South Dakota Grain Companies Announce Merger Plans

Two South Dakota cooperatives, North Central Farmers Elevator and Wheat Growers have announced plans for the merging of the two companies into a new cooperative. Ipswich, South Dakota-based North Central Farmers Elevator is a farmer-owned co-op with more than 2,500 producer-members that delivers products and services in areas of grain, agronomy, feed and energy. Aberdeen, South Dakota-based Wheat Growers is a grain and agronomy cooperative with 5,400 active producer-members in the eastern Dakotas, and contrary to its name, its member now grow more soybeans and corn than they do wheat.

The Boards of Directors of both companies have already given unanimous approval to a letter of intent to merge, however, the merger is subject to a vote by the full memberships of each cooperative. Several local member informational meetings have been planned by the two companies, and a vote on the proposed move is scheduled for June.

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