Authors: S. G. GOLOVINA, doctor of economic sciences, professor, leading specialist of the Department on scientific, innovative work and doctorate, E. E. LORETZ, postgraduate student, Ural State Agrarian University (42 K. Liebknekhta Str., 620075, Ekaterinburg; phone: +7 922 149-06-57), L. N. SMIRNOVA, candidate of pedagogical sciences, associate professor of the Department of economics and organization of agribusiness, Kurgan State Agricultural Academy (KSAA, 641300, Kurgan oblast, Lesnikovo; phone: +7 912 212-68-17)
Keywords: agriculture, agricultural consumer cooperative, multifunctionality of cooperative activities, public preferences, agricultural policy.
Abstract: In the article it is presented the results of research work on multifunctionality activities of modern agricultural coopera- tives. Attention is drawn to the special mission of unique collective artifacts (agricultural consumer cooperatives) in solving social and environmental problems of modern village, development of rural territories, and maintenance of rural communities. Specification and ranking of rural population preferences regarding basic and additional (economic, social, environmental) functions of agrarian cooperatives are implemented by methods of Contingent Valuation and Analytical Hierarchy Process. Multifunctional activity of agrarian cooperatives in modern environment is proposed to use as a basis for refining of conceptual approach to the research of agricultural cooperation development, to the development of institutional innovation trends in the field of cooperative activities, to the identification of directions and instruments of agricultural consumer cooperatives govern- ment support.
