Great Lakes Grain Enters Agreement to Operate Thamesford Grain Elevator

CHATHAM, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 20, 2013) - Great Lakes Grain is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement, through its partner AGRIS Co-operative Ltd, to operate the Thamesford grain elevator, previously operated by Nutreco Canada Inc.

The Thamesford grain elevator will add more than two million bushels of additional storage and significant drying capacity for Great Lakes Grain. Operation of the elevator by Great Lakes Grain is expected to begin October 1, 2013 and will be open for receiving 24 hours a day during harvest.

"With expected good yields and lower prices, we expect our customers will hold ownership longer and storage capacity is going to be at a premium this year," says Don Kabbes, market development manager for Great Lakes Grain. "As harvest equipment continues to get larger and concerns about poor stalk quality quicken the harvest, this will help speed-up delivery for our farmer-owners" added Kabbes.

The Thamesford elevator features three receiving lines and an unloading capacity of 17,000 bushels an hour. It also has two grain dryers and the ability to dry 120,000 bushels a day. The addition of the Thamesford grain elevator allows Great Lakes Grain to continue to enhance its product availability for end users. "This helps bring farmers closer to the market, making every bushel count for our farmer-owners," says Alex Elliott, general manager for Great Lakes Grain.

"The design and construction of this elevator is unique in Ontario and the base structure was built to last," says Stan Gillier, a Chatham area farmer who serves as a director and the property committee chair for AGRIS Co-operative.

Great Lakes Grain is a grain marketing partnership between GROWMARK, Inc. and AGRIS Co-operative Ltd. Great Lakes Grain is one of the largest operators of Ontario country elevators. It represents close to 20 million bushels of storage capacity with total marketing in excess of 40 million bushels. We serve farmers at more than 24 AGRIS Co-operative and FS PARTNERS branded locations from Windsor through to Toronto and north to Georgian Bay.

FS PARTNERS is a retail division of GROWMARK, Inc. that manages the day-to-day operations of several FS branded locations throughout central and southwestern Ontario. FS PARTNERS delivers customized and innovative solutions to help improve the profitability of its customers and farmer-owners. Specializing in agronomy, energy, and grain marketing expertise, FS PARTNERS serves producers throughout southwestern and central Ontario.

AGRIS Co-operative Ltd. is a one-hundred per cent farmer-owned grain marketing and farm-input supply company that serves 1,200 farmer owners in 14 locations in Essex, Kent, Elgin, Middlesex and Lambton Counties. It is a leader in providing producers with "The Whole Farm Plan" - seed genetics, plant nutrition, crop protection, energy products and services, crop protection, crop marketing and input financing. AGRIS Co-operative is a member-owner of GROWMARK, Inc. and markets products and services under the FS banner.

Visit www.fspartners.ca, www.agris.coop and www.greatlakesgrain.com for more information.