Cooperative relations benefits flow from good communication and well-informed members are usually more loyal and conscientious toward their cooperatives. Education about cooperative principles, practices and benefits is extremely important in cooperatives. Those words, spoken by philosopher and theorist John Dewey, convey that education is a vital lifelong process. For cooperatives, with their unique principles and business and governance structure, education is their lifeblood and must be a continuing priority. If members are to live by cooperative principles and practices to gain economic benefit as an extension of their farm operations, they must consistently be taught those very aspects of cooperation.
Members use, control, and benefit from their cooperatives.
They need to be reminded of it and hear it regularly. The unique principles of cooperation should he taught to members, youth and the general public. Directors need to be educated on any number of important aspects to successfully meet their responsibilities. Cooperative employees also should be well-schooled in cooperative principles and should be responsible for improving member relations as part of their job. Educational activity must not only be directed at members, but members themselves also need to be active cooperative educational stewards to youth, potential future cooperators and the general public.