Farmers Union Cooperative
Farmers Union Cooperative is a member-owned agricultural cooperative headquartered in Ossian, Iowa, serving more than 1,500 members and 5,500-plus customers across northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota with grain marketing, feed, agronomy, seed, propane, and energy services from eight regional locations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1911
- HeadquartersOssian, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Farmers Union Cooperative does
Farmers Union Cooperative is a member-owned agricultural cooperative headquartered in Ossian, Iowa, serving more than 1,500 members and 5,500-plus customers across northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota. Operating from eight physical locations (Ossian, Decorah, Fort Atkinson, Manchester, New Albin, Postville, Waucoma, West Union) the cooperative delivers an integrated portfolio of farm inputs and grain marketing services built around six core product lines: Grain Marketing (with approximately 6.5 million bushels of storage across facilities), Feed (custom-mixed rations from two mills in Ossian and West Union, distributing Purina, Hubbard, and Kent Feeds brands), Agronomy (crop protection, crop nutrition, seed treatments, and custom application with variable rate precision capabilities), Seed (representing Croplan and DEKALB/ASGROW brands for nearly 20 years), Propane (residential, farm, and commercial delivery with tank leasing and budget billing), and Energy (exclusive Cenex refined fuels, lubricants, and fluids with bulk delivery).
The cooperative operates on a patronage-based model where members own the business and profits are distributed back to member-patrons, with governance through an elected Board of Directors (Chairman Alvin Herold, Vice Chairman Brett Timp, plus Treasurer, Secretary, and Directors) and functional leadership covering finance, agronomy, feed, grain, and energy. Operational management is distributed across locations led by location managers and vice presidents, supported by specialized talent including on-staff nutritionists with Ph.D. credentials, Certified Crop Advisers, and state-certified propane technicians. Underlying technology is conventional agricultural cooperative infrastructure — grain handling, feed milling, agronomy application equipment, propane distribution, and a DTN Portal integration for grain market data and online contracts — with no proprietary software or AI/ML capabilities of note.
Revenue mechanics are transaction-fee based on product and service pass-through: grain merchandising, agronomy and seed sales, custom feed milling, propane and refined fuel delivery, and custom application services. Complementary offerings include Greenlawn (a sub-brand for residential and commercial lawn care, tree care, and snow removal), the SECURE financing program with WinField United and Farm Credit (up to $500,000 per farmer), tank leasing for fuel and propane, and the Grain Bank service for in-kind storage-for-feed exchanges. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; energy services operate on annual contracts and yearly budget billing arrangements.
Farmers Union Cooperative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Farmers Union Cooperative
- Legal name
- Farmers Union Cooperative
- Website
- https://farmerunion.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1911
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Farmers Union Cooperative is a member-owned agricultural cooperative headquartered in Ossian, Iowa, serving more than 1,500 members and 5,500-plus customers across northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota with grain marketing, feed, agronomy, seed, propane, and energy services from eight regional locations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Farmers Union Cooperative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Cooperative Services
- NAICS
- Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491), Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers (424510), Farm Product Warehousing and Storage (493130), Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (4245)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Farmer Cooperatives & Co-op Retail (AFABAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Byproduct & Co-Product Feed Blending (DDGS, soybean hulls, wheat midds) (AFADAIAG)
Keywords
Where Farmers Union Cooperative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ossian
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Farmers Union Cooperative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Agricultural products and services sales: Revenue generated through cooperative member-owned business model. Products include grain marketing, feed sales, agronomy products (crop protection, fertilizer), seed sales, propane, and refined fuels. Operates on member patronage basis with profits distributed back to members.
- Propane and energy products: Sale of propane for home, farm and business use; refined fuels including Cenex premium diesel and gasoline; engine lubricants and fluids. Services include bulk delivery and tank leasing programs.
- Feed products and milling services: Custom-mixed feed rations in bulk, bagged, or pelleted form from company mills in Ossian and West Union. Also distributes Purina, Hubbard and Kent Feeds products.
- Agronomy products and services: Crop protection products (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides), fertilizers (macro minerals, micros, specialty products), seed treatments, and custom application services including precision ag variable rate prescriptions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Propane delivery service with minimum 250 gallon order |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Fuel tank lease program |
| Other | Annual | SECURE financing by WinField United |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Farmers Union Cooperative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Farmers Union Cooperative is a member-owned agricultural cooperative that supplies farmers in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota with grain marketing, custom feed milling, agronomy inputs and custom application, seed (Croplan and DEKALB/ASGROW brands), propane delivery and tank leasing, and Cenex refined fuels and lubricants. The cooperative operates eight physical locations, two feed mills, and approximately 6.5 million bushels of grain storage, distributing products through company-owned trucks, on-farm application equipment, and an online grain offer portal.
Product overview
Farmers Union Cooperative is a traditional agricultural cooperative serving northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota for over 110 years, offering a comprehensive portfolio of farm products and services. The core offerings center on six integrated service lines: Grain Marketing (with ~6.5M bushels storage and strategic marketing), Feed (custom rations from two mills, representing Purina/Hubbard/Kent), Agronomy (crop protection, nutrition, and precision application), Seed (Croplan and DEKALB/ASGROW brands with treatment options), Propane (residential/farm/commercial delivery and tank leasing), and Energy (Cenex refined fuels and lubricants including diesel, gasoline, and hydraulic fluids). Supporting services include Greenlawn lawncare, the SECURE financing program, and Grain Bank service. The cooperative operates nine locations across the region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Greenlawn: Lawncare division of Farmers Union Cooperative providing professional lawn care services
Products and services
- Grain Marketing
Companies that use Farmers Union Cooperative
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Farmers Union Cooperative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Farmers Union Cooperative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WinField UnitedcorePartnership for the SECURE financing program providing single-point financing for all seed, crop protection and fertilizer purchases. Low-interest-rate financing up to $500,000 backed by Farm Credit.
- CroplancoreRepresented Croplan seed brands for nearly 20 years. Provides corn, soybean, alfalfa, cover crop, and small grains seed products.
- DEKALB/ASGROWcoreAuthorized dealer for DEKALB and ASGROW seed brands. Provides seed products with various traits for weed, insect and disease resistance.
- Purina Animal NutritioncoreFull line of Purina Animal Nutrition products distributed through cooperative. On-staff DMV dairy specialist Dr. Ryan Royer represents Purina.
- Hubbard FeedscoreRepresents Hubbard feed products alongside Purina and Kent Feeds for complete feed offerings.
- Kent FeedscoreRepresents Kent Feeds products as part of comprehensive feed product portfolio.
- CenexcoreExclusive supplier of Cenex brand fuels including Ruby Fieldmaster (off-road) and Roadmaster XL (road) premium diesels, Cenex gasoline, and full line of Cenex lubricants, fluids and grease products.
- Iowa and Minnesota Propane AssociationsminorMember of propane associations in Iowa and Minnesota, enabling access to rebate programs for customers purchasing propane-fueled appliances and furnaces.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Farmers Union Cooperative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Farmers Union Cooperative social profiles
Digital presenceFarmers Union Cooperative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Farmers Union Cooperative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Farmers Union Cooperative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Farmers Union Cooperative 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 Farmers Union Cooperative
What does Farmers Union Cooperative do?
Farmers Union Cooperative is a member-owned agricultural cooperative that supplies farmers in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota with grain marketing, custom feed milling, agronomy inputs and custom application, seed (Croplan and DEKALB/ASGROW brands), propane delivery and tank leasing, and Cenex refined fuels and lubricants. The cooperative operates eight physical locations, two feed mills, and approximately 6.5 million bushels of grain storage, distributing products through company-owned trucks, on-farm application equipment, and an online grain offer portal.
Is Farmers Union Cooperative a public or private company?
Farmers Union Cooperative is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Farmers Union Cooperative founded?
Farmers Union Cooperative was founded in 1911. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Farmers Union Cooperative based?
Farmers Union Cooperative is headquartered in Ossian, United States, in the North America region.
How does Farmers Union Cooperative make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Agricultural products and services sales are the primary driver. The others are propane and energy products, feed products and milling services and agronomy products and services.
Does Farmers Union Cooperative have an API?
No public API is recorded for Farmers Union Cooperative.
What industry is Farmers Union Cooperative in?
Farmers Union Cooperative's product category is Agricultural Cooperative Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABAJAB, Farmer Cooperatives & Co-op Retail, with a secondary code of AFADAIAG, Byproduct & Co-Product Feed Blending (DDGS, soybean hulls, wheat midds). Its NAICS code is 42491 and its SIC code is 5150.