Steve Berning, owner of Galusha Farms in Warrenville, Illinois, has been a loyal customer to Midwestern BioAg for over 15 years. Berning cites flexibility, attention to detail, and timeliness as some of the reasons he chooses to work with MBA. “It is custom-tailored to what we need,” said Berning.
Berning has grown hay all his life. The oldest of seven children, he grew up on a dairy farm in the hills of Galena in northwest Illinois, milking cows, raising hogs, and growing hay. Now, on his thousand-acre farm, Berning grows mostly hay. In addition to alfalfa, mixed hay, and grass hay, he grows corn and beans. “I’ve been a farmer my entire life,” said Berning. “My goal is to be the most efficient, low-cost, dry hay producer in Northern Illinois.”
To reach his yield goal of 5-7 tons per acre per year, Berning uses Bio-Cal for hay. “I really like Bio-Cal,” said Berning, “It’s a great product to get calcium into the soil to get quick, soft hay.” Steve Lundeen, Berning’s sales consultant, talks with Berning on the phone 3-4 times a day. “Steve gives me a lot of helpful agronomic advice, said Berning, “He is always thinking, always doing, and not pushing. Always open-minded.”
Another thing Berning referred to about MBA is how fast they work. Berning recalled a story about a friend of his, a sizable hay farmer in his area. He suggested they connect with Midwestern BioAg and the next day they were introduced. Two days later, MBA delivered fertilizer to his field.
“MBA works quick and always has the ability to answer hard questions,” said Berning.
Farming is special and Midwestern BioAg appreciates people like Steve Berning who understand its value. “Making something is pretty cool,” said Berning, “turning the tractor around and seeing what you’ve made is special.”
