PRO-AG CONSULTING EXPANDS AGAIN

September 1, 2002 was a great moment for PRO-AG Consulting,® LLC when we added three new field Agronomists. As a result, one existing office was moved and reorganized and two new offices were opened to better handle our rapidly growing client base.

Shane Meade-Fairmount, IL-A native of Vermillion County area, attended Danville Area College and Purdue University. For the last 14 years he has worked as a Floater Operator/Sales Representative/Account Manager for Farmers Ag Service and Prairie State Warehouse. Shane enjoys working with farmers and helping to solve problems particularly those relating to growing crops.

Neil Eimer-Greenview, IL.-is a 2001 graduate of Western Illinois University with a degree in Agricultural Science, Neil has already had two years experience working as a Crop Consultant in the Springfield area. Neil will be working a new area for us in the Springfield, Jacksonville and Beardstown area. Neil’s Consulting work involved a lot of Crop Scouting as well as Soil Testing. Neil will be working with some of our existing accounts as well as developing the new area.

Jerry Howell-Findlay, IL-Lifelong resident of the Findlay area, growing up on a farm and a 1988 graduate of Southern Illinois University with a degree in Agri-Business gives Jerry a very broad Agricultural background. Jerry will be working out of our Windsor office and working primarily in Shelby, Moultrie, DeWitt and Piatt counties. Jerry will be working with some of our existing accounts, as well as developing new areas for PRO-AG.

All of these employees have completed their PRO-AG training and have been in the field for the last four months.

These additions brings our number of Agronomist to 9. As our business continues to grow we will be adding more new people to service given areas.

Effective October 1, 2002, PRO-AG Consulting® became PRO-AG Consulting®, LLC. The new name reflects the direction we have taken as a company.

The decision was made to sell PRO-AG Consulting® to five of our employees. To do so, Incorporating and becoming an Illinois Limited Liability Company was necessary. Our day to day operations and our services to our customers has NOT changed. The new owners are:

Chris Behl-Regional Manager-15 Years

Kim Houser-Office Manager-9 Years

Ted Huber-Regional Manager-8 Years

Jason Boerngen-Regional Manger-8 Years

Matt Schilling-Regional Manager-5 Years

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Shannon Melliere-SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNER

Shannon is the 2002 winner of the Jim Koester memorial scholarship. Shannon is a 2002 graduate of Valmeyer High School in Monroe County. Valmeyer is located 30 miles south of St. Louis next to the Mighty Mississippi River.

Shannon has been accepted to the University of Illinois and currently is pursuing a degree she hopes will get her into Veterinary School at Illinois. While in high school, Shannon accumulated a 3.878 grade point average while working almost full time. Her composite ACT score was a 30. Shannon was on the High Honor Roll all four years.

Other honors included Who’s Who Among Students, Recognized Belleville Youth Leader, Illinois State Scholar, Member of the State Police Youth Council.

Activities were many-Class President, Student Council Vice President, Co-Editor of the yearbook, Chairman of the Prom Committee and many others.

Shannon also found time to be active in her church youth group and membership in the American Quarter Horse Association, American Kennel Club and the American Humane Society.

Becoming a vet has been a goal of Shannon’s. "I feel that I interact extremely well with all kinds of animals. I have an understanding and knowledge of animal care and behavior. When I’m not working at the Columbia Animal Hospital I enjoy training and caring for my horse and Golden Retrievers" said Shannon.

While attending the U of I, Shannon plans to work to help pay for her education.

The Jim Koester Scholarship is awarded each year to a high school graduate who’s family is a client of PRO-AG Consulting®, LLC. It is named in Honor of a wonderful young farmer from Watseka who met a tragic death in a farming accident. To date PRO-AG Consulting®, LLC had awarded over $14,000 in Scholarship money.

Client Meeting Well Attended

Our recently completed customer meetings were very well attended. Interesting and informative presentation created questions and discussions from our attendees. Needless to say, the food was excellent and plentiful. Also getting to know other users of our services offers an exchange of information that is often helpful to each other.

PRO-AG Scholarship forms are Available

Each year PRO-AG awards a scholarship to a graduating senior who plans to enroll in College in an Agricultural related field. The applicant must have a direct relationship to one of our clients.

The application form is available at our office. If you have someone wanting to apply, call Kim at our Windsor office @ 1-800-879-2297 and she will mail you an application. These applications need to be returned no later than May 15th, 2003. The winner will be announced by June 15th.

NUTRIENTS FOR PLANT GROWTH

Have you ever wondered how corn plants can grow in places other than a fertilized field? Why grasses and weeds grow so well in ditches along the road?

Our great Midwestern soils have an abundance of Nutrients provided by Mother Nature. If you refer to chart 1 "Composition of Soils" for a plow acre 6 ¾ " in depth, representing approximately 2,000,000 or 1,000 tons, 90% of all Midwestern soils have many nutrients.

When we soil test, we check for only the portions of those nutrients that are water soluble and available to the growing crops. Having the correct pH value in the plow layer enhances the availability of all of these nutrients.

Each year, Mother Nature releases more nutrients. So when soil testing is complete, we are able to measure the net difference of what has been removed by the previous crop and what has been provided by the soil. If adding more nutrients will provide an economic return, then we would recommend applying that element. Our recommendations are based on information illustrated in Illinois and Purdue Agronomy handbooks as well our information we have developed over the last 30 years.

For our customers who have been on our program for nearly 20 years, taking advantage of the nutrient release has provided thousands of dollars in savings. For those of you whom are just starting, you can be assured of a large saving over the next 20 years if you closely follow our recommendations in our program?

Lbs. Of Nitrogen 1,340# Nitrogen 3,618# Nitrogen 6,432# Nitrogen

Live Portion 1,000 3,600 4,000

(Earthworms, Bacteria)

Silicon Dioxide 1,905,000 1,570,000 1,440,00

Aluminum Oxide 22,600 190,000 240,000

Iron Oxide 17,000 60,000 80,000

Calcium Oxide 5,400 6,800 26,000

Magnesium Oxide 4,000 10,400 17,000

Sodium Oxide 4,600 26,000 24,000

Titanium Oxide 3,600 18,000 14,400

Sulphur Trioxide 600 8,500 6,000

Manganese 2,500 2,000 2,000

Zinc 100 220 320

Copper 120 60 60

Molybenum 40 40 40

Boron 90 130 130

Cobalt 50 50 50

Clorine 50 200 200

J.L. Halbeisen

W.R. Franklin

Regional Managers

Montrose, IL

1-888-732-2530

Cell: 217-254-3038

Matt Schilling

Dahlgren, IL

1-866-299-3008

Cell: 217-259-6123

Shane Meade

Fairmount, IL

1-866-535-9231

Cell: 217-280-0064

Ted Huber

Oakland, IL

1-888-305-4411

Cell: 217-259-8221

Take your pick for $2,600.00 each. Call 1-800-879-2297 and as for either Jim or Don.

AMPLIFY-D® by Conklin Company

Amplify D® - is a seed energizer product. Not another seed coat or seed treatment.

If you are planting corn in colder soils especially NO TILL conditions-seeds treated with AMPLIFY D® has shown faster emergance and a much more uniform stand. We tested it by treating 10 kernels of corn, placing them on a wet towel and covered them with another wet towel and placing them in a refrigerator at 40 degrees. We put 10 untreated kernels in the same manner next to them. In 7 days, all the treated kernels had roots 1- 1 1/2 inches in length. The untreated had not germinated except for 1 kernel.

The product has Nitrogen, Adenosine Monophosphate and trace elements to energize the plant in cold soils. Tests over the last 8 years have shown 10% increase in germination with more uniform stands. Yield increases have averaged 9% on early-planted corn. We do not recommend using it on the late-planted corn in warm soils. The results aren’t there, but on early corn-try it. They will give you a written guarantee, if additional profitable yields aren’t there, they’ll return your money. Can’t ask for anythig better than that. We have the names and phone numebers of several of the Conklin Represenatives in our office.

There is still plenty of time to get your soil sampled before Spring planting time. This time of the year, we can sample the fields you want done and have the results back in 3-5 working days.

If you postponed sampling last fall, we can still get it done for you and let you take advantage of our prepayment program.

During March you can prepay for the acres you want sampled and received a 20% discount off our regular price of $7.50 that is a $1.50 and acre savings. If you don’t need to sample in the Spring but want to prepay next summer or fall sampling, the discount is the same.

PRO-AG’s New Controller

Charles "Chuck" Campbell was recently hired to the position of Controller for PRO-AG Consulting, LLC. Chuck is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University majoring in Accounting and a native of the Neoga, IL area.

Chuck had been employed in the accounting department for the Fedders Corporation in Effingham, IL. In the new position of Controller for PRO-AG, Chuck will be responsible for all of the money matters for the newly structured corporation.

Chuck and his wife Tami lives in Montrose. Tami teaches and coaches at the Cumberland County High School. Chuck enjoys bowling, softball and coaching his wife's softball team as his hobbies. He also helps his father with his farming operation.