Coop closing

Sorry to hear. Our co-op system keeps talking mergers and buyouts. This is never good for the smaller farmers in my opinion. Its became more about making money than giving a farmer the best prices for their products. They are competitive on some things but it's getting easier to buy on line cheaper. Thus the farm retail nemisouus.when tobacco was prominant in this area and there were 52 dairy's in our county ( now there is one in the county) the co-op here thrived. Now , its a struggle. I don't won't to drive 45 miles to get fertilize or feed. Good luck in your situation without that hometown feeling it will be tough.

well, I am completely ignorant on the subject, so I'm learning

LouSWPA wrote: I always thought COOP, or CO-OP stood for a group of people with a common interest like maybe a group of area growers getting together and building their own storage facilities and elevators. As such it wouldn't be moving around as the owners are the users

That was the good ole days Lou.  Now it's all about the money.  They are still owned by the customers, but the BOARD is looking at the bottom line and they don't even KNOW WHO started the Co-op or what it's about.  They won't service me anymore as it's not big enough to warrant stopping.....Pfffftt.......

I always thought COOP, or CO-OP stood for a group of people with a common interest like maybe a group of area growers getting together and building their own storage facilities and elevators. As such it wouldn't be moving around as the owners are the users

Our Burnett dairy Co-opertives hired a big snotshot CEO, of course the ones on the board of directories were the ones that approved such thing... and they were the big farmers of the area... te small farmers have been quiting and the ceo says he doesn't need any small farmers, theres milk going past the plant every day, just have them stop and dump their lods there.... awhile ago, they sent out letters mistakenly and saw the true evil that resides up there... saying that they were shutting down any small farmer...  then they were caught with their pants down and had to do some damage control and backstepping... well, now I heard a local dairyman has  bunch of his cows dry and they are telling him he has to little milk to stop for him... and it isn't even their trucks stopping. They had sold the trucks about 4-5 years ago... Sheesh!!!  Just burns me, This plnt was built by the local farmers and it should not matter who or how much milk the farmer has, they should be honoring the farmers in the area FIRST before buying outside milk for more.     !!!!

Sorry to hear the sad news... ?modern times? maybe equals not so much common sense, at least in our mind... so much for 'service'.

yep...I worked for a fertilizer/chemical place for several years, they had stores in 5 towns, now there are none. the closest dry fert plant is over 30 miles away, and then they charge you milage to deliver and pick up the empties. I tried to charge them mileage when I took back the empties myself, they told me it doesn't work that way!