The Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives

The Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives in Great Britain and Ireland (FAC) was formed in 1949 as a central body to co-ordinate the work of existing federal agricultural organisations throughout the British Isles. The FAC consisted of the Agricultural Central Co-operative Association (ACCA), the Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society (WAOS), the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS), the Ulster Agricultural Organisation Society (UAOS), the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society (IAOS), the Agricultural Co-operative Managers Association (ACMA) and the Plunkett Foundation for Co-operative Studies. The FAC's job was to deal with matters of common interest to all of it's members including amendments to the law affecting co-operatives, education and training of staff, relations between co-operatives and marketing boards, collecting statistics, trade between co-operatives in the various member countries and the promotion of international co-operative relations

The first agricultural co-operative in Britain was formed in 1867 to supply seeds and fertilizers to members. The first co-operative creamery was opened in Ireland in 1889. At the beginning of the twentieth century many farmers' co-operatives were also established. Each of the five countries in the British Isles established its own federal body to collect and distribute information, encourage new societies and assist members. The IAOS was the first federation to be established in 1894. The Agricultural Organisation Society was formed for England and Wales in 1901 but dissolved in 1924. The SOAS was formed in 1905 and the WAOS and UAOS were formed in 1922. The Agricultural Co-operative Association for England was formed in 1945 and in 1956 merged with Farmers' Central Organisation to form ACCA. In addition to these federations there was the Agricultural Co-operative Managers' Association which managers of societies in all the regions were members of.

The Plunkett Foundation for Co-operative Studies was established in 1919 by the Irish pioneer of agricultural co-operation Horace Plunkett. The work of the Plunkett Foundation included research into principles and practice of agricultural co-operation, administrative services for co-operative organisations, the provision of information and library facilities for those interested in agricultural co-operation and operating training courses for co-operative staff.

In 1970 the organisation became Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives (U.K).

The FAC no longer exists, but the Plunkett Foundation continues to work to support programmes for rural co-operative and social enterprises.

Source: Agricultural Co-operation in the United Kingdom and Ireland (The Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives, 196-).

From the guide to the Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives, 1894-2000, (National Co-operative Archive)