COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURE


 Classification of Cooperative

 Associations in Florida

 Cooperative associations ale local or regional as to type-
The local associations are further classified as to independ-
ent or federated. Independent locals are associations
serving a distinct locality and doing business usually at one
station Federated locals differ from independent locals in
that the, are affiliated with other locals for the purpose of
uniting then efforts in selling or engaging in other actl\ 'tius.

 Regional associations are federated or centialized.
Federated associations ale central agencies formed of
groups of locals for the purpose of performing certain
specialized services Centralized associations often perform
similar services to the federated type. but the control of the
business rests with the central rather than with the locals
as in the case of federated associations, and the contract
runs directly between the association and the grower rather
than through a local association. In the case of the central-
ized association, the property rights are vested in the central
organization, whereas in the federated type all local prop-
erty is usually owned by the local organizations (Bulletin
No. 245. Agricultural Experiment Station. Gainesville, Fla.,
April 1932.)

 In the following list the cooperative associations were
classified as to the principal products handled and the nature
of services rendered. This list shows considerable change
in the nature of organizations and products handled since
a few years back. The largest group of associations is
organized for handling citrus fruits, with the group for
handling truck crops next in importance and ranking about
the same, in number of associations, as the educational
group Associations handling livestock and livestock pro-
ducts follow.