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In this edition:
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Happy International Year of Co-ops!
Following the success of the 2012, the United Nations General Assembly has officially proclaimed 2025 as the second International Year of Cooperatives (IYC). Let’s work together to show how our food co-ops build a better world!
At the ICA Global Cooperative Conference in November 2024, the worldwide co-op movement gathered in New Delhi, India, for the official launch of the 2025 International Year of Co-ops. The celebration followed a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on June 19, 2024, sponsored by Mongolia and Kenya, underscoring the vital role of co-ops and credit unions in advancing sustainable development, eradicating poverty, and fostering inclusive economic growth.
The theme of the year, “Co-operatives Build a Better World,” focuses on the enduring global impact of co-ops as essential solutions to today’s global challenges. It highlights their contributions across social, economic, and environmental dimensions, showing how co-operatives are key drivers in advancing the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development before it concludes in 2030. Whether promoting decent work, advancing gender equality, ensuring food security, or fostering climate resilience, co-operatives provide innovative, sustainable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Through their collective impact, they demonstrate how businesses rooted in shared values can build a better world for all.
At our Annual Meeting in March of 2024, the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) identified as a priority preparing for the Year of Co-ops as a key opportunity to communicate our difference, increase our impact, and continue to advance our vision for a thriving co-operative economy, rooted in a healthy, just, and sustainable food system. As part of our dialog, we asked our members to consider the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and where our food co-ops can work together most effectively to make a difference. While the SDGs part of an integrated agenda for sustainable development, the most compelling objectives for respondents were Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Climate Action (SDG 13), Responsible Consumption & Production (SDG 12), Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions (SDG 16), and Decent Work & Economic Growth (SDG 8).
Over the course of 2025, the NFCA will be highlighting our collective impact on the SDGs as we join with other co-ops and credit unions across the Northeast and around the world to:
- Raise Public Awareness. Highlight the contributions of co-operatives to sustainable development.
- Promote Growth and Development. Strengthen the ecosystem for the support and establishment of co-ops.
- Advocate for Supportive Frameworks. Encourage the creation of enabling legal and policy environments for co-operatives globally.
- Inspire Leadership. Foster purposeful leadership and engage youth in the co-operative movement.
The 2025 International Year of Co-operatives is an important opportunity for us to not only communicate our difference, but also to work together to do more, to share ideas and innovations, and to inspire positive change at a critical time. Together, we can show how co-operatives build a better world for everyone.
Thanks to the ICA for content for this article. For more information on the International Year of Co-ops, please visit https://nfca.coop/iyc.
Share this story on social media or your e-news and add information about what your co-op has planned for the International Year of Co-ops!
Online Dialog with Organic Dairy Farmers
The Neighboring Food Co-op Association and the Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership will host a dialog with local producers on January 29, 2025, as support for our regional organic dairy farmers continues to grow.
Organic dairy farms are at risk across the Northeast, particularly following contract terminations in 2021 for 135 organic family farms across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and eastern New York. In response, the Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership (NOFFP) was formed to increase demand for dairy produced in our region, creating market stability to help at-risk farms and build greater food system resilience for the future. The Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) was the first retailer organization to join the initiative, reflecting our commitment to our regional producers and a more sustainable food system.
As part of our growing efforts to support for our organic dairy farmers, the NFCA is inviting staff from member co-ops to meet two outstanding Northeast organic dairy producers to learn about their farms, practices and products, and why being an organic dairy is important to them. This is a unique opportunity for food co-op managers, cheese and dairy buyers, merchandizers, marketing and customer service staff to meet producers from Butterworks Farm, VT and Sheepscot Valley Farm, an Organic Valley Co-op member farm in Maine.
The dialog, hosted by the NFCA and Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership (NOFFP), will take place online, January 29, 2025 at 2:00 PM. Member co-ops are invited to register ahead of time at this link.
Please join us to hear from Anthony Calderaro, current co-owner of Butterworks Farm, a farm which produced Vermont’s first organic yogurt nearly five decades ago and has grown to operate with 76 Jersey cows and 400 acres of pastures and hayfields maintaining its grass-fed organic dairy operation in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
Annie Watson is an organic dairy farmer. She’s run Sheepscot Valley Farm in Whitefield, Maine since 2013 with her husband, Michael Moody. The farm is a member of Organic Valley Co-op and home to 75 Holsteins with hay raised on its 120 acres and an additional 275 acres nearby. Annie is president of the Maine Dairy Industry Association and a board member of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA). She was the keynote speaker at the 2024 Common Ground Fair.
The dialog comes as the NFCA’s impact continues to grow with the announcement that Belfast Community Co-op in Belfast, Maine, and Assabet Co-op Market in Maynard, Massachusetts, have joined the ranks of retailers supporting the NOFFP! With these additions, an impressive 27 NFCA member co-ops are now part of this initiative, helping to secure the future of organic family dairy farms across the region.
As the first retailer association to join the NOFFP, the NFCA has played a pivotal role in shaping its efforts, bringing co-op values and perspectives to the forefront. By fostering collaboration and alignment among member co-ops, the NFCA has helped strengthen the NOFFP’s mission to ensure the viability of Northeast organic family farms. Through consumer education, retailer engagement, and critical market development, the NOFFP promotes over 20 organic dairy brands in retail settings, creating essential demand for organic milk and dairy products.
For Belfast Community Co-op, joining the NOFFP was an opportunity to deepen their longstanding commitment to organic farming. As Jamie Cermak, Marketing Manager, shared: “When I saw how many great Maine farms (and partners serving Maine farms) were on the list, I knew it was the obvious choice for our Co-op to join forces with other great retail partners in support of this initiative. The NOFFP partnership allows us to deepen our commitment to supporting organic family farms here in our neighborhood and our neighboring region! We’re so proud to carry 8+ partnering brands and to continue our decades-long support of local, organic dairy in Maine and the Northeast.”
The NOFFP makes it easy for co-ops to participate by providing resources like in-store signage kits, digital marketing assets, in-store demos, and retailer support. To join, retailers need only carry at least one of the 20+ organic dairy brands and commit to prioritizing their sales, supporting a sustainable future for Northeast organic family farms.
Olga Moriarty, Executive Director of the NOFFP, emphasized how food co-ops are uniquely suited to advance this mission: “Co-ops are rooted in their communities and exemplify the values of sustainability and fairness that drive the NOFFP. Their leadership inspires consumers to take action and make choices that directly support Northeast organic dairy farmers.”
With 27 NFCA member co-ops already involved, now is the time for others to join this impactful effort. Your co-op can help lead the charge for a stronger, more sustainable food system while aligning with its mission and values.
Will your co-op be the next to join this powerful movement? Learn more about the NOFFP and the benefits of becoming a retail partner at www.saveorganicfamilyfarms.org/retail-partners.
For more information on the NFCA’s participation in the Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership, please visit https://nfca.coop/noffp.
Free Webinar on Interco-operation
Join us for an engaging online short course on Interco-operation, Wednesday, January 22, 2025, where we will explore practical strategies, big and small, that create tangible value for your food co-op and reinforce the co-operative ecosystem.
As a member of the Co-operative Management Education Co-operative (CMEC), the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) is inviting its members and the broader community of co-ops and credit unions to join a free 2-hour virtual mini-executive education training offered by the International Centre for Co-operative Management (ICCM) at Saint Mary’s University.
Presenters will include ICCM’s Karen Miner and Júlia Martins Rodrigues, Fred Freundlich of the Lanki Institute at Mondragón University in Spain, and Erbin Crowell, Executive Director of the NFCA.
Effective interco-operation is grounded in trust and familiarity, and the resulting complex networks are strengthened by the presence of reinforcing links at multiple points of relationship. We will dig into the who, what, when, and how of complex network building and ask:
- Are we familiar with the wealth of co-operatives outside of our co-op’s industry and membership model?
- Can we make visible points of convergence and congruence with other co-operatives?
- Can we translate the power and potential of interco-operation to our co-op, members, colleagues, and communities?
Whether new to co-ops or an experienced co-operative professional, this short course will stretch your thinking. You will gain a toolkit of practices, a new network of colleagues, and a deepened appreciation for the potential that interco-operation creates to build more robust, sustainable, and inclusive co-operative economies.
Please click on this LINK to register, or visit the International Centre for Co-operative Management for more information.
Your Advocacy Matters
As 2024 came to a close, the NFCA joined advocacy efforts to successfully encourage Congress to keep the federal government open and extend the current Farm Bill, ensuring much needed assistance to farmers and their communities, funding for disaster assistance, and support for crucial food security programs.
In December, the House of Representatives passed H.R.10545, the American Relief Act, thanks to pressure by activists across the country, including members of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA). The act was subsequently approved by the Senate and signed into law by President Joe Biden, providing funding to the federal government and extending the current Farm Bill through March 14th of 2025.
In a significant win for family farmers, the bill not only averted a protracted government shut down but also retained $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers and nearly $21 billion in agriculture disaster assistance. It also extended the 2018 Farm Bill at current funding levels through the end of the 2025 fiscal year, providing critical funding for food security and co-operative development programs.
“Food co-ops and their members care about the producers who feed us as well as people in our communities on limited incomes who face challenges accessing healthy food,” said Erbin Crowell, Executive Director of the NFCA. “By working together, we can influence the policies in DC that affect us all.”
As part of its Policy Advocacy initiative, the NFCA worked closely with the New England Farmers Union in 2024 to support an updated Farm Bill, and there is frustration that the clear bipartisan agreement that had been reached in November would have gone further in addressing the pressing issues confronting agriculture today. While the compromise legislation was undermined at the last minute by incoming President Trump and his allies, advocates should be proud that our efforts helped ensure that the government remained in operation while providing funding for programs that sustain our farmers, people on limited incomes, and our communities.
“The recently passed bill and extension of the 2018 Farm Bill assures our region’s farmers of ongoing access to financial assistance to improve and expand farm operations, implement conservation programs and provides some direct support for disaster assistance,” said Roger Noonan, President of the New England Farmers Union. “I want to thank our members for being part of the effort and making a difference for all of us.”
National leaders also expressed relief at the passage of the bill.
“After months of uncertainty, family farmers and ranchers across the country can finally take some solace in the passage of the end-of-year funding package,” said National Farmers Union President Rob Larew. “Congress has provided farmers with much-needed and long-overdue economic and disaster relief as they continue to grapple with mounting challenges from extreme weather, high input costs, and volatile markets. Farmers Union members fought hard for this relief.”
Looking forward, we recognize that this funding extension will expire on March 14. With a new administration taking office soon, we will need to redouble our efforts to fight for a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive food system and economy. The NFCA will continue to work with our partners to increase awareness and prepare for increased advocacy in 2025.
For more information on the NFCA’s Policy Advocacy efforts, please visit https://nfca.coop/policy.
Co-ops in the News
Progressive Grocer’s Impact Awards Honorees Go Above and Beyond ESG Initiatives
Progressive Grocer
Immigration anxiety rising for Pioneer Valley migrants, advocates
Greenfield Recorder
Has your co-op been in the news recently? Send your item to info@nfca.coop.
January Cave-to-Co-op Special
This month’s special Cave to Co-op local cheese is Cranberry Windsordale from Vermont Farmstead, Woodstock, Vermont
The Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company is the first community-owned artisan cheese and dairy facility in Vermont, begun as a neighborhood effort to save a local hillside farm and its surrounding rural landscape in South Woodstock, Vermont. In very short order, the dairy farm was transformed into an award-winning cheese company that is creating an entirely new generation of unique farmstead and artisanal cheeses.
Vermont Farmstead’s multi-breed herd, sustainable dairy farming, and creative cheese makers have added a distinctly Vermont take on traditional “old-world” cheeses. In 2012, they created a cut and wrap and shipping facility in Windsor, Vermont, to help with the ongoing company growth.
While eagerly embracing the effects of this anticipated growth, the company remains firmly dedicated to its founding principles to produce a variety of unique and excellent cheeses, gently care for its own herd of cows and farmland, serve as a model of sustainable dairy farming, and support Vermont’s family farms and rural communities.
The entire line of Vermont Farmstead cheeses is made in small batches at the farm and creamery in South Woodstock, Vermont. The farmstead milk comes from their mixed herd of Holstein, Jersey, Ayrshire, Brown Swiss and Milking Shorthorn. This blend makes for exceptional milk, with each breed contributing a different component for a unique and excellent combination for cheese. Any other milk that is brought in for their artisanal cheeses is 100% Vermont milk from local farms.
All-natural farmstead and local milk, careful artisanal, hand-crafted cheesemaking, along with a love of old-world cheeses, have resulted in a wide array of delicious, award winning cheeses. Whole cranberries burst with tart flavor in this raw-milk, British-style Windsor Dale cheese, made with a late 1800 farmhouse Wensleydale recipe. This delicious hard cheese has a honeyed aftertaste and firm, flaky texture that loves that additional cranberry zing.
Squash, Chestnut and Cranberry Windsordale Bake
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 500g (prepared weight) or 1 cup Butternut Squash, cubed into 1cm cubes
- 150g or 1 cup leeks, washed and chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, one finely chopped
- 100g or 2/3 cup cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
- 400g tin or 14 oz can (240g drained weight) cooked lentils
- 200g or 7 oz Cranberry Windsordale
- 100g or 2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- Drizzle of runny honey
- Salt and pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Heat the oil in a large pan or casserole dish on a medium heat hob. Next add in your onions and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the squash to the pan and stir through. Allow this to cook further 5-6 minutes, allowing the squash to become golden brown on the edges.
- To the pan add the leeks and rosemary and season well. Once the leeks have started to soften add the chestnuts and lentils. Once that is all combined, remove from the heat and keep the pan to one side.
- To make the breadcrumbs for the recipe, pop 2-3 slices of bread into a food processor and whizz for a few seconds. You will need around 100g or 2/3 cup of breadcrumbs for this recipe.
- Add the breadcrumbs into the slightly cooled squash mixture, crumble over 150g or 2/3 cup of the Cranberry Windsordale and add the beaten egg. Stir the whole mixture together until completely combined.
- Line an 8 inch round cake tin with baking paper. Spoon in the squash mixture little by little, firmly pressing it down with each layer to hold it all together. Once all the mixture is in the tin, and leveled, bake for 25 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove the cake tin from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes to settle. Place a plate on the top and quickly flip over and turn out the squash bake onto the plate. Drizzle a little runny honey over the bake, crumble the remaining cheese onto the top and finally add a fresh sprig of rosemary to serve.
Share these recipes in your food co-op’s e-news and look for the “Cave to Co-op” sign in the cheese section at your local food co-op.
Each month our Cave to Co-op partnership between Provisions International and the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) offers a delicious regional cheese featured at a great price.
College Conference on Co-operatives
Every February, students from across the U.S. gather for the College Conference on Co-operatives, organized by the Farmers Union to educate, motivate, and inspire the next generation of co-operators!
The Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) has long partnered with the New England Farmers Union to support the success of our family farmers and fishers, advocate for agricultural policies that strengthen our regional food system and grow the co-op movement. Central to our collaboration has been investment in co-operative education.
One example has been supporting the participation of students from our region in the Farmers Union’s annual College Conference on Cooperatives. This year, the conference will be held February 13-16 in Minneapolis, MN. Over the course of conference, participants hear from experts in the field, participate in interactive learning activities and workshops, and get a behind-the-scenes look at local co-ops. The event attracts students from across the country and is beneficial to those new to co-ops as well as those with some previous co-op education.
If you know of any students and young people who would be interested in this opportunity, please send them to https://nfu.org/ccoc/ for more information.
“As a beginner to cooperatives, it was fascinating to learn not only the co-op 101 but to go further in depth on co-operative business models and economic democracy,” said Sarah Medeiros, staff member at Willimantic Food Co-op and 2024 conference participant.
“After a full day of presentations on topics such as ‘Decision-Making in Co-ops’ and ‘Cooperation in Agriculture and Beyond’, we spent another day touring Seward Food Co-op, Riverton Community Housing, MY Credit Union, and REI Co-op Bloomington, as well as hearing about senior cooperative housing in the greater Twin Cities area. The conference was incredibly informative, and I highly recommend it for college students or those new to working at a co-op!” reported Sarah. “I had the fantastic opportunity to attend CCOC, thanks to the Neighboring Food Co-op Association, New England Farmers Union and the Willimantic Food Co-op.”
Other students from our region that have participated in the conference over the years have included Mikaela Allen and Anastasia Maher from Littleton Food Co-op in New Hampshire; Tyler (Riv) Gallagher, a student at Greenfield Community College in Massachusetts; Avery Gratton and Paula Scharpf, staff at the Willimantic Food Co-op in Connecticut; and Marcus Smith and Sansha Khakhar, UMass undergraduates and recipients of the Certificate in Applied Research in Co-operative Enterprise through the Economics Department at UMass Amherst.
“As a student, I have been focused on the connections between co-operative enterprise and sustainable food systems,” said Marcus. “I was appreciative of this unique opportunity to learn about the diversity of co-ops and their role in the economy.”
Registration is just $85. This cost includes shared lodging, most meals, and tour activities. For more information, visit: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/ccoc
Membership is what makes co-op education efforts like this happen, and NFCA Member Food Co-ops can join the New England Farmers Union at the special rate of just $100. Whether you are a farmer or consumer, urban or rural, the Farmers Union fights for policies that ensure we have a safe and abundant food supply and carries the voice of our communities to state and federal policymakers.help us spread the word with your friends and neighbors at this critical time!
You can make a difference: Join the Farmers Union! Share this story in your food co-op’s social media and e-news. As an affiliate member of the New England Farmers Union, the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) invites our member food co-ops and your individual members to sign up at a special discount — and to encourage your producer partners to sign up as well. For more information, please visit www.newenglandfarmersunion.org.
Join New England Farmers Union Members for our Annual Meeting as we look back on 2024, consider updates to our policy book, and plan for advocacy in 2025 — the International Year of Co-ops! Please click HERE to register.
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
Neighboring Food Co-op Association members and partners — save the date for our 14th Annual Meeting & Member Gathering coming up on Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Greenfield, MA!
