By Keith Woodford
Although the importance of co operatives within New Zealand agribusiness is widely recognised, there is less recognition of the diversity of co operative structures that exists. It is this diversity that will be explored in this paper. It will be argued that the framework of the NZ Co operative Companies Act 1996 has been a key factor, but not the only factor. The legislative framework is itself a function of underlying attitudes and the business culture within New Zealand agribusiness and the wider community.