Completed Project Report


Working Together: Exploring Risk Management by Forming Producer Cooperatives in Northern New Mexico

  • Award Amount: $49,927
  • Regional Center: Western Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2013 Competitive Grant Program
  • Project Director: Terrie Bad Hand
  • Email: tcedc@tcedc.org
  • Organization: Taos County Economic Development Corporation

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Project Overview

Taos County Economic Development Corporation (TCEDC), recipient of the 2012 Chispa and Clarence Burch Awards, has been working with producers in Northern New Mexico for 27 years. This project, building upon new infrastructure supported by USDA/AMS/FMPP provided education and expert technical assistance and addressed the risk management benefits and best practices for forming producer cooperatives to over 50 food producers in the Taos Valley. Producers completed seven workshops focussed on cooperative development including opportunities to learn from members of successful regional producer coops. The Project Director, with producer input, compiled a written summary of the information collected for future reference. The project rose from requests of local producers for information about producer cooperatives. Producers learned cooperative strategies for mitigating the risks of increased volatility of input costs and market prices, increasing infrastructure costs, planning, human relationships, asset management, inexperience of beginning farmers/ranchers and unfavorable land use policies.

Number of Participants: 198

Outcomes

Project Steps

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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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DELIVERY AREA

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