NY FarmNet Free Webinar – Agricultural Co-Ops for Small Farmers
Agricultural Cooperatives are member-owned organizations that can provide big benefits for those involved. In this webinar, attendees will gain a high-level overview of the farmer co-op business model including the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing a co-op strategy. This webinar is for all producers, regardless of size or enterprise, who are thinking about starting a coop and to gain an understanding of what’s involved. Attendees will also learn details related to starting a co-op, managing the organization, how the financial structure of a co-op works, and the benefits & potential challenges related to the co-op business model. Presented by Nicole Tommell, Director of the Cooperative Enterprise Program at Cornell University.
Presenter Bio: Nicole Tommell is the Director of the Cooperative Enterprise Program at the Cornell Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. She also serves as Executive Secretary/ Treasurer of the Northeast Cooperative Council, servicing agricultural and financial cooperatives. Before her role in the Cooperative Enterprise Program, Nicole was the Farm Business Management Specialist for the Central NY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team. In this role, she worked with producers in financial management, human resources and other topics.