Co-ops report amazing harvest
Marion elevator
sets new record
The three cooperatives with grain elevators in Marion County took in a large amount of wheat this season, although not as much as the 1997 record year. Managers report a few farmers still are harvesting but most of the crop is in the bin.
Although the crop was larger, the price is lower. Managers report a current price at about $2.60 per bushel. Last year at this time the price was more than $3.00.
Cooperative Grain and Supply has received a total of 2,953,699 bushels. The co-op owns five elevators and added another elevator at Canton this year. In 2002, the co-op took in 2,435,000 bushels. The price was above $3 per bushel. On Tuesday, it was $2.58.
The co-op's Hillsboro elevator took in 642,000 bushels this year, according to general manager Lyman Adams. That's quite a bit less than the bumper harvest of 1997, which brought in 915,000 bushels to Hillsboro, and it's 80,000 bushels higher than the totals for 2002.
A broken gear box that caused one "leg" of the elevator to shut down for several days did affect progress somewhat, Adams said. Also, some farmers are choosing to take their grain directly to terminal markets in places like Hutchinson and Newton.
Mike Thomas, manager at Marion, reported the elevator took in more this year than ever. It has received about 765,000 bushels, which is about 320,000 more than a year ago and 50,000 more than in 1997.
Agri-Producers, Inc. includes eight branch elevators. It took in 4,200,000 bushels, almost as much as in 1997, when it received 4,300,000 bushels. The co-op took in one and one-half million more bushels than a year ago. The price Tuesday was $2.61 compared with $3.25 a year earlier.
At Lincolnville, 100,000 bushels of wheat are piled on the ground. The elevator has received approximately 710,000 bushels compared to 478,000 bushels a year ago and 673,000 in 1997.
Mid-Kansas Cooperative is the largest grain co-op in the state. It is headquartered at Moundridge and has 40 elevators. Florence, Burns, Peabody, and Goessel became part of the co-op a year or so ago.
Mid-Kansas has taken in 17,624,000 bushels. Florence has received 328,000 bushels, a 53 percent increase over 2002. Burns has received almost 100,000 more bushels than a year ago but not as much as in 1997. The current price is $2.55.
Peabody manager, Chris Bielefeld reported receiving more than 600,000 bushels, considerably better than last year but not as good as in 1997.
