Current trends in cooperative finance

• Published in: Agricultural finance review Vol. 76; no. 3; pp. 402 - 410
• Main Authors: Briggeman, Brian C, Jacobs, Keri L, Kenkel, Phil, Mckee, Gregory
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bingley Emerald Group Publishing Limited 05-09-2016
• Subjects: Agricultural cooperatives; Agricultural production; Agriculture; Boards of directors; Capital expenditures; Cooperatives; Corporate taxes; Equity; Farmers; Farms; Finance; Grain; Infrastructure; Investments; Marketing; Oilseeds; Patronage; Profitability; Profits; Return on assets; Succession planning; Tax rates; Taxable income; Taxation; Trends; United States > US; Iowa; Equity; USA; Agriculture; Governance; Finance; Cooperatives
• ISSN: 0002-1466; 2041-6326
• DOI: 10.1108/AFR-04-2016-0034

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the recent financial trends affecting grain and farm supply cooperatives.
Design/methodology/approach
Review of and descriptive analysis of current cooperative finance topics.
Findings
In recent years three important trends have become apparent among grain marketing and farm supply cooperatives. These farmer-owned firms have been rapidly investing in infrastructure, reformulating profit distribution and equity strategies, and have pursued consolidation with other cooperatives.
Originality/value
Grain and farm supply cooperatives are changing at a rapid clip to meet the needs of their evolving and growing farmer-owners. New research is needed to help these cooperatives meet these needs, and this paper identifies new areas of research in cooperative finance.