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Cooperative Resources International (CRI), headquartered at Shawano, Wis., is a member-owned holding cooperative formed in 1993. At that time, it was the nation's first direct link between a dairy herd improvement (DHI) organization, Wisconsin Dairy Herd Improvement Cooperative (now AgSource Cooperative Services), and a provider of artificial insemination (AI) services, 21st Century Genetics (now Genex Cooperative, Inc.). Since its formation, CRI has undergone several changes. In January 1995, Noba, Inc., Tiffin, Ohio, a cattle breeding cooperative, became the third CRI subsidiary. Noba and 21st Century Genetics had been working together under a marketing agreement since late 1993. In July 1995, the AI partners of Federated Genetics, headquartered at Ithaca, N.Y., along with 21st Century and Noba, began representing each other in their respective marketing areas. Then, early in 1996, the members of CRI and Federated Genetics voted to have Federated become the fourth CRI subsidiary. Simultaneously, the delegates of the Federated partners voted to merge and change the name of their organization to Genex Cooperative, Inc. Genex became a part of CRI on April 1, 1996. On March 20, 1999, members of Central Livestock Association (CLA), a livestock marketing cooperative headquartered at South St. Paul, Minn., voted to join CRI as a subsidiary. Following a positive vote by CRI delegates, CLA became a CRI subsidiary April 1, 1999. At the same time, the CRI delegates voted to consolidate the three AI subsidiaries into a single organization to be called Genex Cooperative, Inc. Bringing Central Livestock into CRI expanded available services in both beef and dairy production that promise producers higher-yielding, more consumer-desired products. It provided a "one stop" opportunity for genetic inputs, feeder marketing and placement, access to management records, financing, slaughter marketing assistance and the recording of data for selection of the next generation. Services provided by the three CRI subsidiaries are crucial to the continuing profitability and competitive position of producer-members of each cooperative. Accurate production data of the highest integrity are essential for maximum genetic progress. Likewise, superior genetics are vital to overall herd improvement.