Picture this: In the green farmland of Wisconsin, hope is growing. In this rural corner of the state where family farms are facing hard times, one group of dairy farmers has united to start their own cooperative, Scenic Central. By becoming a member of the co-op and pooling their production, farmers can negotiate better prices for the milk they work so hard to provide. They can also help supply local cheese factories, which promotes better economic opportunities for the whole region.

The co-op began just a few years ago with 19 members, with the help of a non-profit organization called Family Farm Defenders. Today, Scenic Central has grown to more than 200 farmers.

Earning a little more for their milk helps to ease the strain on families struggling to pay their bills and keep their farms. But even more important, these families have found a new confidence and optimism for their future — and their children’s. Today, one in ten families in America lives in poverty; 37 million of us. But uniting together behind a fresh idea can change the landscape.