Prospective Merger With Wakefield Farmers Cooperative
Apr 23, 2019
The Board of Directors of Ag Partners Cooperative and the Board of Directors of Wakefield Farmers Cooperative are pleased to announce that they have entered into discussions to merge their respective cooperatives into a single entity. Wakefield Farmers Cooperative is a single location cooperative, located just northwest of Junction City, Kansas. Ag Partners is a multi-location cooperative serving numerous communities throughout northeast Kansas, southeast Nebraska, and northwest Missouri.
The Boards of Directors realize growth, efficiency, and effectiveness are paramount to positioning their cooperatives for the future and meeting the needs of their members. In recent months, Ag Partners has entered into an agreement to manage the Agronomy Department of Wakefield Farmers. This agreement has demonstrated the advantages of the two cooperatives working together and has led the boards to explore additional avenues to drive success.
“Financial security of member’s allocated equity, efficiencies of current operations, continually improving and positioning assets, implementation of new technologies and having the right people are key drivers for positioning our cooperatives. This merger addresses all of them in a manner that keeps the members front and center,” as noted per Stan Remington (CEO of Ag Partners).
Both cooperatives have long, proud histories. Wakefield Farmers has recently celebrated 100 years of service to its members and is designated as a “Kansas Century Cooperative.” Ag Partners has been built on the foundations of several cooperatives which have come together to position themselves for the future. Similarity in vision and values have brought Wakefield Farmers and Ag Partners together as well as a desire to maintain local ownership and control of the entities built by the producers in their respective communities.
Both Boards of Directors have unanimously approved moving forward with the merger and are having the appropriate legal documents drafted. The merger will require the approval of the members of Wakefield Farmers. The vote will take place during a Special Meeting called in conjunction with the Wakefield Farmers Annual Meeting on May 15. An informational meeting to review the merger and to answer all questions posed by members will be held on May 7 at 12:00 noon at the Methodist Church in Wakefield.
Jared Gfeller, Board Chairman of Wakefield Farmers said, “We are proud to bring this merger vote to our members. We, as a board, have approved it unanimously and are confident this is the right step to position our cooperative for the next 100 years of serving the producers of our community.”
Once approved, the merged company will begin operations on September 1, 2019.
The Boards of Directors realize growth, efficiency, and effectiveness are paramount to positioning their cooperatives for the future and meeting the needs of their members. In recent months, Ag Partners has entered into an agreement to manage the Agronomy Department of Wakefield Farmers. This agreement has demonstrated the advantages of the two cooperatives working together and has led the boards to explore additional avenues to drive success.
“Financial security of member’s allocated equity, efficiencies of current operations, continually improving and positioning assets, implementation of new technologies and having the right people are key drivers for positioning our cooperatives. This merger addresses all of them in a manner that keeps the members front and center,” as noted per Stan Remington (CEO of Ag Partners).
Both cooperatives have long, proud histories. Wakefield Farmers has recently celebrated 100 years of service to its members and is designated as a “Kansas Century Cooperative.” Ag Partners has been built on the foundations of several cooperatives which have come together to position themselves for the future. Similarity in vision and values have brought Wakefield Farmers and Ag Partners together as well as a desire to maintain local ownership and control of the entities built by the producers in their respective communities.
Both Boards of Directors have unanimously approved moving forward with the merger and are having the appropriate legal documents drafted. The merger will require the approval of the members of Wakefield Farmers. The vote will take place during a Special Meeting called in conjunction with the Wakefield Farmers Annual Meeting on May 15. An informational meeting to review the merger and to answer all questions posed by members will be held on May 7 at 12:00 noon at the Methodist Church in Wakefield.
Jared Gfeller, Board Chairman of Wakefield Farmers said, “We are proud to bring this merger vote to our members. We, as a board, have approved it unanimously and are confident this is the right step to position our cooperative for the next 100 years of serving the producers of our community.”
Once approved, the merged company will begin operations on September 1, 2019.