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History

Central Prairie Co-op: How We Came to Be

1911 – The Cooperative began functioning as Closed Stock Organization. It functioned as this until 1950 (Nickerson)

1938 – There were only 4 people on the payroll in the Closed Stock Organization

1950 – The first concrete elevator of 150,000 bushel was built in the Closed Stock Organization

1951 – The first meal was served at the stockholder meeting for The Farmers Coop Elevator

1954 – Building of 200,000 bushel annex for grain storage at Nickerson

1957 – Building of 200,000 bushel flat storage facility for grain storage at Nickerson

1967 – Building of modern dry fertilizer plant at Nickerson

1972 – Built office building at Nickerson

1973 – Purchase of Reno Consumers Cooperative Company at 70% of asset value

1975 – Farmers Cooperative Union purchased Lyons Cooperative Association (February 20)

1975 – Farmers Cooperative Union purchased the Rickard Elevator facilities at Pollard for $75,000 (May 12)

1976 – 5.74 acres was purchased between Sterling & Lyons for the building of Sterling Crop Production & Fuel (November 13)

1977 – Elevator B at Nickerson was built

1979 – Farmers Cooperative Union purchased the Saxman facilities from Buhler Mills for $110,000 (June 16)

1981 – Purchase of Nickerson Fertilizer Plant at Adams Corner

1985 – Purchase of Ramsey Gas and Diesel business

1987 – Construction on a 260,000 bushel McPherson grain silo at Nickerson began

1988 – Farmers Cooperative Union purchased Bushton Grain & Supply Company, Frederick & Chase (December 8)

Farmers Coop Union

1989 – Partridge Coop and The Farmers Coop Elevator of Nickerson merged

1990 – Expansions to the Feed Mill at Hutchinson was made for a roller mill and more bin storage

1991 – Farmers Cooperative Union purchased Claflin (April 2)

1992 – The Whiteside Coop and The Farmers Coop Elevator in Nickerson merged

1996 – A new building was constructed at Adams Corner, making it the hub of the agronomy department

Nickerson 1996

2000 – Agtrax was introduced into The Farmers Coop Elevator business structure

2000 – Team Marketing LLC was formed and The Farmers Coop Elevator was one of the four original marketing groups

2001 – Farmers Cooperative Union merged with Lorraine & Geneseo (April 20)

2004 – Two acres were purchased on the north side of Adams Corner for a bulk fuel plant

2007 – The Farmers Coop Elevator upgraded the fuel storage tanks and blender pumps making them the first retailers in Reno County o offer flex fuels such as E85

2009 – The Farmers Coop Elevator purchased Griffin Seed House in Nickerson

2010 – The Farmers Coop Elevator purchased 12 city lots in Nickerson for future expansion

2011 – 1.5 acres were bought on the west side of Adams Corner for further expansion

2011 – Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company celebrated 100 years

2014 – The Farmers Coop Elevator (Nickerson) & The Farmers Cooperative Union (Sterling) merged to become Central Prairie Co-op (March 1)

2014 – Central Prairie Co-op Main Office in Sterling was renovated with new offices (March-July)

2014 – The Sterling Hub set new seed bins (December)

2014-2015 – Grain Bin was built in Chase (October – May)

2015 – Office remodel took place at the Bushton Crop Production (May)

2015 – The addition to the Bushton Dry Fertilizer Shed was built (August)

2016 – A new grain probe was installed at the Claflin office (April)

2016 – The new Dry Fertilizer Shed was built at the Sterling Hub (May – August)

2016 – Alden had a shop built (May)

2016 – Office remodel took place in Lorraine (July)

2017 – A grain probe was installed at the Sterling scale (February) 

2017 – Adams Corner received an office remodel (February)

2017 – Purchased Fry Oil in Little River (July)

2017 – Built new NH3 Plant at Sterling Hub (October)

2017 – Saxman received a new scale (November)

2018 – Updated fuel pumps & canopy at the Sterling Station (January)

2018 – Alden received a new grain probe (February)

2018 – A new Pit was build & the Leg was repaired at Lorraine (May)

2018 – Purchased Kruse Fertilizer (August)

2018 – New McPherson Tanks were built at Partridge (November)

2018-2019 – Built new NH3 Plant at Adams Corner (December – April)

2019 – Replaced old phone system with IP Phone System in all CPC offices (April)