| Founded | 1901 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1924 |
| Type | Agricultural cooperative promoter |
| Location | |
Area served | England and Wales |
Members | More than 1,100 affiliated societies |
Key people | Robert Yerburgh (First President) J. Nugent Harris (Secretary) |
The Agricultural Organisation Society (AOS) was an agricultural association established in Great Britain in April 1901. Nominally an independent body, funded only by its members and supporters, the AOS soon forged close links with the British government which from 1909 gave it an annual grant. The AOS expanded its activities during the First World War but when peace returned the government cut its funding, leading to its eventual dissolution in 1924.[1] During its relatively short life, the AOS was successful in fulfilling its main aim of promoting the growth of county-based agricultural co-operative societies. It was also instrumental in establishing the Women’s Institute movement in England and Wales.