Welcome! Executing Vision & Strategy with Success 6 th Annual Farmer Cooperatives Conference

Conference Objectives  Provide timely and highly relevant information on agricultural co-op issues. –Presentations that are valuable to participants and encourage critical thinking –Co-op leaders and academics  Provide an opportunity to hear about and learn from each other.  Discussion is key component.

Planning Committee  University of Wisconsin Center for Co-ops –Kim Zeuli –Anne Reynolds –Bob Cropp –Ashwini Rao  Farm Foundation—Steve Halbrook  CHS Foundation & Co-op Foundation –William Nelson

Planning Committee  CHS Inc—Bob Bass  Cornell University –Bruce Anderson –Brian Henehan  Iowa State University—Roger Ginder  Kansas State University –David Barton –Mike Boland

Planning Committee  Michigan State University—Chris Peterson  North Dakota State—Bill Nelson  UC Davis—Shermain Hardesty  UM-Columbia—Mike Cook

Financial Sponsors  University of Wisconsin Extension  Farm Foundation  Lindquist and Vennum  Badgerland Farm Credit Services  West Central  Land O’Lakes  CoBank  Dorsey & Whitney  CHS Foundation & The Co-op Foundation  NCFC Education Foundation  DFA

“The collapse of Farmland has some farm groups worried that co-ops are losing their ability to compete with big food companies.” --New York Times September 16, 2003

2002 Conference: Restructuring for Troubled Times  Co-ops struggle to meet changing demands and stay competitive  Many reorganize, create subsidiary companies with alternative business structure, or enter into strategic alliances

2002 Conference: Restructuring for Troubled Times  Forces behind co-op restructuring –Consolidation (Wal-Mart) –Member diversity  Many examples of different types of strategies/restructuring –Sun-Maid alliances

2002 Conference: Restructuring for Troubled Times  The evolving co-op business structure –Various definitions –Wyoming model –Legal and tax issues  Case studies of 2 joint ventures –CHS Cooperatives –South Dakota Soybean Processors –Factors for success

Farmer Co-ops Conferences  This year we focus on implementing those strategies.  A Look to the Future –2002: Agricultural Co-ops in the 21 st Century (USDA)  What to take home? –Final sessions offer key insights –This year we have a review of case studies

Thank you! We appreciate your participation!