Overconfidence and Hubris: The Demise of Agricultural Co-operatives in Western Canada

Murray Fulton and Kathy A. Larson

Journal of Rural Cooperation, 2009, vol. 37, issue 2, 35

Abstract: The last two decades have seen major changes to the agricultural landscape in Canada and with them major changes to the co-operative sector. The grain handling co-operatives in Western Canada have disappeared, as have their counterparts in the dairy and poultry sectors. Outside of Western Canada, and particularly in Québec, co-ops in the latter sectors have remained successful, while rural retail and farm input co-operatives continue to thrive in all parts of the country. The purpose of this paper is to trace the changes that have occurred in the rural co-operative sector in Canada over the last 10-15 years. Particular attention is paid to the large agricultural co-operatives in Western Canada, since their decline has been particularly acute. It is argued that the overconfidence and hubris of co-op management were major contributing factors to the conversion of these co-ops to IOFs.

Keywords: Agribusiness; Community/Rural/Urban Development; International Relations/Trade (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:jlorco:163812

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.163812

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