Deep thinker? LOL Well I have been called worse,, so maybe accepting that title might be ok.

Well if it is a true cooperative and the board has done a good job of hiring management, the profits from the company should accrue to the members rather than a group of investment stockholders.

That is the whole benefit of a coop. The patrons are also the owners, so they benefit like owners instead of being only patrons of a privately owned business. If it is run poorly, the owners/patrons remuneration is poor and likely the coop needs not exist. But some coops are fun very well and all the profits that would have went to private owners of a business go instead to the patrons, because they are the owners.

Today's Ag is no different from yesterday's in that respect. It just depoends on if people want to be owners, or would rather do business with a private owner.

John