your co-operative news

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1 Winter 2013 your co-operative news Enabling your business Protecting your investment Championing rural sustainability Jumping into 2013 This year is getting off to a strong start and we re only a few months into As you ll read in the pages of this newsletter, UFA has been making headlines as a top employer and working hard to make a difference in rural communities. Your continued support and patronage is appreciated and as a valued UFA member, we invite you to clip the coupon on the back of this newsletter and take it into your local UFA Farm & Ranch Supply store or Petroleum agency to redeem a complimentary UFA ball cap. This cap represents our thanks to you. Each new edition of Your Co-operative News is a window into some of the community investment and business related activities at UFA, both driven in the past and looking ahead to the future. We hope you enjoy and look forward to hearing your ideas and feedback. Drop us an at [email protected] or call Introducing the UFA e-flyer UFA is excited to re-introduce our flyer in a digital format that you can download directly from. This new, convenient e-flyer will run from the first day of each month to the last. The e-flyer makes it easy to see all of the new product and service features, promotions and your favorite brands accessible at your local UFA Farm & Ranch Supply store. Please visit for details about the e-flyer and learn how to sign up to receive the e-flyer directly in your inbox each month. 1 BEHIND EVERY GREAT YIELD IS A SERIES OF GREAT CHOICES The top canola varieties are still available from your local UFA Farm and Ranch supply store. See page 11 for details UFA Farm & Ranch Supply Stores march 2013 E-FLYER WE VE GOT ENOuGH TANkS TO FILL A STADIum. BuT WE D RATHER SEND YOu THERE. You could win a trip to see the Blue Jays in Toronto with your next fuel storage purchase. See page 5 for details All prices and sale prices in effect until March 31, Products featured may have limited availability in select locations. Please contact your local UFA Farm & Ranch Supply store for more details UFA Co-operative Ltd. All rights reserved. All other products are registered trademarks of their respective companies. UFA Proud to be Named One of Alberta s Top 60 Employers Sign Up Now! This year is truly our year to shine, as UFA has been honoured by MediaCorp Canada Inc. as one of the Top 60 employers in Alberta of UFA offers a blend of work/life balance, a strong community focus, positive work environment and above all, the co-operative advantage, which boasts a business model that sets us apart from corporations in the province. UFA continues to be a leader in employment in the ag industry and we pride ourselves on hiring individuals with a passion for rural life and agriculture, says Dave Irvine, Vice President of Human Resources. Being named a Top 60 Employer shows that the commitment we have to our employees and working environment is being noticed, says Dave. To join the team of one of Alberta s Top 60 employers, visit /WorkAtUFA to find out about current opportunities. For more information about the Top Employers competition, visit CanadasTop100.com/Alberta. Prices in effect until March 31,2013 1

2 UFA Continues to Support Agriculture Awareness Farm safety and agriculture awareness are two of the pillars that have been longstanding at UFA. Throughout the past century, UFA has championed many programs and initiatives that support these causes. Most recently, UFA has partnered with like-minded organizations to support Ag for Life (agricultureforlife.ca), an organization that brings a greater focus on these issues through their programs and networks. Together, our voice is stronger, and we believe that unity will ultimately benefit agriculture and its core producers. UFA has also sponsored a Shaw TV series called Farm Fresh that is targeted to urban viewers to create awareness of agriculture and food production in Alberta. UFA provided the content for eight of the 30, seven-minute segments filmed around the Calgary area connecting with our members and community partners. The UFA on-farm segments were focused on primary production and include moving cattle for the fall run at Simpson Ranching near Cochrane, to harvest at the Sawyer family farm near Acme and post-harvest spraying at the Wright-Angle farm near Irricana, featuring UFA Delegate, Leonard Wright. Other segments to watch for include a UFA historical piece, featuring UFA Delegate, Kevin Hoppins and his family s involvement with UFA over the years as well as feature segments with a few of our community partners, 4-H and Ag for Life. Check your local listings or visit Shaw.ca/UFAFarmFresh to watch Farm Fresh, sponsored by UFA. Canadian Bull Congress UFA was excited to participate in the 27th annual Canadian Bull Congress in Camrose, Alberta. This event, which occurred January 18th and 19th, provided a venue for producers and breeders to gather and showcase top quality bulls and the attributes of about a dozen popular breeds. This year s event was a resounding success with over 5,000 people in attendance, in addition to guests and exhibitors from throughout Canada and the world. UFA was active in many events preceding and during the Canadian Bull Congress, including our exhibitor s booth displaying our latest livestock equipment offerings. Photo: Grant Rolston Photography Retool YouR Shop ConteSt Sign up and your shop could be next! Signing up for the new UFA e-flyer comes with your chance to win over $40,000 in tools in our Retool Your Shop contest. Simply register at between March 1st and June 7th, 2013 to be automatically entered to win. Retool_600x300.indd :28 AM 2

3 FarmTech 2013 UFA Signs Definitive Agreement to Sell Wholesale Sports U.S. After much consideration and discussion with our Board of Directors, UFA has signed an agreement with Sportsman s Warehouse and Alamo Group to sell Wholesale Sports USA. In mid-march, control of these stores will transfer to the new owners and Wholesale Sports will exit the U.S. market. UFA will continue to operate the Canadian Wholesale Sports network. Much like off-farm income, a diversified business model that supports the overall goal of enabling rural and agricultural success is necessary for the Co-operative to thrive. We are pleased to report that our Canadian stores have been strong and profitable and there is significant upside and potential in the outdoor adventure industry. As part of our commitment to you, all UFA members are eligible for the Wholesale Sports Wild Card which provides you with an ongoing discount at Wholesale Sports stores - 10% off most items. Once again, UFA hosted an exhibit at FarmTech, the premier event for grain and oilseed producers throughout Canada, from January What differed this year compared to previous years was the pride in displaying the new trade show booth with touch screen technology. The new display allowed customers to learn all about UFA and our divisions in an interactive way. FarmTech was a platform for discussion and UFA had the opportunity to attend the event with our members and customers. The conference provided the opportunity to attend educational sessions consisting of relevant industry insight that help producers make the right growing decisions, as well as the right business decisions for their operations. wild card UFA Co-operative Limited. All rights reserved.

4 Force of Nature: Tim Church Inducted into 4-H Alberta Hall of Fame The year definitely started off right for UFA Petroleum Area Manager, Tim Church. Tim was inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame on January 12, 2013 for a lifetime of exceptional service to 4-H Alberta and his community. UFA is proud to have a great individual like Tim working on our team since UFA allowed me the time and encouraged my volunteer work, Tim said of the time he put in to contribute to Tim is an inspiration to UFA employees and we congratulate him on this honour that he has earned through a lifetime of community involvement. Ed McCoy, UFA Vice President of Petroleum. community service and youth mentorship. The support from my family has been incredibly important as well. Tim has been involved in 4-H since joining in 1969 at the age of 10 and held numerous executive positions with the Hesketh and Hesketh-Orkney 4-H Beef Clubs. He is a previous board director for the 4-H Foundation of Alberta and has been an active volunteer within his community through the Alberta Rural Crime Watch, the ACCA Co-operative Youth Program, the UFA Community Investment Steering Committee and the Canadian Diabetes Association in Red Deer. Tim is an inspiration to UFA employees and we congratulate him on this honour that he has earned through a lifetime of community involvement, said Ed McCoy, UFA Vice President of Petroleum. Producers make UFA Cattle College a Success From Medicine Hat to Beaverlodge, livestock producers were invited to take part in a day of educational sessions presented by the livestock industry s leaders and experts at UFA s Cattle College this winter. The agendas were customized to the local area and included topics such as effective stockmanship, nutrition, traceability and market outlooks. The ultimate judge of success was determined by providing value to our members and customers that are livestock producers, said Jeff Rucci, Product Strategy Manager, Livestock Equipment. By that measure, Cattle College has been incredibly successful. The sessions generated many questions and discussions specific to individual operations and producers will be able to take away the information and put it into practice. Curt Pate, The Cow Whisperer with UFA s cow/calf simulator, Lucy and Lou The sessions generated many questions and discussions specific to individual operations and producers will be able to take away the information and put it into practice. Jeff Rucci, Product Strategy Manager, Livestock Equipment Photo: Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune

5 In Profile: The UFA Livestock Team Livestock Production Sales Representatives Jack Koenen has been in the feedlot industry all his life and brings 30 years of experience to livestock producers in the Lethbridge area. A third-generation farmer, Jack helped to expand his family s feedlot operation from 800 to 7,500 head after graduating from Olds College with a diploma in farm and ranch technology. He is married with three children. Jennifer Gutfriend was born in Calgary and raised on a livestock operation in central B.C. After earning her Agriculture Business diploma at Olds College, Jennifer worked in farm management and as a consultant for livestock producers. Anytime she can, she ll get out to a cattle ranch to bring in the cows or go to a branding. UFA diesel fuel works hard all season long UFA seasonal diesel fuel provides optimum power and fuel economy, no matter when the fuel was purchased. Today s highly refined ultra-low sulphur diesel typically only differs up to 1.9% in density between summer and winter seasonal blends. Fuel density correlates directly to power and fuel economy and that gives you the confidence to know when the heavy work needs to be done, UFA diesel will work hard right along with you. Livestock Product Strategy Managers Jeff Rucci has been working in agriculture since he started at UFA in 2007 after graduating with a B.Sc. in Agribusiness from the University of Manitoba. Since then, he s been building his expertise in category and product strategy management. Jeff works to procure and market the livestock products necessary to run a livestock operation and remain financially viable and competitive. Jerome Chamberlain grew up on a cow-calf operation near Vermilion and brings over 18 years of experience in animal nutrition and sales to his role. His experience combined with his MBA in Food and Agribusiness Management from the University of Guelph allows him to understand the operations of livestock producers so he can line up feed and forage products that fit their needs. UFA congratulates 4-H Canada on their 100 th Anniversary 5

6 your co-operative news Winter 2013 your co-operative news At UFA, we are committed to providing you with the best experience possible. It s why your opinion is so important to us. Please pass along any feedback, concerns or suggestions you may have. We re always listening , option 1 [email protected] or visit Free UFA Ball Cap UFA thanks you for your patronage. Please bring this coupon to your local UFA and receive a free ball cap. Offer expires on April 8, UFA Member # One hat per UFA member please. Limited to stock on hand. 6