February 15, 2001

Center for Cooperatives at NDSU Develops Educational Materials

Cooperative training materials are now available for vocational agriculture instructors and others interested in a short, introductory business course. The Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives at North Dakota State University has created four modules that explain co-op principles, how to start a cooperative, new generation co-ops that range from bison to pasta production, and the many non-agriculture co-ops in the United States.

Kathy Coyle from the cooperative center wrote the text with beginners in mind. "We want to introduce high school and college students to the principles and advantages of cooperatives. We want today’s youth to understand how working together may turn a profit as well as provide a service currently lacking in their community."

"This project has opened my eyes to the possibilities from hardware to banking to value-added farm products," Coyle said. "One of the most successful sporting goods companies in America is a co-op, REI (Recreational Equipment Incorporated). You name it, a business can be set up as a co-op whether it is farm related or not. Your county may have a cooperative arrangement with other counties to purchase its supplies, enjoying a lower price thanks to their buying co-op. Your dentist, hardware dealer, and grocery store manager may buy their inventory and supplies from a cooperative at a reduced rate because they are members."

You may preview the first module narrated by Coyle on the Burdick Center for Cooperative’s web site: www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/qbcc, select "educational materials".

The instructor’s notebook and visuals on a powerpoint zip disk are available for $20 by writing: Co-op Modules, Burdick Center for Cooperatives, North Dakota State University, PO Box 5636, Fargo, ND or email: Bill_Nelson@ndsu.nodak.edu or call (701) 231-1016.

###

Source: Kathy Coyle, (701) 231-6370, kcoyle@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu