Cooperative Farmers Elevator
Cooperative Farmers Elevator is a farmer-owned cooperative serving approximately 4,975 members across 27 locations in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota with grain marketing and storage, agronomy, feed, and lumber services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersOcheyedan, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cooperative Farmers Elevator does
Cooperative Farmers Elevator (CFE) is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative operating across four integrated divisions: grain marketing and storage, agronomy, feed, and lumber. The cooperative serves approximately 4,975 farmer-members across 27 locations in northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota, and southeast South Dakota, with 19 grain facilities providing 38 million bushels of combined storage capacity. CFE employs 300+ people, and its members hold equal voice and vote in cooperative governance while receiving annual patronage-based dividends.
The cooperative generates revenue through multiple streams: grain marketing and storage (transaction fees, hedging, licensed commodity brokerage), agronomy products and services (variable rate fertilizer application, aerial application, seed and chemical sales, drone application via CFE Air), FDA- and HACCP-certified feed manufacturing and ration formulation, and lumber and building materials including custom built homes. Member-facing programs include the Bushel Bounty seed credit program, CFE Carbon (partnerships with Indigo, Arva, and Truterra for carbon offset enrollment), the CORE young farmer leadership program, and the CFE Solar renewable energy project at Ocheyedan.
CFE operates a member-centric go-to-market model combining physical retail locations, on-farm service (grain pickup, aerial and ground application), digital channels (CFE Connect grower portal, SmartOrder feed platform, daily grain bid SMS), and community engagement (Women in Ag event, scholarships, harvest meals). Its technology stack includes DocuSign for credit applications, Barchart and DTN for market data, and computer vision-enabled drone services under the CFE Air sub-brand launched in 2024.
Cooperative Farmers Elevator firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cooperative Farmers Elevator
- Legal name
- Cooperative Farmers Elevator
- Website
- https://coopfe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Cooperative Farmers Elevator is a farmer-owned cooperative serving approximately 4,975 members across 27 locations in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota with grain marketing and storage, agronomy, feed, and lumber services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cooperative Farmers Elevator industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Cooperative Services
- NAICS
- Farm Product Warehousing and Storage (493130), Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Country & Inland Grain Elevators (Receiving/Shipping) (AFAOAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Custom Equipment Operation & Rental with Operator (Tractors, Implements) (AFACAAAH)
Keywords
Where Cooperative Farmers Elevator is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ocheyedan
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices22 records
Markets served
Cooperative Farmers Elevator business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Grain Marketing and Storage: Year-round grain purchasing, on-farm pickup, and storage services with combined capacity of 38 million bushels across 19 locations. Licensed commodity brokers help with contracts and hedging.
- Agronomy Products and Services: Full-service agronomy retailer providing variable rate application of anhydrous ammonia, dry and liquid fertilizer, aerial application, farm delivery of seed and chemical, and self-propelled row crop sprayer application services
- Feed Products and Services: FDA and HACCP certified feed blends, grain bank, contract feeding, feed and forage sampling, ration formulation, and livestock management services including cattle tracking, feed tracking, and barn management
- Lumber and Building Materials: Building materials including lumber, siding, windows, shingles, drywall, countertops, kitchens, baths, flooring, custom built homes, design services, and delivery
- Member Dividends: As a cooperative, members receive earnings through annual percentage-based dividends based on their patronage of cooperative services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom Built Home - 1,680 sq ft Spec House |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Annual | 2026 Bushel Bounty Program |
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Multi-year contract | Indigo Carbon Program 2026 |
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Multi-year contract | Arva Carbon Program 2026 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Cooperative Farmers Elevator product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cooperative Farmers Elevator is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative serving approximately 4,975 farmer-members across northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota, and southeast South Dakota through four business lines: grain marketing and storage (38 million bushels across 19 locations), full-service agronomy (crop nutrients, crop protection, seed, and application including drone spraying), feed manufacturing and delivery, and lumber/building materials with custom home construction. Member governance and patronage dividends return a share of profits to farmer-owners who also serve as primary customers.
Product overview
Cooperative Farmers Elevator (CFE) is a farmer-owned cooperative offering a diversified portfolio of agricultural products and services across four core divisions: Grain, Agronomy, Feed, and Lumber. The Grain division provides marketing, storage (38 million bushels across 19 locations), and hedging services with various contract options. Agronomy offers variable rate application, aerial application, and CFE Air drone services for crop health monitoring and spraying. Feed services include grain banking, ration formulation, and HACCP-certified feed production. Lumber provides building materials, custom home construction, and design services. Supporting programs include the CFE Carbon program for carbon market navigation, CFE Solar for renewable energy, Bushel Bounty for grain-to-seed savings, and CORE for young farmer leadership development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CFE Air: Drone-powered aerial application service launched in 2024, offering crop health imagery, thermal imagery, and drone spraying for pre-emergent herbicides, fungicide, insecticide, and pastures.
- CFE Carbon
- CFE Connect
- CORE
Products and services
- Grain Marketing and Storage Year-round grain origination, licensed storage (38 million bushels across 19 locations), hedging, and marketing services for corn, soybeans, and other commodities, executed by licensed commodity brokers for farmer-members and other producers.
- Agronomy Products and Services Full-service agronomy offering including crop nutrients, crop protection products, seed, and variable-rate, aerial, and ground application services for row crop farmers across CFE's tri-state territory.
- CFE Air Drone Application Precision aerial spraying service using unmanned aerial drones, staffed by trained and licensed CFE applicators, offered to farmer-members as an alternative or complement to traditional ground and aerial application.
- Feed Products and Services Manufactured feed products produced at CFE's FDA/HACCP-certified feed mill, with bulk delivery and on-farm service for livestock and poultry producers across the cooperative's territory.
- Lumber and Building Materials Retail lumber and building materials sold through CFE's lumber yards to rural property owners, farmers, and contractors in the cooperative's service territory.
- Custom Built Homes Custom home design and construction services bundled with the lumber business line, targeted at rural residents, farmers, and acreage buyers in CFE's tri-state territory.
- CFE Carbon Program Carbon credit aggregation program that enables farmer-members to participate in carbon markets, providing a new revenue stream tied to on-farm practice changes and sustainability outcomes.
Quantifiable outcome
- 38 million bushels combined storage capacity
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cooperative Farmers Elevator
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cooperative Farmers Elevator technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Cooperative Farmers Elevator partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Artisun SolarcoreSolar development partner for CFE Solar project at Ocheyedan location. Artisun Solar specializes in solar installations with strong background in agriculture and rural projects, spanning projects in over 20 states. Partnered with Alliant Energy to integrate solar generation into local energy infrastructure.
- Alliant EnergycoreUtility partner working with Artisun Solar and CFE to integrate CFE Solar into local energy infrastructure. Ensures solar project efficiency and grid integration.
- ISU (Iowa State University) Extension and OutreachcoreSoil Moisture Network and Soil Temps data provider. Offers educational resources and agronomic expertise to CFE members.
- Purina (Land O'Lakes)coreFeed partner providing Purina beef feed products, liquid feed options, and Rx3 cattle health supplements. CFE offers Purina tub promotions and financing programs.
- WinField UnitedminorSponsor of Women in Ag event, providing agricultural products and services.
- Corteva AgriscienceminorSponsor of Women in Ag event, agricultural technology and crop protection company.
- BayerminorSponsor of Women in Ag event, agricultural chemical and seed company.
- NutrienminorSponsor of Women in Ag event, agricultural inputs company.
- Iowa State University Extension and OutreachminorSponsor of Women in Ag event, agricultural education and extension services.
- Indigo AgriculturecoreCarbon program partner offering carbon offset payments for regenerative agriculture practices. CFE serves as enrollment partner for 2026 program.
- ArvacoreCarbon program partner requiring soil samples and tillage data. CFE assists with enrollment and data collection for Carbon Intensity Score tracking.
- TruterracoreCarbon program partner for sustainability and carbon offset programs. Available for CFE members who participated in 2023-2025.
- Milwaukee ToolminorTool partner offering Milwaukee tools, equipment, and accessories at CFE lumberyards.
- Andersen WindowsminorWindow product partner for lumber operations.
- Gerkin WindowsminorWindow product partner, specifically Gerkin vinyl casement windows for custom built homes.
- Countryside CabinetsminorCabinetry partner for kitchen and bathroom products.
- CambriaminorCountertop partner for kitchen and bathroom products.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cooperative Farmers Elevator competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CHS Inc. Largest US farmer-owned cooperative, providing grain, agronomy, energy, and feed services. Closest comparable to CFE in structure (cooperative), multi-division model, and Midwest operating footprint.
- Heartland Co-op: Iowa-based agricultural cooperative providing grain, agronomy, and feed services. Direct peer given overlapping Iowa geography, cooperative structure, and service portfolio.
- Growmark: Midwest-based agricultural cooperative offering grain, agronomy, energy, and feed. Highly comparable service mix and cooperative member-owned structure to CFE.
- NEW Cooperative: Iowa-based grain and agronomy cooperative serving farmers in a similar Northwest Iowa geography. Highly comparable in size, service mix, and member-owned structure.
- MaxYield Cooperative: Iowa-based farmer-owned cooperative offering grain, agronomy, and feed services. Direct competitor in the same regional market with similar member-owned model.
Broad incumbents
- Cargill: Global agribusiness giant involved in grain trading and crop inputs. Broadly incumbent in CFE's value chain rather than a direct retail competitor, but relevant for grain pricing and contract counterparties.
- Nutrien Ag Solutions: Largest crop input retailer in North America offering fertilizer, crop protection, and seed. Direct competitor in CFE's agronomy division but operates as a public corporate, not cooperative.
- ADM: Global agribusiness with grain origination, processing, and agricultural services. Acts as a buyer and competitor to grain marketing cooperatives like CFE, especially in corn and soybean handling.
- Land O'Lakes: Major farmer-owned cooperative with agronomy (WinField United) and livestock feed (Purina) divisions. Larger and more diversified than CFE, with overlapping feed and agronomy offerings.
Emerging players
- Indigo Agriculture: Ag-tech company operating in carbon credit markets, biologicals, and digital agronomy. Strategic partner to CFE through the carbon program, representing the emerging tech-enabled competitor and channel partner.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cooperative Farmers Elevator social profiles
Digital presenceCooperative Farmers Elevator compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Cooperative Farmers Elevator financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cooperative Farmers Elevator leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Cooperative Farmers Elevator funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cooperative Farmers Elevator 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 Cooperative Farmers Elevator
What does Cooperative Farmers Elevator do?
Cooperative Farmers Elevator is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative serving approximately 4,975 farmer-members across northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota, and southeast South Dakota through four business lines: grain marketing and storage (38 million bushels across 19 locations), full-service agronomy (crop nutrients, crop protection, seed, and application including drone spraying), feed manufacturing and delivery, and lumber/building materials with custom home construction. Member governance and patronage dividends return a share of profits to farmer-owners who also serve as primary customers.
Is Cooperative Farmers Elevator a public or private company?
Cooperative Farmers Elevator is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Cooperative Farmers Elevator founded?
Cooperative Farmers Elevator was founded in 2015. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Cooperative Farmers Elevator based?
Cooperative Farmers Elevator is headquartered in Ocheyedan, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cooperative Farmers Elevator make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Grain Marketing and Storage is the primary driver. The others are agronomy Products and Services, feed Products and Services, lumber and Building Materials and member Dividends.
Who are Cooperative Farmers Elevator's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CHS Inc., Heartland Co-op, Growmark, NEW Cooperative and MaxYield Cooperative. Broad incumbents are Cargill, Nutrien Ag Solutions, ADM and Land O'Lakes. Indigo Agriculture is listed as an emerging player.
Does Cooperative Farmers Elevator have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cooperative Farmers Elevator.
What industry is Cooperative Farmers Elevator in?
Cooperative Farmers Elevator's product category is Agricultural Cooperative Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAOAAAA, Country & Inland Grain Elevators (Receiving/Shipping), with a secondary code of AFACAAAH, Custom Equipment Operation & Rental with Operator (Tractors, Implements). Its NAICS code is 493130 and its SIC code is 700.