Farmers Union Industries Remains a Pillar of the Manufacturing Industry During the Pandemic

Manufacturers are vital to the economic prosperity of Redwood County. Our manufacturing plants provide jobs and income to our population, and they serve as important suppliers to many companies nationwide. As manufacturing month ends, we’d like to send our thanks to Farmers Union Industries, LLC of Redwood Falls: one of the area’s most prominent manufacturers with a long history in Redwood County.  

“Farmers Union Industries has a rich history that dates all the way back to 1929. That history is deeply rooted in the agricultural industry with its ultimate goal being to improve life for the family farmer,” says Dan Hildebrandt, President and CEO of Farmers Union Industries, LLC.

Farmers Union Industries (FUI) was founded by five state Farmer’s Unions which include Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, and North and South Dakota. Farmers Union Industries is well-known as the parent company of Central Bi-Products, but there is much more to the company’s legacy. FUI has grown into six divisions: Central Bi-Products, Artex Manufacturing, Northland Choice, Midwest Grease, Performance Pet Products and Redwood Farms Meat Processors. 

These businesses extend from Minnesota into Iowa and South Dakota. FUI is known as the premier provider of specialized products, superior value and services. The organization has been in business for over 90 years, and still finds success today amidst a global pandemic.  

“As many businesses locally and globally have experienced, COVID has presented us with a series of unexpected changes and challenges throughout the year. We are so proud of how our teams have dealt with these unforeseen circumstances, because as an essential business, farmers need our services to run successfully. Farming never stops, and neither do we, so maintaining the utmost safety for our employees and customers while still helping farmers is our goal,” saysHildebrandt.  

Prior to COVID-19, FUI had plans to partner with the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the five state Farmer’s Unions on a creative way to raise awareness for breast cancer: a pink Artex manure spreader. 

“COVID may have affected our plans for the “Spreading Awareness” project, but it hasn’t slowed our momentum! Our original plan was to bring the spreader to various trade shows as well as the state Farmers Union conventions. A lot of these events were postponed or cancelled, so we had to get creative to spread our message! This is where our featured survivor campaign came in, and allowed us to spread awareness by recognizing individuals involved with the farmers unions and FUI who have beaten breast cancer,” says Hildebrandt. 

Rather than letting COVID-19 stall their plans completely, the organization chose to remain active and benefit as many people as possible in the process, including their own employees. 

“We are also proud to say that we were able to present our employees with a $2,000 essential employee payment to say thank you for coming in and keeping us running smoothly as we navigate through this uncharted territory,” Hildebrandt says.   

“As a company, we’ve also been lucky enough to continue hiring throughout this crisis. We encourage anyone who has been laid off or lost their position during this time to check out our website and apply to become a part of the FUI family,” continues Hildebrandt of the company’s successes in spite of COVID-19.  

Farmers Union Industries chose to keep a positive mindset, strong business structure and high morale during the pandemic. In addition to offering employees security during a time when many businesses were forced to let employees go, the organization was also able to give back to the Redwood community.  

“It is important for us to do our part for our neighbors. Our employees got together to raise funds and gathered donations for the food shelf not once, but twice this year! We matched donations to the Redwood Area Food Shelf and look forward to more opportunities to do our part in Redwood Falls,” Hildebrandt says.  

Redwood Area Development Corporation is thankful for the pillars of the manufacturing community that call Redwood County home. It is businesses like Farmers Union Industries that help Redwood County and its residents prosper during challenging times.  

“Farmers Union Industries is a diverse family of companies spread throughout the tri-state area of Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota. We are proud to be a part of these strong Midwestern communities, and we will continue to do our part to make our cities a great place to live and work,” says Hildebrandt.  

Learn more about Farmers Union Industries by visiting their website at FUILLC.com. Find other member businesses who call Redwood County home here.