Trupointe Cooperative Inc. and Cargill Inc. signed the final agreement to create the joint venture TruHorizons, bringing together their current grain and agronomy operations under one name at Milford, Bremen and La Paz, Indiana Operations of TruHorizons begin today.
The TruHorizons agronomy hub at Milford offers crop nutrients, crop protection products, seed and traits, crop scouting, precision agriculture, application services and more. The newly constructed hub has been open and serving growers since spring 2014, under the ownership of Trupointe.
TruHorizons’ grain elevators, formerly under the Cargill name, are located in Bremen and La Paz. Plans are also underway to construct a $30-million grain elevator at the Milford location, to be open by harvest 2016. The new elevator will include eight concrete silos, two steel bins and an attached ground pile with total space of 4.3 million bushels. “By bringing together an advanced agronomic model with a global grain network, Indiana growers can combine the products, services and resources needed, from seed to harvest, to profitably produce a crop,” said Larry Hammond, president and chief executive officer of Trupointe.
TruHorizons will be governed by a six-person Board of Directors, complied of three representatives from each parent company. A general manager will oversee operations and employees, with TruHorizons currently employing 24.
“TruHorizons will connect farmers with the best-in-class service from a dedicated team. This team is dedicated to helping the farmers of northern Indiana succeed,” Ben Breazeale, regional manager of Cargill’s eastern region, said. “The combination of our assets into this joint venture will provide a one-stop shop for producers.” By offering a full-service business, TruHorizons will have capability to serve growers each step of the production cycle. The Milford site also has the unique advantage of being situated on both the CSX and NS main-line railroads, giving both the grain and agronomy businesses efficient access to world markets.
Trupointe, an agricultural cooperative based in Piqua, Ohio, serves western Ohio and eastern Indiana and will continue serving those regions as Trupointe. The addition of the grain facility on the Milford site has been part of design plans since Trupointe acquired the site.
