Thanks to a grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Regional Food Systems Infrastructure program, the team at CDS is excited to introduce a two-part training series for startup producer co-ops.  Our winter series, beginning next month, will focus on the…

If there’s any doubt regarding the impact cooperatives have made, and continue to make around the world, look no further. The United Nations (UN), created in 1945, for the second time in 13 years, has declared 2025 the International Year of…

After a decade of hard work, the Prairie Food Co-op (PFC) in Lombard, IL, is in the final phases of construction of its food co-op as it draws closer to opening its doors later this year. CDS is always ready…

I wrote last month’s column with a mere three weeks under my belt as the new executive director. Now a seasoned veteran, I’m primed and excited to share with you some of CDS’s accomplishments in 2024 (while unapologetically cribbing from…

We also encourage you to support any of the co-ops participating in our fiscal sponsorship program, as they are all engaged in meaningful cooperative ventures in their communities and would welcome your helping hand!  You can donate directly to CDS…

Earlier this fall, Char Vrieze participated alongside several of our cooperative partners in Unlock your Business’s Future: Discover the Power of Employee Ownership, a webinar providing an overview of employee ownership options for business succession. Thanks to the University of Wisconsin…