Heritage Cooperative
The Farmers Commission Company - was created in September of 1996 by the merger of two old established cooperatives, U. S. Commission Company established in 1919 and Ada Farmers Exchange established in 1919.
1996
Purchased the Kenton and Alger Grain Facilities, Kenton Farm Center, and the Upper Sandusky Petroleum Bulk Plant from Countrymark Co-op, Inc. Purchased the assets and business of the Cairo Elevator: the Cairo Grain Facility and Columbus Grove Agronomy Facility.
2000
Purchased the Terra Agronomy Facilities of Sycamore and Harrod. And purchased the business and equipment of the Dola Terra Agronomy Facility. Purchased the Northwest Oil Hardin County Petroleum Route. Sold the Columbus Grove Agronomy Facility to Jennings-Gomer Equity.
2001
Purchased the Kenton Fertilizer Terminal from Land O’ Lakes. Since creation of the company, the facility was leased.
2004
Sold the Carey Grain Facility and Carey Agronomy Facility to the Village of Carey and Carey Schools.
2007
Purchased the Dola Grain Facility from Dola Grain and Supply. The facility was being leased. Purchased the assets and business of the New Generation Cooperative with locations in Arlington and Jenera, Ohio. Created a Joint Petroleum LLC with Champaign Landmark (Cooperative Energy Company). Transferred the petroleum assets and business into the LLC.
U.S. COMMISSION COMPANY
In the fall of 1918 a group of farmers met for the primary purpose of developing a better market for their wheat crop and securing a source for supplies needed on their farms. It was decided a farmer owned and operated cooperative by the name of U. S. Commission Company be formed. The newly formed company purchased an existing lumberyard in Upper Sandusky and the Jud Bowen & Son Elevator to create the original and current location of the Upper Sandusky’s Farmers Commission Company. During the years, the company sold coal and lumber, and wholesaled flour to bakeries. It even owned a flour mill in Upper Sandusky and a retail flour outlet in Marion.
1942
The McCutchenville Elevator was purchased.
1968
Carey Farmers Elevator merged into the U. S. Commission Company.
1972
Purchased the Shaffer Elevator in Vanlue.
1985
Leased Landmark Agronomy Plants at Upper Sandusky CR 108, Carey, and Kirby.
1991
Purchased Landmark Plants, Upper, Carey, and Kirby.
1992
Vanlue Grain and Supply merged into the U. S. Commission Company.
1994
Purchased Countrymark Petroleum Route in Upper Sandusky.
1996
Sold Vanlue (Shaffer Elevator) facility and merged with Ada Farmers Exchange to form The Farmers Commission Company.
ADA FARMERS EXCHANGE
In 1919 the Ada Farmers Exchange was created and located at its current location.
1980s
Lafayette Cooperative Company merged into the Ada Farmers Exchange.
1986-87
Landmark Agronomy Plant outside of Ada was purchased.
1991
Leased the Kenton Farm Center and purchased Kenton Petroleum Route from Countrymark.
1992
Purchased the Horn Agronomy Plant in Alger.
1994
Leased the Kenton Fertilizer Terminal in Kenton from Countrymark.
1995
Signed a management agreement to manage the Kenton and Alger Countrymark Grain Terminals.
1996
Leased Dola Grain and Supply in Dola, sold Lafayette Branch and merged with the U. S. Commission Company to form The Farmers Commission Company.
CHAMPAIGN LANDMARK, INC.
As of August 31, 2009, is a member-owned cooperative founded in 1934 to serve the agricultural needs of Champaign County farmers. The main office of Champaign Landmark is located in Urbana, Ohio at 304 Bloomfield Avenue. Today, Champaign Landmark has grown to include 17 facilities and 140 employees in a 12 county area in West Central Ohio. Champaign.
Landmark serves not only over 1900 farmer members, but also over 2000 rural and urban customers.
We have four product and services departments: agronomy, energy, feed/farm supplies, and grain merchandising. We also have a Tire Service Center in Urbana, retail farm stores in Mechanicsburg and Delaware under the Champaign Feed and Pet Supply name, a feed drive-thru in Marysville and three fuel plazas located in Mechanicsburg, Richwood and Urbana.
MISSION STATEMENT
It is the mission of Champaign Landmark, Inc., through the efforts of dedicated employees, to be the supplier and marketer of choice, whose goal is to assist in improving the customer’s bottom line. This is done in a manner that is profitable while being a good steward of the environment and a welcome neighbor in our communities.
1916-32
The Farm Bureau movement began as an outgrowth of the agricultural Extension work in America. County Farm Bureaus in Ohio banded together in 1919 to form the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. County extension agents played a very important role in the early organization of the Champaign County Farm Bureau. They helped organize many cooperatives to market livestock, grain, poultry, eggs, wool and dairy products.
1916-32
In the fall of 1921, local farmers began pooling their first orders for fertilizers, seed, binder twine, and other farm supplies. In November of 1923 the Champaign County Livestock Shipping Company was organized by Farm Bureau. After a jump of a few years, in 1932 the Champaign County Farm Bureau Service Company was incorporated.
1934
Two years later, in March of 1934, Champaign County Farm Bureau Cooperative was founded. Purposes of the cooperative were to serve as a farmers’ wholesale purchasing agent, manufacturer, processor, and marketing agent. The main office was located at 665 Miami St, Urbana.
1942
The Champaign County Farm Bureau Cooperative Association leased the filling station and bulk plant located at 215 Miami Street, Urbana.
1943
Purchased the Chas. B. Stickel Feed Mill in Mechanicsburg–making this the first Branch facility.
1945
On March 22 the Board signed an option on land on the north side of Urbana belonging to Mr. Dellinger as a future location under the best terms possible. In September the deed was received for 3.5 acres on Bloomfield Avenue for the Old Illinois Car Yard at the price of $3,000.
1946
In February the Board authorized the construction of a grain elevator and feed mill on Bloomfield Avenue. In August construction started on the grain elevator of 14,000 bushel capacity, 50’ x 96’ warehouse, office and store building.
1948
The Champaign County Farm Bureau Cooperative Association moved from 408 Miami Street to 304 Bloomfield Avenue, Urbana. Also in 1948 the Mingo Branch of the Farm Bureau Cooperative was purchased from the Watkins and Johnson families. Jake Watkins stayed on as the manager.
1958
We purchased additional land from J.A. Dellinger for extension of the rail track.
1961
Purchased four acres of land adjoining on the east side of the Urbana facility.
1962
In July the Board approved buying the Kelly building–now the Tire Service Center located at 232 Logan Street across from the Urbana headquarters facility.
1985
We purchased facilities in Horton, Richwood, Marysville, and Arnold from Landmark, Inc., bringing the employee total to 75.
1986
Mt. Victory Fertilizer in Hardin County and the Royster Fertilizer Facility in Mechanicsburg were purchased.
1991
We began supplying propane for grain dryers and home heating.
1992
We purchased The Ohio Grain Company facilities in Kileville, Marysville, Mechanicsburg, Newport, and Milford Center. The purchase included Shur Grow Seed which brought Champaign Landmark to 126 employees.
2000
In a joint venture with Harvestland Cooperative of Richmond, Indiana, Champaign Landmark purchased a former Terra facility near Lena, Ohio, from Land O’Lakes. A new business was formed named Lena Ag Center, LLC. It is a full service agronomy branch located near Lena on the Miami and Champaign County border. – Also in 2000, we purchased a former Terra facility in DeGraff in Logan County.
2000
This facility handles grain and agronomy services. – 2000 saw the merger of Grove City Farmers Exchange of Grove City, with facilities in Franklin and Pickaway counties with Champaign Landmark. The Grove City lumber yard and mill were closed and sold. We now operate grain and agronomy services at the former Farmers Exchange facility at Derby, located in northwest Pickaway County.
2003
River Valley Cooperative was purchased in a joint partnership with Southwest Landmark, Inc., Xenia, Ohio. Facilities in London, Baltimore, Lancaster and Unionville Center were included in the new company named United Landmark, LLC. Champaign Landmark leased grain elevators from United Landmark.
2003
Also in 2003 grain elevators at Fletcher, Thackery and West Liberty were purchased from Shepard Grain Company. These three facilities bring the total grain storage capacity to 11,000,000 bushels at Champaign Landmark’s thirteen elevators.
2004
Champaign Landmark celebrated its 70th Anniversary. The agronomy team recognized the demand and need for precision agricultural services, therefore the Crop Advantage program was introduced.
2006
Opened the first Champion Feed & Pet Supply store in the east side of Delaware, Ohio.
2007
We built a one million bushel grain storage building in Mechanicsburg. In the spring, we opened a second Champaign Feed & Pet Supply store in Mechanicsburg, Ohio. (CHECK DATE) Cooperative Energy was created to bring propane to Farmers Commission customers
2008
We purchased the London grain facility and one of the propane routes in the Union/Delaware county areas and the Unionville Bulk Plant from United Landmark, LLC.
2009
As of September 1st, Champaign Landmark merged with The Farmers Commission Co. to create Heritage Cooperative Official kick off of “Fueling the Cure” campaign. Partnering with Southwest Landmark (now Trupointe), and United Landmark, we raised over $70,000 for the Stephanie Spielman Fund.
Heritage Cooperative
2010
Joined Granville Milling to introduce our new feed line, Horizon Grains Opened third Champion Feed and Pet Supply store located in the Dublin/Kileville area Kenton grain facility gained a new grain bin that has a 725,000 bushel capacity In January, Heritage Crop Insurance Agency LLC was formed to provide crop insurance products for Heritage customers
2012
Ada received a new 250,000 bushel bin, with super flow fill and unload Richwood’s aged feed mill was demolished to increase sanitation and branch appearance
2013
Additional grain storage and handling equipment were added to West Liberty and Upper Sandusky The Kenton agronomy complex had a 24/7 liquid 28 tank and chemical facility added to the branch. (CHECK ORDER) The Mechanicsburg Seed Warehouse added an additional six, 3,000 unit bulk seed bins The Feed Department added a 40 foot, concession style trailer to take around to area fairs, and livestock shows. This trailer is what is known as the Show Supply Trailer
2014
On May 14th, Heritage Cooperative broke ground for the Marysville Ag Campus and Research Farm. The 277 acre plot includes a CSX Transportation, Class 1, unit train grain terminal with 14 bins; a 30,000 ton dry fertilizer warehouse; a 10,000 ton liquid UAN storage tank with a 24/7 distribution terminal and an anhydrous ammonia storage tank. On September 25th, Heritage Cooperative celebrated the grand opening of a seven million dollar expansion at the Kenton campus.
2014
This project included a new 24/7 unmanned fuel station, which offers gasoline, E85, diesel, diesel exhaust fluid, and compressed natural gas (CNG). The agronomy updates include a two million gallon liquid fertilizer storage tank, and a computer automated liquid load-out building with eight 10,000 gallon bulk chemical tanks. Storage areas for package products and mini-bulk containers were added as well, providing 24/7 fertilizer access to our customers.
2015
The Ada facility built an additional dryer on its campus The aged fertilizer building at Derby was demolished and replaced with a new hoop style structure Upper Sandusky replaced their 10 ton fertilizer blender The Sycamore branch added another anhydrous ammonia storage tank and loading riser to the existing setup.
2016
In June, Marysville Ag Campus had its official ribbon cutting ceremony Heritage Cooperative CEO Eric P. and Agland Co-op CEO Jeff O. began discussions on merging the two co-ops. Agland Co-op resides in Northeast Ohio and shares the same ventures and services as Heritage Cooperative Heritage Show Supply launched their own website, and an industry-first mobile app for their customers.
2017
On February 13th, votes were counted on the decision to merge Heritage Cooperative with Agland Co-op. The measure passed, adding 37 eastern counties to Heritage’s territory On September 1st 2017, Agland Co-op merged into Heritage Cooperative.