Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives

QBCC---Update on Recent Activities, January to December, 1999

EDUCATION
1. Cooperatives 374 (Agricultural Economics & Business Administration) Enrollment for Spring Semester = 37 to date;  scheduled to be one of the IVAN offered courses in 2001;  all lectures on Powerpoint; all course   materials are accessible via QBCC homepage.

2. Farmers Education Foundation Grant:  Four PowerPoint modules are completed (and available for demonstration), additional modules for accounting/finance and legal courses are being developed.

3. Cooperative Training Programs:  After a successful beginning (Module One in March, 1999), four additional  training programs have been completed or are scheduled for the next few months:

a. Module two for new Generation Cooepratives--Cooeprative Growth--Acquistions, Alliances, Joint Ventures and Merger, Dec. 13-15, 1999;

b. Module One for New Generation Cooperatives--Strategic Planning and Finance (repeat of March, 1999 program), Dec. 13-15, 1999;

c. Workshop on Cooperative Formation, February 22-23, 2000

d. Module Two for New Generation Cooperatives--Cooperative Growth (repeat of Dec. 13-15, 1999 program), March, 14-16, 2000.

RESEARCH

1. USDA Competitive Grant Proposals/Projects

a. Training Needs for Local Traditional Cooperatives--continuing (joint with University of Wisconsin and Montana State University.

b. Evaluation of Financial Strategies of New Generation Cooperatives--new as of October 1, 1999.

c. Comprehensive Feasibility Analysis of Production Level Cooperatives--new as of October 1, 1999.

2. Other Funding Sources

a. Market Potential of Hybrid Walleye and Sunfish.                                

b. Market Potential of a Pelletized, Composted Animal Waste Product

c. Marketing Sustainable and/or Organic Products in Small Metro Areas

d. Ukrainian University Support Project.

e. Five supporting components in animal science and plant sciences projects.

f. Proposal:  Analysis of Factors Influencing Success or Failure of New Generation Cooperatives submitted to SBARE (invited for presentations), SARE(invited for second round proposals) and APUC/AURI, pending submissions.

g. Proposal: Development of Instructional Materials to Accompany the forthcoming book on cooperatives proposed, rejected and will be refined and resubmitted.                                 

i. Book chapter on markets and marketing practices of NGCs.

Member--NCR 194 Regional Research Committee on Cooperatives--Midwest University Consortia for Cooperative Education &Research

OUTREACH

1. ACE-Association of Cooperative Educators--presentation.

2. NCFC/NICE--National Council of Farmer Cooperatives--presentation.

3. Cenex Harvest States State Managers Association-presentation.

4. Coops 2000--moderated two panels.

5. Australian Tour Group--presentation.

6. Japanese Tour Group--presentation (Olson).

7. Several magazine (Successful Farming, Top Producer, St. Paul Pioneer Press) & TV interviews (Prairie Public).

8. Western Agricultural Economics Association annual meeting-moderated one panel.

9. College Cooperative Conference--presentation.

10. North Central Aquaculture Conference-presentation.

11. Iowa Cooperative Conference--presentation.

12. Moscow Conference on University Support--moderated one day.

13. Presentation to Board of Directors, Thumb Oilseeds, Michigan (Olson).

14. North Dakota Farmers Union Young Farmers Meeting, presentation(Olson).

15. County level activities, several presentations on cooperatives (Olson)QBCC Homepage--expanding and updating.

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