The Center for Rural Affairs estimates that as much as half of all business transactions will move to the Internet over the next decade. It also suggests that people in rural areas need to grow a new generation of farm and small business cooperatives in this cyber age.

One such business, a distribution company called Iowa's Pantry, has been operating on the Web since August 1999. It has about 60 suppliers, many of them farmers.

For $100 you can list with the distributor to sell your products online. Contact Iowa's Pantry, Dept. FIN, 1815 White Tail Rd., Decorah, IA 52101, 888/387-0013, www.iowaspantry.com or circle 199.