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In January, Neighboring Food Co-op Association Executive Director Erbin Crowell was invited to testify before a Senate Committee on “Growing the Small Business Agricultural Economy,” and how changes to Federal policy can support co-operative growth and impact.

Crowell, who also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) and the New England Farmers Union, was invited by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) to offer testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship on January 14 in Washington, DC.  His remarks centered on how co-operatives are a proven business model for supporting local producers, creating stable jobs, and strengthening rural economies — and how basic changes to Small Business Administration (SBA) policies, such as those included in Main Street Employee Ownership 2.0 Act of 2024 (H.R. 10242) and the Improving SBA Engagement on Employee Ownership Act (H.R. 10244), would enable them to grow. 

“Co-ops offer a time-tested, successful, and impactful tool for addressing the challenges and opportunities of economic change and instability,” said Crowell.  “There is potential to leverage their proven track record and enable people in rural communities to improve access to goods and services, create good local jobs, and grow the small business agricultural economy.”

As we work to continue to build stronger relationships among co-operators in our region, we are particularly excited to have welcomed Chatham Real Food Co-op (NY), Rising Tide Co-op (ME), Tip Top Co-op (MA), and Tom’s Natural Foods Co-op (NY) into our association in last year.

Ranking Member Senator Markey also emphasized the harm caused by President Trump’s attacks on rural economies and agriculture small businesses and the rising health care and energy costs they face, as well as increased costs from tariffs, stressing the need for reforms in government food programs to support small and underserved food producers through meaningful legislation, such as his EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act.

“Food is more than what we see on our plate—it is the labor of farmers and farm workers, the health of our environment, and the cornerstone of growth for many rural economies,” said Senator Markey. “President Trump’s policies are creating higher costs and worsening the long-standing problems that small businesses in rural communities have faced. Small businesses in rural America were already struggling with climate change impacts, rising housing costs, retaining workers, and finding a path forward for their small business when they decide to retire. We must address these issues by ensuring that small businesses are prioritized in federal programs—this includes our farmers, fishers, and ranchers in rural America and across Central and Western Massachusetts—not make it harder for them to exist.”

Crowell provided examples of food co-ops and their impact for local farmers and consumers, as well as the challenges they have faced recently due to the federal government shutdown and drastic reductions in food security initiatives such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

“Cuts to programs like SNAP have a deep impact on food security, particularly in rural areas,” added Crowell. “People with limited incomes have less money to spend on healthy food and groceries, which also means sales go down for food co-ops and local farmers. When we think about how these benefits impact not just individuals and families on limited incomes, we have to understand that they are part of a more sustainable and fair food system that can keep people well-fed and healthy.”

Maria Moreira, Founder and Board President of World Farmers in Lancaster, MA, provided testimony on the challenges facing small producers. “Our farmers are aging, our shifting climate is imposing increasing threats to farmers’ operations, our farmers’ labor force is changing and uncertain, our land prices continue to sky-rocket, and the farmers continue to make pennies on the dollar for their products,” she said. “Because of the cancellation of the Local Food Program Assistance in March, 500 farmers in Massachusetts and New England did the best they could, but crops were left in the field, unsold.”

Crowell emphasized that legislation such as the Main Street Employee Ownership 2.0 Act of 2024 (H.R. 10242) and the Improving SBA Engagement on Employee Ownership Act (H.R. 10244), would enable co-ops to grow by improving access to SBA lending, providing education on co-operative enterprise, and ensuring cross-agency collaboration and technical assistance for co-ops.

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Sample Language

Dear Representative/Senator XX,

I am writing on behalf of / as a member of [co-op name] to respectfully request your support for the Main Street Employee Ownership 2.0 Act which would allow co-operatives to access SBA financing programs. [Add information about your co-op].

Currently, our co-op cannot access due to SBA lending requirements that do not align with our shared community ownership structure. The bill would help our co-op to access much needed financing [include potential positive impacts of getting access to funds for startup, expansion, or working capital].

If you or your team have any questions, we’d be happy to answer them or connect you with the Neighboring Food Co-op Association and National Cooperative Business Association. 

Thank you for your consideration.

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Working together and in partnership with organizations such as NCBA CLUSA, the New England Farmers Union, and CoBank, the NFCA is advocating for better food, farm, and co-operative policy.  For more information, please visit https://nfca.coop/policy.  

As we look back on the Second International Year of Co-operatives, we’re thankful for the collaboration and partnerships that make our work possible.

In March of 2025, Congressman Jim McGovern addressed the 14^th Annual Meeting of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) as almost 100 representatives from our food co-ops and partners gathered for a day of networking, dialogs, and workshops.

“The reason I love co-ops so much is I believe in them,” said McGovern. “You are strengthening local food systems, strengthening rural economies, fighting climate change, and fighting hunger. And you are doing it in a way that makes those choices accessible to everybody.”

As a regional co-operative of food co-ops, the mission of the NFCA is the heart of the 6^th Principle of Co-operation among Co-ops: leveraging the collective resources, creativity, and experience of our members for shared success.  And over the course of 2025, we worked to…

…Provide Opportunities for Networking & Collaboration.

Peer to peer collaboration for networking, innovation and shared success has been central to the work of the NFCA since its beginning, and more than 180 representatives from more than 35 food co-ops registered for the 24 online dialogs that we hosted in 2025.  In addition to sessions for general managers, directors, and department staff, we held special dialogs on organizing for International Co-ops Day and National Co-op Month, information sessions with Provisions International, the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association, and the Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership.  We are thankful for the support and collaboration of past food co-op leaders in this work.  Kari Bradley, former General Manager at Hunger Mountain Co-op (VT) facilitates our peer group for senior managers while Sue Miller, former General Manager at Upper Valley Food Co-op (VT) has provided invaluable support to our smaller food co-ops.

As we work to continue to build stronger relationships among co-operators in our region, we are particularly excited to have welcomed Chatham Real Food Co-op (NY), Rising Tide Co-op (ME), Tip Top Co-op (MA), and Tom’s Natural Foods Co-op (NY) into our association in last year.

…Raise Awareness.

Over the course of the year, we were pleased to continue to support the next generation of co-operators, working with interns from the Department of Economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who helped us raise awareness of the difference that food co-ops and other co-operative enterprises make in their communities every day.  Students conducted research on historic sites in the Northeast, wrote profiles of regional co-ops, and helped us update our annual impact survey, which found that there are 60 food co-ops operating 70 storefronts across New England and New York State, locally owned by more than 290,000 members, employing 3,300 people, and generating estimated annual revenue of $625 million.

These numbers were particularly useful in raising awareness through regional advertising, which we expanded to include local editions of Edible magazine in collaboration with our partners at Cabot Creamery Co-op and Organic Valley as we celebrated how “Food Co-ops & Farmer Co-ops Build a Better World, Together!”  We also placed major articles featuring the Year of Co-ops in regional publications including Green Energy Times and Edible Vermont, and spread the word at events including the Common Ground Country Fair, the Cooperative Maine Business Alliance P6 Conference, Co-op Connecticut, the National Cooperative Business Association’s (NCBA) Co-op Impact Conference, NOFA Mass and NOFA NH Winter Conferences, and at several food co-op annual meetings. 

With support from our partners at Cabot Creamery Co-operative, and co-op friends at FEDCO and Real Pickles, we provided our food co-ops with special incentive membership incentives – including an overnight stay at Liberty Hill Farm & Inn, a Cabot member farm in Vermont. More than 450 people took advantage of this opportunity to join their local food co-ops as membership continues to grow.

…Influence Public Policy

Changes in federal food system and economic policy were particularly disruptive for producers, consumers, and our co-operatives this past year, and our partnerships with CoBank, the New England Farmers Union and the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) on co-op business and family farmer friendly policy advocacy were more important than ever.  In a contentious political environment, we worked to strengthen relationships with policymakers, participating in three legislative fly-ins visiting the DC offices of Congressional legislators from across the Northeast.  We provided our members with opportunities to act on issues including protecting the tax status of co-operative credit unions, advocating funding for health insurance, and supporting food security programs such as SNAP threatened by federal cuts.  We promoted civic participation through National Voter Registration Day and worked with New England Farmers Union to update their policy book, which represents many of our shared priorities on family farming, sustainable agriculture, food security, and co-operative enterprise.

October offered a special opportunity for us to work together to engage state governments in the important role of co-operatives in our communities, and we are proud to have successfully introduced five statewide Co-op Month proclamations across the Northeast – more than any other region in the country.

…Provide Education & Training.

We also contributed to co-operative education on a wider level, serving on the planning committee for CCMA, the national food co-op conference, and collaborating with our partners at the International Centre for Co-operative Management at Saint Mary’s University to deliver a course on Co-operative Business Strategy as part of the Master of Management: Co-operatives & Credit Unions, and workshops on how to operationalize Principle 6 and leveraging the Co-operative Values for business advantage (Visit this LINK for more information on an online offering coming up in February.).  We also joined CDF, NCBA, and the Co-operative Management Education Co-operative in signing an agreement with the Co-operative College of the Philippines and CLIMBS Life & General Insurance Cooperative to foster international collaboration in co-operative education, youth engagement, and sustaining the global solidarity of the co-operative movement.

We were honored to work with our partners at Saint Mary’s University in nominating J. Tom Webb into the Co-op Hall of Fame in recognition of his commitment to co-operative education and specifically the establishment of the Master of Management: Co-operatives & Credit Unions, which has touched many leaders in our region’s food co-op movement as well as other co-operative sectors in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to shining a light on Tom’s work and the importance of co-operative education, we are thankful to all the co-ops, support organizations, and individuals who helped us raise more than $20,000 in his honor to support the work of the Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) at a critical time for our national movement. 

…Strengthen Our Regional Food System.

In a particularly unstable time for our local producers, we worked to leverage our shared purchasing power for a more resilient and sustainable regional food system.  We celebrated 14 years of collaboration with regional distributor Provisions International on the Cave to Co-op program, a partnership promoting local artisan cheesemakers.  Dairy farms are an essential part of our agricultural landscape and economy, and we are proud that 90[SS2] % of our Member Co-ops have signed on to the Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership, an effort to build demand for our region’s organic family dairy farmers in the wake of lost contracts.  A collaborative grant with the Partnership enabled us to provide free tastings of local cheeses and other dairy products for food co-ops across our region.  We also continued our partnership with the Local Food Safety Collaborative, working with the Farmers Union to promote education, training, and other resources to help small producers access food co-ops and other local markets.

Building on our member co-ops’ commitment to local producers, we launched a collaboration with the New England Food System Planners Partnership to ensure that food co-ops across the Northeast are well represented in the Local Food Count, which aims to strengthen the region’s food system with the goal of having 30 percent of the food produced in New England consumed in the region by 2030.  (Food Co-ops: Register HERE for our Jan 14 webinar the Local Food Count and how you can participate.)

…Contribute to a Stronger, More Resilient Co-operative Movement.

As our national movement faced unprecedented disruptions to government funding and support, we worked with NCBA to raise awareness of the importance of co-operative associations and chart a course for the future.  On an international level, we were proud to contribute to DotCoop’s mission of uniting and connecting our global movement and the Cooperative Identity Advisory Group’s review of our values and principles and their relevance to the challenges that we face moving forward. 

We celebrated International Co-ops Day at the ICA Global Cooperative Conference and General Assembly in Manchester, UK, and joined co-operators from around the world in celebrations at the Rochdale Pioneers Museum where we represented North America at the Working Group on Cooperative Cultural Heritage.  As a result of this work, last fall saw the launch of the inaugural world map of cultural sites, which includes Adamant Food Co-op in Vermont, America’s Credit Union Museum in Manchester, NH, and the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Rural Training & Research Center in Epes, AL.

…Build a Better World for Everyone.

Looking back to our last Annual Meeting in 2025, the Year of Co-operatives was an extraordinary opportunity for us to join together in celebrating our food co-ops and advance our vision for a more healthy, just, and sustainable regional food system and economy — and to think bigger. “It’s easy to get a little siloed into thinking ‘we’re just here selling food in our little corner of the world’ — but we’re really part of something much larger than that,” said John Crane, NFCA President and General Manager of Portland Food Co-op (ME).  “We are part of a movement, [and] the United Nations recognizes that the world needs more of us.”

Indeed, one of the core goals of the Year of Co-ops was to highlight the enduring impact of co-operatives and credit unions as essential solutions to today’s global challenges, and to encourage the movement to be leaders in advancing the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, which concludes in 2030.  A plan of action for “people, planet and prosperity,” the agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals that are critical to our common future.  With just five years before the conclusion of this ambitious effort, and many of these goals at risk, co-ops and their members must continue to offer hope and a vision for a more inclusive economy, addressing climate change, and strengthening food security. As we look forward to celebrating 15 years in 2026, we know that by working together over the last decade and a half we changed the landscape for food co-ops in the Northeast.  From promoting our collective impact on the local food system and economy to influencing policy makers, providing opportunities for peer collaboration and innovation to offering workshops and trainings on the co-op business model, supporting the next wave of food co-ops to partnering with regional, national and international organizations, we have had an influence far beyond our region.  Our members, directors, partners, and supporters have made our collective work possible, and we are deeply thankful for your commitment and collaboration.  In a world facing profound challenges and unprecedented change, we have the opportunity and responsibility to continue to work together to build a better world for everyone.

Thank you.

Erbin Crowell, Executive Director
Suzette Snow-Cobb, Associate Director

In July, your Neighboring Food Co-ops joined Co-operators from around the world for the ICA General Assembly in Manchester, UK, and celebrated International Co-ops Day in Rochdale, home of the Rochdale Pioneers Museum.

“It was an honor to represent our co-ops at this global gathering at an important time for our movement,” said Erbin Crowell, Executive Director of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association, who represented the National Cooperative Business Association at the General Assembly of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA).  “If our history has shown us anything, it is that when our communities face extreme inequality, division, and uncertainty, the co-operative movement has offered an alternative that empowers people meet their shared needs and aspirations through our shared Values and Principles.  But we also know that making a difference locally means working together internationally.”

More than 400 delegates attended the Assembly, where representatives approved a strategic plan presented by Jeroen Douglas, Director General of the ICA.  “Everything we do starts with our Statement on the Co-operative Identity,” said Douglas.  “It’s a bold strategy but we’re one billion members so we need to be bold and self-confident.”

Key initiatives within the plan include championing the co-op advantage, prioritizing women and youth in leadership, enabling training and education, increasing co-operative advocacy, driving sustainability, and funding co-operative development.

Many side events during the week focused on raising public awareness, supporting business success, and influencing policy, including a symposium on co-operative law.  In his role as chair of the Board of Directors of DotCooperation participated in several important dialogs such as the International Cooperative Entrepreneurship Think Tank (ICETT), which was created in 2018 to foster collaboration and peer-to-peer learning among large co-ops and co-operative groups in leveraging the Co-operative Identity.  He also contributed to a presentation by the Cooperative Identity Advisory Group, which has been leading a global dialog on the relevance of the Values and Principles of our movement to contemporary challenges and opportunities.  And at the Rochdale Pioneers Museum, he participated in a meeting of the ICA Cooperative Cultural Heritage Working Group, which seeks to identify, protect, and promote historic and educational sites related to the global co-operative movement.

A highlight of the trip was celebrating International Co-ops Day on July 5 with co-operators from around the world at the Co-operatives UK Congress in Rochdale, where ICA President Ariel Guarco addressed the gathering. 

“We are not simple enterprises, we are communities of people, millions of us, working collectively for mutual benefit, for meaningful impact at the local level, and for lasting transformation on a global scale,” said Guarco.  “Dear friends, in a world that is turning inward, let us look outward.  In a world that is growing more cynical, let us remain hopeful.  And in a world where democracy is in retreat, let us be its most steadfast champions. Let us move forward with clarity, with conviction, and with courage.”

Guarco’s comments echoed the theme for International Co-ops Day, “Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World,” which builds on the priorities of the International Year of Co-operatives in 2025.  Focused on the contribution of co-ops to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Year of Co-operatives is both an invitation to shine a light on the contributions of co-ops to a more democratic, inclusive, and sustainable future, and a challenge to do more to contribute to efforts to build a better world for everyone.

For more information on the International Year of Cooperatives, visit https://nfca.coop/IYC

On Saturday, July 5, Food Co-ops across the Northeast are joining other co-operatives and credit unions around the world in celebrating International Co-ops Day.  This year’s theme highlights the role of co-ops in building a more inclusive and sustainable future for everyone.

Celebrated by the global co-operative movement for over a century and first proclaimed by the United Nations in 1995, International Co-ops Day is commemorated worldwide on the first Saturday of July, coinciding with Independence Day weekend in the U.S. and offering an opportunity to highlight the democratic values at the heart of the co-operative business model.  

“Co-ops and credit unions are an integral part of American history, reflecting ideals of democracy, self-help, and self-responsibility,” said Erbin Crowell, Executive Director of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Cooperative Business Association.  “And around the world, co-ops enable people to work together to meet their needs and build stronger, more resilient communities.”

The theme for this year’s celebration, Cooperatives: Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World, is also a reminder that 2025 is the UN International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the role of co-ops and credit unions in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.   A “blueprint for people and planet,” the Agenda includes 17 goals aimed at building a more prosperous, resilient, and equitable future for everyone.

Your local food co-op is an integral part of this effort, enabling people in your community to work together to ensure access to healthy, affordable food, support local producers, and provide good jobs.  A recent impact survey by the NFCA estimates that there are about 60 food co-ops in New England and New York State, locally owned by more than 290,000 members, and employing over 3,000 people. 

• A More Inclusive Economy.  Food co-ops are jointly owned and democratically governed by their members, people like you who shop and work there, rather than investors or corporations.
• Local Food Systems.  The NFCA’s impact survey found that on average more than 30% of sales at member food co-ops were local products, contributing to more resilient communities.
• Sustainability.  Co-op shoppers support family farming, organic agriculture, reduced packaging, and a more sustainable business model based on meeting people’s needs rather than maximizing profits.
• Food Security.  When you choose your co-op, you’re making healthy, affordable food more accessible to everyone in your community, and ensuring reliable markets for local farmers and producers.
• Good Jobs.  Food co-ops support good local jobs and purpose-led careers.  More than 60% of food co-op staff are also members, sharing in the ownership of their grocery store.

As part of its effort to help spread the word about Co-ops Day and the International Year of Cooperatives, the NFCA worked with our partners at Cabot Creamery Co-op and Organic Valley to distribute materials to all of the food co-ops in the Northeast, including a poster celebrating how “Farmer Co-ops and Food Co-ops Build a Better World, Together,” printed by the co-op printshop Collective Copies.  More than 20 marketing and outreach staff also signed up for a peer dialog in June to prepare for the celebration and share ideas, including reaching out to local press, inviting other co-ops and credit unions to have an information table, and conducting membership drives.

“I just want to say thank you for the call,” said Jennifer Wahlquist Coolidge, Ownership & Outreach Coordinator at Blue Hill Co-op in Maine.  “I think it really speaks volumes as to why anyone would be a part of this organization because of the support you’re giving us. It’s huge, thank you!”

From farmer co-ops to food co-ops, worker co-ops to credit unions, housing co-ops to mutual insurance, co-operative enterprises strengthen communities, enhance local economies, support social responsibility, and promote sustainable business practices.  Co-ops Day is an annual opportunity to celebrate the difference that co-ops and their members make every day.

For more information on Co-ops Day, visit https://nfca.coop/co-opsday.

With shrinking federal support for farmers and food security, volatile markets and mounting trade tensions, it’s more important than ever for producers and consumers to work together.

In May, the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) joined our partners at the New England Farmers Union to participate in the National Farmers Union Week of Action in Washington, DC, bringing together more than 100 farmers and advocates from across the country to walk the halls of Congress with an urgent message: We need a strong, comprehensive five-year farm bill that:

• Strengthens the farm safety net,
• Builds upon voluntary conservation programs,
• Restores balance and opportunity in the marketplace,
• Delivers fast and reliable risk management programs, and
• Garners broad support from both farmers and consumers.

Central to an effective farm bill is that it continues to provide effective support for family farmers through programs such as crop insurance, conservation initiatives, and anti-monopoly enforcement, while also ensuring adequate funding nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and the Emergency Food Assistance Program. 

“Key to our partnership with the Farmers Union is our shared commitment to the co-operative movement and to building stronger relationships between farmers and consumers,” said NFCA Executive Director Erbin Crowell.  “As we face drastic cuts to USDA services, resources for co-operative development, and food security programs such as SNAP, we know that legislators are more likely to hear us when we raise our voices together.”

Also participating in the delegation were Roger Noonan of Middle Branch Farm in New Hampshire and President of the New England Farmers Union, Robert Change of Echo Farm in Connecticut, and David Marchant of River Berry Farm in Vermont and member of Deep Root Organic Co-op. 

During the Week of Action, the group conducted whirlwind visits to the offices of 10 legislators from states across the Northeast.  In addition to advocating for the farm bill, they reminded policy makers of the critical role of co-ops in our communities, advocating for funding for co-operative development and policies supporting farmer co-ops and credit unions.  They also encouraged Representatives to join the bipartisan Congressional Cooperative Business Caucus, which provides greater visibility of co-op economic impact before Congress and the Administration and supports a co-op-friendly legislative agenda.  While in DC, Crowell also participated in a visit to USDA offices to advocate for funding for co-operative development.

Join the Farmers Union! The National Farmers Union envisions a world in which farm families and their communities are respected, valued, and enjoy economic prosperity and social justice.  The Neighboring Food Co-op Association is an affiliate member of the New England Farmers Union chapter – and invites farmers, food co-ops, and consumers to join us!  For more information, please visit www.newenglandfarmersunion.org

For this International Year of Co-operatives, the Neighboring Food Co-op Association worked with interns from the Department of Economics at UMass Amherst to take a look at the wider impact of food co-ops across the Northeast.

The United Nations declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Co-operatives recognizes the contribution of co-ops to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as “Responsible Production and Consumption.”  By mapping their impact across the Northeast, we can also communicate the wider impact of food co-ops and their role in strengthening food security, addressing climate change, building a more inclusive economy and society.

As part of the Certificate in Applied Economic Research on Cooperative Enterprises with the Department of Economics at UMass Amherst, Gabi Urbanowicz and Nuo Chen helped collect basic data from NFCA members and food co-ops across the Northeast.  In addition to administering a survey, they reached out directly to food co-op leaders and conducted online research to fill in gaps in information.

Finding all the food co-ops in the region was not an easy task, much less compiling basic economic data, but the results were very exciting.  Our research found that there are about 60 Food Co-ops across New England and New York State, locally owned by more than 290,000 members.  Further, these community-based businesses generated estimated revenue of $628 million last year and employed about 3,000 people.

Because they are owned by people like you who shop and work there, food co-ops are rooted in their communities, and by working together, the NFCA is increasing food security, providing purpose-led jobs, and strengthening the local economy.  In addition to focusing healthy food, sustainable agriculture, and fair trade, our member co-ops reported that on average 30% of their sales were from local suppliers. 

“This data helps improve the visibility of NFCA members, communicating not only the scale of food co-op impact, but also highlighting the quantifiable aspects of co-ops’ dedication to the community,” said Gabi, who is studying economics and business.  “Throughout my internship experience, I was able to see firsthand the major impacts NFCA member co-ops have on our local community.”

To learn more about the collective impact of food co-ops across the Northeast, including state by state statistics, please visit https://nfca.coop/members.