South Dakota Association of Cooperatives

What South Dakota Association of Cooperatives does

The South Dakota Association of Cooperatives (SDAC) is a nonprofit cooperative trade association founded in 1967 and headquartered at 116 N Euclid Ave, Pierre, South Dakota. It provides advocacy, education, networking, and member services to South Dakota cooperatives across agricultural marketing and supply, electric, communication, banking, and other cooperative sectors. The association is governed by a board of 12 directors, including both producer-members and staff from member cooperatives, supported by several regional advisors.

SDAC's core offerings include annual events (the ABC Conference for co-op accountants held in Mitchell and the Co-op Conference in Sioux Falls), the Ag Co-op Day at the Capitol advocacy event, the Cooperative Hall of Fame program (operating since 1985 with 96 inductees through 2024), a $1,000 scholarship program for South Dakota students pursuing cooperative careers, member newsletters (E-Update), regulatory assistance such as hours-of-service waivers, and resources including affiliate directories and policy statements. The Hall of Fame is co-sponsored with CHS Inc., the South Dakota Association of Telephone Cooperatives, the South Dakota Farmers Union, and the South Dakota Rural Electric Association.

The business model is membership-based, with revenue derived from membership dues and service fees from South Dakota cooperatives (subscription/recurring model). Distribution is direct: SDAC serves member cooperatives through association staff and board members within a single-country, Midwest US geographic scope. Marketing channels include the sdac.coop website, member newsletters, in-person events, and social sharing. Strategic positioning includes advocacy on national policy issues through partnership with the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC), including 2026 Farm Bill engagement around REAP provisions for farmer cooperatives.

Name

South Dakota Association of Cooperatives

Legal name

South Dakota Association of Cooperatives

Website

https://sdac.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The South Dakota Association of Cooperatives (SDAC) is a Pierre, SD-based nonprofit trade association founded in 1967 that provides advocacy, education, networking, and member services to South Dakota cooperatives across agricultural, electric, communication, and banking sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Pierre

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues and services: SDAC operates as a cooperative association providing services to member cooperatives. Revenue is derived from membership dues and service fees from South Dakota cooperatives in agricultural marketing, supply, electric, communication, and banking sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SDAC is a nonprofit cooperative trade association that provides advocacy, education, networking, and member services to South Dakota's agricultural marketing and supply, electric, communication, banking, and other cooperatives. It operates as a unified voice and service hub, delivering conferences, scholarships, regulatory support (such as hours-of-service waivers), a Cooperative Hall of Fame, and member resources managed by a board of 12 directors and regional advisors.

Product overview

The South Dakota Association of Cooperatives (SDAC) is a trade association serving as a unified offering of services to various types of cooperatives across South Dakota. Rather than a platform with modules, SDAC provides a portfolio of member services including agricultural marketing and supply, electric, communication, and banking cooperative support. The association organizes annual conferences (ABC Conference and Co-op Conference), administers scholarship programs, operates a Cooperative Hall of Fame, provides advocacy through Ag Co-op Day at the Capitol, and offers member resources including newsletters, policy documentation, and regulatory assistance such as hours of service waivers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ABC Conference Annual accounting and business conference for co-op accountants held in Mitchell, providing updates on state laws affecting cooperatives, time management, OSHA reporting and inspections, and AI applications in the workplace.
• Co-op Conference Annual cooperative conference event held in Sioux Falls, SD, bringing together cooperative members and leaders for networking and education.
• SDAC Scholarship Program Awards two individual $1,000 scholarships to students enrolled in South Dakota colleges, universities, or technical schools pursuing degrees related to cooperative careers, open to members or children of members of SDAC member cooperatives.
• Cooperative Hall of Fame The highest honor bestowed by the cooperative community for individuals who have made significant contributions to South Dakota cooperatives, with sponsorship from CHS Inc., SD Association of Cooperatives, SD Association of Telephone Cooperatives, SD Farmers Union, and SD Rural Electric Association.
• Ag Co-op Day at the Capitol Annual advocacy event at the South Dakota state capitol featuring photo opportunities with Governor Rhoden, allowing cooperative members to engage with state leadership and advocate for cooperative interests.
• Hours of Service Waiver Regulatory relief service providing hours-of-service waivers for cooperative transportation and operations, helping member cooperatives comply with federal motor carrier regulations.
• Member Newsletters (E-Update) Regular electronic newsletters (such as E-Update) providing news and updates to member cooperatives, including Farm Bill developments, state laws affecting cooperatives, and association news.
• Member Resources and Benefits Directory Resources and benefits available to member cooperatives including affiliate members directory, auditors and attorneys listings, board of directors information, statement of principles and policy, and cooperative principles documentation.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026SDAC works with NCFC on national policy issues affecting farmer cooperatives, including Farm Bill advocacy. SDAC shares NCFC updates with members and advocates for cooperative-friendly provisions in legislation.
• SDSU ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDSU Extension published a study on agricultural cooperative impact in South Dakota, providing research and data support for the cooperative community.
• CHS, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHS, Inc. is a co-sponsor of the South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame program along with SDAC and other state cooperative organizations. CHS also nominated Edward Mallett for the 2024 Hall of Fame.
• South Dakota Rural Electric AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame program along with SDAC and other state cooperative organizations.
• South Dakota Farmers UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame program along with SDAC and other state cooperative organizations.
• South Dakota Association of Telephone CooperativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame program along with SDAC and other state cooperative organizations.
• Lake Area Technical CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNominated Edward Mallett for the 2024 Cooperative Hall of Fame. LATC is also referenced in Mallett's cooperative contributions including the State-of-the-Art Precision AG lab.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Iowa Institute for Cooperatives: State-level cooperative trade association serving Iowa cooperatives across multiple verticals — the closest functional analog to SDAC's multi-sector state-association model.
• Kansas Cooperative Council: Kansas-based state cooperative association with similar member services, advocacy, and education programs — a direct state-level peer operating in an adjacent agricultural geography.
• Nebraska Cooperative Council: Nebraska's state cooperative association providing education, advocacy, and member services for agricultural and rural cooperatives — comparable in mission and operational model to SDAC.
• National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC): National trade association for farmer cooperatives and the primary advocacy partner cited by SDAC on Farm Bill and policy work — directly comparable as a cooperative trade-association peer, operating at the federal level where SDAC operates at the state level.
• Minnesota Association of Cooperatives: Minnesota-based cooperative trade association serving member co-ops with advocacy and education — another direct state-level functional peer.

Others

• Farm Credit Council: National trade association for the Farm Credit System — adjacent to SDAC's banking-cooperative members, with comparable federal-policy advocacy function, though not a state co-op trade body.

Regional players

• South Dakota Farmers Union: South Dakota statewide farm organization serving ag producers; co-sponsors SDAC's Hall of Fame and overlaps on agricultural advocacy and education — a regional peer for SDAC's ag-vertical programming.

Broad incumbents

• CHS Inc. Major U.S. agricultural cooperative and co-sponsor of SDAC's Cooperative Hall of Fame — overlapping membership/advocacy interests though primarily an operating cooperative rather than an association.
• National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA CLUSA): National cross-sector cooperative trade and development organization — comparable in mission breadth across cooperative types, though operating at a national rather than state level.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA): National trade association for electric cooperatives — broader incumbent that overlaps with SDAC's electric-cooperative member base and is a partner in SDAC's advocacy ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-dakota-association-of-cooperatives

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Dakota Association of Cooperatives