# Universal Cooperatives

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"United Cooperatives" redirects here. For the British cooperative, see [United Co-operatives](/source/United_Co-operatives).

**Universal Cooperatives**, based in [Eagan, Minnesota](/source/Eagan,_Minnesota), was a [cooperative](/source/Cooperative) controlled by 17 regional [agricultural marketing](/source/Agricultural_marketing_cooperative) and [agricultural supply](/source/Agricultural_supply_store) cooperatives. The distribution system included 110 regional feed mills, 26 warehouses, and 7 research farms. The company was formed November 1, 1972 by a merger of **United Cooperatives, Inc.** of [Alliance, Ohio](/source/Alliance,_Ohio) and **National Cooperatives, Inc.** of [Albert Lea, Minnesota](/source/Albert_Lea,_Minnesota). The companies had inter-mixed ownership, leading to merger discussion, and eventual merger. On May 11, 2014, Universal Cooperatives, Inc. and its domestic subsidiaries filed for voluntary [Chapter 11](/source/Chapter_11) [bankruptcy](/source/Bankruptcy).

## United Cooperatives, Inc.

United Cooperatives began in 1930 as **Farm Bureau Oil Company**, and changed its name in 1936. Founding members include:

- [Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Association](/source/Indiana_Farm_Bureau_Cooperative_Association), [Indianapolis, Indiana](/source/Indianapolis,_Indiana)
- [Farm Bureau Services, Inc.](/source/Farm_Bureau_Services,_Inc.), [Lansing, Michigan](/source/Lansing,_Michigan)
- [Ohio Farm Bureau Service Company](/source/Ohio_Farm_Bureau_Service_Company), [Columbus, Ohio](/source/Columbus,_Ohio)

## National Cooperatives, Inc.

National Cooperatives was founded in 1933 by

- Farm Bureau Oil Company, [Indianapolis, Indiana](/source/Indianapolis,_Indiana)
- [Central Cooperative Wholesale](/source/Central_Cooperative_Wholesale), [Superior, Wisconsin](/source/Superior,_Wisconsin)
- [Farmers Union Central Exchange](/source/Farmers_Union_Central_Exchange), [Saint Paul, Minnesota](/source/Saint_Paul,_Minnesota)
- [Midland Cooperative Oil Association](/source/Midland_Cooperative_Oil_Association), [Minneapolis, Minnesota](/source/Minneapolis,_Minnesota)
- [Union Oil Company (Missouri)](/source/Union_Oil_Company_(Missouri)), in 1935 renamed [Consumers Cooperative Association](/source/Consumers_Cooperative_Association) and in 1966 [Farmland Industries](/source/Farmland_Industries) [North Kansas City, Missouri](/source/North_Kansas_City,_Missouri)

## Brands

Universal owns the **CO-OP** brand, which is used on [tires](/source/Tire), [batteries](/source/Battery_(electricity)), [farm chemicals](/source/Agrochemical), animal health products, [twine](/source/Twine), and [lubricants](/source/Lubricant). It distributes tires through the [Mr. Tire](/source/Mr._Tire) chain.

## External links

- [Universal Cooperatives web site](http://www.ucoop.com/)

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