Zane Sloan: A Word from a Summer Intern

By Zane Sloan, MKC intern

I grew up on a family farm in northwest Kansas and agriculture has always played a major role in my life. Our farm is located between Sharon Springs and Weskan, and consists of irrigated and dry land acres for crop production and pasture for cattle grazing. In the fall, I will resume classes at Kansas State University. I anticipate graduating in May 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business with a minor in agronomy.

I am considered a general agriculture intern for MKC and have spent most of my summer working at the Lindsborg location. I’ve had a variety of experiences working with both agronomy and grain departments. With the exceptionally wet conditions this spring, I hit the ground running when I arrived in Lindsborg. A few activities I assisted with were loading feed, mineral, chemical and fertilizer orders, and treating soybean seed with insecticide and fungicide.

I am no exception to those who grew up on a family farm when answering the question, “What is your favorite time during the summer?” My answer is always wheat harvest. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to see a different view of harvest this year while working at the Falun seasonal location. It took some adjustment from working in the fields during harvest to being at the elevator. I enjoyed learning about the similarities and differences between my farming background and the producers’ operations in this area.

My project for this summer is updating the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all products used or sold by MKC. With the guidance of Shane Eck, my mentor and Lindsborg location manager, I am excited to use the knowledge I’ve obtained from my internship. I have enjoyed being able work with and learn from Shane and other MKC employees this summer. 

Shadowing employees from MKC and TMA has helped me develop a wealth of knowledge. It has provided me with many opportunities and network connections that are unparalleled. I am excited for what the rest of the summer holds and helping out in any way possible.

Sincerely,
Zane Sloan