On behalf of Senator Mike Moser, along with the local Chambers of Commerce in Columbus, David City and Schuyler, co-hosted the 16th Annual Ag Partners Tour was co-hosted to raise awareness of the impact of agriculture.
This year’s tour was held in David City, and included four businesses: Timpte Trailers, AKRS Equipment Solutions, Inc., Ag Processing, Inc., and Buresh Meats.
The first stop was Timpte Trailers, founded in 1884 by two brothers who started building wagons in Colorado. In 1979, Timpte Trailers relocated from Denver, Colorado to David City, Nebraska. At the time o the move, they employed 40 employees and built approximately three trailers a day. Today, Timpte Trailers employes 400 individuals, and produces an average 23 custom-built grain trailers daily. They operate one shift, four days a week from 6:00AM-4:30PM, Monday through Thursday.
The second stop was the AKRS Equipment Solutions, Inc. Their new 56,000 sq. ft. facility which opened in August 2023, supports 734 million acres of farmland across its 27 locations. AKRS sell a wide range of farm equipment, parts, toys, lawn care items and more. AKRS Fast Track program utilizes John Deere- certified expert trainers to provide hands on training for individuals with no prior farm equipment experience who what to learn on the job. This12-month paid apprenticeship program trains students to program to troubleshoot, diagnose, repair, and service John Deere equipment. Participants receive free tools and a toolbox (valued at $3,100), access to all AKRS benefits, and a full John Deere certification at cost. Additionally, AKRS offers the AKRS Jumpstart Scholarship to graduating high school seniors in Nebraska. This program gives high school students the opportunity to work on the state-of-the-art equipment while learning through hands-on classroom instruction and the on-the-job training.
The third stop was a drive by of the soybean crush plant under construction by Ag Processing, Inc., which plans to open in four to six months. The facility features three steel bins and eight concrete bins, each capable of holding approximately one million bushels. The concrete bins are designed for greater longevity, with an estimated lifespan of 60 years, while the steel bins are expected to last 15 years. The plant will be able to handle roughly 300,000 semi-truck loads per day. Plans include an overpass on the north end of the state and three rail lines that will wrap around the entire facility for on-site train storage.
The final stop was Buresh Meat, a family-owned grocery store, founded by Scott and Mary Buresh, along with five of their children, four years ago. With locations in Columbus and David City, Buresh Meats sell between 9,000 and 10,000 pounds of hamburger weekly and sold over one million pounds of chicken last year. Their customers base extends across a large region, with customers traveling long distances to shop there. Reflecting on the store’s success, Scott Buresh said, “it has amazed us, as well as it is humbling to know that so many people support us.”
Dawson Brunswick, President of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce said, “It was exciting to host nearly 70 business and community leaders from the Columbus region, as well as several state senators, on our annual ag tour. In partnering with the Butler County and Schuyler Area Chambers of Commerce, we have been able to highlight the impact that agriculture has not only one community, but our entire region, and state. Each of these tour stops provided a different view into how our region impacts and is impacted by the ag industry.”
The City of David City is a wholesale customer of Nebraska Public Power District.