John Stopper Email and Phone Number

. Responsible for management of an agricultural cooperative with $25+ million in sales of grain, fertilizer, fuels, and merchandise. The Cooperative handles about 4.2 million bushels of grain, primarily wheat, at six locations and 11,000 tons of liquid and dry fertilizer yearly. The staff is composed of 18 full time employees. Profitability was maintained since my arrival with patronage and allocated credits paid yearly.

Held dual responsibilities as Feed Manager and Grain Operations Manager. Responsible for purchasing and sales, operations, production, and financial management of the 25,000 tons per year feed mill. The mill produced pelleted and meal supplements and complete feeds for local livestock producers and remained profitable since 1996. A large proportion of the tonnage produced was for area swine integrators under toll contracts and specialty supplements for commercial feedlots and dairies. As grain operations manager was responsible for grain quality control, storage, and conditioning at facilities that include flat, steel, concrete, and outside storage structures and grain driers. Grain capacity was 10.8 million bushels at seven locations which handled wheat, corn, milo, soybeans, and sunflowers.

Responsible for all administration, financial, and production duties, expansion, and diversification of cattle and crop operations. The farm had 4227 acres, of which 1200 acres were pasture, 700 acres in row crops, 500 in hay, and about 1800 in woods and other use. The feedlot was doubled in capacity and occupancy due to a larger calf crop and by attracting customers opting to retain ownership until slaughter. The cowherd was increased 250 head through production of females raised from within the herd. Crop yields increased so that the farm fed all cattle, cows and finish cattle, and were able to sell cash grain. A vineyard of seven acres was established and was to begin sales in 1996. A negative cash flow was reversed and inventory increased yearly.

Responsible for nutrition and management services to private feedlots, feed sales on a bid basis to area commercial feedlots, and production presentations at feeder meetings for member cooperatives. From 1981 to 1983 was a Livestock Production Specialist for six counties in Southwest Kansas responsible for direct sales of feed and animal health products to beef, dairy, and swine producers, nutrition and management services, and work with personnel of four cooperative feed mills. Complete production programs for producers were developed, prepared, and implemented while employed in both positions.

Taught Agricultural Science and Animal Husbandry courses in the Agricultural Industries Department. Major courses included Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, Dairy and Livestock Industry, Meat Cutting and Processing, Agricultural Zoology, and Laboratory Animal Management.

Major responsibilities were nutrition service, feed and animal health product sales and services to area beef, dairy, and swine producers, and promotion and advertising for livestock programs and products. Also involved in sales and installation of buildings, grain storage, and feed handling equipment and facilities.

Was a working farm manager of a farm/feedlot operation with 650 crop acres and 600 head feedlot capacity in two facilities. Crops included corn, alfalfa, and milo. The feedlot purchased approximately 800 head per year of 500 to 600 pound feeder cattle and fed them to finish.