7 Benefits of Cooperative Ownership
Cooperative ownership means you own a world of opportunities that are powered by local expertise and help build your operation and your community. Learn how you can get the most from being a cooperative owner.
Global Market Access
You Have a Voice
“People may wonder if co-ops will still be relevant down the road. But there is, and always will be, the value of working with others who have the same goals and the resources to make them happen.”
“Cooperatives play a very important role, not only for farmers, but for the communities they support. Rather than being driven solely by profits or a handful of shareholders like an investor-owned company may be, they’re driven by what it takes to support their customers.”
“I have seen a shift in the cooperative system, with boards making decisions for five or 10 years down the road instead of just this fiscal year. That’s how it should be.”
“There are people fighting for what’s right for the co-op and the farmer. When you are out on the farm, you don’t always realize what’s going on behind the scenes. It’s very cool to see the other side of things.”
“You don’t do business with a company, you do it with people. And I depend on those relationships. As a co-op member, I own a small part of something bigger. I have a chance to voice my opinion and have a say in the business.”
Benefit from Local Expertise
“We have lots of data and we know how to use it. Still, it’s hard to put it all together and our co-op helps us do that. Precision ag technology is overwhelming to many farmers, and that’s why our co-op is so important. We like having that relationship and being able to see how other farmers are doing things.”
“Investing in a quality fuel we know we can depend on helps us get the most out of our equipment. Thanks to our co-op, we don’t ever have to worry about running out of fuel and we can use fuel contracts to manage price.”
“We’ve collected field data for many years, and our co-op has helped us turn a cumbersome analysis process into a positive experience. They’ve helped us use yield data to focus inputs on the highest-yielding parts of our fields.”
Earn Patronage and Equity
Help Communities Thrive
The benefits of cooperative ownership go beyond your operation. Cooperatives bring strength to rural communities by providing jobs, building economic stability and supporting local services. Through the CHS Foundation and CHS Community Giving, CHS is committed to meeting these 2020 goals on behalf of its farmer-owners.
CHS Foundation 2020 Goals
ag teachers prepared to inspire the next generation
ag students benefit from scholarships and university support
students prepared for ag careers
future ag leaders learn about the co-op business model
CHS Community Giving 2020 Goals
communities receive safety equipment and training
youth learn lifesaving safety and health lessons
communities receive matching grants
communities benefit from CHS volunteers
Tap into a Global Supply Chain
As a cooperative owner, you are part of an extensive grain origination network that links your farming operation to world markets. And you benefit from a broad-based input system that harnesses the power of cooperative-owned refineries and growing agronomy resources to deliver inputs when and where you need them.
Focus on Long-Term Thinking
Looking for the next right answer is central to the cooperative model. That balance drives cooperatives to look for new, more efficient ways to do business with an eye to long-term success and value. Cooperative ownership means you’re part of a global network of experts and advocates who focus on market trends, challenges and opportunities, so you can stay focused on managing a productive business.
When a community’s access to the regional short-line track was threatened, four cooperatives and a private grain company banded together to build a $30 million grain shuttle facility, increasing efficiency and ensuring grain marketing could continue undisrupted.
“Realizing that we were all looking at our business models in the same way allowed us to go down a path we could not have gone down independently.”
Thanks in part to cooperative donations, the Commodity Training Room at NDSU is helping prepare the next generation of workers for success in the agriculture industry.
“Students need to learn how to analyze data and make decisions quickly. They need hands-on experience using real-time scenarios, and agribusinesses will benefit from a pipeline of qualified employees.”