South Dakota Farmers Union is committed to the future of cooperatives in our state. We’ve worked for decades to start, support, and enhance cooperatives for the benefit of their patron/owners. Our education programs teach the importance of the cooperative philosophy and give young people the knowledge they need to become patron/owners of cooperatives.
What is a Cooperative?
A cooperative is a business model protected by federal law (Capper-Volstead Act of 1922) which is owned and controlled by those who use it. Unlike other businesses, cooperatives are member-owned and operate not to earn profits for investors, but for the benefit of their patron/owners. Cooperatives provide services to their members like insurance, credit, health care, housing, telephone, electrical transportation, childcare, and utility services. Farmers use cooperatives to market and process crops and livestock, purchase supplies and services, and to provide credit for their operations.