The members of Luckey Farmers Inc., Woodville, Ohio, and Ida Farmers Cooperative, Ida, Mich., have approved a merger of their cooperatives, according to an Oct. 9 announcement from the companies. The effective date of the merger will be Feb. 1, 2024.
Members approved the merger at special meetings held on Oct. 3. Luckey Farmers had 307 members that participated in the vote, with 86% voting in favor of the merger. Ida Farmers had 117 members that participated in the vote, with 87% voting in favor of the merger.
“On behalf of our Boards, management, and employee teams, we appreciate each and every member who cast a ballot in this cooperative merger,” said Ida Farmers Board Chairman Bryan Otto. “We look forward to realizing the advantages of combining our cooperatives while still maintaining local ownership.”
Together, Luckey Farmers and Ida Farmers will have 11 locations across northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan providing products, programs, and services through its grain, agronomy, energy, and feed divisions. The newly unified cooperative will be headquartered at the current Luckey Farmers office in Woodville.
The name of the combined organization was not revealed, but the two co-ops said more information will be provided in the coming months as the integration plans are finalized. The initial board of directors will consist of twelve directors with representation from each geographical district.
“We are confident that together, we will become an even stronger cooperative and be better positioned to improve on our already strong portfolio of products and services that we offer,” said John Moore, Luckey Farmers Board Chairman. “Both cooperatives have employee teams that take pride in their work and will continue their strong culture of service and commitment to our customers.”
Established in 1919, Lucky Farmers has nearly 700 members, seven grain facilities, three agronomy centers, and three fuel stations in Ohio’s Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Wood counties. Ida Farms operates a grain elevator and agronomy center at its Ida location, offering products and services in fertilizer, seed, pet and livestock supplies, and gardening equipment.