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Sociology of Agriculture and Food (SAFRIG)

NFO Case Study: Historical Moments of Mobilization: Stregthening and/or weakening collective action Thomas Gray*, Thomas Gray, Hanen Khemakhem,

The purpose of this paper is to suggest factors that may strengthen and/or weaken collective actions in farmer organizations and cooperatives.  The paper follows the multiple shifts in the organizational posture of the National Farmers Organization (NFO) as manifested in the various accommodations it has made in response to its socio-economic context.  These phases of mobilization have included (not necessarily in discrete historical order): 1) sharing grievances and problem framing, 2) public community tactics (e.g. withholding actions,) 3) creating dense networks and local chapters, 4) and collective bargaining;–these more successful moments of organization themselves often co-existing  with 5) high individual member risks, 6) internal organizational tensions over strategies and different manners of governance 7) structural market changes and consolidations, 8) competition with and differentiation from other farm organizations, and 9) member fatigue from high intensity tactics (Cain, Doherty, Minnesota Historical).  In this case study of a non-traditional and member driven, member-advocacy organization, some greater emphasis in the work is given to conflict between grass-roots members and the NFO organizational leadership, governance of the organization,  and dilemmas of accountability.