The Florida Council of Cooperatives, organized in 1940, is the principal organization charged with promoting cooperatives in the state. Made up of local, state, and regional cooperatives, the council’s membership represents nearly every type of co-op operating in Florida, including agricultural, electric, marketing and food. The nonprofit Council embodies the spirit of cooperation, bringing together the leaders of cooperatives and the leaders of other agencies and organizations to better serve the interests of their co-op members.
What is a cooperative?
In many ways a cooperative is like any other business; but in several important ways it’s unique and different. A cooperative business belongs to the people who use it—people who have organized to provide themselves with the goods and services they need.
These member-owners share equally in the control of their cooperative. They meet at regular intervals, hear detailed reports, and elect directors from among themselves. The directors, in turn, hire management to handle the day-to-day affairs of the cooperative in a way that services the members’ interests.
Members invest in shares in the business to provide capital for a strong and efficient operation. All net savings or profits left after bills are paid and money is set aside for operations and improvements are returned to cooperative members.