Farmers Form Machinery Co-Op

Farmers form Machinery Co-op AG WORLD Ag World 10-3-5 Canadian farmers who've banded together to form machinery co-ops to share farm machinery, may become role models for U.S. farmers who want to form similar groups. Thirty farmers got together recently in Hollandale, Wis. to explore shared ownership of equipment. Although no machinery co-op has yet been established by the group, they were encouraged by reports of machinery co-ops in Canada. There are 24 such co-ops in Saskatchewan and the oldest has been in operation for 19 years. Most have 4 or 5 members. According to Carol Ann Shearer of a government co-op advisory service who helps set up the machinery co-ops, the farmers all organized along the lines of a conventional co-op. Members are joint owners of machinery and the co-op acts as their agent. Decisions are made on the basis of one vote per-member and members are liable for the co-op's actions. Each takes their share of applicable tax deductions on their own individual tax returns. For more information on the Canadian machinery co-ops, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Saskatchewan Co-operative Development, 2055 Albert St., Regina, Canada S4P 3V7 (ph 306 787-5258).

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