Richardson International buys up several Alberta crop input locations
Richardson International will take over a chain of nine crop input locations in Alberta from CHS Dynagra, including outlets in Bow Island, Vauxhall and Rolling Hills, the company announced late Monday.
It marks the third time in six years that the Bow Island location has changed hands. It also appears CHS will exit the Canadian farm retail market while maintaining its wholesale and commodity trading wing in this country.
On Tuesday the U.S.-based farmer-owned co-operative also announced it would sell its stake in seven northern Alberta outlets under the Bridgeland banner to jointpartner UFA Co-operative.
“CHS is grateful to the growers and employees who have been loyal,” read a statement from that company on Tuesday. “It was with their best, long-term interests in mind that we pursued this agreement (with Richardson).”
CHS took over the Bow Island location in 2014 after the Competition Board of Canada ruled that owner Agrium would need to divest some locations before a major asset swap with Viterra would be approved. A fertilizer tank facility in Medicine Hat that had been part of the transaction has not been operated by CHS for some time, according to officials.
Other CHS outlets involved in the Richardson deal are located in Alix, Beiseker, Carseland, Craddock, Lacombe, Standard and Vauxhall. One is in Edenwold, Sask.
All 10 locations are fullservice crop input retailers, providing producers with chemical, fertilizer and seed services, and become part of the Richardson network.
“We are focused on building our retail crop inputs business and expanding our network across Western Canada,” said company vicepresident Tom Hamilton. “We will continue to target strategic locations to expand our presence and ultimately offer our services, products and expertise to more producers across the Prairies.”
Before the purchase, Richardson operated 80 input centres, including those attached to elevators in Dunmore, Oyen and Maple Creek.
In August, Richardson acquired two independent, full-service centres in Vermilion and Forestburg. In Saskatchewan, a new outlet opened last summer in Elrose, Sask., north of Stewart Valley, and another near Regina could be operating this month.