How many cooperatives are in the united states

Cooperatives in the Dominican Republic with more than 1 million members and provide direct employment to over 40, people In Argentina there are about 13, registered cooperatives which have 9.

In the U. The credit unions of Ecuador have assets by nearly 2, million, representing a stake of 9. In France, 21, co-operatives provide over 1 million jobs representing 3. Approximately , Kenyans are employed or gain most of their income from co-operatives In Indonesia, co-operatives provide jobs to , individuals Co-operatives offer solutions for all Americans, regardless of their social background, he claims: "It's the American dream — the idea that anyone can be an owner of a business.

And it's very easy to join a coop," he says. He detects a resurgence in interest in co-operatives during the present recession, mirroring in some respects the wave of co-ops which occurred during the Great Depression. As in the UK, there is also a burgeoning network of consumer-owned wholefood and organic food shops, tapping in to a demand for the sort of food which major stores like WalMart don't offer.

Nevertheless, when it comes to the larger co-operative businesses in the US, there is a strong sense of history and of the mid-West. Even outside the US, some of their names will be familiar: Ocean Spray , for example, has been supplying cranberries to eat with the turkey roast ever since Marcus L Urann and two fellow cranberry growers first set up their co-op in The enterprise is now co-owned by its cooperative grower-members.

The rural areas of America are also home to the network of more than rural electricity co-operatives, which together supply electricity to more than 42 million Americans, in 47 of the 50 states. Within the overall US co-operative movement, for which the NCBA plays a role similar to that of Co-operatives UK in Britain, there is also a strong financial sector, including not only the National Co-operative Bank but also the network of 7, credit unions.

Below is a glimpse of the rich array of materials you will find as you explore our site:. Our Support Organizations section features major organizations working to support cooperatives across the U. One such group is the National Cooperative Business Association , a national membership organization that works to advance and protect the cooperative enterprise model through education, support, and advocacy. Our Best Practices section showcases exemplary cooperatives from across the country.

Demonstrating its commitment to the community, the cooperative sells products from local producers and makes grants to local nonprofits. Our Research Resources section highlights web-based resources focused on cooperatives.

Our Articles and Publications section includes links to a diverse selection of articles, reports, papers, and books focused on cooperatives. Our Toolbox features resources designed to help those working on the ground to establish and promote cooperatives.

For instance, the U.