Monday, July 11, 2016

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

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