Enhanced Quality Through Identity Preserved Production – EQUIPP Presented by: John Sponaugle EQUIPP Program Director

The Production Ag Industry Multigenerational First Generation A Mature Industry

Current players in the industry Self employed entrepreneurs Aggressive Innovative Knows how to do business

History Lesson Wheat crop after WWII ‘Plant fence row to fence row’ Corn prices last 30 years Over $3 in ’73,’79,’83,’95 Other 26 years average $2.26

Why these prices? Technology Management Capital All have spread throughout the US and world

How to improve profitability? Raise a PRODUCT Not a commodity

How do you raise a Product? Achieve higher internal quality (such as starch, endosperm, protein, etc. Provide whole kernels (not cracked kernels, splits, or excessive FM) A Pure Product (A product that exceeds contract specs in terms of purity)

Signed production contract No value to your business unless it meets or exceeds your buyer specifications.

Failure to meet buyer specifications Moisture above 14.5% Kernel size too small Kernel size too large Too much diplodia The list goes on

Manage for High Quality Ensures value which leads to premium being paid High value products are less sensitive to commodity price swings Profit margins maintained where value is created

Business relationships built on Trust Price Consistently delivering a product that meets or exceeds the buyers standards

EQUIPP Growers Know quality begins at the farm level Know that a product can be sold Know that others can take care of the commodity business

EQUIPP developed by Advisory Group including: People in the industry End users Growers John Deere Co

EQUIPP Help you produce a product not a commodity Is a part of the IP process

Current users of EQUIPP Asian buyers of soybeans Currently being promoted and used in 4 countries in Asia The EQUIPP program is not only an educational program, it is a marketing tool that separates different buyers from one another. Different seed companies are using the program to use in their own quality assurance programs.

EQUIPP Growers Mexican Tortilla food corn buyers Frito Lay ADM Cargill

EQUIPP Growers Consistently achieve high quality

EQUIPP Course Purity External Quality Internal Quality

EQUIPP Course Ten hours Tests give at end of each lesson Practical in content Teaches how to mange purity, and external and internal quality to win

EQUIPP course Missouri’s Director of AG Education involved in the planning and his signature will appear on your certificate. CEU Credit will be awarded from Boonslick Tec Ed Center College credit can be earned from this class.