COOPERATION IN NEBRASKA OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NEBRASKA COOPERATIVE COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT Volume 45, No. 3 September 2006 This issue of Cooperation in Nebraska is a special edition that combines the Annual Report with the September news- letter. This is the eighth year we have combined these two publications, which allows us to become more efficient as we work to maximize your dues dollars. 2005/06 Report from the Chairperson and President capitalize on the opportunities it creates CALENDAR OF to help Nebraska cooperatives be successful in the future. UPCOMING EVENTS... Last month, the respective Subdistrict November 2006 16 NCC Board & Committee Meetings - Meetings were held across the state and Kearney, Holiday Inn by all accounts were successful. Reports 17 NCC Annual Meeting - Kearney, were provided on the NCC-PAC, New Holiday Inn Generation Cooperative Task Force, December 2006 12 Director/Manager Workshop - establishment of the Nebraska Coopera- Sidney, Holiday Inn Council President Bob Andersen (L) and tive Council Distinguished Professorship, 13 Director/Manager Workshop - Board Chairman Dale Piper Fund For Excellence project funding, Kearney, Holiday Inn Express 14 Director/Manager Workshop - York, upcoming 2006/07 educational pro- The ongoing changes occurring in Chances R grams, federal and state legislative and agriculture and the agribusiness sector January 2007 regulatory issues, the 2006/07 operat- 3 Director Certification Program have profound implications on the ing budget, and the upcoming 2006 (Ph 1&3) - Kearney, Holiday Inn operations of agricultural cooperatives. 4 Director Certification Program Annual Meeting. One of the Rochdale principles govern- (Ph 2&4) - Kearney, Holiday Inn As you review this year’s Annual 5 Graduate Director Seminar 3 - ing cooperatives is “cooperation among Report, it reaffirms the Council’s Kearney, Holiday Inn cooperatives.” By adhering to that commitment to its mission of doing all February 2007 fundamental provision, there is much to 7 Cooperatives For Tomorrow - things necessary “to defend, protect, be gained as we meet and adapt to Lincoln, Embassy Suites and enhance the agricultural cooperative 15 NCC Board Meeting - Lincoln, changes. Your Nebraska Cooperative movement through pro-active programs Cornhusker Marriott Council stands as an important and in education, legislation, government respected vehicle in working together affairs, communication, and regulatory WHAT'S INSIDE... cooperatively to meet those challenges NCC Committee Members/Board ....... 2-3 issues.” It also goes into greater detail and for mutual success of the coopera- NCC Political Action Committee............... 3 on some of the afore listed programs. Fund For Excellence ................................4 tive system and members alike. NCC Cooperative Hall of Fame ............... 5 Your Board of Directors and staff are Financial Summaries ............................ 6-7 The Council is committed to being a committed to ensuring that the educa- Subdistrict Meetings ................................. 8 full-service trade association. It is FFA Cooperative Speaking Contest .......9 tional, legislative, and regulatory Education Programs .......................... 9-10 important that we not merely respond to component areas remain a priority. Your State Legislative Issues ................... 11-13 change but rather anticipate change, to State Regulations ...................................14 Council is the only trade association Federal Issues ....................................... 15 plan for change...and most important, UNL Education Position Staffing ...... 16-17 committed to the unique educational and New Generation Cooperatives ........ 18-19 (cont. on page 4) 2005/06 Council Members ..................... 19 2005/06 Council Leadership BOARD OF DIRECTORS DISTRICT I DISTRICT II PARTICIPATING MEMBER Jim Chism, Vice Chair Bruce Favinger, Secretary Jerrell Dolesh Eric Johnson Mike Maranell Frenchman Valley Co-op Heartland Co-op Battle Creek Farmers Co-op Central Valley Ag Co-op Ag Processing, Inc. Imperial Hastings Battle Creek O’Neill Omaha Tom Hansen Dale Rohrer Dale Piper, Chair Ron Velder Ag Valley Co-op Midland Co-op Midwest Farmers Co-op Farmers Cooperative Edison Funk Elmwood Dorchester COMMITTEES LLLEGISLAAATIVE ADDDVISORYYY COMMITTEE PPPOLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE Bob Andersen ...... Nebraska Cooperative Council (Co-chair) Jim Chism ............ Frenchman Valley Co-op, Imperial (Chair) Jim Chism ............ Frenchman Valley Co-op, Imperial (Co-chair) David Briggs ........ WESTCO, Alliance Tim Boender ........ Agriliance, Lincoln Todd Christensen .. Agri Co-op, Holdrege Tom Hansen ........ Ag Valley Co-op, Edison Doug Derscheid ... Central Valley Ag Co-op, O’Neill Eric Johnson ........ Central Valley Ag Co-op, O’Neill George Hohwieler . Aurora Co-op Elevator Co. Max Larsen .......... Southeast Nebraska Co-op, Beatrice Ron Hunter ......... Ag Valley Co-op, Edison Rich Richey .......... Husker Co-op, Columbus Greg Sabata......... Frontier Co-op Co., Brainard Dale Rohrer ......... Midland Co-op, Funk Ron Velder .......... Farmers Cooperative, Dorchester Deino Sather........ CoBank, Omaha Brian Williams ...... Farmers/Ranchers Co-op, Ainsworth Dale Piper ........... Midwest Farmers Co-op, Elmwood (ex-officio) Steve Wright ........ United Farmers Co-op, Shelby Dale Piper ........... Midwest Farmers Co-op, Elmwood (ex-officio) Bob Andersen ...... Nebraska Cooperative Council (Treasurer/ex-officio) EEEDUCAAATIONAL ADDDVISORYYY COMMITTEE Bruce Favinger ..... Heartland Co-op, Hastings (Chair) Don Anthony ....... All Points Co-op, Gothenburg FFFUND FOR EXCELLENCE COMMITTEE Tom Connelly ...... Country Partners Co-op, Spalding Bruce Favinger ..... Heartland Co-op, Hastings (Chair) Tom Houser ........ CoBank, Omaha Jerrell Dolesh ....... Battle Creek Farmers Co-op Darwin Franzen ... Cooperative Supply Inc., Dodge Don Lien ............. Agri Co-op, Holdrege Wade Mulari ........ Co-op Mutual Insurance, Omaha Harold Printz ....... Farmers Elevator Co., Kimball Dale Rohrer ......... Midland Co-op, Funk Randy Robeson .... Frontier Co-op Co., Brainard Bill Schuster ......... Aurora Co-op Elevator Co. Dale Piper ........... Midwest Farmers Co-op, Elmwood (ex-officio) Bob Andersen ...... Nebraska Cooperative Council (ex-officio) Vacant................. Participating Member (appointment pending) Dr. Alan Baquet ... University of Nebraska-Lincoln (ex-officio) Dale Piper ........... Midwest Farmers Co-op, Elmwood (ex-officio) Ed Woeppel ......... Nebraska Cooperative Council Page 2 Cooperation in Nebraska ... September 2006 Committees (cont. from page 2) NNNEW GENERATION COOPERATIVES TASK FORCE HHHALL OF FAME COMMITTEE VOTING MEMBERS: David Briggs ........ WESTCO, Alliance Al Kalkwarf .......... Dorchester (Chair) Steve Erdman ....... Panhandle Co-op Association, Scottsbluff Virgil Harms ........ Blue Springs Bruce Favinger ..... Heartland Co-op, Hastings Ted Kessner ......... Lincoln Shane Frahm........ Farm Credit Services, Omaha Terry Rowe.......... Smithfield (Vice Chair) Mike Hechtner ..... CoBank, Omaha Mike Turner ........ Lincoln George Hohwieler . Aurora Co-op Elevator Co. Max Kaiser .......... Frenchman Valley Co-op, Imperial Dale Piper ........... Elmwood (ex-officio) Dale Piper ........... Midwest Farmers Co-op, Elmwood Bob Andersen ...... Nebraska Cooperative Council Randy Robeson .... Frontier Co-op Co., Brainard Gerald Schmidt .... Farmers Cooperative, Dorchester Brandon Stevenson . Stevenson & Associates, Lincoln Steve Wright ........ United Farmers Co-op, Shelby NON-VOTING MEMBERS: Bob Andersen ...... Nebraska Cooperative Council Dr. Alan Baquet ... University of Nebraska-Lincoln Sen. Bob Kremer .. Ag Committee Chair or Rick Leonard .. Ag Committee Research Analyst Scott Merritt ........ Nebraska Corn Growers Association Rob Robertson ..... Nebraska Farm Bureau Rocky Weber ....... Crosby Guenzel LLP Nebraska Cooperative Council - Political Action Committee BACKGROUND opportunity to meet with them and share information on The Council’s Political Action Committee (NCC-PAC) was cooperatives is very worthwhile. In these interviews, we established in 1999 to enhance cooperative organizational devoted a portion of the interview to providing urban candi- access to our elected representatives, both rural and urban dates with information on cooperatives and their importance to alike. We realize the need to develop and enhance communica- Nebraska. The candidates from urban areas were definitely tions with the urban legislators, especially those from impressed with the scope of sales of cooperatives as well as the Lancaster, Sarpy, and Douglas counties as well as to assist number of people cooperatives employ. rural legislators who are supportive of cooperatives. The NCC-PAC is restricted to only state legislative elections and/or state constitutional amendments which are deemed to have a direct impact on the Council or Council members. All contributions to the NCC-PAC are voluntary. It is governed by an 11-member committee which is solely responsible for the method of solicitation and the amount of expenditures for particular candidates. 2006 INTERVIEWS This year, the committee had a formidable task due to the constitutionally mandated term limits which are in effect for this PAC members interview a legislative candidate at CoBank’s office in election cycle. Over a 4-day period, the committee interviewed Omaha. Counter-clockwise from middle left: Todd Christensen, Jim 38 candidates in Omaha, Lincoln, and