Creating connections to empower agriculture – that’s the slogan at CHS and this statement drives our business decisions each day.  The CHS shuttle facility, located northeast of Holyoke, ties together agronomy, grain and rail in one location.  The availability of a facility like this provides CHS with the unique opportunity to capitalize on the marketplace and receive product in a better cost position.  This provides cost savings benefits to growers when they purchase their crop nutrients and crop protection products from CHS.

Two trains, which were booked up to six months ago, arrived at the Holyoke shuttle within a few weeks of each other in December 2020.  These trains contained urea ammonium nitrate (32-0-0), which will eventually be applied to fields across northeastern Colorado and southwestern Nebraska.  Additionally, CHS can receive base fertilizer products such as super phosphoric acid to make 10-34-0 and ammonium thiosulfate (12-0-0-26). A typical railcar unit will contain 110 cars and deliver 11,000 ton of product.

Once the product is unloaded, it is safely stored at a warehouse in Holyoke.  When spring rolls around, the product will be blended to the grower’s specifications at the newly constructed liquid plant, which sits at the same location as the shuttle.  CHS uses these base products and will blend according to each field’s requirements. 

Most of the liquid fertilizer used by CHS is domestic, but some of the dry fertilizer is imported from overseas.  While CHS may import some urea ammonium nitrate, the vast majority is domestically produced. 

When sprayers and planters begin covering fields again this-coming spring, think back to the long process to get product here and the careful planning that takes place to deliver a high-quality product to growers’ fields.  CHS works diligently to create connections of value for all growers and customers.