U.S. cooperatives set income record in 2014

The nation’s farmer, rancher and fishery cooperatives – including five heavyweights with major investments in the San Joaquin Valley – earned record income in 2014 for the fourth year in a row.

Net income rose 16.5 percent to $6.5 billion while total revenue increased 0.4 percent to $246 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Topping the list of the 100 largest cooperatives is CHS Inc., a Minnesota-based fuel supply, grain and food cooperative. The cooperative posted $43 billion in revenue in 2014.

California had five companies on the list of 100 largest cooperaties, including No. 6 California Dairies in Artesia, No. 21 Blue Diamond Growers in Sacramento, No. 24 Sunkist Growers Inc. in Valencia, No. 63 Pacific Coast Producers in Lodi, and No. 93 Sun-Maid Growers of California in Kingsburg. All five do business in the Valley.

This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 4:15 PM with the headline "U.S. cooperatives set income record in 2014."