For many farmers, choosing a health insurance plan each year is a frustrating and overwhelming task. In the past, farmers who didn’t have access to a group plan were left to navigate the complicated world of health benefits on their own, only to learn their options were limited and oftentimes, unaffordable.

Understanding the burden this placed on many of their farmer-owned co-op members and their employees, Land O’Lakes, Inc. wanted to provide an alternative. They saw an opportunity when a law was passed in Minnesota last year allowing agricultural co-op members to band together to purchase group health benefits.

Land O’Lakes partnered with Gravie, a Minneapolis-based benefits marketplace, to design a health plan exclusively for farmer-owned co-op members. Last year, a select group of Minnesota co-ops piloted the program, which resulted in hundreds of farmers and their families enrolling in coverage and on average, saving 10 to 20 percent.

Due to its success, the program is expanding. In Minnesota, the number of participating co-ops is growing by over 60 percent, and in 2019, eligible co-op members and their employees will be able to take advantage of the program. Additionally, Land O’ Lakes, Inc. and Gravie are actively working to expand the program to other states, resulting in relief from high health insurance prices for farmers across the country.

About Gravie

With smart technology and a human touch, Gravie is reinventing health benefits, making them easier and more affordable for employers and employees. Gravie serves over 900 employers and over 62,000 individuals across the United States.

For more information on Gravie, visit gravie.com.