The south/central rural cooperative center (scrcc or the center), operated by the university of texas RIO grande valley, serves agricultural and rural businesses throughout a 4-state service area that…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley $298,156 on September 30, 2025, under the Rural Cooperative Development Grants program (CFDA 10.771) to operate the South/Central Rural Cooperative Center serving agricultural and rural businesses across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

The center delivers technical assistance, trainings, and consultations to support the startup, expansion, and operational improvement of rural cooperatives and mutually-owned businesses, with focus on 17 persistent poverty priority counties. The work plan comprises three activities: developing new cooperatives and rural businesses through community engagement and innovative training; improving financial sustainability within existing co-ops by expanding capacity, skills, and knowledge for business resiliency; and growing a skilled workforce through employee ownership by developing management, financial, and leadership capabilities to enable long-term local business ownership.

The award period runs from September 30, 2025, through December 30, 2026. Performance takes place in Edinburg, Texas. The center builds on two decades of technical assistance delivery to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities as the only rural-serving cooperative development center in its four-state region. Work aligns with priorities identified by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and targets job creation and new cooperative formations throughout the service area through collaboration with experienced staff and regional partners.

The south/central rural cooperative center (scrcc or the center), operated by the university of texas RIO grande valley, serves agricultural and rural businesses throughout a 4-state service area that includes texas, new mexico, oklahoma, and louisiana. This multi-state cooperative development project builds on two decades of effective technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. As the only rural-serving CO-OP development center in the 4-state service area, scrcc is strategically positioned to generate high-quality employment opportunities and enhance the success of agricultural operations. The project targets 17 persistent poverty priority counties to efficiently deliver trainings, consultations, and resources where they will have the highest impact. Experienced staff and regional partners will collaborate to build robust and sustainable economies, catalyzing the start-up, expansion, and operational improvement of rural cooperatives and mutually-owned businesses.proposed FY25 scrcc services align directly with key priorities identified by the nofa within the multi-region service area. Scrcc's work plan will result in new cooperative and business formations and spur rural job creation throughout the 4-state service area:activity 1: develop new CO-OPS and rural businesses – engage communities to undertake cooperative formation through innovative training and assistance techniquesactivity 2: improve financial sustainability for rural CO-OP groups – expand the capacity, skills, and knowledge within CO-OPS to improve business resiliency and sustainabilityactivity 3: grow skilled workforce through employee ownership – develop employees' management, financial, and leadership skills to expand opportunities for long-term local ownership of successful rural businesses.