Iowa-Based Five Star Cooperative Makes Multi-Million Dollar Investment in New Agronomy Complex
August 1, 2023 Five Star Cooperative, a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative spanning across 14 counties that provides agronomy, feed, grain, energy, and retail products and services to their members and customers, has announced the construction of a modern agronomy complex at the Burchinal, IA, location. This is the single largest agronomy facility investment in Five Star’s 130-plus year history and is a clear commitment to the community they serve. The new facility will utilize a full agronomy team including an Operations Manager, fulltime agronomist, and operations team members for the Burchinal location.
The project will utilize 1,900 yards of ready mix, over 230,000 pounds of rebar, and 1,351 sheets of plywood for the dry fertilizer plant. The 10-acre expansion includes a 3,929-ton dry fertilizer plant, a 24,620 square foot liquid fertilizer and seed warehouse with office space, and a 500,000-gallon UAN tank bringing convenience to customers in the Burchinal area. Five Star has partnered with Marcus Construction for the project and anticipates the site to be operational in the spring of 2024.
CEO, Scott Black, states, “We are excited about this new facility. We remain committed to our cooperative’s longevity while maintaining a sharp focus on our membership’s needs. Our Burchinal Agronomy Complex demonstrates this dedication to the continued strength of our cooperative and our invaluable members.”
A key factor in choice of location was its proximity to Interstate 35 and Hwy 218 for incoming ingredients and outbound shipments for efficient movement of product. This new facility will provide access to 24-hour liquid fertilizer load out, a state-of-the-art seed treatment facility, and a high efficiency dry fertilizer plant for their customers.
“When I think about this project, the word cooperation comes to mind. It started with a disaster with the tornado in Mason City. It was a lot of cooperation between team members, the board, the insurance company, the management team, Marcus Construction, neighboring cooperatives, and all those involved to keep our chins up and know better days are ahead. We are excited we are here today starting the facility,” Tom Shatek.
Five Star held a groundbreaking event on July 26th, 2023, showcasing the new site and displaying renderings of the future facilities.
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