CO-OP CORNER: SEEDS OF CHANGE

AFC TRANSFERS GRAIN DIVISION TO WOODALL GRAIN COMPANY

BY TIFFANY LESTER

There are dozens of quotes about changing with the times, the importance of adapting and the difficulty of it all. John F. Kennedy said it best when he said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

Alabama Farmers Cooperative (AFC) has experienced many changes over its 87 years of existence, and now, times are a-changin’ once more.

After 66 years in the Grain Marketing Service, AFC sold its Grain Division assets to Woodall Grain Company (WGC) effective as of August 2, 2023.

WGC was established in 2005 by fifth-generation farmers. Headquartered in Decherd, Tennessee, it specializes in merchandising corn, wheat, and soybeans. WGC provides producers and end users with the highest level of individualized grain marketing and risk management services for the greatest level of profitability.

“AFC believes Woodall’s acquisition of the Grain Division will only enhance the grain merchandising and marketing services for our farmers. AFC has always focused on providing the best possible service to its member Co-ops and local farmers through the most beneficial means available. Woodall’s proven expertise and farmer-focused approach to the grain business simply furthers that goal,” says AFC President and CEO Rivers Myres.

Woodall Grain Company CEO Jared Woodall echos that same sentiment, stating, “We are pleased to welcome AFC Grain Division to the Woodall family. Our two companies share the same values, including an unwavering commitment to prioritizing farmers, making this a tremendous fit. We are excited to further expand our footprint in Alabama providing customers with the highest level of individualized grain marketing services.”

It is bittersweet to say farewell to the Grain Division which began as a way to provide a more direct and ready market for farmers' grain.

AFC leaders have always kept the evolving needs of farmers top of mind. This is but one of several strategic adjustments they have made over the years.

There is no one better to describe the changes to AFC’s Grain Division over the years than the AFC Grain Division’s longest serving Vice President, John Gamble.

Gamble’s journey with AFC began in 1978 when he joined as a management trainee in the Grain Division. From the outset, he immersed himself in various roles, from running the scales and learning about farming to mastering the intricacies of grain accounting. Gamble’s dedication led him to explore hedging and merchandising, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of the industry.

Gamble retired in 2021 after 43 years in the Grain Division. His work there allowed him to interact with farmers both locally and globally, an opportunity that left a lasting impression on Gamble.

“It's just a great thing to be able to meet all these people and then also deal with your local cooperatives that had a grain facility. Limestone Co-op, Lawrence County Exchange, DeKalb Farmers. A lot of those Co-ops had grain facilities that we did the marketing for for many, many years, so we could hedge the grain and they weren't likely to lose any money on their grain purchases. There were about 35 of them back when I first started. Now, there's probably six or eight. They got fewer, but they got bigger. “

AFC Grain's significance to farmers and the cooperative stores cannot be understated. With numerous, convenient locations for farmers to bring their grain, AFC Grain provided competitive pricing and offered patronage refunds during profitable years.

“Over the years, trucks have gotten bigger and farms have gotten bigger. But when it started, it was small 300-bushel trucks, and the farmers didn't want to travel a long way to bring their grain. We had a network that was very convenient to the farmers. We offered a very competitive price in all those locations. Then we paid patronage back to the Co-op stores to those growers when we had a profitable year. Everybody reaped the reward when we did well. The local stores did well, and in turn, their farmers did well because they got a patronage refund from us,” explained Gamble.

As we celebrate the Grain Division’s long history, we honor the enduring spirit of employees like Gamble and look forward to the next chapter in its storied history.

With the acquisition, Woodall Grain Company now owns elevators in Decatur, Florence, Leighton, Guntersville, Browns and Uniontown along with its other facilities in Decherd, Fayetteville, Elora, and Manchester, Tennessee. Customers may deliver to any location and take advantage of WGC’s Farmer Direct delivery points and on-farm pickup services.