Two cooperatives, one from Kansas and one from Oklahoma, are teaming up to build a better grower solution for their members.
In June of 2022, members of Farmers Cooperative of Carmen, OK voted to merge with Great Bend Co-op (KS) beginning Oct. 1, 2022. With the merger will come a new name and new logo, as they will operate under the name American Plains Co-op.
The combined business will operate 16 grain locations across South Central Kansas and North Central Oklahoma. Agronomy, Seed, Bulk Fuel, Feedmill - with bulk and bagged feed, Precision Ag, and Retail make up the remainder of the business. The merger will boast a combined employee team of 165 and growing.
“Our members came together to collectively decide what the future of their organization would look like," said Farmers Co-op General Manager Lakin Dreiling. "Focusing on longevity and the services that they wanted to have available, they made the decision to merge with another financially strong cooperative. This merger will help preserve the local co-op model for future generations.”
Both companies have always focused on strong grower relationships, putting the grower needs first and foremost. American Plains Co-op plans to continue that grower focus and look at creating efficiencies in operations and purchasing.
“This merger brings tremendous value to our patrons in the short and long term," said Chris Wagner, Great Bend Co-op Chief Executive Officer. "The perceived issues in a merger like this are exactly the elements that make it ideal. The geographical range will create opportunities in grain marketing, asset utilization, and more.”
American Plains Co-op will be headquartered in Great Bend, Kansas. The board of directors will be organized in a manner that ensures fair representation from all areas of the cooperative.