Farm Supply Cooperatives: Structure, Operations, and Growth in the Midsouth

Lloyd C. Biser

No 312990, Research Reports from United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development

Abstract: Supply sales of Midsouth cooperatives grew at an annual rate of 43 percent from 1951 to 1983. This rate of growth was unequaled by supply cooperatives in any other region of the United States. Total cooperative sales of 300 member locals reached $1.1 billion in 1983. Supply sales in the five-State area averaged 13 percent of farm production expenditures in 1973 and 22 percent in 1983. Outside factors had only limited effect on cooperative growth. Regionals operated generally free of cooperative competition and serve member locals in a State area. Cooperative management practices and teamwork contributed most to faster growth: Regional managers, dedicated to serving farmers first, developed and coordinated teamwork between regional and local operations; local support and commitment encouraged cooperative employees to help each other help the farmer.

Keywords: Industrial Organization; Labor and Human Capital; Marketing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30
Date: 1985-08
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:urdbrr:312990

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.312990

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