MOUNDRIDGE, KANSAS, US — CHS Inc., the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the United States, and MKC, a full-service Kansas farm cooperative, announced plans Feb. 3 to build and operate a third grain shuttle loading terminal near Sterling, Kansas, US. Full operations are expected to begin by late 2023.

“In keeping with our purpose of creating connections to empower agriculture, CHS is pleased to continue to invest in strategic assets that increase producers’ access to international markets,” said Mike Johnston, senior vice president, CHS Inc. “MKC brings strong customer relationships and connections to this endeavor, helping us mutually build a robust and sustainable cooperative system.” 

Final construction decisions and a timeline are contingent on negotiations with state and local officials, the companies said. The facility will include a high-speed shuttle loader with access to rail on the K&O Railroad and onsite storage of approximately 5.2 million bushels.

The facility will operate as a limited liability company owned by CHS and MKC. The LLC operates two additional high-speed shuttle loading facilities in Canton and Milan, Kansas, US. Producer Ag, formerly known as Team Marketing Alliance (TMA), will handle grain marketing services for the new facility near Sterling.

“We are excited to once again make a strategic local investment with our cooperative partners at CHS,” said Brad Stedman, chief executive officer of MKC. “Investments such as this rail terminal expand the cooperative system’s ability to deliver our farmer’s grain to various parts of the world, returning greater value to local farmers and local communities.”

CHS Inc., based in St. Paul, Minnesota, US, operates 231 grain storage facilities with a total licensed storage capacity of 403 million bushels, according to Sosland Publishing Co.’s 2022 Grain & Milling Annual. MKC, based in Moundridge, Kansas, US, specializes in grain, agronomy, energy, feed and risk management.