Blake Ellis/The Independent

“In uncharted waters they took a chance,” said Plympton-Wyoming Mayor Gary Atkinson.

That as the Wanstead Farmers Co-op celebrated its 100th anniversary on Saturday with a party. A crowd, which included Wanstead Farmers Co-op members, staff and members of the public, gathered at its Wanstead site to mark the occasion with music, food and fellowship.

The co-op was first established in 1924, led by the co-op’s first president, Orville Ramsay and the board of directors.

It is no secret that agriculture is the top industry in Plympton-Wyoming and at the same time, the Wanstead Farmers Co-op is the leading agricultural supplier in the area.

The process to form the cooperative began on Jan. 24, 1924 when a meeting was held at the home of Edwin Morris on the Main Street of Wanstead. The organization was then officially established a short time later on April 7, 1924.

The Wanstead Farmers Co-op has come a long way since that kitchen table meeting, said Board President Garry Straatman, mentioning that the organization has been through some hardship throughout the years. The most notable was a 1954 fire, which ripped through the Wanstead site. The organization rebuilt and carried on.

From the original 18 members who established the cooperative in 1924, there are now over 500 members with three locations, Wanstead, Alvinston and Inwood. Sales were $90 million in 2023.
Brooke-Alvinston Deputy Mayor Frank Nemcek was appreciative of the trust and faith the co-op has had in his community, where the organization has invested millions of dollars and has become one of the community’s biggest employers.

To commemorate this success, those in attendance were treated to a beef dinner and were entertained by the country/rock group, The Inside Out Band.

Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu touted the resilience and cooperation of the Wanstead Farmers Co-op, saying whatever challenge confronts the organization, it will continue to prosper.

Wanstead Co-op General Manager Peter Kelly made sure to emphasize the cooperative model telling the members, “You folks are in charge, it is your company. I know the next 100 years are going to be very successful as well.” Kelly says.