Two additions to the Prairie skyline have taken shape in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and are now serving Western Canadian farmers.

Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) has commissioned state-of-the-art, high-throughput fertilizer terminals in Brandon, Man., and Hanley, Sask. Both facilities warehouse, blend and distribute a complete suite of crop nutrition products for Co-op locations and agricultural producers throughout the Prairies.

• MORE: Co-op Fertilizer Terminal Opening Video

The 68,000-square-foot terminal in Brandon has the capacity to house 27,500 metric tonnes of fertilizer. The second terminal in Hanley is 96,000 square feet and has the capacity to store 45,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer. The facilities were constructed on a combined budget of $75 million.

"Co-op and Western Canadian farmers have enjoyed a long and successful partnership, which will continue to grow into the future with this significant investment,” said Scott Banda, CEO of FCL, which is owned by more than 190 autonomous retail co-ops that form the Co-operative Retailing System in Western Canada.

"With centralized fertilizer distribution, the Co-operative Retailing System can provide producers with everything they need — including fuel, animal feed, crop inputs, grain handling equipment and more — in a single stop, which makes us truly unique in Western Canada."

Fast facts

• Construction of the facilities in Hanley and Brandon was announced in 2016 and was completed on schedule. Both terminals began receiving and shipping product in April.
• The Hanley facility currently has five full-time employees, while the Brandon facility has four.
• Each terminal can load a super B trailer of blended fertilizer in 10 minutes and dispense up to 400 metric tonnes of straight fertilizer in an hour.
• Rail access allows both facilities to efficiently receive product from domestic and international suppliers, while each terminal is centrally located for distribution to Co-op Agro Centres across Western Canada.

"Co-op has become synonymous with supporting our farmers and has further strengthened its reputation by delivering to the needs of communities across the Prairies,” said the Honourable Ralph Eichler, Minister of Agriculture for the Province of Manitoba. “This terminal is a welcome addition to Co-op's thriving presence in Manitoba and will only further serve our province’s agriculture industry."

Local impact

More than 125 Co-op Agro Centres across Western Canada currently provide agricultural producers with important crop supplies, including crop protection products and seed. Of those, 77 locations currently offer fertilizer and more are expected to include it among the products and services they provide in the future.