January-February 2026
I want to start off by wishing everyone a happy New Year. This is a big year for Cooperative Living, as it marks our 80th year as a publication highlighting our communities and providing our readers with information they need about how our cooperatives serve more than 2 million people in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
The first issue debuted as Rural Virginia in October 1946. Since then, it has grown from a black-and-white newspaper to the largest magazine of its kind with more than 600,000 readers on print and digital platforms. Over the next eight issues, we are going to share some highlights from each decade, culminating in a cover story in October. This month we look at its first decade, from 1946 to 1956.
In many ways, 2026 is also the year that will propel our cooperatives into an uncertain and complex future as we grapple with new challenges. This includes the increase of electricity needed for data centers that power our AI-driven, web-based economy, to emerging technologies and policy discussions that will impact how we deliver reliable and affordable power to all of the homes, farms and businesses that depend on electric cooperatives to keep the lights on.
In this issue, we kickoff a series of articles to unwind the complex web of issues that influence the operation of our power grid. With difficult decisions facing our industry and co-ops as we adapt to the increasing demands of modern life, Cooperative Living in 2026 will remain a reliable, entertaining and trustworthy source for information about our rural communities and members, as it has been for the past 80 years
Brian S. Mosier, President & CEO
Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives