Cooperative bargaining; selections from the Proceedings of the National Conferences of Agricultural Bargaining Cooperatives.

"Selected articles on bargaining from proceedings of the first 14 conferences."

Factors influencing the success of animal husbandry cooperatives: A case study in Southwest Iran

This survey study aimed at identifying the factors influencing the success of animal husbandry cooperatives in Southwest Iran. Using a questionnaire, the data were collected from 95 managing directors of the cooperatives who were chosen through a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. This study showed an essential need for a systemic framework to analyze the cooperatives’ success. The results showed that the “Honey Bee”, “Cattle (dairy)”, and “Lamb” cooperatives were the most successful among different kinds of the cooperatives. Also, among individual attributes, “interest”, “technical knowledge”, and “understanding the concept of cooperative”; among economic variables, “income” and “current investment”; and among external factors, “market access” have significant correlation with the success while structural variables have no significant relation. Furthermore, among all the factors, four variables (“interest”, “understanding the concept of cooperative”, “market access”, and “other incomes”) can explain the variations of the success.

NEW ROLE OF COOPERATIVES IN ETHIOPIA: THE CASE OF ETHIOPIAN COFFEE FARMERS COOPERATIVES

Since 1991, policies of economic liberalization in Ethiopia have been effective in releasing the economy from rigid state control. At the same time, they have also exposed Ethiopian people to domestic and international free market competition. In African countries, the retreat of governments from rural development due to economic liberalization policies has led to the re-evaluation of the role of cooperatives. Since 1999, in Ethiopia, several coffee farmers cooperative unions have been established to support peasants who are handicapped by their lack of negotiating power in the global economy. Coffee cooperatives have become market-oriented and are now relatively democratic compared to the former Marxist cooperatives of the previous regime. Thus far, these coffee cooperatives have provided higher profits to coffee farmers than have private traders. The actual volume of purchase, however, is limited　due to financial constraints. Because of this, the majority of cooperatives continues to rely on conventional marketing channels rather than on unions. Considering their weak financial condition, it is too early to judge the sustainability of the cooperatives because international prices have been high recently, and it is not yet clear how they would survive a downward international price trend.

Study of packing lines for stone fruits and citrus using two instrumented spheres in some cooperatives in the region of Murcia (Spain).

Two instrumented spheres IS 100 were used to evaluate the quality of post-harvest operations. Results obtained from measurements made with both IS (8.8 cm 0 and 6.2 cm 0) show significant differences. Both IS measure the same values of the same variables for soft materials, but not for hard surfaces. Four packing lines belonging to different cooperatives of the region of Murcia (two for stone fruits and two for citrus) were tested. IS values obtained in transfers belonging to the tested lines lay well above 50 g's in most of them Much higher impact intensities are registered in citrus lines than in stone fruit packing lines. To study the incidence of a certain packing line on different products an interaction fruit-packing line test was perf01med. In all cases, more than 50% of fruits belonging to the post-handling sample showed some kind of damage. Bruises evolve after 48 hours storage at room temperature.

Foreign agricultural trade of the United States.

Mode of access: Internet.

U.S. foreign agricultural trade statistical report.

Mode of access: Internet.

Nebraska agricultural statistics /

Latest issue consulted: 1998-99.

Farmer cooperatives /

Issues prior to Jan. 1978 were classed: A 89.8:(v.nos. & nos.); issues for Jan. 1978-Sept. 1980 were classed: A 105.19:(v.nos.nos.)

Farm machinery operation : 14 selected cooperatives /

Mode of access: Internet.

FATUS : foreign agricultural trade of the United States.

Issued each year with 2 supplements: a calendar year supplement and a fiscal year supplement.

Proceedings of the National Conference of Bargaining Cooperatives.

Mode of access: Internet.

Illinois agricultural statistics /

Latest issue consulted: 2004.

Illinois agricultural statistics : livestock and poultry by counties, ten years ending January 1, 1975 /

Chiefly tables.

Measurement of U.S. agricultural productivity : a review of current statistics and proposals for change.

Issued Feb. 1980.

Eastern Europe agricultural situation; review and outlook.

Mode of access: Internet.