The sudden failure of a $500M Nebraska grain giant has ripped a hole through the rural economy, leaving farmers, truckers, and local suppliers wondering if they will ever see the money they are owed.

Ely’s grain elevator in Guide Rock, Nebraska, is shown on Oct. 10, 2025. The elevator has a capacity of over 1 million bushels across 15 bins, two flat storage buildings and a new temporary bunker.

Hansen-Mueller Co., a major Nebraska grain dealer operating nine elevators and four port terminals across the Midwest, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on November 17, 2025, leaving farmers, ...