That’s why in the Commons yesterday I pressed the Leader of the House for time to debate how we expand farmer-owned co-operatives here in the UK.
There are around 430 agricultural co-ops in the UK, with 150,000 farmer members and nearly £10bn in annual turnover, helping deliver high-quality food produced to some of the highest welfare and environmental standards anywhere in the world.
The model works. Big players in this industry include Arla Foods with an annual turnover of around £2.5 billion, Openfield of around £600 million, & Mole Valley Farmers of around £600 million. And what do they all have in common? They are farmer-owned. This shows the power of producers working together to strengthen supply chains and back British farming.
As Chair of the Co-operative Party, I see every day how the co-operative model gives people more control over the things that matter to them; here in Oldham we know the value of that better than most, co-operative heritage runs deep.
From the Rochdale Pioneers who helped launch the modern movement, to the Co-op Group headquartered here in Greater Manchester and the many examples of the community taking control of important local assets in our borough today at Oldham Coliseum, West End Street pitches, Boundary Park & the Daisyfield Inn – our area has a proud tradition of people coming together to get a fair deal. 
A stronger, co-op-shaped food system can help keep costs down for local people, strengthen our food security, and put more power back into the hands of farmers and communities.
If the Government is serious about doubling the size of the co-operative sector as pledged, we should be backing this model.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 