Kansas Cooperative Council

What Kansas Cooperative Council does

The Kansas Cooperative Council (KCC) is a private non-profit trade association headquartered in Manhattan, Kansas, that represents and advocates for agricultural, utility, credit union, and consumer cooperatives operating in Kansas. The Council's stated mission is to promote, support, and advance the interests, business success, and understanding of these cooperatives through legislation and regulatory efforts, education, and public relations. According to its own materials, KCC represents 106,888 cooperative members across 575+ locations in Kansas, with 5,000+ employees working in Kansas farmer cooperatives; the state is also home to three of the top 100 agricultural cooperatives in the United States.

KCC's product and service portfolio is organized around three pillars: advocacy, education, and promotion. Advocacy work centers on legislative protection of cooperative interests in Topeka, including Section 199a tax provisions and infrastructure tax protection, with an annual Legislative Action Day held jointly with the Kansas Grain and Feed Association and Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association. Education programs include the Director Development Program (DDP), the newly renamed Executive Director Development (formerly Board Chair School), the Leadership Symposium delivered jointly with the Arthur Capper Cooperative Center (ACCC) at K-State, Co-op Academy programs for employees and interns, Co-ops 101 video training content, and a Tailored Cooperative Training service for custom board and strategic planning sessions. Promotional programs comprise the Kansas Cooperative Hall of Fame (established 1999, 56 inductees to date), the Century Co-op Award recognizing 100-year-old cooperatives, Co-op Month celebrations, and the Capper Project heritage preservation initiative at the Kansas State Fairgrounds.

KCC operates as a membership-based association with a formula-based dues structure for local farm/ag supply co-ops (calibrated to net fixed assets, total member equity, a percentage adjustment factor, and a flat fee), flat-rate associate memberships for businesses, and regional memberships for federated or hybrid cooperatives. Revenue is supplemented by a five-tier corporate sponsorship program (Diamond $20,000+, Platinum $5,000-$19,999, Gold $2,500-$4,999, Silver $1,000-$2,499, Bronze $500-$999) that grants recognition and networking access at Council events, plus a small e-commerce merchandise channel (Co-op Closet). The organization is led by President/CEO Russell Plaschka with a lean staff and a Board of Directors that includes both local cooperative executives and advisory members from Platinum-tier sponsors including CHS, Farm Credit, CoBank, and Land O'Lakes.

Name

Kansas Cooperative Council

Legal name

Kansas Cooperative Council

Website

https://kansasco-op.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Kansas Cooperative Council is a Kansas-based non-profit trade association that advocates for, educates, and promotes agricultural, utility, credit union, and consumer cooperatives across the state, funded through formula-based membership dues and a tiered corporate sponsorship program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cooperative Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Professional Organizations (813920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities) (EUADABAC), Cooperative Banks (Member-Owned Commercial/Retail) (FSABAEAF)

Keywords

• Cooperative trade association
• Cooperative advocacy services
• Cooperative board training
• Agricultural cooperative education
• Cooperative leadership development

Headquarters

HQ city

Hutchinson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Membership dues for local farm/ag supply co-ops calculated through a formula using net fixed assets, total member equity, percentage adjustment factor, and a flat fee. Associate membership at flat-rate fee for businesses. Regional membership for federated, regional or hybrid cooperatives and trade associations.
2. Sponsorship Programs: Corporate sponsorship program with multiple tiers (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) offering recognition at major Council training functions and events, networking opportunities, and visibility through various mediums.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Kansas Cooperative Council is a private nonprofit membership trade association that represents agricultural, utility, credit, and consumer cooperatives across Kansas. It delivers its mission through three core pillars: legislative and regulatory advocacy (including Legislative Action Day and protection of cooperative-specific tax provisions like Section 199a), cooperative education (Director Development Program, Board Chair School/Executive Director Development, Leadership Symposium with ACCC, Co-op Academy for Employees and Interns, Co-ops 101 Videos, and tailored training), and cooperative promotion (Hall of Fame, Century Co-op Award, Co-op Month, and the Capper Project historic preservation partnership).

Product overview

Kansas Cooperative Council is an organization that represents all types of cooperatives in Kansas. The organization operates as a membership-based association providing advocacy services, educational programming, and promotional activities. The core offerings include Director Development Program (DDP) for cooperative board members, Executive Director Development (formerly Board Chair School) for executive leadership, Leadership Symposium in partnership with ACCC, Co-op Academy programs for employees and interns, and various promotional programs including Hall of Fame, Century Co-op Award, Co-op Month, and the Capper Project. Additional services include an online merchandise store (Co-op Closet), training video content (Co-ops 101 Videos), tailored training services, and Legislative Action Day advocacy events. The organization is funded through membership dues and sponsorship programs with tiered Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advocacy Services Represents agricultural, utility, credit, and consumer cooperatives in Kansas through legislative advocacy, regulatory efforts, and public relations, including protection of cooperative-specific tax provisions such as Section 199a.
• Director Development Program (DDP) Educational program for directors of local farmers' cooperatives that develops the knowledge and skills needed to better serve cooperative members.
• Executive Director Development (formerly Board Chair School) Program for cooperative directors covering strategic planning, executive compensation, and financial decision-making to build successful board leadership inside and outside the boardroom.
• Leadership Symposium for Cooperatives Annual educational symposium delivered jointly with the Arthur Capper Cooperative Center (ACCC), focused on cooperative issues and leadership development for cooperative stakeholders.
• Co-op Academy: 101 for Employees Cooperative-focused course for cooperative employees covering the cooperative business structure, principles, benefits of employment, and cooperative finance; offered in partnership with ProValue Insurance.
• Co-op Academy: 101 for Interns Seminar for interns from cooperatives across Kansas introducing the cooperative business model, with networking opportunities and real-world insights.
• Tailored Cooperative Training Custom training presentations for co-op events including board meetings, retreats, strategic planning sessions, and employee groups.
• Co-ops 101 Videos Video training content covering cooperative fundamentals including what is a cooperative, the seven cooperative principles, patronage, and cooperative governance.
• Legislative Action Day Annual advocacy event held in Topeka, Kansas, jointly with Kansas Grain and Feed Association and Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association, enabling the agribusiness industry to meet with elected officials.
• Kansas Cooperative Hall of Fame Recognition program established in 1999 honoring co-op pioneers and individuals who advanced the cooperative philosophy, with a showcase display at Kansas State Fairgrounds.
• Century Co-op Award Award recognizing cooperatives that have been serving members for 100 years, demonstrating the lasting value of the cooperative business structure.
• Co-op Month National Co-op Month celebration held each October to thank cooperative members and raise the profile of cooperatives in Kansas.
• Capper Project Partnership project with Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation and Kansas State Fair that rebuilt the historic House of Capper to its original grandeur and created Capper Cooperative Park to honor Arthur Capper and U.S. cooperative history.
• Co-op Closet Online merchandise store offering cooperative-branded swag and promotional items.
• KCC Corporate Sponsorship Program Multi-tiered annual corporate sponsorship program (Diamond $20,000+, Platinum $5,000-$19,999, Gold $2,500-$4,999, Silver $1,000-$2,499, Bronze $500-$999) offering recognition, networking, and visibility at major KCC education and training events.
• Membership Program Membership program for local farm/ag supply cooperatives (formula-based dues), associate members (flat-rate fee), and regional members (federated, regional, or hybrid cooperatives and trade associations).

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kansas Fairgrounds FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to rebuild the historic House of Capper and create Capper Cooperative Park to pay tribute to Arthur Capper and his work in establishing cooperatives in the United States. The project was completed to restore the historic building to its original grandeur.
• Kansas State FaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Capper Project to create Capper Cooperative Park at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The showcase display is located at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas.
• Arthur Capper Cooperative Center (ACCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombined program partnership presenting the Leadership Symposium for Cooperatives. The ACCC and Kansas Cooperative Council partner annually to deliver this educational program for cooperative stakeholders.
• Kansas Grain and Feed AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partner for Legislative Action Day held annually in Topeka, Kansas. The joint event provides a platform for agriculture to meet with elected officials.
• Kansas Agribusiness Retailers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partner for Legislative Action Day held annually in Topeka, Kansas. The joint event brings the agribusiness industry together to advocate for agriculture.
• ProValue InsuranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer new cooperative-focused courses for the industry. ProValue Insurance partners with KCC on the Co-ops 101 for Employees program and provides sponsorship support.
• CHSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHS is a Platinum sponsor of the Kansas Cooperative Council and has provided grant funding for Co-ops 101 video content. Cole Halbleib serves as CHS representative on the KCC Board.
• Farm CreditminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFarm Credit is a Platinum sponsor of the Kansas Cooperative Council. Tobias Carson represents the Farm Credit System on the KCC Board.
• CoBankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoBank is a Platinum sponsor of the Kansas Cooperative Council.
• Land O'LakesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLand O'Lakes is a Gold sponsor of the Kansas Cooperative Council. Amber Glaeser serves as Land O'Lakes representative on the KCC Board.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives: State-level cooperative trade association in Wisconsin, providing advocacy, education, and member services to local co-ops. Direct structural peer to KCC, mirroring its member-driven model and event-based programming.
• Minnesota Cooperative Association: State-level cooperative trade association serving Minnesota cooperatives with advocacy, education, and member programming. Closely comparable to KCC's structure and member services.
• National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC): National-level trade association for farmer cooperatives in the United States. Functions as a direct peer to KCC's trade-association mandate at the federal policy level, with overlapping advocacy, education, and member representation activities.
• Iowa Institute for Cooperatives: State-level cooperative trade association in Iowa providing education, advocacy, and member services for cooperatives. Comparable to KCC in mandate, scale, and ag-cooperative focus.
• Nebraska Cooperative Council: State-level cooperative trade association in Nebraska, with similar advocacy, education, and Hall-of-Fame-style programs. Closely comparable to KCC in scale, structure, and ag-cooperative focus.

Others

• CHS Inc. Largest US ag cooperative and a Platinum sponsor of KCC. Relevant as a member-cooperative and sponsor; not a trade association itself but a key counterparty in KCC's ecosystem.
• Land O'Lakes: Major US agricultural cooperative (Gold sponsor of KCC). Relevant as a member-cooperative counterparty and KCC board participant, not a direct trade-association peer.
• CoBank: Cooperative bank serving ag and rural infrastructure, and a Platinum sponsor of KCC. Relevant as a key financial counterparty and governance participant (CoBank rep on KCC board).
• Farm Credit Council: National trade association for the Farm Credit System, a Platinum sponsor of KCC. Adjacent trade-association mandate serving the cooperative lender ecosystem.

Regional players

• Cooperative Network: Regional cooperative trade association serving Wisconsin and Minnesota. Closest geographic and structural peer to KCC, offering parallel advocacy, education, and member services across the Upper Midwest cooperative ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kscoopcouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/KansasCooperativeCouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kansas-cooperative-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 Kansas Cooperative Council