At GreenStone, everything we do boils down to our commitment to you — the people and rural communities we serve. As a member-owned cooperative, GreenStone’s success is directly tied to the success of its customers. For us, commitment to our members means standing alongside you year after year, through strong markets and challenging cycles alike. We strive to provide education, resources, and partnerships to help you plan, adapt, and achieve your goals. In 2025, we continued to invest in outreach and engagement efforts focused on supporting and strengthening rural communities, the agriculture and forestry industries, and the people who call Michigan and northeastern Wisconsin home for their families and farms.

CultivateGrowth: Investing in Our Future

Supporting and developing the next generation of operators is critical to securing a strong future for the agriculture and timber industries. We continued to prioritize investment in young, beginning, and small farmers (YBSF) through GreenStone’s own CultivateGrowth program. We remain committed to helping customers at all stages build strong foundations and navigate the challenges inherent in agriculture.

In 2025, GreenStone continued strengthening its partnership with Michigan Farm Bureau and Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s young farmer programming, providing education, leadership development, and networking opportunities that help producers grow through each stage of their operation.

We also maintained strong partnerships with Michigan State University Extension and the United States Department of Agriculture, among many others, sponsoring and helping launch new YBSF resources. These programs reflect our proactive efforts to equip farmers with trusted resources including practical tools and relevant education.

Among the CultivateGrowth program offerings was the launch of the next mentorship cohort, pairing experienced producers with emerging farmers to encourage knowledge sharing and long-term success, and GreenStone’s CultivateGrowth conference where attendees experienced the benefits of networking, education, and laughter together.

Directly supporting students pursuing agriculture education is another way GreenStone continues to support the future of the agriculture industry. In 2025, we awarded nearly $60,000 in scholarships to students pursuing careers in agriculture. This brings our total scholarship contributions since 2010 to more than $550,000.  

Strengthening Rural Communities Through All Cycles

Strong rural communities are essential to the success of our members, particularly during periods of change and challenging economic cycles. GreenStone’s commitment to rural resilience extends to every community where our members live, work, and play through education, engagement, and investment.

In 2025, GreenStone invested $1.5 million and provided more than 12,800 service hours with nearly 1,000 organizations that directly impact our members, from local fairs and festivals to producer education and professional development initiatives. Through support of efforts like Michigan’s Sportsmen Against Hunger, we reinforced our commitment to serving the food insecurity in our communities while supporting environmental conservation. In Wisconsin, through support of organizations like the Coleman Police Department and the Clintonville Fire Department, we help ensure first responders are prepared to serve our members.

Hosting construction seminars throughout our territory further provides rural residents, and those looking to relocate to the country, with an opportunity to learn about the construction loan process from our local GreenStone experts. Expanding the opportunity to both the spring and fall seasons in 2025 offered more opportunities for participation at times most appropriate to our members’ needs.

Continued Commitment to the Timber Industry

Like many other agricultural commodities, the timber industry’s distinct challenges, from shifting market demand to regulatory and environmental pressures and input cost disparities, emphasize the importance of our ongoing commitment. Supporting timber producers navigating the economic cycles comes in many facets, from investing in education, to collaboration and industry partnerships that promote long-term success.

In 2025, GreenStone’s annual timber forums provided attendees with industry and mill updates, equipment financing, transition and estate planning, audit preparation, and legislative updates.

We also strengthened partnerships with industry organizations like the Michigan Association of Timbermen, the Forest Resources Association, and the Great Lakes Timber Producers Association. Our commitment to the future of the industry is further reflected through sponsorship of timber scholarships and active participation and sponsor at the Great Lakes Logging Expo.

A Long-Term Commitment to Resilience

GreenStone is a cooperative of more than 29,000 resilient member-owners. By remaining committed through every cycle, proactively investing in education and outreach, and supporting members with the tools they need to succeed, we continue to strengthen the communities we serve – the places we all call home.