Additional Cooperative Information

  • Organizations Serving Cooperatives
    • http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/cir1sec5.pdf
      • This report gives a capsulized description of the various national and State trade and service organizations and how each serves in assisting cooperatives. It also discusses the role of general farm organizations and Federal Government agencies within the U.S. Department of Agriculture such as the Rural Business - Cooperative Service.
      • CIR 1 Section 5 . 38 pgs. Revised 1997. Galen W. Rapp,
      • Library ID Number: 2700
  • The Future of US Agricultural Cooperatives: A Neo Institutional Approach
    • http://web.missouri.edu/~cookml/CV/AJAE.PDF
      • Thirty years ago Helmberger speculated that industrialization of agriculture would lead to the demise of farmer cooperatives (Helmberger 1966, pg 1434). In responding to Helmberger’s prediction, Abrahamsen countered by suggesting that as industrialization of agriculture evolved, cooperatives would increasingly become the “farmer’s integrating agency” (Abrahamsen, p. 1442). In this paper I examine these two divergent opinions by (a) briefly describing the structural and strategic evolution of US farmer cooperatives since the Helmberger and Abrahamsen (H&A) forecasts, (b) utilizing recent developments in neo-institutional economic (organizational economic) theory to generate hypotheses regarding structural and strategic shifts in US agricultural cooperatives, and (c) further applying neo-institutional economics to speculate what the future might hold for US producer-owned and controlled agricultural cooperatives.
      • Michael L. Cook
      • Library ID Number: 4037
  • Problems and Issues Facing Farmer Cooperatives
    • http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/RR192.pdf
      • Cooperative management mentioned low commodity prices, the agricultural economy, operational issues, and increasing costs as the major problems facing their cooperatives over the past year and that they will continue to face in the near future. These were some of the findings from two questions included in the 2000 survey of farmer cooperatives. Problems identified by cooperative management were classified into 17 problem sets. The responses were analyzed for both the past year and the near future (next 1-2 years) for all cooperatives, by type and size and by region of the country.
      • September 2002
      • Library ID Number: 6514
  • Strengthening Ethics Within Agricultural Cooperatives
    • http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/rr151.pdf
      • This study discusses ethical concepts, problems and possible solution to the perceived decline of ethics in farmer cooperatives. Cooperatives are challenged to distinguish themselves from other organizations and to strengthen their competitive advantages by being leaders in developing and emphasizing ethical business behavior. The report presents a step-by-step procedure for leaders to use in maintaining and improving the ethical conduct of their cooperatives.
      • Research Report 151. 52 pgs. 1997. Paul Lasley, Phillip Baumel, Ronald Deiter, and Pat Hipple.
      • Library ID Number: 2768
  • Response of Cooperative Elevators to Changes in Government Policies
    • http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/rr153.pdf
      • The impact of reduced Government storage payments from 1988 to 1992 on the excess storage capacity and structure and operations of 71 cooperatives in seven States are reviewed. The effect of other Government programs such as Payment-in-Kind, grain sales, and the Conservation Reserve Program are also considered along with financial impact on the cooperatives. The changes resulted in mergers, acquiring additional or eliminating some storage capacity, and increased rail-loading capacity.
      • Research Report 153. 21 pgs. 1997. Larry Stearns, David W. Cobia and Marc Warman.
      • Library ID Number: 2584