Hansen-Mueller Chapter 11 Extension

LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- Omaha-based Hansen-Mueller Co. has asked a federal bankruptcy court to extend an important exclusivity period in the grain company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, pointing to progress being made in the company's reorganization.

Hansen-Mueller filed a motion on March 13, 2026, asking the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of Nebraska to extend the period that expires on March 17, 2026, by 120 days. The exclusivity period prevents any competing party from proposing its own Chapter 11 reorganization plan.

Hansen-Mueller told the court many unresolved claims are preventing it from completing the reorganization plan.

"The central issue that prevents the debtor from proposing a confirmable Chapter 11 plan is the pendency of the 557 claims," the company said in its motion.

"These claims, filed by grain producers from Texas, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and other states, assert various interests in grain and grain proceeds, including claims based on storage, security interests, reclamation and state agricultural liens."

Without resolving the claims, Hansen-Mueller said it is unable to determine the total amount of allowed claims against the estate and the priority of claims -- including secured versus unsecured creditors.

Allowing the extension of the exclusivity period, the company said, will allow it to continue making progress on reorganization.

That includes completing an asset sale that generated about $24.2 million in proceeds.

"The debtor has paid its post-petition debts in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise provided by court order and intends to continue to do so," the company told the court.

"This Chapter 11 case involves substantial complexity arising from the debtor's nationwide grain-merchandising and processing operations. At the height of its operations, the debtor operated in 44 states and 24 countries, with facilities in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Texas and Alabama. The debtor operated nine elevators, four port terminals and an oats-processing facility."

Hansen-Mueller said the extension sought would not hurt creditors and instead would benefit them.

"Extending the exclusivity periods will benefit creditors by avoiding the drain on estate assets attendant to the potential proposal of competing Chapter 11 plans and disputes relating thereto," the company said in its motion.

"All stakeholders benefit from the continued stability and predictability that comes with the debtor being the sole plan proponent during the exclusivity period."

Hansen-Mueller filed for Chapter 11 in November 2025 after farmers in several states reported they had not been paid for grain deliveries.

The company reported an estimated 1,000 to 5,000 creditors and lists between $100 million and $500 million in both liabilities and assets.

Financial problems began to surface with the company in October 2025, when the Nebraska Public Service Commission suspended Hansen-Mueller's grain dealer license after the company failed to pay nearly $2 million to about 38 Nebraska farmers for grain deliveries.

Hansen-Mueller filed a list of its 20 largest unsecured creditors.

Sitting atop the list is Viterra Canada Inc. at about $4.7 million. That is followed by Cargill at $2.6 million; Agmark LLC in Beloit, Kansas, at $2.1 million; Comark in Enid, Oklahoma, at $1.3 million; ShawNuff in Monroe, Louisiana, $1.2 million; Alliance Ag and Grain in Spearville, Kansas, at about $1 million; and Chisholm Trail Terminal in Medford, Oklahoma, which is also owed around $1 million.

Unsecured creditors are people or business entities that are owed money by a debtor, but there is no collateral backing the debt. Unsecured creditors are at a higher risk of not being paid.

In addition to the 20 largest unsecured creditors, the bankruptcy filing also includes 89 pages of creditors that name farms, large agribusinesses, including Archer Daniels Midland, state departments of revenue and many others.

Read more on DTN:

"Neb. Grain Company Files Chapter 11," https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

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