Charlie Award
The Charlie Award for Cooperative Political Action
Purpose
With increasing pressure to find additional state funds for an ever-expanding Texas population and given the negative impacts of redistricting upon rural Texans, it is imperative that cooperatives rise to a new level of political participation and access. This new, aggressive program is a major step in that direction.
State agricultural groups like the Texas Farm Bureau, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the Texas Cattle Feeders Association are already at these levels. With this kind of commitment and money, they have also achieved exceptional levels of access, influence and domination for an ultimate good. Given the structure and grassroots nature of the industry, many leaders feel it is time for cooperatives to join in this level of political muscle.
Qualifications
A cooperative must contribute a minimum $1,000 in total and the general manager and each director of the organization must submit a minimum $100 contribution within a January 1-December 31 time frame.
History
The concept originated when the TACC Legislative and Governmental Affairs Committee took it upon themselves to conduct a four-year strategic plan in December 2001. One of the results of that meeting was the urgency to create such a mechanism to bring COOPERATIVE political action to a higher level.
Steps
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Contact TACC to solicit ideas on how to recruit dollars into your campaign.
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Print our membership form that may be accessed from the link listed below. Send the completed form and all monies (cash and personal checks only) and contributor names and addresses to:
Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council 