Co-ops should ask why they have lost support of farmers

I READ the article in last Tuesday’s Farming Independent headlined ‘Support Your Co-op: O’Leary’ and it has been on my mind since.

As a farmer supplier shareholder of a co-op I think Mr Tim O’Leary in his role as IFA deputy president should be calling on co-ops to support their suppliers, or should he be asking himself why are farmers not supporting their co-ops?

After all this support was always there, it was unconditional, so where did it go? What has happened to the co-op principal that has left so many of us farmers feeling so disillusioned with our local co-ops.

I am certain farmers are well aware of the purpose of their coops and desire nothing more than a well run co-op that gives a fair price for their produce and be able to purchase their inputs at a good price. Unfortunately, this is not the case and only for other farm supply stores, farmers would find it very difficult to get their inputs at a competitive price. I find that many items are cheaper at other suppliers than my local co-op and I have the receipts to prove it. Every cent counts as we all try to cut costs. Competi- tion is needed to keep us all on our toes.

Do we as farmer supplier shareholders have any direct influence on our own co-op?

How much influence has Mr O’Leary as a Dairygold committee member I wonder?

Could i t be s ai d t hat purchasing groups are exerting pressure on their co-ops to be more competitive.

CREATIVITY

The following is a quote from a former CEO of Whole Foods in his book ‘Conscious Capitalism’.

“There seemed little room for entrepreneurial creativity; virtually every decision was politicised.

“The most politically active members controlled the co-op with their own personal agendas, and much more energy was focused on deciding which companies to boycott than on how to improve the quality of products and services for customers. I thought I could create a better store than any of the coops I belonged to, and decided to become an entrepreneur to prove it.”

Does this quote apply to our own co-ops? Farmers elect people in their own areas to represent them on the board of their co-op, but after they are elected how many of them ever come back and ask us what we think?

How much time is spent trying to keep the smaller fellow down and not focusing on how to add value to our produce?

I am told that it’s all about the politics and who is going to get the seats at the top table. If you keep your mouth shut and go along with management you may get the prize.

Gone are the days when the local priest, teacher, guard and creamery manager were looked up to i n the rural community.

These people were respected and trusted but some of them let their communities down and even the hard working people lost the respect they once had.

If Mr O’Leary is serious about protecting the co-op structure from further fractures he needs to find out why so many farmers feel trapped, cheated or intimidated and disillusioned with their co-ops. In my view the first step is to engage with each shareholder supplier in a democratic and accountable fashion.