Marketing Collaborations for Farmers

Marketing is “creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value,” according to the definition adopted by the American Marketing Association. As is clear from the definition, marketing is broad! It encompasses concepts around product, price, place, and promotion.

At the 2023 Farm Science Review (FSR), CFAES Center for Cooperatives program director, Hannah Scott, shared collaborative approaches to marketing that may help fruit and vegetable farmers grow their businesses. From cooperative efforts to reach customers to group buys for marketing supplies, the key question for collaborative approaches is whether a group can do something better together than they can individually.

Colorful pattern of lettuce, tomatoes, eggplants, and carrots on tan background.

Collaborative Promotion

To help reach customers and promote their farms and products, farmers might consider taking advantage of collaborative programs like Ohio Proud, a program of the Ohio Department of Agriculture to promote Ohio grown, raised, or processed food and agriculture products. Other community-led efforts to promote local food, like the Pike County Local Foods Directory, led by Pike County OSU Extension, may be opportunities for farmers to reach new customers and raise awareness.

Interested in Collaborative Promotion Strategies? Here are some things to consider:

  • Are there existing programs your farm could engage simply and efficiently?
  • How can your farm share promotional items from these collaborative programs? Using social media or placing materials around your community?
  • If you help create new materials, who will “own” keeping them updated?

Controlling Costs through Joint Purchasing

Does your farm use marketing supplies that others also often use? Think of items like bags, boxes, cartons, crates, stickers, signage, and more. Sometimes purchasing supplies as a group may help farmers access bulk discounts while reducing the inventory they need to hold themselves. Group buys might also help control shipping costs and reduce administrative burdens.

Interested in Collaborative Purchasing? Here are some things to consider:

  • Will group purchasing save costs on goods and/or shipping?
  • Do the logistics work for the group?
  • Be aware of potential risks and plan for them, including potential risks around payments for goods, the quantity purchased, storage and timing considerations, and more.
  • Ensure that communications around the what, when, where, and how, for group purchases are clear and consistent.

Collaborative Marketing Approaches to Enhance Product Diversity

Sometimes offering a diverse array of products might help a business attract more customers. For example, farmer’s markets often work to recruit a diverse group of vendors so they can offer customers everything from fruits and veggies to meat and proteins, dairy, baked goods, and more. In some instances, business-to-business (B2B) sales, including approaches like multi-farm CSA’s, may help farmers or markets increase their product offerings or extend their marketing season.

Interested in Collaborative Approaches to Enhance Product Diversity? Here are some things to consider:

  • How can you manage for the quality and safety of products you do not produce?
  • Does product diversity actually help sales in the market channel you are in?
  • What strategies might you need to help manage risk and set clear expectations around terms of B2B sales?
  • Does the market channel where you sell products allow for B2B sales? For example, some farmer’s market rules may not allow for sales of items a vendor did not produce themselves.

An illustration of a laptop with retail store awning and paper airplane next to brick buildings to represent online business marketing.

Cooperation to Reach New Market Channels

Some market channels require higher volumes of product more consistently than others – think k-12 institutions or wholesale buyers – and these markets might be challenging for some farmers to enter. Producer-owned cooperatives that market products on behalf of their members may offer opportunities for farmers to pool products to reach higher volumes more consistently. Some farmer’s markets may be producer-led cooperatives (like the Chillicothe Farmers Market in Ross County, Ohio). Cooperatives may be a useful approach where pooling product or resources helps solve a challenge, but they can also be complex.

Interested in the Producer-Owned Cooperative Model? Here are some things to consider:

  • Who will be involved as members and what will be their role?
  • How will the group make decisions?
  • How can the group manage risk?
  • Will working together create the intended benefit? Can that benefit be clearly identified and communicated to members?

Access the slides for the presentation, “Marketing Collaborations to Improve your Farm’s Bottom Line” here!

 

To learn more about cooperative and collaborative approaches in agriculture, reach out to the CFAES Center for Cooperatives at Ohio State at go.osu.edu/cooperatives or 740-289-2071. The publication, “Cooperative Farming: Frameworks for Farming Together” published by Northeast SARE is also a great place to start learning about cooperative and collaborative approaches in agriculture.

Farm Science Review is a three-day, annual outdoor event hosted by Ohio State University featuring commercial exhibits, educational programs, and field demonstrations showcasing the future of agriculture. The presentation was part of 15 different learning sessions at the OSU Extension Fruits & Vegetables exhibit at FSR. The OSU Extension Fruit & Vegetable team posts educational resources and updates at https://u.osu.edu/vegnetnews/

Planning for the Future and Preserving Your Business

With 2.9 million business owners aged over 55+ in the United States, where does that leave the future of the business when it’s time to think about retirement?

Worker-owned cooperatives could be the solution! This alternative business model that can preserve the business and legacy for future generations. Employees owning the business can be a way to increase current employee engagement while rooting the business deeper into the community.

According to Project Equity, “When successful businesses become employee-owned, they create high quality jobs, increase worker voice, and facilitate asset building for employee-owners—all while boosting business survival rates and keeping local economies strong”.

Graphic of light colored light bulb and hands connecting colored puzzle pieces

Transitions to worker-owned business can seem overwhelming, but resources are out there to help guide you along the way. Project Equity is a national organization that has many resources available online. In Ohio, Evergreen Cooperative is a great local resource to help guide individuals through the process and transition.

September, the CFAES Center for Cooperatives is focusing on worker-owned cooperatives by showcasing Casa Nueva in Athens, hosting a day at Casa to learn more about the worker owned business. Later in the month, Project Equity will be hosting a free “Selling to your Workers” webinar to those interested in learning more about the process.

People Make Their Cooperatives Go and Grow: Reflections on a Timeless Idea

Read the foreword by Carolyn Eselgroth

By Hannah Scott and Bradford Sherman
CFAES Center for Cooperatives

“Cooperatives are people in action…”

The idea that it is people who make their cooperative go and grow is a timeless one. It rings as true today as it did 50 years ago when respected Ohio State University Extension Economist Dr. Charles H. Ingraham said so in a speech to the American Institute of Cooperation’s Graduate and Collegiate Seminar.

“Cooperatives are unique – they are people working together to obtain those goals they could not achieve individually,” Dr. Ingraham said. “For a cooperative to ‘go and grow’ members must: need it, want it, understand it, use it, finance it, and work at it.”

Continue reading People Make Their Cooperatives Go and Grow: Reflections on a Timeless Idea →

Reactions from the Ohio cooperative community

“Good ideas stand the test of time. How often have you heard a quote from Ben Franklin or read a version of Aesop’s fables to your kids or grandkids? Some concepts are timeless and are as true today as they were when they were first developed. This is certainly true for cooperatives. The concepts developed more than 100 years ago are still the foundation of today’s cooperatives. The attached speech was delivered by Dr. Charles Ingraham, OSU Business Management Extension Specialist, on Aug. 7, 1973, to the American Institute of Cooperation. The messages it conveys were true then, have remained true throughout my lifetime and I am confident they will remain true long after I’ve retired. This is a testament to the fact that, while the services and products offered to cooperative members may have changed over time, the value of banding together to procure those products and services remains essential. Few of us were cooperative members or employees at the time this speech was given so I encourage you to invest the 15 minutes to travel back in time to see how the cooperative world has changed in those 50 years…and how it hasn’t.”

Heather McCann, Chair, Mid America Cooperative Council

“People working together to achieve goals that they have in common are what spawns a cooperative business entity in the beginning. The importance of people is just as strong now as it was 50 years ago and indeed from the very beginning of the modern cooperative movement … Still today, Dr. Ingraham’s observation that members must understand the cooperative for it to “go and grow” and that education is a major key to understanding an abstract business organization like a cooperative is education rings true. Cooperative members must be reminded about how cooperatives are unique and how members can use the cooperative to increase their own net income in the long run. The legacy of cooperative education continues for today’s cooperatives across our region for employees and boards of directors as well as general awareness and understanding of the cooperative difference among the public. We continue to believe in the “duty to Educate” and plan to continue strong emphasis on education and training as we move forward to reach a new generation of students, employees, and members of both today’s and tomorrow’s cooperatives.”

Dr. Tom Worley, Director, CFAES Center for Cooperatives and OSU South Centers

“To say cooperatives have withstood the test of time is an understatement. There are many types of cooperatives that are very successful today and have been for many years. Many facets of today’s business world and society have been discovering the cooperative business model. As Dr. Ingraham noted several years ago the common denominator in these successes is the people. ‘Many businesses tout the reality that people are our most important asset.’ For cooperatives this is not only true but form a critical equation for longevity. The employees who serve the members; the Board who serves the members and leads the cooperative; and, the members who benefit. So, the critical factor for success and growth remains people working for mutual benefit. In today’s global economy and changes too numerous to mention this common denominator does in fact sustain the business.”

Dennis Bolling, Retired Ohio cooperative leader, Member of the Cooperative Hall of Fame

Foreword by Carolyn Eselgroth

By Carolyn Eselgroth
Partner at Barrett, Easterday, Cunningham and Eselgroth LLP & Former student of Dr. Ingraham

“Hi, Scoop!” I recognized the energetic voice on the phone with the Washington County twang, even though it was my first day on the job at The Ohio Farmer magazine. I had recently graduated from The OSU, but that didn’t stop Dr. Charles H. (Chuck) Ingraham, my co-op class professor, from calling and giving me a quiz about the front page of the Wall Street Journal.

Over time I discovered Chuck was in contact with many former students and acquaintances in the cooperative world. His area of expertise was ag marketing and cooperatives, and his extension outreach and teaching seemed to take him everywhere, even several years of work with farmers’ cooperatives in Hawaii after his retirement from Ohio State. Notes on his speeches, which he provided to his students for our “possibly useful file,” gave us some idea of his travels and national prominence.

For more than 30 years, until his death at age 89 in 2013, Chuck continued my co-op education, about their history in Ohio and elsewhere, about boards and governance, about how things work and why they don’t. He helped me decipher the notes in financial audits, showed me how bylaws were sometimes misused to abuse democratic processes, and gave me the context for information found in boxes of public securities filings. The 1980s provided many opportunities for learning!

We continued to talk about co-ops as I transitioned from journalism to law, including the updates to Ohio’s cooperative law. Instead of reporting on co-op trials and tribulations, I was advising co-op clients how to prevent those problems. While I couldn’t share client confidences, Chuck’s “possibly useful files” were indeed useful, and I found myself understanding in new ways the things Chuck had taught in class.
As time passed, our conversations became more reflective. Chuck realized he was teaching the same lessons and dealing with the same problems with each new generation of co-op members, directors, and employees. The basics didn’t change, but they were always new to those who hadn’t heard them before, and encouragement and reminders are needed. His words still ring true today: “Cooperatives are unique – they are people working together to obtain those goals they could not achieve individually. For a cooperative to ‘go and grow’ members must: need it, want it, understand it, use it, finance it, and work at it.” How much he says in so few words!

The time is now, Chuck would admonish, not “someday” when we get around to it. He would urge us to recognize the challenges and educate ourselves and the next generation continually. To remind us, he would hand out bright red, coin-shaped bits of plastic imprinted with the words “A ROUND TUIT”. (Chuck was rarely subtle!)

Yes, time is scarce, but co-op education pays dividends over and over. I hope Chuck’s speech given at the American Institute of Cooperation 50 years ago will inspire you to help your co-op “go and grow”! I am grateful to Hannah and her team at The OSU Center for Cooperatives for making it easier for co-op leaders today to get “a round tuit”!

Cooperatives Help Sustain Communities

Cooperatives have always been a great source of economic growth in all parts of the world, in both rural and urban areas.  According to the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International, their are four major areas in which cooperative economic growth can help development, build, sustain and grow in virtually any environment.

1.   Flexibility– Cooperatives are created specially to meet the needs of the members they serve, and because of this are able to have a more flexible nature to adapt and thrive in communities of all types and sizes, tailoring their products and services to meet the needs of the areas they serve.  Rural communities are known to have a shortage of people and jobs, but agriculture tends to thrive in these areas.  Farmers can join together to form cooperatives to assist each other with common expenses.

2.  Circulate Money– in both rural and urban areas where for-profit businesses are common, money doesn’t always circulate properly.  Traditional businesses see money spend in the business stay in the hands of the business owner, where a cooperative will keep the money circulating within the business, hiring new employees or lowering prices.

3.   Create Jobs– Job creation is always a positive and uplifting sign in communities.  There are many types of cooperatives, like worker co-ops and producer co-ops that work to create more and better job security as they allow employees to have a vote and decision-making power.

4.   Strengthen the Community– Co-ops are created with one thing in mind, to serve their members and the communities.  In turn, they provide jobs, products and services, and help distribute wealth, all while teaching the community leadership and professional skills to help further develop and continue the momentum and movement.

Encourage the cooperative movement in your community by learning more.  Visit our web page https://cooperatives.cfaes.ohio-state.edu and stay connected to what is happening with The Ohio State University CFAES Center for Cooperatives.

Cooperative Governance; Where do you stand?

Over the past 6 months there has been a common theme to questions, and it boils down to one word, participation. How can we get people involved, how can we get people to engage, how do we get others to join? This isn’t only in the cooperative world but in all organizations; personal and professional.
Participation is defined as “to take part in” or “to have a part or share in something”. For cooperatives, participation is a large part of being a member. Either an expectation of using the services of the cooperative, utilizing the resources that accompany the cooperative or reaching a certain quota or goods sold to the cooperatives. All these are dependent on the cooperative by the structure of their bylaws and policies.

Graphic of light colored light bulb and hands connecting colored puzzle pieces
Cooperatives are as unique as people, one cooperative is not the same as another, or the saying of “If you’ve seen one co-op, you’ve seen one co-op.” This holds true for cooperative board of directors. Participating in a cooperative as an individual is difference as representing your cooperative as a director. Directors are elected by the members of the cooperative to represent them, to uphold the cooperative mission and values set forth and to keep the cooperative members informed.

Cooperative board directors have several duties and responsibilities that members have entrusted them with such as the welfare of the co-op, hiring and evaluation the management of the cooperative, setting goals for the cooperative and overseeing the financial health of the cooperative. They aren’t the individual that is in the daily operation role of the cooperative. That responsibility goes to the general manager of the cooperative, the person the board of directors entrusted to run the daily operations. While cooperative board of directors can look similar to those from 20 or 30 years ago, today’s boards need to have a more active role in the cooperative to ensure the longevity of the cooperative is successful and effective.

As stated on the University of Wisconsin, Center for Cooperatives website, the Center released their findings from the Cooperative Governance Research Initiative (CGRI) that was conducted in 2021. As stated in the CGRI report, “Democratic member control is cooperatives’ superpower and Achilles heel. Decades of research has found that strong governance is essential for cooperatives to thrive. Yet cooperatives have lacked the robust data that is needed to benchmark, reflect upon, and improve their governance practices.” The reason for the research was to help understand and improve cooperative governance so cooperative members, directors, developers and interested parties had knowledge to compare to. Those that participate in the survey were from all across the cooperative sector. The Centers website states that the “results of the survey show that one-third of board members tenure of serving on the board is 10 years or more, whereas 36% have 3-9 years’ experience and 34% have less than 3 years. While two-thirds of board members are serving less than 9 years, efficient and effective boards need to always have a plan for succession and ways to recruit new board members.”

Multiple blue gears with various business related graphics inside, such as a light bulb, people, and target.
Part of being a board director is to recognize the need for board trainings, and educational development for not only members but the directors themselves. USDA released in 2002, the ‘Circle of Responsibilities for Co-op Boards‘ and are as follows; 1. Represent members 2. Establish cooperative policies 3. Hire and supervise management 4. Oversee acquisition and preservation of cooperative assets 5. Preserve the cooperative character of the organization 6. Assess the cooperative’s performance 7. Inform members.

As a cooperative director, how do you stack up against the circles of responsibility? As a cooperative member, how can you get involved or engaged? Educational trainings are offered by various organizations and in multiple formats that make is more accessible to attend while maintaining a busy professional or personal workload.

Could Cooperation Help Your Small Business Market Better?

Product, price, place, and promotion. One of the keys to success for a small business is mastering marketing. Whether entrepreneurs are advertising their business, using promotional strategies to reach their target customers, or working to place their products into a new market channel, marketing encompasses many aspects of business. Are cooperative approaches to marketing opportunities a fit for your small business to save time and resources?

Does your business use supplies that many other businesses also use?

Purchasing supplies as a group, via a purchasing cooperative, for example, may help businesses lower per unit costs for supplies, improve market information across the supply chain, consolidate transactions to reduce administrative burdens, reduce inventories, coordinate shipping, or even control quality attributes.[1] For example, restaurants may use a purchasing cooperative to purchase food, packaging, equipment, and other commonly needed supplies together in bulk. The Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op works with suppliers to provide member restaurants with products and services, pooling billions of dollars in buying power.

For a more detailed look at the purchasing cooperative model, see the publication “A Guide for the Development of Purchasing Cooperatives,” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Golden french fries in white paper container. White toilet tissue rolls in a wire shopping cart. Yellow paper shopping bags with polka dots and stars.

Could your business advertise with businesses in the same industry or geography?

Marketing cooperatives and similar approaches may offer opportunities for small businesses to reach new market channels or audiences while reducing costs and administrative burden for individual businesses.

In Ohio, businesses in the tourism industry like convention and visitors bureaus, lodging, restaurants, attractions, festivals, and others, may be able to utilize TourismOhio’s “Ohio, The Heart of It All Co-op Advertising Program,” which provides members opportunities to purchase advertising like paid social, digital, and paid search, as well as opportunities for marketing contact creation offerings like photography, videography, storytelling, and influencer engagements, among other potential benefits.

Illustrated image of computer screen with various graphics, including play symbol, money symbol, text bubble, light bulb, and megaphone.

Does your business have the ability or opportunity to share physical space with other businesses?

In some instances, cooperative approaches to helping businesses access the physical space they need to operate or market their business might offer benefits. For example, shared-use space like business incubators or artist cooperatives might help create affordable opportunities for start-up businesses, help businesses attract new customers in spaces where customers who enter the space to shop at one business may also be encouraged to shop at others, and reduce administrative burdens by sharing maintenance and upkeep for the space and outdoor areas.

Learn more about artist cooperatives in this “Toolkits for the Arts: Toolkit 2: Form an Artist Cooperative” from the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts in West Virginia.

Open sign on inside of glass window.

Some Considerations for Working Cooperatively

Small businesses exploring how a collaborative approach might help them better market their products and businesses will need to consider various key questions. The questions below are a starting point but are by no means exhaustive. Entrepreneurs who are interested in exploring a cooperative approach further can reach out to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Center for Cooperatives at Ohio State.

  • Who will be engaged? What is their role?
  • How will the group make decisions?
  • How will the group be formally organized?
  • How can the group manage risk?
  • Will working together provide the intended benefit

Graphic of light colored light bulb and hands connecting colored puzzle pieces

Contact Us!

For more information about the CFAES Center for Cooperatives at The Ohio State University visit go.osu.edu/cooperatives. Contact the CFAES Center for Cooperatives at osucooperatives@osu.edu or 614-247-9705.

For assistance with registration or additional questions about events, please contact Samantha Black at black.1156@osu.edu or 614-247-9774.

CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaesdiversity.osu.edu. For an accessible format of this publication, visit cfaes.osu.edu/accessibility.

[1] Reynolds, B. & Wadsworth, J. (2009). “A Guide for the Development of Purchasing Cooperatives,” U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Cooperative Information Report 64.

Youth Cooperative Leadership Experience Day Held at OSU South Centers

The OSU Center for Cooperatives team hosted 34 FFA students from Peebles High School and Ohio Valley Career Technical Center on Friday, March 31, 2023, for the Youth Cooperative Leadership Experience Day held at OSU South Centers.  The Youth Cooperative Leadership Experience is an educational program that provides high school students in the Appalachian region an opportunity to learn about the cooperative business model and careers in agricultural, while developing leadership skills.

The event kicked off with a welcome from OSU South Centers Director, Dr. Tom Worley, who provided students with details about the uniqueness of South Centers and the opportunities it brings to the southern Ohio region, as well as numerous jobs.  Dr. Worley described the many career paths available at the Center, from agricultural, research, and business development just to name a few.

Students began the day with a wagon tour of the farm, where they were able to view strawberries growing in the high tunnel, see how hops are grown, and hear how research is conducted with small fruits.  They were then given a tour and in-depth look at the hatchery, where they were able to learn about how to raise and care for various types of fish and view the Center’s famous sturgeon.

Students then had the opportunity to experience hands-on lab demonstrations of soil testing, with Dr. Rafiq Islam and Dr. Arif Rahman, part of South Centers Soil, Water and Bioenergy Resources team.  They were shown how to field test the soil to estimate quality, active carbons, and nitrogen fertilization, as well as recognizing what the coloration of the soil means.  All students were provided soil test kits they could take home to do their own soil testing.

Small fruits are also a key point of research at South Centers and Dr. Gary Gao and Dr. Dan Remley demonstrated many ways strawberries and oranges provide key sources of information.  Students were taught how to measure natural and artificial sugar levels using fresh oranges and orange juice, as well as how to extract DNA from strawberries.  Caydence from Peebles said, “The Strawberry DNA and the color machine activity was very interesting to me, in our group we looked at the color of the strawberry compared to the sugar content of each; the darker the strawberry the higher the sugar content, which makes sense that there is more sugar as the strawberry ripens.”

Microgreens was another fun lab activity students enjoyed, and was taught by Research Assistant, Ryan Slaughter.  Microgreens are becoming a very popular, healthy, easy, and enjoyable way to grow delicious greens from virtually anywhere in a very small area or limited amount of space.  The greens can be grown in small plastic containers, similar to restaurant takeout containers, and placed in a window.  Students were provided, potting soil mix, the opportunity to select from lettuce or kale seeds and were then able to plant their seeds with information about providing care and the growth of their microgreens.

A very popular point of interest for the day was visiting the aquaponics lab.  Research Associate, Thom Harker, gave students a first-hand account of what running an aquaponics system looks like, and provided detailed information about care of the fish and their importance in the growth process for the crops.  Both students and teachers were very interested in receiving information on how they can develop their own aquaponics systems at their schools.

During lunch, students had the opportunity to hear from several cooperative business leaders as they provided details about their cooperative, job opportunities available and the education and/or skills set needed to perform those jobs.  Companies represented were South Central Power, Farm Credit Mid-America, Atomic Credit Union, Adams Rural Electric Cooperative, and Dairy Farmers of America. Following lunch, students were able to engage one-on-one with each of the business leaders while visiting their tables during the Co-op Career Fair.  Company representatives not only offered students information and potential job opportunities, but offered help with resume building and even offered a mock interview to one lucky student.

Students also had the opportunity to speak to a representative from Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute from Wooster, OH, who painted a picture of ag campus life for students possibly interested in pursuing a degree in agricultural sciences.  There are a number of programs available across all animal species in ag business, marketing, engineering and many others.

Peebles High School ag teacher, Becky Minton, had this to say about the day, “the YCLE event was wonderful!! My students not only had the opportunity to tour the research facilities and hear about the research that is currently happening at OSU South Centers but received a hands-on learning opportunity as well.  Students participated in Strawberry DNA extraction, color & sugar testing of fruits, understanding soil testing, aquaponics and the importance of proper water quality testing for both fish and plants, and growing their own fodder/microgreens system. Students were able to discuss the importance of Co-ops with industry representatives but also engage in one-on-one conversations with them; my students were able to see local opportunities for job placement in the area of cooperatives. The lunch that was provided was a great addition to the day! I could not have asked for a better day with my students to learn and have fun at the same time; it was truly an enjoyable experience for me as a teacher and for them as students.”

Exploring the Ways Cooperatives Support Sustainable Development at the 2023 Appalachia Studies Conference

The 46th Annual Appalachian Studies Conference, hosted on the Athens, Ohio, campus of Ohio University in the heart of the Buckeye state’s Appalachian region, celebrated the region’s resilience. From scholarly presentations to practitioner panels, arts performances, poster presentations, and more, the conference explored issues like diversity, equity, and inclusion, environmental challenges and reclamation, combating food deserts, honoring and sharing the region’s history, traditions, and culture, and much more via the theme “AppalachiaFest: From Surviving the Thriving.”

Picture of "AppalachiaFest: From Surviving to Thriving" button on green background with black font "Visit Athens County, Ohio."

The theme of the 2023 Appalachian Studies Conference was “AppalachiaFest: From Surviving the Thriving.”

Hannah Scott, CFAES Center for Cooperatives Program Director, joined a panel with colleagues from Pennsylvania and Kentucky around the theme, “Cooperatives and Sustainable Development in Appalachia.”

Dr. J. Todd Nesbitt, Professor of Geography at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania studies economic geography, including the history of economic development in Appalachia. Defining sustainable development simply as “growth that must be accomplished with respect for nature and humankind,” Dr. Nesbitt posited that “most cooperative enterprises achieve sustainable development by default,” through their commitment to globally recognized principles including democratic member control and concern for community, as well as values of self-help, democracy, and equity.

In 2020, Hannah Scott explored how sustainability is a part of being a cooperative in this article.

From farmers marketing their products to consumers accessing new or affordable goods and services to workers democratically owning their workplace, Hannah Scott shared how the cooperative model is being applied across Appalachia and how the CFAES Center for Cooperatives’ Appalachia Cooperates Initiative (ACI) is working to support a cooperative ecosystem in the region. ACI is a peer learning network. The main idea is to connect cooperative, community, business, and economic developers and advocates in Central Appalachia. By helping build these connections and providing learning opportunities, the CFAES Center for Cooperatives’ goals are to build awareness and understanding of the co-op model, equip practitioners with knowledge and skills, and facilitate a connected network of co-op and community developers. ACI was born out of a collaborative dialogue between partners in Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

The Center regularly hosts peer networking calls and learning sessions as part of the ACI. Find learning session recordings and sign-up to receive emails about the Appalachia Cooperates Initiative at: go.osu.edu/appalachiacooperates.

A slide sharing the goals of the Appalachia Cooperates Initiative: Develop practitioners’ awareness and understanding of the cooperative model and of cooperative development resources to better recognize and act on cooperative opportunities in their communities Foster relationships among practitioners that will facilitate joint cooperative development activities in Central Appalachia and allow practitioners to better utilize existing resources Raise awareness of the cooperative business model as an opportunity for economic development and justice in the region.

The goals of the Center’s Appalachia Cooperates Initiative include developing practitioners’ awareness, fostering relationships, and raising awareness about cooperatives as an economic development opportunity.

Myrisa Christy, Project & Development Specialist with the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD) shared how KCARD’s team, along with partners like Kentucky Farm Bureau and others, were part of an effort to activate networks of cooperative farm supply stores to support post-tornado recovery in 2022. With financial support from community partners, cooperatively owned farm supply stores were able to pivot to help community members procure needed supplies like fencing and small equipment to recover from devastating tornadoes in the state. Christy also shared multiple examples of cooperative or cooperative-like efforts to respond to community needs in Appalachia, highlighting that cooperatives are focused on serving members’ needs in a way that builds equity and provides members with control over the enterprise, but recognizing that there are various barriers to cooperative development in the Appalachian region.

For more information about the Appalachia Studies Association (ASA), visit: https://www.appalachianstudies.org/.