SUMMER INTERNS: Payton Schaneman

The time I have had with Aurora Cooperative has been a very rewarding experience so far. I have been learning what the cooperative has to offer in the ag industry. I have been interning with the animal nutrition division and the energy division. I am primarily located in Grand Island, but I travel all over the state with salespeople, talking to customers about the variety of products we have to offer.

In the animal nutrition division, I have talked to producers about our feed mill and how we are able to make different types of rations for a variety of species. We cater small orders for 4-H and FFA show animals to large ton orders for feedlots. The whole sales department took a trip to Belle Fourche, South Dakota and toured the SmartLic Mineral tub plant. We talked with the New Generation people about the preparation of the molasses and dry ingredients mixing to create the lick tub. There was discussion of the sales we were seeing with the tubs and how they could improve themselves to help our needs. The sales department also toured Ward Laboratories in Kearney, Nebraska where they receive soil and hay samples to test nutrients and chemicals in the samples themselves. They receive soil from all over the world to test to identify the chemical makeup. In the animal nutrition division we try the best we can to help the producer with there needs whether it be delivering the feed to them or getting them supplies for their farm.

I have also had the opportunity to spend some time with the energy division. There are so many products Aurora Cooperative offers that I didn’t even know they dealt with. There is fuel, tires and liquid propane as examples of what we provide to farmers all across the state. They are the leading E15 supporters and sell it at their signature A-Stops. The energy salesmen always give the best customer service possible by filling orders for customers in a timely matter so the customer is never out of fuel.

I have learned about the importance of relationships and how customer service is key to building these relationships with producers, farmers and people of agriculture. I have built some amazing relationships within the company itself while also meeting some of the neatest producers this state has to offer.