Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Dear United Farmers Cooperative members,
Over the past month, a team of UFC and CRC employees met regularly to assess the operational, economic, and strategic benefits of merging our cooperatives. On February 27, they presented their findings to both boards of directors, who unanimously agreed to proceed—pending a successful member vote.
The committee identified several benefits of a merger including:
- Improve efficiency by eliminating overlapping service areas and reducing redundant investments
- Stay competitive in an industry facing rapid change and increased competition
- Protect members’ equity by making smarter, long-term investments together instead of separately
- Retain top talent to continue delivering expert service
- Offer better programs, technology, and products than either co-op can provide alone
By combining two financially successful cooperatives, we’ll be in a better position to serve members for years to come—without duplicating costs on infrastructure, technology, or equipment. The new organization would be comparable in size to neighboring cooperatives and considerably smaller than the largest in our region.
Additionally, the merger would create more career opportunities for employees. With an aging agricultural workforce, we anticipate significant hiring needs in the coming years and see this as an opportunity to build a strong, skilled team for the future.
We encourage you to attend one of the upcoming informational meetings to ask questions and learn more about the benefits of the proposed merger:
- Wednesday, March 26, at 6 p.m. – Berdan Center – 705 E. 4th St., Winthrop
- Thursday, March 27, at 10 a.m. – Berdan Center – 705 E. 4th St., Winthrop
If you are not able to attend a UFC meeting, you are welcome to attend a CRC member meeting on:
- Wednesday, March 26, at 10 a.m. – Hector Event Center, 160 Birch Ave. E., Hector
- Thursday, March 27, at 6 p.m. – Sleepy Eye Event Center, 110 12th Ave. N.E., Sleepy Eye
We look forward to discussing the future of UFC with you. In the meantime, if you have questions, please reach out to a UFC board member.
Thank you for your support as we work toward a strong and sustainable future for our cooperative.
Sincerely,
Jeff Manderscheid, Chairman
Board of Directors