What is a Cooperative? - Membership/Benefits

Anyone can buy from FS, but to receive patronage they must be a Farm Bureau member.

Members Own FS
When FS members make a profit, they return some of the profit to their customers in the form of patronage. Both cash and stock are distributed to members based on the amount of business done with the company. Patronage stock is the primary way members own their cooperative today.

Member Control
Members control their local FS Member Cooperative through the election of it’s board of directors. The board hires the manager and sets the policies under which the cooperative operates. It is the responsibility of the manager to hire the employee team and carry out the day-to-day operations of the company.

The board makes all major financial decisions.