Federation of Southern Cooperatives

The Federation's mission, work, and accomplishments over the past forty years has and continues to be the following: (1) to develop cooperatives and credit unions as a means for people to enhance the quality of their lives and improve their communities; (2) to save, protect and expand the landholdings of Black family farmers in the South; and (3) to develop, advocate and support public policies to benefit our membership of Black and other family farmers and low income rural communities. The Federation has maintained a membership of low income grassroots people, organized into cooperatives and credit unions to make quantitative and qualitative changes in their lives and communities. Currently, there are over 70 active cooperative member groups, themselves with a membership of more than 20,000 families working together across ten southern states, with a concentration in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.