Getting Involved: What Makes Co-op Members Join In?
USDA study of North Central dairy farmers indicates several characteristics, from board satisfaction to farm size, contribute to participation
Thomas W. Gray and Charles A. Kraenzle
USDA Rural Development
Editor's note: Gray is a rural sociologist in the education and member relations program area of USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS). Kraenzle is director of the statistics staff of USDA/RBS.
What influences a
farmer to participate in his or her cooperative? Are there certain
characteristics that can be identified that explain farmers' participation?
These were objectives of a USDA study of 1,156 dairy-farmer members in the North
Central states. All were members of the same cooperative.
Members may participate in
cooperatives in a variety of ways. Some limit their participation to economic
patronage while others: 1) attend meetings; 2) serve on committees, 3) serve as
elected officers, and/or 4) recruit other members. For this study, these latter
four methods of participation were identified for measurement with member
characteristics.
Member characteristics included
beliefs concerning cooperative principles, collective action and individual
member identities associated with cooperative membership. They also included
life satisfaction with farming, member satisfaction with the cooperative
operations and representation, member influence on cooperative decision making
and equitable treatment among members. Demographic characteristics of members
and measures of farm size and farm type were also included.
Attendance at meetings was found to
be positively related to eight member characteristics. In other words, the
greater the measured value of these characteristics, and the more intense the
belief, the more likely a member's attendance at cooperative meetings. These
characteristics included: 1) percent of gross farm sales from the sale of milk;
2) gross farm sales; 3) size of milking herd; 4) belief in cooperative
ownership; 5) belief that co-ops should practice one person, one vote; 6) belief
that co-ops should support education for their members and the public; 7)
satisfaction with farming as a way of life; and 8) satisfaction with their
district director.
Three characteristics - 1) spouse
employment off-farm; 2) belief that members have too much say about how the
cooperative is run; and 3) belief that the cooperative primarily benefits small
farms - were found to have a negative impact on attendance at board meetings.
The greater the measured value or frequency of these characteristics and/or the
more intense the belief, the less likely a member was to attend cooperative
meetings.
Serving on committees positively
related to five characteristics. These include: 1) gross farm sales; 2) hired
more than half of the farm labor; 3) belief that co-ops should work with other
co-ops; 4) belief that members receive benefits from doing business the
cooperative way; and 5) satisfaction with their cooperative board of directors.
These members tended to operate larger farms, were stronger in some of their
cooperative beliefs and were more satisfied with their board than members not
serving on committees.
Service in elected office was
positively related to: 1) gross farm sales; 2) size of milking herd; 3) belief
that co-ops should practice one person, one vote; 4) belief that co-ops should
work with other co-ops; 5) belief in co-op ownership; and 6) satisfaction with
their co-op board of directors. Again, the greater the measured value of these
characteristics, and the more intense the belief, the more likely a member was
to serve in an elected office.
The belief that an individual farmer
can usually make better marketing decisions than a group of farmers or agency was negatively related to service in an
elected office. These members were less likely to serve as elected
co-op officers. Recruitment of other farmers into the co-op was positively
related to size of milking herd and to the belief that belonging to the co-op
is an important part of their identity as a farmer. Consequently, members
with larger cow herds and/or a strong belief in belonging to the cooperative
were more likely to recruit others to join the cooperative. Members who more
intensely believed that the cooperative primarily benefits large farms were
less likely to recruit others.
A size bias was found in the study. Members from larger farms were more
involved in the co-op. Members from smaller farms were less satisfied and had
less time available to participate. The study also revealed the importance that
participation plays in validating or developing farmer understanding and
appreciation of cooperative organization. Cooperatives may seek to improve the
responsiveness of their organizations by being sensitive to and making
accommodations for greater involvement of members from smaller farms.
Given greater involvement, the co-op and its members may begin to identify
ways of improving the satisfaction of these farmers and strengthening the
cooperative itself. Study results suggest emphasizing cooperative principles,
the benefits of cooperation, and the importance of participation as a possible
place to start.
Study results also demonstrate the relevance and continuing
importance of cooperative principles, beliefs in collective action and member
identification with cooperative organization and action.
Findings of the study are published in the report,
Member
Participation in Agricultural Cooperatives: A Regression and Scale Analysis, RBS
Research Report 165. It can be purchased from USDA, Rural Business-Cooperative
Service.
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