CHS, Aurora Cooperative Complete Fertilizer Storage, Grain Shuttle Loading Facility

CHS Inc., the nation’s leading cooperative and ranked No. 5 on the CropLife 100, and Aurora Cooperative (ranked No. 21) have completed a 1.25 million bushel grain shuttle loading and fertilizer storage facility constructed through a unique CHS capital investment program.

The two cooperatives marked the completion of the Superior East, LLC, facility during an event at the south-central Nebraska facility on April 2.

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“This was an opportunity to work with a strong and successful member cooperative to create an asset with significant and long-lasting benefit in connecting this region’s farmers with the global marketplace,” said Lynden Johnson, CHS Executive Vice President, Country Operations. “In addition, this project demonstrates the ability of member cooperatives can chose how CHS can help them succeed in their marketplace today and tomorrow.”

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Superior East was formed using the CHS Partnered Equity Program which enabled Aurora Cooperative, as a CHS member-owner, to use a portion of its CHS equity as capital to fund a major project. Cooperatives participating in the program use a portion of their CHS equity as a contribution to a venture with CHS focused on helping their cooperative grow. Eligible projects include shuttle loaders, fertilizer hub plants, energy assets and other growth opportunities. The facility will be operated as a 50-50 joint venture with a governing board of Aurora Cooperative and CHS representatives. Aurora Cooperative will operate the complex.

“This project is core to our strategic plan and, with CHS as an equal partner, we were able to construct, finance and operate the facility,” said George Hohwieler, Aurora Cooperative president and chief executive officer. “We recognized many years ago that our existing grain elevator complex would not meet our future farmers’ demands of a high-speed, high-expectation operation.”

Superior East, LLC has a storage capacity of 1.25 million bushels and includes a 120-railcar capacity circle track on the BNSF line, enabling the facility to move corn, soybeans and hard red winter wheat to markets west and south, including Mexico. The location also includes a grain ground piling system, as well as 10,000 tons of liquid fertilizer storage. The site includes ample room to expand both grain and fertilizer capacity.

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