미국의 농업 분야 협동조합에 대한 역사적 개관

This paper offers a historical overview of the origin, development, and current state of agricultural cooperatives in the United States and discusses some of the lessons learned for the development of Korean agricultural cooperatives. For this purpose, the paper (1) introduces unique characteristics of cooperatives in comparison with other forms of corporate business ownership and control, (2) classifies various American agricultural cooperatives using some selected criteria, such as their main function, geographical service coverage area, and type of products, and (3) traces the development of legal and institutional framework that has helped support the development and growth of various agricultural cooperatives in the United States. The paper also aims to show a snapshot of the financial balance of existing cooperatives by conducting a comprehensive analysis of their aggregate balance sheet. This paper concludes by identifying some of the challenges facing American agricultural cooperatives and what lessons can be learned for the development of Korean agricultural cooperatives.