Jefferson student Regan Meyer, Stanberry, is the 2017 Growmark FFA essay contest runner-up.

Jefferson student Regan Meyer won a prize for his ag essay on cooperatives.

Jefferson student Regan Meyer won a prize for his ag essay on cooperatives.

This year marked the 24th annual contest sponsored by Growmark, a regional cooperative that provides agronomy, energy and facility planning, grain marketing and risk management systems.

The contest posed the following question to essay writers, “what value do cooperatives provide to today’s farmer?”

In his essay, Meyer explained that there are three types of cooperatives. A marketing cooperative helps farmers to collectively sell their products. The supply cooperatives purchase supplies that are needed in bulk in order to lower the cost for their members. Service cooperatives provide services that are not readily available or are too expensive for members to afford such as artificial insemination or fertilizer application.

“Cooperatives help small farmers come together and obtain power in the market which would otherwise be impossible as individuals. The goal of cooperatives has always been to serve its members, giving farmers a chance to get the most out of their operations,” Meyer stated in his essay.

Meyer will receive $125 at the Missouri FFA State Convention held in Columbia in April.