Western Co-operative Fertilizers Ltd. is refocusing its business and has cut 13 jobs in the process.
Chief operating officer Gene Rurak said Nov. 8 from Calgary that the company plans to focus more on fertilizer procurement and distribution and less on agronomics, research and extension.
Some staff who worked in those areas could be transferred to one of Westco’s owners: Saskatchewan Wheat Pool or Agricore United.
But that will happen “only where it makes sense,” Rurak said.
Both the pool and AU will also be taking over the AgroManager software that helped keep farmers’ field records and helped staff make crop management recommendations.
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“It seemed more logical for them to be done by Sask. Wheat Pool and Agricore United.”
Rurak also said the decision to make the changes had been in the works for some time and was made by Westco in conjunction with the owners, but not solely by the parent companies.
Rurak said Westco has kept one person to provide the company’s agronomic services.
Westco’s employees learned of the changes Nov. 2. Of the 13 jobs cut, two had been vacant for some time and some of those affected were support staff. The company now employs 70 people.
Rurak said cost cutting was not a factor. Although he agreed the company will save money, he could not estimate what the total would be.
Alberta Wheat Pool, Federated Co-operatives Ltd. and Sask Pool formed Westco in 1964. Manitoba Pool Elevators joined in 1970.
FCL later left the partnership. Westco survived the merger of the Alberta and Manitoba pools to become Agricore and then the merger with United Grain Growers.
Westco has storage and distribution facilities in all three prairie provinces. It also has a financial interest in Canadian Fertilizers Ltd., a urea and anhydrous ammonia plant in Medicine Hat, Alta.
AU owns 57 percent of Westco, while Sask Pool owns 43 percent.
A spokesperson for Sask Pool said the company would not comment on the changes. A spokesperson for AU did not return calls before the Western Producer’s Nov. 8 press deadline.
