Olson leaves for turkey association

Steve Olson has left his position as AURI’s field office manager in Marshall to become executive director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council. He will also act as chief operating officer for the Broiler and Egg Association of Minnesota and the Midwest Poultry Federation.

“I’ve had fun at AURI, working with a variety of clients. Some things seem off the wall, others are more established,” but it has all been gratifying, Olson says of his three plus years with the institute. “The staff is committed to what AURI is doing.”

Olson has been involved in agriculture all his life. Growing up in Moorhead, he was active in 4H and the Future Farmers of America, and his father was a high school ag teacher. He received a bachelor’s degree in ag economics and education from the University of Minnesota and is working toward a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas. Prior to AURI, Olson worked at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and staffed the Feedlot and Manure Management Advisory Task Force.

“I like the variety agriculture deals with — research, science, marketing and developing new products — finding new ways to use things.”

Olson says the turkey association is unique because the Board of Directors includes both company representatives and producers. His main emphasis there will be on research, legislative issues and international marketing.

Movin’ on up

Redwood Falls, Minn. — Begun in a basement, Jill Anderson’s home-poured business is moving up. Last June, her Redwood Candle Company, formerly Country Candle Company, moved into a 2,000 square foot facility in Redwood Falls.

“I have my life back,” laughs Anderson. “I now have 10 people doing the work I used to have to do myself.”

Redwood Candle Company produces zero-soot, soy-based candles in 60 year-round fragrances, adding another 10 scents for the holidays. It also makes soy-based bath and body products including lotion and lip balm. Anderson says her company will use about 40 tons of soy oil by the end of this year and may consume twice that amount next year.

“Production has scaled up immensely,” Anderson says. “With the new facility, we can keep up with orders better — it’s a good thing for us.”

July through December is the busiest time of year as orders come in for the holiday season. But Anderson says they’re not just trying to keep up, they’re actively moving to larger markets. With the help of a marketer found through AURI, Redwood Candle Company is expanding its scope nationwide.

For more information, contact Redwood Candle Company at (507) 644-2200 or log on to www.redwoodcandle.com.

Taking control of profits

Crookston, Minn. — Curt Petrich refuses to let history repeat itself. During the mid-1990s, Petrich was one of many producers who struggled due to low commodity prices.

“I was getting beat up in the conventional market,” Petrich says.“I started producing organically because I was losing money.”

Petrich now farms about 1,700 acres near Crookston, mostly organically. But with organic farming experiencing stiffer competition these days, Petrich says taking control of production should help him avoid a repeat of the ’90s. He and several others have formed a partnership to produce conventional and organic food products for domestic and foreign markets. The company, called Earthwise Foods, distributes roasted soy nuts in retail packs, and they ship ingredients in bulk to both coasts.

“We could see that organic products were becoming more accepted and if we didn’t take some value-added charge over what we produced, we would end up in the same situation we had with conventional crops,” Petrich says. “We could either vertically integrate and participate,or we could watch someone else take control of where the profits are made.”

Earthwise Foods’ soy nuts are sold in 2- and 6-ounce packages in four flavors: barbecue, roasted, roasted/salted and honey roasted. The market appears focused on the coasts, but Europe also holds some potential.

While there’s a huge learning curve for the producers, Petrich hopes Earthwise will have $2 million in sales by its second year.

“AURI has been very helpful for us,” Petrich adds. “There are areas that would have been difficult without the help of AURI. It’s good such a program is in place.”