(KMZA)--Stockholders of the Beattie Farmers Union Cooperative Association have approved the merger of the century-old agribusiness with the much larger Dorchester, Nebraska-based Farmers Cooperative.

464 votes were cast Thursday, with 78 percent in favor of the merger.

The board of directors of both the Beattie Co-op and Farmers Cooperative previously agreed to the merger, which is take place September 1st of this year.

It was the second attempt to pass the merger, which failed last fall.

The Beattie Farmers Union Cooperative has grain-handling facilities in Beattie, Blue Rapids, Waterville, Frankfort and Marietta and a fertilizer plant at Summerfield.

Locally, Farmers Cooperative owns grain facilities at Marysville, Bremen, Herkimer and Hanover.  The Cooperative also owns facilities in south-central and central Nebraska.