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Keeping It Cooperative

Keeping It Cooperative

October is Co-op month, and Columbia REA is celebrating by highlighting the thousands of companies around the country and the world that keep the cooperative spirit alive, and provide us all with goods and services every day.

The National Cooperative Business Association supports 65,000 co-ops across the United States. Some are owned by workers or farmers. Some, like Columbia REA, are owned by the people who use the services. Others are owned by businesses that pool resources. All co-ops share a simple mission: making life better in the communities they serve. From local credit unions fighting payday loan schemes to brand giants like Land O’Lakes helping farmers reach markets, co-ops are proof that when people work together, everyone wins.

“We’re proud of our co-op identity,” says Columbia REA CEO, Scott Peters. “Our members support us, and, in turn, we support them with local jobs, scholarships, community grants, and economic opportunities. Co-ops connect our community, and by working together, we’re all stronger.”

In July, the United Nations designated 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives. To help everyone prepare, here are 3 ways to “keep it cooperative.”

1. Eat Co-op Food

Cooperation tastes good. Farmer-owned dairy cooperatives account for 85% of the milk that flows through America, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Prefer almond milk? Buy Blue Diamond, owned by almond farmers. Store shelves are packed with co-op food brands, including:

  • American Crystal Sugar Co. (sugar)
  • Blue Diamond (almonds, crackers, milk)
  • Cabot Creamery (cheese, butter)
  • Equal Exchange (chocolate, coffee, tea)
  • Florida’s Natural Growers Inc. (orange juice, lemonade, grapefruit juice)
  • Land O’Lakes (butter, eggs, cheese)
  • Ocean Spray (cranberry juice, sauce and fruit)
  • Organic Valley (milk, cheese, butter, eggs, sour cream)
  • Sunkist Growers Inc. (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, orange juice, snacks)
  • SunMaid (raisins, apricots, prunes, yogurt-covered raisins, bread)
  • Tillamook Creamery (cheese, ice cream, yogurt)
  • Welch Foods Inc. (grape juice, spreads, snacks)

There are many regional co-op brands, too. The best way to find co-op food is at a community-owned food store.

Food co-op members have a say in what community stores stock on their shelves. There are 230 food co-ops serving communities in 39 states, and they are popular. National Co-op Grocers (NCG) reports combined sales of $2.5 billion each year.

“Co-ops are essential cornerstones of their communities,” says NCG Chief Executive Officer C.E. Pugh. “Co-ops lead all food retailers nationwide in percentage of sales derived from local, organic and fair-trade foods and products.”

According to NCG’s 2023 Food Impact Report, the average food co-op works with 169 local farms and producers. That’s the impact of keeping food cooperative.

2. Bank with Co-Ops

Does your bank have your best interest at heart? America’s Credit Unions reports that credit union members are 1.4 times more likely than nonmembers to receive personalized financial counseling.

“Credit unions support and advocate for innovative programs, including pilot programs for first-time homebuyers. Credit unions are community-oriented and have an interest in any programs focused on vulnerable and underserved communities,” says America’s Credit Unions Regulatory Advocacy Senior Counsel Amanda Smith.

Credit unions also pioneered payday alternative loans to help members learn to save money and avoid cycles of debt.

1 in every 3 Americans has a credit union account. Since education and training is a shared co-op principle, many credit unions have special accounts and matching programs for children learning how to save money.

3. Choose Co-op Service

Sometimes you don’t have a choice about who provides services to your home. Only a few states let people pick their electricity provider, for example. But a growing number of cooperatives are offering internet access to members, competing with big providers known for tricky contracts and poor customer service.

“We’re more than just a broadband internet and telecommunications provider,” says Gene Dawes, manager of Columbia iConnect (a subsidiary of Columbia REA). “We’re your community partner, invested in the success of every customer we serve the same way that Columbia REA is invested in our members.”

Locally owned service co-ops, including Columbia REA, invest in the future of the areas they serve with scholarships, community grants, and economic development efforts.

“Our members support us, and we support the communities where they live,” says Scott Peters.

Keep it Cooperative

Why keep life cooperative? The co-op model prioritizes people over profit and community over competition. When we keep life cooperative, we invest in a better future for everyone. From your local electric utility to international fair-trade organizations, cooperatives prove that when we work together, everyone wins.

So, the next time you’re choosing where to bank, buy your groceries, or subscribe for internet access, keep it cooperative. You’re part of a global movement that’s building stronger communities and a better world, 1 member at a time.