Hefty Seed expanding here

Construction on Hefty Seed Company's new facility in Eddy County is well underway.

Chad Weckerly, manager of Hefty Seed's locations in Hurdsfield, Wilton, and their soon-to-be facility just south of New Rockford, said concrete has been poured, sitework is underway and the building should start going up in September.

He added that he doesn't know when the facility will be fully operational, but that they should at least have a temporary office and warehouse worker starting as early as December.

Once built, the New Rockford location will feature an 80-by-200 foot facility designed to supply local farmers with seed and chemical, while helping them increase profits and remain independent.

"Unlike some of the competition, like the large cooperatives that maybe have sprayers and spreaders around for applying product for farmers, Hefty Seed is more targeted around helping farmers do more on their own," said Weckerly. "We identify ourselves as the largest ag retailer to the self-applied acre in the industry."

Hefty Seed has been helping local farmers with their seed and chemical needs since 1969, when Ron Hefty's original "Hefty Farm Supply" began helping local farmers near the small town of Baltic, S.D.

According to their website, Hefty Seed Company now has more than 50 stores across 11 states, and is opening more locations every year, making them the seventh largest crop protection retailer in the U.S. and the 11th largest in seed.

Hefty Seed has served farmers in Eddy County for about eight years now, requiring trucks to drive to and from Hurdsfield - a process that, according to Weckerly, becomes time-consuming and thus problematic during a busy planting season.

The new facility here in Eddy County should solve that problem, he said.

"Instead of waiting for one of our trucks to come from an hour and a half away, there'll be a storefront you can pick up product at right away," explained Weckerly. "... So we expect that more folks will benefit from being able to pick up in their own time, instead of waiting for deliveries."

The majority of the new facility will be warehousing for agricultural seed and chemical, but it will also have office space for agronomists where they can work with customers. There will also be multiple hopper bins on the building's north side.

Weckerly said he expects the new facility will benefit the New Rockford community overall, and that he believes in the importance of embracing the people and organizations within a community.

"We hope that as we continue to put together a team and watch our business grow, that we certainly have individuals living in the New Rockford community working in that location," said Weckerly.

"I see it as a necessity to have folks that are a fabric of the community that are going to support the local organizations, whether that be the fireman's board, or the ambulance or the local Lions Club," he concluded.

Weckerly said they've already hired a warehouse manager from New Rockford, but they're still looking for someone to fill the agronomy position. If interested, call (701) 652-5866 to apply.