AG One Co-op Inc history

After saving money for more than a year, these pioneers opened their co-op store at 31 Toad Lane on a cold December evening in 1844.

The Cooperative has remained committed to agriculture since 1905 and has evolved to serve the vast Colorado agriculture and energy industries.

The Farmers Co-operative Company of Bradgate had its start in 1911 as a stock company.

The Dodge City Cooperation Exchange, Inc. was formed in 1914 in Dodge City, Kansas.

They found warehouse space and within a year began to make a good profit by joining forces! In 1915, the Potato Growers Cooperative was officially formed.

Several years after the 1922 Capper-Volstead Act, both companies reorganized into true co-operatives.

Marshall Cooperative Oil Company was incorporated in 1924.

In 1926 the name changed to Lyon County Cooperative Oil Company to include surrounding communities in Lyon County.

Farmers Cooperative Association was incorporated in April 1930 based in Canby, MN. The bulk petroleum department was established with the purchase of property for a bulk oil station, also a service station was added.

If you were to trace the roots of our cooperative, it would take you back to the year 1934.

They made it through this tough period and by 1936 they built a new warehouse, and sales reached $1 million!

AgCentral came into being on February 1st, 2015, the result of the merger of Foothills Farmers Co-op and Valley Farmers Co-op. It’s interesting to note that Loudon Farmers, one of our predecessor co-ops, seated a farm lady on their very first Board of Directors, in 1945.

Lyon County Farm Service was incorporated in October 1947 from a Farm Bureau location.

The cooperative went into the bulk fertilizer business in 1956.

In 1957, in order to provide a more direct and ready market for farmers’ grain, AFC added a grain marketing service.

Once again, the Cooperative carried on and stabilized by the 1960’s.

In 1961, AFC added a merchandising function to its operations.

In 1962 the feed division was developed, and to this day, continues to be one of the most successful divisions.

Following in 1967, the Cooperative changed its name to reflect their growth.

In 1969, these two co-operatives overwhelmingly approved a merger to form one co-op known as The Farmers Co-operative Company of Bradgate.

Bonnie Plant Farm, headquartered in Union Springs, AL, became part of AFC in 1975.

In 1979 the new service station/hardware store was built with card activated gas/fuel pumps.

The 1980’s were another particularly tough period because beef was considered to be a luxury that impacted feed sales, and the bean market was impacted by imports from Mexico, yet petroleum was up.

FCA acquired Universal Propane in 1985.

In 1991 the Rutland Elevator Company was added to the mix and the company name was changed from Farmers Cooperative Company of Bradgate to Pro Cooperative with the introduction of a new company logo.

In 1992 a new office /warehouse complex was built in Ghent after the cooperative took over a US Steel fertilizer plant in Minneota.

In early 1993, AFC created a financing subsidiary to finance the local cooperative member.

In 1995 the fertilizer plant and agronomy office were built.

Currie Gin, located in McCullough, AL, became part of AFC in 1997.

Pro-Ag Farmers' Cooperative was established on January 1, 1998.

In 1999, AFC joined forces with SouthFresh Farms in Indianola, Mississippi, to form SouthFresh Aquaculture, LLC that provides feed, fingerlings and processing for Alabama and Mississippi catfish farmers.

As of June 2000, the company began doing business as Prairie Pride Cooperative.

On January 1, 2003, Town & Country Co-op was formed as the result of a merger of 4 co-ops: Agrimark, The Equity Exchange, Town & Country Co-op and Medina Landmark.

Valley Farmers Co-op was formed in 2004, the result of McMinn-Loudon and Roane Farmers Cooperatives joining together.

In 2005, AFC formed an LLC with Mossy Oak’s BioLogic division.

Foothills was formed in 2007 when Blount-Greenback Farmers Co-op and Monroe Farmers Co-op merged.

On January 1, 2009, Pro Cooperative joined forces with Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company as a combined cooperative, which added five locations; Ruthven, Graettinger, Terril, Wallingford and Milford’s Soy Solutions.

In 2012, Agfinity was formed through the unification of Agland Inc. and American Pride Co-Op.

Pro-Ag Farmers' Cooperative merged with Central Ag Services on January 1, 2013.

AgCentral came into being on February 1st, 2015, the result of the merger of Foothills Farmers Co-op and Valley Farmers Co-op.

On December 1, 2016 members of Town & Country Co-op and Western Reserve Farm Cooperative approved the merger of the two co-ops.

Most recently, in March 2017, Pro Cooperative acquired Houseman Oil Company in Estherville.

Ag Plus Cooperative was formed on August 1, 2019 as a result of a patron approved merger between Farmers Cooperative Association, Lyon County Farm Service & Prairie Pride Cooperative.