By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA
Since 1935, Co-operative Feed Dealers, Inc (CFD). has served the agriculture community throughout the northeast. Currently located at a 120,000 sq ft facility in Conklin, NY, CFD also maintains their original 45,000 sq ft location in Chenago Bridge, NY. “We moved to our current location in 2003,” said Lon Stephens, General Manager of CFD. “We’re owned by 85 members consisting of feed mills and farm supply stores. We used to primarily assist independent feed mills to increase their purchasing power to compete effectively with the larger corporate mills. But over the years we’ve grown our lawn and garden customer base. We have ten trucks and cover New England minus Maine, and also serve New York, Pennsylvania, and a bit of New Jersey and Maryland.” In addition to leading CFD, Stephens is a large contributor to the agricultural industry, serving as Secretary on NEAFA’s Board of Directors and as a a member of NEAFA’s Executive Committee. Stephens also serves on the American Feed Industry Association’s Board of Directors. . “Lon has been an exceptional leader for Cooperative Feed Dealers and the Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance” stated John Clark. “The CFD – Alliance partnership has always been strong, but Lon has taken this long-standing relationship to a new level.”
CFD focuses on distribution to their dealers. They have a wide array of goods and services, including several proprietary brands offered to members and nonmember dealers. “We have five divisions at CFD,” said Stephens. “Our grain commodities division brokers bulk grain for our member feed mills. The specialties department focuses on farm hardware, cattle gates, stock tanks, etc. The nutrition department works with member feed mills to help them help their customers with Dr. Eric Reid offering nutrition consultations. Two other divisions are our wild bird department that markets our Aspen Song proprietary bird feed and everything bird related, and the Dryshod boot department which lodges inventory in the Chenago Bridge warehouse. each department has its own Director focusing on the growth of that Department.
Feed mills continue to be an important member segment for CFD, but in recent years farm supply and lawn and garden stores have become a growth area for the co-operative. “They start doing business with us by buying Dryshod boots, bird food, etc., and then they see the advantages in becoming a member,” said Stephens. “Membership lets them participate in net profits, member discounts, special programs, and other benefits. All those things are attractive once they know who we are. There is a financial and relationship advantage to being a member of the cooperative. We’re smaller than some other organizations, but we use that to our benefit. Our communications are better than our competitors. Someone answers the phone when you call. Everyone pitches in where it’s needed, including me. I’ll answer the phone, unload containers of boots, whatever needs to be done.”
CFD has long been a supporter of NEAFA, belonging to the organization in some form since before the organization was formed from the Easter Federation of Feed Merchants, and the New England Feed and Grain Council. “CFD has been a member for all of my 36 years at the company and at least ten years or more before that,” said Stephens. “There are a lot of small members that cannot get away for meetings or be deeply involved, and I like I have an opportunity to represent those companies in the organization. NEAFA offers a lot to the industry through their collaboration, advocacy, and educational programs. The education that the organization offers is second to none. NEAFA’s conventions committee gets great speakers that focus on topics that really speak to the community. It’s been a tough year, not being able to get together with our members to socialize and raise money for good causes. I think we’re all looking forward to seeing each other again in person and continuing the good that we do for the industry.”
For more on CFD, visit www.cfd.coop