OUR PEOPLE
I also accepted on behalf of our SFS members. Many of you are aware and supportive of the innovative products and farming techniques our agronomy team brings to our educational conferences and grower meetings. Our investment in speed and delivery allows us to support you between the storms, while advances in seed technology and fertility practices help crops grow despite the vagaries of the weather. We’ll continue to strive to gain efficiencies in support of our membership, and as a path toward a more sustainable business future. Prior boards and management left us a diversified cooperative. The home heat business was down this winter. Retail sales are off slightly too. Our wholesale business out of AFCO is up. Sales to Hawaii are nearing record volumes as are our local agronomy sales. Business cycles can start and end as quickly as spring rains. Co-ops like SFS are built for the long run. Kelly and I had the happy emotional experience of watching another of our children graduate high school in June. Our youngest daughter was president of the Metals Club and very involved with her class. She’s taking her strong grades and positive attitude and joining her sister at college in Minnesota—very close to a lot of our family and friends. Our youngest is heading off to high school next fall, and time marches on.
CO-OP AT WHATCOM AG CAREER FAIR
Skagit Farmers Supply (SFS) sponsored and participated in the Whatcom County Agriculture Career Fair, held at Lynden High School on April 30, 2024. Hosted by Whatcom Family Farmers, the fair involved over 400 students from local high schools who visited with reps from over two dozen organizations and potential employers. Local growers, ag suppliers and post-high school educators were on site to greet interested students and discuss opportunities. “It’s important to help today’s youth understand that a career in ag is often varied,” comments Mike Hunskor, Skagit’s director of human resources. “They may work as a supplier, a consultant, in ag tech, in research or in another field.” The fair opened the eyes of these students to the possibilities.
This also aligns with Whatcom Family Farmers’ mission: Preserving the legacy and future of family farming in Whatcom County by unifying the farming community and building public support. With these powerful statements, SFS and WFF have similar missions. Engaging the future workforce to open eyes and ears that may be attracted to ag as a career is a great start.
Rain in May resulted in numerous wet fields and stuck TerraGators®.
“We spoke with many students,” reports Mike. “Some don’t know what they want to do yet—and that’s okay.”
Some hope to become doctors, notes Mike. Still others grew up on the farm and hope to continue its legacy. Mike concludes, “Helping students understand what types of ag jobs are out there and asking students to consider these jobs as a career is really in line with SFS’s mission to preserve and enhance local ag.”
Lynden Agronomy Manager Doug Lambert interacts at the fair with a student from Lynden High School.
“Helping students understand what types of ag jobs are out there and asking students to consider these jobs as a career is really in line with SFS’s mission to preserve and enhance local ag.”
— Mike Hunskor, SFS Director of Human Resources
2 | SUMMER 2024
CO-OP CONNECTION | 3
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