TODAY’S PRODUCERS, TOMORROW’S CO-OP Producers take advantage of convenient one-stop shopping at this cooperative . By Lisa Graham-Peterson Bob Klemetson lives in town, not on his 1,420-acre farm in Becker County, Minn., but it’s not the proximity to the main office of his cooperative, West Central Ag Services, that he values when he stops by after his son’s ball game. Instead, it’s the way it takes only one stop to see almost everyone needed to help ensure he’s running the best wheat, corn and soybean operation possible. In fact, at the cooperative’s Ulen, Minn., offices, he can start at one end of the hallway and talk with every member of his management team: his agronomist, grain merchandiser and commodity broker, seed dealer, insurance agent, and financial lender. For Klemetson, this is what being a co-op member today means. Important Work The focus of cooperative principles hasn’t changed since they were first set to paper in Rochdale, England, in 1844: value for the member-owner. But value for producers like Klemetson is a tall order. It’s much more than price per bushel. Klemetson wants trusted advisors and access to resources. And he wants a voice in the co-op’s business. “My family has been part of this co-op for three generations,” says Klemetson. “I served 12 years on the board. My dad and granddad each served on the board of Tri-County, West Central Ag’s predecessor. This is important work, especially during times of growth.” Klemetson has been around to watch West Central evolve as much as farming has. He left the family >>> Your CHS Connection 7
Issue Articles
Today’s Producers, Tomorrow’s Co-Op
Lisa Graham-Peterson
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