The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has issued a proclamation recognizing October 2024 as the Department’s 60th anniversary of National Cooperative Month.

Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested over $17 billion in loans and grants to promote economic development, rural prosperity, and equity through rural cooperatives.

“Cooperatives are the backbone of our nation and are central to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to rebuild the economy from the bottom up and middle out,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Today we celebrate our partnerships with these organizations and renew our commitment to champion the vital work they accomplish in building local wealth, creating new opportunities and serving the unique needs of rural communities throughout the country.”

This year’s theme for National Cooperative Month is “The Future is Cooperative.” The theme highlights cooperatives' role in providing clean, affordable energy, increasing economic opportunities, and improving life quality for rural Americans.

In his proclamation, Vilsack noted that more than 30,000 cooperatives across the U.S. account for over 2 million jobs and generate more than $700 billion in annual revenue. He also mentioned that USDA has been supporting farmer cooperatives for 98 years through statistics, research, technical assistance, and informational products.

National Cooperative Month follows President Biden’s announcement of over $7.3 billion in financing for rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for rural communities through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. Together with other investments under the Inflation Reduction Act, this represents a significant investment in rural electrification since the 1936 Rural Electrification Act.

As part of this month-long observance, USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden will speak at NCBA CLUSA’s Cooperative IMPACT Conference on October 2 in Washington, DC. This conference is a national event focused on how cooperatives create economic opportunities and strengthen communities.

Cooperatives are businesses owned by their users rather than investors. They operate for members' benefit rather than profit generation.

USDA Rural Development provides financial assistance and services to support rural businesses including cooperatives and agricultural producers. More information on cooperatives can be found at USDA Rural Development Cooperative Services.

USDA impacts American lives daily by transforming food systems with resilient local production; ensuring fair markets; providing access to safe food; building new income streams using climate-smart practices; investing in infrastructure; promoting clean energy capabilities; committing to equity by removing systemic barriers; and building a representative workforce. For more information visit www.usda.gov.

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