Two Iowa-based FS co-ops have announced a merger into a new company.
In a press release this week, GROWMARK FS in Hartley and STAR Energy FS in Manson revealed they are merging into one. The new company will be named GROWMARK FS, and will offer its farmer customers with a full line of agronomy, energy, and grain marketing needs.
The new company will be headquartered in Manson with STAR Energy FS General Manager Jeff Manthei serving as the GM. Current GROWMARK FS General Manager Tim Berkland will continue as the agronomy department manager of the new organization.
Manthei expressed his excitement about the merger in an interview with the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network Thursday afternoon.
?We are excited about the opportunities (the merger) gives both companies,? Manthei said. ?We?re both GROWMARK companies and we?re going to come together. STAR Energy FS was strictly energy and GROWMARK FS Midwest was all agronomy. Now, we?re just going to come together and have a full line product offering for our customers from energy, crop nutrients, fertilizer, grain marketing, precision farming, added service, and better options for our customers.?
Manthei says the merger means the new GROWMARK FS will have more than 90 full-time employees and the addition of some part-time employees. The new company will be serving approximately 7,000 customers total between energy and agronomy.
?Our goals going forward is to just be more efficient in our service to our customers,? Manthei said. ?We?ll make it easier for our customers to do business with us and we?ll partner up with them to serve all of their agronomy and energy needs.?
The merger is effective September 1st of this year. GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives. More information is available at growmark.com. Manthei’s full interview can be found below.
