One IT Director. Ten Locations. Three Feed Mills That Never Sleep.

Where It Started: Specialized Problems Require Specialized Partners

The relationship between FCS and Koltiv stretches back to the early 2000s. FCS was running their Control Systems Software ERP, built specifically for agricultural cooperatives, running on IBM i. It was specialized infrastructure that required equally specialized expertise, and Koltiv is one of the few partners equipped to support it.

"That was our primary relationship with Koltiv, helping us support the i-Series, keep it running for Control, keep it upgraded every couple of years. And then it's just grown since then."

That focused engagement proved to be the foundation for something much larger.

An IT Department Without Limits

As FCS expanded into South Dakota and added more locations, the demands on Kirk's team grew alongside them. Supporting more users across more sites, managing an increasingly complex server environment, and staying ahead of security threats required more capacity than a small internal team could provide alone.

The answer was virtualization. FCS began migrating their entire server environment to a virtual infrastructure, with Koltiv guiding and supporting the project at every stage. Today, FCS's server environment is approximately 95% virtualized, with around 60% of their workforce operating on virtual desktops.

Managed services followed naturally. A growing virtual environment required continuous backup monitoring, security coverage, and around-the-clock oversight that an internal team simply could not staff on their own. Koltiv became that coverage, extending FCS's IT capacity without requiring FCS to grow their headcount.

"Koltiv is staffed around the clock, so they can give us that 24/7 coverage. I could never have enough people to watch antivirus logs or manage backups all day. And if there's a problem, the team can jump in and help solve it right away because they're already familiar with our environment."

Over the years, the partnership expanded further. FCS moved their networking infrastructure to Cisco and Meraki gear managed by Koltiv, added security monitoring services, engaged Koltiv's vCISO service to guide their overall security strategy, and worked with Koltiv to move their disaster recovery environment from one of their locations to Koltiv's private cloud facility. That last move gave FCS off-site, geographically dispersed protection while keeping full ownership and control of their own hardware and licensing.

"It's still my hardware, my software, my licensing. I control it, and I'm not sharing with anybody else. This is truly a best-of-both-worlds option for me."

When Off-the-Shelf Isn't Enough

Beyond infrastructure, Koltiv has become FCS's partner in custom application development and data analytics, two areas that reflect how deeply the relationship has evolved.

Feed Truck Driver App

FCS operates a large fleet of trucks out of their feed mills. For years, every delivery log was recorded manually by drivers, creating challenges around compliance, billing accuracy, and customer communication. Koltiv was engaged to build a purpose-built mobile app to modernize the entire workflow.

What started as a record-capture tool grew into something far more comprehensive. The app now supports USDA audit compliance, accurate billing based on delivery distance and conditions, and real-time customer notifications alerting farmers when their feed is being loaded, when it has left the mill, and when it has arrived on site.

To ensure the app was built for the people who would actually use it, Koltiv's development team spent time riding along with drivers in the field to understand their daily workflow firsthand.

"That really seemed to jumpstart the process because then the Koltiv Team truly understood what the drivers needed. We've come a long way."

The app is in active testing and nearing full launch, with driver feedback already shaping improvements, including a planned integration with automated scales at two FCS sites so drivers no longer need to record weights manually.

Data Analytics and Tableau

On the analytics side, Koltiv has worked closely with FCS to build a data warehouse and Tableau-based visualization layer that gives managers real-time visibility into their workforce and operations. The foundation for this work, the data warehouse itself, required significant behind-the-scenes development before a single dashboard could be built.

The first major output was an overtime analytics dashboard, giving managers across FCS's divisions and locations the ability to see workforce data in real time, identify outliers, and make more informed decisions about staffing and compensation. Previously, that analysis either didn't happen or required manual effort that few managers had time for.

"Now managers have a dashboard where they can see everything, and they know the CEO is looking at it too. It incentivizes them to get in front of things before it becomes a problem."

A Partnership Built on Trust

What has sustained the FCS and Koltiv relationship through technology shifts, organizational growth, and budget pressures isn't just the quality of the work. It's how the work gets done.

"I've had so many partners that just want to take over the whole thing, or they've got a system, and they won't tell you how it works. Koltiv has always treated me as an equal and not just as a customer. They're willing to do as much or as little as I need on a project."

That respect for Kirk's autonomy has built the kind of trust that allows him to hand things off when it matters. When FCS was migrating from on-premise Exchange to Microsoft 365, Koltiv stepped in and completed the full migration in roughly two months, compared to 10-12 months if FCS were to handle it themselves.

Koltiv has also been a proactive voice when it comes to evolving FCS's technology stack, bringing new solutions to the table as better options have emerged.

"That's not to say we're flighty. It's to say we run what we think is the right fit for Farmers Co-op. When something new comes along with a better fit or a better price, Koltiv comes to me, shows us why, and then we find a way to work it into the next budget cycle."

That budget sensitivity has mattered especially in recent years. As the farming industry has felt the pressure of inflation, Koltiv has helped FCS find creative ways to maintain their security posture and continue moving forward.

"Koltiv has done a really good job of helping us find ways to stay in budget but still be secure and achieve our goals."

A Different Kind of Co-Op

Two decades in, FCS runs like an operation many times its IT headcount, and Kirk still owns every piece of it.

Ready to Build Something That Lasts?

Farmers Cooperative Society and Koltiv have been growing together for over two decades, and the partnership continues to evolve. Whether you are looking for infrastructure support, managed security, custom development, or a trusted partner to help you plan what comes next, Koltiv is ready to meet you where you are.

Reach out to start a conversation.

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