In May 2024, three projects supporting cooperative development in Minnesota received funds through the Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) Foundation’s Cooperatives for Climate grant program. The grant program is aimed at supporting cooperatives that are organizing in response to climate-related challenges and opportunities. 

These projects showcase the many ways that farmers can respond to the need for climate solutions. From livestock to specialty crops, our members are building cooperatives that will have a positive impact on farm families.

Gary Wertish, Minnesota Farmers Union Foundation President

Here’s an update on the projects funded in 2024. 

The Summer Kitchen Cooperative, based in North Branch, is a farmer-led marketing cooperative focused on promoting climate-resilient farming practices and fostering a resilient local food economy. The Summer Kitchen supports members who implement regenerative agriculture practices that promote soil health, including no use of synthetic chemicals. The cooperative is dedicated to strengthening its members’ businesses while connecting communities to sustainably grown food. 

Grant funding has helped to build The Summer Kitchen’s organizational capacity, enabling them to better serve their members and the community. The board has been meeting regularly to develop a comprehensive business plan under the guidance of Cooperative Development Services (CDS), focusing on strengthening the co-op’s operations. 

Funding has also been allocated toward professional accounting and tax services, ensuring sound financial practices and offering technical support for effectice financial recording. Additionally, The Summer Kitchen has worked with a graphic designer to develop a new website and custom logo to enhance its branding and visibility. 

In February, The Summer Kitchen held its inaugural annual meeting with members to review the budget, sales and goals. 

“Farmers are feeling confident and excited about how we’re building business,” said Kelsey Zaavedra, cooperative president. 

The co-op started selling products in July 2024, and sales exceeded expectations. However, one challenge the cooperative faces is limited cold storage capacity at its farm shop, where food is aggregated. As the co-op continues to grow, the board is considering options for expanding storage to accommodate more farmers. 

Currently, The Summer Kitchen is focused on expanding market access and diversifying its product offerings. Customers can order online for delivery to drop sites in North Branch, Rush City, Scandia and Minneapolis. The co-op also utilizes GrownBy, a community-supported agriculture app cooperatively owned by farmers, to reach customers. 

Yan Tan Wool Cooperative, founded by Theresa Bentz and Maddy Bartch, is a Northfield-based initiative aimed at exploring the economic potential of using low-quality coarse wool and advancing the development of wool-based landscape fabric. Both owners run sustainable lamb and wool businesses and are committed to building Minnesota’s wool economy. 

The cooperative has been working with AURI to strengthen its administrative infrastructure and create marketing materials to promote their wool-based landscape fabric. The cooperative is also using grant funds to conduct a market analysis and explore ways to engage and educate the public on the benefits of using low-quality woo l in farm and garden settings. They aim to highlight the agronomic and environmental impacts of using wool fabric for weed suppression and plant protection, as a low-carbon alternative to plastic sheets. 

While the cooperative is making strides, one significant challenge is the high production cost of wool. The process of “scouring”, or washing the wool to remove grease and dirt, is labor-intensive and currently must be done by hand. Minnesota does not have any scouring facilities. 

Despite challenges, Bentz and Bartch are optimistic. They are leveraging current grant funding to seek additional support for continued testing and plan to host education on-farm events to showcase the moldability, durability and eco-friendliness of wool fabric as a replacement for plastic. 

As Bentz puts it, “Plastic is so inflexible and hard to work with. I want to see less plastic on the field, increase the value of American wool, and show shepherds that their product has a lot of value- it’s nut just a burn item.” 

East Central Livestock Producers, a group of regenerative livestock farmers in east-central Minnesota, is exploring the challenge of accessing reliable, year-round cold storage infrastructure. The grant is being used to fund feasibility study to support the livestock farmers’ efforts in strengthening their local and regional food system. 

By establishing shared infrastructure for cold storage, producers would be able to sroe and access their frozen products year-round. This would expand their markets beyond seasonal availability and provide the opportunity to increase their customer base. A cooperative model could open opportunities for collaboration, customer-sharing and product aggregation, enhancing the economic viability of each producer’s operation. 

With guidance from AURI, a feasibility study is being conducted exploring the potential for a cooperative structure to support shared freezer space. The study will assess financial requirements, how many members it would take to fund, infrastructure needs and possible locations for the cold storage facility. 

This summer, the group plans to host producer engagement and educational events to explore the development of a potential co-op and gather feedback from prospective members and food chain collaborators.  

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Cooperatives for Climate is a grant program to empower farmer-led cooperatives to build capacity for organizing business that leads climate action.