Sharing the umbrella: state co-op councils broaden base to serve consolidating co-op sectors Pamela J. Karg Editor’s note: Karg is a freelance journalist based in Baraboo, Wis., with more than 20 years experience writing about cooperatives. It started as a way to tackle issues swirling around deregulation of the electric industry. But the effort led […]
Category: Rural Cooperatives
Farmer-owned ethanol and the role of information technology Anthony Crooks Anthony Crooks and John Dunn, Agricultural Economists USDA Rural Development Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part article looking at the impact evolving information technology is having on the nation’s rapidly expanding ethanol industry. In part two, we will take a closer look […]
Locals gain by diversifying: from funeral homes to pizza parlors, Southwest co-ops find ways to boost earnings Lynette Cockerell Editor’s note: This article is reprinted from the Summer 2001 issue of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association’s (PCCA) “Commentator” member magazine. As the climate in the agribusiness world becomes exceedingly competitive, local cooperatives are discovering new and […]
Rhode Island dairy co-op launches own milk brand – Brief Article Patrick Duffey The Rhode Island Dairy Farms cooperative, formed two years ago, is introducing its own brand of homegrown branded milk “Proud Cow of Rhode Island” on grocery shelves this summer. Its initial production of 3,000 pounds of milk has now more than doubled. […]
USDA plays active role in farmland protection – United States Department of Agriculture The U.S. Department of Agriculture, through its Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is an active partner with America’s farmers and ranchers in helping to protect agricultural land. One way it accomplishes this is with the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP), […]
Turning problems into profits: alpaca co-op survives early dissension to build domestic fiber & products market Bruce J. Reynolds Raising alpacas is a relatively new industry in North America, the animals having been first imported into the United States in 1984 from South America. But the new industry is catching on, with the help of […]
Eggstravaganza in Minnesota – Brief Article – Statistical Data Included The tanker truckloads of liquid eggs being shipped from Golden Oval Eggs to the fast food market, the baking industry and companies that make processed eggs for grocery stores might be termed an “eggstravaganza.” But it’s routine business for the new-generation egg cooperative formed at […]
Co-op directors held to high standards – Management Tip James Baarda Editor’s note: In the last issue we examined the circle of seven responsibilities that all directors have. This second article in a series of three discusses standards of conduct applied to directors and the sources of legal liability imposed on directors when they don’t […]
UK merger would create world’s largest consumer co-op The boards of the Co-operative Group and United Co-operatives have agreed to recommend to their members that approval be given to a merger of their two societies. If approved, the new co-op would begin operations in late July and would be the world’s largest consumer co-op, with […]
Farmland tops Co-op 100 list – Newsline – National Cooperative Bank issues lists of best performing co-ops in 2001 – Brief Article Patrick Duffey Farmland Industries, with revenue of $11.8 billion, was the nation’s largest cooperative in 2001, according the annual Co-op 100 report issued by the National Cooperative Bank (NCB), Washington, D.C. Farmland, which […]