FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22, 2007

Contact: Sandy Courtnage

National Farmers Union Foundation Hosts 2007 College Conference on Cooperatives

GREAT FALLS, MT (Feb. 22, 2007) – MFU member Erin Hagel, Sidney, MT, recently joined 79 other college students from 11 states to learn about cooperatives from experts in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, area. The students were participants in the College Conference on Cooperatives, sponsored by the CHS Foundation and hosted by the National Farmers Union (NFU) Foundation.

The February 15-18 event included participants from Montana, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. “Erin traveled to the conference with the Farmers Union delegation from North Dakota,” said MFU Education Director Sonny Harrell. “This trip provided her with a great opportunity to establish some very important networking contacts.”

To make cooperative education come alive for the participants, students visited CHS headquarters, heard cooperative leaders, farmers, and government experts explain current challenges facing co-ops, and saw co-ops in action through tours of local cooperatives.

“This conference provided a great opportunity for our collegiate youth to be able to meet with their peers to learn more about the services and opportunities available through cooperatives,” said Harrell. Presenters included members, directors, employees and managers from traditional and value-added agricultural cooperatives, as well as perspectives from electric, housing, worker, student and consumer co-ops such as credit unions, REI and natural food co-ops. USDA Rural Development and the Peace Corps provided perspectives on cooperative development here and abroad.

“We felt very fortunate to have Erin represent Montana Farmers Union at the College Conference on Cooperatives,” said Harrell. “We also appreciate the CHS Foundation for providing us with the financial support to be able to offer programs like this.” Hagel graduated from Fairview High School in 2006. She currently attends college at Minot State University in North Dakota, and is majoring in Biology with the goal of working in wildlife management.