Growing a Better Connection

With changing weather patterns and market fluctuations, farmers are used to a bit of unpredictability in their day. But when Raguse Farms couldn’t count on their internet connection, they knew something had to change.  

“I would get here in the mornings and have no idea whether the internet would work that day or not,” explained Trisha Reinke, the office manager at Raguse Farms. “We depend on the internet for almost everything, from our security cameras to payroll to even getting gas out of our fuel site. Struggling with an unreliable connection was frustrating to say the least.” 

Raguse Farms is a family-owned business in its fourth generation. It now has around 20 employees working on land in 13 counties across North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. With this many moving parts, any slowdown in communication can put a huge wrench in the whole operation. 

“We plant soybeans, corn, beets on 10,000 acres. We have, on average, 800 feeder cattle going in and out of here,” said Reinke. “That’s a lot to keep track of, and we can’t have our employees stop what they’re doing because the internet is out.” 

A New Opportunity Came Knocking 

Then one day, Midco arrived on the scene. Rick Kroll, Logistics Operations Manager at Midco, was looking for the perfect place to install Midco fixed wireless equipment in the area, and the grain elevators at Raguse Farms fit the bill perfectly. This technology aids in delivering Midco Business Wireless Internet, which could be the right solution to their internet issues. 

“It can be hard to find a solid connection in rural areas,” explained Kroll. “The infrastructure might not be there to reach where you live or work, leaving you to rely on satellite internet, which can be temperamental.” 

Fixed wireless technology uses microwave signals and antennas, but unlike satellite internet, these antennas aren’t pointed at the sky. Midco uses point-to-point signals, so the antenna placed at your business points to equipment plugged into the Midco Fiber Network installed at a nearby water tower or grain elevator. 

“This gives businesses a more reliable service,” stated Kroll. “They don’t have to worry about weather interference the same way you do with a satellite connection, meaning they can keep things running without extended downtime.” 

The promise of less lag and a more consistent connection is what sealed the deal for Reinke and the team at Raguse Farms.  

“Getting everything set up was a process, but now we’ve had no real issues since switching to Midco,” said Reinke. “Our cameras are working, we can manage the technology in our grain bins, and everyone can clock in and out on time.” 

A Partner You Can Rely On 

Another improvement Reinke found when moving to Midco was the upgrade in customer service.  

“Before, when we had an issue, the customer service was non-existent,” recalled Reinke. “One time, [our previous provider] said they would send a tech out to look at a problem, and it took over a month for someone to show up. They had terrible communication. Now, we don’t really need to reach out to anyone because we’ve had no issues. I think I called in once as there was a mistake on our bill, and it was taken care of immediately – a night and day difference.”