Private forest owners work together in various organizational forms, including Machinery Rings (MR). These are neighbourhood assistance associations, through which their members are able to provide agricultural and forestry machinery services and which are exempt from VAT. In the study MR Gorjan was examined from its foundation in 1998, until 2018, when it operated for 20 years. The members of MR (n = 44) were randomly selected and interviewed, with the aim of finding out who the members are, how they benefit from the possibilities offered by joining MR, what problems they are facing, how they are equipped with the machinery, and how satisfied they are and how willing they are to improve the performance of MR or professionalization of MR. It was found that the majority of members are over 50 years old, also own agricultural land and are well (professional) equipped with mechanization. The members are satisfied with both the work and the management of the MR. At the same time, it was found that the members were only taking a minor advantage of the opportunities offered by the MR and would have little inclination to professionalize MR or would only marginally enhance the existing situation. The potential of MR cooperation has not yet been fully exploited. A professionalization or better functioning of the MR would be possible with greater governmental support.
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