Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
4/19/99
Contacts:
Phillip Baumel, Department of Economics, (515) 294-6263
Paul Lasley, Extension Sociology, (515) 294-0937
Del Marks, Extension Communication Systems, (515)
294-9807
June conference to examine future of Midwestern farmer cooperatives
AMES, Iowa -- Key issues and problems of Midwest farm cooperatives will be the topic of a conference in June cosponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Business Cooperative Services and Iowa State University.
Elizabeth Dole, candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, has been invited to present a keynote address on the topic of "Farmer Cooperatives in the 21st Century. The conference will be held at the West Des Moines Marriott, I-80 and 74th Street, June 9-11.
The conference is being organized by C. Phillip Baumel, ISU Extension economist who has worked closely with cooperatives on transportation issues, and Paul Lasley, ISU extension rural sociologist, who has studied changing trends in agribusinesses. Sponsorship by the USDA will bring together nationally recognized experts on issues faced by Midwest farm cooperatives.
Key objectives of the conference will be to examine:
* understanding and adapting to the changing marketplace,
* duplication of services among cooperatives, focusing on the local level,
* the distinctive characteristics of cooperatives and whether they should be maintained,
* investing in cooperative leadership and employees,
* the control and governance of cooperatives, and
* capitalization of modern cooperatives.
The program is expected to attract managers and directors of local and regional cooperatives, members of cooperatives, members of agribusiness professions who work with farmers including lawyers, accountants and bankers, legislators, congressional staffers and state officials. Participants are expected from Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.
Participants will include William D. Heffernan, University of Missouri rural sociologist; Terry Barr, president of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; Duane Halverson, chief operating officer of Land O'Lakes, Larry Kallem, executive director of the Iowa Institute for Cooperatives; James Tibbets, executive vice president of Cenex Harvest States; Harry Cleberg, president and CEO of Farmland Industries; Tom Gray and Randall Torgerson of the USDA's Rural Business Cooperative Service; Wayne Seaman, CEO of West Central Cooperative, Ralston, Iowa; Mark Tezak of the Principal Group; Cornelia Flora and Steve Padgitt, Iowa State University sociologists; Gary Cornelious, family farmer and ISU staff member; Magid Dagher, Alcorn State University; Dan Looker, Successful Farming; Chuck Hassebrook, Center for Rural Affairs; Bob Freese of Brown County Co-op, Hiawatha, Kans.; Jerry Van Der Kamp, executive vice president and CEO of Agri-Industries; Rod Nilsestuen, executive director of Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives; Brett Fairbairn, University of Saskatchewan; Marvin Duncan, USDA; Glenn Webb, president of GROWMARK, Inc.; Ken Rutledge, president and CEO of West Liberty Foods, West Liberty, Iowa; Greg Wilcox, Des Moines attorney; David Lyons, Iowa Department of Economic Development; Wendy Wintersteen, Iowa State University; Bill Horan, Rockwell City, Iowa, farmer; Harry Borman, West Bend, Iowa, co-op manager; Frank Jones, Cumberland, Iowa, farmer; Pat Kluempke, senior vice president, Cenex Harvest States; Bill Nelson, North Dakota State University; Robert Cropp, University of Wisconsin, Don Schriver, Dairy Farmers of America; John Chrystal, Coon Rapids, Iowa, banker; Virgil Harms, Co-Bank, Omaha; and James Andrew, Jefferson, Iowa, farmer.
Registration fees are $160 if received prior to May 20, $175 after May 20. Registration forms and additional conference information are available from Baumel at the Department of Economics, 460 Heady Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1070, phone (515) 294-6263, fax (515) 294-1700.
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