Establishing a Cotton-Ginning Cooperative in the Southeast

The producer-members of the proposed Albemarle Cotton Growers Cooperative presently experience costly and dangerous conditions in transporting seed cotton to distant ginning sites. These growers seek to acquire locally a cooperatively owned and operated cotton gin. This study of the proposed venture reports on producer surveys and financial projections, and estimates member benefits and return on investment. This cotton-ginning cooperative may considerably improve the net farm incomes of local producers. The feasibility analysis concludes that it is possible for these North Carolina growers to earn a respectable return on their cooperative investment. However, firm volume and equity commitments on the part of growers will be required. This study may be applicable to similar situations in other parts of the Southeast.Cotton gins, cooperatives, cotton, feasibility analysis, rural development, return on investment, cooperative benefits, Agribusiness,

Establishing a Cotton-Ginning Cooperative in the Southeast

The producer-members of the proposed Albemarle Cotton Growers Cooperative presently experience costly and dangerous conditions in transporting seed cotton to distant ginning sites. These growers seek to acquire locally a cooperatively owned and operated cotton gin. This study of the proposed venture reports on producer surveys and financial projections, and estimates member benefits and return on investment. This cotton-ginning cooperative may considerably improve the net farm incomes of local producers. The feasibility analysis concludes that it is possible for these North Carolina growers to earn a respectable return on their cooperative investment. However, firm volume and equity commitments on the part of growers will be required. This study may be applicable to similar situations in other parts of the Southeast

An assessment of radiation oncology medical physicists’ perspectives on undertaking research

As part of a study of the radiation oncology workforce, radiation oncology medical physicists (ROMPs) who had worked in Australia were surveyed regarding their attitudes to participating in research. Responses from 88 ROMPs were available for analysis, representing a broad mix of employment situations and research experience. Greater than 70% of ROMPs described their involvement in research as “liking it” or “loving it”, with associated identified benefits including skills development, job satisfaction and career progression. Over half of respondents agreed that involvement in research inspired them to stay in their profession. However, lack of time, support and motivation were all identified as barriers to participation in research. Areas of research interest were identified. This study highlights the importance of a research culture for job satisfaction and staff retention

A stone wall out of the earth that thundering cannon cannot destroy: bastion and moat at the Castle, Cape Town

Although the urgency with which the Dutch East India Company administration at the Cape built defensive works was a direct result of their fear of attack from both land and sea, there was an additional imperative, for the Castle at Cape Town stood as a symbol of Dutch colonial aspirations. In this paper, we compare written and material texts of one part of the Castle's architecture to show firstly, how the discordances between such sources can reveal an underside of early colonization and secondly, how the Castle moat, in the seventeenth century a stamp of aspirant power, was by the mid-nineteenth century a dump and a public nuisance