History of FNA

FNA was first incorporated by a Saskatchewan farm family in March, 1998, with the sole goal of creating more profitability for all farmers that join the organization. At first, there were only seven farmers, no tangible benefits, and a dream of profitable farming.

Achieving the status of a stable, thriving organization did not come easy. In the early years the only benefits that could be offered derived from businesses who themselves wanted to be part of the farm income solution. These were the first Preferred Suppliers, most of whom are with FNA to this day. They include fine national businesses such as NAPA as well as strong regional organizations such as Rosetown Flighting. Without Preferred Suppliers, FNA would not be as strong as it is today.

FNA knew that Preferred Suppliers could not make the kinds of contributions to input cost reduction required to have a meaningful impact on individual farm profitability. To achieve this required working directly with suppliers to get low-cost inputs directly to farmers. These suppliers were contacted with a mutually beneficial proposal, but the companies refused to partner.  They wanted no part of a partnership where they had to accept reciprocal responsibility, together with farmers, that every sector in the chain would be profitable.

So FNA went looking for someone to create a supply company that would help to achieve it’s mission of improving farm profitability and provide products and services to its Members.  This resulted in the creation of AgraCity Ltd. Over the years, to ensure success, the list has grown to include AgraCity Crops and Nutrition (AgCan), AgraCity Services (AgServe) and, on the marketing side, FNA Foods.

Key to the creation of these companies was their agreement to share the original vision upon which FNA was built. Thus, they all strive to reduce transaction costs, enhance and facilitate distribution, balance demand and supply of inputs, create just-in-time delivery structures and lower credit costs. FNA negotiates on Members’ behalf with its supply partners, but holds them at arms’ length and operates independently, to protect Members from liability and the harsh realities of the input industry.

Over the years, as FNA has brought more and more competitive pricing to agricultural inputs, the resistance has been far greater, more aggressive and more expensive than ever imagined. However, FNA has proven that farmers can win, even against the most powerful corporations in the world.  FNA has shown that there is a battle plan for the future that can have and has had a direct positive impact on farm profitability.

FNA now represents over 20 million acres of land and over 10,000 farm families across Canada.  The number of Members and value of benefits increases every day, all to serve the single reason the FNA business alliance of farmers exists:

To Improve Farm Profitability.