Milk River, Central Montana co-ops to merge

CHS Milk River of Chinook and Lewiston-based CHS Central Montana Co-op, are merging operations.

The two cooperatives said the merger was aimed at creating “greater efficiencies and protecting member equity.”

CHS Milk River has operations in Havre, Chinook, Harlem, Turner, Malta, Rudyard and Big Sandy.

The combined organization, CHS Big Sky, will serve farmers and customers through their agronomy, energy and feed businesses.

CHS Big Sky will work within the country operations division of CHS, an agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States.

Keith Schumacher, who has been general manager of CHS Central Montana, will serve as Big Sky general manager, with Ryan Lammers, who is CHS Milk River general manager, sharing leadership duties as assistant general manager.

The two organizations will combine operations Sept. 1.

CHS Milk River had been operating as Milk River Co-op until Jan. 1, when the name was changed.

Officials of the two organizations said the merger came out of discussions on “how best to serve Montana farmers and ranchers for the long term.”

The merger talks came out of routine discussions on planning for a 27,000-tons dry fertilizer facility at Kershaw, near Fort Benton, that CHS Central Montana is planning. Construction will begin in 2016, and the facility is scheduled to open in 2017.

“Both of our businesses are financially strong and coming together will allow us to put the appropriate level of resources into programs and services that support our goal of helping our farmer-owners and other customers grow and succeed,” said Clarence Keller of North Havre, board chair of CHS Milk River.

“Initiatives such as the planned fertilizer hub in Kershaw reinforce our ongoing commitment to investing on behalf of our farmer-owners and remaining relevant for them long term,” said Rocque Fairbanks, board chair of CHS Central Montana Co-op.