Unit III. Co-op ID Part A. Service Organizations 1. National 2. Commodity or Trade 3. State Institutes or Councils

1.National Cooperative Service Organizations a)NCFC = Nat’l Council of Farmer Cooperatives (1929) Members include most regional and state service co- ops Lobbying in Congress = main activity Monthly newsletter = “The Washington Cooperator” Facilitates communication among members Promotes cooperative education (e.g. conferences, publications) Mission = protect public policy environment for farmer-owned co-ops American Institute of Cooperation merged into NCFC, 1990

National Cooperative Service Organizations b)NCBA = Nat’l Co-op. Bus. Assoc. (1916) (= CLUSA = Co-op League of USA until 1985) Members include ag and consumer co-ops Activities include training, lobbying, education Promote co-ops as form of economic development (in lesser developed countries, inner cities, rural areas, etc.) The only national organization for all co-ops (consumer, producer, worker, housing, memorial societies, preschools, etc.)

Putting co-ops on the cutting edge In 2000, NCBA brought co-ops to the cutting edge of technology by successfully lobbying the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to create a new top-level Internet domain-.coop- exclusively for cooperatives. The new.coop joins.com and.org at the end of web and addresses. One of only seven new domains approved,.coop distinguishes cooperatives from investor-owned businesses and charitable organizations on the worldwide web. The.coop registry, launched in January 2002 has registered more than 6,000.coop Internet addresses.

2.Commodity or Trade Co-ops CUNA=Credit Union Nat’l Assoc. NRECA=Nat’l Rural Elect. Co-op Assoc. NMPF=Nat’l Milk Producers Fed. NLPF=Nat’l Livestock Producers Fed. NFGC=Nat’l Fed. Of Grain Co-ops NTCA=Nat’l Teleph. Co-op Assoc.

3.State Institutes or Councils (co-ops) Known as the IA Institute of Cooperation until Jan Nearly 300 members (200 local mktg and supply, 45 rural telephone, 40 RECs, consumer co-ops, few regionals) Headquarters at 2515 Elwood Dr., Ames 5 staff members 27 Member Board 12 co-op mgrs (1 from ea. of 12 districts) 12 co-op board members (1 from ea. of 12 districts) 3 regional co-op reps officers = farmers Funding 60% membership fees 40% program revenues e.g. IA Institute for Cooperatives (1952)

Activities of the Iowa Institute for Cooperatives 1. Legislative (lobbying) 2. Educational 3. Co-op development and assistance