Lake Area Technical College Students Learn About Diversity of Cooperatives

By Lura Roti for South Dakota Farmers Union

Before attending the Farmers Union College Conference on Cooperatives, all Landen Melius knew about cooperatives was from doing business at the local grain elevator and Chelsea Cenex station.

Today, he knows much more thanks to touring several Minnesota-based cooperatives – each with a different focus – during the three-day event.

“Cooperatives exist because in most cases one guy can’t build a grain elevator or start a grocery store. But by working together with a large group of people who want the same thing, the cooperative business model can be a way to do this,” explained the fifth-generation Faulk County farmer.

Melius was one of 14 students from Lake Area Technical College sponsored by South Dakota Farmers Union to attend the conference.

“For more than a century, the cooperative business model has been utilized by rural citizens to access necessary infrastructure – like electricity and water,” explained Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union. “Today, many of us continue to benefit from services provided by cooperatives, so it is important to educate the next generation on what co-ops are and how they work so they can ensure this business model will continue to thrive.”

In addition to touring a grocery cooperative, Melius and 76 other college students from across the U.S. toured a housing co-op, sporting goods co-op and heard from cooperative leaders representing Compeer Financial, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, CROPP/Organic Valley, Northcountry Cooperative Foundation, and National Co-op Grocers and more.

After attending the conference, Melius said he plans to be a more engaged cooperative member.

“Cooperatives play a big role in our community,” said Melius who plans to return to his family’s farm fulltime after he graduates this spring. “As someone who plans to live in this community another 50 years, hopefully farming, I need to take an interest in our cooperative and consider serving on the board because most of the board members are at least 55. Not that this is a bad thing, but why shouldn’t the 25-year-old kid who lives down the road and farms, also serve?”

Melius and the other Lake Area students who attended the conference are currently enrolled in a Cooperative Principles class. Their instructor, Jeffrey York, said he appreciates the opportunity this conference and Farmers Union provides.

“I appreciate Farmers Union and the opportunity for Lake Area Technical College students to see how the cooperative business model works in industries that support agriculture and its surroundings,” York said. “The students were able to tour a cooperative grocery store, housing, retail and banking co-ops. They also heard from speakers from the electric cooperatives. Thanks to Farmer’s Union, this experience allows students to see the whole picture when it comes to cooperative business model.”

Ag Business/Commodity Merchandising major Maddie Luvaas agreed. “Even though we learn about cooperatives in Jeff’s class, classroom learning is much different from what I learned by touring a co-op or listening to someone speak who works for a co-op. I know so much more today about cooperatives, after attending this conference than I knew just a week ago.”

Classmate, Kendra Wetz added that in addition to learning more about how the cooperative business model works, she appreciated the opportunity attending the conference gave her to network with other young agriculture professionals.

“Networking with students from other schools gives you a look at every side of agriculture and gives you a different look at what is going on in the world of agriculture,” said Wetz, who will graduate with an Agriculture Business degree this May.

To learn more about the educational opportunities South Dakota Farmers Union provides to South Dakotans of all ages, click here.