Statistics of Farmer Cooperatives, 1969-70

Excerpts from the report Highlights: The 1969-70 survey of marketing, farm supply, and related service cooperatives showed a continuing upward trend in total business volume but a decrease in number of memberships and organizations between July 1, 1969, and June 30, 1970. Total gross business volume (including intercooperative business) handled by these cooperatives amounted to $24.8 billion. This was an increase of 8.5 percent from the $22.8 billion reported in the previous fiscal year. Total net business, after adjusting the gross figure for business done between cooperatives, amounted to $19.1 billion. This was an increase of 9.7 percent from the $17.4 billion net in 1968-69. The total number of farmer cooperatives decreased from 7,747 in 1968-69 to 7,719 in 1969-70, a net decrease of 28 associations. The decline largely reflects a continuing reorganization trend involving merger, consolidation, and acquisition. Cooperative memberships totaled 6,355,000 in 1969-70, a decrease of 0.1 percent from 6,364,000 memberships reported for 1968-69. The drop continues the long-term trend of declining cooperative memberships due to the decreasing number of farmers in the United States