Agricultural Cooperatives

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I. Introduction

It is the contention of this paper that although one might be encouraged to locate a nexus of interrelationships between agricultural cooperatives in America and current, significant issues in grain exports. It is more likely however, that the crucial relationships involve a "meta-organization" of individual farms of various sizes, agricultural co-ops, various corporations related to agriculture, and United States government departments and organizations; all of which act and react to international grain export challenges.
The effects of normal supply and demand fluctuations, new markets opening, and a myriad of other political-economic factors will, of course, have differing effects on different players. For instance, the agricultural cooperatives will be effected differently than the cereal manufacturers, or even than a large independent farm. Cooperatives are the focus here, but the primary point remains: no matter what the producer-source, grain exports from America are part of a complex constellation of factors.
Moreover, the discussion will include a few concluding remarks on future-oriented issues which focus upon sustainable development. Sustainable development is no longer the watch word of a few outspoken environmentalists. It is now a matter of survival for a huge and rapidly growing world population. Grain exports are, by default, a part of the sustainable development dialogue.

II. Existing and Restricted Markets

There are a number of current market potentials as well as existing ones. The new markets are those which may not be open to American exports currently, or because of various international embargos/treaties, can not be accessed by American grain producers. In addition, historical changes indicate that the markets themselves change over time. The break-up of the former Soviet Union for instance, has altered the pattern of grain exportation to some of the new nations of that area. Russia is not an arch rival and nuclear enemy any more and this directly effects the grain exports to there.
The FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service sums up the political changes in foreign markets in this way: "Economic sanctions can be powerful foreign policy tools targeted to further U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives....

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...rent from that of other critics of traditional farming in the united States; namely, that farm practices will have to change somewhat radically in order for there to be a sustainable future. This means that in the future, grain producers and exporters in the US at the cooperative level, will have to consider new market levels which make sense for the land and for future productivity. In the end analysis, this is the single most important grain export issue.

REFERENCES

Brown, L. and Halweil, B. "American Grain Exports." World Watch Magazine. 1998.

Foreign Agricultural Service (F.A.S.) "A Review of U.S. Trade Restrictions and Grain Exports." June, 1998.

McGraw, L., Comis, D. Barry, K. and Hardin, B. "New Wheats." Agricultural Research Magazine. No date.

Smith, J.T. "Glickman to fight entry of subsidized grain exports from Europe" Abilene Reporter-News.

Foreign Agricultural Service. "Market Access Program" December 1998

Foreign Agricultural Service. "Foreign Market Development Program." November, 1997.
Wilken, Elena. "Assault of the Earth." World Watch March/April 1995.

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