 www.cwvalley.com |
C-W VALLEY CO-OP PO BOX 69 WOLVERTON, MN 56594 |
Wolverton Elevator Comstock Elevator Agronomy Center Fertilizer Plant |
218-995-2565 218-585-4616 218-585-4151 218-995-2176 |
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March 6, 2019
To: Buffalo Red River Watershed District managers
We are writing to express concerns the impacts of Plan B of the F-M Diversion will have on C-W Valley Co-op. C-W Valley Co-op will be celebrating 90 years of existence as a farmer’s co-op beginning in 1929 as Comstock Farmers Elevator and 1931 as Wolverton Farmers Elevator. The two co-ops merged in 1999 and changed our name to C-W Valley Co-op.
We have grain locations in Comstock and Wolverton, Minnesota; a bulk fuel facility with a retail fuel site and an agronomy center that handles seed, liquid fertilizer and chemical located just west of Comstock at 1274 160th Ave and a dry fertilizer plant and grain bin site at 1184 120th St, Wolverton.
The proximity of the levee and ditch to our agronomy site not only limits any growth and expansion for our agronomy and fuel business but the widening of Clay County 2 will also severely impact accessibility to our retail pumps, fuel business and agronomy business. Potential flooding caused by the ditch on the east side of the levee is also a concern with the property and products that we handle.
The location of our fertilizer plant will be severely impacted with Plan B and is now in the area of a Maximum Pool and classified as Category 2 which is involves flood proofing, ring levee, relocation or acquisition.
These locations are strategically located to service our trade area and moving them to other locations could severely impact our business. Leaving them at their current locations also presents potential issues that could be very concerning.
The negative impact Plan B will have on C-W Valley Co-op is more than our physical locations. As we stated earlier, we will be celebrating 90 years of existence this year. We see the potential damage this plan will have on C-W Valley Co-op and the risk it will place on the continued existence and success of the business. We believe there is a strong possibility of losing substantial business when this project is activated and water is held. Since 2012 we have had two springs that a large majority of our crops were planted in an 8-9 day window because of the time the fields became fit for planting and then rains came again. If that time frame is taken away because of water being held on the fields due to the activation of the dams, crops would not get planted. We would lose the income from sale of the inputs of seed, fertilizer, chemical, and fuel as well as the income from services such as application and grain handle. Any time the water is held back, there will be a negative impact on our business. We do not believe this co-op will be able to survive these negative impacts.
We know Fargo and Moorhead need flood protection but with Plan B it is coming at the expense and sacrifice of many of our patrons and our company while the flood plain south of Fargo gets developed for their gain and profit.
We are asking the managers of the Buffalo Red River Watershed District to proceed with the contested case and not issue a permit for Plan B. This will give those impacted by Plan B to be heard by an administrative law judge and make sure Minnesota water laws are followed and not politically motivated. At this time there are still too many unknown factors and once approved this will have impacts that will last forever.
Curt Bjertness, Manager
Luke Brakke, President
Matt Ness, Vice-President
C-W Valley Co-op
Views: 1631
According to Fargo it’s OK to protect its people, businesses and tax base and the profits from the metro area but everyone else has to give up their way of life and businesses that they have worked a lifetime for just so the ALMIGHTY FARGO can be profitable.