RBS Rural Cooperative Magazine (May/June 1999 Issue)

Hogging the Market How co-ops are responding to hog price crisis Catherine Merlo On the Cover: Donna Reifschneider, an Illinois hog farmer and former president of the National Pork Producers Council, performs health inspections with her veterinarian on her Smithton, Ill., farm.

Opening Comments by Jill Long Thompson, Under Secretary, USDA Rural Development

Improving Their Worth
Farmer co-ops' 1997 value-added activities rise to $10.1 billion
Charles A. Kraenzle

The Prime of Prairie Farms Dairy
Midwest dairy co-op has producers asking to become members
Catherine Merlo

Transworld Traders
With 1997's record exports, U.S. farm cooperatives prove their ability in the global marketplace
Tracey L. Kennedy

A Fight for Survival
Co-op members hope extra profits will help preserve a way of life they see rapidly disappearing on the prairie
Valerie Berton

A CLOSER LOOK AT....

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

LEGAL CORNER

NEWSLINE

PAGE FROM THE PAST

Dan Glickman, Secretary of Agriculture

Jill Long Thompson, Under Secretary, Rural Development

Dayton J. Watkins, Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Randall Torgerson, Deputy Administrator, RBS Cooperative Services

Catherine Merlo, Editor

USDA Design Center, Design

RURAL COOPERATIVES (1088-8845) is published bimonthly by Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of public business required by law of the Department. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, DC. Copies may be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 20402, at $3.00 domestic, $3.75 foreign; or by annual subscription at $11.00 domestic, $13.75 foreign. Postmaster: send address change to: Rural Cooperatives, USDA/RBS, Stop 3255, Wash., DC 20250-3255. order form

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