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Cooperative Producers Inc. celebrates 120 years in Hastings
HASTINGS — Cooperative Producers Inc. (CPI) marked its 120th anniversary with a public salute Tuesday morning, April 21, drawing staff members, community residents, and local stakeholders to celebrate the cooperative’s long-term presence in the region.
The event highlighted CPI’s history and evolution, offering attendees an opportunity to reflect on the organization’s growth since its founding in 1906. Guests were encouraged to visit several display tables throughout the venue, featuring awards, early development plans, historical photos, and other artifacts documenting the cooperative’s major milestones.
The exhibit provided a visual timeline of CPI’s expansion and its role in supporting agricultural producers across central Nebraska and northern Kansas. The display was designed to present not only the cooperative’s longevity but also its continued devotion to serving its members and adapting to changes in the agricultural industry.
Gary Brandt, CEO of CPI, reflected on the cooperative’s origins and more than a century of growth Tuesday, telling an audience the organization was founded in 1906 to give farmers greater control over how and when they sold their grain.
“Formed in 1906 by a group of farmers who had a problem,” Brandt said, explaining that producers were forced to sell their grain “at the time of greatest supply,” when prices were typically lowest. By organizing as a cooperative, farmers were able to pool resources, borrow capital, and build grain elevators — allowing them to store crops and sell when market conditions improved.
Brandt described the model as “farmers working together,” a principle he said remains to guide CPI despite decades of change.
“We’ve gone through many iterations since 1906 — mergers and more mergers,” he said. “As agriculture has evolved, economies of scale have become more important, and we’ve grown along with that.”
Today, CPI serves roughly a dozen counties across central Nebraska and northern Kansas. Brandt said the cooperative includes about 13,000 equity holders, with approximately 4,000 voting members.
He stressed the co-op’s democratic structure, noting that each member has an equal voice.
“Every member has one vote, whether they’re a large producer or a small one,” he said.
Brandt said CPI continues to be dedicated to its founding mission by supporting producers who “might not otherwise have a voice” and by supporting the wider local economy.
“When farmers sell grain, buy fuel, repair equipment, or purchase seed, all of that ties back to the local business community,” he said. “We can’t do that without the (Hastings Area) Chamber and the support of local partners.”
