Earlier this month, U.S. Co-ops members gathered in Washington, DC, for the 2026 Cooperative IMPACT Conference. As part of the conference, 60 cooperators made their way to Capitol Hill for the association’s 4th annual Hike the Hill event, participating in 40 meetings with congressional offices.
The event provides an opportunity for cooperators to advocate for legislative priorities and engage directly with lawmakers and congressional staff on issues impacting the cooperative business community.
Cooperators representing sectors across the co-op economy, including rural electric, housing, agriculture, credit unions, and cooperative development centers, met with congressional offices in both the House and Senate. Following a detailed advocacy briefing, participants traveled to Capitol Hill to share their experiences, discuss legislative priorities, and highlight the important role cooperatives play in strengthening communities and local economies.
Co-op members discussed several pressing issues, ranging from affordable housing to employee ownership.
Preservation of Cooperative Tax Status
Cooperative businesses are locally owned and democratically controlled, directly connecting member needs with the services they provide. Through their unique business structure, cooperatives strengthen local economies, support community stability and ensure economic benefits remain within the communities they serve.
Fair tax treatment is essential to preserving the cooperative business model. U.S. Co-ops continues to advocate for Congress to protect cooperative tax status and recognize the distinct structure and community-focused mission of cooperative businesses.
Increasing Affordable Housing Through Cooperatives
Limited-Equity Cooperatives (LECs) and Resident-Owned Communities (ROCs) are proven models of shared equity housing that provide long-term affordability, homeownership opportunities and democratic control—particularly for limited-income residents.
To expand access to affordable cooperative housing, Congress must ensure that recently modernized federal housing programs receive sufficient funding to support their implementation. U.S. Co-ops advocates for robust appropriations for programs benefiting cooperatives under the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Law, including the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Fund and the Whole-Home Repairs Program. These investments are essential to preserving existing affordable housing and expanding cooperative homeownership opportunities nationwide.
Leveling the Playing Field for Cooperatives Through the Main Street Employee Ownership Act
As more small business owners approach retirement, communities across the country face the risk of losing locally owned businesses, jobs and essential services.
Converting these businesses to worker or consumer-owned cooperatives offers an opportunity to preserve local ownership, protect jobs and strengthen community economies.
U.S. Co-ops continues to advocate for passage of the Main Street Employee Ownership 2.0 Act, which would expand access to financing for cooperatives by removing barriers under the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s 7(a) loan program. Building on the 2018 Main Street Employee Ownership Act, the legislation would eliminate personal and entity guarantee requirements for cooperative borrowers, expand access to SBA disaster assistance programs, and make it easier for small businesses to transition to employee ownership.
Reauthorization of the Farm Bill
The Farm Bill presents an important opportunity for Congress to strengthen cooperatives and support their role in creating jobs, preserving local businesses and driving economic growth in rural communities. U.S. Co-ops continues to advocate for a Farm Bill that advances the following priorities:
- Modernize the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program: Strengthening the only federal program dedicated to supporting domestic cooperative development and expanding access to technical assistance and resources for rural cooperatives.
- Improve the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP): Expanding access to affordable financing for energy efficiency improvements and infrastructure upgrades.
- Invest in Rural Capacity Building: Supporting locally-led economic development, capacity building and expanded economic opportunities in rural America through community anchor institutions like cooperatives.
- Support Food Cooperatives and Local Producers: Strengthening the Farm Bill’s nutrition programs to expand food access and support local and regional food systems.
- Expand Rural Broadband Access: Helping electric cooperatives bridge the digital divide and deliver reliable, affordable broadband to underserved communities.
Strengthening the Cooperative Voice on Capitol Hill
Grassroots advocacy remains a critical component of advancing legislation that supports the cooperative business community. Hike the Hill provides an opportunity for congressional offices to hear directly from cooperators about the challenges they face, the benefits cooperatives bring to their communities and the policies needed to support their continued growth.
Now in its fourth year, Hike the Hill continues to strengthen relationships between cooperators and policymakers, ensuring that the cooperative business model remains part of important conversations on Capitol Hill.
U.S. Co-ops encourages members and cooperatives across the country to engage with their representatives in Congress, state legislators and local policymakers, including by inviting them to visit their cooperatives. Members can learn more about our advocacy priorities or reach out to [email protected] with questions about co-op advocacy opportunities at the federal, state, or local level.