The Following article was just printed in the Johnson City Press newspaper in Tennessee.
CO-OP - Farmers support each other through a system that saves them money while supplying them with what they need.
By Keisha Bratton, Press Business Writer kbratton@johnsoncitypress.com
Sixty years ago, a movement spread across the country that allowed farmers to buy supplies at better rates than ever before. Local agriculturists joined in on the action, and in a new millennium, the Washington Farmers Co-op is still going strong.
The cooperative's retail store is located at 1001 Depot St. in Jonesborough and carries everything from feed, seed and fertilizer to clothing and shoes. A branch office also is located in Castlewood, Va. "For years, folks have thought that you have to be a member to buy at the co-op, but that's not true at all," said store manager Tom Bible. "We still focus on the farmer, but we also cater to customers interested in buying products for their homes, lawns and pets. We have hunting and fishing supplies and a wide selection of clothing for outdoor enthusiasts."
While the store is open to the general public, it's the 700 members who benefit financially from its sales - all profits go directly back to them.
Last year, the co-op did $10.7 million in business, with 2 percent of that paid to members in patronage refunds and allocations. Bible attributes the co-op's success to its progressive approach. One example is the sale of environmentally friendly biodiesel. "The trend right now is for farmers to have an off-farm job," he added. "They'll be part-time farmers. We're going to have to carry a lot of convenience items."
Bible is considering expanding store hours to better serve farmers with full-time jobs, and more services may be added in the future. The co-op currently offers feed delivery, fertilizer spreading and on-the-farm tire service.
The service Bible is most proud of, however, is the knowledge his staff passes on to their 5,000-6,000 regular customers. "We stay educated about the products in our market," he said. "We attend seminars. We try to keep our customers up-to-date on our products. ... We want our sales people to disseminate as much information as possible."
The Tennessee Farmers Co-op buys and distributes products for the state's 65 local cooperatives. At one time, there was a co-op in almost every Tennessee county. Some have since merged and others have closed. "It (Washington Farmers Co-op) has stayed viable because of the support and belief in the system by the farmers. We still have a generation of farmers who helped establish the co-op. They remember what it was like before. Plus, we have a younger generation that's buying into the system," he said.
The Washington Farmers Co-op was incorporated on Sept. 8, 1945. Incorporating directors were R.L. Hannabas, Dave Treadway, H.H. Gresham, Justus D. Barkley, Paul A. Dillow, Wayland Crouch, A.A. Deakins Jr., B.C. Hunt, Bruce Thompson, Ivan H. Range and A.J. Willis. Bible said farmers who served during World War II were coming home and trying to make a new start.
"They banded together to help create buying power to go out in the market and buy in bigger quantities so those savings could be passed on to everyone," he said.
As the son of a Greene County dairy/beef farmer, Bible said it was only natural that he spend his life with the co-op. He's worked at the store almost half the time it's been open, since 1978.
"I was raised on a farm. I don't farm now, but I've never lost my love for agriculture and farming. That's why I wanted to stay in the business," he said.
The Washington Farmers Co-op will host a 60th anniversary celebration Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Radio station WGOC will conduct a remote broadcast, and door prizes, discounts and refreshments will be available.
For more information on the local co-op, visit www.washingtonfarmerscoop.com. Information about the statewide organization can be found at www.ourcoop.com.
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