In agriculture, problems rarely happen at convenient times. For Farmers Cooperative in Van Buren, Arkansas, an emergency grain bin failure occurred at exactly the wrong moment: during harvest and involving one of the facility’s most critical assets.
Fortunately, the right partners answered the call.
Serving Western Arkansas Agriculture
Farmers Cooperative has served producers in western Arkansas for decades. Today, the Van Buren complex supports customers through feed production, agronomy products, fertilizer services, maintenance operations, and retail offerings for local producers.
Leading the facility is Brett Kenworthy, who has spent the last seven years managing the site and helping customers navigate an agricultural industry that evolves faster every year.
“I like to know things are improving,” Kenworthy explained. “Technology, products, markets, research—everything evolves so quickly. It’s a challenge, but it’s a fun challenge.”
That mindset would soon be put to the test.
A Harvest Emergency
Near the end of harvest, Farmers Cooperative experienced a catastrophic failure in its primary roller mill grain bin containing approximately 20,000 bushels of corn. The structure shifted after a lower ring collapsed under load, creating both an operational crisis and a significant safety concern.
“This was our main roller mill bin that we run all of our corn through,” Kenworthy said. “We kind of went into panic mode. What do we do here?”
The situation was serious.
Had the bin fallen in another direction, it could have struck adjacent facilities, rail infrastructure, or neighboring properties. The immediate priority became protecting employees and safely unloading the grain before the situation worsened. Kenworthy and his team worked through the night unloading corn and stabilizing the site, they wouldn’t rest until the situation was safe.
Calling in the Experts
After consulting local contacts and industry partners, Kenworthy was introduced to Valley View Agri-Systems through another partner, Midwest Custom Engineering.
The recommendation was simple: “They’re going to be the best of the best.”
“I said that’s exactly what I need right now,” Kenworthy recalled. “We’re in dire need.”
More Than a Construction Crew
What impressed Kenworthy most wasn’t simply the speed of the response, it was how Valley View approached the challenge.
The project involved far more than demolition and reconstruction. Because the original cause of the failure needed to be documented and investigated, every step required careful planning, photography, drone documentation, and coordination between multiple parties. Valley View worked alongside engineers, contractors, and investigators to ensure the process was handled correctly from both a safety and technical standpoint.
“They were more than just a construction crew coming to do the job,” Kenworthy said.
Leadership Through Communication
Kenworthy repeatedly pointed to the communication provided by Arkansas Account Manager Marc Wilson as one of the biggest differentiators.
“Marc overcommunicated and to me that’s a good thing,” he said. “We were constantly on the phone or texting. I always knew what was happening and what was coming next.”
That level of communication gave Farmers Cooperative confidence during an incredibly stressful situation.
Many People. One Mission.
When Valley View arrived on site, approximately fifteen crew members immediately went to work.
“There wasn’t two guys working while one guy stood around watching,” Kenworthy recalled. “Every single one of those guys went to work.”
The speed and coordination impressed even a veteran manager who had spent years around construction and agricultural projects.
“What they accomplished in a day would take a lot of crews two or three days to do.”
Just as importantly, the leadership style stood out.
“There’s a lot of managers who manage from the office or manage from the truck,” Kenworthy said. “Marc was right there grabbing tools if they needed them, asking how things were going, constantly moving and helping the team.”
Getting Farmers Cooperative Back to Work
Valley View crews safely dismantled and removed the damaged structure in less than two days before quickly sourcing replacement materials and returning to rebuild the system.
For Farmers Cooperative, minimizing downtime wasn’t simply a matter of convenience, it directly affected customers relying on the facility during one of the busiest seasons of the year.
Service After the Sale
Although this was Kenworthy’s first experience working with Valley View Agri-Systems, it won’t be his last. “I’ll definitely give them the opportunity to quote future projects,” he said.
For him, the decision comes down to something simple.
“Price matters. But service and quality are worth something too.”
It’s a philosophy that mirrors how Farmers Cooperative approaches its own customers.
“We’re not always going to be the cheapest either,” Kenworthy explained. “What brings customers back is knowledge, service, and helping them solve problems.”
In that regard, Farmers Cooperative and Valley View Agri-Systems appear to have a lot in common.
And when the next emergency comes, that kind of partnership is worth its weight in grain.
Emergency or not, how can we serve you?