HISTORY OF LORAINE DIVISION

        From around 1919 to around 1930 Howard Lawless owned the elevator with grain, livestock, feed, coal and ice being handled.

    Around 1930 to 1958 John and Roy Wessel ran the elevator for a few years with Walter Wessel taking over the business.  Master Mix feed was handled.  Grain was purchased and bag fertilizer was sold along with coal.   In 1958-59 Fletcher Andrew purchased the Loraine Elevator from Walter Wessel.   Fletcher added bulk Agrico fertilizer, anhydrous, liquid 28%.  Chemicals were handled which was mainly herbicides Atrazine for corn and Amiben for beans.  Loraine Elevator had a bulk gasoline truch and was a distributor for Conoco gasoline and diesel.   Seed and coal was also handled along with buying grain which was shipped by rail and truck.  Ear corn was bought and Wilbur and Opal Ruffcorn would shell it for the elevator with his ear corn sheller.  The main feed sold was Master Mix.

    On February 10, 1969 the Loraine Elevator was adquired by Donald Schoch, John F. Adams, Russell Goehl, and Frank Stevens.

    The Dobbs feed Service was acquired and a new feed grinhead tanks installed at the present seed cleaning site.  Clarence "Pete" Peters was manager and the business was renamed Adams Agri Center.   The feed sold as AgriLand Premixes which was manufactured and bagged at the mill.

    At the end of 1970 and the beginning of 1971 it was decided to form a cooperative, with the area farmers and stock was sold at $25.00 a share.

    The organizational meeting of Adams Agricultural Center, Inc. was held March 23, 1971 at the Loraine Elementary School.  Twenty-six stockholders were present.  Don Schoch was elected temporary chairman and Sue Whitaker temporary secretary for the meeting.  The first Board of Directors elected were Carl Rabe, Harold Wear, Bruce Wear, Donald Peter, and David Arnsman, Larry Trautvetter and Donald Schoch.  A total of 5120 were sold along with $21,000.00 Debenture Bonds at the end of sales.  The present building along with lot was purchased November 8, 1971.  A new 60 foot scales was added on the west side of office in January 1972.  A kamar building was added for flat storage west of the office building.  Ralston Purina Co. was the feed sold and Lewis Seed was sold by the Coop.  On November 5, 1971, the board accepted the resignation of Bruce Wear as amanger.  David Arnsman was hired as amanger December 14, 1971.  In 1978 David Arnsman resigned as manager with replacement by David Ivers, with him resigning shortly afterwards.  The Cooperative was acquired on September 11, 1979 by International Multifoods out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

    Allen Wagner was the company's first manager followed by Jach Schone with Ralph kirbach beoming manager in 1983.  International Multifoods donated the building west of the feed mill to the Loraine Lions Club.  In 1989, a computer system was added to the office with grain package and counter invoicing added in 1990.

    On December 2, 1991 International Multifoods sold Supersweet Feeds and all their agricultural division except Venezuela, to AGP, L.P. out of Omaha Nebraska.  International Multifoods went ahead with plans and put in a new feed mill leg.  Fertilizer and chemicals were discontinued.  February 9, 1993 Camp Point Elevator and Loraine Agri Center were combined iwth Cheryl Sexton as General Manager.  On October 1, 1993 Ursa Farmers Cooperative made a lease agreement with AGP, L.P. to lease Loraine Agri Center.  With the Flood of 1993 Loraine became an asset for Ursa Farmers Cooperative in handling over four hundred thousand bushels of soybeans and corn during the fall of 1993 with Meyer facility being flooded.  Kevin Anderson was manager from October 2, 1993 to January 5, 1994.  Ken Gray started at Loraine on February 12, 1994 as manager.

    In the fall of 194 an automatic grain probe was installed.  The feed mill was closed at the Loraine Facility on May 1, 1995 and a seed cleaner was added.  Ken Gray is the locational manager, while Kyle is the locational supervisor, other employees are