Five Star Cooperative has spent more than 100 years serving the communities and farmers of northern Iowa. While our history is strong, our focus has always remained firmly on the future. This year, our commitment to success was recognized nationally.
We are proud to share that Five Star Cooperative has been named the 2025 Business Innovation Award Winner by Farm Journal’s The Scoop, an honor sponsored by AgVend and awarded to a single agr retailer in the United States each year announced at the Agricultural Retailer’s Association Conference.
This award honors agricultural retailers leading the way in digital transformation and customer experience. For Five Star Cooperative, it validates the teamwork and customer collaboration that shaped Operation Easy.
“Receiving the Business Innovation Award from Scoop Magazine is a meaningful recognition of our work,” Scott Black, chief executive officer of Five Star Cooperative, said. “However, the true reward is hearing from our farmers and team members that these tools are making a difference. This is only the beginning of where we’re headed.”
Listening First: How Operation Easy Began
Our digital transformation did not start with software or devices, but rather with conversations. Early in 2024, our team members set out to understand what our customers needed most from us. Through interviews, in-person visits, phone calls, surveys and even text outreach, we asked members, customers and team members the same simple questions: How can we make it easier to do business with Five Star?
The message we received was clear and consistent. Members and customers wanted reliable digital tools that would save time, eliminate uncertainty and allow them to do their business from wherever they are. This could be from the cab of a truck, tractor or combine. Our members and customers wanted self-service options, mobile access and instant visibility, without sacrificing personal relationships with our team members.
Operation Easy was built around this feedback. It became our roadmap for modernizing our systems, simplifying every touchpoint, and creating a customer experience defined by convenience and clarity.
Building Innovation Tools That Truly Help Customers
With a clear direction set, we partnered with technology providers including AgVend, AgVance, Kahler Automation, GROWERS and Smartwyre to upgrade the systems that power our grain, agronomy, feed and energy businesses. Our goal was not to simply digitalize tasks, but to create tools that were truly helpful. These tools would remove friction, improve accuracy and give customers real-time information when they need it most.
One of the most significant achievements of Operation Easy is Five Star Link, our customer portal designed in partnership with AgVend. Unlike previous digital platforms, Five Star Link was built with, and tested by, real customers and team members to ensure it delivered exactly what was being asked for.
Through Five Star Link, customers can:
- View account information anytime
- Access real-time scale tickets and grain data
- Sign contracts digitally
- Track field applications
- Review balances and settlements
- Receive timely updates and communication
- Connect directly with the Five Star team
(Photo taken by Farm Journal The Scoop). Chandra Quigley from Five Star team walks a customer through Five Star Link.
The adoption numbers speak for themselves. While our old platform reached just 8% usage over five years, Five Star Link quickly surpassed 47% adoption within its first few months. This shows a testament to how closely it aligned with our members and customer expectations. With nearly half of customers already using Five Star Link, we are reducing paperwork and freeing our time for the work that matters most.
Improving Internal Efficiency and Collaboration
Operation Easy wasn’t just about giving customers better tools; it was also about making our internal processes smoother, faster and more accurate.
To improve workflows, we invested in:
- RFID scanning and barcode systems at several grain locations
- Tablets and mobile devices for on-the-go access
- Enhanced ERP integrations
- New software platforms and reporting tools
- Staff training, leadership development and digital competency
These changes helped create stronger collaboration across departments. Grain accounting and origination now work more efficiently together. Feed and Agronomy team members share information seamlessly. Also, customer-facing team members can instantly access accurate account data, helping them answer questions quickly and confidently.
More than half of all grain contracts are now electronically signed, which has dramatically reduced paperwork, expedited turnaround times and allowed both customers and team members to focus on more meaningful conversations, compared to chasing signatures.
Operation Easy is more than a set of tools, but rather a promise to make life easier for farmers and our team members. Receiving the 2025 Business Innovation Award is a proud milestone, but the real reward is seeing our members succeed every day. And we’re just getting started. Five Star Cooperative will keep listening, innovating and building solutions that will help our farmers and team members thrive for years to come.
