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North Dakota farmers
and ranchers are beginning to understand that they need to get closer
to consumers. They can no longer sell their products at the elevator
or the feedlot and make a profit on them. Instead of selling heifers
and wheat, they need to be selling steaks and pasta. Farmers who control
all stages of production from commodity are what economists call vertically
integrated. Processing your own products and entering the retail market
can be difficult, but new generation cooperatives are providing a way
for North Dakota farmers and ranchers to join forces to turn their commodities
into food.
There are seven cooperatives in the United States that process beans and legumes, 19 that process corn, four that produce or process diversified organic products, six that process fiber, three that produce fish, six that do grain processing and marketing, and 14 that produce, process or market livestock. |
The
Dakota Growers Pasta Cooperative in Carrington is a good example of
farmers banding together to take their commodities from the field to
the table. Today it is the third largest pasta manufacturer in the United
States. The North American Bison Cooperative in New Rockford is processing
and marketing North Dakota bison products around the country for cooperative
members.