About Us

MISSION STATEMENT

United Ag is a customer driven business offering superior services and products to enhance our patron's business and profitability.

History

United Agricultural Cooperative Inc. is the result of several ag cooperatives merging along the Texas Gulf Coast over the previous century. The original consolidation of El Campo Farmers Cooperative (1929) and Modern Farmers Cooperative Society (1928) was formed to increase operational efficiency and reduce duplication of services to better serve farmer members in the agricultural community. United Ag in the current state began in 1982 as Farmers Cooperative of El Campo (FCEC). In 2012, FCEC merged with another cooperative, Danevang Farmers Cooperative Society Inc., for many of the same reasons. At that time, the name was changed to United Agricultural Cooperative, Inc. (United Ag) to better reflect the broad customer base and geographical area served by the recently expanded cooperative. Today, United Ag’s membership consists of 1,165 farmers, ranchers and land owners involved in agricultural production. Although United Ag’s core business units revolve around grain and cotton commodities, United Ag’s various business divisions reflect a bigger picture of what United Ag supplies to both its members and non-members alike.

Services

United Agricultural Cooperative Inc. is a very diverse agri-business headquartered in El Campo, TX. Starting with just one location, we have been serving the Texas ag community since 1928. United Ag has grown to four storefronts in three counties, servicing more than 20 counties in the great state of Texas. The Grain Department includes four Elevators with a 6.36 million bushel capacity. A large portion of those bushels service our very own High Caliber Deer Corn Bagging Plant, as well as our Feed Mixing Plant. Utilizing corn from local farmers to be fed to local cattle and deer. United Ag is also a leader in the cotton industry with three Cotton Warehouses and two Cotton Gins that processed 172,202 bales of cotton in 2018. We offer Cattle, Cotton, and Grain commodity marketing services for our producers. United Ag’s four General Stores provide a wide selection of ag parts, hardware, feed, fencing, and animal health supplies. Customers can find just about anything they need from lawn and garden care, paint, wildlife gear, or even gifts and home decor. United Ag’s goal is to provide a large selection with the convenience of a one-stop shop.

Membership & Benefits

“One producer has a little voice, but producers together can make a difference.”
Jimmy Roppolo, General Manager

A cooperative is a unique business structure, as it is owned by its members, who in turn share in the profits in the form of a patronage dividend. United Agricultural Cooperative Inc. has been serving their membership base along the Gulf Coast of Texas since 1928.

To obtain membership in United Ag, first and foremost, you must be a producer of an agricultural product. This includes a wide range of commodities, including but not limited to: cotton, corn, milo, soybeans, rice, cattle, plants, and poultry. Landlords leasing their land for farm use in exchange for a share in the proceeds of the crop also classify as agricultural producers. After status as an agricultural producer is obtained, membership must be applied for. Applications are then presented to and approved by the board of directors, which is a body elected by United Ag members at each annual meeting. The cost to become a member is a one time membership fee of $50. Currently, United Ag has 1,126 members. Past boards, producers, and members have worked tirelessly to get United Ag where it is today. The current management and employees are constantly looking into new products and ventures that will sustain United Ag as a progressive and forward thinking cooperative, and ensure that it is around to provide benefits to members and producers for generations to come.

Although membership is not required to do business with us, there are many benefits associated with membership. Participation in earnings is a financial benefit in the form of cash dividends and book credits. Since 1983, United Ag has paid $29,308,555 in cash dividends and $21,906,695 in book credit retirement. Totaling $51,215,250 back to members and patrons over the last 40 years. Another benefit is the ability to govern on a democratic one-member one-vote basis. Each year at the June annual meeting, the membership votes and elects directors to represent them on how the co-op is run and the services it provides. Also, cooperative member’s children and grandchildren are eligible for a United Ag Scholarship their senior year in high school.

However, the benefits expand far beyond the personal level. Agriculture is a constantly changing industry. New technology, new legislation, and global events all converge to create an environment that is exciting and challenging. As a member of a producers’ cooperative, there is the opportunity to impact the industry as a whole by uniting as one voice and using it in a myriad of ways – from finding common ground with foreign buyers to lobbying politicians unaware of the ins and outs of agricultural production. United Ag is proud to play a part in ensuring agriculture’s longevity in our community.

United Agricultural Cooperative Inc. takes pride in our employees and members. Roppolo notes, “It is about being part of something bigger than oneself.” Your board and cooperative employees do what it takes to better service our membership base as well as keeping agricultural production a successful business along the Gulf Coast of Texas.

Become a Member