New Generation Co-Operatives (NGCs) have become an increasingly popular method for agricultural producers in the United States to capture a share of the downstream rents created by the processing of their agricultural commodities. NGC development has been rapid in the states of Minnesota and North Dakota, but in the neighbouring Canadian province of Manitoba, there are almost no NGCs. After providing a background on NGCs and their unique characteristics, this paper discusses five hypotheses for the comparatively low NGC adoption rates in Manitoba compared to its neighbouring states. Higher farm income levels, better availability of development assistance, and a more favourable regulatory framework are identified as reasons why there are many more NGCs in Minnesota and North Dakota than Manitoba.