I have visited and interviewed several agricultural coops (dairy and grains), some are very similar to a normal business, but the ones that are not, usually are

I have visited and interviewed several agricultural coops (dairy and grains), some are very similar to a normal business, but the ones that are not, usually are built to solve a group's common problem, not to be financially successful by itself. Some are tied to local politics and are meant to augment public policies, some are just a channel to process and commercialize their production.