Sample Article for Member Newsletter

Co-ops a Driving Force in American Economy, Study Finds

Cooperative businesses account for more than $650 billion in revenue and 2 million American jobs, a recent study by the University of Wisconsin found.

“The Research on the Economic Impact of Cooperatives,” led by UW’s Center for Cooperatives, is the result of several years worth of studies and surveys.

The results confirm what cooperative diehards have known all along—their businesses are part of a greater national movement that drives the American economy. There are 29,000 cooperatives in the U.S., in virtually every industry. The data shows their wide-ranging impact, from the burgeoning sector of biofuels cooperative, to mammoth sectors like farmer supply and marketing cooperatives.

When communicating the economic cooperative advantage to the public and government, co-ops can now support their arguments with hard data.

But co-ops have another advantage, often not reflected in revenue or jobs created. That’s their set of shared values that drives their operations and how they operate within their communities. Honesty, openness, caring for others and social responsibility are values all cooperatives demonstrate through their practices and procedures. These values guide cooperatives worldwide; and in our own community, our cooperative demonstrates this through {ADD LOCAL EXAMPLE}.

It is no coincidence that co-ops show a special loyalty to their communities. As member-controlled enterprises, co-ops are run largely by the people who live and work in the communities they serve. "That gives them a different perspective from businesses owned by distant investors," said [insert local contact name and title].

Each day, cooperatives live out their values and serve hundreds of millions of Americans in every industry from groceries to electricity.

Despite this diversity, co-ops have some things in common. They are owned and democratically controlled by the people who use their services or buy their goods. They are motivated by service to their members, not by profit.

These characteristics give co-ops an uncommon loyalty and commitment to the communities in which they are located, said [local contact].

"Community is not just where we work; it’s why we work," [local contact] said. "Cooperatives are motivated to serve their members, not outside investors. Doing that means we must also serve the communities in which our members live, work and play."

"At a time when our economy is struggling, it’s important to remember that tens of thousands of cooperatively owned businesses focused on their members, not just profit," [local contact] added. "Sure, investor-owned businesses have a set of values. But for co-ops it’s more personal. It’s a critical part of what drives our actions, making us a more integral part of our communities than most other businesses.”

To view the study produced by the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, visit http://www.coopmonth.coop.

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