PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A cooperative is often decribed as an organization or business that is owned and managed by the people who use its services, or the people who work there. It's a term that describes some credit unions, but it often refers to farmer cooperatives. Co-ops have helped save a number of small businesses survive the diving economy. It's a practice that has even helped businesses thrive... Businesses like Cabot.
Members of the Cabot Creamery Cooperative helped raise awareness of the benefits of co-ops with an east coast tour ending today in Portland.
The group made a number of different stops to pass along the message of how helpful co-ops can be to the nation's economy.
Following along, were 3 bicyclists... Making the 23-hundred mile trek to celebrate the volunteers that help keep co-ops running.
Cabot officials say there are 29-thousand co-ops nationwide right now spanning industries from agriculture to banking to healthcare.