National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
Representing the Business Interests of Agriculture

Washington, DC – Today, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) applauded last night's Senate passage of S. Con. Res. 119, a resolution supporting the right of America's 2 million farmers and ranchers to join together to form cooperatives which ensure farmer ownership in the food and agriculture distribution chain.

"This Senate action is a strong vote for farmers controlling their financial futures," said Jean- Mari Peltier, President and CEO of NCFC. "As consolidation occurs elsewhere in the U.S. economy, anti-farmer interests may seek to weaken the structure of agricultural cooperatives through administrative or legislative means. Senate passage of this measure is a strong message in opposition to any such unwise action."

NCFC also praised the leadership of the co-chairs of the Congressional Farmer Cooperative Caucus—Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho)—for introducing the resolution, and recognized their efforts--as well as those by Agriculture Committee Chairman Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Ranking Member Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)--in seeing the measure through passage. An identical resolution, H.Con.Res. 482, was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) and currently has 41 cosponsors.

Farmer cooperatives help farmers and ranchers improve their income from the marketplace; meet our nation's food, fiber, feed and fuel needs; and spur economic growth across rural America.

"By passing this resolution, the United States Senate has sent a strong message reaffirming that cooperatives are more important than ever in today's agricultural economy. Even so, farmers must continue in their efforts to educate key policy makers on the history and importance of farmer cooperatives," continued Peltier.

Along with Senators Craig and Lincoln, Senate Concurrent Resolution 119 was introduced with 20 other cosponsors: Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.); Senator Kit Bond (R-Mo.); Senator Conrad Burns (R-Mont.); Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.); Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.); Senator Norm Coleman (R-Minn.); Senator Kent Conrad (D-N.D.); Senator Michael Crapo (R-Idaho); Senator Mike DeWine (R-Ohio); Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.); Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.); Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa); Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa); Senator Tim Johnson (D-S.D.); Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.); Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.); Senator Ken Salazar (D-Colo.); Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.); Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.); and Senator John Thune (R-S.D.).

NCFC is a national association representing America's farmer cooperatives. There are nearly 3,000 farmer cooperatives across the U.S. whose members include a majority of our nation's more than 2 million farmers, ranchers and growers. These farmer cooperative businesses handle, process, and market agricultural commodities and related products; furnish farm supplies; and provide credit and associated financial services. Earnings from these activities are returned to their members on a patronage basis. Farmer cooperatives also provide jobs for nearly 250,000 Americans, many in rural areas, with a combined payroll of over $8 billion.