2012 Is The International Year Of Cooperatives

This month we kick off a year-long celebration marking the International Year of Cooperatives.

In July of 2011, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives. The measure recognizes the vital role cooperatives play in the economic and social well-being of the United States.

From eggs and milk to the electricity that powers your home, cooperatives play a big role in your everyday life.

The nation’s 900-plus electric co-ops:

• Serve about 42 million people in 47 states—that’s 18 million businesses, homes, schools, churches, farms, irrigation systems, and other establishments in 2,500 of 3,141 counties.
• Employ 70,000.
• Retire more than $500 million in capital credits annually.
• Own assets worth $130 billion.
• Own and maintain 2.5 million miles, or 42%, of the nation’s electric distribution lines, covering three-quarters of the nation’s land mass.

Around the world, all types of co-ops:

• Boast nearly 1 billion members in more than 90 countries.
• Account for 80 - 99% of milk production in New Zealand, Norway, and the United States.
• Generate 100 million jobs.
• Close to half of all residents of Finland and Singapore are co-op members; 33% in Canada, Honduras, New Zealand, and Norway, and 25% in Germany, Malaysia, and the United States.  
• Under the umbrella of the World Council of Credit Unions, 49,000 credit unions serve 177 million members in 96 countries.