and BioZyme has that with its Nutrition Team coupled with its Business Development Team. This support system works to help educate dealers and your customers about the nutritional components of the BioZyme products and more.
Staff nutritionists work to help analyze hay samples and develop feed rations and recommendations based on your customer’s available feed.

Marketing Support
Marketing is key to your business’s success, and that is why BioZyme has made so many marketing tools, including its Marketing Team available to its dealers. If you need any marketing help, that assistance is just a few clicks away, through the online Marketing Request form in the Online Dealer Center. Click on Marketing and then Marketing Requests to submit the type of help you need. Marketing can help you create a logo, signage, write a radio script, develop a print or e-mail ad and so much more!

Not all systems come in a computer! At BioZyme, we feel our best support comes from the people who work here who care about the dealers, the customers and each other. Reach out to anyone of the team or complete a marketing request and you’ll see what care that comes full circle is all about.