RESPONSIBILITY OF MEMBERS TO THEIR
COOPERATIVE.
Prom "You and Your Co-op " Series' put out
by the Farm Credit Administration. ,
If'your association is operated inefficient
ly, yon. stand to lose. You may lose throug!
the actual loss of your capital investment,
or, in a rarketing association, through
high handling costs and low phices result
ing from poor selling ability. Just what
do you ore the management in the way of sup
port to ir sure efficient operation? !7hat
step.s can yon take to guarantee .that the
cooperative w 11 be properly managed to
your test interests?
I-ienbors, as owners of the associ ation, are
in tin last analysis.responsible for the
character of its management. They benefit
from ,ood management, and the results of
bad manager.ait fall directly on them. There
are a number of important actions which
manbers cm take to protect their' interests
by acquiring efficient management. Seme of
these follow:
1. Select the most able and best qualified'
manbers to serve on the. board of directors.
2. I.Ialce special effort to uftderstand the
business of the association.
3. Reco; nir.® the possibilities and limita
tions of the association. Don’t expect'more
of the r.ssociation than it can deliver.
4. "The: in doubt about any phase of the
associatior.Ss operations, discuss the ques
tion promptly with a member of the board of
directors or a responsible officer or em
ployee. If outsiders criticize the associ
ation, obtain'the facts from proper associ
ation sources. , i , ' *
5. Use the officials of the association as
sources of accurate'inforraation regarding
association natters.
6. Give the association complete loyalty
and T. vort based on adequate facts and in
forraat icn.
7. Attend meetings regularly to discuss
business matters relating to the associa- •
tion and to approve or disapprove proposed
actions relating to the problems.
8. Avoid interference with employees in
their duties of carrying on administrative
details. If there are questions or sugges
tions re aiding the itanner in which these
duties are performed, they s'iuld be taken
up *"ith the proper officials.
9. Acce- t and adopt a policy of an ade
quate -age scale for employees.
10. Assist the board of directors on matter
relatin' to broad policies by making thb
rlouss.and wishes of the membership known.
11. 3y electing new'members from" tine to
Cont. in next col.
time, make certain that the board does
not develop a sense of ovming the associ
ation. "New'blood" will bring new ideas
.to the board.
12.* Do every thing practicable to increase
the volume of business of'the association
withing reasonable limits.
.13, Through the board of directors’ allow
the manager ample latitude in performing
his duties and in the use o"f his own judg
ment and experience,
14. Keep up membership interest and-active
participation. Avoid the inactive atti
tude vrhich will -permit the selection of an
indifferent or inactive board, which may
result in the development of one-man con
trol by the manager because members and
board have failed to perform their obliga
tions properly. Lack of interest ojj the
part of a large proportion of the members
permits'a snail group to control the asso
ciation, an unhealty situation.
The above article was copied 'as stinted in
the leaflet entitled "Managing Farmers*
Cooperatives " which ia put out by the’
Fam Security Administration, It was
herewith printed'because it contains much
food for thought for our local association.
Some of it is not as applicable to our
local problems while other paints are very
pertinent to our own problems.
The Farm Credit Administration has made
a detailed study of problems of Coopera
tive Associations all over the country.
As a result they have published a number
of leaflets containing valuable informa
tion as a result of their findings. This
series ooftfeains circulars on "Sizing up
your Cooperative" "Forming Farmers* Cooper
atives" "Financing Farmers* Cooperatives"
Managing Farmers* Cooperatives"-and -
many others.
Experience has taught that success in co
operation depends largely upon the reali
zation and the application Of a few fund
amental economic principles. No longer
is cooperation held out to'the farmer as
a panacea for all his ills, nor is it
being sold to him on the basis of communis
ty spirit or religious zeal. Leaders ir.
the, movement today are stressing such
factors as economic need, membership sup
port, adequate capital, and efficient o
perations. It now sesns apparent that the
movement has successfully passed'through
the age of adolescence and that coopera
tives are to remain a permanent part of
our agricultural marketing system.
i
Co-ops in Agriculture
by French M. Hyro
Agricultural Economist
Farm. Credit Administration.