90 Years of Adapting with the Ag Industry

By: John Yoder | VP of Manure Equipment

I grew up on a farm near Stutsmans. In 1980, I was 18 years old and looking for a job. Seeing the big applicators Stutsmans had, I knew I wanted to run big equipment. On my first day, after Ron Stutsman hired me, I gave a few details about myself to Larry Culver in the office and went down to the shop to start working. My first task was sweeping the welding rods out of a new nitrogen tank. A lot of various tasks followed in my early years: torching steel, cutting and loading scrap, running application equipment and building grain bins. Wherever we were needed, that’s what we did. One day I might be driving a straight truck and picking up a few cows to put on the semi, the next I would be helping repair fertilizer spreaders to sell. Salvaging and fixing up equipment was something we did a lot in the ’80s; it was one of the ways we were able to get through those tough times.

I have always been someone who wants to stay busy; that’s how I ended up in the manure equipment division. Even though Stutsmans had been selling hog feed and Star Big Butch feeders already, we entered the hog industry in a new way in the early ’70s when we sold our first Better-Bilt manure spreader. Merlin Geuder would go on to spearhead the new division, but as the division grew, he needed more help. Recognizing this, I began helping Merlin during the off-season when I wasn’t running a dry fertilizer truck or sprayer. I eventually went from serving in a mechanic role for the manure division to sales and now VP.

The manure industry has changed a lot during my time at Stutsmans. Companies that were big when I started are no longer in business or have shrunk in size. I’ve also seen a lot of people and dealerships come and go. We’ve been fortunate to remain in the manure equipment business. Equipment has also evolved from the very first 800-gallon manure spreader we sold to the 16,000-gallon Nuhn Quad-Trains of today. The introduction of dragline systems around the ’90s changed the game for many, especially as hog building size started to increase. The ’90s also brought improved technology and a desire to control manure flow. We have most likely not seen the last of industry changes as advancements like manure processing and gas harvesting have emerged. I think that after my time in the industry ends, we’re going to look at it and say, “Wow, this is very different.” While it might look different, we’ll still be raising livestock and providing quality food.

At the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, the quality of the people, both coworkers and customers, has been the highlight of my time at Stutsmans. I am extremely proud of our people. What we sell will continue to change and evolve. However, I think how we sell it will remain the same. As long as we continue to use Eldon’s philosophy – taking care of the little things and taking care of our customers – we will continue to reach more milestones.

We appreciate you very much, and we will continue to appreciate you. Thank you for your business and your support.