Duration: 10/01/2008 to 09/30/2013

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

Statement of Issues and Justification

Justification: Agriculture continues to change rapidly, creating challenges for farmers and residents of rural communities. Farm and population numbers are falling in rural America and concentration in all sub-sectors of agriculture is increasing. Cooperatives are an important means by which producers can remain competitive in an increasingly industrialized agricultural economy. In addition to their traditional role in providing agricultural inputs, marketing agricultural products and coordinating farm production activities, new cooperative allow producers to participate in value-added processing. Because they allow producers to maintain ownership and a voice in the decision-making process, effectively managed cooperatives provide a way for improving the profitability, viability and diversification of family-owned farming operations.

Together with the decline in farm numbers and rural population, there has been a loss of business in rural communities. This was identified as major obstacle to rural development when this committee was organized in 1998, and it remains an important issue today. Agricultural cooperatives are key contributors to the economic base of rural communities. Cooperatively organized businesses that provide credit, utilities and other services are important components of the rural infrastructure. Recent developments such as cooperatively organized ambulance services and road maintenance services demonstrate the potential for applying the cooperative business model to the infrastructure challenges of rural communities.

Across the United States and Canada, many university and government researchers have a primary or secondary focus on cooperatives. Recent attendance at NCERA-194 annual meetings has ranged between 45-50 individuals representing land grant university specialists, industry representatives from CHS, Inc., Land OLakes, CoBank, and other national cooperatives, local cooperative managers and directors, cooperative industry associations and representation from the government sector. Recent meetings have also included university faculty from western Canadian provinces, providing international linkages in todays global market place. Additionally, one of our members, serves on the board of directors for CoBank NCERA-194 conducted an email survey in 2006 to updated its listserv. Seventy one individuals indicated that they were actively involved in cooperative activities and wished to remain on the information list. These participants included 51 university personnel representing 33 states, 5 industry representatives and two representatives of cooperative industry associations. Over half of the university personnel who responded to the email survey indicated that they were involved in collaborative activities that crossed state and regional boundaries, both formal and informal.

The establishment of NCERA 194 has greatly facilitated collaborative research amongst NCERA 194 members. NCERA-194 members have collaborated in a national study of the economic impact of the cooperative business sector, a cooperative text book, board of director educational material, international cooperative study tours, case studies of successful value added cooperative and many other multi-state research projects. . New collaborative projects continue to be developed.

NCERA-194 members also have good working relationships with cooperatives, a fact that enhances the relevance and the quick dissemination and application of their work. Three successful annual meetings have now been held where members shared research results through selected paper presentations. All of the annual meetings were deliberately planned to coincide with annual Farmer Cooperatives meetings, so as to facilitate interaction among researchers and individuals from industry. These meetings average more than 150 managers, directors, and service providers each year and represent a valuable forum for faculty to interact with industry. Many NCERA 194 members serve on the planning activity for this program. These meetings have been considered of utmost benefit for both industry representatives and researchers. Members are also making use of the NCERA 194 web page and the list serve to communicate with each other. Members are actively communicating the results of their research beyond the committee. NCERA 194 members presented cooperative-related research results at over 40 professional meetings and over 50 extension presentations.

Objectives

Procedures and Activities

(1) The overall outcomes include the development and participation in multi-state, multi-region research projects including cooperative USDA agreements, publication of journal articles, professional papers and other publications, development and participation in organized symposia at professional meetings and the use of other professional meetings, extension presentations and industry meetings to disseminate research findings.

(2) The organization and implementation of an annual two-day forum at which participants from academics, upper and middle management personnel from cooperatives, directors from cooperatives, and cooperative researchers in government focus on ongoing research on cooperatives, identify research issues, and organize research teams among the participants.


(3) Continued involvement of agricultural economists, rural sociologists, and faculty from business schools in cooperative issues, development, and problems  as evidenced by their participation in annual forums, communication posted on the NCERA-194 web page and list serve, and participation in cooperative research projects.

(4) Maintain the NCERA 194 web page
http://www.agecon.ksu.edu/accc/ncr194/default.htm
that serves as an important vehicle for communication among the members and to industry. Continue to disseminate NCERA-194 information through the web site including selected papers presented at NCERA-194 annual forums, other committee publications, a calendar of committee events, and educational programs. The website will also provide current committee member research interests, ongoing research projects, and links to other research groups.

(5) Outcomes from coordination with other national research projects, industry conferences and complementary groups will include the development and participation in organized symposia at the American Agricultural Economics Association annual meetings and other professional meetings, sharing of information through web-pages and list servers, presentation of NCERA-194 research at industry meetings and development of educational conferences co-sponsored by NCERA-194 members and industry partners.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

Projected Participation

View Appendix E: Participation

Educational Plan

One of the primary objectives of the committee is to disseminate new and existing information to academic professionals and industry managers who work with cooperatively owned businesses. Information generated by the committee, including research papers presented at the annual meeting is made available as published proceedings and is available on the NCR-194 web site. All of the grant proposals, and collaborative research projects supported by the committee to-date, have contained a strong educational component. The NCR-194 annual meetings are deliberately planned to coincide with annual Farmer Cooperatives industry conference, so as to facilitate interaction among researchers and individuals from industry. NCR 194 members present cooperative-related research results at professional meetings and extension presentations.

Organization/Governance

Governance:
In accordance with the recommended standard governance for multistate coordinating committees for education/extension and research activities a Chair, a Chair-elect, and a Secretary are elected at the annual meeting. All officers are elected for at least two-year terms to provide continuity. Administrative guidance will be provided by an assigned Administrative Advisor and a CSREES Representative.

Literature Cited

Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

CA, CO, IA, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, SD, TX, VA, WI

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

North Dakota State University, Southwest Minnesota State University, USDA/ACS