Washington, D.C. (October 1, 2019) —The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives joins cooperatives across the nation to recognize October as National Co-op Month and honor the important role farmer-owned cooperatives play in strengthening the economy, providing jobs and improving life in local communities.
“Co-op Month is a great time to share the farmer co-op story and discuss how America’s farmer-owned businesses allow individual farmers across the country the opportunity to truly participate in the food and agriculture system,” said NCFC President and CEO Chuck Conner. “I’m excited to dedicate this month to co-ops, and showcase how farmer co-ops directly support rural America and help provide consumers with a safe, affordable and abundant food, fiber and fuel supply.”
For more than 100 years, farmer-owned co-ops have given individual farmers a fair chance to compete and succeed in the global marketplace. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2.2 million farmers own the nearly 2,000 farmer cooperatives in the nation. The farmer-owned cooperatives generate around $200 billion annually in economic activity and generate about 300,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal jobs.
Throughout the month, NCFC plans to highlight the role that farmer-owned co-ops play in improving economic opportunity and the quality of life in rural America.
About NCFC
Since 1929, NCFC has been the voice of America’s farmer cooperatives. Our members are regional and national farmer cooperatives, which are in turn composed of nearly 2,000 local farmer cooperatives across the country. NCFC members also include 26 state and regional councils of cooperatives. Farmer cooperatives allow individual farmers the ability to own and lead organizations that are essential for continued competitiveness in both the domestic and international markets.
America’s farmer-owned cooperatives provide a comprehensive array of services for their members. These diverse organizations handle, process and market virtually every type of agricultural commodity. They also provide farmers with access to infrastructure necessary to manufacture, distribute and sell a variety of farm inputs. Additionally, they provide credit and related financial services, including export financing.
