California-based commodity organizations to receive Market Access Program funds.
Funds administered by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, to promote farm products abroad.

New fresh tomato co-op formed. California Tomato Farmers, a new cooperative, adopts pro-active safety standards.

rBST California Dairy Co-op members to stop using rBST

Bay Area worker-owned co-ops generate more than half total US worker co-op business. Worker cooperatives are a $400 million business. The Bay Area accounts for about half of that.

California Credit Unions urged to lobby to protect tax-exempt status .

Farm health insurance co-op. While there is little activity in California , here is a possible model in Wisconsin.

Proposed US farm bill may benefit California. Mike Wootton, senior vice president of Sherman Oaks-based Sunkist Growers citrus cooperative, called the bill "historic." (free registration required with LA Times)

Controversy surrounds Dairy Industry Price-Control System.

Cooperative Trailer Parks in California. The cooperative structure may provide some protection from developers, according to this report from Utah .

Calcot sued by former members.

IOFs flirt with utility co-ops. Investor-owned utilities eyeing utility co-ops.

	Rural Cooperatives Center Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics University of California Davis http://www.cooperatives.ucdavis.edu \| ruralcoops@ucdavis.edu
Rural Cooperatives Review - April 2007 A quarterly email newsletter from the Rural Cooperatives Center , including commentary from the Center's Director, summaries of articles and news stories relevant to California 's rural cooperatives. To unsubscribe, please email us with "unsubscribe" as the subject. Some links to media may require free registration.
Director’s Commentary: The Story Behind the Statistics for California ’s Agricultural Cooperatives
Articles
Antitrust Commission's recommendations could impair formation of new agricultural cooperatives. Antitrust Modernization Commission releases final report (full report). Blue Diamond featured in USDA Rural Cooperatives Magazine The January/February edition of Rural Cooperatives magazine features the almond cooperative Blue Diamond and includes comments on the ramifications of the Diamond Walnut conversion several years ago. One effect has been that it ”caused our members to reaffirm their support of the cooperative business model that is focused on building strong markets with profitable returns to members”. The dramatic growth in the almond industry and how Blue Diamond is addressing that growth is also discussed.
News Items
California-based commodity organizations to receive Market Access Program funds. Funds administered by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, to promote farm products abroad. New fresh tomato co-op formed. California Tomato Farmers, a new cooperative, adopts pro-active safety standards. rBST California Dairy Co-op members to stop using rBST Bay Area worker-owned co-ops generate more than half total US worker co-op business. Worker cooperatives are a $400 million business. The Bay Area accounts for about half of that. California Credit Unions urged to lobby to protect tax-exempt status . Farm health insurance co-op. While there is little activity in California , here is a possible model in Wisconsin. Proposed US farm bill may benefit California. Mike Wootton, senior vice president of Sherman Oaks-based Sunkist Growers citrus cooperative, called the bill "historic." (free registration required with LA Times) Controversy surrounds Dairy Industry Price-Control System. Cooperative Trailer Parks in California. The cooperative structure may provide some protection from developers, according to this report from Utah . Calcot sued by former members. IOFs flirt with utility co-ops. Investor-owned utilities eyeing utility co-ops.
To unsubscribe, please email us with "unsubscribe" as the subject.