Agriculture Cooperatives Key Terms

Use key terms when searching for agriculture cooperatives
By Kathryn Keep In today's world, it can be easy to forget where food and agricultural products come from. Many different farms work together to provide everything from coffee to cotton. The majority of these farms are members of one or more agriculture cooperatives. Farmers and consumers share the benefits of these varied partnerships. The market for fair trade and organic agricultural products has grown dramatically thanks in part to agricultural cooperatives. Export cooperatives make these products available to a global market, while community-supported agriculture brings local food to a local market.

Agriculture cooperative

A cooperative is an entirely member-owned legal business and exists for the mutual benefit of its members. An agriculture cooperative, or farm coop, involves a group of farmers who produce food or other agricultural goods.
Try:  Read more about farmer cooperatives at the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.

Export cooperatives

Export cooperatives exist to sell goods abroad and to be competitive in a global agricultural marketplace.
Try:  Visit Cooperatives Working Together for information about its assistance program for export cooperatives. See a successful example of an export cooperative at the Center for Development in Central America (CDCA).

Fair trade

Fair trade means ensuring that those who produce goods receive a fair payment for their work. It can also mean ensuring workers have a safe work environment. The most common agricultural fair trade product is coffee.
Try:  The Fair Trade Federation details the principles of fair trade.

Organic

Organic generally means grown without pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. Organic farmers do not genetically modify their products. In the case of meat and dairy, organic means the product should be free from growth hormones and antibiotics.
Try:  For further information on organic designations, visit Organic.

Community-supported agriculture, or CSA

Community-supported agriculture, or CSA, allows consumers to buy local food direct from farmers during their growing season. It ensures the freshest food for the consumer and the fastest payment for the farmer.
Try:  Local Harvest maintains extensive information on CSA, as well as a database to search for CSAs in your area.

Local food

People are becoming more aware of the impact of transportation and other costs associated with food brought in from all over the world. Consumers are returning to eating more local food, meaning food produced within 100 miles of where the consumer lives.
Try:  Check out terms of reference at the American Farmland Trust.