June 28, 2011

National Turkey Federation Representative Testifies Before Senate Agriculture Committee

A turkey industry representative told a Senate Committee that production costs are the greatest challenge currently facing the turkey industry.
Rick Sietsema, partner and chief financial officer of Sietsema Farms in Allendale, Mich., told the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry that the current run up in feed prices is due to short corn supply caused by the federal ethanol mandate and has created significant uncertainty on the turkey industry. Feed accounts for 70 percent of the cost of raising a turkey, and corn is 70 percent of the feed ration. Corn and other feed prices have risen to new levels, corn going from $4 per bushel to more than $7 in barely a year.
Sietsema Farms is a member of Michigan Turkey Producers Coop. and raises a quarter of the 4.6 million turkeys produced and marketed both domestically and internationally by the co-op. “The turkey industry is looking for reform of the existing ethanol policy, a safety net that ensures corn prices and availability will be less volatile in the future,” Sietsema said. Sietsema also told committee members that another challenge facing the industry is USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed marketing rule. The competitive injury provision in the proposed rule will make it easier to sue or bring regulatory action against livestock and poultry processors. Also of concern is the provision that requires processors to virtually guarantee growers they can recoup 80 percent of their capital investments. Sietsema went on to explain that studies have found that the proposed rule would have negative impact of more than $360 million annually in the turkey industry.

View complete article here:
http://www.eatturkey.com/news/news_detail.cgi/275/5

April 5, 2011

Sietsema Farms Chosen To Be The Demo Sight For SmartFarm Systems

Recently Sietsema Farms has been equipped with cutting edge farm site technology. SmartFarm Systems has installed their feed bin level monitoring system to help track on-site inventory and daily use of feed and grain. Since the equipment has been installed, our farm and feed mill managers have the ability to use the SmartFarm web portal to view inventory levels for their farm sites from any location at any time. This tool enabled us to more cost-effectively schedule feed orders and deliveries. SmartFarm Systems bulk level management system has been very accurate and reliable from day one. Sietsema Farms plans to expand the use of this new technology and would recommend it to any other farming organization.

January 20, 2011

Sietsema Farms Featured In Michigan Farm Bureau Video

We at Sietsema Farms are very proud that Michigan Farm Bureau has chosen to feature our farming operations in their latest video. We feel it is a great opportunity to help promote the farming industry and raise awareness of farming practices to consumers.

See more Farm Bureau videos here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MichiganFarmBureau

October 23, 2009

Alternative energy facility opens to accolades in Howard City

Sietsema Farm Feeds was the site of a commissioning ceremony as Heat Transfer International (HTI) of Kentwood and The Right Place Inc. of Grand Rapids partnered with Sietsema to officially open a $3 million facility to convert turkey waste into steam and electric energy for feed production. The operation is housed on a 40-acre site at 19117 Lake Montcalm Road next to the Sietsema grain elevator just south of Howard City. The biomass system will utilize 1.5 million turkeys to convert 70,000 pounds of turkey litter into 12,000 kilowatts of electricity and 206,400 pounds of steam each day. The system is housed in a new 15,000-square-foot building with room to grow. Sietsema said the operation is expected to "drastically" reduce the plant's energy expenses, which currently average more than $500,000 annually. U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development State Director Jim Turner declared the facility to be "state-of-the-art." "This is one of the most innovative projects you'll see," he said. "This is a great day." HTI President Dave Prouty said 10 to 12 businesses are "sitting on the fence" with similar projects as they wait and see how Sietsema fares. The audience erupted into applause as Prouty called for bank loans and improved financing to support these projects. "The technology you see here has the potential to change the way we do business in Michigan," Prouty said. "We are the technology leaders. We are here today because Harley Sietsema took a risk. What HTI has built is standing on the shoulders of giant men. We really are leading the world at this point."

View complete article here:
http://www.thedailynews.cc/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=30891

Harley Sietsema unveils his project — a biomass facility to convert turkey waste into steam and electric energy for feed production — to a crowd of hundreds Friday in Howard City.