The Late Pat Benedict Nominated to the National Cooperative Hall of Fame

On September 3, American Crystal Sugar Company and Golden Growers Cooperative nominated the late Patrick Benedict for induction into the National Cooperative Hall of Fame in 2027. The Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Cooperative Development Foundation, honors individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the cooperative form of business.

After reviewing the history of both cooperatives, the two organizations agreed that Benedict deserved this honor.

In the early 1970s, Benedict recognized that the Red River Valley's sugar beet farmers were at the mercy of owners a thousand miles away who had no stake in the valley's future. In 1973, he helped 1,600 growers organize a cooperative to purchase American Crystal. He served as a founding board member and later as chairman. While on the board, he led an effort to change how growers were paid so that the system rewarded quality and efficiency.

In 1994, Benedict said his dream was to have every crop on his farm processed by a farmer-owned cooperative. That vision led him to organize more than 2,000 farmers into Golden Growers Cooperative, which raised $54 million. Golden Growers then joined American Crystal and Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative as owners of ProGold LLC, which built and operated the corn wet milling plant in Wahpeton, North Dakota.

Nominees selected will be honored at an induction ceremony in October of 2027.