Cooperatives: The Seeds of Change and Growth
Jon-Michael Muise, Area Director of Rural Development US Department of Agriculture Mr. Muise shares what he sees as the role of cooperatives in actualizing positive change in the marketplace.
When Local Government Cooperates
Clem Nilan, General Manager City Market Onion River Co-op Ed Antczak, Economic Development Specialist City of Burlington Community & Economic Development Office Look at what is possible when there's the political will to cooperate! The City of Burlington, VT, and the Onion River Co-op, in a brilliant display of cooperation on a civic level, have forged a partnership now 10 years strong.
Starting a Buying Club
Jake Schlachter & Stuart Reid, Food Co-op Initiative With guest panelists: Laura Theis, Idaho's Bounty Laura Hanson, Stone's Throw Market Shannon Ousley, Frontier Co-op
Remarks from Kathleen Merrigan: The Opportunities of Cooperation
Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy-Secretary [bio] US Department of Agriculture Washington, DC Don't miss this brief talk on the opportunities that cooperatives have, especially right now, and the resources that the USDA has available to support cooperative growth and excellence.
Elections
Was your last Board election a thoughtful exercise in democracy in which members chose a well-qualified set of directors that add value to the Board and to the co-op? More than anyone else in the cooperative, the Board itself is responsible for ensuring that the answer to this question is “Yes!” Elections should be neither mundane nor contentious, but should honor and reinforce the [...]
Harrisonburg’s Friendly New Neighbor
By Ben Sandel 156 September - October - 2011 PDF download of article: pdf of article In March 2006, about 30 people came to a meeting at the Little Grill Collective restaurant in Harrisonburg, Va., to talk about starting a cooperative. The Little Grill had opened a 600-square-foot health food store (called The Little Store) in a rundown plaza on the poorer side of [...]
Governance Considerations for New Retail Food Cooperatives
By Thane Joyal 151 November - December 2010 The Uniform Limited Cooperation Association Act (UCLAA) and a variety of state statutes have provided new financing flexibility for organizers of food cooperatives. In addition, these business forms present governance considerations. Organizers of retail food cooperatives considering using the LCA form of organization should carefully consider and clearly articulate their decisions on the appropriate distribution of [...]