The Independent Pharmacy Cooperative is an excellent example of joint purchasing. Agriculture is the single most important economic sector in most Wisconsin counties. Dane County, the home of the state capitol and the largest campus in the University of Wisconsin system, also has the second highest level of agricultural production of Wisconsin s 72 counties. Despite the tremendous importance of agriculture in the state economy, it is ignored by most local leaders when they look at opportunities for economic development. We can reinstate agriculture and agricultural processing as an economic sector deserving of locally-based development initiatives.
Farms engage in the same cooperative activities as other businesses.
Farmers have been doing so far longer than most other business owners. There are over 250 agricultural cooperatives in Wisconsin, many of which trace their roots back 50 years or more. An example of this from the Upper Midwest is the spread of rotational grazing networks in which thousands of producers have adapted low cost, environmentally friendly livestock grazing techniques by participating in local networks with other farmers. Through these networks farmers pass on information and conduct pasture walks on each other s farms to evaluate and learn from each other s practices. Throughout this manual, there are many examples of successful cooperative projects and information on how to adapt them.