Snake River F&G, The Andersons partner up in Weiser

 They were previously owned by the Scoular Company, which bought the site in 2012. It handled, stored, and merchandised grains while operating a seed cleaning business. 

 When Scoular shut down the operation a couple years ago, it left local farmers in a bit of a bind. The 700,000-bushel grain facility was the only local operation where area growers could take their corn and wheat. They were forced to begin doing business outside the area, leading to logistical solutions that resulted in more money and time.

 But all of that is about to change.

 A couple weeks ago, Snake River Feed & Grain and The Andersons announced a partnership that will once again provide a local option for area farmers during harvest. 

 “Previously, we haven’t had a presence in Weiser,” said The Andersons Greenleaf terminal Senior Merchant/Supervisor, Mike Vermeer. “We feel there is enough grain to operate a business that will provide major benefits to the community and improve service and prices for local producers. We have signed a long-term handling agreement with Snake River Feed & Grain, and we are committed to building a lasting presence here.”

 He added, “The Andersons will pay Snake River to handle and store grain, and all grain contracting will be done directly with The Andersons out of the Greenleaf, Idaho office.” 

 Vermeer noted that the Weiser facility will not require much work to be fully operational and will be accepting grain for the 2023 harvest. 

 “Hopefully we get some bushels this year, but we are starting late in the season,” he said. “We know that as we become more established, the volumes we handle through Weiser will increase.” 

 Founded by Harold Anderson in 1947, the company, headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, owns more than 50 grain terminals in 11 states, as well as Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada, according to the company’s website. 

 The Andersons have grain elevators in Bliss, Buhl, American Falls, Glenns Ferry, Hansen, Burley, Idaho Falls, Hamer, Malta, and Greenleaf, Idaho.  

 The company merchandises corn, soybean meal, wheat, oats, and other commodities, with most of its Idaho trade in wheat and corn. 

 It is unclear when Scoular departed Weiser, but it is believed to have been sometime in 2021. The bins were left empty, and the site remained inactive until Rylie Wendt and Matt Storlie expressed interest in purchasing the facility. 

 The business partners own Snake River Feed & Grain in Payette, Idaho. Wendt purchased SRF&G from Dell Christian in 2018, with Storlie later buying into it. 

 Described by Wendt as a “mom and pop” operation, the business, located at 110 N. Seventh St. in Payette, Idaho, specializes in small animal feed, offering a wide range of bagged products and brands, including Purina, Red Flannel dog food, and County Acre cat food. 

 The business has been thriving, growing to the point where it was necessary to expand. The biggest obstacle has been finding space to store the grains used to mix custom products. 

 “I don’t have much storage, so I’ve been processing load to load,” Wendt said. “I would get a semi load, have them drop it into my little bins, and process it. Then I’d have to turn around and get another load.” 

 Wendt previously worked at Scoular and was familiar with the Weiser facility, which became a practical solution to SRF&G’s storage problems.

 The new location will allow Wendt and Storlie to expand, opening a feed retail store at the Weiser facility and turning Payette into a retail-only store.  

 All feed milling will be done in Weiser, offering conventional and non-GMO products, and a separate ionophore feed mill facility.

 It will produce 50-pound bags, totes, and grain in bulk. Wendt and Storlie are certified Purina Mills wholesalers, which helps them offer specialty feeds they can’t make themselves, such as dog, cat, rabbit, rat, and more.

 The only problem is that the facility is large, and the company needed a partner to help fill all the grain bins. 

 “With us, we can get along with one, or one and a half of the 20,000-bushel bins,” Wendt explained. “When we start doing more steer feed, we will probably expand into another bin, or bin and a half, so three.”

 There are a total of 20 bins of varying capacities. With all the extra space, the business partners ultimately approached Vermeer at The Andersons and the deal was done relatively quickly.

 Now, SRF&G can mix and sell its products locally, in large part servicing local 4-H and FFA members. Meanwhile, The Andersons can tap into a market with a convenient local delivery point. The deal is mutually beneficial and is anticipated to be a win for farmers and those looking for a local source of animal feed and other products. 

 “We hope to be in this for the long haul,” Vermeer said. “We’ve been trying to break into that market for several years. We will provide local delivery and more pricing options for the farmer. We hope that a local delivery point coupled with a high level of local customer service will make producers choose to work with The Andersons.” 

 Vermeer added, “I’m excited; I am ready to provide extraordinary service to the agricultural community.”

 For more information on The Andersons, call Mike Vermeer at (208) 649-5296, on his cell at (208) 573-0376, or email him at mvermeer@andersonsinc.com.

 For more information on Snake River Feed & Grain, call Matt Storlie at (208) 642-3571, on his cell at (208) 215-0337, or email him at snakeriverfeed@gmail.com.