Ag Co-Ops Defy Survival Odds

For any business to operate for over a century is an amazing accomplishment, given all the economic, social, cultural, and technological changes that occur over 100 years. Though century cooperatives are still fairly rare, accounting for about 6% of the USDA's entire list of agricultural co-ops, this percentage is much higher than the number of for-profit businesses reaching the 100 year milestone (approximately 0.01%). The number of cooperatives reaching the century milestone stands at over 130 and is steadily increasing. It has been said that survival is the ultimate performance measure. One possibility for the stellar performance of coops compared to other businesses may be that they form and operate according to the principles my research has identified as leading to long-term success: clear mission, unique strengths, close relationships with all business partners, and active members of their local communities. 

According to the USDA, here is a list of ag co-ops celebrating at least 100 years of operation:

1887  First Cooperative Association, Cherokee, IA  Grain & Oilseed

1889  Goodwine Cooperative Grain Company, Goodwine, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1889  Rock Dell Cooperative Creamery Company, Byron, MN  Dairy

1890  River Region Cooperative, Sleepy Eye, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1891  Lawrence County Co-op Wool Growers Association, Pulaski, PA  Wool

1893  Sunkist Growers Inc, Sherman Oaks, CA  Fruit & Vegetable

1894  Dassel Cooperative Dairy Association, Dassel, MN  Supply

1894  Nelson Creamery Association, Nelson, MN  Dairy

1894  Nelson & Albin Co-op Mercantile Association, Saint James, MN  Supply

1895  Stanford Grain Company, Stanford, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1896  Calhoun Cooperative Creamer Company, Lansing IA  Dairy

1897  Fillmore-Piru Citrus Association, Piru, CA  Fruit & Vegetable

1899  Farmers' Grain & Coal Company, Mason City, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1899  Nassau Farmers Elevator Company, Nassau, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1899  Plainview Mild Products Cooperative, Plainview, MN  Dairy

1901  Delphos Cooperative Association, Delphos, KS  Supply

1902  Elba Cooperative Creamery Association, Elba, MN  Dairy

1902  Southern Plains Coop, Lewis, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1903  Farmers Cooperative, Dorchester, NE  Grain & Oilseed

1903  Farmers Cooperative Association, Eustis, NE  Grain & Oilseed

1903  Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company, Rushford, MN  Supply

1903  Golden Belt Cooperative Association Inc, Ellis, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1903  Grainland Cooperative, Eureka, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1903  Graymont Cooperative Association, Graymont, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1903  Westby Cooperative Creamery, Westby, WI  Dairy

1904  Clark County Famers Elevator, Clark, SD  Grain & Oilseed

1904  Danvers Farmers Elevator Company, Danvers, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1904  Farmers Lumber Company, Rock Valley, IA  Supply

1904  Garden Valley Cooperative, Waumandee, WI  Supply

1904  Harvest Land Cooperative, Morgan, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1904  Ludlow Cooperative Elevator Company, Ludlow, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1905  Agfinity Inc, Eaton, CO  Supply

1905  Earlville Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company, Earlville, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1905  Farmers Cooperative Ag Service, Greenbush, MN  Supply

1905  Farmers Elevator Company, Pelican Rapids, MN  Supply

1905  Meadowland Farmers Cooperative, Lamberton, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1905  Menno Lumber Company, Menno, SD  Supply

1905  Rose Cooperative Creamery Association, Eagle Bend, MN  Supply

1905  Rothsay farmers Cooperative, Rothsay, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1905  Valley Creamery Association, Garfield, MN  Dairy

1905  Wheaton-Dumont Cooperative Elevator, Wheaton, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1906  Cooperative Elevator Association, Ocheyedan, IA  Grain & Oilseed

1906  Cooperative Producers Inc, Hastings, NE  Grain & Oilseed

1906  Hadley Farmers Elevator, Hadley, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1906  River Valley Cooperative, Eldridge, IA  Grain & Oilseed

1907  Archer Cooperative Grain Company, Archer, IA  Grain & Oilseed

1907  Blue Star Growers Inc, Cashmere, WA  Fruit & Vegetable

1907  Carrier Mill and Elevator Company, Carrier, OK  Grain & Oilseed

1907  Farmers Coop Elevator Company, Kingsley, IA  Grain & Oilseed

1907  Farmers Cooperative Society, Sioux Center, IA  Grain & Oilseed

1907  Fosston Cooperative Association, Fosston, MN  Supply

1907  Fruit Growers Supply Company, Sherman Oaks, CA  Supply

1907  Minier Cooperative Grain Company, Minier, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1907  North Central Cooperative, Clarion, IA  Grain & Oilseed

1907  Swanville Cooperative Creamery Association, Swanville, MN  Dairy

1908  Aurora Cooperative Elevator Company, Aurora, NE  Grain & Oilseed

1908  Bongards Creameries, Bongards, MN  Dairy

1908  Central Plains Co-op, Smith Center, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1908  Chapin Farmers Elevator Company, Chapin, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1908  Cissna Park Cooperative Inc, Cissna Park, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1908  Donovan Farmers Co-operative Elevator, Inc, Donovan IL  Grain & Oilseed

1908  Elm Dale Creamery Association, Bowlus, MN  Dairy

1908  Farmers Cooperative Creamery, Forreston, MN  Dairy

1908  Farmers Cooperative Creamery Association, Goodridge, MN  Supply

1908  Hull Cooperative Association, Hull, IA  Supply

1908  Midway Co-op Association, Osborne, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1908  Northern Partners Cooperative, Mendota, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1909  Burtonview Cooperative, Lincoln, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1909  Davenport Union Warehouse Company, Davenport, WA  Grain & Oilseed

1909  Edinburg Farmers Elevator Company, Edinburg, ND  Grain & Oilseed

1909  Farmers Elevator of Fergus Falls, Fergus Falls, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1909  FCA Co-op, Jackson, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1909  Haines City Citrus Growers Association, Haines City, FL  Fruit & Vegetable

1909  Lake Region Packing Association, Tavares, FL  Supply

1909  Odessa Union Warehouse Cooperative, Odessa, WA  Grain & Oilseed

1909  Osakis Creamery Association, Osakis, MS  Dairy

1909  Pacific Northwest Farmers Cooperative Inc, Genesee, ID  Grain & Oilseed

1909  Winter Haven Citrus Growers Association, Dundee, FL  Fruit & Vegetable

1909  Tillamook County Creamery Association, Tillamook, OR  Dairy

1910  Blue Diamond Growers, Sacramento, CA  Nut

1910  Colton Farmers Elevator, Colton, SD  Grain & Oilseed

1910  Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Ellsworth, WI  Dairy

1910  Farmers Cooperative Company, Remsen, IA  Grain & Oilseed

1910  Offerle Co-op Grain & Supply Company, Offerle, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1911  Brocket Equity Elevator Company, Brocket, ND  Grain & Oilseed

1911  Co-op Service Inc. of New York Mills, New York Mills, MN  Supply

1911  Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company, Nickerson, KS  Supply

1911  Farmers Union Mercantile & Shipping Association, Stockton, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1911  Farmway Co-op Inc, Beloit, KS  Supply

1911  Jewell Grain Company, Jewell, OH  Grain & Oilseed

1911  Kragnes Farmers Elevator Company, Glyndon, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1911  Max Farmers Elevator, Max, ND  Grain & Oilseed

1911  Medford Cooperative Inc, Medford, WI  Supply

1911  Milledgeville Farmers Elevator Company, Milledgeville, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1911  Tremont Cooperative Grain Company, Tremont, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1912  Ag Plus Inc, South Whitley, IN  Grain & Oilseed

1912  Equity Elevator & Trading Company, Wood Lake, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1912  Farmers Cooperative Company, Hinton, IA  Supply

1912  Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company, Hanley Falls, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1912  Gerald Grain Center Inc, Napoleon, OH  Grain & Oilseed

1912  Farmers Elevator Grain & Supply Association, New Bavaria, OH  Grain & Oilseed

1912  Fulton Farmers Elevator Company, Fulton, SD  Grain & Oilseed

1912  Kasbeer Farmers Elevator Company Cooperative, Kasbeer, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1912  Lakes Area Cooperative, Perham, MN  Dairy

1912  Minneola Coop Inc, Minneola, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1912  Newfolden Cooperative Elevator Association, Newfolden, MN  Grain & Oilseed

1913  AgFirst Farmers Cooperative, Brookings, SD  Grain & Oilseed

1913  Andres & Wilton Farmers Grain & Supply Co, Peotone, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1913  Blue Bird Inc, Peshastin, WA  Fruit

1913  Diamond Fruit Growers Inc, Odell, OR  Fruit & Vegetable

1913  Farmers Exchange of Goltry, Goltry, OK  Grain & Oilseed

1913  Forbes Equity Exchange, Forbes, ND  Grain & Oilseed

1913  Hastings Cooperative Creamery Company, Hastings, MN  Dairy

1913  Landisville Produce Cooperative Association Inc, Landisville, NJ  Fruit & Vegetable

1913  McNabb Grain Company Inc, McNabb, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1913  Rees Farmers Elevator, Franklin, IL  Grain & Oilseed

1913  Rule Co-op Gin & Elevator Company, Rule, TX  Cotton Ginning

1913  Saint Francis Mercantile Equity Exchange, Saint Francis, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1913  Sobieski Cooperative Creamery Association, Little Falls, MN  Dairy

1913  Thornwell Warehouse Association, Lake Arthur, LA  Supply

1914  Beardsley Equity Co-op Association Inc, Atwood, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1914  Butte County Rice Growers Association, Richvale, CA  Supply

1914  Farmers Cooperative Company, Tallmadge, NE  Grain & Oilseed

1914  Farmers Cooperative Company, Windsor, MO  Supply

1914  Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company, Rosholt, SD  Grain & Oilseed

1914  Farmers Cooperative Grain COmpany, Kinde, MI  Supply

1914  Fowler Equity Exchange, Fowler, KS  Grain & Oilseed

1914  Hardwick Farmers Cooperative Exchange, Hardwick, MA  Supply

1914  Hicksville Grain Company, Hicksville, OH  Grain & Oilseed

1914  MFA Incorporated, Columbia, MO  Supply

1914  Scranton Equity Exchange, Scranton, ND  Grain & Oilseed

1914  Waverly Growers Cooperative, Waverly, FL  Fruit & Vegetable

Century Club Companies Help You Celebrate July 4

Many of the traditions used to celebrate America's Independence Day are brought to you by companies that have been around for 100 years or more. Here are a few:

PyroSpectaculars by Souza 1906 Rialto, California

Beginning over 100 years ago and spanning five generations, the Souza family has been using their pyrotechnic skill to provide joy for their community and thrill crowds around the world. Long before the amazingly choreographed pyrotechnic displays for packed stadiums and television audiences today, the patriarch of the family was thrilling audiences closer to home. Today, the Souza family’s passion, pride, and tradition of fireworks continues to entertain millions around the world.

Nathan's Famous 1916 Jericho, New York

This Fourth of July people will gather by the thousands at the corner of Surf and Stillwell in Coney Island, NY to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Nathan’s Famous by playing witness to the most unique sporting competition in the world: Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. They’ll flock to Nathan’s flagship restaurant to catch a glimpse of hot dog eating legends and the celebration that is as uniquely American as it is Nathan’s.

Koegel's 1916 Flint, Michigan

When you fire up the grill this holiday you can celebrate America's 240th birthday and 3rd generation Koegel's 100th! Koegel's uses the same recipes and processes Albert Koegel used 100 years ago, so whether you prefer bratwursts, bockwurst, frankfurters, Italian sausage, Polish sausage, or Viennas for your grill, you can be assured an authentic, fresh product.