Le rôle de la coopération dans la mise en marché des produits agricoles au Québec et ses interrelations avec la formule des plans conjoints

In Québec, there are close to 200 cooperatives, of which 168 are members of the Cooperative Fédérée de Québec. In 1977, this Federation had sales of 675 millions, bringing the total turnover of agricultural .cooperatives to nearly $2 million. The agricultural cooperatives are controlled by their members, on behalf of whom they both buy and sell, supplying 40 % of farm inputs and processing and marketing 80 % of all Quebec's manufacturing milk, 50 % of fluid milk, 25 % of Quebec's red meat production and over 65 % of ell the poultry meat. However, this important role of Quebec's agricultural cooperatives within the agro-food industry is poorly protected by the Farm Products Marketing Act (Québec) which overlooks the integration of economic functions, seeking to isolate the primary sector from the secondary sector, i.e. the bond between the farmer and his cooperative. Notwithstanding the shortcomings of the act, the Québec farm cooperative movement does not reject a Joint plan formula which considers the case for a particular product on its merits and within the special economic context. Incidentally, the Québec farm Cooperative movement denies the need for a joint plan for milk, but agrees to the application of thfe formula in the pork and poultry sectors.