The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have signed proclamations declaring October 2024 as ‘Co-op Month’ in their respective states, an annual recognition of the cooperative movement that’s designed to raises awareness of a trusted, proven way to do business and build strong communities.
“Minnesota and Wisconsin have proud cooperative heritages, and we greatly appreciate the governors signing proclamations recognizing the major impacts cooperatives have in their states,” said Cooperative Network President and CEO Dan Smith. “Cooperative Network works on behalf of cooperatives large and small from a dozen business sectors: farm production, farm supply, grain marketing, ethanol production, dairy marketing and processing, financial services, livestock genetics, meat processing, mutual insurance, telecommunications, and electrical power and distribution. All of these cooperative sectors play an essential role in the economic well-being of the communities in which they are located.”
Under the theme “The Future is Cooperative,” this year’s Co-op Month is also a chance to envision a cooperative future. With the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives on the horizon, now is the time to lift up the people-centered businesses at the heart of thousands of communities and economies, many of which are located in rural America, said Smith.
Minnesota is home to about 1,000 cooperatives; Wisconsin about 800. Between them, the two states have the highest concentation of cooperatives in the nation. Cooperative Network, known as “The Trusted Voice for Cooperatives,” is a trade association committed to protecting and promoting Wisconsin and Minnesota cooperative businesses and their shared cooperative principles by providing advocacy, education, public awareness, and development services.
A cooperative is defined as an “an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.” This means cooperatives are governed by their members, the everyday people who use the business, as opposed to investors or shareholders. Members may be consumers, workers, producers, or independent business owners who govern the co-op on a democratic basis. This unique relationship is recognized by the USDA, and under international law.
Guided by a set of shared principles and values – among them democracy, equity and solidarity – co-ops are hardwired for economic and societal transformation, said Smith.
For more information, visit cooperativenetwork.coop or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
