Central Valley Ag Cooperative, headquartered in O'Neill, Neb., South Dakota Wheat Growers, headquartered in Aberdeen, S.D., and Farmers Cooperative Company, headquartered in Ames, Iowa, have formed an entity named Consolidated Sourcing Solutions to provide a partnership in fertilizer sourcing. "The formation of Consolidated Sourcing Solutions will enable us to better manage our fertilizer needs and maximize the efficiencies of our fertilizer assets," says Doug Derscheid, president and CEO of CVA.  Dale Locken, CEO of the South Dakota Wheat Growers, says "because each of the founding cooperatives has similar size, cultures and service to grower fundamentals, the partnership came together to form this new entity which is called Consolidated Sourcing Solutions. CSS will add immediate value to the sourcing of fertilizer for our respective companies. The combined fertilizer synergies of this partnership will be significant."

Partnership aims to better position their co-ops in fertilizer market

Roger Koppen, the president and CEO of the large Iowa co-op, known as FC, says "The immediate and long-term benefits of CSS will include logistical support and risk management, better international market intelligence and the ability to build global sourcing relationships to better position us and our suppliers in the Midwest fertilizer market." Koppen continues: "This new entity is about partnership; the partnership of these three successful companies to better serve our customers as well as partnership with vendors that desire to position fertilizer products in the Midwest market." Consolidated Sourcing Solutions is in the process of hiring its president. The president will report to the board of directors of CSS, which is comprised of one member selected from each of the three founding companies as well as a board member or members selected at large. This board will provide strategic direction and guidance to CSS. Consolidated Sourcing Solutions intends to be operational in June 2010 and will operate out of a yet-to-be-announced location.

Consolidated Sourcing Solutions plans to begin operating June 2010

Central Valley Ag Cooperative (www.cvacoop..com) is a member-owned farmers' cooperative located in north-central and northeastern Nebraska. It provides agronomy, energy, and feed and grain products and services to over 10,000 producers in the area. More than 360 full-time CVA employees strive to be the first choice for any of its producers' needs. Since its creation in September 2003, CVA has experienced consistent growth allowing it to provide the best possible service and support for its patrons. South Dakota Wheat Growers (www.sdwg.com) is a grain and agronomy cooperative in the heart of the James River Valley of South and North Dakota. Owned by the customers it serves, SDWG exists to provide value for customer owners from Interstate 90 to Interstate 94 and the Missouri River to Interstate 29. Today over 5,000 active producer members are using SDWG products and services, a choice enhanced by strong patronage returns and timely equity retirement payments. Farmers Cooperative Co. (www.fccoop.com) has corporate headquarters in Ames, Iowa, and is the largest farmer-owned local agriculture cooperative in Iowa. FC serves over 5,200 active members throughout its trade territory of over 3,000,000 acres. Members are served from over 50 locations by more than 450 employees. For information go to the CSS site www.consolidatedsourcingsolutions.com  or call: Richard Bentley, COO of South Dakota Wheat Growers at 605-225-5500; Karl Hensley, vice president of Central Valley Ag at  402-843-2200; or Chris Pearson, senior vice president of Farmers Cooperative at  515-971-0589.