Farm Credit Services breaks ground for new building

Lee Janssen and his mules were enlisted to break ground for the Farm Credit Services new office complex on US Highway 83.

Shary Skiles/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. – Farm Credit Services team members won’t have far to move their belongings come next June, the anticipated completion date of their new retail office building in McCook. Ground-breaking on the lot just north of the current building on North Highway 83 took place Monday afternoon using a good old-fashioned mule team provided by Lee Janssen.

Marshall Nelms, Vice President of Farm Credit Services of America, told the Gazette that they feel very blessed have a location right next door to the current 1973-era building. At that time, Farm Credit Services of America had two divisions, Production Credit Association and Federal Land Bank. “So one side financed the operating money for livestock and crops; the other side financed the real estate and land.” Over the years, the two divisions merged and became Farm Credit Services of America.

Nelms said Farm Credit Services of America is committed to providing an atmosphere that is inviting for customers and teammates. “We’re committed to agriculture in southwest Nebraska, and this is a good way to show that,” Nelms said. The property will have two curb cuts, which will allow customers that are pulling a livestock trailer or driving a semi to be able to enter and exit without backing up.

The new facility will provide more space and better technology for the 14 teammates housed in the McCook office. There are close to 60 total teammates that frequently work in the McCook office, including those that are assigned to North Platte and Imperial.

Nelms said the square footage will be “fairly similar” to the current building, but the new space will have a more open floor plan with more functional workspace for teammates. Dirt work is expected to begin in late April, with an anticipated completion date of June 2023. “With Covid, that could be hit or miss, but roughly about a year,” Nelms said. “Our hope is that by June of 2023, we’ll be in this location.”

Samson Construction is the general contractor for the project, and Nelms said there will be several local contractors providing sub-contract services.

The current space will be put on the market once the move is finalized.