M A N A G E M E N T T I P
How does your local farm supply cooperative rate?
Beverly L. Rotan
Economist, USDAIRBS-Cooperative Service
ow did your cooperative compare with cooperatives with similar functions this past year? Was your co-op's performance higher, lower or about the same as the average of a cross section of local farm cooperatives with similar factors-sales,product mix, etc. Comparisons with other cooperatives may help to determine whether your cooperative is doing well or poorly. These include trend and industry norm comparisons.
The two tables below contain average financial data compiled from a survey of 331 cooperatives for both years, 1999 and 2000. Fill in the blanks and compare these benchmarks with your cooperative's financial data. How's your cooperative doing?
