1. Create a new program emphasis in the area of “Cooperative Development.”



2. The program emphasis will be developed and administered in the Center for Profitable Agriculture.



3. The new program emphasis will build on the Center’s five-year success in providing direct technical assistance (feasibility, marketing and production) to farmers, entrepreneurs and groups in rural areas.
   


4. The new program emphasis will improve the understanding and application of cooperative development strategies.



5. The new program emphasis will increase the consideration of cooperative efforts by farmers, entrepreneurs and groups in rural areas.



6. The new program emphasis will improve the success of cooperative efforts by farmers, entrepreneurs and groups in rural areas.



7. The new program will provide analytical support for the state’s pending “processing cooperative law” and will coordinate efforts to extend the results.

Strategies:

1. Provide funding for an Extension Specialist to serve as the “cooperative development program leader” (or could be called a cooperative development program director) in the Center for Profitable Agriculture. The “cooperative development program leader” will participate in adequate training by the KCCD. The “cooperative development program leader” will serve as the:
       • program liaison between the KCCD and CPA
       • primary director for coordinating the program’s strategies
       • primary director for planning the program’s strategies
       • primary director for implementing the program’s strategies
   
   
2. Under the teaching and facilitation by KCCD, two mini-conferences devoted to improving the understanding of cooperative forms of business organization, new generation coops and coop success stories will be conducted.
   


3. Under the teaching and facilitation by KCCD, one training session for agricultural leaders and educators will be conducted.
   


4. Under the teaching and facilitation by KCCD, strategy sessions for two well-organized producer groups considering a coop organization structure (or a recently organized coop) will be conducted.
   


5. Space on the CPA Website will be allocated for the development of a “Cooperative Development” site (the site will mirror and link to the KCCD site as a resource for information, announcements and resource materials regarding Cooperative Development).
   


6. Conduct analytical work relative to the states pending “processing cooperative law” (work intended to provide clarification on the law’s impact, pros and cons and comparisons to other business formation options) and coordinate dissemination of such analysis (via published reports, presentations, conferences and mass media).