YANKTON, S.D. (WNAX) – A CoBank report says the farm economy, business efficiency, and even retiring employees are contributing to ag cooperative consolidations. Brenda Forman, Executive Director of the South Dakota Association of Cooperatives says those mergers have led to growth in the industry.

CoBank’s report says that while co-op numbers continue to shrink, the number of co-op owned facilities and locations are steady or growing. Forman says that’s also the case in South Dakota.

Forman says as cooperatives have merged, they’ve also added services for their members.

CoBank notes that the average cooperative now employs more than 100 people, a 33 percent increase over the last twenty years.