Young steps down from co-op role after 29 years

The agriculture industry will always be close to Steve Young’s heart.

But as of Dec. 31, he has vacated the role of grain merchandiser at CHS Grainland. He is opting for retirement, leaving the office in the southeast corner of the elevator main office in Holyoke after occupying it for 29 years.

Young’s official employment in agriculture since graduating from college actually spans 36 years.

And before that, he grew up on a ranch east of Colorado Springs, so he’s always been involved in agriculture.

Earning a bachelor’s degree in feed science and management from Kansas State University in 1983, Young found his first job with ADM Feeds in Lincoln, Nebraska, who then transferred him to Quanah, Texas.

Returning to his home state of Colorado, Young worked for Valley Feed & Seed in Otis for a year and a half, for M&M Co-op in Yuma for two years and for Bartlett & Co. in Yuma for a year and a half before assuming his position in Holyoke in August of 1990.

After mergers, Holyoke Co-op became Grainland Co-op and then CHS Grainland during Young’s tenure with the cooperative.

Three decades have seen a lot of changes, and Young highlighted a couple of the main ones.

He referenced wheat harvest when he started in Holyoke, when the average size of a truckload of wheat was about 600 bushels. Now, farmers are bringing in 1,100-bushel to 1,200-bushel loads in semitrucks.

As a result, changes were required in the elevators as the process had to be faster to keep up with the producers.

Changes in genetics were cited by Young with regard to the corn crop transition over 30 years.

Recalling his first years in Holyoke, Young said producers were targeting about 200-bushel corn crops. “Now if they don’t raise 225-bushel to 230-bushel crops, they think they didn’t do something right,” said Young. Genetics has had a huge impact on that.

Young has shared and expanded his agricultural knowledge through involvement on state and national boards, as well.

He is past president of the Colorado Grain & Feed Association and also served on the board of directors for the National Grain & Feed Association.

Additionally, Young is a current member of the Colorado Ag Commission, a post he’s held for six years.

He emphasizes his belief that agriculture is a great industry to be involved in. “For the most part, people in the industry are genuine and really care about those they work with and do business with,” Young added.

As he closes out this chapter of his life with CHS Grainland, Young said he is exploring options for future opportunities.

He will continue his community involvement, including maintaining his seat on the East Phillips County Hospital Board, which he’s held since December of 1992.

He is active in the Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department, currently serving as president for the last several years. He’s held all offices in the department, including chief.

Young was a founding member of the Melissa Memorial Hospital Foundation, serving on the board for 23 years. He and his wife, Kim, served as co-chairs for the MMHF Legacy Event for the first nine years of the event and continue this year on the committee.

The Youngs opened Country Treasures Floral & More just over a year ago, and Kim also serves as transportation supervisor for Holyoke School District.

Children and grandchildren and their activities will continue to play a key role in Young’s life.

Family includes son Josh Young and his wife Andrea Calhoon and daughter Grace Whisenhut of Holyoke; daughter Kayla Kafka and her husband Ben and children KaityLynn, Teigen and Kobryn, also of Holyoke; and daughter Brittany Overmiller and her husband Brent and children Hudson and Cooper of Smith Center, Kansas.

Young was honored at a reception at CHS Grainland’s Holyoke office Monday, Dec. 30, to wish him well in his retirement from the cooperative.