2024 Member Spotlight: GENEX
Oct 22, 2024
GENEX is a cooperative within URUS Group dedicated to cattle genetics. GENEX is the cooperative of choice for dairy and beef farmers in the US and around the world for cattle reproduction and genetics. For generations, it has been helping farmers become more productive and sustainable. As a cooperative, it values sharing its expertise with emerging farmer-owned cooperatives through the USAID Cooperative Development Program (CDP).
Empowering Growth in Peru: Celebrating the Impact of the Cooperative Development Program
In 2019, the URUS Global Development Department embarked on an exciting journey in Peru, launching the GENEX Cooperative Development Program (CDP). Funded by USAID, this initiative was not just about introducing new practices but about transforming lives and communities in regions that had long been overlooked.
When we first set foot in Huánuco, San Martin, and Pasco, we knew we were entering unfamiliar territory. These rapidly growing areas of Peru, both in the number of people and cows, stretch from the very high-altitude regions of the Andes, where cows graze at over 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) above sea level, to the jungle forest of the Amazon, where cows graze on new tropical vegetation. The 21 farmer groups we partnered with were loosely organized cooperatives and associations struggling with governance and lacking clear business plans for sustainable growth.
Where others saw obstacles, we saw opportunities. With 15 years of experience in CDP programs, our team understood the challenges local farmers faced, such as low genetic quality, most of the cows being local “criollo” with limited potential for milk production; low or no uptake of artificial insemination (AI), along with lack of access to the service and product; and poor management, including feed and health practices. Our team worked tirelessly to improve cattle genetics, teaching and guiding AI practices to boost milk production. The results have been nothing short of remarkable. AI usage skyrocketed from just 10 units per month to over 400, a testament to the commitment and hard work of the farmers and our team.
Beyond genetics, we also focused on soil health. By adopting AgSource’s soil analysis and management practices, farmers saw significant improvements in pasture yields and quality—an essential step toward long-term sustainability.
As we closed this chapter of Peru CDP in August 2024, the impact on the 21 cooperatives and their members is clear. The aggregate annual sales of all the CDP cooperatives have soared from $5.5 million to over $8 million. Perhaps even more inspiring is the growth in member equity, which has risen from less than $20,000 in 2019 to over $2 million today. These numbers are more than just statistics—they reflect the resilience, dedication, and newfound prosperity of the farmers we’ve had the privilege to work with.
As the 21 cooperatives transition to a commercial relationship with Peru’s distributors of GENEX and Alta Genetics, we’re confident that the foundation we’ve helped build will continue to support their growth for years to come. The success of this program is a testament to what can be achieved when we combine our expertise with the strength of local communities, and it exemplifies the values that define us at URUS.
GENEX launches the Climate Smart Cattle Cooperatives activity in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria
This year, we started implementing a new 5-year CDP USAID-funded cooperative development activity in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria, which focuses on Strengthening Cooperatives to Support Climate-Smart Livestock Systems. Through a rigorous and transparent selection process, GENEX’s Climate Smart Cattle Cooperatives (CCC) activity identified 30 cooperative organizations in Kenya and Uganda that will be supported by the project to become profitable, professional, and climate-smart businesses over the project’s life—until September 2028.
Selected partner cooperatives are located predominantly in the South and West regions of Kenya and Uganda, respectively, and mainly focus on collecting and marketing milk from their individual members to local processors and traders.
In GENEX’s efforts and best practices to provide capacity strengthening packages that respond to the individual needs of each partner cooperative, CCC’s team of cooperative experts conducted cooperative performance assessments at all the 30 organizations, with the use of GENEX’s cooperative assessment tool.
Click below to continue reading about what they learned and the next steps for the CCC.
Transforming Dairy Farming in East Africa: URUS and the Future of Cattle Genetics – Global Development
URUS, in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, launched the Africa Dairy Genetics Multiplication Program in 2022 to enhance cattle genetics across East Africa. The program’s primary goal is to increase socio-economic benefits for smallholder farmers by improving animal productivity and reducing methane emissions per liter of milk produced, contributing positively to environmental sustainability.
Our key channel to reach smallholder farmers has been collaborating with various cooperative societies across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. In Uganda, we are engaged with nearly 100 cooperatives, reaching 4,900 farmers through our training programs. In Tanzania, URUS works with nine cooperatives, impacting 1,208 farmers. In Kenya, where the cooperative movement is more established, we have trained over 20,000 farmers across 30 dairy societies, many of which have memberships exceeding 1,000 farmers.
Click below to continue reading about their activities for success and what they learned.
About GENEX
GENEX continually strives to lead the way with science-based services and innovative excellence in animal genetics. GENEX livestock technologies are modernizing animal husbandry and growing the global food supply by nearly 3 million tons annually — feeding more people with fewer cows and less land.
In 2018, the GENEX cooperative became part of the company URUS, making it the world’s largest bovine company. URUS empowers producers through genetic progress, reproductive innovations, and actionable insights. The operating companies within URUS provide products and services for dairy and beef producers in varying climates with unique production goals and breeds. They are the top providers of cattle management software, dairy management reports, milk and soil testing, and calf care products.
Since the 1990s, GENEX has applied cooperative know-how, expertise, and technology to address livestock development challenges in emerging economies worldwide. As a cooperative of member farmers, cooperative development focused on cattle producers is at the core of what they do. Their cooperative development projects are focused on building business-minded cooperatives for sustainable, long-term success.
Genex’s typical development project approach includes the following components:
- Leadership and organizational capacity building, focused on business education, planning, and cooperative governance.
- Provision of farmer inputs (products and services) along with technical expertise.
- Agricultural training focused on cow reproduction, health, nutrition, and herd management.
- Market linkages and access to finance through partnerships with other organizations.
