GROWMARK Through the Years
The GROWMARK System began in 1927 when Illinois Farm Bureau members organized local agricultural supply cooperatives to meet their growing demand for a reliable fuel supply. Shortly thereafter, nine of those cooperatives combined to form Illinois Farm Supply Company, which later merged with similar organizations in Iowa and Wisconsin to form FS Services, Inc. In 1980, GROWMARK, Inc. was established through the consolidation of FS Services, Inc. and Illinois Grain Corporation.
We are proud of our long-standing relationship to the FS brand and FS Cooperatives. In 1955, we established the FS brand as a unified presence representing quality, integrity, expertise, and dependability. Today, GROWMARK and its members make up "the GROWMARK System," with GROWMARK serving its members and customers and FS companies serving farmers, businesses, and consumers. There are more than 40 local FS cooperatives and retail divisions across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Ontario, Canada, employing more than 9,000 people.
Learn more about who we are today, our brands, and our companies.