olorado
Reader
Student Activity
Cooperatives: The Business of Working Together
This activity was adapted from: www.equalexchange.coop
ACTIVITY: Students role-play as members of a farmer co-op. They make an important decision about whether
to build a storage barn or pay themselves more money. Give the students the scenario and four farmer options
below. Have four students volunteer to act out this role-play in the front of the room. Ask one of the students to
read the setting to get the role-play started. Once students have completed the role play, ask students to write
about which option they would vote for and why.
DIALOGUE: Gather the class again after they have completed the writing assignment and ask:
• What made this decision hard?
• Is there a right answer?
• How should a group of farmers make a decision like this?
• Should they talk about it until someone makes a proposal they can all live with?
• Should they vote and have the majority win?
Scenario
You are a member of the Mile High Farmer Cooperative. Your co-op signed on to sell your pinto
beans to the Mexican Food company and a good-sized check just came into the co-op to pay for all
your pinto beans. For the last two years, your co-op has not been able to get a good price and your
family has not had a lot of extra money. Everyone has been thinking about all the things they’ll be
able to do now that they’ll have good checks coming in.
Farmer #1 Farmer #3
You’re excited about getting some money, but
you have been thinking a lot about how best
to use it. Part of the reason you made so little
money over the last two years was that you lost
a lot of your crop just when you were ready to
ship it out. Storms came and destroyed it. You’re
thinking that all the co-op members should put
their money together to build a storage shed to
protect your crops. Waiting just a little more to
get your money will mean there will be fewer
times when you don’t get it. You’re up for anything. You really want
everyone to get along and you’re not as
concerned about what the decisions are. You’ve
heard that some of the members want to invest
in the co-op’s future and some have things they
feel their family needs to invest in. You see the
wisdom in both choices.
Farmer #2
You are so excited about getting some money.
You are planning to put your money into
renovating part of your house. You would like
to redo your kitchen and create a new family
room. You’ve heard a rumor that someone is
going to propose that the co-op keep all the
money at the meeting today, but you’re sure
you must have misunderstood the rumors.
Farmer #4
Your oldest daughter is interested in going to
a business program at a community college.
If she goes, she might be able to really help
the co-op better understand how to run the
business with so many complicated things
going on. You’re really looking forward to
having the money to pay for her to go.