http://www.grcc.com/App_Content/rss/everything.xml Greater Richmond Chamber provides significant value to our members and navigates them to success by saving them money, enhancing their knowledge, giving them visibility, involving them in the community and connecting them with others. en-us © 2011 Greater Richmond Chamber Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:16:47 EDT http://www.grcc.com/App_Content/rss/everything.xml http://www.grcc.com/App_Content/rss/logo.png 95 118 Greater Richmond Chamber provides significant value to our members and navigates them to success by saving them money, enhancing their knowledge, giving them visibility, involving them in the community and connecting them with others. a79e3d94-85e0-4b17-b578-02f57b0313fa fdahjksah kjs sasdadsa fdsjak fhdkjklsjkjsfhkjshfjkhkjhkljsa Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:40:40 EDT 2862d43f-f761-478d-8199-c3c0b088aead aboutvcc About VCCMembers of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telephone cooperatives; Farm Credit Associations; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT f85cd3fc-cec8-4e2b-b8af-e792f818e4b6 aboutvcc/mission Mission Statement The mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT cab21bb7-bef1-425d-b143-12aae335979d aboutvcc/history Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 8f85abcd-c648-4930-a3aa-f0d4003c97fb aboutvcc/board Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT deea4739-5925-4c00-96fd-2e59e392f63d cooperatives Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 62400b1e-b31d-4341-9d4f-8bddbc024568 cooperatives/history Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT ca439eaf-6da1-4da9-8a72-f6379e97a696 cooperatives/whycoops Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 28db9ca1-4621-4215-9e79-7a6a672f2f3c ourmembers Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 597e03d7-2b5b-4ce2-8401-6644cbf810f6 ourmembers/map Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 99b698ec-d217-4473-9b01-cce9ec0e13c1 ourmembers/pages Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT e77e6b09-898d-4491-a930-f7662591e7b7 ourmembers/join Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 963e0377-10de-422a-a6fb-65d58e17399a youthactivities Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 2897fc44-2c85-48cb-9cd5-042fb1fe08b2 youthactivities/information Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 066c41c4-1f1b-465b-a2bb-eb7360b0fd20 youthactivities/registration Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 079574b7-b472-43e2-a300-69d53e434f02 youthactivities/join Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT fa03588a-3534-4836-a45c-1e73801402a3 vccfoundation Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT da90a384-50c6-4544-a062-e8b4e5c62990 vccfoundation/mission Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT da52e8e9-3961-4f21-90f9-fbb71f03893e vccfoundation/programs Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 0900c0e2-1cd7-4e20-937e-c42885eac510 vccfoundation/help Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT a21c76a2-7ef8-4ea3-9bfc-7324058c3be2 blog Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 90114150-668d-4868-b023-8d03ac395b89 calendar Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 9358a1b2-4aea-4d8f-8203-c4af78f79871 news Our next NICE convention is on July 4th at the Graves Mountain LodgeLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT a6ab3d9c-32a1-445b-85a0-7795c8e4fc11 helpsheet Big Green HeadingMembers of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telephone cooperatives; Farm Credit Associations; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives.Normal Green Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy. Insert anchor on page first (ex: at bottom of page) , then add anchor  text-link  using the "Insert Hyperlink" icon and select "anchor on page" and pick the anchor you previoulsly made.Normal Yellow Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy.Normal Blue Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their mSmall Yellow HeadingMaecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. http://www.data-directions.com  help document  PowerPoint icon  MS Word iconShortcut for two column container table, width defaults of "100%" changed to "95%" so no horizontal scrollbar. This text is formatted and will enlarge.text not formatted, will not enlargetext not formatted, will not enlargeToolbar two column table, width defaults to 500 pixels. This text is not formatted and will not enlarge.text formatted with "simple paragraph" shortcut. Will enlarge. Border set to 1.Text formatted with "normal" style, will enlarge.this border is created  using table>properties>Stylebuilder>Border>All>Thin>Solid>Set a color.Image inserted with no applied formatting.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. This image uses a setting of "float="left". Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero.  Use "clear floats" shortcut to drop text below image/text and start new paragraph.Same float but also an image> properties> stylebuilder> border> setting using a 20 pixel margin on All.  You can apply border using the same border panel, and adding All>thin> and select a color. Consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Use "inline style" to reformat text inside a paragraph. at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales liberoTitle set using regular shortcut. This part of title has had font "set" using the "Size" over ride. It will not enlarge.Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. Anchor link should jump to here and will display at the bottom of the page, not the top. Table/Chart SectionTable below using shortcut for two column container table. No borders, just colored text for example.By default, fits the width of page at 100% and does not have even column widths, depends upon how much text is used in each side. You can change this using table properties or in html.Text just strainght typed in left side box, no formatting applied. Widths of columns depend upon how much text is typed in. Text typed in right box after selecting "normal" style. Table below is styled using the different features in the Table>properties tab. Click on table border, then click on <table> tag to get properties tab. Format a row or column the way you want it to look, then use the top toolbars to add rows or columns (click on row/column, then go to top toolbars and insert row/column)ITEMITEMITEMvaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevalue Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT c1c40972-7401-4881-991b-68da32baf9e9 facebook Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 9a211801-a97d-4d98-9c22-9c6970e96384 linkedin Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT f565104f-848f-43db-9611-e437396960d4 twitter Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 5f97a8f4-2cf0-4d08-ac83-eec80549d97b nice Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT f77dd2f9-4ed1-4704-85d6-b75862f0307c home #SLIDESHOW-3000-uppera##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperb##SLIDESHOW-3000-upperla##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperlb##SLIDESHOW-5000-lowerlc# Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT b4243947-2b95-4d44-8910-3321d3afc873 contact Interested in joining us?Sign-up for our news#FORM#Mail:Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc.PO Box 25202Richmond, VA 23260-5202UPS/Street Address:Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc.6606 W. Broad St.Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT b02b18ae-9dbe-4d4a-8b08-ee4b063f2a4e contact/thankyou Thank youYour message has been received. We will respond to your inquiry promptly. Thank you for your interest in VCC.  Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 90590c44-eeac-4989-b390-ed80a5d3ae24 signup Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 804e3f47-5b1d-4131-8c43-df12081bd76e sitemap Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:21 EDT 64e5e079-5bb0-4fa7-a814-cbac294d6ff1 privacy Privacy PolicyVirginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is dedicated to the absolute privacy of its customers, employees, and all users of the Internet. Personal InformationWhen you send VCC an email with your email address, the message and your email address will only be used by VCC staff. This information will not be released to third parties.  Protection of Personal InformationWe do not collect personally identifiable information on our web visitors. In cases where this information is provided voluntarily, such as when you request employment information, the information will not be sold, leased, or distributed to third parties in any way. For More InformationFor more information on our privacy policy, or if you have given us personal information and would like to opt out, please contact us.Terms of UseServer logsLike most web sites, VCC keeps server logs of accesses to its site. These logs are used internally to determine what sections of our site are being accessed so that we may improve our site. These logs do not contain personally identifiable information such as your name or email address. CookiesWe use cookies to enhance our web logging capabilities. This allows us, for instance, to determine what percentage of visitors to our site are repeat visitors. We do not tie cookies to any personally identifiable information. You may choose to disable cookies without affecting your browsing experience. Consult your browser's documentation for information on how to do this. . Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 0cd9ca6d-b1c2-480b-8846-65c259d34160 default  Achieving TogetherDownload Power Point Viewerif you are unable to view the presentation. NewsletterDownloadAcrobat Readerif you are unable to view the newsletter. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT ff035ccc-e51c-4270-9c2a-a883293adba8 sideyouth Youth ActivitiesA Farm Credit employee leads a student in the computer simulation called, Who's Minding the Store. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT e54fc4e1-3f4b-4d96-9f8d-e4a09f6fe6bc contactside Mail:Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc.PO Box 25202Richmond, VA 23260-5202UPS/Street Address:Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc.6606 W. Broad St.Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 2200c2ca-f434-4a82-8fed-924d195e39b2 notfound File Not FoundThe page you requested could not be found. Our website recently underwent a major renovation and this may be the reason. Please use our Sitemap or Search feature to find the page you are looking for. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT a3e9f581-f583-4521-9f1f-d21a657db324 slideshow Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT a1c68a55-2d22-4d06-b4be-e6d0edadac45 slideshow/uppera Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 62a6cbcd-bfb3-4f5f-8b42-3bc9e7f0981b slideshow/uppera/ura1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 704a503b-a4b9-4c84-a8f8-9f07a6806c39 slideshow/uppera/ura2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 25a82095-d284-4480-856e-66b71396ac12 slideshow/uppera/ura3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT b14b1800-86fc-461a-90a1-fffc8fe4f7fd slideshow/upperb Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 88e26d79-f769-4770-958b-72778d892a51 slideshow/upperb/urb1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 3c63121f-cdeb-4d1d-96d8-19782b6e3bbe slideshow/upperb/urb2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 31dbb57c-92a9-4a65-8aae-61a46f88095c slideshow/upperb/urb3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT d7696f60-635e-497c-bc3c-44c0cf0b1ffa slideshow/upperla Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 77f3a135-4a90-49ac-9863-ce74878d6e03 slideshow/upperla/ula1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 696ea8a2-4195-4984-b918-7c44afeda57b slideshow/upperla/ula2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 6a3acb00-2188-4df3-9560-d2b46fddd4f1 slideshow/upperla/ula3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT f2f464bf-81f0-4d81-a4e3-45e8d2e239eb slideshow/upperlb Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT debc5c01-1a68-4087-8dce-cb96a55dd5fe slideshow/upperlb/ulb1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT dd921889-2b8d-4cc6-bba8-e1b52dd6d2b3 slideshow/upperlb/ulb2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 94144799-4981-495a-b958-71e439f71c25 slideshow/upperlb/ulb3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 27a80d8c-24cb-40bf-b040-200eb05b75ea slideshow/lowerlc Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 2fca1d96-7e9c-4d03-b6d6-9c63cc6224e4 slideshow/lowerlc/llc1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT a4679682-7907-42c6-bb09-af3635fcb277 slideshow/lowerlc/llc2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 071a4755-75b3-41a5-8da0-7a115c7c6584 slideshow/lowerlc/llc3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:06:22 EDT 25bf2883-26e5-468d-9d1f-8b51dc66057a aboutvcc About VCCThe Council was founded in 1962 as the Virginia Council of Farmer Cooperatives. In 2009, our board of directors voted to change our name to the Virginia Cooperative Council to better reflect the expanding scope of cooperative organizations throughout the state that now serve not only rural Virginians and those involved in agriculture but also provide services to hundreds of thousands of urban and suburban members as well.Today, members of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telecommunications cooperatives; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT c1277555-513c-4579-9d01-a49d62deb79a aboutvcc/mission Mission Statement The mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperative organizations in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy and its citizens.The not-for-profit Council strives to accomplish our mission primarily through educational programs aimed at the general public and especially at young persons. The Council works closely with the state’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State, and 4-H and FFA programs in these efforts. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT 288ebe36-70e8-4b99-b4f3-f5956afc9eba aboutvcc/history What Is A Cooperative?Simply stated, a cooperative is an organization or business that is user-owned and user-controlled. Co-ops operate as not-for-profit entities. any profits, often referred to as savings in a co-op, are returned and are usually distributed to its members in the form of cash, credits or stock. History: It All Started on Toad LaneToday’s cooperatives trace their roots to 19th century England.More than 150 years ago a small group of workers in the Village of Rochdale launched an economic experiment that would later spread throughout the world. On October 24, 1844, 28 weavers banded together to form the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society with the simple goal of stretching their meager earnings by pooling their resources to purchase needed supplies in larger volumes and at lower prices. The small, first-floor storefront they rented as the base of their operations was located at 31 Toad Lane. This memorably-named site is now considered the birthplace of the modern era of cooperative businesses. The Society did not originate the cooperative idea of individuals working together to achieve what they could not accomplish alone. This concept had been around for many years as evidenced by the Mayflower Compact that the Pilgrim’s signed before sailing to America and the mutual fire insurance companies founded by Benjamin Franklin in Colonial Philadelphia. The significance of the Rochdale Pioneers was not in what they did but in how they did it. The foundation on which they built their organization was set of practices and descriptions now known as the Rochdale Principles. None of these ideas was totally new, but together they produced a business system that was unique. These principles included:· Democratic control· Open membership· Fixed or limited return on subscribed capital· Dividends on purchases· Trading strictly on a cash basis· Selling only pure and unadulterated goods· Provisions for educating members· Political and religious neutralityThe primary goal of the Rochdale Pioneers was modest – to simply lower their production costs to increase their incomes. It is unlikely that any of these desperate weavers with little formal education cared much about the concept of cooperation or realized that they were establishing a longterm worldwide movement. While modern day business practices have brought change to this original set of principles, the essence of the cooperative business model embodied in them continues to this day and are clearly the basis of the 7 Cooperative Principles that form the basis for all cooperatives formed since. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT aca5d8d7-9478-4917-96ff-3f9347c207e4 aboutvcc/board VCC Officers and Board of Directors The Council is governed by a board of directors comprised of individuals nominated and elected by its membership and representing the range of cooperative organizations in Virginia. Directors are elected to serve three-year terms. VCC Officers and Board of Directors President:Brian WolfeVice-President:Allen MeltonSecretary:Jennifer CulbertsonRepresenting Marketing CooperativesEric PaulsonVirginia State Dairymen’s AssociationCarl PrivettMD & VA Milk Producers Association Representing Purchasing CooperativesAllen MeltonSouthern States CooperativeMargaret CrickAugusta Cooperative Farm BureauDavid E. DurrCulpeper Farmers Cooperative (CFC)Representing Service CooperativesThomas TruittMidAtlantic Farm CreditBrian MosierMecklenburg Electric CooperativeRepresenting Cooperatives At LargeJ. T. AndersonColonial Farm CreditRichard G. Johnstone,Jr.VA, MD & DE Association of Electric CooperativesJennifer CulbertsonSouthern States CooperativePublic DirectorsJames GravesGraves Mountain Lodge & FarmsBette BrandFarm Credit of the VirginiasBrian WolfeRappahannock Electric CooperativeAdvisorsDr. Glenn AndersonVirginia Department of EducationDr. Dixie Watts DaltonDalton Virginia Tech & Southside Community College Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT f7c510cf-580b-4d40-a3c6-d0ed94c4d45e aboutvcc/vccfoundation Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc.The Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc. (VFC), is a financial partner of the Virginia Cooperative Council, and provides additional financial support for the Council’s educational programs. A 501 (c) (3) exempt private foundation operated separate from the VCC, the VFC’s primary activity is to provide direct funding for scholarships to agricultural economics students, primarily through Virginia Tech. In addition, the VFC provides funding to the VCC to provide scholarships for Virginia youth to attend the NICE and VICE educational programs. The VFC provides all this support from income generated from invested accumulated endowments, and from donations from cooperative-associated patrons. A Board of Directors oversees the VFC, and VFC board meetings generally occur concurrent with VCC board meetings. For any additional information about the VFC, please contact Phil Miller at (804) 281-1211, or at phil.miller@sscoop.com. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT f3fb9aac-eef7-401b-82b9-6de439c09a44 cooperatives Cooperatives Touch Our Daily LivesCooperatives are so much a part of our lives that most of us don’t realize that some of the most familiar food and beverage products we buy and use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops. Here are some examples that are probably in your pantry or refrigerator right now.· MarvaMaid Milk and Dairy Products · Florida’s Natural Orange Juice· Welch’s Grape Juice · Ocean Spray Cranberries· SunKist Oranges· SunMaid Raisins· Land-O-Lakes Butter· Blue Diamond Almonds· SueBee Honey· TreeTop Apple Juice· Cabot CheeseWherever you live in the Virginia, chances are cooperatives are part of your life every day and you may not even realize it.Co-ops provide power.Nearly a million Virginia homes, farms and businesses depend on an electric co-op to provide their electricity.Co-ops fuel your life.Thousands of Virginians purchase home heating oil and propane and even gasoline and diesel fuel from a petroleum co-op.Co-ops finance your life.Virginians depend on credit unions for checking and savings accounts and Farm Credit to finance farms, businesses and rural homes.Co-ops put food on your table. From meat and poultry to dairy products to vegetables, many of the products and national brands you use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops.Co-ops help farmers provide the food you eat.Farm supply co-ops provide the seeds and fertilizers farmers need to grow crops and the feeds they need to grow livestock. Farmer co-ops also provide feeds for horse and pets and many also offer tools, plants and lawn and garden supplies.Co-ops protect your investments.If you insurance your property or vehicles with a mutual insurance company, you are dealing with a cooperative business. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT 2225bbaf-38e9-45be-983b-bdd40c7727c9 cooperatives/history History: Co-ops In VirginiaUntil the latter decades of the 20th Century, Virginia was mainly an agrarian and rural states. The majority of its citizens were either directly involved in the farming or forestry industries or in the processing of the raw products produced on the farms and fields throughout the Commonwealth.Rural people by nature have a tradition of working together whether gathering to build a barn on a neighbor’s farm or teaming up to help harvest a neighbor’s crops before the first frost. So, it is not surprising that many of the first cooperative businesses in Virginia were organized to serve the needs of farmers by farmers themselves during the 1920s and 1930s.Unhappy with the quality and price of crop seeds and fertilizers, fencing and other goods, farmers founded farm supply co-ops to pool their orders and purchase only the best products at a lower price. To receive a fairer price for their products, dairy farmers formed co-ops to collect, process and market their milk collectively. Co-ops were also organized to market tobacco, grain, poultry, eggs and other commodities.Displeased with the service and credit terms extended to them by some banks, farmers with the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture formed their own cooperative financial institutations such as production credit associations to pool their assets and lend money to themselves.During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Virginia’s farmers and their rural neighbors took advantage of the newly-formed Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to obtain low-cost loans and assistance to form their own electric cooperatives and often planted their own poles and strung their own lines to extend electricity down every country road where the big utilities refused to go. Co-ops were also started to provide telephone service in rural areas – often using these same new poles.In towns and cities, factory workers, teachers and others with shared interest formed credit unions which are cooperative financial institutions as an alternative to investor-owned banks.Today, most of these original cooperative businesses have grown and still exist to serve new generations of Virginia’s citizens. They have been joined by many new co-op organizations ranging from daycare centers to artist co-ops to a co-op founded to provide broadband service to rural areas. And co-ops remain a vital part of the Commonwealth’s economy. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT d3cd46d2-5924-4817-b1ab-c803ce25dca3 ourmembers Our MembersMembers of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs. General MembersSouthern States Managed Cooperatives and Retail ServicesAgFirst Farm Credit BankAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau Inc.CoBankColonial Farm Credit, ACACommunity Electric CooperativeCooperative Milk Producers Assn. Inc.Craig-Botetourt Electric CooperativeCFC Farm and Home Center, Inc.Dairy Farmers of AmericaFarm Credit of the Virginias, ACAMaryland & Virginia Milk Producers Co-op. Assn.Mecklenburg Electric CooperativeNational Milk Producers FederationNorth River Telephone CooperativeNorthern Neck Electric CooperativeNorthern Virginia Electric Cooperative -->Old Dominion Electric CooperativePrince George Electric CooperativeRappahannock Electric CooperativeRockingham CooperativeSelect Sires Power Inc.Shenandoah Valley Electric CooperativeSouthern States Cooperative Inc.Partners Financial Federal Credit Union -->Southside Electric CooperativeValley Farm Credit, ACAVirginia Farm Bureau FederationVa., Md., Del., Assn. of Electric CooperativesVirginia State Dairymen's Association Amelia ServiceAugusta Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Bedford Cooperative Inc.Bristol Cooperative Inc.Burkeville ServiceCarroll County Cooperative Inc.Charlottesville Cooperative Inc.Chatham Cooperative Inc.Chesapeake Association Inc.Christiansburg ServiceCulpeper Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Danville Cooperative Inc.Emporia-Franklin ServiceFairfax Petroleum ServiceFarmers Cooperative Inc.Fredericksburg Petroleum ServiceFront Royal Cooperative Inc.Galax Cooperative Inc.Gloucester ServiceGoochland ServiceLeesburg Petroleum ServiceLoudoun County Cooperative Inc.Luray ServiceManassas ServiceMarion Cooperative Inc.Martinsville Cooperative Inc.Middleburg Service Inc.Orange-Madison Co-op Farm ServicePulaski Cooperative Inc. -->Prince William-Fauquier ServiceRappahannock ServiceRoanoke Troutville BranchRussell County Cooperative Inc.South Boston Petroleum ServiceSouthside Cooperative Inc.Tazewell Cooperative Inc.Tidewater Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Washington Farmers Cooperative Inc.Winchester Cooperative Inc.Wythe County Service Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT 3896b2f1-de32-4796-91be-6c0707569768 ourmembers/map Membership Map Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT 7072a95c-9b26-4d7f-b3e0-47d0625f216d ourmembers/pages Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT 0774598e-1299-44dc-bb46-b7e3d91bd3df ourmembers/pages/farmcreditmembers About the Farm Credit System:The Farm Credit System is a nationwide network of cooperative lending institutions that provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, agricultural cooperatives, rural utility systems and agribusinesses. The system was created in 1916 by an act of Congress and is the largest single provider of agricultural credit in the United States. However, the real benefit of doing business with Farm Credit is dealing with a local office with hometown people who know their business, their communities and their customers.Unlike commercial banks, they do not take deposits. Money is raised by selling system-wide bonds and discount notes in the securities market on Wall Street. The proceeds are channeled through Farm Credit System banks, associations and thus ultimately to our customers involved in agriculture and agribusiness. AgFirst Farm Credit Bank is the Farm Credit Bank for Virginia and is located in South Carolina. AGFIRST FARM CREDIT BANKAgFirst Farm Credit Bank provides funding and financial services to 20 Agricultural Credit Associations (ACAs) in 15 eastern states and Puerto Rico. These associations, operating as Farm Credit and Ag Credit associations, provide real estate and production financing to more than 80,000 farmers, agribusinesses, and rural homeowners. AgFirst reported assets of $29.2 billion as of March 31, 2011. AgFirst also operates a growing Capital Markets unit that arranges and participates in loans for agribusinesses across the nation, and a Correspondent Lending Market department that buys, sells and services rural home and agricultural loans. COBANKCoBank is a $66 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. They provide loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. CoBank is a proud member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture and the nation's rural economy. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.  Other Farm Credit Members: COLONIAL FARM CREDIT- primarily serving eastern Virginia. MIDATLANTIC FARM CREDIT    - (formerly Valley Farm credit) – primarily serving central and the valley district of Virginia. FARM CREDIT OF THE VIRGINIAS   – primarily serving western and southwestern VirginiaNote:Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.  Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:42 EDT 7e402a30-34cf-4ed2-8140-08687876032e ourmembers/pages/farmsupply Farm Supply Members:SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Richmond, VAWhether you're getting your first look at Southern States Cooperative, or you grew up as one of their valued patrons, you probably already know that they're one of the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperatives. Since 1923, Southern States has been providing expert products, services and advice to people who like to get their hands dirty. Whether you’re running a small hobby farm or a larger farm, tending your garden or trying to keep your yard looking green and lush, they’ll give you the tools and know-how you need to get the job done right. Southern States does what no single farmer can. Because it pools members' resources, the co-op enables all of its farmer-members to benefit from greater research capabilities. That makes a difference for everyone - reducing the costs of production agriculture helps keep America's food supply plentiful and affordable for all.As a result of its leadership role in agriculture, Southern States has continued to expand and today encompasses some 1,200 retail locations in 23 states. Owned by more than 300,000 farmers, the cooperative purchases, manufactures or processes feed, seed, fertilizer, farm supplies and fuel. As one of the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives, Southern States offers only the finest in goods and services. Their expertise is based on over 85 years of experience and research, driven by the desire to ensure that everyone has access to the best in feed, seed, fertilizer and farm supplies.CFC FARM & HOME CENTERS Headquartered in Culpeper, VAIn October of 2007 Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative Inc. celebrated its 75th anniversary. Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative, Inc. has had only five presidents and six general managers in its over 75 years of operation. At the end of 2007, total retail sales from all locations were over 32 million dollars. In the spring of 2005, the retail stores rolled out a new logo and the names were changed to CFC Farm & Home Centers. The original orange, green and white Co-op diamond logo was incorporated into a rectangular logo that consisting of a stylized diamond on a section of fence. This was done to help consolidate all retail locations in the mind of the consumer and to encourage people who where not farmers or members to shop our stores. A 75th anniversary logo was created and used from June through December of 2007.The Co-op was organized in 1932 as the Cooperative Farm Bureau in a rented building on Wausau Street with a total of 205 members paying dues of $1,230. In addition to the dues from members, the Co-op began operation by borrowing $10,000 at 6% interest. Total sales at the end of the first year of operation were $84,435 (fourteen-month period from 10/32 to 12/33). The business was moved to the present location in 1960 after a fire in 1959 at the Wausau Street (presently County Farm Service) facility. A fertilizer plant and feed mill are included in the Culpeper facilities. The present feed mill was constructed in 1976, expanding the capacity of the original mill which started operations in the early 1960's. A retail store remodeling and expansion was completed in the fall of 2006. Between 1940 and 2007, the Co-op opened six new locations; Morrisville in 1940, Rappahannock in 1952, Warrenton in 1958, Marshall in 1979, Maurertown in 1984 and Caroline in 2007.AUGUSTA COOP FARM BUREAU Headquartered in Staunton, VAAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau, Inc. was formed in 1929 at Weyers Cave, Virginia by local farmers who were looking for a way to buy products and supplies at more competitive prices. In 1931, the co-op expanded to Staunton, Virginia. That location now serves as the main office for Augusta Co-Op. Over the years, Augusta Co-Op has grown by adding other branch store locations throughout Virginia. A feed mill and a bulk fertilizer blending facility are also located at Staunton. These manufacturing facilities provide products for all Augusta Co-Op locations.Currently, Augusta Co-Op is managed by General Manager, Kevin McLaren. The General Manager oversees the operation of the cooperative with assistance from other department managers. The management staff is located at the main offices in Staunton. Augusta Co-Op’s primary service area is western and central Virginia. They also service neighboring states.ROCKINGHAM COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Harrisonburg, VARockingham Cooperative is headquartered in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with sales offices in Harrisonburg, Bridgewater, Elkton, Timberville, Woodstock & Monterey. They are retail farm and consumer products stores with a major presence in Rockingham, Shenandoah and Highland Counties. In November of 2010, Rockingham Cooperative purchased RMC, which includes Rocking R Hardware stores in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro, RAM Plumbing Supply in Harrisonburg and Rockingham Mill in Dayton. Since 1921, Rockingham Cooperative has provided their local communities with high quality goods used in all walks of life. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT e6f0a779-6577-472b-a942-b8380c8ba27f youthactivities Youth and Educational Opportunities  The Virginia Institute on Cooperative EducationThe Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors up to eight outstanding Virginia youth to attend the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) Youth Conference each year. The VCC youth delegates to this conference are selected because of their achievements in VCC’s VICE Conference, held each year in early April. The VCC VICE youth delegates generally are the top performers in state 4-H and FFA programs, but are not limited to those programs. VICE accepts any qualified youth from across the state.For nearly three-quarters of a century, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) offered the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE), or its predecessor, the American Institute of Cooperation (AIC), as one of its educational conferences on cooperatives. In August of 2002, NCFC made the decision to streamline its educational opportunities in order to provide a better return on member investments of both time and money.During the 2002 NICE, the last NCFC-sponsored youth event, a number of state delegations met to express interest in the continuation of the youth component of NICE. A decision was made to host the 2003 Diamond Anniversary NICE on the Virginia Tech campus, and to seek to rotate the conference to different universities in future years. This was actually a return to the model of the original AIC when the conference was hosted on university campuses. Since the conference is now focused solely on youth education, the return to the campus setting seems appropriate. Following the 2003 Diamond Anniversary Conference, participants decided to return to Virginia Tech for the 2004 conference with future conferences rotating to other venues in other states. Most recently, the conference was held at Purdue University (2011), and the University of Tennessee (2009 and 2010). The NICE conference will return to Virginia Tech for 2012.The conference is intended to provide a deeper understanding of cooperatives to the youth participants who are the cooperative members, customers, employees, directors, and leaders of tomorrow. Participants will gain an understanding of how cooperatives differ from other business forms and will hear cooperative success stories in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. In a team setting, attendees will serve as managers of a simulated cooperative store, competing with other stores in their market area for sales and profit. Teams will also analyze case studies, develop their own student-run cooperative, and participate in team-building and leadership development activities. The closing session will recognize the teams that have been the top performers in various conference activities. The Youth Scholar Program provides both educational and social activities. Program Objectives Increase the understanding of basic cooperative principles, how cooperatives are organized and operated, and how to use cooperatives Develop an understanding of the issues creating challenges and opportunities for cooperatives todayProvide opportunities for participation and leadership developmentEncourage youth scholars to explore career possibilities with cooperativesProvide opportunities to become acquainted with cooperative leaders, members, educators, and other youth2012 NICE Youth Program 2012 NICE Conference - Host Campus: Virginia Tech. (dates to be announced). Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT d38e38e6-02db-4a74-9e20-74a35cd3c159 blog Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 07176f3c-edf1-4845-9dad-297d3334eeed calendar Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT a8f8293a-af6e-4a47-9b45-9953883521c7 news Coop's In the News Hurricane Irene - How it affected our members:Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in August. The ninth named storm, first hurricane and first major hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Irene originated from a well-defined Atlantic tropical wave that eventually became a Category 3 major hurricane. It made its U.S. landfall over Eastern North Carolina's Outer Banks on the morning of August 27, and moved along southeastern Virginia, directly affecting the Hampton Roads region and indirectly, much of central Virginia.After briefly reemerging over water, Irene made a second U.S. landfall near Little Egg Inlet in New Jersey the morning of August 28, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it made its third U.S. landfall in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York, on August 28. Considerable damage occurred in eastern upstate New York and Vermont, which suffered from the worst flooding in centuries.Throughout its path, Irene caused widespread destruction and at least 55 deaths; monetary losses in the Caribbean were estimated to be as high as $3.1 billion. Damage estimates throughout the United States range from $10 to $15 billion.Irene swept through central Virginia with unexpected force, leaving in its wake a forest of downed trees and limbs snapping power lines, crushing cars and smashing houses. Dead and damaged trees became the most visible remnant of Irene's path through Virginia. All four deaths in the state and about one-quarter of the 40-plus deaths blamed on Irene have been linked to fallen trees, and more may be related to trees that downed power lines, electrocuting some victims. The Virginia victims were all struck by trees, either in their homes, vehicles or while outside.Many of the hundreds of thousands of homes that lost power in Virginia were serviced by Virginia’s electric cooperatives, many by Rappahannock EC, Northern Neck EC and Mecklenburg EC. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the VCC will co-host the 2011 Co-op Month Breakfast. Featured speakers will be executives from the above mentioned co-ops, who will tell the stories of the damage in their service areas, and how their co-ops toiled to help get Virginia’s power back on. October is Co-op MonthEach October, cooperatives across the United States celebrate the cooperative difference, business model and the contributions of cooperatives to their communities. Minnesota was the first state to observe Co-op Month in 1948, and it spread quickly to the entire nation. Co-op Month became a government-sponsored national event in 1964. The responsibility for planning was turned over to cooperatives in 1971. Annual celebrations play a key role in educating members and communities as well as the public and policy makers about the role cooperatives play in strengthening the economy, providing jobs and improving life in local communities.In Virginia, we celebrate Co-op Month with a Co-op Month Breakfast, this year on Tuesday, October 11. We feed the masses, award co-op leaders and outstanding young farmers, plus pass along a lot of good co-op information.Below is the skinny on our 2011 celebration:The Virginia Cooperative Council and Friends of the Industry of Agriculture (FIA) cordially invite you to attend the 2011 Cooperative Month Breakfast. Please join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and enjoyable event. DATE: ...................................................................................October 11, 2011TIME: .............................................................................................. 8:00 a.m.PRICE:..................................................................................$10.00 per personPLACE: .................................................THE PLACE AT INNSBROOK - GLEN ALLEN(4036 Cox Road in the Innsbrook Corporate Park)Please join us as we celebrate October Cooperative Month and honor the recipients of the 2011 Cooperative Career Leadership, Farmer-Member and Young Farmer awards.KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: ......................Panel of Electric Co-op ExecutivesTOPIC: “Virginia’s Electric Co-ops: Responding to Hurricane Irene”: Hear stories from several prominent Virginia Electric Co-ops on how Hurricane Irene impacted their service areas, and how they worked tirelessly to get the Power Back On for their customers. Come see photos of the considerable damage left in the wake of the Hurricane, and see pictures of the heroic co-op employees as they got us back up and running!!!!RSVP: .......................................................... by Thursday, October 6, 2011Call Debbie Delby….804/746-4581 ext. 1125 or email: ddelby@colonialfarmcredit.com  Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 49d6d705-cf01-4cc5-97cf-81f76d5be189 helpsheet Big Green HeadingMembers of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telephone cooperatives; Farm Credit Associations; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives.Normal Green Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy. Insert anchor on page first (ex: at bottom of page) , then add anchor  text-link  using the "Insert Hyperlink" icon and select "anchor on page" and pick the anchor you previoulsly made.Normal Yellow Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy.Normal Blue Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their mSmall Yellow HeadingMaecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. http://www.data-directions.com  help document  PowerPoint icon  MS Word iconShortcut for two column container table, width defaults of "100%" changed to "95%" so no horizontal scrollbar. This text is formatted and will enlarge.text not formatted, will not enlargetext not formatted, will not enlargeToolbar two column table, width defaults to 500 pixels. This text is not formatted and will not enlarge.text formatted with "simple paragraph" shortcut. Will enlarge. Border set to 1.Text formatted with "normal" style, will enlarge.this border is created  using table>properties>Stylebuilder>Border>All>Thin>Solid>Set a color.Image inserted with no applied formatting.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. 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Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Use "inline style" to reformat text inside a paragraph. at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales liberoTitle set using regular shortcut. This part of title has had font "set" using the "Size" over ride. It will not enlarge.Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. Anchor link should jump to here and will display at the bottom of the page, not the top. Table/Chart SectionTable below using shortcut for two column container table. 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Format a row or column the way you want it to look, then use the top toolbars to add rows or columns (click on row/column, then go to top toolbars and insert row/column)ITEMITEMITEMvaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevalue Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT b4a2d922-63d9-4e0b-b8be-5f99b90078fd facebook Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 7eb8cb57-8d4f-4a38-ad76-0e00640c6d10 linkedin Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 47b3f4ed-89c7-4b44-9503-fd563cd505eb twitter Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 4d5d1356-36ec-447f-88ea-7b5db586ad9a nice Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 0351f375-9f70-4fc6-bc0b-ff4e8a2e3287 home #SLIDESHOW-3000-uppera##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperb##SLIDESHOW-3000-upperla##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperlb##SLIDESHOW-5000-lowerlc# Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 863b2d40-4f65-4953-aa12-d6c435652aa9 contact Interested in joining us?Sign-up for our news! #FORM#Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT fbb41c6b-490a-424e-9f3b-cc5b9b314a4d contact/thankyou Thank You Your inquiry has been received and will be responded to promptly. Thank you for taking the time to drop us a note and showing interest in the Virginia Cooperative Council. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 8aaec4d5-63f1-4b3b-a170-524751312ae0 signup Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT da933ec7-99b5-48e6-9bc5-12564bd98026 sitemap Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT ee137611-5628-4f20-8897-4a68547e5b3a privacy Privacy PolicyVirginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is dedicated to the absolute privacy of its customers, employees, and all users of the Internet. Personal InformationWhen you send VCC an email with your email address, the message and your email address will only be used by VCC staff. 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We do not tie cookies to any personally identifiable information. You may choose to disable cookies without affecting your browsing experience. Consult your browser's documentation for information on how to do this. . Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 38652f00-d848-4184-9f8f-196db1bf43b7 default Achieving TogetherDownload  Power Point ViewerNewsletter Download   Acrobat Reader Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT 20db5448-349c-45bc-a899-9ba17da81032 sideyouth NICE Conference Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT d98b250f-df02-44ab-b933-1099a09ed384 contactside Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:46:43 EDT af2299f1-17b3-46de-b258-d5fbd037f309 notfound File Not FoundThe page you requested could not be found. 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In 2009, our board of directors voted to change our name to the Virginia Cooperative Council to better reflect the expanding scope of cooperative organizations throughout the state that now serve not only rural Virginians and those involved in agriculture but also provide services to hundreds of thousands of urban and suburban members as well.Today, members of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telecommunications cooperatives; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 55913d79-96a0-4f25-94ef-4094ce3e7395 aboutvcc/mission Mission Statement The mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperative organizations in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy and its citizens.The not-for-profit Council strives to accomplish our mission primarily through educational programs aimed at the general public and especially at young persons. The Council works closely with the state’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State, and 4-H and FFA programs in these efforts. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 008eba63-f912-4de3-a005-ee40e3a25e1a aboutvcc/history What Is A Cooperative?Simply stated, a cooperative is an organization or business that is user-owned and user-controlled. Co-ops operate as not-for-profit entities. any profits, often referred to as savings in a co-op, are returned and are usually distributed to its members in the form of cash, credits or stock. History: It All Started on Toad LaneToday’s cooperatives trace their roots to 19th century England.More than 150 years ago a small group of workers in the Village of Rochdale launched an economic experiment that would later spread throughout the world. On October 24, 1844, 28 weavers banded together to form the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society with the simple goal of stretching their meager earnings by pooling their resources to purchase needed supplies in larger volumes and at lower prices. The small, first-floor storefront they rented as the base of their operations was located at 31 Toad Lane. This memorably-named site is now considered the birthplace of the modern era of cooperative businesses. The Society did not originate the cooperative idea of individuals working together to achieve what they could not accomplish alone. This concept had been around for many years as evidenced by the Mayflower Compact that the Pilgrim’s signed before sailing to America and the mutual fire insurance companies founded by Benjamin Franklin in Colonial Philadelphia. The significance of the Rochdale Pioneers was not in what they did but in how they did it. The foundation on which they built their organization was set of practices and descriptions now known as the Rochdale Principles. None of these ideas was totally new, but together they produced a business system that was unique. These principles included:· Democratic control· Open membership· Fixed or limited return on subscribed capital· Dividends on purchases· Trading strictly on a cash basis· Selling only pure and unadulterated goods· Provisions for educating members· Political and religious neutralityThe primary goal of the Rochdale Pioneers was modest – to simply lower their production costs to increase their incomes. It is unlikely that any of these desperate weavers with little formal education cared much about the concept of cooperation or realized that they were establishing a longterm worldwide movement. While modern day business practices have brought change to this original set of principles, the essence of the cooperative business model embodied in them continues to this day and are clearly the basis of the 7 Cooperative Principles that form the basis for all cooperatives formed since. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT d9190f74-6f6a-4eaa-ba78-948c01f77e64 aboutvcc/board VCC Officers and Board of Directors The Council is governed by a board of directors comprised of individuals nominated and elected by its membership and representing the range of cooperative organizations in Virginia. Directors are elected to serve three-year terms. VCC Officers and Board of Directors President:Brian WolfeVice-President:Allen MeltonSecretary:Jennifer CulbertsonRepresenting Marketing CooperativesEric PaulsonVirginia State Dairymen’s AssociationCarl PrivettMD & VA Milk Producers Association Representing Purchasing CooperativesAllen MeltonSouthern States CooperativeMargaret CrickAugusta Cooperative Farm BureauDavid E. DurrCulpeper Farmers Cooperative (CFC)Representing Service CooperativesThomas TruittMidAtlantic Farm CreditBrian MosierMecklenburg Electric CooperativeRepresenting Cooperatives At LargeJ. T. AndersonColonial Farm CreditRichard G. Johnstone,Jr.VA, MD & DE Association of Electric CooperativesJennifer CulbertsonSouthern States CooperativePublic DirectorsJames GravesGraves Mountain Lodge & FarmsBette BrandFarm Credit of the VirginiasBrian WolfeRappahannock Electric CooperativeAdvisorsDr. Glenn AndersonVirginia Department of EducationDr. Dixie Watts DaltonDalton Virginia Tech & Southside Community College Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT cc46f25c-cf59-477f-97df-1e5804113e07 aboutvcc/vccfoundation Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc.The Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc. (VFC), is a financial partner of the Virginia Cooperative Council, and provides additional financial support for the Council’s educational programs. A 501 (c) (3) exempt private foundation operated separate from the VCC, the VFC’s primary activity is to provide direct funding for scholarships to agricultural economics students, primarily through Virginia Tech. In addition, the VFC provides funding to the VCC to provide scholarships for Virginia youth to attend the NICE and VICE educational programs. The VFC provides all this support from income generated from invested accumulated endowments, and from donations from cooperative-associated patrons. A Board of Directors oversees the VFC, and VFC board meetings generally occur concurrent with VCC board meetings. For any additional information about the VFC, please contact Phil Miller at (804) 281-1211, or at phil.miller@sscoop.com. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT b5735add-e3f7-4c0f-95c9-9f092ad99075 cooperatives Cooperatives Touch Our Daily Lives   Cooperatives are so much a part of our lives that most of us don’t realize that some of the most familiar food and beverage products we buy and use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops. Here are some examples that are probably in your pantry or refrigerator right now.· MarvaMaid Milk and Dairy Products · Florida’s Natural Orange Juice· Welch’s Grape Juice · Ocean Spray Cranberries· SunKist Oranges· SunMaid Raisins· Land-O-Lakes Butter· Blue Diamond Almonds· SueBee Honey· TreeTop Apple Juice· Cabot CheeseWherever you live in the Virginia, chances are cooperatives are part of your life every day and you may not even realize it.Co-ops provide power.Nearly a million Virginia homes, farms and businesses depend on an electric co-op to provide their electricity.Co-ops fuel your life.Thousands of Virginians purchase home heating oil and propane and even gasoline and diesel fuel from a petroleum co-op.Co-ops finance your life.Virginians depend on credit unions for checking and savings accounts and Farm Credit to finance farms, businesses and rural homes.Co-ops put food on your table. From meat and poultry to dairy products to vegetables, many of the products and national brands you use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops.Co-ops help farmers provide the food you eat.Farm supply co-ops provide the seeds and fertilizers farmers need to grow crops and the feeds they need to grow livestock. Farmer co-ops also provide feeds for horse and pets and many also offer tools, plants and lawn and garden supplies.Co-ops protect your investments.If you insurance your property or vehicles with a mutual insurance company, you are dealing with a cooperative business. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 80b9b8d3-823d-4b7d-acbd-2e6bc456e147 cooperatives/history History: Co-ops In VirginiaUntil the latter decades of the 20th Century, Virginia was mainly an agrarian and rural states. The majority of its citizens were either directly involved in the farming or forestry industries or in the processing of the raw products produced on the farms and fields throughout the Commonwealth.Rural people by nature have a tradition of working together whether gathering to build a barn on a neighbor’s farm or teaming up to help harvest a neighbor’s crops before the first frost. So, it is not surprising that many of the first cooperative businesses in Virginia were organized to serve the needs of farmers by farmers themselves during the 1920s and 1930s.Unhappy with the quality and price of crop seeds and fertilizers, fencing and other goods, farmers founded farm supply co-ops to pool their orders and purchase only the best products at a lower price. To receive a fairer price for their products, dairy farmers formed co-ops to collect, process and market their milk collectively. Co-ops were also organized to market tobacco, grain, poultry, eggs and other commodities.Displeased with the service and credit terms extended to them by some banks, farmers with the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture formed their own cooperative financial institutations such as production credit associations to pool their assets and lend money to themselves.During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Virginia’s farmers and their rural neighbors took advantage of the newly-formed Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to obtain low-cost loans and assistance to form their own electric cooperatives and often planted their own poles and strung their own lines to extend electricity down every country road where the big utilities refused to go. Co-ops were also started to provide telephone service in rural areas – often using these same new poles.In towns and cities, factory workers, teachers and others with shared interest formed credit unions which are cooperative financial institutions as an alternative to investor-owned banks.Today, most of these original cooperative businesses have grown and still exist to serve new generations of Virginia’s citizens. They have been joined by many new co-op organizations ranging from daycare centers to artist co-ops to a co-op founded to provide broadband service to rural areas. And co-ops remain a vital part of the Commonwealth’s economy. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 85e517aa-3327-4f1a-adf4-428843ec0321 ourmembers Our MembersMembers of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs. General MembersSouthern States Managed Cooperatives and Retail ServicesAgFirst Farm Credit BankAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau Inc.CoBankColonial Farm Credit, ACACommunity Electric CooperativeCooperative Milk Producers Assn. Inc.Craig-Botetourt Electric CooperativeCFC Farm and Home Center, Inc.Dairy Farmers of AmericaFarm Credit of the Virginias, ACAMaryland & Virginia Milk Producers Co-op. Assn.Mecklenburg Electric CooperativeNational Milk Producers FederationNorth River Telephone CooperativeNorthern Neck Electric CooperativeNorthern Virginia Electric Cooperative -->Old Dominion Electric CooperativePrince George Electric CooperativeRappahannock Electric CooperativeRockingham CooperativeSelect Sires Power Inc.Shenandoah Valley Electric CooperativeSouthern States Cooperative Inc.Partners Financial Federal Credit Union -->Southside Electric CooperativeValley Farm Credit, ACAVirginia Farm Bureau FederationVa., Md., Del., Assn. of Electric CooperativesVirginia State Dairymen's Association Amelia ServiceAugusta Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Bedford Cooperative Inc.Bristol Cooperative Inc.Burkeville ServiceCarroll County Cooperative Inc.Charlottesville Cooperative Inc.Chatham Cooperative Inc.Chesapeake Association Inc.Christiansburg ServiceCulpeper Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Danville Cooperative Inc.Emporia-Franklin ServiceFairfax Petroleum ServiceFarmers Cooperative Inc.Fredericksburg Petroleum ServiceFront Royal Cooperative Inc.Galax Cooperative Inc.Gloucester ServiceGoochland ServiceLeesburg Petroleum ServiceLoudoun County Cooperative Inc.Luray ServiceManassas ServiceMarion Cooperative Inc.Martinsville Cooperative Inc.Middleburg Service Inc.Orange-Madison Co-op Farm ServicePulaski Cooperative Inc. -->Prince William-Fauquier ServiceRappahannock ServiceRoanoke Troutville BranchRussell County Cooperative Inc.South Boston Petroleum ServiceSouthside Cooperative Inc.Tazewell Cooperative Inc.Tidewater Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Washington Farmers Cooperative Inc.Winchester Cooperative Inc.Wythe County Service Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT ce9f4b28-2c99-4aa0-90e5-33d685b7d3b5 ourmembers/map Membership Map Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT e498e9a7-eef4-4eef-afe8-d225461cecd1 ourmembers/pages Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 35d3a82e-7ba9-44f6-b088-55f5df94c5f8 ourmembers/pages/farmcreditmembers About the Farm Credit System:The Farm Credit System is a nationwide network of cooperative lending institutions that provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, agricultural cooperatives, rural utility systems and agribusinesses. The system was created in 1916 by an act of Congress and is the largest single provider of agricultural credit in the United States. However, the real benefit of doing business with Farm Credit is dealing with a local office with hometown people who know their business, their communities and their customers.Unlike commercial banks, they do not take deposits. Money is raised by selling system-wide bonds and discount notes in the securities market on Wall Street. The proceeds are channeled through Farm Credit System banks, associations and thus ultimately to our customers involved in agriculture and agribusiness. AgFirst Farm Credit Bank is the Farm Credit Bank for Virginia and is located in South Carolina. AGFIRST FARM CREDIT BANKAgFirst Farm Credit Bank provides funding and financial services to 20 Agricultural Credit Associations (ACAs) in 15 eastern states and Puerto Rico. These associations, operating as Farm Credit and Ag Credit associations, provide real estate and production financing to more than 80,000 farmers, agribusinesses, and rural homeowners. AgFirst reported assets of $29.2 billion as of March 31, 2011. AgFirst also operates a growing Capital Markets unit that arranges and participates in loans for agribusinesses across the nation, and a Correspondent Lending Market department that buys, sells and services rural home and agricultural loans. COBANKCoBank is a $66 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. They provide loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. CoBank is a proud member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture and the nation's rural economy. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.  Other Farm Credit Members: COLONIAL FARM CREDIT- primarily serving eastern Virginia. MIDATLANTIC FARM CREDIT    - (formerly Valley Farm credit) – primarily serving central and the valley district of Virginia. FARM CREDIT OF THE VIRGINIAS   – primarily serving western and southwestern VirginiaNote:Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.  Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT e1192566-e09a-48f7-b21b-96903ce60e16 ourmembers/pages/farmsupply Farm Supply Members:SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Richmond, VAWhether you're getting your first look at Southern States Cooperative, or you grew up as one of their valued patrons, you probably already know that they're one of the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperatives. Since 1923, Southern States has been providing expert products, services and advice to people who like to get their hands dirty. Whether you’re running a small hobby farm or a larger farm, tending your garden or trying to keep your yard looking green and lush, they’ll give you the tools and know-how you need to get the job done right. Southern States does what no single farmer can. Because it pools members' resources, the co-op enables all of its farmer-members to benefit from greater research capabilities. That makes a difference for everyone - reducing the costs of production agriculture helps keep America's food supply plentiful and affordable for all.As a result of its leadership role in agriculture, Southern States has continued to expand and today encompasses some 1,200 retail locations in 23 states. Owned by more than 300,000 farmers, the cooperative purchases, manufactures or processes feed, seed, fertilizer, farm supplies and fuel. As one of the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives, Southern States offers only the finest in goods and services. Their expertise is based on over 85 years of experience and research, driven by the desire to ensure that everyone has access to the best in feed, seed, fertilizer and farm supplies.CFC FARM & HOME CENTERS Headquartered in Culpeper, VAIn October of 2007 Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative Inc. celebrated its 75th anniversary. Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative, Inc. has had only five presidents and six general managers in its over 75 years of operation. At the end of 2007, total retail sales from all locations were over 32 million dollars. In the spring of 2005, the retail stores rolled out a new logo and the names were changed to CFC Farm & Home Centers. The original orange, green and white Co-op diamond logo was incorporated into a rectangular logo that consisting of a stylized diamond on a section of fence. This was done to help consolidate all retail locations in the mind of the consumer and to encourage people who where not farmers or members to shop our stores. A 75th anniversary logo was created and used from June through December of 2007.The Co-op was organized in 1932 as the Cooperative Farm Bureau in a rented building on Wausau Street with a total of 205 members paying dues of $1,230. In addition to the dues from members, the Co-op began operation by borrowing $10,000 at 6% interest. Total sales at the end of the first year of operation were $84,435 (fourteen-month period from 10/32 to 12/33). The business was moved to the present location in 1960 after a fire in 1959 at the Wausau Street (presently County Farm Service) facility. A fertilizer plant and feed mill are included in the Culpeper facilities. The present feed mill was constructed in 1976, expanding the capacity of the original mill which started operations in the early 1960's. A retail store remodeling and expansion was completed in the fall of 2006. Between 1940 and 2007, the Co-op opened six new locations; Morrisville in 1940, Rappahannock in 1952, Warrenton in 1958, Marshall in 1979, Maurertown in 1984 and Caroline in 2007.AUGUSTA COOP FARM BUREAU Headquartered in Staunton, VAAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau, Inc. was formed in 1929 at Weyers Cave, Virginia by local farmers who were looking for a way to buy products and supplies at more competitive prices. In 1931, the co-op expanded to Staunton, Virginia. That location now serves as the main office for Augusta Co-Op. Over the years, Augusta Co-Op has grown by adding other branch store locations throughout Virginia. A feed mill and a bulk fertilizer blending facility are also located at Staunton. These manufacturing facilities provide products for all Augusta Co-Op locations.Currently, Augusta Co-Op is managed by General Manager, Kevin McLaren. The General Manager oversees the operation of the cooperative with assistance from other department managers. The management staff is located at the main offices in Staunton. Augusta Co-Op’s primary service area is western and central Virginia. They also service neighboring states.ROCKINGHAM COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Harrisonburg, VARockingham Cooperative is headquartered in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with sales offices in Harrisonburg, Bridgewater, Elkton, Timberville, Woodstock & Monterey. They are retail farm and consumer products stores with a major presence in Rockingham, Shenandoah and Highland Counties. In November of 2010, Rockingham Cooperative purchased RMC, which includes Rocking R Hardware stores in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro, RAM Plumbing Supply in Harrisonburg and Rockingham Mill in Dayton. Since 1921, Rockingham Cooperative has provided their local communities with high quality goods used in all walks of life. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT d6295db0-17dd-4dde-bb1c-d7f66a9aab71 youthactivities Youth and Educational Opportunities  The Virginia Institute on Cooperative EducationThe Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors up to eight outstanding Virginia youth to attend the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) Youth Conference each year. The VCC youth delegates to this conference are selected because of their achievements in VCC’s VICE Conference, held each year in early April. The VCC VICE youth delegates generally are the top performers in state 4-H and FFA programs, but are not limited to those programs. VICE accepts any qualified youth from across the state.For nearly three-quarters of a century, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) offered the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE), or its predecessor, the American Institute of Cooperation (AIC), as one of its educational conferences on cooperatives. In August of 2002, NCFC made the decision to streamline its educational opportunities in order to provide a better return on member investments of both time and money.During the 2002 NICE, the last NCFC-sponsored youth event, a number of state delegations met to express interest in the continuation of the youth component of NICE. A decision was made to host the 2003 Diamond Anniversary NICE on the Virginia Tech campus, and to seek to rotate the conference to different universities in future years. This was actually a return to the model of the original AIC when the conference was hosted on university campuses. Since the conference is now focused solely on youth education, the return to the campus setting seems appropriate. Following the 2003 Diamond Anniversary Conference, participants decided to return to Virginia Tech for the 2004 conference with future conferences rotating to other venues in other states. Most recently, the conference was held at Purdue University (2011), and the University of Tennessee (2009 and 2010). The NICE conference will return to Virginia Tech for 2012.The conference is intended to provide a deeper understanding of cooperatives to the youth participants who are the cooperative members, customers, employees, directors, and leaders of tomorrow. Participants will gain an understanding of how cooperatives differ from other business forms and will hear cooperative success stories in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. In a team setting, attendees will serve as managers of a simulated cooperative store, competing with other stores in their market area for sales and profit. Teams will also analyze case studies, develop their own student-run cooperative, and participate in team-building and leadership development activities. The closing session will recognize the teams that have been the top performers in various conference activities. The Youth Scholar Program provides both educational and social activities. Program Objectives Increase the understanding of basic cooperative principles, how cooperatives are organized and operated, and how to use cooperatives Develop an understanding of the issues creating challenges and opportunities for cooperatives todayProvide opportunities for participation and leadership developmentEncourage youth scholars to explore career possibilities with cooperativesProvide opportunities to become acquainted with cooperative leaders, members, educators, and other youth2012 NICE Youth Program 2012 NICE Conference - Host Campus: Virginia Tech. (dates to be announced). Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 52365b8d-2802-41df-a553-d69108fc8d99 blog Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 7b7b71e5-e317-4095-b53f-864698dce916 calendar Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 0f6308f8-a467-42c7-ba86-0087b270ab22 news Coop's In the News Hurricane Irene - How it affected our members:Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in August. The ninth named storm, first hurricane and first major hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Irene originated from a well-defined Atlantic tropical wave that eventually became a Category 3 major hurricane. It made its U.S. landfall over Eastern North Carolina's Outer Banks on the morning of August 27, and moved along southeastern Virginia, directly affecting the Hampton Roads region and indirectly, much of central Virginia.After briefly reemerging over water, Irene made a second U.S. landfall near Little Egg Inlet in New Jersey the morning of August 28, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it made its third U.S. landfall in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York, on August 28. Considerable damage occurred in eastern upstate New York and Vermont, which suffered from the worst flooding in centuries.Throughout its path, Irene caused widespread destruction and at least 55 deaths; monetary losses in the Caribbean were estimated to be as high as $3.1 billion. Damage estimates throughout the United States range from $10 to $15 billion.Irene swept through central Virginia with unexpected force, leaving in its wake a forest of downed trees and limbs snapping power lines, crushing cars and smashing houses. Dead and damaged trees became the most visible remnant of Irene's path through Virginia. All four deaths in the state and about one-quarter of the 40-plus deaths blamed on Irene have been linked to fallen trees, and more may be related to trees that downed power lines, electrocuting some victims. The Virginia victims were all struck by trees, either in their homes, vehicles or while outside.Many of the hundreds of thousands of homes that lost power in Virginia were serviced by Virginia’s electric cooperatives, many by Rappahannock EC, Northern Neck EC and Mecklenburg EC. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the VCC will co-host the 2011 Co-op Month Breakfast. Featured speakers will be executives from the above mentioned co-ops, who will tell the stories of the damage in their service areas, and how their co-ops toiled to help get Virginia’s power back on. October is Co-op MonthEach October, cooperatives across the United States celebrate the cooperative difference, business model and the contributions of cooperatives to their communities. Minnesota was the first state to observe Co-op Month in 1948, and it spread quickly to the entire nation. Co-op Month became a government-sponsored national event in 1964. The responsibility for planning was turned over to cooperatives in 1971. Annual celebrations play a key role in educating members and communities as well as the public and policy makers about the role cooperatives play in strengthening the economy, providing jobs and improving life in local communities.In Virginia, we celebrate Co-op Month with a Co-op Month Breakfast, this year on Tuesday, October 11. We feed the masses, award co-op leaders and outstanding young farmers, plus pass along a lot of good co-op information.Below is the skinny on our 2011 celebration:The Virginia Cooperative Council and Friends of the Industry of Agriculture (FIA) cordially invite you to attend the 2011 Cooperative Month Breakfast. Please join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and enjoyable event. DATE: ...................................................................................October 11, 2011TIME: .............................................................................................. 8:00 a.m.PRICE:..................................................................................$10.00 per personPLACE: .................................................THE PLACE AT INNSBROOK - GLEN ALLEN(4036 Cox Road in the Innsbrook Corporate Park)Please join us as we celebrate October Cooperative Month and honor the recipients of the 2011 Cooperative Career Leadership, Farmer-Member and Young Farmer awards.KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: ......................Panel of Electric Co-op ExecutivesTOPIC: “Virginia’s Electric Co-ops: Responding to Hurricane Irene”: Hear stories from several prominent Virginia Electric Co-ops on how Hurricane Irene impacted their service areas, and how they worked tirelessly to get the Power Back On for their customers. Come see photos of the considerable damage left in the wake of the Hurricane, and see pictures of the heroic co-op employees as they got us back up and running!!!!RSVP: .......................................................... by Thursday, October 6, 2011Call Debbie Delby….804/746-4581 ext. 1125 or email: ddelby@colonialfarmcredit.com  Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT fad606ba-6952-43ce-bdf2-569e3051deb2 helpsheet Big Green HeadingMembers of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telephone cooperatives; Farm Credit Associations; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives.Normal Green Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy. Insert anchor on page first (ex: at bottom of page) , then add anchor  text-link  using the "Insert Hyperlink" icon and select "anchor on page" and pick the anchor you previoulsly made.Normal Yellow Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy.Normal Blue Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their mSmall Yellow HeadingMaecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. 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Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Use "inline style" to reformat text inside a paragraph. at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales liberoTitle set using regular shortcut. This part of title has had font "set" using the "Size" over ride. It will not enlarge.Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. Anchor link should jump to here and will display at the bottom of the page, not the top. Table/Chart SectionTable below using shortcut for two column container table. 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Format a row or column the way you want it to look, then use the top toolbars to add rows or columns (click on row/column, then go to top toolbars and insert row/column)ITEMITEMITEMvaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevalue Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 6cf96025-9719-45c3-a2d7-5c6167bb6aa0 facebook Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT ce6db321-5abe-4dca-b7b0-5c22ea432d75 linkedin Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT f557bcaa-e7be-4d29-a5be-d464829b9284 twitter Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT fd113b79-25d1-4e92-870e-de55f8c72225 nice Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 7c6edf54-d31c-4c1b-b9ba-17d01aee0572 home #SLIDESHOW-3000-uppera##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperb##SLIDESHOW-3000-upperla##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperlb##SLIDESHOW-5000-lowerlc# Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT ec11a821-8af8-403e-9316-e6cf3034a00e contact Interested in joining us?Sign-up for our news! #FORM#Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 01bafb26-b90e-494a-a5f9-9349254b7c52 contact/thankyou Thank You Your inquiry has been received and will be responded to promptly. Thank you for taking the time to drop us a note and showing interest in the Virginia Cooperative Council. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 3d91b0d5-fbf4-49b7-9da5-740b7f00c9a7 signup Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 60ec63eb-4777-4f11-8889-cd3419de033d sitemap Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 92ad4044-678f-49c5-bca1-d6c0221bd022 privacy Privacy PolicyVirginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is dedicated to the absolute privacy of its customers, employees, and all users of the Internet. Personal InformationWhen you send VCC an email with your email address, the message and your email address will only be used by VCC staff. 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We do not tie cookies to any personally identifiable information. You may choose to disable cookies without affecting your browsing experience. Consult your browser's documentation for information on how to do this. . Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT 75f035d7-3b3b-4085-a4e9-de5fcc14af43 default Achieving TogetherDownload  Power Point ViewerNewsletter Download   Acrobat Reader Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:50 EDT c1deaaa3-9dec-4b43-a8ac-3f9b48771658 sideyouth NICE Conference Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT f7bd05f4-1403-41e2-ab37-5f984e1456b7 contactside Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT feb9c036-7e33-4426-a426-904140d414a7 notfound File Not FoundThe page you requested could not be found. 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Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 48a7e93f-14f8-40f4-9a57-094380f23f84 slideshow Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 6a0899d0-480c-47b1-bbb3-7ae2d082ff1f slideshow/uppera Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 98c5dca7-a16c-4f1b-852d-c3521eef97a4 slideshow/uppera/ura1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 51b83d62-6136-4863-9b91-aafa98cce421 slideshow/uppera/ura2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT a5cf5f57-eaf0-48ec-ba28-351ec71dee02 slideshow/uppera/ura3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT d6c9d507-9ec4-4f48-9f29-49b9505bb645 slideshow/upperb Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 6117cd00-fe1c-4920-942c-c403d17cd796 slideshow/upperb/urb1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 2296ff5e-6b76-4feb-b872-70fe3f9426c2 slideshow/upperb/urb2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 75cb0f92-82fe-4fa4-b331-cc5e79979862 slideshow/upperb/urb3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 06a7058f-34de-433c-87e2-7df203069c41 slideshow/upperla Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 3ff33989-b9cd-4992-b2bc-320fe00e7188 slideshow/upperla/ula1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 6a3c4449-5540-4127-84b1-eb6bb499132a slideshow/upperla/ula2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 0e08cff7-b2b7-4472-8cfc-2c6ea118ca15 slideshow/upperla/ula3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 20ee2901-5cff-4c72-9099-6626d7666a92 slideshow/upperlb Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 43471ee6-f0c2-4ea9-8cf4-753fd9dfbbf6 slideshow/upperlb/ulb1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 6daef8e7-7e76-47dd-84a4-d05e030c4b53 slideshow/upperlb/ulb2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 24152fc3-0b7b-498c-90ce-aa881cf57baa slideshow/upperlb/ulb3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT e2429891-e81c-4aa0-ae61-da3fca889ad1 slideshow/lowerlc Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 0d15f321-8896-49a4-be8f-d528a5f9c591 slideshow/lowerlc/llc1 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 8cd02e15-02f4-4260-a673-89703eab03c3 slideshow/lowerlc/llc2 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 870f9ce8-4b19-467f-aa7f-e7be78b535d8 slideshow/lowerlc/llc3 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:51 EDT 1a5cc65c-c014-4bf6-b0d2-b2928dde8ddd aboutvcc About VCCThe Council was founded in 1962 as the Virginia Council of Farmer Cooperatives. In 2009, our board of directors voted to change our name to the Virginia Cooperative Council to better reflect the expanding scope of cooperative organizations throughout the state that now serve not only rural Virginians and those involved in agriculture but also provide services to hundreds of thousands of urban and suburban members as well.Today, members of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telecommunications cooperatives; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:13 EDT 3b849c84-a77e-4ad5-87d6-4825a7cd8690 aboutvcc/mission Mission Statement The mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperative organizations in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy and its citizens.The not-for-profit Council strives to accomplish our mission primarily through educational programs aimed at the general public and especially at young persons. The Council works closely with the state’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State, and 4-H and FFA programs in these efforts. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:13 EDT ab3f07a2-3924-4714-84d1-996a34495519 aboutvcc/history What Is A Cooperative?Simply stated, a cooperative is an organization or business that is user-owned and user-controlled. Co-ops operate as not-for-profit entities. any profits, often referred to as savings in a co-op, are returned and are usually distributed to its members in the form of cash, credits or stock. History: It All Started on Toad LaneToday’s cooperatives trace their roots to 19th century England.More than 150 years ago a small group of workers in the Village of Rochdale launched an economic experiment that would later spread throughout the world. On October 24, 1844, 28 weavers banded together to form the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society with the simple goal of stretching their meager earnings by pooling their resources to purchase needed supplies in larger volumes and at lower prices. The small, first-floor storefront they rented as the base of their operations was located at 31 Toad Lane. This memorably-named site is now considered the birthplace of the modern era of cooperative businesses. The Society did not originate the cooperative idea of individuals working together to achieve what they could not accomplish alone. This concept had been around for many years as evidenced by the Mayflower Compact that the Pilgrim’s signed before sailing to America and the mutual fire insurance companies founded by Benjamin Franklin in Colonial Philadelphia. The significance of the Rochdale Pioneers was not in what they did but in how they did it. The foundation on which they built their organization was set of practices and descriptions now known as the Rochdale Principles. None of these ideas was totally new, but together they produced a business system that was unique. These principles included:· Democratic control· Open membership· Fixed or limited return on subscribed capital· Dividends on purchases· Trading strictly on a cash basis· Selling only pure and unadulterated goods· Provisions for educating members· Political and religious neutralityThe primary goal of the Rochdale Pioneers was modest – to simply lower their production costs to increase their incomes. It is unlikely that any of these desperate weavers with little formal education cared much about the concept of cooperation or realized that they were establishing a longterm worldwide movement. While modern day business practices have brought change to this original set of principles, the essence of the cooperative business model embodied in them continues to this day and are clearly the basis of the 7 Cooperative Principles that form the basis for all cooperatives formed since. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:13 EDT d61a615c-7d58-48a0-97f4-740602a7ee8c aboutvcc/board VCC Officers and Board of Directors The Council is governed by a board of directors comprised of individuals nominated and elected by its membership and representing the range of cooperative organizations in Virginia. Directors are elected to serve three-year terms. VCC Officers and Board of Directors President:Brian WolfeVice-President:Allen MeltonSecretary:Jennifer CulbertsonRepresenting Marketing CooperativesEric PaulsonVirginia State Dairymen’s AssociationCarl PrivettMD & VA Milk Producers Association Representing Purchasing CooperativesAllen MeltonSouthern States CooperativeMargaret CrickAugusta Cooperative Farm BureauDavid E. DurrCulpeper Farmers Cooperative (CFC)Representing Service CooperativesThomas TruittMidAtlantic Farm CreditBrian MosierMecklenburg Electric CooperativeRepresenting Cooperatives At LargeJ. T. AndersonColonial Farm CreditRichard G. Johnstone,Jr.VA, MD & DE Association of Electric CooperativesJennifer CulbertsonSouthern States CooperativePublic DirectorsJames GravesGraves Mountain Lodge & FarmsBette BrandFarm Credit of the VirginiasBrian WolfeRappahannock Electric CooperativeAdvisorsDr. Glenn AndersonVirginia Department of EducationDr. Dixie Watts DaltonDalton Virginia Tech & Southside Community College Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:13 EDT af1eff8c-f3d1-4d4a-afa5-854510cdcc20 aboutvcc/vccfoundation Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc.The Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc. (VFC), is a financial partner of the Virginia Cooperative Council, and provides additional financial support for the Council’s educational programs. A 501 (c) (3) exempt private foundation operated separate from the VCC, the VFC’s primary activity is to provide direct funding for scholarships to agricultural economics students, primarily through Virginia Tech. In addition, the VFC provides funding to the VCC to provide scholarships for Virginia youth to attend the NICE and VICE educational programs. The VFC provides all this support from income generated from invested accumulated endowments, and from donations from cooperative-associated patrons. A Board of Directors oversees the VFC, and VFC board meetings generally occur concurrent with VCC board meetings. For any additional information about the VFC, please contact Phil Miller at (804) 281-1211, or at phil.miller@sscoop.com. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:13 EDT 163aee99-553b-47a2-adb7-4051c1011897 cooperatives Cooperatives Touch Our Daily Livesread brochureCooperatives are so much a part of our lives that most of us don’t realize that some of the most familiar food and beverage products we buy and use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops. Here are some examples that are probably in your pantry or refrigerator right now.· MarvaMaid Milk and Dairy Products · Florida’s Natural Orange Juice· Welch’s Grape Juice · Ocean Spray Cranberries· SunKist Oranges· SunMaid Raisins· Land-O-Lakes Butter· Blue Diamond Almonds· SueBee Honey· TreeTop Apple Juice· Cabot CheeseWherever you live in the Virginia, chances are cooperatives are part of your life every day and you may not even realize it.Co-ops provide power.Nearly a million Virginia homes, farms and businesses depend on an electric co-op to provide their electricity.Co-ops fuel your life.Thousands of Virginians purchase home heating oil and propane and even gasoline and diesel fuel from a petroleum co-op.Co-ops finance your life.Virginians depend on credit unions for checking and savings accounts and Farm Credit to finance farms, businesses and rural homes.Co-ops put food on your table. From meat and poultry to dairy products to vegetables, many of the products and national brands you use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops.Co-ops help farmers provide the food you eat.Farm supply co-ops provide the seeds and fertilizers farmers need to grow crops and the feeds they need to grow livestock. Farmer co-ops also provide feeds for horse and pets and many also offer tools, plants and lawn and garden supplies.Co-ops protect your investments.If you insurance your property or vehicles with a mutual insurance company, you are dealing with a cooperative business. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:13 EDT 7e75225b-a6c2-48fb-aebd-05d3b9db58c0 cooperatives/history History: Co-ops In VirginiaUntil the latter decades of the 20th Century, Virginia was mainly an agrarian and rural states. The majority of its citizens were either directly involved in the farming or forestry industries or in the processing of the raw products produced on the farms and fields throughout the Commonwealth.Rural people by nature have a tradition of working together whether gathering to build a barn on a neighbor’s farm or teaming up to help harvest a neighbor’s crops before the first frost. So, it is not surprising that many of the first cooperative businesses in Virginia were organized to serve the needs of farmers by farmers themselves during the 1920s and 1930s.Unhappy with the quality and price of crop seeds and fertilizers, fencing and other goods, farmers founded farm supply co-ops to pool their orders and purchase only the best products at a lower price. To receive a fairer price for their products, dairy farmers formed co-ops to collect, process and market their milk collectively. Co-ops were also organized to market tobacco, grain, poultry, eggs and other commodities.Displeased with the service and credit terms extended to them by some banks, farmers with the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture formed their own cooperative financial institutations such as production credit associations to pool their assets and lend money to themselves.During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Virginia’s farmers and their rural neighbors took advantage of the newly-formed Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to obtain low-cost loans and assistance to form their own electric cooperatives and often planted their own poles and strung their own lines to extend electricity down every country road where the big utilities refused to go. Co-ops were also started to provide telephone service in rural areas – often using these same new poles.In towns and cities, factory workers, teachers and others with shared interest formed credit unions which are cooperative financial institutions as an alternative to investor-owned banks.Today, most of these original cooperative businesses have grown and still exist to serve new generations of Virginia’s citizens. They have been joined by many new co-op organizations ranging from daycare centers to artist co-ops to a co-op founded to provide broadband service to rural areas. And co-ops remain a vital part of the Commonwealth’s economy. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:13 EDT 3ec34bd6-f184-41d1-8089-54c56ac31938 ourmembers Our MembersMembers of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs. General MembersSouthern States Managed Cooperatives and Retail ServicesAgFirst Farm Credit BankAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau Inc.CoBankColonial Farm Credit, ACACommunity Electric CooperativeCooperative Milk Producers Assn. Inc.Craig-Botetourt Electric CooperativeCFC Farm and Home Center, Inc.Dairy Farmers of AmericaFarm Credit of the Virginias, ACAMaryland & Virginia Milk Producers Co-op. Assn.Mecklenburg Electric CooperativeNational Milk Producers FederationNorth River Telephone CooperativeNorthern Neck Electric CooperativeNorthern Virginia Electric Cooperative -->Old Dominion Electric CooperativePrince George Electric CooperativeRappahannock Electric CooperativeRockingham CooperativeSelect Sires Power Inc.Shenandoah Valley Electric CooperativeSouthern States Cooperative Inc.Partners Financial Federal Credit Union -->Southside Electric CooperativeValley Farm Credit, ACAVirginia Farm Bureau FederationVa., Md., Del., Assn. of Electric CooperativesVirginia State Dairymen's Association Amelia ServiceAugusta Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Bedford Cooperative Inc.Bristol Cooperative Inc.Burkeville ServiceCarroll County Cooperative Inc.Charlottesville Cooperative Inc.Chatham Cooperative Inc.Chesapeake Association Inc.Christiansburg ServiceCulpeper Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Danville Cooperative Inc.Emporia-Franklin ServiceFairfax Petroleum ServiceFarmers Cooperative Inc.Fredericksburg Petroleum ServiceFront Royal Cooperative Inc.Galax Cooperative Inc.Gloucester ServiceGoochland ServiceLeesburg Petroleum ServiceLoudoun County Cooperative Inc.Luray ServiceManassas ServiceMarion Cooperative Inc.Martinsville Cooperative Inc.Middleburg Service Inc.Orange-Madison Co-op Farm ServicePulaski Cooperative Inc. -->Prince William-Fauquier ServiceRappahannock ServiceRoanoke Troutville BranchRussell County Cooperative Inc.South Boston Petroleum ServiceSouthside Cooperative Inc.Tazewell Cooperative Inc.Tidewater Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Washington Farmers Cooperative Inc.Winchester Cooperative Inc.Wythe County Service Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 52789206-99e9-4635-9eba-53abf86ce33c ourmembers/map Membership Map Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 5304a74c-093b-41ac-9854-c11ad5041767 ourmembers/pages Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT c9adfdbb-dcad-48d3-9404-ab0b79b7c24d ourmembers/pages/electricmembers Electric Co-op Members: OLD DOMINION ELECTRIC CO-OP Headquartered in Glen Allen, VAODEC is an electric generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative. They are a regional, consumer-owned power supplier formed in 1948 to provide power to a consortium of electric distribution cooperatives. Their core business is generating, purchasing and delivering electricity to wholesale customers, primarily our member systems. ODEC is a not-for-profit member-owned cooperative and has no capital stock. They follow the basic principles of cooperatives. Qualifications for membership and the rights and obligations of their members are defined by law and established in the corporate bylaws. ODEC’s power is generated through a combination of owned baseload and peaking power plants that use coal, natural gas and nuclear as their primary fuels supplemented by purchased power and renewable resource technologies. In 2010, their 11 members served over 540,000 retail electric consumers (meters), representing approximately 1.2 million member-owners along 59,000 miles of line. The service territories served by their members cover large portions of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware ranging from the extended suburbs of Washington, DC to the Atlantic shores of these three beautiful states to the Appalachian Mountains and the North Carolina border. MECKLENBURG ELECTRIC CO-OP   Headquartered in Chase City, VAMecklenburg Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, non-profit utility in south central Virginia. Formed in 1938, MEC now provides electricity to over 31,000 accounts in nine counties. All members have a voice in the business affairs of the cooperative, with one vote and the opportunity to attend the Co-op’s Annual Meeting. All margins (profits) are set aside and distributed among the members in proportion to their patronage in the form of capital credits. These basic cooperative principles truly provide for a democratically controlled organization.In addition to providing their members with electricity, MEC makes extensive efforts to enhance the quality of life in their community. They work with local businesses, and city, county and state officials to bring business and new industry to Southside Virginia. They also support and help provide electrical safety awareness programs in the area.NORTHERN NECK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Warsaw, VANorthern Neck Electric Cooperative, a member-owned, non-profit electric distribution cooperative located in Warsaw, Virginia, was chartered in June 1937. It serves some 18,00+ residential and commercial accounts, delivering some 272 million kilo-watt-hours of electricity in the counties of King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Stafford, and Westmoreland. The Cooperative maintains over 2079 miles of overhead and underground lines which distribute electricity from 19 substations to members' homes and businesses.The first organizational meeting was held at the Courthouse in Warsaw, Virginia, for the purpose of incorporating, setting up a charter, and electing directors. Throughout its history the Cooperative's mission has been to provide reliable service at a reasonable cost. The cooperation and support by its members and dedicated service by its board of directors and employees assures that this fine tradition will continue well into the 21st century and beyond. The Northern Neck Electric Cooperative is proud to be the means of bringing electric service to the rural areas of the Northern Neck.RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Fredericksburg, VARappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) is a member-owned utility that provides electric service to more than 155,000 connections in parts of 22 Virginia counties. It was formed in 1980 with the consolidation of two cooperatives, Virginia Electric Cooperative in Bowling Green and Northern Piedmont Electric Cooperative in Culpeper, with both co-ops dating back to the initial formation of electric co-ops in Virginia in 1935 to 1939. The Cooperative's general office is in Spotsylvania County. REC maintains more than 16,000 miles of power lines through its service area, which ranges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The Cooperative serves a variety of residential, commercial and industrial accounts. REC's largest customer is Bear Island Paper Company, the second largest consumer of electricity in Virginia. REC also provides the electricity to such familiar names as Kings Dominion Amusement Park, Merillat Industries, GE Fanuc and DuPont.  The Cooperative is guided by a board of directors elected by REC's member-owners. Elections are held at the annual meeting with some directors up for election each year. Directors serve three-year terms.   Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 4161fba1-8d2a-490a-80b3-649050f1c6dd ourmembers/pages/farmcreditmembers About the Farm Credit System:The Farm Credit System is a nationwide network of cooperative lending institutions that provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, agricultural cooperatives, rural utility systems and agribusinesses. The system was created in 1916 by an act of Congress and is the largest single provider of agricultural credit in the United States. However, the real benefit of doing business with Farm Credit is dealing with a local office with hometown people who know their business, their communities and their customers.Unlike commercial banks, they do not take deposits. Money is raised by selling system-wide bonds and discount notes in the securities market on Wall Street. The proceeds are channeled through Farm Credit System banks, associations and thus ultimately to our customers involved in agriculture and agribusiness. AgFirst Farm Credit Bank is the Farm Credit Bank for Virginia and is located in South Carolina. AGFIRST FARM CREDIT BANKAgFirst Farm Credit Bank provides funding and financial services to 20 Agricultural Credit Associations (ACAs) in 15 eastern states and Puerto Rico. These associations, operating as Farm Credit and Ag Credit associations, provide real estate and production financing to more than 80,000 farmers, agribusinesses, and rural homeowners. AgFirst reported assets of $29.2 billion as of March 31, 2011. AgFirst also operates a growing Capital Markets unit that arranges and participates in loans for agribusinesses across the nation, and a Correspondent Lending Market department that buys, sells and services rural home and agricultural loans. COBANKCoBank is a $66 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. They provide loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. CoBank is a proud member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture and the nation's rural economy. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.  Other Farm Credit Members: COLONIAL FARM CREDIT- primarily serving eastern Virginia. MIDATLANTIC FARM CREDIT    - (formerly Valley Farm credit) – primarily serving central and the valley district of Virginia. FARM CREDIT OF THE VIRGINIAS   – primarily serving western and southwestern VirginiaNote:Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.  Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT f53ff038-a34b-466e-8edc-a592f4d50f04 ourmembers/pages/farmsupply Farm Supply Members:SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Richmond, VAWhether you're getting your first look at Southern States Cooperative, or you grew up as one of their valued patrons, you probably already know that they're one of the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperatives. Since 1923, Southern States has been providing expert products, services and advice to people who like to get their hands dirty. Whether you’re running a small hobby farm or a larger farm, tending your garden or trying to keep your yard looking green and lush, they’ll give you the tools and know-how you need to get the job done right. Southern States does what no single farmer can. Because it pools members' resources, the co-op enables all of its farmer-members to benefit from greater research capabilities. That makes a difference for everyone - reducing the costs of production agriculture helps keep America's food supply plentiful and affordable for all.As a result of its leadership role in agriculture, Southern States has continued to expand and today encompasses some 1,200 retail locations in 23 states. Owned by more than 300,000 farmers, the cooperative purchases, manufactures or processes feed, seed, fertilizer, farm supplies and fuel. As one of the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives, Southern States offers only the finest in goods and services. Their expertise is based on over 85 years of experience and research, driven by the desire to ensure that everyone has access to the best in feed, seed, fertilizer and farm supplies.CFC FARM & HOME CENTERS Headquartered in Culpeper, VAIn October of 2007 Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative Inc. celebrated its 75th anniversary. Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative, Inc. has had only five presidents and six general managers in its over 75 years of operation. At the end of 2007, total retail sales from all locations were over 32 million dollars. In the spring of 2005, the retail stores rolled out a new logo and the names were changed to CFC Farm & Home Centers. The original orange, green and white Co-op diamond logo was incorporated into a rectangular logo that consisting of a stylized diamond on a section of fence. This was done to help consolidate all retail locations in the mind of the consumer and to encourage people who where not farmers or members to shop our stores. A 75th anniversary logo was created and used from June through December of 2007.The Co-op was organized in 1932 as the Cooperative Farm Bureau in a rented building on Wausau Street with a total of 205 members paying dues of $1,230. In addition to the dues from members, the Co-op began operation by borrowing $10,000 at 6% interest. Total sales at the end of the first year of operation were $84,435 (fourteen-month period from 10/32 to 12/33). The business was moved to the present location in 1960 after a fire in 1959 at the Wausau Street (presently County Farm Service) facility. A fertilizer plant and feed mill are included in the Culpeper facilities. The present feed mill was constructed in 1976, expanding the capacity of the original mill which started operations in the early 1960's. A retail store remodeling and expansion was completed in the fall of 2006. Between 1940 and 2007, the Co-op opened six new locations; Morrisville in 1940, Rappahannock in 1952, Warrenton in 1958, Marshall in 1979, Maurertown in 1984 and Caroline in 2007.AUGUSTA COOP FARM BUREAU Headquartered in Staunton, VAAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau, Inc. was formed in 1929 at Weyers Cave, Virginia by local farmers who were looking for a way to buy products and supplies at more competitive prices. In 1931, the co-op expanded to Staunton, Virginia. That location now serves as the main office for Augusta Co-Op. Over the years, Augusta Co-Op has grown by adding other branch store locations throughout Virginia. A feed mill and a bulk fertilizer blending facility are also located at Staunton. These manufacturing facilities provide products for all Augusta Co-Op locations.Currently, Augusta Co-Op is managed by General Manager, Kevin McLaren. The General Manager oversees the operation of the cooperative with assistance from other department managers. The management staff is located at the main offices in Staunton. Augusta Co-Op’s primary service area is western and central Virginia. They also service neighboring states.ROCKINGHAM COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Harrisonburg, VARockingham Cooperative is headquartered in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with sales offices in Harrisonburg, Bridgewater, Elkton, Timberville, Woodstock & Monterey. They are retail farm and consumer products stores with a major presence in Rockingham, Shenandoah and Highland Counties. In November of 2010, Rockingham Cooperative purchased RMC, which includes Rocking R Hardware stores in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro, RAM Plumbing Supply in Harrisonburg and Rockingham Mill in Dayton. Since 1921, Rockingham Cooperative has provided their local communities with high quality goods used in all walks of life. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 52de9d92-e2f5-409a-828e-2e26672fd84e youthactivities Youth and Educational Opportunities  The Virginia Institute on Cooperative EducationThe Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors up to eight outstanding Virginia youth to attend the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) Youth Conference each year. The VCC youth delegates to this conference are selected because of their achievements in VCC’s VICE Conference, held each year in early April. The VCC VICE youth delegates generally are the top performers in state 4-H and FFA programs, but are not limited to those programs. VICE accepts any qualified youth from across the state.For nearly three-quarters of a century, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) offered the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE), or its predecessor, the American Institute of Cooperation (AIC), as one of its educational conferences on cooperatives. In August of 2002, NCFC made the decision to streamline its educational opportunities in order to provide a better return on member investments of both time and money.During the 2002 NICE, the last NCFC-sponsored youth event, a number of state delegations met to express interest in the continuation of the youth component of NICE. A decision was made to host the 2003 Diamond Anniversary NICE on the Virginia Tech campus, and to seek to rotate the conference to different universities in future years. This was actually a return to the model of the original AIC when the conference was hosted on university campuses. Since the conference is now focused solely on youth education, the return to the campus setting seems appropriate. Following the 2003 Diamond Anniversary Conference, participants decided to return to Virginia Tech for the 2004 conference with future conferences rotating to other venues in other states. Most recently, the conference was held at Purdue University (2011), and the University of Tennessee (2009 and 2010). The NICE conference will return to Virginia Tech for 2012.The conference is intended to provide a deeper understanding of cooperatives to the youth participants who are the cooperative members, customers, employees, directors, and leaders of tomorrow. Participants will gain an understanding of how cooperatives differ from other business forms and will hear cooperative success stories in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. In a team setting, attendees will serve as managers of a simulated cooperative store, competing with other stores in their market area for sales and profit. Teams will also analyze case studies, develop their own student-run cooperative, and participate in team-building and leadership development activities. The closing session will recognize the teams that have been the top performers in various conference activities. The Youth Scholar Program provides both educational and social activities. Program Objectives Increase the understanding of basic cooperative principles, how cooperatives are organized and operated, and how to use cooperatives Develop an understanding of the issues creating challenges and opportunities for cooperatives todayProvide opportunities for participation and leadership developmentEncourage youth scholars to explore career possibilities with cooperativesProvide opportunities to become acquainted with cooperative leaders, members, educators, and other youth2012 NICE Youth Program 2012 NICE Conference - Host Campus: Virginia Tech. (dates to be announced). Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 2e042376-a868-479f-9630-c6757bee5a3b blog Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 652faffe-d892-46fc-b1dc-c78e035ce997 calendar Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT ec498c14-18c2-4daa-bfdc-52e6ce5ec00b news Coop's In the News Hurricane Irene - How it affected our members:Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in August. The ninth named storm, first hurricane and first major hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Irene originated from a well-defined Atlantic tropical wave that eventually became a Category 3 major hurricane. It made its U.S. landfall over Eastern North Carolina's Outer Banks on the morning of August 27, and moved along southeastern Virginia, directly affecting the Hampton Roads region and indirectly, much of central Virginia.After briefly reemerging over water, Irene made a second U.S. landfall near Little Egg Inlet in New Jersey the morning of August 28, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it made its third U.S. landfall in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York, on August 28. Considerable damage occurred in eastern upstate New York and Vermont, which suffered from the worst flooding in centuries.Throughout its path, Irene caused widespread destruction and at least 55 deaths; monetary losses in the Caribbean were estimated to be as high as $3.1 billion. Damage estimates throughout the United States range from $10 to $15 billion.Irene swept through central Virginia with unexpected force, leaving in its wake a forest of downed trees and limbs snapping power lines, crushing cars and smashing houses. Dead and damaged trees became the most visible remnant of Irene's path through Virginia. All four deaths in the state and about one-quarter of the 40-plus deaths blamed on Irene have been linked to fallen trees, and more may be related to trees that downed power lines, electrocuting some victims. The Virginia victims were all struck by trees, either in their homes, vehicles or while outside.Many of the hundreds of thousands of homes that lost power in Virginia were serviced by Virginia’s electric cooperatives, many by Rappahannock EC, Northern Neck EC and Mecklenburg EC. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the VCC will co-host the 2011 Co-op Month Breakfast. Featured speakers will be executives from the above mentioned co-ops, who will tell the stories of the damage in their service areas, and how their co-ops toiled to help get Virginia’s power back on. October is Co-op MonthEach October, cooperatives across the United States celebrate the cooperative difference, business model and the contributions of cooperatives to their communities. Minnesota was the first state to observe Co-op Month in 1948, and it spread quickly to the entire nation. Co-op Month became a government-sponsored national event in 1964. The responsibility for planning was turned over to cooperatives in 1971. Annual celebrations play a key role in educating members and communities as well as the public and policy makers about the role cooperatives play in strengthening the economy, providing jobs and improving life in local communities.In Virginia, we celebrate Co-op Month with a Co-op Month Breakfast, this year on Tuesday, October 11. We feed the masses, award co-op leaders and outstanding young farmers, plus pass along a lot of good co-op information.Below is the skinny on our 2011 celebration:The Virginia Cooperative Council and Friends of the Industry of Agriculture (FIA) cordially invite you to attend the 2011 Cooperative Month Breakfast. Please join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and enjoyable event. DATE: ...................................................................................October 11, 2011TIME: .............................................................................................. 8:00 a.m.PRICE:..................................................................................$10.00 per personPLACE: .................................................THE PLACE AT INNSBROOK - GLEN ALLEN(4036 Cox Road in the Innsbrook Corporate Park)Please join us as we celebrate October Cooperative Month and honor the recipients of the 2011 Cooperative Career Leadership, Farmer-Member and Young Farmer awards.KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: ......................Panel of Electric Co-op ExecutivesTOPIC: “Virginia’s Electric Co-ops: Responding to Hurricane Irene”: Hear stories from several prominent Virginia Electric Co-ops on how Hurricane Irene impacted their service areas, and how they worked tirelessly to get the Power Back On for their customers. Come see photos of the considerable damage left in the wake of the Hurricane, and see pictures of the heroic co-op employees as they got us back up and running!!!!RSVP: .......................................................... by Thursday, October 6, 2011Call Debbie Delby….804/746-4581 ext. 1125 or email: ddelby@colonialfarmcredit.com  Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT b2d5b6ee-4c50-4430-9c16-2066dabf35b8 helpsheet Big Green HeadingMembers of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telephone cooperatives; Farm Credit Associations; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives.Normal Green Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy. Insert anchor on page first (ex: at bottom of page) , then add anchor  text-link  using the "Insert Hyperlink" icon and select "anchor on page" and pick the anchor you previoulsly made.Normal Yellow Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy.Normal Blue Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their mSmall Yellow HeadingMaecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. 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Format a row or column the way you want it to look, then use the top toolbars to add rows or columns (click on row/column, then go to top toolbars and insert row/column)ITEMITEMITEMvaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevalue Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 44f48d81-3a2f-41e4-b124-cb2097241275 facebook Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 0d2c9257-2a20-4af3-925a-1a97930e76e6 linkedin Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 9997e35f-bb29-4cc1-8301-2ff478693eb6 twitter Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 6d10de21-b180-4d2b-86f3-a044b6c88f40 nice Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 9a902619-30eb-402c-a2fa-74c89f235de2 home #SLIDESHOW-3000-uppera##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperb##SLIDESHOW-3000-upperla##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperlb##SLIDESHOW-5000-lowerlc# Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 61e76766-6f2f-4149-b296-90614bc00ae6 contact Interested in joining us?Sign-up for our news! #FORM#Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 206a8efa-be9a-4664-a6cc-04318790da27 contact/thankyou Thank You Your inquiry has been received and will be responded to promptly. Thank you for taking the time to drop us a note and showing interest in the Virginia Cooperative Council. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 7af1eeb7-acf9-40e5-a4e5-4e879eee452a signup Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 18d1c082-46d9-41f7-a95e-e53d59d1a8a9 sitemap Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 4b08b3a3-cb09-48fc-b84c-178018a6e24d privacy Privacy PolicyVirginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is dedicated to the absolute privacy of its customers, employees, and all users of the Internet. Personal InformationWhen you send VCC an email with your email address, the message and your email address will only be used by VCC staff. 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We do not tie cookies to any personally identifiable information. You may choose to disable cookies without affecting your browsing experience. Consult your browser's documentation for information on how to do this. . Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT f56804a2-2536-44f6-b050-c40822f2000b default Achieving TogetherDownload  Power Point ViewerNewsletter Download   Acrobat Reader Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT fa1e2c59-525a-4efb-b025-8a06843748e9 sideyouth NICE Conference Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:14 EDT 04f87809-d438-4750-a25b-1e9e71d30ffe contactside Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 6a0e88c0-2d3b-4e47-9a7c-e062c94f6330 notfound File Not FoundThe page you requested could not be found. 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Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 3de98108-3232-4beb-8302-a2d0e13c3ab4 slideshow Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT e9eb664b-a346-4f0c-857d-ec2d4c2f1542 slideshow/uppera Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT bb505c76-4f73-4a3b-aaa2-fb6bff8b5245 slideshow/uppera/ura1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 40122cba-67b1-4f1d-9aee-e60c6699396b slideshow/uppera/ura2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 30ccd7a7-03da-42d1-ad72-e29c05146591 slideshow/uppera/ura3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 498ce06c-5081-4f85-b36c-ac50e46ddabc slideshow/upperb Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT eeef8bd6-5165-404d-beb8-7ffe3913595d slideshow/upperb/urb1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 3f0977a9-ed18-4031-a9e8-9021c7791a4a slideshow/upperb/urb2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 2866886c-0876-4f46-a17b-e65d98a589c1 slideshow/upperb/urb3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT b6c10cd0-fec0-48c4-a789-e50893ab3321 slideshow/upperla Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT c2a7906e-4464-4b52-82e7-2e099b1b7748 slideshow/upperla/ula1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 37b5f1f0-047c-44ba-a775-e03a45143afb slideshow/upperla/ula2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 84846f14-28f4-4c5a-b887-7c2276f26ebb slideshow/upperla/ula3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 8789a538-4a38-4a71-a88d-1314ee32ad1f slideshow/upperlb Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 840f8af9-65fe-40d8-b869-1fee31831c4d slideshow/upperlb/ulb1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 2c4c1edc-3114-47c4-8ae9-d8ed29cd3930 slideshow/upperlb/ulb2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 607479e6-f7ca-4b93-b303-a97eb5eec675 slideshow/upperlb/ulb3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 82520e5e-9ec5-4994-ae7c-5a1300db9a39 slideshow/lowerlc Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT cea3802e-a2ba-42d1-920f-98feebf28039 slideshow/lowerlc/llc1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT c9118575-b7b9-4869-8e56-c38c980af957 slideshow/lowerlc/llc2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 04ae6f1b-6aad-4bd0-b1cd-e6e673817200 slideshow/lowerlc/llc3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:01:15 EDT 389d9f90-cb69-4a95-821b-bc612a211908 aboutvcc About VCCThe Council was founded in 1962 as the Virginia Council of Farmer Cooperatives. In 2009, our board of directors voted to change our name to the Virginia Cooperative Council to better reflect the expanding scope of cooperative organizations throughout the state that now serve not only rural Virginians and those involved in agriculture but also provide services to hundreds of thousands of urban and suburban members as well.Today, members of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telecommunications cooperatives; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:16 EDT 520b369b-01f3-4194-bb9e-15a29b40cc71 aboutvcc/mission Mission Statement The mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperative organizations in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy and its citizens.The not-for-profit Council strives to accomplish our mission primarily through educational programs aimed at the general public and especially at young persons. The Council works closely with the state’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State, and 4-H and FFA programs in these efforts. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:16 EDT 2776b84f-3734-4827-9ba2-189ffda28bcb aboutvcc/history History: Co-ops In VirginiaUntil the latter decades of the 20th Century, Virginia was mainly an agrarian and rural states. The majority of its citizens were either directly involved in the farming or forestry industries or in the processing of the raw products produced on the farms and fields throughout the Commonwealth.Rural people by nature have a tradition of working together whether gathering to build a barn on a neighbor’s farm or teaming up to help harvest a neighbor’s crops before the first frost. So, it is not surprising that many of the first cooperative businesses in Virginia were organized to serve the needs of farmers by farmers themselves during the 1920s and 1930s.Unhappy with the quality and price of crop seeds and fertilizers, fencing and other goods, farmers founded farm supply co-ops to pool their orders and purchase only the best products at a lower price. To receive a fairer price for their products, dairy farmers formed co-ops to collect, process and market their milk collectively. Co-ops were also organized to market tobacco, grain, poultry, eggs and other commodities.Displeased with the service and credit terms extended to them by some banks, farmers with the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture formed their own cooperative financial institutations such as production credit associations to pool their assets and lend money to themselves.During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Virginia’s farmers and their rural neighbors took advantage of the newly-formed Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to obtain low-cost loans and assistance to form their own electric cooperatives and often planted their own poles and strung their own lines to extend electricity down every country road where the big utilities refused to go. Co-ops were also started to provide telephone service in rural areas – often using these same new poles.In towns and cities, factory workers, teachers and others with shared interest formed credit unions which are cooperative financial institutions as an alternative to investor-owned banks.Today, most of these original cooperative businesses have grown and still exist to serve new generations of Virginia’s citizens. They have been joined by many new co-op organizations ranging from daycare centers to artist co-ops to a co-op founded to provide broadband service to rural areas. And co-ops remain a vital part of the Commonwealth’s economy. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:16 EDT 046583b1-a018-4e4a-ad76-6eea3f5d72da aboutvcc/board VCC Officers and Board of Directors The Council is governed by a board of directors comprised of individuals nominated and elected by its membership and representing the range of cooperative organizations in Virginia. Directors are elected to serve three-year terms. VCC Officers and Board of Directors President:Brian WolfeVice-President:Allen MeltonSecretary:Jennifer CulbertsonRepresenting Marketing CooperativesEric PaulsonVirginia State Dairymen’s AssociationCarl PrivettMD & VA Milk Producers Association Representing Purchasing CooperativesAllen MeltonSouthern States CooperativeMargaret CrickAugusta Cooperative Farm BureauDavid E. DurrCulpeper Farmers Cooperative (CFC)Representing Service CooperativesThomas TruittMidAtlantic Farm CreditBrian MosierMecklenburg Electric CooperativeRepresenting Cooperatives At LargeJ. T. AndersonColonial Farm CreditRichard G. Johnstone,Jr.VA, MD & DE Association of Electric CooperativesJennifer CulbertsonSouthern States CooperativePublic DirectorsJames GravesGraves Mountain Lodge & FarmsBette BrandFarm Credit of the VirginiasBrian WolfeRappahannock Electric CooperativeAdvisorsDr. Glenn AndersonVirginia Department of EducationDr. Dixie Watts DaltonDalton Virginia Tech & Southside Community College Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:16 EDT adb6d44b-bd44-4e92-bdc4-c5295205ca02 aboutvcc/vccfoundation Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc.The Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc. (VFC), is a financial partner of the Virginia Cooperative Council, and provides additional financial support for the Council’s educational programs. A 501 (c) (3) exempt private foundation operated separate from the VCC, the VFC’s primary activity is to provide direct funding for scholarships to agricultural economics students, primarily through Virginia Tech. In addition, the VFC provides funding to the VCC to provide scholarships for Virginia youth to attend the NICE and VICE educational programs. The VFC provides all this support from income generated from invested accumulated endowments, and from donations from cooperative-associated patrons. A Board of Directors oversees the VFC, and VFC board meetings generally occur concurrent with VCC board meetings. For any additional information about the VFC, please contact Phil Miller at (804) 281-1211, or at phil.miller@sscoop.com. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:16 EDT 12db8180-36b0-4f21-a12d-06ff0b664612 cooperatives Cooperatives Touch Our Daily Livesread brochureCooperatives are so much a part of our lives that most of us don’t realize that some of the most familiar food and beverage products we buy and use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops. Here are some examples that are probably in your pantry or refrigerator right now.· MarvaMaid Milk and Dairy Products · Florida’s Natural Orange Juice· Welch’s Grape Juice · Ocean Spray Cranberries· SunKist Oranges· SunMaid Raisins· Land-O-Lakes Butter· Blue Diamond Almonds· SueBee Honey· TreeTop Apple Juice· Cabot CheeseWherever you live in the Virginia, chances are cooperatives are part of your life every day and you may not even realize it.Co-ops provide power.Nearly a million Virginia homes, farms and businesses depend on an electric co-op to provide their electricity.Co-ops fuel your life.Thousands of Virginians purchase home heating oil and propane and even gasoline and diesel fuel from a petroleum co-op.Co-ops finance your life.Virginians depend on credit unions for checking and savings accounts and Farm Credit to finance farms, businesses and rural homes.Co-ops put food on your table. From meat and poultry to dairy products to vegetables, many of the products and national brands you use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops.Co-ops help farmers provide the food you eat.Farm supply co-ops provide the seeds and fertilizers farmers need to grow crops and the feeds they need to grow livestock. Farmer co-ops also provide feeds for horse and pets and many also offer tools, plants and lawn and garden supplies.Co-ops protect your investments.If you insurance your property or vehicles with a mutual insurance company, you are dealing with a cooperative business. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:16 EDT d706f8bc-ad2c-40d2-853e-363f06ea48a4 cooperatives/history What Is A Cooperative?Simply stated, a cooperative is an organization or business that is user-owned and user-controlled. Co-ops operate as not-for-profit entities. any profits, often referred to as savings in a co-op, are returned and are usually distributed to its members in the form of cash, credits or stock. History: It All Started on Toad LaneToday’s cooperatives trace their roots to 19th century England.More than 150 years ago a small group of workers in the Village of Rochdale launched an economic experiment that would later spread throughout the world. On October 24, 1844, 28 weavers banded together to form the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society with the simple goal of stretching their meager earnings by pooling their resources to purchase needed supplies in larger volumes and at lower prices. The small, first-floor storefront they rented as the base of their operations was located at 31 Toad Lane. This memorably-named site is now considered the birthplace of the modern era of cooperative businesses. The Society did not originate the cooperative idea of individuals working together to achieve what they could not accomplish alone. This concept had been around for many years as evidenced by the Mayflower Compact that the Pilgrim’s signed before sailing to America and the mutual fire insurance companies founded by Benjamin Franklin in Colonial Philadelphia. The significance of the Rochdale Pioneers was not in what they did but in how they did it. The foundation on which they built their organization was set of practices and descriptions now known as the Rochdale Principles. None of these ideas was totally new, but together they produced a business system that was unique. These principles included:· Democratic control· Open membership· Fixed or limited return on subscribed capital· Dividends on purchases· Trading strictly on a cash basis· Selling only pure and unadulterated goods· Provisions for educating members· Political and religious neutralityThe primary goal of the Rochdale Pioneers was modest – to simply lower their production costs to increase their incomes. It is unlikely that any of these desperate weavers with little formal education cared much about the concept of cooperation or realized that they were establishing a longterm worldwide movement. While modern day business practices have brought change to this original set of principles, the essence of the cooperative business model embodied in them continues to this day and are clearly the basis of the 7 Cooperative Principles that form the basis for all cooperatives formed since. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:16 EDT 4a64d84a-3e05-48be-93e1-abf5bd4f0c37 ourmembers Our MembersMembers of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs. General MembersSouthern States Managed Cooperatives and Retail ServicesAgFirst Farm Credit BankAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau Inc.CoBankColonial Farm Credit, ACACommunity Electric CooperativeCooperative Milk Producers Assn. Inc.Craig-Botetourt Electric CooperativeCFC Farm and Home Center, Inc.Dairy Farmers of AmericaFarm Credit of the Virginias, ACAMaryland & Virginia Milk Producers Co-op. Assn.Mecklenburg Electric CooperativeNational Milk Producers FederationNorth River Telephone CooperativeNorthern Neck Electric CooperativeNorthern Virginia Electric Cooperative -->Old Dominion Electric CooperativePrince George Electric CooperativeRappahannock Electric CooperativeRockingham CooperativeSelect Sires Power Inc.Shenandoah Valley Electric CooperativeSouthern States Cooperative Inc.Partners Financial Federal Credit Union -->Southside Electric CooperativeValley Farm Credit, ACAVirginia Farm Bureau FederationVa., Md., Del., Assn. of Electric CooperativesVirginia State Dairymen's Association Amelia ServiceAugusta Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Bedford Cooperative Inc.Bristol Cooperative Inc.Burkeville ServiceCarroll County Cooperative Inc.Charlottesville Cooperative Inc.Chatham Cooperative Inc.Chesapeake Association Inc.Christiansburg ServiceCulpeper Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Danville Cooperative Inc.Emporia-Franklin ServiceFairfax Petroleum ServiceFarmers Cooperative Inc.Fredericksburg Petroleum ServiceFront Royal Cooperative Inc.Galax Cooperative Inc.Gloucester ServiceGoochland ServiceLeesburg Petroleum ServiceLoudoun County Cooperative Inc.Luray ServiceManassas ServiceMarion Cooperative Inc.Martinsville Cooperative Inc.Middleburg Service Inc.Orange-Madison Co-op Farm ServicePulaski Cooperative Inc. -->Prince William-Fauquier ServiceRappahannock ServiceRoanoke Troutville BranchRussell County Cooperative Inc.South Boston Petroleum ServiceSouthside Cooperative Inc.Tazewell Cooperative Inc.Tidewater Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Washington Farmers Cooperative Inc.Winchester Cooperative Inc.Wythe County Service Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 29ff95c2-5e94-4b80-99ee-db5fbdbf8fc9 ourmembers/map Membership Map Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 20557055-74a0-42b6-b095-b4992455e54d ourmembers/pages Highlighting a Few of Our Members:Members of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs.NOTE: Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.      Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 6d95f7d9-1054-46b4-8b35-f541ca63912d ourmembers/pages/electricmembers Electric Co-op Members: OLD DOMINION ELECTRIC CO-OP Headquartered in Glen Allen, VAODEC is an electric generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative. They are a regional, consumer-owned power supplier formed in 1948 to provide power to a consortium of electric distribution cooperatives. Their core business is generating, purchasing and delivering electricity to wholesale customers, primarily our member systems. ODEC is a not-for-profit member-owned cooperative and has no capital stock. They follow the basic principles of cooperatives. Qualifications for membership and the rights and obligations of their members are defined by law and established in the corporate bylaws. ODEC’s power is generated through a combination of owned baseload and peaking power plants that use coal, natural gas and nuclear as their primary fuels supplemented by purchased power and renewable resource technologies. In 2010, their 11 members served over 540,000 retail electric consumers (meters), representing approximately 1.2 million member-owners along 59,000 miles of line. The service territories served by their members cover large portions of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware ranging from the extended suburbs of Washington, DC to the Atlantic shores of these three beautiful states to the Appalachian Mountains and the North Carolina border. MECKLENBURG ELECTRIC CO-OP   Headquartered in Chase City, VAMecklenburg Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, non-profit utility in south central Virginia. Formed in 1938, MEC now provides electricity to over 31,000 accounts in nine counties. All members have a voice in the business affairs of the cooperative, with one vote and the opportunity to attend the Co-op’s Annual Meeting. All margins (profits) are set aside and distributed among the members in proportion to their patronage in the form of capital credits. These basic cooperative principles truly provide for a democratically controlled organization.In addition to providing their members with electricity, MEC makes extensive efforts to enhance the quality of life in their community. They work with local businesses, and city, county and state officials to bring business and new industry to Southside Virginia. They also support and help provide electrical safety awareness programs in the area.NORTHERN NECK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Warsaw, VANorthern Neck Electric Cooperative, a member-owned, non-profit electric distribution cooperative located in Warsaw, Virginia, was chartered in June 1937. It serves some 18,00+ residential and commercial accounts, delivering some 272 million kilo-watt-hours of electricity in the counties of King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Stafford, and Westmoreland. The Cooperative maintains over 2079 miles of overhead and underground lines which distribute electricity from 19 substations to members' homes and businesses.The first organizational meeting was held at the Courthouse in Warsaw, Virginia, for the purpose of incorporating, setting up a charter, and electing directors. Throughout its history the Cooperative's mission has been to provide reliable service at a reasonable cost. The cooperation and support by its members and dedicated service by its board of directors and employees assures that this fine tradition will continue well into the 21st century and beyond. The Northern Neck Electric Cooperative is proud to be the means of bringing electric service to the rural areas of the Northern Neck.RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Fredericksburg, VARappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) is a member-owned utility that provides electric service to more than 155,000 connections in parts of 22 Virginia counties. It was formed in 1980 with the consolidation of two cooperatives, Virginia Electric Cooperative in Bowling Green and Northern Piedmont Electric Cooperative in Culpeper, with both co-ops dating back to the initial formation of electric co-ops in Virginia in 1935 to 1939. The Cooperative's general office is in Spotsylvania County. REC maintains more than 16,000 miles of power lines through its service area, which ranges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The Cooperative serves a variety of residential, commercial and industrial accounts. REC's largest customer is Bear Island Paper Company, the second largest consumer of electricity in Virginia. REC also provides the electricity to such familiar names as Kings Dominion Amusement Park, Merillat Industries, GE Fanuc and DuPont.  The Cooperative is guided by a board of directors elected by REC's member-owners. Elections are held at the annual meeting with some directors up for election each year. Directors serve three-year terms.   Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 8d049f10-f2ca-4655-b23d-40aef2eedb82 ourmembers/pages/farmcreditmembers About the Farm Credit System:The Farm Credit System is a nationwide network of cooperative lending institutions that provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, agricultural cooperatives, rural utility systems and agribusinesses. The system was created in 1916 by an act of Congress and is the largest single provider of agricultural credit in the United States. However, the real benefit of doing business with Farm Credit is dealing with a local office with hometown people who know their business, their communities and their customers.Unlike commercial banks, they do not take deposits. Money is raised by selling system-wide bonds and discount notes in the securities market on Wall Street. The proceeds are channeled through Farm Credit System banks, associations and thus ultimately to our customers involved in agriculture and agribusiness. AgFirst Farm Credit Bank is the Farm Credit Bank for Virginia and is located in South Carolina. AGFIRST FARM CREDIT BANKAgFirst Farm Credit Bank provides funding and financial services to 20 Agricultural Credit Associations (ACAs) in 15 eastern states and Puerto Rico. These associations, operating as Farm Credit and Ag Credit associations, provide real estate and production financing to more than 80,000 farmers, agribusinesses, and rural homeowners. AgFirst reported assets of $29.2 billion as of March 31, 2011. AgFirst also operates a growing Capital Markets unit that arranges and participates in loans for agribusinesses across the nation, and a Correspondent Lending Market department that buys, sells and services rural home and agricultural loans. COBANKCoBank is a $66 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. They provide loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. CoBank is a proud member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture and the nation's rural economy. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.  Other Farm Credit Members: COLONIAL FARM CREDIT- primarily serving eastern Virginia. MIDATLANTIC FARM CREDIT    - (formerly Valley Farm credit) – primarily serving central and the valley district of Virginia. FARM CREDIT OF THE VIRGINIAS   – primarily serving western and southwestern VirginiaNote:Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.  Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 323c8985-43df-404e-9dbc-84d307f55e4b ourmembers/pages/farmsupply Farm Supply Members:SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Richmond, VAWhether you're getting your first look at Southern States Cooperative, or you grew up as one of their valued patrons, you probably already know that they're one of the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperatives. Since 1923, Southern States has been providing expert products, services and advice to people who like to get their hands dirty. Whether you’re running a small hobby farm or a larger farm, tending your garden or trying to keep your yard looking green and lush, they’ll give you the tools and know-how you need to get the job done right. Southern States does what no single farmer can. Because it pools members' resources, the co-op enables all of its farmer-members to benefit from greater research capabilities. That makes a difference for everyone - reducing the costs of production agriculture helps keep America's food supply plentiful and affordable for all.As a result of its leadership role in agriculture, Southern States has continued to expand and today encompasses some 1,200 retail locations in 23 states. Owned by more than 300,000 farmers, the cooperative purchases, manufactures or processes feed, seed, fertilizer, farm supplies and fuel. As one of the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives, Southern States offers only the finest in goods and services. Their expertise is based on over 85 years of experience and research, driven by the desire to ensure that everyone has access to the best in feed, seed, fertilizer and farm supplies.CFC FARM & HOME CENTERS Headquartered in Culpeper, VAIn October of 2007 Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative Inc. celebrated its 75th anniversary. Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative, Inc. has had only five presidents and six general managers in its over 75 years of operation. At the end of 2007, total retail sales from all locations were over 32 million dollars. In the spring of 2005, the retail stores rolled out a new logo and the names were changed to CFC Farm & Home Centers. The original orange, green and white Co-op diamond logo was incorporated into a rectangular logo that consisting of a stylized diamond on a section of fence. This was done to help consolidate all retail locations in the mind of the consumer and to encourage people who where not farmers or members to shop our stores. A 75th anniversary logo was created and used from June through December of 2007.The Co-op was organized in 1932 as the Cooperative Farm Bureau in a rented building on Wausau Street with a total of 205 members paying dues of $1,230. In addition to the dues from members, the Co-op began operation by borrowing $10,000 at 6% interest. Total sales at the end of the first year of operation were $84,435 (fourteen-month period from 10/32 to 12/33). The business was moved to the present location in 1960 after a fire in 1959 at the Wausau Street (presently County Farm Service) facility. A fertilizer plant and feed mill are included in the Culpeper facilities. The present feed mill was constructed in 1976, expanding the capacity of the original mill which started operations in the early 1960's. A retail store remodeling and expansion was completed in the fall of 2006. Between 1940 and 2007, the Co-op opened six new locations; Morrisville in 1940, Rappahannock in 1952, Warrenton in 1958, Marshall in 1979, Maurertown in 1984 and Caroline in 2007.AUGUSTA COOP FARM BUREAU Headquartered in Staunton, VAAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau, Inc. was formed in 1929 at Weyers Cave, Virginia by local farmers who were looking for a way to buy products and supplies at more competitive prices. In 1931, the co-op expanded to Staunton, Virginia. That location now serves as the main office for Augusta Co-Op. Over the years, Augusta Co-Op has grown by adding other branch store locations throughout Virginia. A feed mill and a bulk fertilizer blending facility are also located at Staunton. These manufacturing facilities provide products for all Augusta Co-Op locations.Currently, Augusta Co-Op is managed by General Manager, Kevin McLaren. The General Manager oversees the operation of the cooperative with assistance from other department managers. The management staff is located at the main offices in Staunton. Augusta Co-Op’s primary service area is western and central Virginia. They also service neighboring states.ROCKINGHAM COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Harrisonburg, VARockingham Cooperative is headquartered in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with sales offices in Harrisonburg, Bridgewater, Elkton, Timberville, Woodstock & Monterey. They are retail farm and consumer products stores with a major presence in Rockingham, Shenandoah and Highland Counties. In November of 2010, Rockingham Cooperative purchased RMC, which includes Rocking R Hardware stores in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro, RAM Plumbing Supply in Harrisonburg and Rockingham Mill in Dayton. Since 1921, Rockingham Cooperative has provided their local communities with high quality goods used in all walks of life. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT bfa1c1ea-1fcd-4fc7-84d9-71ed4e620bce youthactivities Youth and Educational Opportunities  National Institute on Cooperative EducationThe Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors up to eight outstanding Virginia youth to attend the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) Youth Conference each year. The VCC youth delegates to this conference are selected because of their achievements in VCC’s VICE Conference, held each year in early April. The VCC VICE youth delegates generally are the top performers in state 4-H and FFA programs, but are not limited to those programs. VICE accepts any qualified youth from across the state.For nearly three-quarters of a century, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) offered the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE), or its predecessor, the American Institute of Cooperation (AIC), as one of its educational conferences on cooperatives. In August of 2002, NCFC made the decision to streamline its educational opportunities in order to provide a better return on member investments of both time and money.During the 2002 NICE, the last NCFC-sponsored youth event, a number of state delegations met to express interest in the continuation of the youth component of NICE. A decision was made to host the 2003 Diamond Anniversary NICE on the Virginia Tech campus, and to seek to rotate the conference to different universities in future years. This was actually a return to the model of the original AIC when the conference was hosted on university campuses. Since the conference is now focused solely on youth education, the return to the campus setting seems appropriate. Following the 2003 Diamond Anniversary Conference, participants decided to return to Virginia Tech for the 2004 conference with future conferences rotating to other venues in other states. Most recently, the conference was held at Purdue University (2011), and the University of Tennessee (2009 and 2010). The NICE conference will return to Virginia Tech for 2012.The conference is intended to provide a deeper understanding of cooperatives to the youth participants who are the cooperative members, customers, employees, directors, and leaders of tomorrow. Participants will gain an understanding of how cooperatives differ from other business forms and will hear cooperative success stories in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. In a team setting, attendees will serve as managers of a simulated cooperative store, competing with other stores in their market area for sales and profit. Teams will also analyze case studies, develop their own student-run cooperative, and participate in team-building and leadership development activities. The closing session will recognize the teams that have been the top performers in various conference activities. The Youth Scholar Program provides both educational and social activities. NICE Program Objectives Increase the understanding of basic cooperative principles, how cooperatives are organized and operated, and how to use cooperativesDevelop an understanding of the issues creating challenges and opportunities for cooperatives today; Provide opportunities for participation and leadership developmentEncourage youth scholars to explore career possibilities with cooperativesProvide opportunities to become acquainted with cooperative leaders, members, educators, and other youth.       2012 NICE Youth Program       2012 NICE Conference — Host Campus: Virginia Tech. (dates to be announced).  Virginia Institute on Cooperative Education (VICE)Each spring, the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors an Institute on Cooperative Education, a youth leadership conference for up to 64 Virginia high school youth. The primary objective of this conference is to educate youth about the unique cooperative form of business. Through an interactive, educational, and entertaining conference, students will enhance their teamwork, leadership, and communication skills.Before arriving at the conference, youth participants are required to visit the sponsoring cooperative business and complete an interview form. This allows them to learn about the size and operation of a cooperative in their community. Participants are also provided with a booklet on cooperatives, which they are asked to read prior to the conferenceDay one activities begin with an overview of the conference and its format. Since many of the weekend’s activities are interactive, icebreakers are utilized to help the students learn more about each other. They then attend an opening session on the history and importance of cooperatives and how cooperatives differ from other forms of business. Following the introductory overview, students are divided into four groups to learn about different types of cooperative businesses: supply, marketing, electric, and credit. At one point during the day, students are quizzed on the information that has been presented to them.Day two and three activities center on small work groups. Participants are put in the position of managing their own cooperative business through their participation in a computer-based business simulation game titled “Who’s Minding the Store.” Each group represents a separate co-op business, each attempting to make pricing, inventory, advertising, credit, and personnel decisions to increase their co-op’s net worth in a competitive market setting. Students are first presented with basic business concepts and are then allowed to make their first set of management decisions. When the results of their decisions are returned, they learn how to interpret the results and how to adjust their decision-making to yield more desirable results. In addition, they learn how to read balance sheets and income statements, and how to use values from the statements to calculate ratios that indicate the financial well being of the business. At least four management decisions, representing four quarterly decisions, are made during the conference. Participants are also placed in role-play situations where they can act out responses to personnel issues within the business. Through their decision- making and role-play, participants have opportunities to enhance their leadership and teamwork skills, and to improve communication skills.On the final day, students take their second quiz, covering the material learned during days two and three. Adult team leaders provide assessment on each participant’s participation throughout the conference. All of the weekend’s scores are tabulated, leading to the conference culmination, an awards luncheon. All attendees are provided with a certificate of participation and the overall winners are announced. A final wrap-up session summarizes the conference’s activities and reemphasizes important lessons learned.Conference evaluations consistently indicate that students find the conference to be both educational and fun. They often state that they came to the conference knowing nothing about the cooperative way of doing business and leave with an understanding and appreciation of this unique business form. They also provide positive feedback on the opportunity to meet new people, enjoy fine food, and visit a scenic rural setting. For the past few years, one hundred percent of participants have indicated they would recommend the conference to a friend.   Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 4b626ff3-e02c-4464-bcc1-fa9bef32123f blog Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT bf4aa29b-1d8c-46bc-b8bf-89dcc3ddf962 calendar Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 80cedd92-305a-4799-af52-e90303cfa3ee news Coop's In the News Hurricane Irene - How it affected our members:Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in August. The ninth named storm, first hurricane and first major hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Irene originated from a well-defined Atlantic tropical wave that eventually became a Category 3 major hurricane. It made its U.S. landfall over Eastern North Carolina's Outer Banks on the morning of August 27, and moved along southeastern Virginia, directly affecting the Hampton Roads region and indirectly, much of central Virginia.After briefly reemerging over water, Irene made a second U.S. landfall near Little Egg Inlet in New Jersey the morning of August 28, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it made its third U.S. landfall in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York, on August 28. Considerable damage occurred in eastern upstate New York and Vermont, which suffered from the worst flooding in centuries.Throughout its path, Irene caused widespread destruction and at least 55 deaths; monetary losses in the Caribbean were estimated to be as high as $3.1 billion. Damage estimates throughout the United States range from $10 to $15 billion.Irene swept through central Virginia with unexpected force, leaving in its wake a forest of downed trees and limbs snapping power lines, crushing cars and smashing houses. Dead and damaged trees became the most visible remnant of Irene's path through Virginia. All four deaths in the state and about one-quarter of the 40-plus deaths blamed on Irene have been linked to fallen trees, and more may be related to trees that downed power lines, electrocuting some victims. The Virginia victims were all struck by trees, either in their homes, vehicles or while outside.Many of the hundreds of thousands of homes that lost power in Virginia were serviced by Virginia’s electric cooperatives, many by Rappahannock EC, Northern Neck EC and Mecklenburg EC. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the VCC will co-host the 2011 Co-op Month Breakfast. Featured speakers will be executives from the above mentioned co-ops, who will tell the stories of the damage in their service areas, and how their co-ops toiled to help get Virginia’s power back on. October is Co-op MonthEach October, cooperatives across the United States celebrate the cooperative difference, business model and the contributions of cooperatives to their communities. Minnesota was the first state to observe Co-op Month in 1948, and it spread quickly to the entire nation. Co-op Month became a government-sponsored national event in 1964. The responsibility for planning was turned over to cooperatives in 1971. Annual celebrations play a key role in educating members and communities as well as the public and policy makers about the role cooperatives play in strengthening the economy, providing jobs and improving life in local communities.In Virginia, we celebrate Co-op Month with a Co-op Month Breakfast, this year on Tuesday, October 11. We feed the masses, award co-op leaders and outstanding young farmers, plus pass along a lot of good co-op information.Below is the skinny on our 2011 celebration:The Virginia Cooperative Council and Friends of the Industry of Agriculture (FIA) cordially invite you to attend the 2011 Cooperative Month Breakfast. Please join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and enjoyable event. DATE: ...................................................................................October 11, 2011TIME: .............................................................................................. 8:00 a.m.PRICE:..................................................................................$10.00 per personPLACE: .................................................THE PLACE AT INNSBROOK - GLEN ALLEN(4036 Cox Road in the Innsbrook Corporate Park)Please join us as we celebrate October Cooperative Month and honor the recipients of the 2011 Cooperative Career Leadership, Farmer-Member and Young Farmer awards.KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: ......................Panel of Electric Co-op ExecutivesTOPIC: “Virginia’s Electric Co-ops: Responding to Hurricane Irene”: Hear stories from several prominent Virginia Electric Co-ops on how Hurricane Irene impacted their service areas, and how they worked tirelessly to get the Power Back On for their customers. Come see photos of the considerable damage left in the wake of the Hurricane, and see pictures of the heroic co-op employees as they got us back up and running!!!!RSVP: .......................................................... by Thursday, October 6, 2011Call Debbie Delby….804/746-4581 ext. 1125 or email: ddelby@colonialfarmcredit.com  Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 1f4b2f42-2512-4acc-8bcf-5305ae04b45c helpsheet Big Green HeadingMembers of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telephone cooperatives; Farm Credit Associations; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives.Normal Green Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy. Insert anchor on page first (ex: at bottom of page) , then add anchor  text-link  using the "Insert Hyperlink" icon and select "anchor on page" and pick the anchor you previoulsly made.Normal Yellow Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy.Normal Blue Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their mSmall Yellow HeadingMaecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. 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Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Use "inline style" to reformat text inside a paragraph. at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales liberoTitle set using regular shortcut. This part of title has had font "set" using the "Size" over ride. It will not enlarge.Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. Anchor link should jump to here and will display at the bottom of the page, not the top. Table/Chart SectionTable below using shortcut for two column container table. 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Format a row or column the way you want it to look, then use the top toolbars to add rows or columns (click on row/column, then go to top toolbars and insert row/column)ITEMITEMITEMvaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevalue Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 2019c4e6-2828-451a-a370-7575896f6fa5 facebook Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 0fc4cea5-978e-4b51-8f77-62e5d672f9d7 linkedin Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 0a56192d-7286-4408-8eb0-24e7863cfc4c twitter Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 02f535f4-8d60-42eb-8231-61d0f63e41ae nice Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 0e762d1e-4b89-4b45-b3d8-5ba57133ceea home #SLIDESHOW-3000-uppera##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperb##SLIDESHOW-3000-upperla##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperlb##SLIDESHOW-5000-lowerlc# Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 20d8322f-2a10-4222-a293-60aae37fcd3e contact Interested in joining us?Sign-up for our news! #FORM#Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT c9b963aa-1d62-4c4f-bf71-87e16d1c2398 contact/thankyou Thank You Your inquiry has been received and will be responded to promptly. Thank you for taking the time to drop us a note and showing interest in the Virginia Cooperative Council. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT a4e0b06a-fbef-46fb-86ed-f06f110b5d3e signup Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 84ce6017-b4ad-4dd5-997d-1167a42a8373 sitemap Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 3fcecb1c-b543-4ee5-b120-56590bb231ff privacy Privacy PolicyVirginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is dedicated to the absolute privacy of its customers, employees, and all users of the Internet. Personal InformationWhen you send VCC an email with your email address, the message and your email address will only be used by VCC staff. This information will not be released to third parties.  Protection of Personal InformationWe do not collect personally identifiable information on our web visitors. In cases where this information is provided voluntarily, such as when you request employment information, the information will not be sold, leased, or distributed to third parties in any way. For More InformationFor more information on our privacy policy, or if you have given us personal information and would like to opt out, please contact us.Terms of UseServer logsLike most web sites, VCC keeps server logs of accesses to its site. These logs are used internally to determine what sections of our site are being accessed so that we may improve our site. These logs do not contain personally identifiable information such as your name or email address. CookiesWe use cookies to enhance our web logging capabilities. This allows us, for instance, to determine what percentage of visitors to our site are repeat visitors. We do not tie cookies to any personally identifiable information. You may choose to disable cookies without affecting your browsing experience. Consult your browser's documentation for information on how to do this. . Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT c293eaf0-27e9-48bb-99be-e9d3067aea6e default Achieving TogetherDownload  Power Point ViewerNewsletter Download   Acrobat Reader Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 246684b3-4345-4a76-ae56-2c130697c99c sideyouth NICE Conference Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT 9ff6d0e2-ceff-4923-bfc4-db1966fefac0 contactside Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT a58dbfe3-9368-46a3-853a-79648edf374f notfound File Not FoundThe page you requested could not be found. 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Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT bf05fff7-374b-4147-9ef6-04d1e51f2887 slideshow Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:17 EDT aa389e8f-37b4-42c4-a50e-313e2200588b slideshow/uppera Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 2b114a89-ffb9-47bf-954c-48bbef3424c2 slideshow/uppera/ura1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT ea962221-a850-468f-bf17-6db9bdc45133 slideshow/uppera/ura2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 430eab00-c929-4d3d-bf9d-a5f763af8bcc slideshow/uppera/ura3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT c146a4f0-25a4-4b48-bfbe-700e131fefe4 slideshow/upperb Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT c3f0b4eb-8d17-40a6-90e7-fc59d426bf6c slideshow/upperb/urb1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 3479b1c5-9232-4576-a2c3-087cfcafa14e slideshow/upperb/urb2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 72ec585a-4aae-4d47-ab82-8d33fbd02598 slideshow/upperb/urb3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT b21d0053-59aa-451a-afdf-cffd96b98c6a slideshow/upperla Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 57d7b8fd-09d7-4589-8549-733f3b1e8879 slideshow/upperla/ula1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 9466e4ea-bb51-415a-99c2-bb95b00bed0f slideshow/upperla/ula2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 257c12fd-9cb8-4ec7-9b78-4a8f3c53d86d slideshow/upperla/ula3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 6fd2886c-16f6-470a-a89d-8170c9d81dc1 slideshow/upperlb Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 30cd8208-f13c-4b81-bc0b-a4851921e03d slideshow/upperlb/ulb1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 2dafef64-62ea-4f2d-9417-3d6bae4ef192 slideshow/upperlb/ulb2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT ab91ad5e-54dd-4fa8-acd2-4650f6b7b305 slideshow/upperlb/ulb3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT eeee7122-4643-49ca-8e4b-d84908ce53b9 slideshow/lowerlc Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 0c0b027d-274f-44a8-9c76-f3063ea6b1c8 slideshow/lowerlc/llc1 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT 52a8f6b4-b47a-42dd-bf78-ac21ed7ba1c8 slideshow/lowerlc/llc2 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT c6f25cb8-6a37-46a6-b865-c99733e4c80e slideshow/lowerlc/llc3 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:18 EDT bf01d22c-63b2-453a-bb5f-3b994791477f aboutvcc About VCCThe Council was founded in 1962 as the Virginia Council of Farmer Cooperatives. In 2009, our board of directors voted to change our name to the Virginia Cooperative Council to better reflect the expanding scope of cooperative organizations throughout the state that now serve not only rural Virginians and those involved in agriculture but also provide services to hundreds of thousands of urban and suburban members as well.Today, members of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telecommunications cooperatives; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:29 EDT ca080617-3e36-4891-aace-6d5ceeca2059 aboutvcc/mission Mission Statement The mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperative organizations in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy and its citizens.The not-for-profit Council strives to accomplish our mission primarily through educational programs aimed at the general public and especially at young persons. The Council works closely with the state’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State, and 4-H and FFA programs in these efforts. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:29 EDT 4b8e6263-efad-41bb-aea4-6d7cbab7a635 aboutvcc/history History: Co-ops In VirginiaUntil the latter decades of the 20th Century, Virginia was mainly an agrarian and rural states. The majority of its citizens were either directly involved in the farming or forestry industries or in the processing of the raw products produced on the farms and fields throughout the Commonwealth.Rural people by nature have a tradition of working together whether gathering to build a barn on a neighbor’s farm or teaming up to help harvest a neighbor’s crops before the first frost. So, it is not surprising that many of the first cooperative businesses in Virginia were organized to serve the needs of farmers by farmers themselves during the 1920s and 1930s.Unhappy with the quality and price of crop seeds and fertilizers, fencing and other goods, farmers founded farm supply co-ops to pool their orders and purchase only the best products at a lower price. To receive a fairer price for their products, dairy farmers formed co-ops to collect, process and market their milk collectively. Co-ops were also organized to market tobacco, grain, poultry, eggs and other commodities.Displeased with the service and credit terms extended to them by some banks, farmers with the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture formed their own cooperative financial institutations such as production credit associations to pool their assets and lend money to themselves.During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Virginia’s farmers and their rural neighbors took advantage of the newly-formed Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to obtain low-cost loans and assistance to form their own electric cooperatives and often planted their own poles and strung their own lines to extend electricity down every country road where the big utilities refused to go. Co-ops were also started to provide telephone service in rural areas – often using these same new poles.In towns and cities, factory workers, teachers and others with shared interest formed credit unions which are cooperative financial institutions as an alternative to investor-owned banks.Today, most of these original cooperative businesses have grown and still exist to serve new generations of Virginia’s citizens. They have been joined by many new co-op organizations ranging from daycare centers to artist co-ops to a co-op founded to provide broadband service to rural areas. And co-ops remain a vital part of the Commonwealth’s economy. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:29 EDT 86a4c0e6-e007-4371-8ea8-1fcc18ae5bc6 aboutvcc/board VCC Officers and Board of Directors The Council is governed by a board of directors comprised of individuals nominated and elected by its membership and representing the range of cooperative organizations in Virginia. Directors are elected to serve three-year terms. VCC Officers and Board of Directors President:Brian WolfeVice-President:Allen MeltonSecretary:Jennifer CulbertsonRepresenting Marketing CooperativesEric PaulsonVirginia State Dairymen’s AssociationCarl PrivettMD & VA Milk Producers Association Representing Purchasing CooperativesAllen MeltonSouthern States CooperativeMargaret CrickAugusta Cooperative Farm BureauDavid E. DurrCulpeper Farmers Cooperative (CFC)Representing Service CooperativesThomas TruittMidAtlantic Farm CreditBrian MosierMecklenburg Electric CooperativeRepresenting Cooperatives At LargeJ. T. AndersonColonial Farm CreditRichard G. Johnstone,Jr.VA, MD & DE Association of Electric CooperativesJennifer CulbertsonSouthern States CooperativePublic DirectorsJames GravesGraves Mountain Lodge & FarmsBette BrandFarm Credit of the VirginiasBrian WolfeRappahannock Electric CooperativeAdvisorsDr. Glenn AndersonVirginia Department of EducationDr. Dixie Watts DaltonDalton Virginia Tech & Southside Community College Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:29 EDT d17068f4-3ba2-4ef2-9396-6104486400b8 aboutvcc/vccfoundation Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc.The Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc. (VFC), is a financial partner of the Virginia Cooperative Council, and provides additional financial support for the Council’s educational programs. A 501 (c) (3) exempt private foundation operated separate from the VCC, the VFC’s primary activity is to provide direct funding for scholarships to agricultural economics students, primarily through Virginia Tech. In addition, the VFC provides funding to the VCC to provide scholarships for Virginia youth to attend the NICE and VICE educational programs. The VFC provides all this support from income generated from invested accumulated endowments, and from donations from cooperative-associated patrons. A Board of Directors oversees the VFC, and VFC board meetings generally occur concurrent with VCC board meetings. For any additional information about the VFC, please contact Phil Miller at (804) 281-1211, or at phil.miller@sscoop.com. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:29 EDT 5d950711-b504-4958-8f35-9d181d994551 aboutvcc/join Attention: Virginia CooperativesJoin the Virginia Cooperative Council!!!!!Whether you’re a cooperative, an association or individual that works with cooperatives, or an individual who believes cooperatives are the better solution when it comes to doing business, the Virginia Cooperative Council invites you to become part of the greater cooperative community in Virginia.Membership in the Council means you’re part of an organization whose primary purpose is to promote the cooperative business model in Virginia and provides a number of programs aimed at educating Virginians about cooperatives, especially Virginia youth. As these youth learn more about Virginia’s cooperatives, they become more valuable and assessable to becoming future employees and leaders of our cooperatives in Virginia. Membership in the Council also provides opportunities for individual employees and managers of cooperatives to learn more about the cooperative business model and to network with individuals from other cooperatives.If you are a cooperative operating in the state of Virginia, by all means, you should be a member of the Council! Joining is simple! Following is the excerpt from our bylaws that addresses membership qualifications:“SECTION 2. Qualifications of Cooperative MembersAny incorporated cooperative agricultural marketing, bargaining, purchasing or farm business service association including rural electric cooperatives duly incorporated and operation under the Electric Cooperatives Act of 1936, telephone cooperatives, Farm Credit Associations incorporated under the provisions of the Farm Credit Act, and any other incorporated association serving members which is owned or controlled by those members and transacts business in Virginia on cooperative principles, shall be eligible for Cooperatives Membership in the Council. Any Cooperatives member having separate branch operations in Virginia that desires to include such branches or separate associations may do so by paying dues in accordance with the established schedule on the volume of each such branch, in which event each such branch shall entitled to its own delegates and vote at all meeting of members.”“SECTION 7. Associate Memberships. Any individual, general rural/farmers’ organization or other public or semi-public office or agency sympathetic to the success of rural business cooperatives and operating in the State of Virginia may apply for Associate membership in the council by tendering an Application to the Executive Secretary of the council.”If you determine that you or your association qualifies for membership in the Council, please contact the Council’s Executive secretary for details on joining: Phil Miller Executive SecretaryVirginia Cooperative CouncilPO Box 25202Richmond, VA 23260(804)281-1211phil.miller@sscoop.comWe do ask that you pay dues to be a member of the Council – dues that we need to support our youth education and other programs. The dues you will pay to be a member of the Council are very reasonable. The dues schedule effective for 2011 (approved and not changed since 2002) is detailed below. If you have any questions regarding the dues, please contact Phil Miller (contact info above):  SCHEDULE OF 2011 DUES ASSESSMENTEFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, (2002)THIS IS AN HONOR SYSTEM!!Group 1 All Purchasing and Processing Marketing Cooperatives:Annual Volume    (last fiscal year)  Assessments  Upto  249,999$ 55.00  250,000to  499,000  88.00  500,000to  749,999 121.00  750,000to  999,999 187.001,000,000to2,499,999 242.002,500,000to4,999,999 330.00 + $18.70 for each additional million $ volume – Max/$1,500 per yearGroup 1ANon-Processing Marketing Cooperatives  Annual Volume (last fiscal year)Assessments                Upto  249,999$ 44.00                250,000to  499,000  60.50                500,000to  749,999  88.00                750,000to  999,999 121.00             1,000,000to2,499,999 165.00             2,500,000to4,999,999 242.00             5,000,000andOver 330.00 + $18.70 for each additional million$ volume – Max/$1,500 per yearGroup 2Agricultural Credit AssociationsAssessment shall be $7.70 per million dollars of outstanding loans as of the end of the last fiscal year. Maximum $1,500 per year.Group 3Rural Electric CooperativesRural Telephone CooperativesAssessments shall be 1.925 cents per member at the close of the last fiscal year. Minimum dues to be $55 and maximum dues to be $1,500 per year.Group 4Artificial Breeding Associations          Mutual Fire Insurance CompaniesAssociations of Electrical Coops        Breed & Livestock ImprovementCold Storage Cooperatives               All other associations eligible for                                                  cooperative membershipAssessment shall be 1.32 cents per member at the close of the last fiscal year. Minimum dues to be $55 and maximum dues $220 per year.Group 5Associate Membership dues:$55 for an Organization$16.50 for an Individual   Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:29 EDT 2e7ea7fe-d6a2-4650-af71-07d97efd8cfc cooperatives Cooperatives Touch Our Daily Livesread brochureCooperatives are so much a part of our lives that most of us don’t realize that some of the most familiar food and beverage products we buy and use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops. Here are some examples that are probably in your pantry or refrigerator right now.· MarvaMaid Milk and Dairy Products · Florida’s Natural Orange Juice· Welch’s Grape Juice · Ocean Spray Cranberries· SunKist Oranges· SunMaid Raisins· Land-O-Lakes Butter· Blue Diamond Almonds· SueBee Honey· TreeTop Apple Juice· Cabot CheeseWherever you live in the Virginia, chances are cooperatives are part of your life every day and you may not even realize it.Co-ops provide power.Nearly a million Virginia homes, farms and businesses depend on an electric co-op to provide their electricity.Co-ops fuel your life.Thousands of Virginians purchase home heating oil and propane and even gasoline and diesel fuel from a petroleum co-op.Co-ops finance your life.Virginians depend on credit unions for checking and savings accounts and Farm Credit to finance farms, businesses and rural homes.Co-ops put food on your table. From meat and poultry to dairy products to vegetables, many of the products and national brands you use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops.Co-ops help farmers provide the food you eat.Farm supply co-ops provide the seeds and fertilizers farmers need to grow crops and the feeds they need to grow livestock. Farmer co-ops also provide feeds for horse and pets and many also offer tools, plants and lawn and garden supplies.Co-ops protect your investments.If you insurance your property or vehicles with a mutual insurance company, you are dealing with a cooperative business. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 66e1a004-4e61-47de-ae4e-b34af2682028 cooperatives/history What Is A Cooperative?Simply stated, a cooperative is an organization or business that is user-owned and user-controlled. Co-ops operate as not-for-profit entities. any profits, often referred to as savings in a co-op, are returned and are usually distributed to its members in the form of cash, credits or stock. History: It All Started on Toad LaneToday’s cooperatives trace their roots to 19th century England.More than 150 years ago a small group of workers in the Village of Rochdale launched an economic experiment that would later spread throughout the world. On October 24, 1844, 28 weavers banded together to form the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society with the simple goal of stretching their meager earnings by pooling their resources to purchase needed supplies in larger volumes and at lower prices. The small, first-floor storefront they rented as the base of their operations was located at 31 Toad Lane. This memorably-named site is now considered the birthplace of the modern era of cooperative businesses. The Society did not originate the cooperative idea of individuals working together to achieve what they could not accomplish alone. This concept had been around for many years as evidenced by the Mayflower Compact that the Pilgrim’s signed before sailing to America and the mutual fire insurance companies founded by Benjamin Franklin in Colonial Philadelphia. The significance of the Rochdale Pioneers was not in what they did but in how they did it. The foundation on which they built their organization was set of practices and descriptions now known as the Rochdale Principles. None of these ideas was totally new, but together they produced a business system that was unique. These principles included:· Democratic control· Open membership· Fixed or limited return on subscribed capital· Dividends on purchases· Trading strictly on a cash basis· Selling only pure and unadulterated goods· Provisions for educating members· Political and religious neutralityThe primary goal of the Rochdale Pioneers was modest – to simply lower their production costs to increase their incomes. It is unlikely that any of these desperate weavers with little formal education cared much about the concept of cooperation or realized that they were establishing a longterm worldwide movement. While modern day business practices have brought change to this original set of principles, the essence of the cooperative business model embodied in them continues to this day and are clearly the basis of the 7 Cooperative Principles that form the basis for all cooperatives formed since. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 0624bf34-8127-4c76-8178-06cc3668598d ourmembers Our MembersMembers of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs. General MembersSouthern States Managed Cooperatives and Retail ServicesAgFirst Farm Credit BankAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau Inc.CoBankColonial Farm Credit, ACACommunity Electric CooperativeCooperative Milk Producers Assn. Inc.Craig-Botetourt Electric CooperativeCFC Farm and Home Center, Inc.Dairy Farmers of AmericaFarm Credit of the Virginias, ACAMaryland & Virginia Milk Producers Co-op. Assn.Mecklenburg Electric CooperativeNational Milk Producers FederationNorth River Telephone CooperativeNorthern Neck Electric CooperativeNorthern Virginia Electric Cooperative -->Old Dominion Electric CooperativePrince George Electric CooperativeRappahannock Electric CooperativeRockingham CooperativeSelect Sires Power Inc.Shenandoah Valley Electric CooperativeSouthern States Cooperative Inc.Partners Financial Federal Credit Union -->Southside Electric CooperativeValley Farm Credit, ACAVirginia Farm Bureau FederationVa., Md., Del., Assn. of Electric CooperativesVirginia State Dairymen's Association Amelia ServiceAugusta Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Bedford Cooperative Inc.Bristol Cooperative Inc.Burkeville ServiceCarroll County Cooperative Inc.Charlottesville Cooperative Inc.Chatham Cooperative Inc.Chesapeake Association Inc.Christiansburg ServiceCulpeper Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Danville Cooperative Inc.Emporia-Franklin ServiceFairfax Petroleum ServiceFarmers Cooperative Inc.Fredericksburg Petroleum ServiceFront Royal Cooperative Inc.Galax Cooperative Inc.Gloucester ServiceGoochland ServiceLeesburg Petroleum ServiceLoudoun County Cooperative Inc.Luray ServiceManassas ServiceMarion Cooperative Inc.Martinsville Cooperative Inc.Middleburg Service Inc.Orange-Madison Co-op Farm ServicePulaski Cooperative Inc. -->Prince William-Fauquier ServiceRappahannock ServiceRoanoke Troutville BranchRussell County Cooperative Inc.South Boston Petroleum ServiceSouthside Cooperative Inc.Tazewell Cooperative Inc.Tidewater Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Washington Farmers Cooperative Inc.Winchester Cooperative Inc.Wythe County Service Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT a8bc4fcd-45f6-4c38-9143-cf0ff74a05dd ourmembers/map Membership Map Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 78fc9933-0c70-49d3-bb69-a63a3e1730b0 ourmembers/pages Highlighting a Few of Our Members:Members of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs.NOTE: Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.      Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 46947904-62c0-4603-a0af-4c22102a2409 ourmembers/pages/electricmembers Electric Co-op Members: OLD DOMINION ELECTRIC CO-OP Headquartered in Glen Allen, VAODEC is an electric generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative. They are a regional, consumer-owned power supplier formed in 1948 to provide power to a consortium of electric distribution cooperatives. Their core business is generating, purchasing and delivering electricity to wholesale customers, primarily our member systems. ODEC is a not-for-profit member-owned cooperative and has no capital stock. They follow the basic principles of cooperatives. Qualifications for membership and the rights and obligations of their members are defined by law and established in the corporate bylaws. ODEC’s power is generated through a combination of owned baseload and peaking power plants that use coal, natural gas and nuclear as their primary fuels supplemented by purchased power and renewable resource technologies. In 2010, their 11 members served over 540,000 retail electric consumers (meters), representing approximately 1.2 million member-owners along 59,000 miles of line. The service territories served by their members cover large portions of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware ranging from the extended suburbs of Washington, DC to the Atlantic shores of these three beautiful states to the Appalachian Mountains and the North Carolina border. MECKLENBURG ELECTRIC CO-OP   Headquartered in Chase City, VAMecklenburg Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, non-profit utility in south central Virginia. Formed in 1938, MEC now provides electricity to over 31,000 accounts in nine counties. All members have a voice in the business affairs of the cooperative, with one vote and the opportunity to attend the Co-op’s Annual Meeting. All margins (profits) are set aside and distributed among the members in proportion to their patronage in the form of capital credits. These basic cooperative principles truly provide for a democratically controlled organization.In addition to providing their members with electricity, MEC makes extensive efforts to enhance the quality of life in their community. They work with local businesses, and city, county and state officials to bring business and new industry to Southside Virginia. They also support and help provide electrical safety awareness programs in the area.NORTHERN NECK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Warsaw, VANorthern Neck Electric Cooperative, a member-owned, non-profit electric distribution cooperative located in Warsaw, Virginia, was chartered in June 1937. It serves some 18,00+ residential and commercial accounts, delivering some 272 million kilo-watt-hours of electricity in the counties of King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Stafford, and Westmoreland. The Cooperative maintains over 2079 miles of overhead and underground lines which distribute electricity from 19 substations to members' homes and businesses.The first organizational meeting was held at the Courthouse in Warsaw, Virginia, for the purpose of incorporating, setting up a charter, and electing directors. Throughout its history the Cooperative's mission has been to provide reliable service at a reasonable cost. The cooperation and support by its members and dedicated service by its board of directors and employees assures that this fine tradition will continue well into the 21st century and beyond. The Northern Neck Electric Cooperative is proud to be the means of bringing electric service to the rural areas of the Northern Neck.RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Fredericksburg, VARappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) is a member-owned utility that provides electric service to more than 155,000 connections in parts of 22 Virginia counties. It was formed in 1980 with the consolidation of two cooperatives, Virginia Electric Cooperative in Bowling Green and Northern Piedmont Electric Cooperative in Culpeper, with both co-ops dating back to the initial formation of electric co-ops in Virginia in 1935 to 1939. The Cooperative's general office is in Spotsylvania County. REC maintains more than 16,000 miles of power lines through its service area, which ranges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The Cooperative serves a variety of residential, commercial and industrial accounts. REC's largest customer is Bear Island Paper Company, the second largest consumer of electricity in Virginia. REC also provides the electricity to such familiar names as Kings Dominion Amusement Park, Merillat Industries, GE Fanuc and DuPont.  The Cooperative is guided by a board of directors elected by REC's member-owners. Elections are held at the annual meeting with some directors up for election each year. Directors serve three-year terms.   Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 9c6e91d4-af3c-4d8f-8dc9-018675d2754b ourmembers/pages/farmcreditmembers About the Farm Credit System:The Farm Credit System is a nationwide network of cooperative lending institutions that provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, agricultural cooperatives, rural utility systems and agribusinesses. The system was created in 1916 by an act of Congress and is the largest single provider of agricultural credit in the United States. However, the real benefit of doing business with Farm Credit is dealing with a local office with hometown people who know their business, their communities and their customers.Unlike commercial banks, they do not take deposits. Money is raised by selling system-wide bonds and discount notes in the securities market on Wall Street. The proceeds are channeled through Farm Credit System banks, associations and thus ultimately to our customers involved in agriculture and agribusiness. AgFirst Farm Credit Bank is the Farm Credit Bank for Virginia and is located in South Carolina. AGFIRST FARM CREDIT BANKAgFirst Farm Credit Bank provides funding and financial services to 20 Agricultural Credit Associations (ACAs) in 15 eastern states and Puerto Rico. These associations, operating as Farm Credit and Ag Credit associations, provide real estate and production financing to more than 80,000 farmers, agribusinesses, and rural homeowners. AgFirst reported assets of $29.2 billion as of March 31, 2011. AgFirst also operates a growing Capital Markets unit that arranges and participates in loans for agribusinesses across the nation, and a Correspondent Lending Market department that buys, sells and services rural home and agricultural loans. COBANKCoBank is a $66 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. They provide loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. CoBank is a proud member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture and the nation's rural economy. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.  Other Farm Credit Members: COLONIAL FARM CREDIT- primarily serving eastern Virginia. MIDATLANTIC FARM CREDIT    - (formerly Valley Farm credit) – primarily serving central and the valley district of Virginia. FARM CREDIT OF THE VIRGINIAS   – primarily serving western and southwestern VirginiaNote:Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.  Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 4164ee42-650f-46e9-88ee-1efb1d728798 ourmembers/pages/farmsupply Farm Supply Members:SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Richmond, VAWhether you're getting your first look at Southern States Cooperative, or you grew up as one of their valued patrons, you probably already know that they're one of the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperatives. Since 1923, Southern States has been providing expert products, services and advice to people who like to get their hands dirty. Whether you’re running a small hobby farm or a larger farm, tending your garden or trying to keep your yard looking green and lush, they’ll give you the tools and know-how you need to get the job done right. Southern States does what no single farmer can. Because it pools members' resources, the co-op enables all of its farmer-members to benefit from greater research capabilities. That makes a difference for everyone - reducing the costs of production agriculture helps keep America's food supply plentiful and affordable for all.As a result of its leadership role in agriculture, Southern States has continued to expand and today encompasses some 1,200 retail locations in 23 states. Owned by more than 300,000 farmers, the cooperative purchases, manufactures or processes feed, seed, fertilizer, farm supplies and fuel. As one of the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives, Southern States offers only the finest in goods and services. Their expertise is based on over 85 years of experience and research, driven by the desire to ensure that everyone has access to the best in feed, seed, fertilizer and farm supplies.CFC FARM & HOME CENTERS Headquartered in Culpeper, VAIn October of 2007 Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative Inc. celebrated its 75th anniversary. Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative, Inc. has had only five presidents and six general managers in its over 75 years of operation. At the end of 2007, total retail sales from all locations were over 32 million dollars. In the spring of 2005, the retail stores rolled out a new logo and the names were changed to CFC Farm & Home Centers. The original orange, green and white Co-op diamond logo was incorporated into a rectangular logo that consisting of a stylized diamond on a section of fence. This was done to help consolidate all retail locations in the mind of the consumer and to encourage people who where not farmers or members to shop our stores. A 75th anniversary logo was created and used from June through December of 2007.The Co-op was organized in 1932 as the Cooperative Farm Bureau in a rented building on Wausau Street with a total of 205 members paying dues of $1,230. In addition to the dues from members, the Co-op began operation by borrowing $10,000 at 6% interest. Total sales at the end of the first year of operation were $84,435 (fourteen-month period from 10/32 to 12/33). The business was moved to the present location in 1960 after a fire in 1959 at the Wausau Street (presently County Farm Service) facility. A fertilizer plant and feed mill are included in the Culpeper facilities. The present feed mill was constructed in 1976, expanding the capacity of the original mill which started operations in the early 1960's. A retail store remodeling and expansion was completed in the fall of 2006. Between 1940 and 2007, the Co-op opened six new locations; Morrisville in 1940, Rappahannock in 1952, Warrenton in 1958, Marshall in 1979, Maurertown in 1984 and Caroline in 2007.AUGUSTA COOP FARM BUREAU Headquartered in Staunton, VAAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau, Inc. was formed in 1929 at Weyers Cave, Virginia by local farmers who were looking for a way to buy products and supplies at more competitive prices. In 1931, the co-op expanded to Staunton, Virginia. That location now serves as the main office for Augusta Co-Op. Over the years, Augusta Co-Op has grown by adding other branch store locations throughout Virginia. A feed mill and a bulk fertilizer blending facility are also located at Staunton. These manufacturing facilities provide products for all Augusta Co-Op locations.Currently, Augusta Co-Op is managed by General Manager, Kevin McLaren. The General Manager oversees the operation of the cooperative with assistance from other department managers. The management staff is located at the main offices in Staunton. Augusta Co-Op’s primary service area is western and central Virginia. They also service neighboring states.ROCKINGHAM COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Harrisonburg, VARockingham Cooperative is headquartered in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with sales offices in Harrisonburg, Bridgewater, Elkton, Timberville, Woodstock & Monterey. They are retail farm and consumer products stores with a major presence in Rockingham, Shenandoah and Highland Counties. In November of 2010, Rockingham Cooperative purchased RMC, which includes Rocking R Hardware stores in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro, RAM Plumbing Supply in Harrisonburg and Rockingham Mill in Dayton. Since 1921, Rockingham Cooperative has provided their local communities with high quality goods used in all walks of life. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT eed17a20-82af-45dc-9d7c-4958e817b3a5 youthactivities Youth and Educational Opportunities  National Institute on Cooperative EducationThe Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors up to eight outstanding Virginia youth to attend the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) Youth Conference each year. The VCC youth delegates to this conference are selected because of their achievements in VCC’s VICE Conference, held each year in early April. The VCC VICE youth delegates generally are the top performers in state 4-H and FFA programs, but are not limited to those programs. VICE accepts any qualified youth from across the state.For nearly three-quarters of a century, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) offered the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE), or its predecessor, the American Institute of Cooperation (AIC), as one of its educational conferences on cooperatives. In August of 2002, NCFC made the decision to streamline its educational opportunities in order to provide a better return on member investments of both time and money.During the 2002 NICE, the last NCFC-sponsored youth event, a number of state delegations met to express interest in the continuation of the youth component of NICE. A decision was made to host the 2003 Diamond Anniversary NICE on the Virginia Tech campus, and to seek to rotate the conference to different universities in future years. This was actually a return to the model of the original AIC when the conference was hosted on university campuses. Since the conference is now focused solely on youth education, the return to the campus setting seems appropriate. Following the 2003 Diamond Anniversary Conference, participants decided to return to Virginia Tech for the 2004 conference with future conferences rotating to other venues in other states. Most recently, the conference was held at Purdue University (2011), and the University of Tennessee (2009 and 2010). The NICE conference will return to Virginia Tech for 2012.The conference is intended to provide a deeper understanding of cooperatives to the youth participants who are the cooperative members, customers, employees, directors, and leaders of tomorrow. Participants will gain an understanding of how cooperatives differ from other business forms and will hear cooperative success stories in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. In a team setting, attendees will serve as managers of a simulated cooperative store, competing with other stores in their market area for sales and profit. Teams will also analyze case studies, develop their own student-run cooperative, and participate in team-building and leadership development activities. The closing session will recognize the teams that have been the top performers in various conference activities. The Youth Scholar Program provides both educational and social activities. NICE Program Objectives Increase the understanding of basic cooperative principles, how cooperatives are organized and operated, and how to use cooperativesDevelop an understanding of the issues creating challenges and opportunities for cooperatives today; Provide opportunities for participation and leadership developmentEncourage youth scholars to explore career possibilities with cooperativesProvide opportunities to become acquainted with cooperative leaders, members, educators, and other youth.       2012 NICE Youth Program       2012 NICE Conference — Host Campus: Virginia Tech. (dates to be announced).  Virginia Institute on Cooperative Education (VICE)Each spring, the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors an Institute on Cooperative Education, a youth leadership conference for up to 64 Virginia high school youth. The primary objective of this conference is to educate youth about the unique cooperative form of business. Through an interactive, educational, and entertaining conference, students will enhance their teamwork, leadership, and communication skills.Before arriving at the conference, youth participants are required to visit the sponsoring cooperative business and complete an interview form. This allows them to learn about the size and operation of a cooperative in their community. Participants are also provided with a booklet on cooperatives, which they are asked to read prior to the conferenceDay one activities begin with an overview of the conference and its format. Since many of the weekend’s activities are interactive, icebreakers are utilized to help the students learn more about each other. They then attend an opening session on the history and importance of cooperatives and how cooperatives differ from other forms of business. Following the introductory overview, students are divided into four groups to learn about different types of cooperative businesses: supply, marketing, electric, and credit. At one point during the day, students are quizzed on the information that has been presented to them.Day two and three activities center on small work groups. Participants are put in the position of managing their own cooperative business through their participation in a computer-based business simulation game titled “Who’s Minding the Store.” Each group represents a separate co-op business, each attempting to make pricing, inventory, advertising, credit, and personnel decisions to increase their co-op’s net worth in a competitive market setting. Students are first presented with basic business concepts and are then allowed to make their first set of management decisions. When the results of their decisions are returned, they learn how to interpret the results and how to adjust their decision-making to yield more desirable results. In addition, they learn how to read balance sheets and income statements, and how to use values from the statements to calculate ratios that indicate the financial well being of the business. At least four management decisions, representing four quarterly decisions, are made during the conference. Participants are also placed in role-play situations where they can act out responses to personnel issues within the business. Through their decision- making and role-play, participants have opportunities to enhance their leadership and teamwork skills, and to improve communication skills.On the final day, students take their second quiz, covering the material learned during days two and three. Adult team leaders provide assessment on each participant’s participation throughout the conference. All of the weekend’s scores are tabulated, leading to the conference culmination, an awards luncheon. All attendees are provided with a certificate of participation and the overall winners are announced. A final wrap-up session summarizes the conference’s activities and reemphasizes important lessons learned.Conference evaluations consistently indicate that students find the conference to be both educational and fun. They often state that they came to the conference knowing nothing about the cooperative way of doing business and leave with an understanding and appreciation of this unique business form. They also provide positive feedback on the opportunity to meet new people, enjoy fine food, and visit a scenic rural setting. For the past few years, one hundred percent of participants have indicated they would recommend the conference to a friend.   Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT edac6c04-3588-4b08-87cc-4c78ac764841 blog Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT f983f267-3030-44ff-9bf0-1e48b43ac6af calendar Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 8045ac09-2759-4ea4-ad8e-7e82030dee02 news Coop's In the News Hurricane Irene - How it affected our members:Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in August. The ninth named storm, first hurricane and first major hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Irene originated from a well-defined Atlantic tropical wave that eventually became a Category 3 major hurricane. It made its U.S. landfall over Eastern North Carolina's Outer Banks on the morning of August 27, and moved along southeastern Virginia, directly affecting the Hampton Roads region and indirectly, much of central Virginia.After briefly reemerging over water, Irene made a second U.S. landfall near Little Egg Inlet in New Jersey the morning of August 28, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it made its third U.S. landfall in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York, on August 28. Considerable damage occurred in eastern upstate New York and Vermont, which suffered from the worst flooding in centuries.Throughout its path, Irene caused widespread destruction and at least 55 deaths; monetary losses in the Caribbean were estimated to be as high as $3.1 billion. Damage estimates throughout the United States range from $10 to $15 billion.Irene swept through central Virginia with unexpected force, leaving in its wake a forest of downed trees and limbs snapping power lines, crushing cars and smashing houses. Dead and damaged trees became the most visible remnant of Irene's path through Virginia. All four deaths in the state and about one-quarter of the 40-plus deaths blamed on Irene have been linked to fallen trees, and more may be related to trees that downed power lines, electrocuting some victims. The Virginia victims were all struck by trees, either in their homes, vehicles or while outside.Many of the hundreds of thousands of homes that lost power in Virginia were serviced by Virginia’s electric cooperatives, many by Rappahannock EC, Northern Neck EC and Mecklenburg EC. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the VCC will co-host the 2011 Co-op Month Breakfast. Featured speakers will be executives from the above mentioned co-ops, who will tell the stories of the damage in their service areas, and how their co-ops toiled to help get Virginia’s power back on. October is Co-op MonthEach October, cooperatives across the United States celebrate the cooperative difference, business model and the contributions of cooperatives to their communities. Minnesota was the first state to observe Co-op Month in 1948, and it spread quickly to the entire nation. Co-op Month became a government-sponsored national event in 1964. The responsibility for planning was turned over to cooperatives in 1971. Annual celebrations play a key role in educating members and communities as well as the public and policy makers about the role cooperatives play in strengthening the economy, providing jobs and improving life in local communities.In Virginia, we celebrate Co-op Month with a Co-op Month Breakfast, this year on Tuesday, October 11. We feed the masses, award co-op leaders and outstanding young farmers, plus pass along a lot of good co-op information.Below is the skinny on our 2011 celebration:The Virginia Cooperative Council and Friends of the Industry of Agriculture (FIA) cordially invite you to attend the 2011 Cooperative Month Breakfast. Please join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and enjoyable event. DATE: ...................................................................................October 11, 2011TIME: .............................................................................................. 8:00 a.m.PRICE:..................................................................................$10.00 per personPLACE: .................................................THE PLACE AT INNSBROOK - GLEN ALLEN(4036 Cox Road in the Innsbrook Corporate Park)Please join us as we celebrate October Cooperative Month and honor the recipients of the 2011 Cooperative Career Leadership, Farmer-Member and Young Farmer awards.KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: ......................Panel of Electric Co-op ExecutivesTOPIC: “Virginia’s Electric Co-ops: Responding to Hurricane Irene”: Hear stories from several prominent Virginia Electric Co-ops on how Hurricane Irene impacted their service areas, and how they worked tirelessly to get the Power Back On for their customers. Come see photos of the considerable damage left in the wake of the Hurricane, and see pictures of the heroic co-op employees as they got us back up and running!!!!RSVP: .......................................................... by Thursday, October 6, 2011Call Debbie Delby….804/746-4581 ext. 1125 or email: ddelby@colonialfarmcredit.com  Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT afadbbac-23f0-48f6-bb8e-badb240557bf helpsheet Big Green HeadingMembers of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telephone cooperatives; Farm Credit Associations; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives.Normal Green Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy. Insert anchor on page first (ex: at bottom of page) , then add anchor  text-link  using the "Insert Hyperlink" icon and select "anchor on page" and pick the anchor you previoulsly made.Normal Yellow Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy.Normal Blue Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their mSmall Yellow HeadingMaecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. 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Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Use "inline style" to reformat text inside a paragraph. at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales liberoTitle set using regular shortcut. This part of title has had font "set" using the "Size" over ride. It will not enlarge.Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. Anchor link should jump to here and will display at the bottom of the page, not the top. Table/Chart SectionTable below using shortcut for two column container table. 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Format a row or column the way you want it to look, then use the top toolbars to add rows or columns (click on row/column, then go to top toolbars and insert row/column)ITEMITEMITEMvaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevalue Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 863464e4-a192-41e1-9dcd-622cc2dfc934 facebook Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT f31c37ea-a679-4c37-8bc7-ddf6d66e71b6 linkedin Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 700a3e1a-3255-4322-a74b-45e65ebde5d4 twitter Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 6dd1ef26-0c3f-4032-874e-efe5e54a2e68 nice Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 3b56ceb6-48c9-425f-a922-c423d7ec0e9d home #SLIDESHOW-3000-uppera##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperb##SLIDESHOW-3000-upperla##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperlb##SLIDESHOW-5000-lowerlc# Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT e3f9e519-a241-4799-a395-61bd639ce356 contact Interested in joining us?Sign-up for our news! #FORM#Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT da79deea-2d26-4acc-9565-48d53a4dc8f4 contact/thankyou Thank You Your inquiry has been received and will be responded to promptly. Thank you for taking the time to drop us a note and showing interest in the Virginia Cooperative Council. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 17acb06d-0c3c-4783-9829-f7836b7c303f signup Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 51bc4155-7d95-4e75-9c50-68f9fcb98a46 sitemap Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:09:30 EDT 8dd63504-5d7e-4885-8e59-a684f722f0de privacy Privacy PolicyVirginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is dedicated to the absolute privacy of its customers, employees, and all users of the Internet. Personal InformationWhen you send VCC an email with your email address, the message and your email address will only be used by VCC staff. 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In 2009, our board of directors voted to change our name to the Virginia Cooperative Council to better reflect the expanding scope of cooperative organizations throughout the state that now serve not only rural Virginians and those involved in agriculture but also provide services to hundreds of thousands of urban and suburban members as well.Today, members of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telecommunications cooperatives; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 00a31520-0d96-4fe3-9dab-167d82c5cb0a aboutvcc/mission Mission Statement The mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperative organizations in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy and its citizens.The not-for-profit Council strives to accomplish our mission primarily through educational programs aimed at the general public and especially at young persons. The Council works closely with the state’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State, and 4-H and FFA programs in these efforts. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 7c40c9f2-07b0-40d5-a221-8da3ee7048ca aboutvcc/history History: Co-ops In VirginiaUntil the latter decades of the 20th Century, Virginia was mainly an agrarian and rural states. The majority of its citizens were either directly involved in the farming or forestry industries or in the processing of the raw products produced on the farms and fields throughout the Commonwealth.Rural people by nature have a tradition of working together whether gathering to build a barn on a neighbor’s farm or teaming up to help harvest a neighbor’s crops before the first frost. So, it is not surprising that many of the first cooperative businesses in Virginia were organized to serve the needs of farmers by farmers themselves during the 1920s and 1930s.Unhappy with the quality and price of crop seeds and fertilizers, fencing and other goods, farmers founded farm supply co-ops to pool their orders and purchase only the best products at a lower price. To receive a fairer price for their products, dairy farmers formed co-ops to collect, process and market their milk collectively. Co-ops were also organized to market tobacco, grain, poultry, eggs and other commodities.Displeased with the service and credit terms extended to them by some banks, farmers with the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture formed their own cooperative financial institutations such as production credit associations to pool their assets and lend money to themselves.During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Virginia’s farmers and their rural neighbors took advantage of the newly-formed Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to obtain low-cost loans and assistance to form their own electric cooperatives and often planted their own poles and strung their own lines to extend electricity down every country road where the big utilities refused to go. Co-ops were also started to provide telephone service in rural areas – often using these same new poles.In towns and cities, factory workers, teachers and others with shared interest formed credit unions which are cooperative financial institutions as an alternative to investor-owned banks.Today, most of these original cooperative businesses have grown and still exist to serve new generations of Virginia’s citizens. They have been joined by many new co-op organizations ranging from daycare centers to artist co-ops to a co-op founded to provide broadband service to rural areas. And co-ops remain a vital part of the Commonwealth’s economy. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT ed34e27c-0736-491a-b193-e0fcff24f958 aboutvcc/board VCC Officers and Board of Directors The Council is governed by a board of directors comprised of individuals nominated and elected by its membership and representing the range of cooperative organizations in Virginia. Directors are elected to serve three-year terms. VCC Officers and Board of DirectorsPresident:Brian WolfeVice-President:Allen MeltonSecretary:J. T. Anderson  Representing Marketing CooperativesEric PaulsonVirginia State Dairymen’s AssociationCarl PrivettMD & VA Milk Producers Association Representing Purchasing CooperativesAllen MeltonSouthern States CooperativeMargaret CrickAugusta Cooperative Farm BureauDavid E. DurrCulpeper Farmers Cooperative (CFC)Representing Service CooperativesThomas TruittMidAtlantic Farm CreditBrian MosierMecklenburg Electric CooperativeRepresenting Cooperatives At LargeJ. T. AndersonColonial Farm CreditRichard G. Johnstone, Jr.VA, MD & DE Association of Electric CooperativesJennifer CulbertsonSouthern States CooperativePublic DirectorsJames GravesGraves Mountain Lodge & FarmsBette BrandFarm Credit of the VirginiasBrian WolfeRappahannock Electric CooperativeAdvisorsDr. Glenn AndersonVirginia Department of EducationDr. Dixie Watts DaltonDalton Virginia Tech & Southside Community College Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT ec91444c-2265-479a-ba9d-e28d56c722c6 aboutvcc/vccfoundation Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc.The Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc. (VFC), is a financial partner of the Virginia Cooperative Council, and provides additional financial support for the Council’s educational programs. A 501 (c) (3) exempt private foundation operated separate from the VCC, the VFC’s primary activity is to provide direct funding for scholarships to agricultural economics students, primarily through Virginia Tech. In addition, the VFC provides funding to the VCC to provide scholarships for Virginia youth to attend the NICE and VICE educational programs. The VFC provides all this support from income generated from invested accumulated endowments, and from donations from cooperative-associated patrons. A Board of Directors oversees the VFC, and VFC board meetings generally occur concurrent with VCC board meetings. For any additional information about the VFC, please contact Phil Miller at (804) 281-1211, or at phil.miller@sscoop.com. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 65bc5861-d549-4920-8119-fdc6a117a795 aboutvcc/join Attention: Virginia CooperativesJoin the Virginia Cooperative Council!!!!!Whether you’re a cooperative, an association or individual that works with cooperatives, or an individual who believes cooperatives are the better solution when it comes to doing business, the Virginia Cooperative Council invites you to become part of the greater cooperative community in Virginia.Membership in the Council means you’re part of an organization whose primary purpose is to promote the cooperative business model in Virginia and provides a number of programs aimed at educating Virginians about cooperatives, especially Virginia youth. As these youth learn more about Virginia’s cooperatives, they become more valuable and assessable to becoming future employees and leaders of our cooperatives in Virginia. Membership in the Council also provides opportunities for individual employees and managers of cooperatives to learn more about the cooperative business model and to network with individuals from other cooperatives.If you are a cooperative operating in the state of Virginia, by all means, you should be a member of the Council! Joining is simple! Following is the excerpt from our bylaws that addresses membership qualifications:SECTION 2. Qualifications of Cooperative Members“Any incorporated cooperative agricultural marketing, bargaining, purchasing or farm business service association including rural electric cooperatives duly incorporated and operation under the Electric Cooperatives Act of 1936, telephone cooperatives, Farm Credit Associations incorporated under the provisions of the Farm Credit Act, and any other incorporated association serving members which is owned or controlled by those members and transacts business in Virginia on cooperative principles, shall be eligible for Cooperatives Membership in the Council. Any Cooperatives member having separate branch operations in Virginia that desires to include such branches or separate associations may do so by paying dues in accordance with the established schedule on the volume of each such branch, in which event each such branch shall entitled to its own delegates and vote at all meeting of members.”SECTION 7. Associate Memberships“Any individual, general rural/farmers’ organization or other public or semi-public office or agency sympathetic to the success of rural business cooperatives and operating in the State of Virginia may apply for Associate membership in the council by tendering an Application to the Executive Secretary of the council.”If you determine that you or your association qualifies for membership in the Council, please contact the Council’s Executive secretary for details on joining: Phil Miller Executive SecretaryVirginia Cooperative CouncilPO Box 25202Richmond, VA 23260(804)281-1211phil.miller@sscoop.comWe do ask that you pay dues to be a member of the Council – dues that we need to support our youth education and other programs. The dues you will pay to be a member of the Council are very reasonable. The dues schedule effective for 2011 (approved and not changed since 2002) is detailed below. If you have any questions regarding the dues, please contact Phil Miller (contact info above):  SCHEDULE OF 2011 DUES ASSESSMENTEFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, (2002)THIS IS AN HONOR SYSTEM!!Group 1All Purchasing and Processing Marketing Cooperatives:Annual Volume    (last fiscal year) Assessments  Upto  249,999$ 55.00  250,000to  499,000  88.00  500,000to  749,999 121.00  750,000to  999,999 187.001,000,000to2,499,999 242.002,500,000to4,999,999 330.00 + $18.70 for each additional million $ volume – Max/$1,500 per yearGroup 1ANon-Processing Marketing Cooperatives  Annual Volume (last fiscal year)AssessmentsUpto  249,999$ 44.00250,000to  499,000  60.50500,000to  749,999  88.00750,000to  999,999 121.001,000,000to2,499,999 165.002,500,000to4,999,999 242.005,000,000andOver 330.00 + $18.70 for each additional million$ volume – Max/$1,500 per yearGroup 2Agricultural Credit AssociationsAssessment shall be $7.70 per million dollars of outstanding loans as of the end of the last fiscal year. Maximum $1,500 per year.Group 3Rural Electric CooperativesRural Telephone CooperativesAssessments shall be 1.925 cents per member at the close of the last fiscal year. Minimum dues to be $55 and maximum dues to be $1,500 per year.Group 4Artificial Breeding Associations          Mutual Fire Insurance CompaniesAssociations of Electrical Coops        Breed & Livestock ImprovementCold Storage Cooperatives               All other associations eligible for                                                  cooperative membershipAssessment shall be 1.32 cents per member at the close of the last fiscal year. Minimum dues to be $55 and maximum dues $220 per year.Group 5Associate Membership dues:$55 for an Organization$16.50 for an Individual   Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT b7307790-7a3e-4e32-81f3-9848baec2eb2 cooperatives Cooperatives Touch Our Daily Livesread brochureCooperatives are so much a part of our lives that most of us don’t realize that some of the most familiar food and beverage products we buy and use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops. Here are some examples that are probably in your pantry or refrigerator right now.· MarvaMaid Milk and Dairy Products · Florida’s Natural Orange Juice· Welch’s Grape Juice · Ocean Spray Cranberries· SunKist Oranges· SunMaid Raisins· Land-O-Lakes Butter· Blue Diamond Almonds· SueBee Honey· TreeTop Apple Juice· Cabot CheeseWherever you live in the Virginia, chances are cooperatives are part of your life every day and you may not even realize it.Co-ops provide power.Nearly a million Virginia homes, farms and businesses depend on an electric co-op to provide their electricity.Co-ops fuel your life.Thousands of Virginians purchase home heating oil and propane and even gasoline and diesel fuel from a petroleum co-op.Co-ops finance your life.Virginians depend on credit unions for checking and savings accounts and Farm Credit to finance farms, businesses and rural homes.Co-ops put food on your table. From meat and poultry to dairy products to vegetables, many of the products and national brands you use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops.Co-ops help farmers provide the food you eat.Farm supply co-ops provide the seeds and fertilizers farmers need to grow crops and the feeds they need to grow livestock. Farmer co-ops also provide feeds for horse and pets and many also offer tools, plants and lawn and garden supplies.Co-ops protect your investments.If you insurance your property or vehicles with a mutual insurance company, you are dealing with a cooperative business. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT e8bf0381-97ed-4cbb-9beb-396fa573f2d4 cooperatives/history What Is A Cooperative?Simply stated, a cooperative is an organization or business that is user-owned and user-controlled. Co-ops operate as not-for-profit entities. any profits, often referred to as savings in a co-op, are returned and are usually distributed to its members in the form of cash, credits or stock. History: It All Started on Toad LaneToday’s cooperatives trace their roots to 19th century England.More than 150 years ago a small group of workers in the Village of Rochdale launched an economic experiment that would later spread throughout the world. On October 24, 1844, 28 weavers banded together to form the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society with the simple goal of stretching their meager earnings by pooling their resources to purchase needed supplies in larger volumes and at lower prices. The small, first-floor storefront they rented as the base of their operations was located at 31 Toad Lane. This memorably-named site is now considered the birthplace of the modern era of cooperative businesses. The Society did not originate the cooperative idea of individuals working together to achieve what they could not accomplish alone. This concept had been around for many years as evidenced by the Mayflower Compact that the Pilgrim’s signed before sailing to America and the mutual fire insurance companies founded by Benjamin Franklin in Colonial Philadelphia. The significance of the Rochdale Pioneers was not in what they did but in how they did it. The foundation on which they built their organization was set of practices and descriptions now known as the Rochdale Principles. None of these ideas was totally new, but together they produced a business system that was unique. These principles included:· Democratic control· Open membership· Fixed or limited return on subscribed capital· Dividends on purchases· Trading strictly on a cash basis· Selling only pure and unadulterated goods· Provisions for educating members· Political and religious neutralityThe primary goal of the Rochdale Pioneers was modest – to simply lower their production costs to increase their incomes. It is unlikely that any of these desperate weavers with little formal education cared much about the concept of cooperation or realized that they were establishing a longterm worldwide movement. While modern day business practices have brought change to this original set of principles, the essence of the cooperative business model embodied in them continues to this day and are clearly the basis of the 7 Cooperative Principles that form the basis for all cooperatives formed since. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 5efdba8c-69fe-4665-94d2-3615f8413994 ourmembers Our MembersMembers of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs. General MembersSouthern States Managed Cooperatives and Retail ServicesAgFirst Farm Credit BankAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau Inc.CoBankColonial Farm Credit, ACACommunity Electric CooperativeCooperative Milk Producers Assn. Inc.Craig-Botetourt Electric CooperativeCFC Farm and Home Center, Inc.Dairy Farmers of AmericaFarm Credit of the Virginias, ACAMaryland & Virginia Milk Producers Co-op. Assn.Mecklenburg Electric CooperativeNational Milk Producers FederationNorth River Telephone CooperativeNorthern Neck Electric CooperativeNorthern Virginia Electric Cooperative -->Old Dominion Electric CooperativePrince George Electric CooperativeRappahannock Electric CooperativeRockingham CooperativeSelect Sires Power Inc.Shenandoah Valley Electric CooperativeSouthern States Cooperative Inc.Partners Financial Federal Credit Union -->Southside Electric CooperativeValley Farm Credit, ACAVirginia Farm Bureau FederationVa., Md., Del., Assn. of Electric CooperativesVirginia State Dairymen's Association Amelia ServiceAugusta Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Bedford Cooperative Inc.Bristol Cooperative Inc.Burkeville ServiceCarroll County Cooperative Inc.Charlottesville Cooperative Inc.Chatham Cooperative Inc.Chesapeake Association Inc.Christiansburg ServiceCulpeper Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Danville Cooperative Inc.Emporia-Franklin ServiceFairfax Petroleum ServiceFarmers Cooperative Inc.Fredericksburg Petroleum ServiceFront Royal Cooperative Inc.Galax Cooperative Inc.Gloucester ServiceGoochland ServiceLeesburg Petroleum ServiceLoudoun County Cooperative Inc.Luray ServiceManassas ServiceMarion Cooperative Inc.Martinsville Cooperative Inc.Middleburg Service Inc.Orange-Madison Co-op Farm ServicePulaski Cooperative Inc. -->Prince William-Fauquier ServiceRappahannock ServiceRoanoke Troutville BranchRussell County Cooperative Inc.South Boston Petroleum ServiceSouthside Cooperative Inc.Tazewell Cooperative Inc.Tidewater Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Washington Farmers Cooperative Inc.Winchester Cooperative Inc.Wythe County Service Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 3b64dc2b-b5d0-4c6e-b2b7-2d9fb8f77b1f ourmembers/map Membership Map Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 50138e0d-d50d-40ac-aa34-439bcfb0fa94 ourmembers/pages Highlighting a Few of Our Members:Members of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs.NOTE: Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.      Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 312bf413-08b0-4b5d-906c-2e5212435a48 ourmembers/pages/electricmembers Electric Co-op Members: OLD DOMINION ELECTRIC CO-OP Headquartered in Glen Allen, VAODEC is an electric generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative. They are a regional, consumer-owned power supplier formed in 1948 to provide power to a consortium of electric distribution cooperatives. Their core business is generating, purchasing and delivering electricity to wholesale customers, primarily our member systems. ODEC is a not-for-profit member-owned cooperative and has no capital stock. They follow the basic principles of cooperatives. Qualifications for membership and the rights and obligations of their members are defined by law and established in the corporate bylaws. ODEC’s power is generated through a combination of owned baseload and peaking power plants that use coal, natural gas and nuclear as their primary fuels supplemented by purchased power and renewable resource technologies. In 2010, their 11 members served over 540,000 retail electric consumers (meters), representing approximately 1.2 million member-owners along 59,000 miles of line. The service territories served by their members cover large portions of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware ranging from the extended suburbs of Washington, DC to the Atlantic shores of these three beautiful states to the Appalachian Mountains and the North Carolina border. MECKLENBURG ELECTRIC CO-OP   Headquartered in Chase City, VAMecklenburg Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, non-profit utility in south central Virginia. Formed in 1938, MEC now provides electricity to over 31,000 accounts in nine counties. All members have a voice in the business affairs of the cooperative, with one vote and the opportunity to attend the Co-op’s Annual Meeting. All margins (profits) are set aside and distributed among the members in proportion to their patronage in the form of capital credits. These basic cooperative principles truly provide for a democratically controlled organization.In addition to providing their members with electricity, MEC makes extensive efforts to enhance the quality of life in their community. They work with local businesses, and city, county and state officials to bring business and new industry to Southside Virginia. They also support and help provide electrical safety awareness programs in the area.NORTHERN NECK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Warsaw, VANorthern Neck Electric Cooperative, a member-owned, non-profit electric distribution cooperative located in Warsaw, Virginia, was chartered in June 1937. It serves some 18,00+ residential and commercial accounts, delivering some 272 million kilo-watt-hours of electricity in the counties of King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Stafford, and Westmoreland. The Cooperative maintains over 2079 miles of overhead and underground lines which distribute electricity from 19 substations to members' homes and businesses.The first organizational meeting was held at the Courthouse in Warsaw, Virginia, for the purpose of incorporating, setting up a charter, and electing directors. Throughout its history the Cooperative's mission has been to provide reliable service at a reasonable cost. The cooperation and support by its members and dedicated service by its board of directors and employees assures that this fine tradition will continue well into the 21st century and beyond. The Northern Neck Electric Cooperative is proud to be the means of bringing electric service to the rural areas of the Northern Neck.RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Fredericksburg, VARappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) is a member-owned utility that provides electric service to more than 155,000 connections in parts of 22 Virginia counties. It was formed in 1980 with the consolidation of two cooperatives, Virginia Electric Cooperative in Bowling Green and Northern Piedmont Electric Cooperative in Culpeper, with both co-ops dating back to the initial formation of electric co-ops in Virginia in 1935 to 1939. The Cooperative's general office is in Spotsylvania County. REC maintains more than 16,000 miles of power lines through its service area, which ranges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The Cooperative serves a variety of residential, commercial and industrial accounts. REC's largest customer is Bear Island Paper Company, the second largest consumer of electricity in Virginia. REC also provides the electricity to such familiar names as Kings Dominion Amusement Park, Merillat Industries, GE Fanuc and DuPont.  The Cooperative is guided by a board of directors elected by REC's member-owners. Elections are held at the annual meeting with some directors up for election each year. Directors serve three-year terms.   Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 435f202b-b0d8-4f07-926b-f1538465c742 ourmembers/pages/farmcreditmembers About the Farm Credit System:The Farm Credit System is a nationwide network of cooperative lending institutions that provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, agricultural cooperatives, rural utility systems and agribusinesses. The system was created in 1916 by an act of Congress and is the largest single provider of agricultural credit in the United States. However, the real benefit of doing business with Farm Credit is dealing with a local office with hometown people who know their business, their communities and their customers.Unlike commercial banks, they do not take deposits. Money is raised by selling system-wide bonds and discount notes in the securities market on Wall Street. The proceeds are channeled through Farm Credit System banks, associations and thus ultimately to our customers involved in agriculture and agribusiness. AgFirst Farm Credit Bank is the Farm Credit Bank for Virginia and is located in South Carolina. AGFIRST FARM CREDIT BANKAgFirst Farm Credit Bank provides funding and financial services to 20 Agricultural Credit Associations (ACAs) in 15 eastern states and Puerto Rico. These associations, operating as Farm Credit and Ag Credit associations, provide real estate and production financing to more than 80,000 farmers, agribusinesses, and rural homeowners. AgFirst reported assets of $29.2 billion as of March 31, 2011. AgFirst also operates a growing Capital Markets unit that arranges and participates in loans for agribusinesses across the nation, and a Correspondent Lending Market department that buys, sells and services rural home and agricultural loans. COBANKCoBank is a $66 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. They provide loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. CoBank is a proud member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture and the nation's rural economy. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.  Other Farm Credit Members: COLONIAL FARM CREDIT- primarily serving eastern Virginia. MIDATLANTIC FARM CREDIT    - (formerly Valley Farm credit) – primarily serving central and the valley district of Virginia. FARM CREDIT OF THE VIRGINIAS   – primarily serving western and southwestern VirginiaNote:Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.  Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 4c03d7f8-fb7c-4c30-ab48-1123160836b9 ourmembers/pages/farmsupply Farm Supply Members:SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Richmond, VAWhether you're getting your first look at Southern States Cooperative, or you grew up as one of their valued patrons, you probably already know that they're one of the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperatives. Since 1923, Southern States has been providing expert products, services and advice to people who like to get their hands dirty. Whether you’re running a small hobby farm or a larger farm, tending your garden or trying to keep your yard looking green and lush, they’ll give you the tools and know-how you need to get the job done right. Southern States does what no single farmer can. Because it pools members' resources, the co-op enables all of its farmer-members to benefit from greater research capabilities. That makes a difference for everyone - reducing the costs of production agriculture helps keep America's food supply plentiful and affordable for all.As a result of its leadership role in agriculture, Southern States has continued to expand and today encompasses some 1,200 retail locations in 23 states. Owned by more than 300,000 farmers, the cooperative purchases, manufactures or processes feed, seed, fertilizer, farm supplies and fuel. As one of the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives, Southern States offers only the finest in goods and services. Their expertise is based on over 85 years of experience and research, driven by the desire to ensure that everyone has access to the best in feed, seed, fertilizer and farm supplies.CFC FARM & HOME CENTERS Headquartered in Culpeper, VAIn October of 2007 Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative Inc. celebrated its 75th anniversary. Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative, Inc. has had only five presidents and six general managers in its over 75 years of operation. At the end of 2007, total retail sales from all locations were over 32 million dollars. In the spring of 2005, the retail stores rolled out a new logo and the names were changed to CFC Farm & Home Centers. The original orange, green and white Co-op diamond logo was incorporated into a rectangular logo that consisting of a stylized diamond on a section of fence. This was done to help consolidate all retail locations in the mind of the consumer and to encourage people who where not farmers or members to shop our stores. A 75th anniversary logo was created and used from June through December of 2007.The Co-op was organized in 1932 as the Cooperative Farm Bureau in a rented building on Wausau Street with a total of 205 members paying dues of $1,230. In addition to the dues from members, the Co-op began operation by borrowing $10,000 at 6% interest. Total sales at the end of the first year of operation were $84,435 (fourteen-month period from 10/32 to 12/33). The business was moved to the present location in 1960 after a fire in 1959 at the Wausau Street (presently County Farm Service) facility. A fertilizer plant and feed mill are included in the Culpeper facilities. The present feed mill was constructed in 1976, expanding the capacity of the original mill which started operations in the early 1960's. A retail store remodeling and expansion was completed in the fall of 2006. Between 1940 and 2007, the Co-op opened six new locations; Morrisville in 1940, Rappahannock in 1952, Warrenton in 1958, Marshall in 1979, Maurertown in 1984 and Caroline in 2007.AUGUSTA COOP FARM BUREAU Headquartered in Staunton, VAAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau, Inc. was formed in 1929 at Weyers Cave, Virginia by local farmers who were looking for a way to buy products and supplies at more competitive prices. In 1931, the co-op expanded to Staunton, Virginia. That location now serves as the main office for Augusta Co-Op. Over the years, Augusta Co-Op has grown by adding other branch store locations throughout Virginia. A feed mill and a bulk fertilizer blending facility are also located at Staunton. These manufacturing facilities provide products for all Augusta Co-Op locations.Currently, Augusta Co-Op is managed by General Manager, Kevin McLaren. The General Manager oversees the operation of the cooperative with assistance from other department managers. The management staff is located at the main offices in Staunton. Augusta Co-Op’s primary service area is western and central Virginia. They also service neighboring states.ROCKINGHAM COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Harrisonburg, VARockingham Cooperative is headquartered in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with sales offices in Harrisonburg, Bridgewater, Elkton, Timberville, Woodstock & Monterey. They are retail farm and consumer products stores with a major presence in Rockingham, Shenandoah and Highland Counties. In November of 2010, Rockingham Cooperative purchased RMC, which includes Rocking R Hardware stores in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro, RAM Plumbing Supply in Harrisonburg and Rockingham Mill in Dayton. Since 1921, Rockingham Cooperative has provided their local communities with high quality goods used in all walks of life. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 41881e11-2f31-4449-b616-a99577836ecb youthactivities Youth and Educational Opportunities  National Institute on Cooperative EducationThe Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors up to eight outstanding Virginia youth to attend the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) Youth Conference each year. The VCC youth delegates to this conference are selected because of their achievements in VCC’s VICE Conference, held each year in early April. The VCC VICE youth delegates generally are the top performers in state 4-H and FFA programs, but are not limited to those programs. VICE accepts any qualified youth from across the state.For nearly three-quarters of a century, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) offered the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE), or its predecessor, the American Institute of Cooperation (AIC), as one of its educational conferences on cooperatives. In August of 2002, NCFC made the decision to streamline its educational opportunities in order to provide a better return on member investments of both time and money.During the 2002 NICE, the last NCFC-sponsored youth event, a number of state delegations met to express interest in the continuation of the youth component of NICE. A decision was made to host the 2003 Diamond Anniversary NICE on the Virginia Tech campus, and to seek to rotate the conference to different universities in future years. This was actually a return to the model of the original AIC when the conference was hosted on university campuses. Since the conference is now focused solely on youth education, the return to the campus setting seems appropriate. Following the 2003 Diamond Anniversary Conference, participants decided to return to Virginia Tech for the 2004 conference with future conferences rotating to other venues in other states. Most recently, the conference was held at Purdue University (2011), and the University of Tennessee (2009 and 2010). The NICE conference will return to Virginia Tech for 2012.The conference is intended to provide a deeper understanding of cooperatives to the youth participants who are the cooperative members, customers, employees, directors, and leaders of tomorrow. Participants will gain an understanding of how cooperatives differ from other business forms and will hear cooperative success stories in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. In a team setting, attendees will serve as managers of a simulated cooperative store, competing with other stores in their market area for sales and profit. Teams will also analyze case studies, develop their own student-run cooperative, and participate in team-building and leadership development activities. The closing session will recognize the teams that have been the top performers in various conference activities. The Youth Scholar Program provides both educational and social activities. NICE Program Objectives Increase the understanding of basic cooperative principles, how cooperatives are organized and operated, and how to use cooperativesDevelop an understanding of the issues creating challenges and opportunities for cooperatives today; Provide opportunities for participation and leadership developmentEncourage youth scholars to explore career possibilities with cooperativesProvide opportunities to become acquainted with cooperative leaders, members, educators, and other youth.       2012 NICE Youth Program       2012 NICE Conference — Host Campus: Virginia Tech. (dates to be announced).  Virginia Institute on Cooperative Education (VICE)Each spring, the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors an Institute on Cooperative Education, a youth leadership conference for up to 64 Virginia high school youth. The primary objective of this conference is to educate youth about the unique cooperative form of business. Through an interactive, educational, and entertaining conference, students will enhance their teamwork, leadership, and communication skills.Before arriving at the conference, youth participants are required to visit the sponsoring cooperative business and complete an interview form. This allows them to learn about the size and operation of a cooperative in their community. Participants are also provided with a booklet on cooperatives, which they are asked to read prior to the conferenceDay one activities begin with an overview of the conference and its format. Since many of the weekend’s activities are interactive, icebreakers are utilized to help the students learn more about each other. They then attend an opening session on the history and importance of cooperatives and how cooperatives differ from other forms of business. Following the introductory overview, students are divided into four groups to learn about different types of cooperative businesses: supply, marketing, electric, and credit. At one point during the day, students are quizzed on the information that has been presented to them.Day two and three activities center on small work groups. Participants are put in the position of managing their own cooperative business through their participation in a computer-based business simulation game titled “Who’s Minding the Store.” Each group represents a separate co-op business, each attempting to make pricing, inventory, advertising, credit, and personnel decisions to increase their co-op’s net worth in a competitive market setting. Students are first presented with basic business concepts and are then allowed to make their first set of management decisions. When the results of their decisions are returned, they learn how to interpret the results and how to adjust their decision-making to yield more desirable results. In addition, they learn how to read balance sheets and income statements, and how to use values from the statements to calculate ratios that indicate the financial well being of the business. At least four management decisions, representing four quarterly decisions, are made during the conference. Participants are also placed in role-play situations where they can act out responses to personnel issues within the business. Through their decision- making and role-play, participants have opportunities to enhance their leadership and teamwork skills, and to improve communication skills.On the final day, students take their second quiz, covering the material learned during days two and three. Adult team leaders provide assessment on each participant’s participation throughout the conference. All of the weekend’s scores are tabulated, leading to the conference culmination, an awards luncheon. All attendees are provided with a certificate of participation and the overall winners are announced. A final wrap-up session summarizes the conference’s activities and reemphasizes important lessons learned.Conference evaluations consistently indicate that students find the conference to be both educational and fun. They often state that they came to the conference knowing nothing about the cooperative way of doing business and leave with an understanding and appreciation of this unique business form. They also provide positive feedback on the opportunity to meet new people, enjoy fine food, and visit a scenic rural setting. For the past few years, one hundred percent of participants have indicated they would recommend the conference to a friend.   Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT fee2113e-19a4-4727-ac68-c157612563fa blog Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 8f2b8e31-ea1d-4c82-9ab0-8a56fbcc33bb calendar Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT a36549fb-1b5e-4717-b025-066af7cdb6c0 news Coop's In the News Hurricane Irene - How it affected our members:Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in August. The ninth named storm, first hurricane and first major hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Irene originated from a well-defined Atlantic tropical wave that eventually became a Category 3 major hurricane. It made its U.S. landfall over Eastern North Carolina's Outer Banks on the morning of August 27, and moved along southeastern Virginia, directly affecting the Hampton Roads region and indirectly, much of central Virginia.After briefly reemerging over water, Irene made a second U.S. landfall near Little Egg Inlet in New Jersey the morning of August 28, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it made its third U.S. landfall in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York, on August 28. Considerable damage occurred in eastern upstate New York and Vermont, which suffered from the worst flooding in centuries.Throughout its path, Irene caused widespread destruction and at least 55 deaths; monetary losses in the Caribbean were estimated to be as high as $3.1 billion. Damage estimates throughout the United States range from $10 to $15 billion.Irene swept through central Virginia with unexpected force, leaving in its wake a forest of downed trees and limbs snapping power lines, crushing cars and smashing houses. Dead and damaged trees became the most visible remnant of Irene's path through Virginia. All four deaths in the state and about one-quarter of the 40-plus deaths blamed on Irene have been linked to fallen trees, and more may be related to trees that downed power lines, electrocuting some victims. The Virginia victims were all struck by trees, either in their homes, vehicles or while outside.Many of the hundreds of thousands of homes that lost power in Virginia were serviced by Virginia’s electric cooperatives, many by Rappahannock EC, Northern Neck EC and Mecklenburg EC. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the VCC will co-host the 2011 Co-op Month Breakfast. Featured speakers will be executives from the above mentioned co-ops, who will tell the stories of the damage in their service areas, and how their co-ops toiled to help get Virginia’s power back on. October is Co-op MonthEach October, cooperatives across the United States celebrate the cooperative difference, business model and the contributions of cooperatives to their communities. Minnesota was the first state to observe Co-op Month in 1948, and it spread quickly to the entire nation. Co-op Month became a government-sponsored national event in 1964. The responsibility for planning was turned over to cooperatives in 1971. Annual celebrations play a key role in educating members and communities as well as the public and policy makers about the role cooperatives play in strengthening the economy, providing jobs and improving life in local communities.In Virginia, we celebrate Co-op Month with a Co-op Month Breakfast, this year on Tuesday, October 11. We feed the masses, award co-op leaders and outstanding young farmers, plus pass along a lot of good co-op information.Below is the skinny on our 2011 celebration:The Virginia Cooperative Council and Friends of the Industry of Agriculture (FIA) cordially invite you to attend the 2011 Cooperative Month Breakfast. Please join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and enjoyable event. DATE: ...................................................................................October 11, 2011TIME: .............................................................................................. 8:00 a.m.PRICE:..................................................................................$10.00 per personPLACE: .................................................THE PLACE AT INNSBROOK - GLEN ALLEN(4036 Cox Road in the Innsbrook Corporate Park)Please join us as we celebrate October Cooperative Month and honor the recipients of the 2011 Cooperative Career Leadership, Farmer-Member and Young Farmer awards.KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: ......................Panel of Electric Co-op ExecutivesTOPIC: “Virginia’s Electric Co-ops: Responding to Hurricane Irene”: Hear stories from several prominent Virginia Electric Co-ops on how Hurricane Irene impacted their service areas, and how they worked tirelessly to get the Power Back On for their customers. Come see photos of the considerable damage left in the wake of the Hurricane, and see pictures of the heroic co-op employees as they got us back up and running!!!!RSVP: .......................................................... by Thursday, October 6, 2011Call Debbie Delby….804/746-4581 ext. 1125 or email: ddelby@colonialfarmcredit.com  Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 9230f20b-0e5d-43f0-8895-1ab5c9cefa07 helpsheet Big Green HeadingMembers of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telephone cooperatives; Farm Credit Associations; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives.Normal Green Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy. Insert anchor on page first (ex: at bottom of page) , then add anchor  text-link  using the "Insert Hyperlink" icon and select "anchor on page" and pick the anchor you previoulsly made.Normal Yellow Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy.Normal Blue Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their mSmall Yellow HeadingMaecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. 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Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Use "inline style" to reformat text inside a paragraph. at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales liberoTitle set using regular shortcut. This part of title has had font "set" using the "Size" over ride. It will not enlarge.Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. Anchor link should jump to here and will display at the bottom of the page, not the top. Table/Chart SectionTable below using shortcut for two column container table. 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Format a row or column the way you want it to look, then use the top toolbars to add rows or columns (click on row/column, then go to top toolbars and insert row/column)ITEMITEMITEMvaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevalue Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT c789a974-ec5a-480d-9141-308df93b1525 facebook Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT d2688891-c55a-4608-b4d5-fc0eebaa77a6 linkedin Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:53 EDT 70b5f552-176b-4cd9-b344-cfae8776d9ec twitter Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 660e47c7-6995-4d79-b34c-1e260299c29f nice Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT a23dfda8-822d-46bf-8d49-0669c93b5f93 home #SLIDESHOW-3000-uppera##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperb##SLIDESHOW-3000-upperla##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperlb##SLIDESHOW-5000-lowerlc# Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 49607f1e-672b-4a2c-a383-74831e939fed contact Interested in joining us?Sign-up for our news!#FORM#Mail:Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc.PO Box 25202Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address:Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc.6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary:Phil MillerPhone:(804) 281-1211Fax:(804) 281-1383 Email:phil.miller@sscoop.com Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 6d65e562-edd5-400e-ac7f-5d55a7f6948c contact/thankyou Thank You Your inquiry has been received and will be responded to promptly. Thank you for taking the time to drop us a note and showing interest in the Virginia Cooperative Council. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT bc65f06f-9225-4d11-80b8-8a8ed605dc4d signup Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 229dab85-2a49-4dd7-a2b1-954cd1fe3aa3 sitemap Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 86499b80-5a0f-4c4c-8d8e-f15dffecc621 privacy Privacy PolicyVirginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is dedicated to the absolute privacy of its customers, employees, and all users of the Internet. Personal InformationWhen you send VCC an email with your email address, the message and your email address will only be used by VCC staff. This information will not be released to third parties.  Protection of Personal InformationWe do not collect personally identifiable information on our web visitors. In cases where this information is provided voluntarily, such as when you request employment information, the information will not be sold, leased, or distributed to third parties in any way. For More InformationFor more information on our privacy policy, or if you have given us personal information and would like to opt out, please contact us.Terms of UseServer logsLike most web sites, VCC keeps server logs of accesses to its site. These logs are used internally to determine what sections of our site are being accessed so that we may improve our site. These logs do not contain personally identifiable information such as your name or email address. CookiesWe use cookies to enhance our web logging capabilities. This allows us, for instance, to determine what percentage of visitors to our site are repeat visitors. We do not tie cookies to any personally identifiable information. You may choose to disable cookies without affecting your browsing experience. Consult your browser's documentation for information on how to do this. . Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 77939460-5597-4530-946d-b8d6a97c5e69 default Achieving TogetherDownload  Power Point ViewerNewsletter Download   Acrobat Reader Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 5720b5bf-2070-4c64-84e4-5b61eca8219e sideyouth NICE Conference Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 698817a3-2170-48d2-bc3b-47e246c10630 contactside Mail: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. PO Box 25202 Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address: Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc. 6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230Executive Secretary: Phil MillerPhone: (804) 281-1211Fax: (804) 281-1383 Email: phil.miller@sscoop.com Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 0bae7cb7-0637-411d-bf7d-63fbbc2cfb46 notfound File Not FoundThe page you requested could not be found. 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Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 63bdfab3-1ac7-45ad-9d38-addaca887ee5 slideshow Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 8ee79f53-ef9d-4abf-a84f-d66bf5e1dd85 slideshow/uppera Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT b48cb239-180a-4d32-8e6f-ff3313928af4 slideshow/uppera/ura1 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT e5d42a79-e516-4258-bfc2-23bac7d4ff58 slideshow/uppera/ura2 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 59fd126d-3a68-40c5-83b8-14ea3d1a65be slideshow/uppera/ura3 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT 441629e4-12e1-402e-9005-cf6b118c90d5 slideshow/upperb Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:54 EDT c9741a5b-7228-4e53-ad4c-976f752f4500 slideshow/upperb/urb1 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT ed9898d3-af5d-446c-8600-973647fedb8b slideshow/upperb/urb2 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 4d532c52-8fc4-4b96-a924-3e2337484ae5 slideshow/upperb/urb3 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 6f80b54b-8fdd-46a0-9847-8357dad9ed8f slideshow/upperla Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 92a6a713-b46b-4ce3-a590-08cb925a905a slideshow/upperla/ula1 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 0e1f7e91-c900-4792-a11c-337a42ee1f77 slideshow/upperla/ula2 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 80143f6d-d6f4-4911-832c-e0eac6e27cb8 slideshow/upperla/ula3 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 2891bd26-cd0c-4647-badc-0ee8f9b52368 slideshow/upperlb Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 4a8138cb-7b9d-46ba-b766-0b78bab9f6b5 slideshow/upperlb/ulb1 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 6e50f53f-1c8d-46a4-9513-bc8976fd3aca slideshow/upperlb/ulb2 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 16852027-73d5-43d3-9e27-f956383771f3 slideshow/upperlb/ulb3 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 25362aca-2ef5-485e-bf98-5d017d7b36cf slideshow/lowerlc Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT e6233bbf-99d0-440c-a7ff-c83e9b70d797 slideshow/lowerlc/llc1 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 2c0d2af4-cb1c-4194-953e-25f72dd67c6b slideshow/lowerlc/llc2 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT 751bb8ca-bc9c-4a84-b03d-b0347533b3fc slideshow/lowerlc/llc3 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:13:55 EDT fc165877-1fa0-4afb-8c05-408064354b8a aboutvcc About VCCThe Council was founded in 1962 as the Virginia Council of Farmer Cooperatives. In 2009, our board of directors voted to change our name to the Virginia Cooperative Council to better reflect the expanding scope of cooperative organizations throughout the state that now serve not only rural Virginians and those involved in agriculture but also provide services to hundreds of thousands of urban and suburban members as well.Today, members of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telecommunications cooperatives; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT e0f62a62-7d5b-42a7-aacf-3fbcc9f06721 aboutvcc/mission Mission Statement The mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperative organizations in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy and its citizens.The not-for-profit Council strives to accomplish our mission primarily through educational programs aimed at the general public and especially at young persons. The Council works closely with the state’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State, and 4-H and FFA programs in these efforts. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT b54e8ca2-565e-4c1a-b361-092729134db8 aboutvcc/history History: Co-ops In VirginiaUntil the latter decades of the 20th Century, Virginia was mainly an agrarian and rural states. The majority of its citizens were either directly involved in the farming or forestry industries or in the processing of the raw products produced on the farms and fields throughout the Commonwealth.Rural people by nature have a tradition of working together whether gathering to build a barn on a neighbor’s farm or teaming up to help harvest a neighbor’s crops before the first frost. So, it is not surprising that many of the first cooperative businesses in Virginia were organized to serve the needs of farmers by farmers themselves during the 1920s and 1930s.Unhappy with the quality and price of crop seeds and fertilizers, fencing and other goods, farmers founded farm supply co-ops to pool their orders and purchase only the best products at a lower price. To receive a fairer price for their products, dairy farmers formed co-ops to collect, process and market their milk collectively. Co-ops were also organized to market tobacco, grain, poultry, eggs and other commodities.Displeased with the service and credit terms extended to them by some banks, farmers with the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture formed their own cooperative financial institutations such as production credit associations to pool their assets and lend money to themselves.During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Virginia’s farmers and their rural neighbors took advantage of the newly-formed Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to obtain low-cost loans and assistance to form their own electric cooperatives and often planted their own poles and strung their own lines to extend electricity down every country road where the big utilities refused to go. Co-ops were also started to provide telephone service in rural areas – often using these same new poles.In towns and cities, factory workers, teachers and others with shared interest formed credit unions which are cooperative financial institutions as an alternative to investor-owned banks.Today, most of these original cooperative businesses have grown and still exist to serve new generations of Virginia’s citizens. They have been joined by many new co-op organizations ranging from daycare centers to artist co-ops to a co-op founded to provide broadband service to rural areas. And co-ops remain a vital part of the Commonwealth’s economy. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 9168ad03-3744-4169-8c43-6a6ee43d3beb aboutvcc/board VCC Officers and Board of Directors The Council is governed by a board of directors comprised of individuals nominated and elected by its membership and representing the range of cooperative organizations in Virginia. Directors are elected to serve three-year terms. VCC Officers and Board of DirectorsPresident:Brian WolfeVice-President:Allen MeltonSecretary:J. T. Anderson  Representing Marketing CooperativesEric PaulsonVirginia State Dairymen’s AssociationCarl PrivettMD & VA Milk Producers Association Representing Purchasing CooperativesAllen MeltonSouthern States CooperativeMargaret CrickAugusta Cooperative Farm BureauDavid E. DurrCulpeper Farmers Cooperative (CFC)Representing Service CooperativesThomas TruittMidAtlantic Farm CreditBrian MosierMecklenburg Electric CooperativeRepresenting Cooperatives At LargeJ. T. AndersonColonial Farm CreditRichard G. Johnstone, Jr.VA, MD & DE Association of Electric CooperativesJennifer CulbertsonSouthern States CooperativePublic DirectorsJames GravesGraves Mountain Lodge & FarmsBette BrandFarm Credit of the VirginiasBrian WolfeRappahannock Electric CooperativeAdvisorsDr. Glenn AndersonVirginia Department of EducationDr. Dixie Watts DaltonDalton Virginia Tech & Southside Community College Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT e1d602cb-e926-41ab-ae56-8f85172deb3f aboutvcc/vccfoundation Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc.The Virginia Foundation for Cooperation, Inc. (VFC), is a financial partner of the Virginia Cooperative Council, and provides additional financial support for the Council’s educational programs. A 501 (c) (3) exempt private foundation operated separate from the VCC, the VFC’s primary activity is to provide direct funding for scholarships to agricultural economics students, primarily through Virginia Tech. In addition, the VFC provides funding to the VCC to provide scholarships for Virginia youth to attend the NICE and VICE educational programs. The VFC provides all this support from income generated from invested accumulated endowments, and from donations from cooperative-associated patrons. A Board of Directors oversees the VFC, and VFC board meetings generally occur concurrent with VCC board meetings. For any additional information about the VFC, please contact Phil Miller at (804) 281-1211, or at phil.miller@sscoop.com. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 02fbf016-df11-47e3-990f-9d138f1889e0 aboutvcc/join Attention: Virginia CooperativesJoin the Virginia Cooperative Council!!!!!Whether you’re a cooperative, an association or individual that works with cooperatives, or an individual who believes cooperatives are the better solution when it comes to doing business, the Virginia Cooperative Council invites you to become part of the greater cooperative community in Virginia.Membership in the Council means you’re part of an organization whose primary purpose is to promote the cooperative business model in Virginia and provides a number of programs aimed at educating Virginians about cooperatives, especially Virginia youth. As these youth learn more about Virginia’s cooperatives, they become more valuable and assessable to becoming future employees and leaders of our cooperatives in Virginia. Membership in the Council also provides opportunities for individual employees and managers of cooperatives to learn more about the cooperative business model and to network with individuals from other cooperatives.If you are a cooperative operating in the state of Virginia, by all means, you should be a member of the Council! Joining is simple! Following is the excerpt from our bylaws that addresses membership qualifications:SECTION 2. Qualifications of Cooperative Members“Any incorporated cooperative agricultural marketing, bargaining, purchasing or farm business service association including rural electric cooperatives duly incorporated and operation under the Electric Cooperatives Act of 1936, telephone cooperatives, Farm Credit Associations incorporated under the provisions of the Farm Credit Act, and any other incorporated association serving members which is owned or controlled by those members and transacts business in Virginia on cooperative principles, shall be eligible for Cooperatives Membership in the Council. Any Cooperatives member having separate branch operations in Virginia that desires to include such branches or separate associations may do so by paying dues in accordance with the established schedule on the volume of each such branch, in which event each such branch shall entitled to its own delegates and vote at all meeting of members.”SECTION 7. Associate Memberships“Any individual, general rural/farmers’ organization or other public or semi-public office or agency sympathetic to the success of rural business cooperatives and operating in the State of Virginia may apply for Associate membership in the council by tendering an Application to the Executive Secretary of the council.”If you determine that you or your association qualifies for membership in the Council, please contact the Council’s Executive secretary for details on joining: Phil Miller Executive SecretaryVirginia Cooperative CouncilPO Box 25202Richmond, VA 23260(804)281-1211phil.miller@sscoop.comWe do ask that you pay dues to be a member of the Council – dues that we need to support our youth education and other programs. The dues you will pay to be a member of the Council are very reasonable. The dues schedule effective for 2011 (approved and not changed since 2002) is detailed below. If you have any questions regarding the dues, please contact Phil Miller (contact info above):  SCHEDULE OF 2011 DUES ASSESSMENTEFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, (2002)THIS IS AN HONOR SYSTEM!!Group 1All Purchasing and Processing Marketing Cooperatives:Annual Volume    (last fiscal year) Assessments  Upto  249,999$ 55.00  250,000to  499,000  88.00  500,000to  749,999 121.00  750,000to  999,999 187.001,000,000to2,499,999 242.002,500,000to4,999,999 330.00 + $18.70 for each additional million $ volume – Max/$1,500 per yearGroup 1ANon-Processing Marketing Cooperatives  Annual Volume (last fiscal year)AssessmentsUpto  249,999$ 44.00250,000to  499,000  60.50500,000to  749,999  88.00750,000to  999,999 121.001,000,000to2,499,999 165.002,500,000to4,999,999 242.005,000,000andOver 330.00 + $18.70 for each additional million$ volume – Max/$1,500 per yearGroup 2Agricultural Credit AssociationsAssessment shall be $7.70 per million dollars of outstanding loans as of the end of the last fiscal year. Maximum $1,500 per year.Group 3Rural Electric CooperativesRural Telephone CooperativesAssessments shall be 1.925 cents per member at the close of the last fiscal year. Minimum dues to be $55 and maximum dues to be $1,500 per year.Group 4Artificial Breeding Associations          Mutual Fire Insurance CompaniesAssociations of Electrical Coops        Breed & Livestock ImprovementCold Storage Cooperatives               All other associations eligible for                                                  cooperative membershipAssessment shall be 1.32 cents per member at the close of the last fiscal year. Minimum dues to be $55 and maximum dues $220 per year.Group 5Associate Membership dues:$55 for an Organization$16.50 for an Individual   Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 5460fd7b-8e06-48d8-a858-7fe7a6c50f73 cooperatives Cooperatives Touch Our Daily Livesread brochureCooperatives are so much a part of our lives that most of us don’t realize that some of the most familiar food and beverage products we buy and use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops. Here are some examples that are probably in your pantry or refrigerator right now.· MarvaMaid Milk and Dairy Products · Florida’s Natural Orange Juice· Welch’s Grape Juice · Ocean Spray Cranberries· SunKist Oranges· SunMaid Raisins· Land-O-Lakes Butter· Blue Diamond Almonds· SueBee Honey· TreeTop Apple Juice· Cabot CheeseWherever you live in the Virginia, chances are cooperatives are part of your life every day and you may not even realize it.Co-ops provide power.Nearly a million Virginia homes, farms and businesses depend on an electric co-op to provide their electricity.Co-ops fuel your life.Thousands of Virginians purchase home heating oil and propane and even gasoline and diesel fuel from a petroleum co-op.Co-ops finance your life.Virginians depend on credit unions for checking and savings accounts and Farm Credit to finance farms, businesses and rural homes.Co-ops put food on your table. From meat and poultry to dairy products to vegetables, many of the products and national brands you use every day are produced and marketed by co-ops.Co-ops help farmers provide the food you eat.Farm supply co-ops provide the seeds and fertilizers farmers need to grow crops and the feeds they need to grow livestock. Farmer co-ops also provide feeds for horse and pets and many also offer tools, plants and lawn and garden supplies.Co-ops protect your investments.If you insurance your property or vehicles with a mutual insurance company, you are dealing with a cooperative business. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT f29efb12-3f43-4365-9051-1a74ef7ec93d cooperatives/history What Is A Cooperative?Simply stated, a cooperative is an organization or business that is user-owned and user-controlled. Co-ops operate as not-for-profit entities. any profits, often referred to as savings in a co-op, are returned and are usually distributed to its members in the form of cash, credits or stock. History: It All Started on Toad LaneToday’s cooperatives trace their roots to 19th century England.More than 150 years ago a small group of workers in the Village of Rochdale launched an economic experiment that would later spread throughout the world. On October 24, 1844, 28 weavers banded together to form the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society with the simple goal of stretching their meager earnings by pooling their resources to purchase needed supplies in larger volumes and at lower prices. The small, first-floor storefront they rented as the base of their operations was located at 31 Toad Lane. This memorably-named site is now considered the birthplace of the modern era of cooperative businesses. The Society did not originate the cooperative idea of individuals working together to achieve what they could not accomplish alone. This concept had been around for many years as evidenced by the Mayflower Compact that the Pilgrim’s signed before sailing to America and the mutual fire insurance companies founded by Benjamin Franklin in Colonial Philadelphia. The significance of the Rochdale Pioneers was not in what they did but in how they did it. The foundation on which they built their organization was set of practices and descriptions now known as the Rochdale Principles. None of these ideas was totally new, but together they produced a business system that was unique. These principles included:· Democratic control· Open membership· Fixed or limited return on subscribed capital· Dividends on purchases· Trading strictly on a cash basis· Selling only pure and unadulterated goods· Provisions for educating members· Political and religious neutralityThe primary goal of the Rochdale Pioneers was modest – to simply lower their production costs to increase their incomes. It is unlikely that any of these desperate weavers with little formal education cared much about the concept of cooperation or realized that they were establishing a longterm worldwide movement. While modern day business practices have brought change to this original set of principles, the essence of the cooperative business model embodied in them continues to this day and are clearly the basis of the 7 Cooperative Principles that form the basis for all cooperatives formed since. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 2a4420c0-6a61-4d2c-a8df-b128c3f897cc ourmembers Our MembersMembers of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs. General MembersSouthern States Managed Cooperatives and Retail ServicesAgFirst Farm Credit BankAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau Inc.CoBankColonial Farm Credit, ACACommunity Electric CooperativeCooperative Milk Producers Assn. Inc.Craig-Botetourt Electric CooperativeCFC Farm and Home Center, Inc.Dairy Farmers of AmericaFarm Credit of the Virginias, ACAMaryland & Virginia Milk Producers Co-op. Assn.Mecklenburg Electric CooperativeNational Milk Producers FederationNorth River Telephone CooperativeNorthern Neck Electric CooperativeNorthern Virginia Electric Cooperative -->Old Dominion Electric CooperativePrince George Electric CooperativeRappahannock Electric CooperativeRockingham CooperativeSelect Sires Power Inc.Shenandoah Valley Electric CooperativeSouthern States Cooperative Inc.Partners Financial Federal Credit Union -->Southside Electric CooperativeValley Farm Credit, ACAVirginia Farm Bureau FederationVa., Md., Del., Assn. of Electric CooperativesVirginia State Dairymen's Association Amelia ServiceAugusta Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Bedford Cooperative Inc.Bristol Cooperative Inc.Burkeville ServiceCarroll County Cooperative Inc.Charlottesville Cooperative Inc.Chatham Cooperative Inc.Chesapeake Association Inc.Christiansburg ServiceCulpeper Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Danville Cooperative Inc.Emporia-Franklin ServiceFairfax Petroleum ServiceFarmers Cooperative Inc.Fredericksburg Petroleum ServiceFront Royal Cooperative Inc.Galax Cooperative Inc.Gloucester ServiceGoochland ServiceLeesburg Petroleum ServiceLoudoun County Cooperative Inc.Luray ServiceManassas ServiceMarion Cooperative Inc.Martinsville Cooperative Inc.Middleburg Service Inc.Orange-Madison Co-op Farm ServicePulaski Cooperative Inc. -->Prince William-Fauquier ServiceRappahannock ServiceRoanoke Troutville BranchRussell County Cooperative Inc.South Boston Petroleum ServiceSouthside Cooperative Inc.Tazewell Cooperative Inc.Tidewater Petroleum Cooperative Inc.Washington Farmers Cooperative Inc.Winchester Cooperative Inc.Wythe County Service Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 3b15446a-8819-4fe7-bb62-f3ecd53189a8 ourmembers/map Membership Map Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT fd02d6d4-5793-4b2a-88a4-dac898e762f5 ourmembers/pages Highlighting a Few of Our Members:Members of the Virginia Cooperative Council include a variety of Virginia-based cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; rural electric cooperatives; Farm Credit associations; telephone, broadband and other communications cooperatives; and marketing and other cooperatives. Our members support the operations of the VCC through payment of annual dues, donations to provide scholarships for our youth activities, donations of supplies and promotional items, and especially donations of the time and efforts of numerous co-op executives and employees to lead and participate in our educational and other programs.NOTE: Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.      Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT b31e02bc-2bad-459c-abca-9a97584ba332 ourmembers/pages/electricmembers Electric Co-op Members: OLD DOMINION ELECTRIC CO-OP Headquartered in Glen Allen, VAODEC is an electric generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative. They are a regional, consumer-owned power supplier formed in 1948 to provide power to a consortium of electric distribution cooperatives. Their core business is generating, purchasing and delivering electricity to wholesale customers, primarily our member systems. ODEC is a not-for-profit member-owned cooperative and has no capital stock. They follow the basic principles of cooperatives. Qualifications for membership and the rights and obligations of their members are defined by law and established in the corporate bylaws. ODEC’s power is generated through a combination of owned baseload and peaking power plants that use coal, natural gas and nuclear as their primary fuels supplemented by purchased power and renewable resource technologies. In 2010, their 11 members served over 540,000 retail electric consumers (meters), representing approximately 1.2 million member-owners along 59,000 miles of line. The service territories served by their members cover large portions of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware ranging from the extended suburbs of Washington, DC to the Atlantic shores of these three beautiful states to the Appalachian Mountains and the North Carolina border. MECKLENBURG ELECTRIC CO-OP   Headquartered in Chase City, VAMecklenburg Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, non-profit utility in south central Virginia. Formed in 1938, MEC now provides electricity to over 31,000 accounts in nine counties. All members have a voice in the business affairs of the cooperative, with one vote and the opportunity to attend the Co-op’s Annual Meeting. All margins (profits) are set aside and distributed among the members in proportion to their patronage in the form of capital credits. These basic cooperative principles truly provide for a democratically controlled organization.In addition to providing their members with electricity, MEC makes extensive efforts to enhance the quality of life in their community. They work with local businesses, and city, county and state officials to bring business and new industry to Southside Virginia. They also support and help provide electrical safety awareness programs in the area.NORTHERN NECK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Warsaw, VANorthern Neck Electric Cooperative, a member-owned, non-profit electric distribution cooperative located in Warsaw, Virginia, was chartered in June 1937. It serves some 18,00+ residential and commercial accounts, delivering some 272 million kilo-watt-hours of electricity in the counties of King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Stafford, and Westmoreland. The Cooperative maintains over 2079 miles of overhead and underground lines which distribute electricity from 19 substations to members' homes and businesses.The first organizational meeting was held at the Courthouse in Warsaw, Virginia, for the purpose of incorporating, setting up a charter, and electing directors. Throughout its history the Cooperative's mission has been to provide reliable service at a reasonable cost. The cooperation and support by its members and dedicated service by its board of directors and employees assures that this fine tradition will continue well into the 21st century and beyond. The Northern Neck Electric Cooperative is proud to be the means of bringing electric service to the rural areas of the Northern Neck.RAPPAHANNOCK ELECTRIC CO-OP  Headquartered in Fredericksburg, VARappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) is a member-owned utility that provides electric service to more than 155,000 connections in parts of 22 Virginia counties. It was formed in 1980 with the consolidation of two cooperatives, Virginia Electric Cooperative in Bowling Green and Northern Piedmont Electric Cooperative in Culpeper, with both co-ops dating back to the initial formation of electric co-ops in Virginia in 1935 to 1939. The Cooperative's general office is in Spotsylvania County. REC maintains more than 16,000 miles of power lines through its service area, which ranges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The Cooperative serves a variety of residential, commercial and industrial accounts. REC's largest customer is Bear Island Paper Company, the second largest consumer of electricity in Virginia. REC also provides the electricity to such familiar names as Kings Dominion Amusement Park, Merillat Industries, GE Fanuc and DuPont.  The Cooperative is guided by a board of directors elected by REC's member-owners. Elections are held at the annual meeting with some directors up for election each year. Directors serve three-year terms.   Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 21c53e0d-97a3-4505-9393-70e3d2b91313 ourmembers/pages/farmcreditmembers About the Farm Credit System:The Farm Credit System is a nationwide network of cooperative lending institutions that provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, agricultural cooperatives, rural utility systems and agribusinesses. The system was created in 1916 by an act of Congress and is the largest single provider of agricultural credit in the United States. However, the real benefit of doing business with Farm Credit is dealing with a local office with hometown people who know their business, their communities and their customers.Unlike commercial banks, they do not take deposits. Money is raised by selling system-wide bonds and discount notes in the securities market on Wall Street. The proceeds are channeled through Farm Credit System banks, associations and thus ultimately to our customers involved in agriculture and agribusiness. AgFirst Farm Credit Bank is the Farm Credit Bank for Virginia and is located in South Carolina. AGFIRST FARM CREDIT BANKAgFirst Farm Credit Bank provides funding and financial services to 20 Agricultural Credit Associations (ACAs) in 15 eastern states and Puerto Rico. These associations, operating as Farm Credit and Ag Credit associations, provide real estate and production financing to more than 80,000 farmers, agribusinesses, and rural homeowners. AgFirst reported assets of $29.2 billion as of March 31, 2011. AgFirst also operates a growing Capital Markets unit that arranges and participates in loans for agribusinesses across the nation, and a Correspondent Lending Market department that buys, sells and services rural home and agricultural loans. COBANKCoBank is a $66 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. They provide loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. CoBank is a proud member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture and the nation's rural economy. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.  Other Farm Credit Members: COLONIAL FARM CREDIT- primarily serving eastern Virginia. MIDATLANTIC FARM CREDIT    - (formerly Valley Farm credit) – primarily serving central and the valley district of Virginia. FARM CREDIT OF THE VIRGINIAS   – primarily serving western and southwestern VirginiaNote:Due to space limitations we cannot highlight all of our members at any one point in time. This section will be updated periodically so that we can eventually highlight all of our members.  Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 85ac726a-c47c-4b59-9ccc-b6a8ac4d24a3 ourmembers/pages/farmsupply Farm Supply Members:SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Richmond, VAWhether you're getting your first look at Southern States Cooperative, or you grew up as one of their valued patrons, you probably already know that they're one of the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperatives. Since 1923, Southern States has been providing expert products, services and advice to people who like to get their hands dirty. Whether you’re running a small hobby farm or a larger farm, tending your garden or trying to keep your yard looking green and lush, they’ll give you the tools and know-how you need to get the job done right. Southern States does what no single farmer can. Because it pools members' resources, the co-op enables all of its farmer-members to benefit from greater research capabilities. That makes a difference for everyone - reducing the costs of production agriculture helps keep America's food supply plentiful and affordable for all.As a result of its leadership role in agriculture, Southern States has continued to expand and today encompasses some 1,200 retail locations in 23 states. Owned by more than 300,000 farmers, the cooperative purchases, manufactures or processes feed, seed, fertilizer, farm supplies and fuel. As one of the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives, Southern States offers only the finest in goods and services. Their expertise is based on over 85 years of experience and research, driven by the desire to ensure that everyone has access to the best in feed, seed, fertilizer and farm supplies.CFC FARM & HOME CENTERS Headquartered in Culpeper, VAIn October of 2007 Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative Inc. celebrated its 75th anniversary. Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative, Inc. has had only five presidents and six general managers in its over 75 years of operation. At the end of 2007, total retail sales from all locations were over 32 million dollars. In the spring of 2005, the retail stores rolled out a new logo and the names were changed to CFC Farm & Home Centers. The original orange, green and white Co-op diamond logo was incorporated into a rectangular logo that consisting of a stylized diamond on a section of fence. This was done to help consolidate all retail locations in the mind of the consumer and to encourage people who where not farmers or members to shop our stores. A 75th anniversary logo was created and used from June through December of 2007.The Co-op was organized in 1932 as the Cooperative Farm Bureau in a rented building on Wausau Street with a total of 205 members paying dues of $1,230. In addition to the dues from members, the Co-op began operation by borrowing $10,000 at 6% interest. Total sales at the end of the first year of operation were $84,435 (fourteen-month period from 10/32 to 12/33). The business was moved to the present location in 1960 after a fire in 1959 at the Wausau Street (presently County Farm Service) facility. A fertilizer plant and feed mill are included in the Culpeper facilities. The present feed mill was constructed in 1976, expanding the capacity of the original mill which started operations in the early 1960's. A retail store remodeling and expansion was completed in the fall of 2006. Between 1940 and 2007, the Co-op opened six new locations; Morrisville in 1940, Rappahannock in 1952, Warrenton in 1958, Marshall in 1979, Maurertown in 1984 and Caroline in 2007.AUGUSTA COOP FARM BUREAU Headquartered in Staunton, VAAugusta Cooperative Farm Bureau, Inc. was formed in 1929 at Weyers Cave, Virginia by local farmers who were looking for a way to buy products and supplies at more competitive prices. In 1931, the co-op expanded to Staunton, Virginia. That location now serves as the main office for Augusta Co-Op. Over the years, Augusta Co-Op has grown by adding other branch store locations throughout Virginia. A feed mill and a bulk fertilizer blending facility are also located at Staunton. These manufacturing facilities provide products for all Augusta Co-Op locations.Currently, Augusta Co-Op is managed by General Manager, Kevin McLaren. The General Manager oversees the operation of the cooperative with assistance from other department managers. The management staff is located at the main offices in Staunton. Augusta Co-Op’s primary service area is western and central Virginia. They also service neighboring states.ROCKINGHAM COOPERATIVE Headquartered in Harrisonburg, VARockingham Cooperative is headquartered in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with sales offices in Harrisonburg, Bridgewater, Elkton, Timberville, Woodstock & Monterey. They are retail farm and consumer products stores with a major presence in Rockingham, Shenandoah and Highland Counties. In November of 2010, Rockingham Cooperative purchased RMC, which includes Rocking R Hardware stores in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro, RAM Plumbing Supply in Harrisonburg and Rockingham Mill in Dayton. Since 1921, Rockingham Cooperative has provided their local communities with high quality goods used in all walks of life. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT b978b57b-a689-4937-9b3e-250b002b9b65 youthactivities Youth and Educational Opportunities  National Institute on Cooperative EducationThe Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors up to eight outstanding Virginia youth to attend the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) Youth Conference each year. The VCC youth delegates to this conference are selected because of their achievements in VCC’s VICE Conference, held each year in early April. The VCC VICE youth delegates generally are the top performers in state 4-H and FFA programs, but are not limited to those programs. VICE accepts any qualified youth from across the state.For nearly three-quarters of a century, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) offered the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE), or its predecessor, the American Institute of Cooperation (AIC), as one of its educational conferences on cooperatives. In August of 2002, NCFC made the decision to streamline its educational opportunities in order to provide a better return on member investments of both time and money.During the 2002 NICE, the last NCFC-sponsored youth event, a number of state delegations met to express interest in the continuation of the youth component of NICE. A decision was made to host the 2003 Diamond Anniversary NICE on the Virginia Tech campus, and to seek to rotate the conference to different universities in future years. This was actually a return to the model of the original AIC when the conference was hosted on university campuses. Since the conference is now focused solely on youth education, the return to the campus setting seems appropriate. Following the 2003 Diamond Anniversary Conference, participants decided to return to Virginia Tech for the 2004 conference with future conferences rotating to other venues in other states. Most recently, the conference was held at Purdue University (2011), and the University of Tennessee (2009 and 2010). The NICE conference will return to Virginia Tech for 2012.The conference is intended to provide a deeper understanding of cooperatives to the youth participants who are the cooperative members, customers, employees, directors, and leaders of tomorrow. Participants will gain an understanding of how cooperatives differ from other business forms and will hear cooperative success stories in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. In a team setting, attendees will serve as managers of a simulated cooperative store, competing with other stores in their market area for sales and profit. Teams will also analyze case studies, develop their own student-run cooperative, and participate in team-building and leadership development activities. The closing session will recognize the teams that have been the top performers in various conference activities. The Youth Scholar Program provides both educational and social activities. NICE Program Objectives Increase the understanding of basic cooperative principles, how cooperatives are organized and operated, and how to use cooperativesDevelop an understanding of the issues creating challenges and opportunities for cooperatives today; Provide opportunities for participation and leadership developmentEncourage youth scholars to explore career possibilities with cooperativesProvide opportunities to become acquainted with cooperative leaders, members, educators, and other youth.       2012 NICE Youth Program       2012 NICE Conference — Host Campus: Virginia Tech. (dates to be announced).  Virginia Institute on Cooperative Education (VICE)Each spring, the Virginia Cooperative Council (VCC) sponsors an Institute on Cooperative Education, a youth leadership conference for up to 64 Virginia high school youth. The primary objective of this conference is to educate youth about the unique cooperative form of business. Through an interactive, educational, and entertaining conference, students will enhance their teamwork, leadership, and communication skills.Before arriving at the conference, youth participants are required to visit the sponsoring cooperative business and complete an interview form. This allows them to learn about the size and operation of a cooperative in their community. Participants are also provided with a booklet on cooperatives, which they are asked to read prior to the conferenceDay one activities begin with an overview of the conference and its format. Since many of the weekend’s activities are interactive, icebreakers are utilized to help the students learn more about each other. They then attend an opening session on the history and importance of cooperatives and how cooperatives differ from other forms of business. Following the introductory overview, students are divided into four groups to learn about different types of cooperative businesses: supply, marketing, electric, and credit. At one point during the day, students are quizzed on the information that has been presented to them.Day two and three activities center on small work groups. Participants are put in the position of managing their own cooperative business through their participation in a computer-based business simulation game titled “Who’s Minding the Store.” Each group represents a separate co-op business, each attempting to make pricing, inventory, advertising, credit, and personnel decisions to increase their co-op’s net worth in a competitive market setting. Students are first presented with basic business concepts and are then allowed to make their first set of management decisions. When the results of their decisions are returned, they learn how to interpret the results and how to adjust their decision-making to yield more desirable results. In addition, they learn how to read balance sheets and income statements, and how to use values from the statements to calculate ratios that indicate the financial well being of the business. At least four management decisions, representing four quarterly decisions, are made during the conference. Participants are also placed in role-play situations where they can act out responses to personnel issues within the business. Through their decision- making and role-play, participants have opportunities to enhance their leadership and teamwork skills, and to improve communication skills.On the final day, students take their second quiz, covering the material learned during days two and three. Adult team leaders provide assessment on each participant’s participation throughout the conference. All of the weekend’s scores are tabulated, leading to the conference culmination, an awards luncheon. All attendees are provided with a certificate of participation and the overall winners are announced. A final wrap-up session summarizes the conference’s activities and reemphasizes important lessons learned.Conference evaluations consistently indicate that students find the conference to be both educational and fun. They often state that they came to the conference knowing nothing about the cooperative way of doing business and leave with an understanding and appreciation of this unique business form. They also provide positive feedback on the opportunity to meet new people, enjoy fine food, and visit a scenic rural setting. For the past few years, one hundred percent of participants have indicated they would recommend the conference to a friend.   Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 653286ab-3807-43ec-aee4-31953f4f2f85 blog Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 7a850b8f-5088-4630-bc56-86277633e118 calendar Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 8d682806-824d-4b92-9857-73b7590c27d5 news Coop's In the News Hurricane Irene - How it affected our members:Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in August. The ninth named storm, first hurricane and first major hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Irene originated from a well-defined Atlantic tropical wave that eventually became a Category 3 major hurricane. It made its U.S. landfall over Eastern North Carolina's Outer Banks on the morning of August 27, and moved along southeastern Virginia, directly affecting the Hampton Roads region and indirectly, much of central Virginia.After briefly reemerging over water, Irene made a second U.S. landfall near Little Egg Inlet in New Jersey the morning of August 28, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it made its third U.S. landfall in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York, on August 28. Considerable damage occurred in eastern upstate New York and Vermont, which suffered from the worst flooding in centuries.Throughout its path, Irene caused widespread destruction and at least 55 deaths; monetary losses in the Caribbean were estimated to be as high as $3.1 billion. Damage estimates throughout the United States range from $10 to $15 billion.Irene swept through central Virginia with unexpected force, leaving in its wake a forest of downed trees and limbs snapping power lines, crushing cars and smashing houses. Dead and damaged trees became the most visible remnant of Irene's path through Virginia. All four deaths in the state and about one-quarter of the 40-plus deaths blamed on Irene have been linked to fallen trees, and more may be related to trees that downed power lines, electrocuting some victims. The Virginia victims were all struck by trees, either in their homes, vehicles or while outside.Many of the hundreds of thousands of homes that lost power in Virginia were serviced by Virginia’s electric cooperatives, many by Rappahannock EC, Northern Neck EC and Mecklenburg EC. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011, the VCC will co-host the 2011 Co-op Month Breakfast. Featured speakers will be executives from the above mentioned co-ops, who will tell the stories of the damage in their service areas, and how their co-ops toiled to help get Virginia’s power back on. October is Co-op MonthEach October, cooperatives across the United States celebrate the cooperative difference, business model and the contributions of cooperatives to their communities. Minnesota was the first state to observe Co-op Month in 1948, and it spread quickly to the entire nation. Co-op Month became a government-sponsored national event in 1964. The responsibility for planning was turned over to cooperatives in 1971. Annual celebrations play a key role in educating members and communities as well as the public and policy makers about the role cooperatives play in strengthening the economy, providing jobs and improving life in local communities.In Virginia, we celebrate Co-op Month with a Co-op Month Breakfast, this year on Tuesday, October 11. We feed the masses, award co-op leaders and outstanding young farmers, plus pass along a lot of good co-op information.Below is the skinny on our 2011 celebration:The Virginia Cooperative Council and Friends of the Industry of Agriculture (FIA) cordially invite you to attend the 2011 Cooperative Month Breakfast. Please join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and enjoyable event. DATE: ...................................................................................October 11, 2011TIME: .............................................................................................. 8:00 a.m.PRICE:..................................................................................$10.00 per personPLACE: .................................................THE PLACE AT INNSBROOK - GLEN ALLEN(4036 Cox Road in the Innsbrook Corporate Park)Please join us as we celebrate October Cooperative Month and honor the recipients of the 2011 Cooperative Career Leadership, Farmer-Member and Young Farmer awards.KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: ......................Panel of Electric Co-op ExecutivesTOPIC: “Virginia’s Electric Co-ops: Responding to Hurricane Irene”: Hear stories from several prominent Virginia Electric Co-ops on how Hurricane Irene impacted their service areas, and how they worked tirelessly to get the Power Back On for their customers. Come see photos of the considerable damage left in the wake of the Hurricane, and see pictures of the heroic co-op employees as they got us back up and running!!!!RSVP: .......................................................... by Thursday, October 6, 2011Call Debbie Delby….804/746-4581 ext. 1125 or email: ddelby@colonialfarmcredit.com  Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:23 EDT 8de83188-a0d2-4c59-838d-b4b97231401e helpsheet Big Green HeadingMembers of the Council include a variety of cooperative businesses and organizations including farm supply cooperatives; electric and telephone cooperatives; Farm Credit Associations; commodity groups and marketing cooperatives.Normal Green Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy. Insert anchor on page first (ex: at bottom of page) , then add anchor  text-link  using the "Insert Hyperlink" icon and select "anchor on page" and pick the anchor you previoulsly made.Normal Yellow Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their major contributions to the state economy.Normal Blue Headingthe mission of the Virginia Cooperative Council is to promote the understanding of the history, purpose, services and bright future of farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives in the Commonwealth and their mSmall Yellow HeadingMaecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. http://www.data-directions.com  help document  PowerPoint icon  MS Word iconShortcut for two column container table, width defaults of "100%" changed to "95%" so no horizontal scrollbar. This text is formatted and will enlarge.text not formatted, will not enlargetext not formatted, will not enlargeToolbar two column table, width defaults to 500 pixels. This text is not formatted and will not enlarge.text formatted with "simple paragraph" shortcut. Will enlarge. Border set to 1.Text formatted with "normal" style, will enlarge.this border is created  using table>properties>Stylebuilder>Border>All>Thin>Solid>Set a color.Image inserted with no applied formatting.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. This image uses a setting of "float="left". Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero.  Use "clear floats" shortcut to drop text below image/text and start new paragraph.Same float but also an image> properties> stylebuilder> border> setting using a 20 pixel margin on All.  You can apply border using the same border panel, and adding All>thin> and select a color. Consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Use "inline style" to reformat text inside a paragraph. at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Etiam dictum sem sed risus. Nullam ultrices consectetuer mi. Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales liberoTitle set using regular shortcut. This part of title has had font "set" using the "Size" over ride. It will not enlarge.Maecenas at nisl vitae urna convallis vulputate. Nam lobortis sodales libero. Ut sed libero. Praesent fermentum, erat eget interdum posuere, lorem neque adipiscing lacus, mattis molestie mauris quam vel risus. Anchor link should jump to here and will display at the bottom of the page, not the top. Table/Chart SectionTable below using shortcut for two column container table. No borders, just colored text for example.By default, fits the width of page at 100% and does not have even column widths, depends upon how much text is used in each side. You can change this using table properties or in html.Text just strainght typed in left side box, no formatting applied. Widths of columns depend upon how much text is typed in. Text typed in right box after selecting "normal" style. Table below is styled using the different features in the Table>properties tab. Click on table border, then click on <table> tag to get properties tab. Format a row or column the way you want it to look, then use the top toolbars to add rows or columns (click on row/column, then go to top toolbars and insert row/column)ITEMITEMITEMvaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevaluevalue Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT 51391be5-d278-4a61-8aa2-9a107ab15b41 facebook Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT 80d88ae1-f0e4-4a29-a183-692f808cf611 linkedin Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT d6c078d3-2094-4d07-9c94-6a3a6599ae85 twitter Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT c9143e27-466a-480b-88a4-b40960b201f9 nice Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT ec6fb9fc-d3d7-47e0-8d04-88adcca34bdb home #SLIDESHOW-3000-uppera##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperb##SLIDESHOW-3000-upperla##SLIDESHOW-4000-upperlb##SLIDESHOW-5000-lowerlc# Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT 471111cf-e6e9-4955-a219-26d5cd667f56 contact Interested in joining us?Sign-up for our news!#FORM#Mail:Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc.PO Box 25202Richmond, VA 23260UPS/Street Address:Virginia Cooperative Council, Inc.6606 W. 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Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT e25450da-1433-42bd-8b42-a16c20a13f52 slideshow Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT ea064c38-2a87-4c94-93db-dc6345d59aa1 slideshow/uppera Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT 0ff0a923-3d6c-4a67-af48-ebe7df98f71b slideshow/uppera/ura1 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT 7dd6da1a-5557-4f8f-a90c-917deed11a0a slideshow/uppera/ura2 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT cb8dcce4-b893-4526-baaf-e6c224fb2a8e slideshow/uppera/ura3 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT c0fe4bc4-175c-44ce-8bdd-4fa54e660033 slideshow/upperb Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT c4961e8f-6162-4c47-b84a-ac42e348218f slideshow/upperb/urb1 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:24 EDT 9176273c-149c-40d5-8b28-1d03e8e6fa4a slideshow/upperb/urb2 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT 40ed109a-517b-4ffd-8133-aab9a42007b1 slideshow/upperb/urb3 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT a73835cb-7a71-4eb8-8e03-117e28e12e59 slideshow/upperla Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT dc872f93-ffb6-4f72-b4a2-916dd461691d slideshow/upperla/ula1 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT c226ce04-3108-47f6-b31b-b790e80cace7 slideshow/upperla/ula2 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT 6aba1c79-0b07-438c-8cc8-a5940c1c6031 slideshow/upperla/ula3 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT c139b55f-b956-47a1-88a2-27411e85403d slideshow/upperlb Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT 1db5cc21-e030-4c9d-8d1e-57cb74016dd3 slideshow/upperlb/ulb1 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT 233477a5-1d09-4f33-8fb9-80906665aa88 slideshow/upperlb/ulb2 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT 8ae37392-8c11-4dc0-a867-b0144cc1427f slideshow/upperlb/ulb3 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT 684af876-7d0e-4465-a739-717616261ec4 slideshow/lowerlc Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT 88fa0206-1ddd-41dc-b3b6-3a634e22972a slideshow/lowerlc/llc1 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT aa4b0361-e28a-42d8-ba7a-3fcf2238dc14 slideshow/lowerlc/llc2 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT a19fb285-9f0a-4adf-a8fd-b14a9c9a203e slideshow/lowerlc/llc3 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:25 EDT