Champaign Landmark, Inc.
1934-2006
"72 Years of Service to You"

1916-1932 – The Farm Bureau movement began as an outgrowth of the agricultural Extension work in America. County Farm Bureaus in Ohio banded together in 1919 to form the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. County extension agents played a very important role in the early organization of the Champaign County Farm Bureau. They helped organize many cooperatives to market livestock, grain, poultry, eggs, wool and dairy products. In the fall of 1921, local farmers began pooling their first orders for fertilizers, seed, binder twine, and other farm supplies. In November of 1923 the Champaign County Livestock Shipping Company was organized by Farm Bureau. After a jump of a few years, in 1932 the Champaign County Farm Bureau Service Company was incorporated.

1934 – Two years later, in March of 1934, Champaign County Farm Bureau Cooperative was founded. Purposes of the cooperative were to serve as a farmers’ wholesale purchasing agent, manufacturer, processor, and marketing agent. It was organized with Waldo E. Steinberger the first president and E. K. Warye was secretary-treasurer. Directors included George Hefferline, J. W. Licklider, John R. Wilson, Homer R. Long, B. A. Pheneger, B. F. Wilkins, H. C. Rogers and Robert L. Woodburn. The main office was located at 665 Miami St, Urbana.

1939 Directory Ad

1942 – The Champaign County Farm Bureau Cooperative Association leased the filling station and bulk plant located at 215 Miami Street, Urbana.

1943 – In June a special meeting of the Board was held to approve the purchase of the Chas. B. Stickel Feed Mill in Mechanicsburg–making this the first Branch facility.

1945 – On March 22 the Board signed an option on land on the north side of Urbana belonging to Mr. Dellinger as a future location under the best terms possible. In September the deed was received for 3.5 acres on Bloomfield Avenue for the Old Illinois Car Yard at the price of $ 3,000.

1946 – In February the Board authorized the construction of a grain elevator and feed mill on Bloomfield Avenue. In August construction started on the grain elevator of 14,000 bushel capacity, 50’ x 96’ warehouse, office and store building.

1947 – In July plans were accepted to build the farm machinery building.

1948 – The Champaign County Farm Bureau Cooperative Association moved from 408 Miami Street to 304 Bloomfield Avenue, Urbana.

– Also in 1948 the Mingo Branch of the Farm Bureau Cooperative was purchased from the Watkins and Johnson families. Jake Watkins stayed on as the manager.

1949 – Fire partially destroyed the Mingo Branch on December 1.

1958 – In July a motion was passed to erect two 35,000 bushel concrete grain bins and install a 300 bu/hr grain dryer; cost $55,000. Also, additional land was purchased from J.A. Dellinger for extension of the rail track.

1958 – Approval was given to handle Cockshutt farm machinery.

1959 – In April the Board passed a motion to add an additional 200,000 bushel of grain storage, plus a second grain dryer at Urbana.

1960 – In February is was decided to construct two more 50,000 bushel grain silos at Urbana.

1961 – In October we purchased four acres of land adjoining on the east side of the Urbana facility.

1962 – In July the Board approved buying the Kelly building–now the Tire Service Center located at 232 Logan Street across from the Urbana headquarters facility.

1985 – Champaign Landmark purchased facilities in Horton, Richwood, Marysville, and Arnold from Landmark, Inc., bringing the employee total to 75.

1986 – Mt. Victory Fertilizer in Hardin County and the Royster Fertilizer Facility in Mechanicsburg were both purchased bringing employees to 82.

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1991 – A significant addition to products and services was made when Champaign Landmark began supplying propane for grain dryers and home heating.

1992 – In March Champaign Landmark purchased The Ohio Grain Company facilities in Kileville, Marysville, Mechanicsburg, Newport, and Milford Center. Also included in the purchase was Shur Grow Seeds which brought Champaign Landmark to 126 employees.

1994 – Our Champaign County display building was built at the fairgrounds during the fall.

1995 – During the summer the old feed mill and warehouse on 855 Locust St. in Mechanicsburg was demolished.

2000 – In a joint venture with Harvestland Cooperative of Richmond, Indiana, Champaign Landmark purchased a former Terra facility near Lena, Ohio, from Land O’Lakes. A new business was formed for this location and named Lena Ag Center, LLC. It is a full service agronomy branch located near Lena on the Miami and Champaign County border.

– Also in 2000, Champaign Landmark purchased a former Terra facility in DeGraff in Logan County. This facility handles grain and agronomy services.

– Another business activity in 2000 was the merger of Champaign Landmark with Grove City Farmers Exchange of Grove City with facilities in Franklin and Pickaway Counties. The Grove City lumber yard and mill were closed and eventually sold. Champaign Landmark operates grain and agronomy services at the former Farmers Exchange facility at Derby in northwest Pickaway County.

2003 – River Valley Cooperative was purchased in a joint partnership with Southwest Landmark, Inc., Xenia, Ohio. Facilities in London, Baltimore, Lancaster and Unionville Center were included in the new company named United Landmark, LLC. Champaign Landmark leases grain elevators from United Landmark.

– On October 30, another expansion was completed. Grain elevators at Fletcher, Thackery and West Liberty were purchased from Shepard Grain Company. We had been leasing the three facilities since July. The elevator in West Liberty has 973,000 bushels of storage space, Fletcher has 1,216,000 bushels of storage space and Thackery has 1,170,000.The addition of these three facilities brings the total grain storage capacity to 11,000,000 bushels at Champaign Landmark’s thirteen elevators.

2004 – At the Champaign Landmark Annual Meeting held in June, a year of celebration was begun in honor of Champaign Landmark's 70th Anniversary. Throughout the year Champaign Landmark promoted the anniversary in their annual activities, such as county fairs, Customer Appreciation Day, branch open houses and customer meetings. During the year a new seed storage building was built at the Mechanicsburg Fertilizer Branch, the Country Store in Mechanicsburg was painted and remodeling done inside. At DeGraff, two new grain bins were erected, while at Kileville the large grain bin was repainted and at Mechanicsburg the Champaign Landmark logo was repainted. These are only a few of the building, remodeling and updating of facilities that was done in honor of the anniversary.