CHS Inc., the agriculture cooperative and energy company, said Friday its fiscal third-quarter earnings fell 53 percent due to maintenance at a refinery and difficult base of comparison.

CHS reported earnings of $178.1 million for the three months ended May 31, down from $379.5 million a year ago.

Revenue fell 28 percent to $8.7 billion.

Its performance a year ago was lifted by a one-time gain of $108.8 million attributed to the establishment of the Ardent Mills flour milling joint ­venture in May 2014.

Meanwhile, its latest results were shaped by "significantly reduced refining margins" and scheduled maintenance at its refinery in McPherson, Kan., the company said in a statement. Decreased propane earnings also played a role.

CHS' agriculture segment also declined in several areas, including lower earnings from logistics within grain marketing, reduced volumes of grain and wholesale crop nutrients, lower ag-related margins in CHS retail facilities and lower market prices for renewable fuels.

For the first nine months of its fiscal year, CHS reported a 26 percent decrease in earnings to $649.6 million from $881.7 million a year ago.

Nine-month revenue was $26.6 billion, down 19 percent from $32.7 billion a year ago. CHS attributed the changes to lower average prices for the refined energy products, grains and fertilizer that make up a significant portion of its business.

CHS is based in Inver Grove Heights.