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Since 1964, October has been recognized as National Cooperative Month, a time to honor the power of people working together toward shared goals. This year, that celebration takes on even greater meaning: the United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the essential role cooperatives play in advancing social and economic development across the globe.
In honor of National Co-op Month, Jeffrey Jarrett, Vice President of New Business Ventures and Fertilizer at Premier Companies, shares his perspective on how cooperatives everywhere are “building a better world” rooted in collaboration, innovation, and the shared success of their member-owners.
The UN General Assembly declared 2025 to be The International Year of Cooperatives to celebrate cooperatives’ contribution to social and economic development. What does it mean to have the importance of co-ops highlighted on a global stage?
I think it is important to highlight the safest and most efficient production of food and fiber that is being accomplished by the farmer owners of cooperatives. These farmer owners are the unsung heroes that bare the risk of production to deliver a product that most of the world takes for granted.
With the national spotlight on cooperatives, this year’s National Co-op Month theme is “Cooperatives Build a Better World.” In what ways does our Premier help “build a better world” through our work in agriculture and energy?
At Premier Ag we strive to help our farmer owners stay abreast of the latest technology and trends, as well as helping them navigate the global markets in order to allow them to be more efficient in their farming operations.
How do cooperative values guide decisions around sustainability, innovation, and long-term planning in our industries?
Cooperatives bring the farmer’s voice into the equation as the ag industry looks to adopt and adapt to new innovations that directly impact the production of food and fiber in a sustainable manner.
Without cooperatives directly representing the farmer at the table, then many of these decisions would be solely made in the corporate board rooms.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the role cooperatives can play in creating a better, more sustainable future?
I think the collective power of farmers coming together in a cooperative system better positions them to capitalize on market opportunities. These opportunities can come about through technological change and/or global access to both import and export markets, but either way, the farmer needs to have a voice and be heard and cooperatives are in a great position to afford that opportunity for our member owners.
How would you finish this sentence? “Being part of a cooperative means…”
…that as a farmer owner you have a voice and a seat at the collective table that will better position you for success in producing and marketing your farm’s product in an ever changing ag landscape.
By ensuring that farmers have a voice and a seat at the table, Premier and its members are working together to build a stronger, more resilient agricultural future.
