Agricultural cooperatives in Iowa: Farmers' opinions and community relations

Abstract

<p>This study of farmers' cooperatives in Iowa has dealt mainly with two things: (1) the opinions and actions of the farmers of Iowa toward cooperative principles, practices and policies, and (2) the exploration of the relationships between cooperatives and the communities in which they were located. Five hundred and forty-six farmers living in 22 Iowa communities were interviewed. Of this group 268 were members of cooperatives and 278 were not members.</p> <p>Significant differences were found between those farmers who belonged to cooperatives and those who did not. More of the members of cooperatives were middle-aged. Members had larger farms and more of them had continental European nationality backgrounds. The socio-economic status of members was higher, and members belonged to more formal groups than did nonmembers. There was no significant difference when members and nonmembers were compared on the basis of education or farm tenure.</p>