Lakeland Cooperative

Ridgeland Chetek Cooperative began in 1931 under the supervision of the Farmers Union Central Exchange, The Farmers Union Oil Company. The Cooperative was under the general supervision of the Central Exchange. A few years later the Board of Directors felt they had little to say about policies and as a result of this, a separate local cooperative was formed in 1935.
By 1936 the cooperative owned pumps at seven locations throughout the trade area. They soon added machinery and electrical appliances to their line of merchandise. The year 1940 brought the opening of a modern service station that provided additional room for an office and a hardware store.  In 1945 the name of the company was changed from Farmers Union Oil Company to Ridgeland Farmers Union Cooperative because of additional services that we offered. In 1985 the property and assets of Sand Creek Cooperative were purchased, in 1989 the Amundson bulk plant, and in 1997 the properties of Luer’s Service Station and Lewies Cash Store were acquired. That company name was changed again in 1993 when the Ridgeland and the Chetek Cooperative consolidated and was then called Ridgeland Chetek Cooperative.

Rice Lake Farmer Union was part of Barron Farmers Union in 1929 and became independent co-op in 1960.  The trades were mainly Barron, Washburn, Sawyer and Rusk counties. 

On March 1, 2008 Ridgeland Chetek Cooperative merged with Rice Lake Farmers Union to establish Lakeland Cooperative Services.