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East Central/Select Sires, NorthStar Co-op Looking to Merge
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 12/18/2018

Another two agricultural cooperatives have announced their plans to join forces. The board of directors of the Waupun-basaed East Central/Select Sires and NorthStar Cooperative, headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, reached a unanimous decision to unify the two businesses under the name CentralStar Cooperative Inc.

ECSS began in the early 1940s when four county agents and various breeders began efforts to create what was then called East Central Breeders Association Cooperative. During the late 80s, most of the bulls at East Central were moved to Ohio as part of a restructuring effort of Select Sires. The company continues to provide artificial breeding services to dairy and livestock producers in southern Wisconsin. NorthStar Cooperative serves dairy and beef producers in northern Wisconsin, Michigan, and north of U.S. Highway 50 in Indiana. There are also an affiliate of Select Sires.

A joint press release by the two groups stated that there is no overlapping territory between the cooperatives, so service will continue as usual for patron members once the merger is confirmed.

"The goal is to combine cooperatives, creating even greater value for our members and customers," the release said. "This includes taking advantage of economies of scale where it makes sense; expanding resources and services available to customers, such as Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) services and diagnostic testing; and removing the current business line in Wisconsin."

NorthStar President Paul Trierweiler says with the dairy and beef industries changing so rapidly, the boards felt the move created a lot of opportunities to better serve its members and customers.

Common stockowners of both NorthStar Cooperative and East Central/Select Sires will vote on the merger in early 2019. If approved, the companies will officially unify on May 1.


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