LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU), Nebraska’s leading organizer of cooperatives says that rural Nebraska continues to benefit from using cooperatives. NeFU estimates it has organized 445 cooperatives since 1911.
NeFU President John Hansen said, “Because we have so many different kinds of cooperatives that blend into our rural communities, and because they are such an important part of our daily lives, it is easy to take their benefits for granted. We are sharing the Nebraska Cooperative Council’s fact sheet on the benefits of Nebraska cooperatives to highlight the importance of keeping, using, and growing our cooperatives. We own them, and we benefit from them when we do business with ourselves. As owners, we have a responsibility to be engaged and involved in our cooperatives. We thank all the men and women who take the time to serve on coop boards across our state.”
From the Nebraska Cooperative Council Fact Sheet:
“In 2022, the Nebraska Cooperative Council commissioned the Bureau of Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to conduct a study of the economic effect of Nebraska’s farmer owned supply/marketing and regional cooperatives. According to the study, published in 2023, Nebraska’s supply/marketing cooperatives and regional cooperatives’ operations in Nebraska provided a $3.1 billion impact on Nebraska’s economy. Of this total, average annual economic impacts of $213.4 million were felt in the Omaha and Lincoln metropolitan areas.”
Nebraska Farmers Union is a general farm organization with 3,532 farm and ranch family members dedicated to protecting and enhancing the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers, and their rural communities. Since 1913, Nebraska Farmers Union has helped organize over 445 cooperatives.
— Nebraska Farmers Union