Project Title:
Southwest Minnesota Poultry Cooperative
Community or Region:
Southwest Minnesota
Partners:
Southwest Minnesota Poultry Cooperative
University of Minnesota Southwest Research & Outreach Center
Accomplishment or Outcome: (capacity building, economic development, services,
education, other)
Develop a structure for family farm scale poultry producers to market cooperatively
to consumers seeking high omega 3 fatty acid content eggs and free range poultry.
Unique Characteristics:
Cooperative efforts in pricing and product quality control.
The Story: (2-3 paragraphs including project goals and timeline, attach page if necessary)
Market trends indicate that more consumers are sensitive to the role of food in human health
and in building communities. A more personal relationship between farmer and consumer is
valued. Where and how food is produced has become
important.
Likewise, the need for more diversity, both in more complex crop rotations and the inclusion
of livestock in organic and natural systems is recognized. Such diversity contributes to
improved fertility, pest control, and risk management. Recognizing this situation, faculty and
staff at the SWROC have encouraged efforts to include livestock in these organic and natural
farming systems where market demand and prices have resulted in only a few crops being
the major contributors of profit.
Aside from dealing with the higher prices for organic or transitional grains and protein
sources, livestock producers recognize the need for efficient systems to connect growers
with consumers while returning a fair price to the producer. Demographics and market
forces have at times “industrialized” these natural and organic systems. Putting the basics in
place to meet grower production challenges and access profitable markets for their products
has not been easy, especially with non-ruminant livestock such as swine and poultry, where
grain and protein consumption is a significant part of the total animal diet and production
cost.
SWROC staff met with interested farmers for several years to plan a strategy for making
progress in these areas. The result was the formation of the Southwest Minnesota Poultry
Coop, a group of about sixteen producers who raise and market eggs and broilers.
Production criteria include the feeding of grains and protein sources that are non-GMO and
raised without chemicals such as herbicides. No antibiotics or other additives are fed. Layers
and broilers are raised in free-range conditions when possible and provided suitable housing
when raised during the winter. Eggs are produced with a diet containing flax that increases
the level of omega 3 fatty acids in the eggs.
Members have worked together to develop a labeled product identity and establish base
prices for their products. They also cooperate to source appropriate feed, work with
processors, and supply retail outlets. Some, while following the production and pricing
standards, market their products directly to consumers.
The demand for their eggs particularly has grown beyond their current production of 400
dozen per week. Opportunity exists for additional producers to participate in order to meet
this market demand.
Challenges include adapting to the economic and logistical realities of marketing and
distribution costs while protecting the basic underlying principles that identify the product
and create their market value. Also finding an operation size that ultimately makes a
significant contribution to family income and in turn supports the larger community but still
maintains the small farm identity and philosophy may be another
challenge.
The Southwest Minnesota Poultry Cooperative is an example of smaller alternative minded
producers working together to assist each other in accessing inputs and information and
developing systems to reach consumers with a product that will fairly pay them for their
efforts.
Related Website:
Submitted by: Pauline Nickel
Submitted by: Bob Koehler
Phone: 507-752-5068
Phone: 507-752-5065
Email: nicke002@umn.edu
Email: koehl009@umn.edu
www.minnesotaruralpartners.org