History

Early history of the Farmers Co-op Grain Assn., Conway Springs, Kansas shows that during late summer and early fall of 1953 local farmers began earnest discussions about forming a grain and supply "cooperative".

During the fall and winter of 1953 interest heightened with several meetings of local farmers being held, inviting other Co-operative representatives asking of their experiences and offering input for the formation of the local "co-operative" with ideas to help with fund raising to provide capital to build the grain elevator.

On December 28, 1953 the subscription committee met and reported that 160 shares of common stock at $200 each were purchased totaling $32,000 along with $50,350 of Certificate of Indebtedness funds of the intended $100,000 needed.  The projected cost of the elevator, office and scale was $202,000 of which 50% would be financed by the Wichita Bank for Co-operatives.

While continuing with an intense fund raising drive a charter was applied for and was granted April 14, 1953.  At a late May meeting it was reported that the funding was only $15,000 short of the goal.  Then it was decided to review bids from three contractors and after acceptance, construction began in early September, 1954.

The office warehouse was open for business at the end of December, 1954 and the first load of grain was dumped in the elevator on January 12, 1955.

From that date forward, 76,332 bushels of Wheat was delivered thru the first 2 1/2 months of operations ending March 31, 1955.  The shortened fiscal year showed a small loss of $5,670, the only loss to ever occur during the history of operations.

Grain volume grew for the new Co-operative and as early as 1958 construction began on a storage annex of 400,000 bushels.  Since then storage facilities were added in 1974, 1978 and in 1984.  In 1993 the branch location at Belle Plaine was purchased, and in 2004 the west facility at Conway Springs was purchased from Lange Company, making the total storage capacity over five million bushels.

Through the years other facilities were added such as the feed mill, refined fuels, and propane, fertilizer and custom application to provide input products and services for the membership.

From the beginning the Co-operative met it challenges and "hats off" to those early stockholders who 50+ years ago sacrificed their time, effort, and invested in the future unselfishly.  If it wasn't for the co-operative pioneers of years past, today this history wouldn't be written.