By Edgar Olson
Executive Director

There's a picture on the wall of AURI's Waseca office that caught my eye the other day. Under the photograph of a barren, snow-laden tree is a caption that reads "Snowflakes are some of nature's most fragile things, but just look what happens when they stick together."

Minnesotans have long understood this principle. Farmer-owned cooperatives have flourished in this state for more than 100 years. From the early creamery co-ops to modern grain elevators and value-added ventures, the state's producers have repeatedly joined forces for mutual benefit.

With as diverse an agricultural industry as we have in Minnesota, it's impossible for any one organization to know or do it all. Sticking together with others who have similar goals and outcomes in mind multiplies the efforts of individuals and commodity groups.

At AURI, we're undertaking several new initiatives to increase cooperative efforts with our agricultural partners. This summer, I am meeting with Minnesota's commodity groups to see how AURI can better serve them, to explore potential new uses for their commodities, and to discuss joint partnership efforts. AURI's relationship with the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, a joint research and project funding endeavor to develop new uses for soybeans, is a model for what we hope to accomplish with other commodity groups.

AURI is also actively engaged in improving relations with other agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the University of Minnesota and others. In the past several months, U of M Dean of Agriculture Mike Martin, Rep. Steve Trimble and Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson have met with our board to discuss current ag trends and ways we can better cooperate.

Each agricultural organization in Minnesota has a mission, a purpose and a niche. By joining together, we can yield mutual benefits and ultimately bring more value-added agricultural dollars to our state.