general manager of CHS Farmers Alliance in Mitchell, S.D. “They serve as business advisors, providing the input to help us make decisions based on the needs of local producers.” Since 1994, Franzeen has carved time out of her busy farm-and-family schedule to serve on co-op boards and committees. To serve in that capacity requires a special commitment, she says. “You must have a passion for agriculture and your co-op, be prepared to spend time continually learning and growing as a board member, and help make the decisions to keep the co-op moving forward, while protecting patron equity.” One of the most important things a board does is hire a manager, says Joe Zumwalt, farmer and former director of Ursa (Ill.) Farmers Co-op. “Management is a huge factor in maintaining the economic viability of your co-op, seeking out opportunities and ensuring it remains relevant to producers.” Joining Forces for Impact While retaining local ownership and control, cooperatives join forces to form regional cooperatives — like CHS — to have an even larger impact and bring greater beneﬁ ts to members. Through a regional cooperative, member cooperatives and their local members gain size, scale and speed in an ever-changing global > economy. But they also retain Many Producers, One Voice In his extensive travels through rural America, Chuck Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC), sees two things: small towns struggling to survive and the local co-ops that anchor them, which provide products, services, marketing, processing — and employment — for producers and residents. “Co-ops serve their members and communities in the best and worst of economic times,” he says. “They expand and change to meet members’ needs; they don’t spin off and venture into something diff erent — or pull up stakes.” In 2014, NCFC surveyed two key segments of farmers — large-scale and young producers — and gained compelling insights into their perspectives on cooperatives. “Both groups view local cooperatives quite favorably,” Conner says. “They see co-ops as uniquely positioned to speak on behalf of rural America to a larger national audience that’s increasingly detached from agriculture. “As an organization, NCFC gives co-ops and their members that voice and ampliﬁ es it to advocate for them in the political arena.” Ag Co-ops: There for You As a member of an agricultural cooperative, you receive a built-in package of beneﬁ ts 365 days a year: đƫƫ !,!* &#1c;&#1e;(!ƫ/+1.&#1f;!/ƫ+"ƫ/1,,(5ƫ&#1c;* ƫ)&#1c;.'!0/ƫ"+.ƫ,.+ 1&#1f;0/ đƫƫ !)+&#1f;.&#1c;0%&#1f;ƫ&#1f;+*0.+(ƫ%*ƫ,.+&#1f;1.%*#ƫ&#1c;* ƫ)&#1c;.'!0%*#ƫ,.+ 1&#1f;0/ đƫ&#1f;+*+)%!/ƫ+"ƫ/&#1f;&#1c;(!ƫ&#1c;* ƫ!þ ƫƫ&#1f;%!*&#1f;%!/ đƫƫ %#$ġ-1&#1c;(%05ƫ,.+ 1&#1f;0/ƫ&#1c;* ƫ&#1f;1/0+)%6! ƫ/!.2%&#1f;!/ đƫ&#0d;&#1c;.'!0ƫ&#1f;+),!0%0%+*ƫ+*ƫ(+&#1f;&#1c;(ƫ,.%&#1f;!/ đƫƫ 4,!.0ƫ&#1c; 2%&#1f;!ƫ"+.ƫ%),.+2! ƫ"&#1c;.)ƫ)&#1c;*&#1c;#!)!*0 đƫƫ !%*2!/0)!*0/ƫ&#1c;* ƫ+0$!.ƫ!&#1f;+*+)%&#1f;ƫ&#1e;!*!ü ƫ0/ƫ"+.ƫ.1.&#1c;(ƫ communities đƫ
&#1c;0.+*&#1c;#!ƫ&#1e;&#1c;/! ƫ+*ƫ&#1f;+ġ+,ƫ!&#1c;.*%*#/ đƫ&#1f;+*+)%&#1f;ƫ.!01.*/ƫ"+.ƫ5+1ƫ&#1c;* ƫ5+1.ƫ&#1f;+))1*%05 Your CHS Connection 11