We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday!
The co-op steering committee has officially declared our first public meeting, held June 12th, a tremendous success. Many thanks to those who attended and offered their input! We received many questions at the meeting and promised we'd respond to those questions on our blog. See below for our responses! In the mean time, we are accepting donations of any amount toward funding the market study. Thus far we have raised $1000, and must raise around a total of $10,000 for the market study. If you would like to donate, please contact us at: brookingsfoodcoop@gmail.com , or donations may also be mailed directly to: Brookings Food Co-op, PO Box 174, Brookings, South Dakota 57006. Thank you for your support, and be well!
Questions and Responses:
Q: If you are a producer and a consumer, can you still be a member?
A: Yes
Q: Is the member share a one-time expense?
A:Yes, this buys your ownership and it is refundable if the co-op should not come to fruition. The board of directors will determine (based on the stores financial health) if there needs to be an additional yearly amount set to keep your membership active.
Q:Are people hired to work in the store, or will members be working there as volunteers?
A:Because of current labor laws in which you must make sure volunteer labor equals a certain hourly rate, most co-ops now hire staff to work in the store.
Q:How big a volume of locally produced food can be delivered to the co-op?
A:This will depend on store size and product availability. At the store’s opening the local volume may be small, but our intention is to work with local producers to grow these sections of the store. In some co-ops, you will see items in one freezer case displaying the Buy Fresh, Buy Local labels on meats, cheeses, etc. and then a seasonal produce section. We would most likely start out by supplying most of our organic produce from Albert’s Organics in Minneapolis.
Q: What are some other methods of pricing to encourage producers, especially those transitioning to organic?
A: Possibly by distance. We will be further researching this and looking at other models.
Q: Is local food more natural because it doesn’t have to travel?
A: When food travels a great distance, it is picked before ripe to compensate for distance. Local food can be eaten at its most flavorful and nutritional peak. “Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested. Local foods contain more of the nutrients that come with ripening –nutrients that our bodies need to be healthy. Local farmers can offer fruits and vegetables bred for taste and freshness rather than shipping and shelf life.”- Land Stewardship Project
Q: How much (money) do we have now?
A: $1000. We need $9000 more to do the market study.
Q: Will the fee go up if the market study experts are asked to do it later than July?
A: Possibly. We will try to get some comparative quotes.
Q: What are the comparative markets for start-up costs?
A: Up to $1 million for 4000 sq. ft of retail space. We may be looking at a bit less sq. footage.
A: The US Department of Agriculture established and maintains strict guidelines for the USDA Organic certification label to be put on foods. There are also many other organizations that can provide certification according to their standards. That said, the Brookings food o-op could work with local vendors who are 1) making the transition to organic farming methods 2) are practicing natural methods but do not feel they have the means to become certified organic. There was some consensus at the public meeting that it is more important to consumers in the market that they know where their food is coming from, know the people in the community who produce it, and have access to information on how it was produced. Producers would be able to set their own prices according to how much it costs to produce different products. Price negotiation may come when the co-op could establish a certain consistent volume of sales. Local food is healthier and more natural because it does not have to travel.
Thanks again to you all - keep the comments and questions coming!
