Locally, Producers Cooperative Association of Bryan is an example of a purchasing cooperative. Service cooperatives are designed to provide their members with improved services or with services they could not otherwise obtain. Production Credit Associations, Federal Land Bank Associations and Rural Electric Associations are examples of service cooperatives. Processing cooperatives, are designed as the name implies, to process farmers' products into final or consumer ready products. Land o'Lakes dairy products, Sunkist oranges and Ocean Spray cranberries are examples of well-known cooperative brands.
Cooperatives play a significant role in agriculture.
Farmer and rancher owned cooperatives provide approximately 30 percent of all purchased inputs used on the farm and market 30 percent of farm output. They are a unique form of business, while not well known they play a major role in our everyday lives. Appreciation is expressed to Edward G. Smith, Roy B. Davis Professor of Agricultural Cooperation for his review and contributions to this article.