Letters: Vote no to Fessenden Co-op/Cendak merger

I have many concerns about the proposed merger of CenDak and Fessenden Co-op.

The joint letter sent out to members claims that a merger will maintain local control, expand access to talent, and allow the implementation of best practices. The past acquisition of Equity Co-op by Fessenden Co-op, resulted in a complete lack of local control at the Sheyenne house. With no onsite manager I have seen many things deteriorate, and locals have disagreed with hiring, safety, and day-to- day operational decisions.

What is meant by “expand access to talent?” We are lucky to have loyal employees in Sheyenne, and I want folks to continue to have the opportunity to work in the community in which they live.

How many more jobs will be eliminated? I hear all the time that Fessenden Co-op is desperate for help, but I have yet to see a job poster in any local business that plainly states starting wage or benefits.

Land ‘O Lakes, one of the nation’s largest agribusinesses at $14 billion in sales, has been facilitating the merger talks between the two cooperatives. I don’t believe that Land O’ Lakes can accurately reflect the nuances of our many communities in their polished sales pitches that have been put in front of our board members again and again for over a year.

I want to know, what do they see as “best practices?” I’m sure their executives are convincing, I urge you to consider Land O’ Lakes’ interest in this. Where does it leave us if Land O’ Lakes gets members to eliminate competition for them? When they close the elevator in Maddock, or fail to make needed repairs in Sheyenne, were all sides heard?

Co-operatives serve as the ruler stick for the global ag commodity trade. Without cooperatives, which intrinsically charge a fair price to their members and pay a fair price back at harvest, the private ABCD’s as they are known would take off with the world food and biofuel market. Our pioneers knew this challenge when they formed co-ops in our towns nearly 100 years ago.

It can also be pointed out that large cooperatives, such as Land O’ Lakes, may begin to operate in a conflict of interest as they become too big. Take for example the dominant Swedish dairy cooperative, Arla. In their pursuit of efficiency, they neglected the very farmers that formed them in the first place when they instituted minimum milk volumes and started refusing milk pickup from smaller farms. I’m not saying that a new Fessenden Co-op is going to refuse grain from a small farm, but I do think they have already started failing the communities that built them in the first place. Will forming a larger company solve the problems that we face?

Contact your board members. Attend the informational meetings and make your voice heard. Vote NO if you have even a shred of doubt because this will not easily be undone. Call me if you want to visit.

Informational meetings:

• Tuesday, Aug 15 - 11 a.m., Leeds Community Center

• Tuesday, Aug 15 - 8 a.m., Festival Hall, Wells County Fairgrounds

• Wednesday, Aug 16 - 9 a.m., Maddock Community Center

Vote and informational meeting:

• Monday, Aug 21 - 9 a.m., Maddock Community Center

Joanna Larson

Sheyenne, ND