Birth of a Cooperative Nation
Whole Farm Cooperative (WFC) arose in response to the large corporate-run conglomerates that threaten the small farm way of life. Comprised of about fifty family farms throughout Central Minnesota, the Co-op draws from a strong history of livestock, dairy, and vegetable farmers marketing goods cooperatively.
Begun in a basement, which it quickly outgrew, WFC’s annual sales went from $30,000 the first year to an astonishing $250,000 in just three years. Co-op members are proud of their combined efforts and are rewarded with 70 to 85 percent of the retail value of the produce sold. For livestock producers, that’s a 60 percent improvement over regular commodity marketing channels. Importantly, the Co-op has been a boon to farmers seeking better prices for their goods, while ensuring their treasured livelihood.
Cooperative Values
The Co-op publishes a newsletter, a Web page, and fosters close relationships with customers by inviting them to field days and celebrations. Herman Hendrickson, a Co-op member, puts it this way: “we sell our food based on the principle that our customer should know as much as possible about the food, whether it’s an onion, t-bone steak, or jug of maple syrup.” To achieve this, good management and a strong backbone of volunteer support are required. Herman adds that “running a cooperative business requires passionate commitment, good friends, luck, creativity, business sense and some unnameable elements that border on craziness.”
Congregationally-Supported Agriculture: A Spiritual Connection
The Co-op also recognizes a spiritual need many Minnesotans share regarding the sacredness of food. This may be the reason why their most successful marketing initiative exists with Congregationally Supported Agriculture (CSA). Generally, congregation members contact WFC after hearing about them through word-of-mouth referrals, media coverage the Co-op has received, or Dale Hennen. Dale, who works for the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul, has promoted the project to churches throughout the diocese. To-date, the Co-op has established relationships with 11 congregations.
Sharing Stories
Relationships with congregations take different forms, but every church that orders food from WFC also receives a personal visit or two from a Co-op member. Co-op members have even spoken from the pulpit about WFC and given presentations at Peace and Justice committee meetings. They share stories about the Cooperative regarding how they protect the land and care for the animals. They explain how they diversify their farms in an attempt to mirror natural systems, and how they try and make the farms safe for their children. Potlucks, bazaars, bible studies, and church festivals have all been venues for spreading the word about the dedicated farmers of WFC.
Partners in Agriculture
The message, in different words, is always the same: Customers and farmers are equal partners in agriculture. Urban customers respond with warmth and they communicate a need. They need to know that what they are eating is good for the earth and that what comes from the earth is good for them. The farm-to-church partnership is based on that.
Whole Farm Co-op’s other marketing efforts include sales to restaurants, neighborhood grocers, neighborhood groups, and the staffs of non-profit organizations. The Co-op’s success is also due in part to the support of actively engaged non-governmental organizations such as: 
- Minnesota Food Association
- Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
- Land Stewardship Project
- Sustainable Resources Center
- Sustainable Farming Association
- International Wolf Center
- Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
These non-profit organizations have been good friends, standard bearers, and customers of the farmers of WFC. “If you don’t have that where you live, you’ve got one tough row to hoe in this globalized over-competitive economy,” states King. Fortunately, for Whole Farm Cooperative, Minnesota has a deep and lasting tradition of cooperation.