The Chair for Agri-food Cooperatives of Universitat de València held its II Annual Conference on 26 September at the headquarters of Bantierra, in Zaragoza. It analysed formulas for strengthening cooperatives and generational change, as well as the legal, tax and accounting regulations governing integration processes, with particular emphasis on mergers.
Rubén Artieda, Director of Agricultural Business at Caja Rural de Aragón; Francisco Serón, Vice-Principal for Prospects and Sustainability at the University of Zaragoza; Gonzalo Eiriz, Deputy General Director or Analysis, Coordination and Statistics at MAPA; and Agustín Herrero, General Director of Agri-food cooperatives of Spain, took part in the inauguration of the conference. Artieda focused on the importance of cooperatives in the generation of wealth in rural areas and the Agri-food sector in Aragón. Then, Agustin Herrero explained that the objectives of the chair are to find legal, accounting and tax solutions for cooperatives and to propose reforms so that the cooperative model continues to be useful for farmers and ranchers. In his speech, the Vice-Principal pointed out the need to incorporate and promote the concept of “cooperativism” at the university. For his part, Gonzalo Eiriz emphasised the collaboration that his sub-directorate maintains with the Spanish Agro-food Cooperatives, based on reading data and knowledge, which provides a fundamental basis for developing policies that are of use to the sector.
Meanwhile, Pilar Alguacil, Director of the Chair; and Tomás Rojas, Financial and Tax Director of Agri-food Cooperatives from Spain, presented the activities carried out by the Chair during its first year, highlighting the various conferences given and the online courses run. Both took the opportunity to present the Guide on cooperative integration processes and the report on VAT, two works carried out by recognised experts.
This was followed by the first round table discussion on “Alternative formulas for strengthening Agri-food Cooperatives and generational change. How they fit in with the current cooperative movement”, with the participation of Sergio Navarro, lecturer in Commercial Law at UCLM, who gave an overview of the legislation in force and stressed the need to provide a response and legal security for cooperatives. Fernando Marco, Director of the Viver Cooperative, explained the strategy they have implemented and how it has evolved in recent years.
One of the highlights of the day was the presentation of the 1st Chair Award for the best academic paper on legal, fiscal and/or accounting aspects of Agri-food Cooperatives, entitled “Agri-food Cooperatives integration and its promotion”, which was awarded to Daniel Hernández Cáceres, from the University of Almeria, who expressed his gratitude for the recognition.
Then, Carmen Marcuello, Professor of Business Management at the University of Zaragoza and President of OIBESCOOP presented the yearbook of Social Economy in Aragon. Finally, the closing ceremony was addressed by Adolfo Aragüés, General Director of Agri-food Cooperatives from Aragón, and María Soledad de la Puente, General Director for Employment, the Self-Employed and the Social Economy of the Government of Aragón, who stressed that cooperatives generate quality employment and this means that people can continue to live in the villages.
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