– Every Farmer has a Mike Partin –
Electrifying the cooperative spirit
National leader Mike Partin highlights the Co-op difference
Story by Page Haynes Photos by Amanda Fann, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative
– Every Farmer has a Story with Mike Partin –
Electrifying the cooperative spirit
National leader Mike Partin highlights the Co-op difference
Story by Page Haynes Photos by Amanda Fann, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative
October is National Co-op Month, and few people understand the importance of cooperatives better than Mike Partin of Pelham in Grundy County. Mike is chief executive officer of Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative and president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), a Washington, D.C.–based trade association representing 900 electric cooperatives and 42 million consumers across 48 states. He is also a dedicated Co-op customer and a sixth-generation cattle farmer.
“A co-op touches every sector of my life,” says Mike. “Cooperatives plow their profits back into the system to make it better for their members. They are member-owned, member-driven, and member-focused. Our boards of directors are elected from the membership. It’s not about profits; it’s about people. That’s what makes us different from investor-owned businesses.”
As more people move into rural America and Tennessee, Mike says they soon discover the difference cooperatives make.
“The board elected by local folks understands the community, and they’re connected,” he says. “That helps them chart the course for the co-op’s direction because they’re not on the board for a profit. They’re serving because they want to make a difference in their community.”
That philosophy applies equally to farmer cooperatives. Member Co-ops are member-owned, nonprofit farm supply businesses that return profits to members through patronage refunds based on their purchases. While anyone can shop at a Co-op, only members receive refunds.
Mike says personal relationships and local problem-solving are among the cooperative model’s greatest strengths. He relies on Coffee Farmers Co-op for farm inputs and considers co-ops “solutions providers,” not simply sellers of products.
“When I talk to Adam Trail, general manager of Coffee Farmers Co-op, I ask him, “What would you do? What are you seeing in the business? What should I do to make my farm more profitable?”
He also values the personal service he receives.
“It’s not about profits; it’s about people. Co-ops are solution providers rather than commodity sellers.” — Mike Partin
“As far as shopping at Coffee Farmers Cooperative, I know everyone in the store,” Mike says. “If I call and need a load of feed, they know exactly where it’s going. If I need 300 acres of fertilizer spread, they know where to take it. I don’t have to talk to a switchboard operator somewhere; everyone there has my cell phone number, and I have theirs. That personal connection separates Co-ops from big box stores.”
Cooperatives also give back to their communities. Mike points to the electric co-ops’ SVE Cares roundup program, which channels member donations to local nonprofits. Tennessee Farmers Cooperative (TFC) member Co-ops similarly support community needs through programs such as Round N’ Raise and the TFC Foundation.
The Tennessee Council of Cooperatives (TCC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the cooperative business model, recognized Mike’s contributions this year. In February, the TCC board named him its 2026 honoree at the Young Leaders Conference, held jointly with Tennessee Young Farmers & Ranchers.
“Mike Partin is a committed champion of the cooperative model, rural development, and expanded broadband access, believing rural communities deserve the same opportunities as urban areas,” said TCC President Mary Beth Shackelford. In his honor, TCC presented a $1,000 donation to Ag in the Classroom.
Despite his national leadership role, Mike remains firmly rooted in agriculture. His family settled the Bells Cove community near Pelham in Grundy County around 1818, and the farm has remained in continuous operation for six generations. Today, Mike and his 82-year-old father, Quentin, manage a cow-calf operation of primarily black cattle. His daughters represent the seventh generation.
Mike purchases feed, fertilizer, minerals, and vaccines through Coffee Farmers Co-op and sells beef directly to customers, including halves and whole animals in partnership with McBride Meats, which buys back many of their calves.
His work with NRECA takes him across the country to advocate for rural electric consumers and cooperatives, addressing issues ranging from FEMA and permitting reform to regulation, nuclear energy, data centers, and AI. Yet no matter how busy his schedule becomes, the farm remains his favorite place.
“There’s no sweeter, more relaxing sound than that of a cow picking fresh, green grass when you’re coming from somewhere like Washington, D.C.,” Mike says. “I enjoy going out on my side-by-side in the evenings and just riding out in the fields checking cows and watching the sun set.”
Even when national responsibilities require long days and frequent travel, Mike finds time to farm — sometimes cutting hay at midnight. In doing so, he embodies the cooperative spirit he champions: serving others while staying connected to the rural communities, agriculture, and people who matter most.
Mike Partin of Grundy County is the chief executive officer of Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative and president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He is also a dedicated customer of Coffee Farmers Cooperative and a sixth-generation cattle farmer. Mike believes personal relationships and local problem-solving are among the cooperative model’s greatest strengths.
By Page Haynes,
Contact phaynes@ourcoop.com