Cooperatives: an Integral Part of the American Economy

• The majority of our country’s 1.9 million farmers are members of the 1,671 farmer-owned cooperatives.[USDA Rural Development Cooperative Statistics 2022]. They provide over 300,000 jobs nationally [NCFC website, 2024]
• These farmer owned cooperatives have a total gross business volume of over $300.6 billion annually. [USDA Rural Development Cooperative Statistics 2022]
• Over 4,725 credit unions provide financial services to 140 million U.S. consumers.  Fifty-five (55) credit unions in Nebraska provide services to 550,000 members (Credit Union National Assocation, 2023)
• 895 rural electric co-ops deliver electricity to 42 million people in 48 states providing power to 56% of nation’s landmass (NRECA Facts & Figures, 2023)
• About 1.2 million rural Americans in 31 states are served by the 260 telephone cooperatives (NTCA Facts, 2017)