Within the cooperative system, we consider—and are critical of—how industrial-sized food operations uphold a very different production model compared to small-scale, local producers. Locally sourced produce from a nearby farm travels through fewer hands to get to you, often offer options that lead to more variety and biodiversity, and include options like direct farm-to-consumer supply chains like CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box programs.

Operating on a smaller scale lets farmers build closer relationships with the people who eat their food while supporting a stronger regional food system. Many of the producers you can find on our shelves are individuals with a real stake in your health, and they are invested in the sustainability of not only their business, but the land and creatures they tend to, too. Selecting meat, cheese, eggs, herbs, and veggies that support a small-scale farmer is an investment in the those that work to keep us all fed, safe, and thriving, now and into the future. In turn, our investment in them as shoppers does the same for their livelihoods, and demonstrates the beauty and interconnectedness of a thriving food system.