Central Farm Service
Central Farm Service is a member-owned agricultural cooperative in southern Minnesota delivering agronomy, grain, feed, and energy products to farmers across more than 100,000 acres through 10-plus locations, with a new joint venture producing local green ammonia fertilizer.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersOwatonna, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Central Farm Service does
Central Farm Service (CFS) is a Minnesota-based agricultural cooperative formed through the union of ag-focused cooperatives serving southern Minnesota communities. The cooperative delivers four core product lines to member-farmers: agronomy (crop protection, crop inputs, and precision agriculture services), grain (handling, storage, cash bids, and marketing), feed (quality feed products for swine and beef livestock backed by specialist support), and energy (fuel delivery and related energy products). Operations span at least 10 locations across southern Minnesota — including Truman (headquarters), Blue Earth, Blooming Prairie, Kenyon, Mankato, Northfield, Owatonna, St. James, Welcome, and Wells — and employ 501–1,000 staff supporting farmer-members across more than 100,000 acres of farmland.
CFS is governed as a member-owned cooperative rather than a venture-backed or publicly listed entity, with member-owners guiding decision-making and sharing cooperative benefits. The go-to-market is direct-to-farmer through agronomists, energy sales staff, and feed specialists, supported by a customer portal and mobile app that handle account management, contracting, field plans, bill pay, and financing. Revenue mechanics span recurring agronomy input sales, transaction-based grain handling and marketing, and feed and energy product sales at member-based pricing, though specific figures are not publicly disclosed.
The cooperative's most strategically significant initiative is the MN Made Ammonia Project, a joint venture with TalusAg and CleanCounts to build Talus10 distributed ammonia production facilities in Blue Earth and Truman. Each system is designed to produce up to 20 tons of green ammonia per day from local wind power (with a 40-ton-per-day combined target by 2028), positioning CFS as the first commercial producer of locally manufactured ammonia fertilizer in Minnesota. The project is partially underpinned by an $8 million funding pursuit from Minnesota's Renewable Development Account and supported by an energy supply partnership with Blue Earth Light & Water, as well as coalition advocacy via the Minnesota Made Ammonia Coalition.
Central Farm Service firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Central Farm Service
- Legal name
- Central Farm Service
- Website
- https://cfscoop.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Central Farm Service is a member-owned agricultural cooperative in southern Minnesota delivering agronomy, grain, feed, and energy products to farmers across more than 100,000 acres through 10-plus locations, with a new joint venture producing local green ammonia fertilizer.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Central Farm Service industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Cooperative Services
- NAICS
- Farm Management Services (115116), Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders (115115), Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing (325311), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fertilizer & Nutrient Application Services (Dry/Fluid, Side-Dress) (AFACAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainability & ESG / Carbon & Conservation Program Advisory (AFACAJAF), Custom Application Logistics & Tendering (Nurse Trucks, Mixing/Loading) (AFACAAAG)
Keywords
Where Central Farm Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Owatonna
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
Central Farm Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Agronomy Products: CFS provides agronomy services including ammonia fertilizer, crop protection products, and related agricultural inputs to member-farmers through the cooperative structure.
- Grain Services: Grain handling, storage, and marketing services for farmers with facilities geared to handle grain quickly during harvest.
- Feed Products: Quality feed products for swine and beef livestock at competitive prices with product knowledge support.
- Energy Products: Responsive energy service for various energy needs including fuel and related energy products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Central Farm Service product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Central Farm Service is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative based in Minnesota that provides agronomy (crop inputs and precision agriculture), grain (handling, storage, and marketing), feed (swine and beef), and energy (fuel and related) products and services to its member-farmers. CFS is also partnering with TalusAg and CleanCounts to build the MN Made Ammonia Project, the first locally produced green ammonia fertilizer in Minnesota, using curtailed wind power for production.
Product overview
Central Farm Service is an agricultural cooperative offering a portfolio of products and services including Agronomy, Grain, Feed, and Energy services. The cooperative has recently announced a strategic initiative called the MN Made Ammonia Project in partnership with TalusAg and CleanCounts to build Talus10 local ammonia production facilities, which will be the first commercially available locally produced ammonia fertilizer in Minnesota, using renewable wind power for production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Agronomy Agronomy services covering crop protection, crop inputs, and precision agriculture technology for farming operations of member-owners of the cooperative.
- Grain Grain marketing, handling, storage, and delivery logistics services for member farmers, with facilities geared to handle grain quickly during harvest and cash bid postings.
- Feed Quality feed products at competitive prices for swine and beef livestock operations, backed by product knowledge and feed specialist support.
- Energy Responsive energy service for agricultural operations including fuel delivery and related energy products.
- Talus10 Local Ammonia Production Distributed ammonia production facilities that produce up to 20 tons of green ammonia per day per system using electricity from local wind power, supplying fertilizer to member-farmers across more than 100,000 acres.
Quantifiable outcome
- Will supply more than two-thirds of CFS's annual ammonia sales across more than 100,000 acres
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Central Farm Service
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Central Farm Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Central Farm Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- TalusAgcoreTalusAg is the technology partner providing the Talus10 distributed ammonia production facilities. This partnership enables CFS to produce wind-powered green ammonia locally, representing the first locally produced ammonia fertilizer in Minnesota. Each Talus10 system produces up to 20 tons of ammonia per day using electricity from local wind power.
- CleanCountscoreCleanCounts is a partner in the MN Made Ammonia Project collaboration with CFS and TalusAg to build local ammonia production facilities. The partnership aims to bring the first commercially available locally produced ammonia fertilizer to Minnesota farmers.
- Blue Earth Light & WatersupportingBlue Earth Light & Water provides electricity from Blue Earth, Minnesota to power the local ammonia production facility. The project uses energy from this local utility to produce ammonia using wind power.
- Minnesota Made Ammonia CoalitionsupportingA coalition seeking $8 million in legislative funding for a larger 12,000-ton-per-year modular plant project in Blue Earth County. While the funding did not pass, the coalition supports CFS and partners in advancing local ammonia production.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Central Farm Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Nutrien Ag Solutions: Nutrien Ag Solutions is the retail arm of Nutrien Ltd., one of the world's largest fertilizer producers and crop input retailers. Operates a much larger footprint than CFS but competes in the same crop input category, particularly in nitrogen fertilizer where CFS's Talus10 project aims to differentiate.
- CF Industries Holdings: CF Industries is one of North America's largest nitrogen fertilizer manufacturers, producing ammonia, urea, and other nitrogen products. Represents the incumbent global-scale ammonia supplier whose imported product CFS's local production initiative is explicitly designed to displace.
Direct peers
- CHS Inc. CHS Inc. is the largest US agricultural cooperative, operating across agronomy, grain, energy, and food production with nationwide reach. CFS competes with CHS for farmer-members in southern Minnesota and shares the same cooperative, multi-product business model.
- Land O'Lakes: Land O'Lakes is a major member-owned agricultural cooperative with overlapping agronomy, feed, and crop input businesses through its WinField United retail network. CFS displays the WinField United brand on its website, indicating an existing commercial alignment in crop inputs.
- Growmark: Growmark is a regional agricultural cooperative serving the Midwest with grain, agronomy, energy, and feed services. Operates a comparable cooperative retail model with similar product mix to CFS across the upper Midwest.
- WinField United: WinField United is the crop inputs and agronomy arm of Land O'Lakes, providing crop protection products, seed, and digital agronomy tools through a network of ag retailers. CFS publishes WinField United content on its site, signaling close alignment in agronomy offerings.
- Crystal Valley Cooperative: Crystal Valley Cooperative is a southern Minnesota agricultural cooperative offering agronomy, grain, energy, and feed services with significant geographic overlap to CFS. Operates the same full-service cooperative model in adjacent Minnesota counties.
Regional players
- Ag Partners Cooperative: Ag Partners Cooperative is a southern Minnesota and northern Iowa agricultural cooperative providing agronomy, grain, and feed services. Direct regional overlap with CFS in the Minnesota farmer-member market.
- NuWay-K&H Cooperative: NuWay-K&H Cooperative is a southern Minnesota agricultural cooperative focused on agronomy, energy, and feed services. Smaller in scale than CFS but operates in adjacent geographies with comparable farmer-member offerings.
Emerging players
- TalusAg: TalusAg is CFS's strategic technology partner providing the Talus10 distributed ammonia production system. While currently a partner, TalusAg represents an emerging distributed/green ammonia model that, if scaled, could compete directly with CFS or be replicated by other cooperatives.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Central Farm Service social profiles
Digital presenceCentral Farm Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Central Farm Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Central Farm Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Central Farm Service M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Central Farm Service
What does Central Farm Service do?
Central Farm Service is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative based in Minnesota that provides agronomy (crop inputs and precision agriculture), grain (handling, storage, and marketing), feed (swine and beef), and energy (fuel and related) products and services to its member-farmers. CFS is also partnering with TalusAg and CleanCounts to build the MN Made Ammonia Project, the first locally produced green ammonia fertilizer in Minnesota, using curtailed wind power for production.
Is Central Farm Service a public or private company?
Central Farm Service is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Central Farm Service founded?
Central Farm Service was founded in 2016. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Central Farm Service based?
Central Farm Service is headquartered in Owatonna, United States, in the North America region.
How does Central Farm Service make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Agronomy Products are the primary driver. The others are grain Services, feed Products and energy Products.
Who are Central Farm Service's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Nutrien Ag Solutions and CF Industries Holdings. Direct peers are CHS Inc., Land O'Lakes, Growmark, WinField United and Crystal Valley Cooperative. Regional players are Ag Partners Cooperative and NuWay-K&H Cooperative. TalusAg is listed as an emerging player.
Does Central Farm Service have an API?
No public API is recorded for Central Farm Service.
What industry is Central Farm Service in?
Central Farm Service's product category is Agricultural Cooperative Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAAAC, Fertilizer & Nutrient Application Services (Dry/Fluid, Side-Dress), with a secondary code of AFACAJAF, Sustainability & ESG / Carbon & Conservation Program Advisory. Its NAICS code is 115116 and its SIC code is 700.