significant advantages over their smaller Mexican counterparts, especially in market access.

Although, the technology of grass-fed beef in particular is not size dependant, the genetic and

breeding advances of recent decades are first available to larger producers.


COOPERATIVES

 Cooperatives of various types exist throughout Mexico. One of the most powerful

cooperatives in Mexico is CAADES (Confederaci6n de Asociaciones Agricolas del Estado de

Sinaloa), which is actually federation of ten cooperatives in Sinaloa. The ten cooperatives are

primarily input supply cooperatives, although they do some grain marketing and provide a

variety of services. The services and inputs CAADES provides to its member cooperatives

include:

 Lobbying and legal representation before the Mexican and U.S. governments

 Managerial and data management support regarding accounting, labor, and
 import/export.

 Promotion and technical support for introducing new technologies.

 Seeds, fertilizers, tools, and irrigation water.

 Information regarding weather, crop estimates, logistics, and product prices.

 Storage.

 Foliage and soils laboratory.

 Toxic residue laboratory for U.S.-Mexico export.

 CAADES is not physically involved in the marketing of perishables, but it has a

committee that meets weekly to regulate the supply to the domestic market. If daily volume in

the Mexico City Central Market exceeds a ceiling, certain restrictions are imposed, which divert