History of Mid-States Wool Growers


Serving the American Sheep Industry Since 1918

	History at a Glance... The history of Mid-States Wool Growers is rich with producer involvement. From the beginning in 1918, where producers wanted a better price for their wool, right up to today when producers designed one of the most technologically advanced warehouses in the world, the organization's driving force has always been to meet the needs of the American sheep producer. Throughout the years, producers have served on the Board of Directors and have always tried to be on the cutting edge of sheep-producer service. From its beginnings in 1918 when a handful of producers got together with an idea, to today's 10,000 farmer/owners marketing 6 million pounds from 23 states, Mid-States has always been a visible example of what producers working together can accomplish. Take a look at what we have accomplished throughout the years.
	1918	Parent wool marketing organization, Tri-State Wool Growers, was organized to assist producers in getting higher prices for producers during World War I. 275,000# were assembled this first year.
	1919	Over 2,000,000# were assembled and a warehouse was rented in Columbus, Ohio.
	1921	First warehouse owned by the cooperative was purchased for $125,000. It was located in Columbus, Ohio.
	1931	Midwest Wool Marketing Cooperative--an organization that played a major role in the current cooperative--was organized in Kansas City.
	1945	Tri-State Wool Growers was reorganized and the name was changed to the Ohio Wool Growers Cooperative Association.
	1956	Ohio Wool Growers joined other similar cooperatives in the National Wool Marketing Corporation, a wool-marketing organization that represented wool warehouses throughout the United States. At the time, it controlled the largest volume of wool marketed in the United States.
	1957	Ohio Wool Growers added a livestock-supply division, which provided the Midwestern sheep producer with supplies and equipment needed to make sheep operations more efficient and successful.
	1958	New 60,000-sq. ft. warehouse at Groves Road in Columbus was built utilizing some of the most efficient wool-grading and marketing technology available at the time.
	1969	In an effort to promote the product produced by the sheep producer, members of the cooperative--Ohio Wool Growers--added a completely new, but industry-related, retail clothing store known as Woolen Square. This division emphasized wool promotion and retail sales of wool products
	1974	Ohio Wool Growers Cooperative and Midwest Wool Marketing Cooperative joined forces through a merger that resulted in the new and stronger organization being named Mid-States Wool Growers Cooperative, a name which has been synonymous with graded Midwestern wools throughout the wool business. The merger added the warehouse located in South Hutchinson, Kansas, as well as a prosperous livestock-supply division operated by Midwest.
	1987	Mid-States moved into Iowa as it continued to expand its territory. It rented warehouse space in Des Moines which was used as a wool-accumulation warehouse and a satellite supply division was established.
	1993	Mid-States purchased the assets of North Central Wool Marketing in a buyout that included the warehouse and equipment in the Belle Foushe, South Dakota area. With the addition of this warehouse, Mid-States opened a new chapter in its history. Now, not only could it offer the largest volume of fleece-type wools from the Midwest, but it also could also offer Belle Fourche wools, which have long been recognized as some of the best-grown wools in the United States. As a part of the buyout, Mid-States obtained its newest retail-clothing location. The Wool-N-Shop is located in the warehouse in Belle Fourche and offers some of the finest wool clothing available.
	1995	Mid-States opens its new supply and wool-grading warehouse in Canal Winchester, Ohio. Utilizing an extensive computerized system of record-keeping and movement of wools throughout the warehouse, the new facility incorporated the latest in technology to the warehouse-grading system.
	1996	Mid-States Belle Fourche added a grading line to the warehouse and expanded its operations to include territory wools. This addition allows Mid-States to offer the largest selection of wools available in the United States, making Mid-States Wool Growers Cooperative a leader in wool marketing throughout the United States.
	1998	Mid-States was forced to close the retail clothing store, Woolen Square, due to competition from cheaper imported wool clothing. The store continues to operate at the Ohio warehouse; it specializes in wool sweaters and sheepskin products.
	1999	Mid-States develops a new plastic-film wool bag which replaces the jute bags which had been the industry standard for over eighty years.
	2001	Mid-States Wool Growers ceased operations in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, after serving western producers through that warehouse for 10 years. The warehouse was sold at that time.

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History at a Glance...