NEMO Feed – A Passion for Serving Others.

 By Maura Keller.

When you find your passion and the industry in which you thrive, you do what it takes to succeed in that business segment. For Alvin Burkholder, owner of NEMO Feed, the motivation and vision for establishing NEMO Feed originally emerged from a strong desire to survive in the hog business. When Burkholder first decided to establish his company, it was during the winter of 1998 and 1999, and he, along with his wife and two daughters, were operating a farrow to finish operation along with a small cattle feedlot.

“Hog prices were low at that time, around $15.00 cwt and I was motivated to try and make my own base mixes,” Burkholder explained. “So, I reached out to surrounding states for nutrient requirements for swine.” With the help of educational institutions – namely, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Missouri State Universities, Burkholder compiled enough information to formulate a group of rations for his hog operation.

Within a short period of time, Burkholder began receiving requests by other area hog farmers to assist in manufacturing base mixes for their farms. As Burkholder explains, this is when the vision for NEMO Feed really took hold.

“I setup NEMO Feed LLC and formed a partnership with my brothers Lewis and Leonard. Leonard later sold his share to his oldest son, Quentin, who remains to this day as partner with Lewis and me,” Burkholder says. “We have recently taken on two more partners into the company, Lee Good and Russell Weiler, forming a very strong partnership and tight bond between business partners.”

In addition to his desire to secure his own success in the hog business, while also helping other hog farmers, Burkholder stresses that God also played a key role in motivated both Burkholder and his wife to begin NEMO Feed.

“God has continued to motivate my partners and I to serve the community to the best of our ability. I believe God gave me the vision to start this and grow this business with our family partners and now with employee managers who have chosen to make this their careers,” Burkholder says.

Setting Themselves Apart
For more than 23 years, NEMO Feed has flourished thanks to a successful combination of determination, God’s grace, and a strong team working diligently for the betterment of the industry.

“We service all farms no matter the size. Whether you are a homesteader just trying to live off the land or a commercial feedlot operation, we are dedicated to serving you with an excellent product every time,”

Burkholder says. “We are always looking for new ideas and ingredients to better serve our customers and we pride ourselves on always looking forward to finding new ways to evolve with the industry and continue meeting customer needs.”

One of the key attributes that has helped NEMO Feed stand out from the proverbial crowd is the company’s ability to serve and meet customer requests – from specialty diets, such as no corn or no soy, to being a non-GMO and organic feed manufacturer. As Burkholder explains, NEMO Feed uses different nutritionists for each species and they depend on their nutrition expertise to manufacture the highest quality products such as pellets, cubes, etc. for every species.

“At NEMO Feed, we truly strive to not only meet customer expectations but also to be the first company our industry thinks of when they think of who they want to do business with,” Burkholder says.
NEMO Feed also boasts a “serving spirit” that truly helps the company stand out from the proverbial crowd.

“Having strong relationships with our customers is what has really helped us build and grow. Without great customers and even better employees it is tough to grow,” Burkholder says. “Plus, we have a dedicated line of dealers that also help us grow. It is a team effort.”

And this concerted effort has paid off. NEMO Feed has grown to sell over 80,000 tons annually and of the 80,000 tons, 460,000 50-lb bags annually with two mixer lines, a dedicated two ton mineral and a three ton complete feed mixer, and a 200 horse power pellet mill. Just recently we installed two six-bin drug micro loss in weight systems – one for each mixer line, making all drugs adding far more accurate than doing it by hand. They are currently in the process of installing an automated bagging and palletizing line, hopefully to be completed by early summer 2023.

“Once our customer receives their order, we continue to serve them through to finish. We are working not only in Missouri but also Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas and continuing to look for new places to serve,” Burkholder says.

Differentiating Products
Today, NEMO Feed’s Cattle Ammo Feed Program is popular amongst the company’s customer base. Specifically, Ranger Minerals utilizes the most recent research available to keep beef herds healthy and productive. In addition, Precision Beef is a state-of-the-art feed with a proprietary limiter that works well when self-feeders are used and a controlled/limited intake is desired. And Degree Dairy Feed supports all stages of life, from calves to heifers to milk cows. Only highly digestible ingredients are used and are properly balanced to match the specific needs of each herd. By using Degree Dairy products, you will receive free on-farm consultations from nutrition specialists on a regular basis.

For hog farms, Superior Swine Feed utilizes the latest research developments with a focus on lifetime performance of the animal. NEMO Feed can customize a feeding program that allows producers to utilize ingredients specific to their operation.

Family Coop Chicken Feed is available for starter, grower, developer, finisher, and layer feeds. Only highly digestible ingredients are used and are properly balanced to match the specific needs of a poultry flock. NEMO Feed also offers management consultation, feeding programs, and a full range of feeds for broilers, turkeys, ducks, and game birds.

For horses, NEMO Feed offers three types of Ultimate Care Horse Feed, as well as a supplement, and a mineral. And to match the specific needs of each goat herd, NEMO Feed offers Prestige Goat Feed, which uses only highly digestible ingredients that are properly balanced for each herd.

Finally, Elite Sheep Feed gives flock the best nutrition possible. NEMO Feed has feed designed to help replacement ewe, lambs, and rams excel, as well as to feed each breeding herd..

When determining the proper type of feed for each farm, NEMO Feed strives to create a genuine connection with each farm, by listening to their needs and introducing them to the right product for their herd.

“From there, it is all about staying true to our values and continuing to serve them as best as we can. We have consulting nutritionists to provide on-farm services to our customers. We formulate rations for your specific production scenario and specialize in by-product utilization,” Burkholder says. “Mixing, mineral manufacturing, formulating, pelleting, and toll milling are all services we offer.”

To further enhance their product and service offerings, NEMO Feed is currently building for more milling capacity, so that the company can expand its reach and help more customers.

“All glory to God for our success. Also, thanks to our serving spirit – may we never lose it! Our loyal customers are also to thank for our thriving business,” Burkholder says. “We are blessed to have connected with determined partners and devoted employees who help us keep the wheels turning day after day.”