January 14 @2:30 PM EST: Co-ops testify during Senate Small Business Committee hearing

On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, Erbin Crowell, Executive Director of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association and a member of NCBA CLUSA's Board of Directors, will testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship at a hearing called "Growing the Small Business Agricultural Economy."

Watch the Livestream at 2:30 PM EST

In addition to addressing the benefits of cooperatives to agricultural and rural economies, discussion will include the success of cooperative conversions in preserving small businesses and potential impacts of ensuring co-ops can access capital through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Cooperatives play a unique and essential role in all sectors of the economy. They help keep businesses locally rooted, create stable jobs, strengthen regional supply chains and ensure more wealth stays in the communities where it is generated. In the agriculture and food sector, co-ops support producer viability, expand market access, improve community food access, and provide critical infrastructure and services that can be hard to sustain in rural areas. Co-ops are practical, proven vehicles for community ownership and economic resilience.

Despite their track record, co-ops often face financing barriers that don't reflect their structure or values. Traditional lending and small business support systems are not always designed with cooperative ownership models in mind. These limitations curb co-ops' ability to invest in facilities, equipment, inventory and growth-investments that directly benefit local communities and regional economies.

Today's hearing is reinforces what co-op members and leaders experience every day: cooperatives are small businesses that strengthen rural and local economies, and they should be fully included in policies designed to grow the small business economy. Improving access to capital, cross-agency collaboration and technical assistance funding for co-ops isn't just about supporting individual enterprises; it's about helping communities build durable local ownership, resilient food and farm systems, and a stronger economic future.

For any questions or to learn how to get involved in advocacy efforts, reach out to our advocacy team at [email protected].

Today's hearing reinforces what co-op members and leaders experience every day: cooperatives are small businesses that strengthen rural and local economies, and they should be fully included in policies designed to grow the small business economy.