Survey to Collect Co-op Statistics for 1998
The annual survey of farmer cooperatives
conducted by USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) is the only source of
detailed information on cooperatives and their service to American agriculture. The data
provides an important view of cooperatives' progress, growth and trends. It is the only
data source on cooperatives with a national scope.
Data are collected annually to maintain contact
with individual cooperatives, gauge current cooperative activities, develop trend lines,
and have access to needed information for important research, education, and information
on cooperatives.
Data collected from the annual survey of farmer
cooperatives are combined, expanded to represent the total population, and then published
in a number of reports such as Rural Cooperatives, American Cooperation, Statistical
Abstract of the United States, and Agricultural Statistics. The information is used by
cooperative leaders, educators, researchers, policymakers and others interested in farmer
cooperatives. Agency staff frequently use the information for studies and presentations.
Educational materials, from pamphlets to collegiate textbooks, rely heavily on statistics
collected by the agency. Many people, including foreign visitors, contact the agency when
they want to learn about U.S. farmer cooperatives.
Questionnaires are mailed in early September to
all cooperatives ending their business year between January and June.
If a cooperative's business year ends in the
period from July through September, it will receive a questionnaire in early December. If
a cooperative's business year ends in the last quarter of the year, it will receive a
questionnaire in early March of the following year. Cooperatives are encouraged to furnish
a copy of their annual or audit report along with the completed questionnaire. Such
reports provide important information not requested on the questionnaire.
Data are maintained for use in research,
education, technical assistance and information products produced by USDA. Any data used
in presentations or publications are combined to maintain the confidentiality of
individual cooperatives. Individual report forms are kept strictly confidential. 
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