Serving Member Interests in Changing Markets: A Case Study of Pro-Fac Cooperative

Since the inception of Pro-Fac Cooperative (PF) in 1960, the cooperative has undergone significant structural and organizational changes. The PF case presents a unique opportunity to examine the changes in the processed fruit and vegetable industry and the strategies adopted by a producer-owned cooperative to best represent member interests in the face of the industry structural changes over the past fifty years. PF is an agricultural cooperative that markets crops primarily grown by its member-growers, including fruits (cherries, apples, blueberries, and peaches), vegetables (snap beans, beets, peas, sweet corn, carrots, cabbage, squash, asparagus and potatoes), and popcorn. Members are located principally in the states of New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Washington, Oregon, Iowa, Nebraska, Florida, and Illinois. PF‟s history can be generally broken down into three distinct time periods, each representing a significant phase of restructuring. Particular attention is given to the decision to enter into the most recent and current phase of operations. Adequate financing of operations and value-added enterprises were dominant foci over all three periods and each phase involved a different approach. A variety of strategies were also used to enhance the market security for products produced by members. Initially, PF was formed to help preserve the fruit and vegetable processing industry in New York State. At that time, owning the processing facilities was a logical strategy. The development of alternative cooperative structures is often pursued to ameliorate financial constraints, while attempting to maintain member control. The evolution and restructuring of the PF cooperative can also be described using an ownership control rights typology framework (Chaddad and Cook 2004). Drawing from the property rights and incomplete contracts theories of the firm, Chaddad and Cook argue that alternative cooperative models differ in how ownership rights are defined and assigned to the agents of the firm, i.e., members, patrons, managers, and investors. In the current phase, investors acquired ownership rights in a separate legal entity that is partly owned by the cooperative, i.e. a cooperative with capital seeking entities (Chaddad and Cook 2004). As time progressed and economic conditions changed, PF members were not able to adequately capitalize value-added operations. An arrangement was struck with a private equity firm to provide a needed infusion of capital. The case examines to decision made by the board of directors to enter into this agreement. PF has increased its capacity to serve as a preferred supplier to those firms that can afford owning and operating plants while divesting its majority, ownership position in processing assets.Agricultural cooperatives, fruit and vegetable processing, private equity firms, boards of directors, financing., Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Crop Production/Industries,

Enhancing Leadership and Organization for Farmers' Market Success

Agribusiness, Marketing,

Bankruptcy of a Supply Cooperative: The Case of Agway, Inc.

Agribusiness,

What Gives Cooperatives a Bad Name?

Agribusiness,

THE USE OF DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS IN MEASURING COOPERATIVE GROWTH FACTORS

Vermont agricultural cooperatives were surveyed to investigate key factors contributing to cooperative success. Most of the cooperatives were formed within the last 15 years. Financial, organizational, and operational data were collected for selected years from 1974-1984. Average annual changes in gross sales were used to divide cooperatives into low-growth and high-growth groups. Selected variables were identified to classify individual cooperatives into low- or high-performance groups with discriminant analysis. Management experience and adoption of multi-year plans were the two factors found to have the most significant influence on cooperative sales growth.Agribusiness,

New Cooperative Development Issues

This article briefly reviews the increased interest in new cooperative development, factors for successful cooperative development, and strategies to improve the performance of new and emerging cooperatives. The article highlights issues identified by a panel of cooperative leaders, USDA specialists and academic expertsCooperatives, New Cooperatives, Developing Cooperatives, Agribusiness, P13, L22, L43,

Biogeochemical significance of pelagic ecosystem function:An end-cretaceous case study

This work was aided by a Nuffield Summer Studentship granted to MJH, a U.S. Science Support Program (USSSP) Post-Expedition Activity award for IODP Exp. 342 to PMH, a Flint Postdoctoral Fellowship to DEP, a NERC PhD Studentship granted to JWBR, and a URF and Wolfson merit award to DNS.Pelagic ecosystem function is integral to global biogeochemical cycling, and plays a major role in modulating atmospheric CO2 concentrations (pCO2). Uncertainty as to the effects of human activities on marine ecosystem function hinders projection of future atmospheric pCO2. To this end, events in the geological past can provide informative case studies in the response of ecosystem function to environmental and ecological changes. Around the Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K–Pg) boundary, two such events occurred: Deccan large igneous province (LIP) eruptions and massive bolide impact at the Yucatan Peninsula. Both perturbed the environment, but only the impact coincided with marine mass extinction. As such, we use these events to directly contrast the response of marine biogeochemical cycling to environmental perturbation with and without changes in global species richness. We measure this biogeochemical response using records of deep-sea carbonate preservation. We find that Late Cretaceous Deccan volcanism prompted transient deep-sea carbonate dissolution of a larger magnitude and timescale than predicted by geochemical models. Even so, the effect of volcanism on carbonate preservation was slight compared with bolide impact. Empirical records and geochemical models support a pronounced increase in carbonate saturation state for more than 500 000 years following the mass extinction of pelagic carbonate producers at the K–Pg boundary. These examples highlight the importance of pelagic ecosystems in moderating climate and ocean chemistry.PostprintPeer reviewe

Helicobacter pylori-induced inhibition of vascular endothelial cell functions: a role for VacA-dependent nitric oxide reduction

Epidemiological and clinical studies provide compelling support for a causal relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and endothelial dysfunction, leading to vascular diseases. However, clear biochemical evidence for this association is limited. In the present study, we have conducted a comprehensive investigation of endothelial injury in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) induced by H. pylori-conditioned medium (HPCM) prepared from H. pylori 60190 [vacuolating cytotoxin A (Vac(+))]. BAECs were treated with either unconditioned media, HPCM (0-25% vol/vol), or Escherichia coli-conditioned media for 24 h, and cell functions were monitored. Vac(+) HPCM significantly decreased BAEC proliferation, tube formation, and migration (by up to 44%, 65%, and 28%, respectively). Posttreatment, we also observed sporadic zonnula occludens-1 immunolocalization along the cell-cell border, and increased BAEC permeability to FD40 Dextran, indicating barrier reduction. These effects were blocked by 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (VacA inhibitor) and were not observed with conditioned media prepared from either VacA-deleted H. pylori or E. coli. The cellular mechanism mediating these events was also considered. Vac(+) HPCM (but not Vac(-)) reduced nitric oxide (NO) by \u3e50%, whereas S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, an NO donor, recovered all Vac(+) HPCM-dependent effects on cell functions. We further demonstrated that laminar shear stress, an endothelial NO synthase/NO stimulus in vivo, could also recover the Vac(+) HPCM-induced decreases in BAEC functions. This study shows, for the first time, a significant proatherogenic effect of H. pylori-secreted factors on a range of vascular endothelial dysfunction markers. Specifically, the VacA-dependent reduction in endothelial NO is indicated in these events. The atheroprotective impact of laminar shear stress in this context is also evident