ATS Newsbrief November 2014
New Zealand has been named the most co-operative economy in the world following the recent release of a newly established international Co-operative Economy Index. The index is based on membership and employment relative to a country’s population and the co-operative sector’s annual revenue relative to GDP. It is part of a global census measuring the size and scope of the co-operative economy and was commissioned by the Neal Shaw, Group CEO United Nation’s Department for Economic and Social Affairs. It involved data from 145 countries and the results were released at last month’s International Summit on Co-operatives held in Quebec. It was one of the initiatives to fall out of the 2012 International Year of the Co-operative, which included events in Ashburton which we at ATS were involved in. The results show that one in every six people in the world has membership or is a client of a co-operative; that 2.6 million co-operatives employ 12.6 million people; and that US$20 trillion in co-operative assets generate US$3 trillion in annual revenue—if it were a single economic unit, co-operatives would be the fifth largest economy after Germany. The census also found a strong correlation between the countries with the most cooperative economies and those with the highest social progress. The social aspect and responsibility of co-operative is important, and it was interesting to see this link was obvious in the data collated. New Zealand was also the world leader in the Social Progress Index, while eight of the top 10 countries were also represented in the Economy Index’s top 12 spots. Agriculture was recognised as the most common type of co-operative, and this was influenced largely by the high number of co-ops in India and China. Both countries have a large number of small land holdings which sees farmers working collectively to gain economies of scale and scope, and the agricultural co-operatives control significant market shares in some sectors such as fertiliser, cotton, agri-processing, and tea production. We already know New Zealanders are great supporters of co-operatives, and that Ashburton has been hailed the co-operative capital of New Zealand, so it was interesting to see how we stack up on a global basis. There are many links and commonalities between the international findings and our cooperative. ATS’s business is obviously agricultural; it is locally owned and operated, as most co-operatives are; it has economic strength; and it recognises its social and community responsibility.
UPCOMING EVENTS
14 November
Canterbury Anniversary ATS will be closed Friday 14 to Sunday 16 November. If members have any emergency requirements the duty manager can be reached on 03 307 5100 or 027 487 6865.
18 November
Farm Safety Training for Members For more information or to RSVP, call 0800 BUY ATS (289 287) or go to www.ats.co.nz/ farmsafety
4 December 2014 9am to 9pm Christmas with Ruralco
Mark this date in your diary and join Ruralco and selected suppliers in Ashburton for your Christmas shopping. Ruralco has negotiated with its suppliers to bring you special offers for one day only including extra discounts, exclusive one-off deals and much more. Get your family off the farm and enjoy a great day out together. UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS
18 November
Investing in Barns? Making an informed decision If you are considering investing in cow housing infrastructure, don’t miss this workshop! • What are the main drivers behind deciding to build? • What are the right tools to evaluate this investment? • What research is behind the most common assumptions used when analysing these options? • What effect would these changes have on our international competitiveness? Take this opportunity to gather the right tools and information to make an informed decision. DairyNZ Speakers: Geoff Taylor, Kim Mashlan, Chris Glassey and Duncan Smeaton. For more information contact Virginia Serra on 021 932 515 or visit www.dairynz.co.nz.
28 November
Celebrate Christmas with ATS Come and celebrate Christmas with ATS and participating Ruralco Suppliers on Thursday 4 December, 8am to 9pm. ATS will have some great one day only Christmas specials along with their fabulous range of gift ideas, tempting nibbles and refreshments. Grab your friends and family for a great day and night off the farm. Keep an eye out for more information in your mailbox shortly.
Beef + Lamb NZ Central South Island farmer council: 2014 Big Day Out Come along to the Big Day Out and explore the history of the Grampians, owned by the Hope family for 100 years. Hear about the challenges and opportunities of farming in the Mackenzie Basin—from valley floor to high altitude. There will be discussion on the future challenges for farming in the high country and elsewhere in New Zealand, with speakers from local and central government. For more information, email Aaron.Meikle@beeflambnz.com.