Financing of Agricultural Cooperatives

Cooperatives through the years have become important in marketing of farm products in the United States. The last few years in the United States, farm cooperatives have shown a tremendous growth in volume of business and in membership. From 1939 to 1949, the membership in marketing and purchasing cooperatives doubled and the volume or business increased four times. At the same time there has been a slight reduction in the number or cooperatives South Dakota cooperatives show a similar trend. From 1939 to 1950 the membership in marketing and purchasing cooperatives doubled and the volume or business increased four times. At the same time the number or cooperative association has decreased. The purpous of this study was to examine and evaluate the financing methods of South Dakota Cooperatives. There has been no previous work done on this in South Dakota. Three previous studies have been made on South Dakota cooperative very little was included about financing. Minnesota conducted a study in 1950 on cooperatives in that state. Iowa conducted a study on farmers opinions of\u27 cooperatives; however, this was mainly a sociological study