On February 6, the Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development (IAWGCD) released the first issue of The Cooperative Quarterly highlighting the first quarter of 2024. Managed by the U.S Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD)’s Cooperative Services Branch, this newsletter provides updates on upcoming IAWGCD events and additions to the working group’s website, highlights cooperative success stories, and details the activities of IAWGCD government and private sector partners.  

NCBA CLUSA encourages cooperatives to sign up here to receive upcoming editions of The Cooperative Quarterly, USDA IAWGCD emails and other USDA RD Cooperative Services Branch updates. The Cooperative Services Branch bulletins fall under ”Cooperative Development.”

Sign up for The Cooperative Quarterly

USDA’s Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development, created through NCBA CLUSA’s advocacy as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, promotes a whole-of-government approach utilizing cooperatives to solve specific public policy challenges. The working group has more than a dozen government agencies as members and fosters cooperative development by ensuring coordination between federal agencies and cooperative organizations. 

The creation of this quarterly newsletter serves as an additional resource to co-ops and will help inform government and private sector partners about the use of cooperatives as community development engines. Cooperatives may reach out to coopinfo@usda.gov to share success stories, resources, or upcoming events to be included in future newsletters. 

Celebrate National Small Business Week at our May Co-op Circle Happy Hour

RCDG and SDGG grant applications are due June 3! Get ready with our webinars in partnership with USDA

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Upcoming Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development Meetings

The IAWGCD’s 2024 Meeting Series includes the following topics. NCBA CLUSA will keep members updated on details regarding dates, times and agendas as they are confirmed.

March: 98 Years of Cooperative Statistics—Mapping Economic Development Resiliency and Exploring New Horizons 

May: Equitable Cooperative Governance—Assuring Meaningful Democratic Control for All Members 

July: Cooperatives and the Prison System—A Strategy for Rehabilitation 

October (2024 Co-op Month): Urban Co-op Ecosystems—Transformations in Worker Ownership, Housing, and Community Development 

To learn more about the IAWGCD, the Farm Bill or NCBA CLUSA’s advocacy efforts, email advocacy@ncba.coop.