Conferences

Regional College Conference on Cooperatives

This annual three-day conference is held in Minneapolis-St. Paul and features presentations from cooperative specialists and panels, interactive workshops, cooperative activities and tours of facilities in the region. The event brings together young college-age producers from Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Iowa, Idaho, Missouri and Wisconsin.

It's a great opportunity for Farmers Union and the cooperative community of the Upper Midwest to teach young people about cooperative business principles and history, to introduce them to a wide-variety of co-ops and show them there are great careers in strong, ethical and community-minded businesses.

2011 Conference on Cooperatives Attendees from South Dakota
Back Row (left to right): Spencer Goodman, Milbank; Nick Wegleitner, Claremont, SD; Korey Lambert, Frankfort, SD; Shaun Frost, Hoven, SD; Ron Unzen, Madison, MN. Third Row (left to right): Michael Hall, Rapid City, SD; Yolanda Goodman, LATI Instructor, Milbank; Kyleen Shields, Stevens Point, WI; Burton Pflueger, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD. Second Row (left to right): Amber Connor, Winfred; Bonnie Geyer, SD Farmers Union Education Director, Huron; and Tony Siemonsma, Garretson, SD. Front Row (left to right): Jon Stewart, Arlington, SD; Bryant Roth, Hurley, SD; Ryley Curtis, Redfield, SD; Dustin Palmquist, Canova, SD.

Youth Resources

• Scholarships
• Achievement & Councils
• Youth Camps

Cooperatives

Cooperative Principles Class

With a grant from the CHS Foundation, South Dakota Farmers Union partners with Lake Area Technical Institute (LATI) to provide a two day trip to the Twin Cities each fall for students involved in the LATI Co-op Principles group. These high school students travel to cooperative businesses throughout Minnesota and the Twin Cities to learn about the major impact co-ops have on our economy and to see cooperative businesses at work.

They visit the American Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) facility in Dawson, Minnesota, the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative in Renville, Minnesota, along with tours of the Minnesota Agriculture Science Academy School, the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul and other stops along the way. The students who attend receive dual credit through LATI and their local high school.