Inside the Elevator: Farmers Co-op Association Marks Decades of Growth Alongside Its Farmers

IL Corn served lunch to farmers and employees at Farmers Co-op Association on Oct. 14 as one of the winners of this year’s Elevator Appreciation Lunch contest. It was a chance to say thank you to the people who keep grain moving during the busiest weeks of the year, and to hear how much the elevator has grown.

Jay Junker, general manager of the grain facility, says Farmers Co-op is the oldest co-op in Illinois. “The name was changed from Varna Coal and Grain to the Farmers Co-op in 1930. And it’s been that way ever since.”

When Junker and his team took over in 1989, the goal was clear. “When we started out, we had a lot of work to do, but we wanted to try to make this someplace that our farmers were very proud of,” he said. “And we hope we’ve succeeded in doing that.”

The numbers suggest they have. Storage capacity at the time was about 900,000 bushels. With a new grain tank added this past year, the co-op is now up to 16.4 million.

The facility runs six dump pits and four grain dryers, with a total dumping capacity of roughly 90,000 bushels per hour and drying capacity of roughly 30,000 bushels per hour. Most of the co-op’s corn goes to Marquis Energy, while most of its soybeans head to the Illinois River.

Junker credits the farmers and the land around them for that growth.

“We are in a wonderful area here. We have tremendous farmers. We have tremendous farm ground. It’s enabled us to expand more than we ever believed we could,” he said.

And the work isn’t finished. Junker said the co-op will keep investing where there’s a need, with today’s harvest pace in mind.

“Today’s farmer, you’re on the clock. Harvest needs to happen quickly and efficiently, and that’s what we’re building for.”

Congratulations to Farmers Co-op Association, and thank you to the farmers and employees who make harvest happen there every fall.