Description should include

• types (e.g., marketing, supply, service)
• function
• purpose
• organizational structure
• governance structure (e.g., democratic control, board of directors)
• advantages and disadvantages
• the cooperative’s role in supporting rural economies and market stability.

Process/Skill Questions:

• How do marketing cooperatives help farmers sell their products?
• What are the disadvantages or limitations of agricultural cooperatives?
• When might a service cooperative be more appropriate than other types?
• Why do farmers choose to join cooperatives instead of operating independently?
• How do members participate in cooperative governance?
• What is the organizational structure of a typical agricultural cooperative?
• How does democratic control operate within a cooperative?
• When do farmers typically rely on marketing cooperatives?

Teacher Resource: Parliamentary Procedure, Virginia FFA