Chaseburg Farmer’s Union Co-op Service was incorporated in December, 1947. Persons in the Chaseburg community purchased $20,000 worth of shares to provide capital to start the Co-op. The first audit report showed assests of $39,000. Today they have increased to $8,000,000 of which $1,500,000 are investments in supply and service cooperatives – the principle ones being CENEX and Land O Lakes.
The main products were feed, seed, fertilizer, lube oil, and tires. A manager and two full time employees sold $97,800 worth of merchandise during the first year of operation. By 1970, the sales volume reached one-half million dollars and one million dollars in 1974.
The members of the first Board of Directors were:
- President – Frank Mlsna – Chaseburg
- Vice President – Rudolph Strasser Sr. – Stoddard
- Secretary – Elmer Zeitlow – Chaseburg
- Director – Lester Kuester – Chaseburg
- Director – Walter Manske – Viroqua
- Director – Joel Lindahl – Stoddard
Additional products and services have been added during its history.
- 1957 – Erected a bulk petroleum plant and provided bulk service to patrons.
- 1960 – Purchased old tobacco warehouse and remodeled building installing bulk feed storage and equipment.
- 1962 – Bulk fertilizer was available to farmers
- 1966 – LP gas delivery and service were made available from CENEX’s plant at Reedsburg.
- 1967 – Purchased service station.
- 1968 – Added the Home Comfort Department for furnace installation and service.
- 1978 – Fertilizer plant was built in Stoddard, WI.
- 1984 – New warehouse for storage and supplies.
- 1991 – LP Bulk plant with 30,000 gallon storage tank.
- 1992 – Chemical storage building and loading pad.
- 1993 – Leased outlet store in Redmound.
- 1994 – Bulk storage for 28 percent liquid fertilizer.
- 1995 – Grain bin storage built adding more storage in 1997 and 1999.
- 1996 – Major upgrade to service station building and branded CENEX Convenience Store.
- 1997 – Purchased land from BNSF in Stoddard for Agronomy.
- 1999 – Redmound store was purchased.
- 2000 – New bulk fuel plant was built.
- 2002 – Schlicht property and building purchased in Chaseburg.
- 2007 – New Agronomy warehouse built in Stoddard.
- 2010 – Purchased Hoff Construction shop.
- 2012 – Added 30,000 gallon storage capacity for LP. Total capacity: 60,000 gallons.
- 2015 – Added 30,000 gallon storage capacity for LP. Total capacity: 90,000 gallons.
- 2015 – Purchased Chaseburg Manufacturing building in Chaseburg.
- 2016 – Began renovations in Chaseburg Manufacturing building.
- 2017 – Relocated offices to newly renovated building.