Illinois › Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting › 1,000 to 4,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
Group Retirement Income Plan No. 8
Sponsored by Growmark Inc., Bloomington, IL
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
In the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, Group Retirement Income Plan No. 8 covered 3,868 participants and held $677M in net assets. The plan is a defined benefit pension plan sponsored by Growmark Inc. of Bloomington, Illinois.
Net assets came to $174,946 per participant, well above the $87,935 median for defined benefit plans with 1,000 to 4,999 participants and well above the $69,039 median for defined benefit plans in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
Employer contributions were $22.5M for the year ($12,465 per active participant) and benefits paid were $30.7M. In a defined benefit plan the employer's contribution follows funding rules rather than a match formula, so it can swing widely from year to year.
Schedule C lists 10 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $17.4M: $4,486 per participant, well above the same-size median of $325. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $2.2M. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $161M in 2009 to $677M in 2024 (up 320%), and participants from 1,723 to 3,868 (up 124%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified), from an audit whose scope was limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C) to exclude investment information certified by a bank or insurer.
Compared with similar plans
| Measure | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DB plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $174,946 | $87,935 | $69,039 | $86,221 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $12,465 | $10,593 | $8,035 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $4,486 | $325 | $152 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 2.6% | 0.41% | 0.19% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $557 | $513 | $256 | $527 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined benefit plans with 100 or more participants: 1,000 to 4,999 participants (1,540 plans), agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (48) and all US plans (5,308). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3,868 | $677M | $174,946 | $22.5M | — | $17.4M |
| 2023 | 3,753 | $665M | $177,085 | $19.0M | — | $1.6M |
| 2022 | 4,013 | $649M | $161,618 | $25.0M | — | $1.7M |
| 2021 | 3,898 | $756M | $193,996 | $20.0M | — | $1.8M |
| 2020 | 3,798 | $645M | $169,880 | $5.8M | — | $1.6M |
| 2019 | 3,649 | $597M | $163,512 | $21.7M | — | $1.8M |
| 2018 | 3,476 | $510M | $146,577 | $15.0M | — | $1.1M |
| 2017 | 3,377 | $545M | $161,375 | $30.0M | — | $931K |
| 2016 | 3,256 | $434M | $133,147 | $10.0M | — | $607K |
| 2015 | 2,980 | $407M | $136,676 | $12.0M | — | $687K |
| 2014 | 2,405 | $318M | $132,424 | $8.0M | — | $643K |
| 2013 | 2,368 | $303M | $128,052 | $23.0M | — | $499K |
| 2012 | 2,324 | $249M | $107,045 | $30.0M | — | $426K |
| 2011 | 2,248 | $203M | $90,240 | $22.2M | — | $31K |
| 2010 | 2,072 | $184M | $88,843 | $3.0M | — | $420K |
| 2009 | 1,723 | $161M | $93,612 | — | — | $294K |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$664,600,276
- Employer contributions$22,500,000
- Participant contributions—
- Rollovers and other contributions—
- Total contributions$22,500,000
- Total income, including investment results$44,905,634
- Benefits paid$30,661,019
- Administrative expenses$2,154,215
- Total expenses$32,815,234
- Net income$12,090,400
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$676,690,676
Participants
- Active participants1,805
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits1,243
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits678
- Total participants, end of year3,868
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nisa Investment Advisors, LLC | Investment management | $15,607,643 | $0 |
| Aon Consulting | Actuarial | $475,633 | $0 |
| Clarion Partners | Investment management | $289,728 | $0 |
| UBS Global Asset Management | Investment management | $233,453 | $0 |
| Rreef America | Investment management | $208,151 | $0 |
| JP Morgan Investment Management Inc. | Investment management | $198,372 | $0 |
| The Northern Trust Company | Trustee (bank, trust company, or similar financial institution) | $129,248 | $0 |
| Pacific Investment Management Co. | Investment management | $121,275 | $0 |
| Marquette Associates, Inc. | Investment advisory (plan) | $68,375 | $0 |
| Rubinbrown LLP | Accounting (including auditing) | $18,950 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Investment advisory and management fees$16,726,997
- Actuarial fees$475,633
- Trustee and custodial fees$129,248
- IQPA audit fees$18,950
- Contract administrator fees$750
- Total administrative expenses$2,154,215
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Common/collective trusts$256M · 37.6%
- Partnership/joint venture interests$170M · 25.0%
- U.S. Government securities$115M · 16.9%
- Other investments$60.6M · 8.9%
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$53.9M · 7.9%
- Real estate$21.6M · 3.2%
- Receivables$3.9M · 0.6%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmRubin Brown LLP
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $2,500,000
- Blackout period during the year—
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
1ABenefits are primarily pay related3DPre-approved pension plan3HPlan sponsor(s) is (are) a member(s) of a controlled group
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 115110: Support Activities for Crop Production (including cotton ginning, soil preparation, planting, & cultivating).
Other plans of Growmark Inc.
| Plan | Participants | Net assets |
|---|---|---|
| Growmark Member Cooperative 401(k) Savings Plan | 10,856 | $475M |
| Group Retirement Income Plan NO.16 | 7,445 | $1.07B |
| Growmark 401(k) Plan | 3,550 | $286M |
Similar plans in Illinois
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group Retirement Income Plan NO.16 | Growmark Inc. | 7,445 | $1.07B | $143,155 |
| Rockford Area Dairy Industry Local 754 Ib of T Retirement Pension Plan | Rockford Area Dairy Industry Local 754 Ib of T Retirement Pension Plan | 749 | $53.9M | $71,964 |
Defined benefit plans in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Group Retirement Income Plan No. 8?
3,868 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 1,805 were active employees, with net assets of $676,690,676. Among defined benefit plans that places it in the 1,000 to 4,999 participants band, which held 1,540 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Growmark Inc. contribute per participant?
The filing reports $22,500,000 in employer contributions for the year, which is $12,465 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $10,593 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $17,350,828 in compensation to service provider organisations, $4,486 per participant or 2.6% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $325 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $2,154,215. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Growmark Inc.. Investment advisory or management: Nisa Investment Advisors, LLC, Clarion Partners and UBS Global Asset Management. Trustee or custodian: The Northern Trust Company. The financial statements were audited by Rubin Brown LLP. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion from a limited-scope audit, in which the accountant did not audit investment information certified by a bank or insurance company. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024, received by the Department of Labor on 8 Oct 2025. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 37-0815318, plan 002, received 8 Oct 2025; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.