Nicole Kerber, Illinois State University

​            Hello, my name is Nicole Kerber. I am currently a junior at Illinois State University majoring in agribusiness. I am originally from Manlius, Illinois where I grew up around 4-H and FFA. I was blessed to receive the Illinois Grain and Feed Scholarship this year. This scholarship is very resourceful for college students not only for financial help but also networking through the Industry Immersion Tour.
            I spent my fall workdays at River Valley Cooperative on the Illinois side. My first day, I shadowed Ryan Kerber the Grain Operations Manager where he took me to various grain elevators to check the status of grain being hauled out. All elevators were working to core out their bins and hoops. This process started in Princeville, IL where they took in 3.5 million bushels of corn. The market then dictates the amount that is able to be hauled out. Soybeans typically are hauled prior to corn at about 3-4 million bushels but due to tariffs only about half a million have been moved. Ryan communicates between the grain merchandisers and operators making sure the correct number of bushels are being moved at the appropriate time to settle contracts. During the drive to different locations, I got to understand how harvest was down about 20% due to disease pressure in corn along with coming off a record year.
            The second day, I shadowed Michelle Cooney a Grain Originator for River Valley at the Manlius, IL office. During harvest, she keeps a close eye on the market and contacts farmers when the market rallies. When scale tickets come in from terminals and River Valley locations, she checks which trucks are running and moisture content on the grain. If a ticket is incorrect, it is her job to go in to correct it and apply it to appropriate contracts. After harvest, she runs various reports about revenue for farmers for their upcoming tax appointments. Prospect work is also very important to her job title. She contacts local farmers that have showed interest with the company and works to show them why their services are superior. Her goal is to gain more customers, bushels, and contracts. Another important part of her job is getting the ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) papers signed by her customers. The ISCC is an independent, globally applicable certification system that supports sustainable, traceable and deforestation free supply chains.
            Overall, these workdays have significantly boosted my knowledge on the grain world, and I feel extremely blessed to have had the opportunity. I’d like to thank River Valley Cooperation for having me and giving me new insights within the agricultural system. Also, Illinois Grain and Feed Association for supplying me networking prospects.