Kansas City, Mo. ? Farmland Industries Inc. lost $189.5 million in the third quarter, which ended the same day the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperative filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The losses were led by the company’s petroleum business, which lost $55.1 million in the quarter that ended May 31. The petroleum business earned $42.2 million in the same period last year.

Farmland blamed the oil losses on lower margins in the sale of petroleum and planned maintenance at its Coffeyville, Kan., refinery.

The company also took $127.5 million in charges for pretax restructuring, reorganization and discontinued operations.

A year ago in the same period, Farmland lost $42.4 million.

Operating losses were $91 million for the quarter, compared with operating income of $35.9 million a year ago.

Farmland employs about 14,500 people worldwide, including 900 in the Kansas City area. Farmland has a nitrogen plant in Lawrence, which has been idle since May 2001.