Farm Co-ops

Think about the last time you stopped by the grocery store. A carton of eggs or a bunch of grapes may take a few moments to select, but dozens of stakeholders came together to have them placed on the shelf. Your local supermarket may offer convenience, but is it fully supporting the people who helped grow and pick your items? Farmers are a critical part of our food system. Their knowledge and hard work have helped keep our communities functioning for centuries. So, why not directly support farmers and be environmentally friendly by shopping from the source? This is where farm cooperatives, or co-ops, come in!

Farm co-ops are companies founded by farmers who own and manage themselves. The farmers pool resources to improve how they produce and sell products grown or raised on their farms. Rather than countless levels of oversight, those who best understand their product are in charge.

This business model has been around for generations and grew in popularity in the United States in the 1800s. Co-ops rose from a need for farmers to collaborate to access missing products and effectively market them. They faced a period when they didn’t have much power in the market, and the only way to access that power was to form their own companies. Instead of shopping where the stock market and large shareholders control prices, supply, and land conditions, ownership of co-ops is limited and unique.

Cooperative members pay an annual, monthly, or one-time membership fee that provides voting rights, discounts, and potential profits. Some co-ops will require you to become a member to shop, and some are open to anyone stopping by. Rather than just another shopper, as a co-op member, you’re part of a community and get a say in what products are available and how the business is run. Plus, this model helps the environment by cutting back on processing, packaging, and shipping, which creates a large carbon footprint.

Visit localharvest.org to check out co-ops in your area. If you’re looking to support your local agriculture in a hands-on way, a farm co-op may be the right choice for you!

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