Northwest Farm Credit Services Proud to Be Part of Co-op Day

A longstanding tradition at the Richland County Fair has been a day sponsored by local co-ops to serve their patrons with free root beer floats. This year, a new treat has been added to the festivities.

Jami Propp, an employee of the Lower Yellowstone Rural Electric Cooperative for twelve years, heads up the committee organizing the fair's co-op day. Other corporate co-op participants include Richland Federal Credit Union, Mid-Rivers Communications, CHS Farmer's Elevator, Nortana Grain Co. and Horizon Resources.

"This year we are doing something different from previous years," Propp told the Roundup.

"We are going to do root beer floats," Propp explained, "starting at 4 p.m. and going until they run out at – which usually takes a couple hours – but we are also going to give away pushup treats from noon until 3:30 p.m."

According to Propp, the co-op day is designed for companies to meet their customers and partners, saying, "It's important to get out there and meet our members and have some face time with them."

Another business that sponsors the annual fair co-op day is Northwest Farm Credit Services.

Rob Breuer, a Fairview native who has worked for Northwest Farm Credit Services for six years, says that it's an honor for the business to serve local customers this way.

"The co-op day is just a good way for all of us to see our owner-members in the community and try to give something back, sponsoring a day that everybody enjoys," Breuer told the Roundup. "We get to sponsor the day for the fair," Breuer continued, "and we also get to send our employees down to the fair to help serve root beer floats for several hours. It's always a good experience."

Northwest Farm Credit Services is a lending association, which specializes in providing operating loans to farmers, ranchers, and agri-business. Their service area includes the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. In other regions, they also provide loans to timber producers and commercial fishermen.

Breuer explained to the Roundup their breadth of services, which aside from providing loans, "includes crop insurance, appraisal services, and lots of different things that help area farmers, ranchers, owners and producers."

According to Breuer, agriculture in the area is staying afloat, but has been difficult in recent days. On top of commodity prices, the lack of rain has been problematic.

"Overall, ag is good," said Breuer. "Agriculture is in a difficult position right now, with prices having been low in recent years and now we are in a drought. The drought affects ranchers as well as farmers, because the grass for their cattle isn't growing, either. There has been stress on both the farm and ranching community."

It's a small gesture, but perhaps the root beer float as a service to the community might help agriculture families know they're appreciated. At least, that is Breuer's view, who said, "The co-op day is just a good way for all of us to see our owner-members in the community and try to give something back, sponsoring a day that everybody enjoys."