LAURENS
 The
Laurens branch of First Cooperative Association had its beginning
in 1907 as the Farmers Trading Company. In that year, a group
of farmers set out to organize a farmer-owned elevator to remedy
the unsatisfactory grain market in Laurens. Seven thousand dollars
worth of stock was sold and the Farmers Trading Company was
set up as a corporation. The Wells-Howard Elevator was bought
for approximately $3,000.00. Our present elevator exists on
that original site. In 1915, a wood elevator was built just
east of the original elevator. In 1918, the old elevator was
torn down and the present concrete elevator built in its place.
The wood elevator burned in 1927. In 1937, the older feed mill
was built, complete with grinder, mixer, huller and a big diesel
motor generator.
In 1946, the elevator was reorganized into a cooperative, known
as the Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company.
In 1948, the steel elevator on the Rock Island Railroad was
built. In 1950, the first grain dryer was installed. In 1953,
the lumberyard was purchased and in 1954, our name was changed
to Farmers Cooperative Elevator and Lumber Company. The flat
storage (bag feed wholesale) on the Rock Island Railroad was
built in 1955. The Piper Elevator was purchased in 1956. In
1957, a new hammermill was installed. The flat storage on the
CNW Railroad was constructed in 1958. The new feedmill addition
was added in 1961. The fertilizer plant was purchased in 1964.
Concrete storage for 250,000 bushels of grain in 1969, as well
as the east part of the existing office. The lumberyard inventory
was sold in 1972, and the building utilized for storage. In
1975, the Carter-Day dryer was constructed. The four newest
concrete tubes were erected in 1976, increasing our storage
capacity by 386,000 bushels. In 1998 the dryer was resheeted.
Laurens got a new floater for fertilizer in 1999.
In 1975, our name was changed back to Farmers Cooperative Elevator
Company. In 1980, the refined fuels portion of Richardson’s
Service was purchased. This service provided fuel and gas delivery
and a complete of oils, greases and TBA products.
As a cooperative, the business has steadily increased since
its organization in 1946. On October 1, 1990, Farmers Cooperative
Elevator Company merged with Farmers Cooperative Association
of Marathon. On March 1, 1997, we became First Cooperative Association.
At its peak, the Laurens location had 14 full-time employees.
Currently there are 6 full-time employees that work at this
location.
Services offered are:
- Grain handling (1.4 million bushel storage capacity)
- Custom grind/mix/deliver feed (primarily LOL)
- Fertilizer & Chemical sales and custom application
- Seed
- Petroleum (delivered from Marathon)
- Oils & Grease
- Cardtrol
- LP bottle gas fill
Roger Nuehring
Branch Manager
 Roger Nuehring
rnuehring@firstcoop.com
Fertilizer Line
Brett Bargloff,
bbarglof@firstcoop.com
400 Walnut Street
Laurens, IA 50554
Main Line
712-841-4566
FAX Line 712-841-2037
Fertilizer Line
712-841-2409
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