Barry Squires, a longtime producer and board member, recently sat down with Carli Davenport, associate farm reporter, to discuss his agricultural background, the value of cooperatives, and the challenges farmers face today. Squires is affiliated with Farmers Co‑Op Mill & Elevator and also serves on the board of the AFR, bringing both on-the-ground and leadership perspectives to the conversation.
Squires began by outlining his roots in agriculture, noting that his background is firmly tied to western Oklahoma. “I was raised on a multigenerational farm at Alfalfa, Oklahoma,” he explained, adding that the family operation was originally built around quota peanuts. After the peanut program ended in the 1990s, Squires said, “we transitioned to irrigated corn, cotton, and increased our cattle footprint,” reflecting broader shifts many producers in the region experienced.
When asked about the role of the cooperative in daily farming operations, Squires emphasized just how essential it is. “In the Carnegie area, our cooperative is everything because it’s diverse,” he said. He detailed how the co-op supports producers through fuel delivery, tire services, fertilizer sales and application, seed access, and grain handling. According to Squires, “whatever the economics are in our operation, whatever paths we go, our cooperative is there from start to finish.”
Squires also spoke candidly about the financial pressures facing farmers today. “We’ve never seen in my 30 years in agriculture such poor numbers,” he said, pointing to rising production costs that outpace market prices. He explained that even strong yields often aren’t enough, noting that many producers are “having to go back into their equity to be able to sustain the total operation.” While cooperatives help where they can, Squires acknowledged that “for a cooperative to be successful, it has to operate with a margin,” even when members are struggling.
Looking ahead, Squires said cooperatives have already changed significantly and will likely continue to do so. “Most cooperatives over the years have narrowed their scope in areas of business that they can be successful,” he said. While he praised the diversity of the Carnegie cooperative, he admitted it is “a tough hill to climb.” In the future, Squires believes specialization will be key, concluding, “If you’re not profitable and you’re not efficient, you’re not going to be successful.”
