Five Star Cooperative of New Hampton is launching its own brand of trademarked crop inputs to decrease production costs and enhance profitability of its customers and member-owners. 

The NexStar Crop Performance line-up of seed treatments, micronutrients and other crop inputs will save farmers money by collapsing the multi-step distribution channel and working more directly with manufacturers to bring brands under local control, says Ken Smith, CEO of Five Star Cooperative, which has 18 locations in 14 counties...