Farmers sue state agency over grain elevator failure
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA coalition of farmers from northeastern Indiana is suing a state agency that they say failed to properly regulate a grain storage operation that collapsed under financial duress, according to our partners at WPTA-TV. The farmer-owned grain was stored at Salamonie Mills, which became insolvent and landed in foreclosure in 2020.
In early June, the plaintiffs filed in Huntington Circuit Court, alleging that poor practices by the Grain Buyers and Warehouse Licensing Agency allowed the grain elevator to continue doing business while it lost increasing amounts of money.
The plaintiffs include Kratzer Farms Inc., Gary Kratzer, Pinkerton Farms Inc., Daniel Pinderton, Phil Pasko Farms Inc., Caley Brothers Farms Inc., Caley Farms, Inc., Seldom Rest Farms of Huntington Inc., Darrell Blair and DK Farms Inc.
They are seeking damages for lost grain and additional expenses incurred because of the collapse, along with attorney’s fees and added damages.
On Monday, the case was transferred to the federal court system, where it will be considered in the U.S. District Court’s Northern Indiana district.