The Alcester location was acquired by Farmers Coop Society in 2014. This location is located at the edge of town at 100 Iowa St, it is currently one of only two South Dakota locations and boasts the largest grain facility in the company. Currently there are five full time employees working out of the location, including Jolayne Witt, office administrator, Cecil Gylfe, location manager, and Tyson Martinmaas, agronomist. 

Jolayne shared the many reasons she is proud to say she works for Farmers Coop society at the Alcester location. She has been working with growers in the Alcester area for nearly two decades, working at the location before it was acquired by FCS. It’s safe to say she is invested in the community. Jolayne enjoys helping customers and creating grain plans every day. She takes pride in the location’s reputation for being friendly. She continues to build this reputation by making sure that every customer feels welcome as soon as they walk through the location doors. When asked what core value Alcester best displays she claimed integrity, saying that the employees of Alcester hold each other accountable, as being the largest grain facility comes with unique responsibilities. She continued to say that as a location, Alcester, is a team player, willing to go the extra mile and help other locations whenever possible. 

Cecil shared many of the same sentiments. Cecil began his career with FCS as an agronomy intern in 2020, working his way up to the Alcester location manager. Throughout his time at FCS, he has seen an increase in employee involvement in local communities, leading to a better reputation. A specific example he shared was the donation that was made to Alcester-Hudson Community Schools, contributing to the purchase of a new scoreboard. When asked what core value is best exemplified by the Alcester location he chose leadership stating, as the largest grain location and only five employees it requires all hands to be on deck to keep the day-to-day operations running smoothly. 

Tyson Martinmaas has been with Farmers Coop Society for over three years. Throughout his time at FCS, he has enjoyed the people he works for and with every day. Similarly, one of his favorite memories was his first day on the job, saying that everyone was so nice and welcoming. Tyson continues this legacy by making sure all customers feel welcome when they stop by. Tyson continued on and shared “Fall is my favorite season; it is nice to see all the farmers reaping the fruits of their labor with harvest.” Tyson takes pride in the core values being upheld. Tyson states that the core values are a point of pride for him as an employee. When asked which core value the Alcester location best displays he said innovation, due to the new nature of the location. 

Farmers Coop Society is made up of nine excellent locations, each bringing unique benefits to their individual communities. These locations come together to form a company that truly serves our customers. Alcester is a pillar within our company.