(Including New Generation co-ops)

Agricultural co-operatives were some of the first co-ops in Canada. This sector continues to evolve, and today's agricultural co-ops provide an ever widening range of services for their members. Many offer processing, marketing and distribution of members' farm products. Others provide farm inputs such as seeds, fertilizer, machinery, and even labour. Some recent co-ops have pooled members' resources (such as land) to farm jointly, while others have created a variety of management services to make small-scale farming viable for their members.

The online tools and guides that appear on this page are the best of what is known to exist in Canada at this time. New materials will be added as they become available or as further research is completed in this area. NOTE: If you are aware of other tools or guides that should be added here, please let us know by sending an 

How-to guides

Agricultural Co-operatives - A Start-up Guide (2001)

Developed by the BC government, this 32-page guide lays out all the key steps in creating an agricultural marketing or value-added processing co-op. 

Farmers Market Operation -- UK franchise model / development guide (2008)  

This comprehensive guide details the process of setting up a successful farmer's market. Although developed in the UK, it is fully adaptable to the Canadian environment.  

New Generation Co-op Guide - and other resources (2001)

This collection of guidelines and tools includes videos, background reports, and other resources related to the successful development of a new generation co-op.

 A Rural Developers Guide to Starting new Value-added Co-operatives (1998)

Created by a rural developer who helped spearhead the New Generation Co-op movement in the U.S., this guide is based on the North Dakota experience in revitalizing rural communities through value-added agricultural co-operatives.

 Starting an Agricultural Marketing Co-op

This 1994 guide from the University of California provides a good roadmap for any group considering joint marketing of agricultural products. It examines all steps in the process, from assessing the need to financing operations.

Guide to Finding, Selecting and Using Consultants

 Case studies

Westlock Grain Terminals: A Case Study (2009)

This detailed study of the first new generation co-op in Alberta examines all key aspects of the co-op's development and success, with particular focus on the member share structure.      

Warmland Specialty Food Co-op

This BC case study tells the story of eight farmers who formed a non-profit co-op to provide commercial kitchen facilities where they could process and add value to their farm products. 

Case studies on a variety of U.S. agricultural co-ops

This collection of case studies focuses on initiatives that helped renew the mid-sized farm sector in the U.S. The list includes many co-operatives - such as Organic Valley Family of Farms, Thumb Oilseed Producer Co-op, and Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Co-op.

Seeds of Renewal - Co-op Profiles (2007)

The 25 co-op projects described here were supported by the Ag-CDI program in 2006-07. Not all of the projects resulted in successful start-ups, but they represent the wide range of activity undertaken by Canadian farmers as they explore new opportunities and sustainable livelihoods.  

12 Case Studies on Leadership in Agricultural Co-ops (2004)

These case studies were part of a comprehensive leadership development program for Agricultural co-ops undertaken by the national co-op associations and other partners in 2004. They focus on issues often confronted by larger established co-operatives - such as democratic functioning and member cohesion, and the competitive advantage in co-operative identity. 

Reports and other Resources

Co-ops in Value-Added Agriculture - Video Series (2009)

Developed by the Agricultural Co-op Development Initiative (Ag-CDI), these 5 short videos examine the role of co-ops in rural communities, address issues of capitalization and governance, and look at how co-ops are pursuing new opportunities in bio-energy and other forms of value-added agriculture.

Other Resources for Agricultural Co-ops (2009)

Created by the Agricultural Co-op Development Initiative (Ag-CDI), this set of resources includes a Directory of Programs and Services for Agricultural Co-ops, a look at opportunities in value-added agriculture, and case studies and other tools for development of co-ops in biofuels and value-added agriculture.

This project ended in 2009, as result some of the information may be out of date.

Producer Adaptation to the New Agriculture: Application of the Co-operative Model to Changes in Market Specifications, Regulation and Service Access (2003)

This report uses a case study approach to examine opportunities for new types of co-ops to address various needs in the agricultural and food sector - including market co-ordination for niche products, food tracking and certification, and agricultural waste management.

New Generation Co-operative Development in Canada (2001)

New generation co-operatives (NGCs) have developed to a minor degree in Canada, but did not come close to repeating the success of the movement in the U.S. This report explains why by examining all the factors involved in successful NGC development and comparing how these played out in the U.S. and Canada.

Rural Co-operatives Magazine