Co-operative News - Health

Singapore’s co-ops celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives

Emily Barker — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:46:25 +0000

This has been an eventful year for co-operatives in Singapore and around the world. The United Nations has designated 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives (IYC), as the movement seeks to raise the profile and promote the growth and formation of co- operatives worldwide.

As the apex body for Singapore’s co-op movement, the Singapore National Co-operatives Federation’s (SNCF) mission is to promote and develop co-operatives as sustainable enterprises through the principle of self and mutual help. Co-operative enterprises have played an important role in Singapore’s social and economic development over the past decades, and we are happy to celebrate their success.

One in two Singaporeans buy their groceries from NTUC FairPrice, a co-operative set up by the Labour Movement in Singapore. NTUC Income, the only co-operative insurer in Singapore, is the leading insurance provider in motor, health, and life insurance. Both Income and Fairprice are in the global 300 of co-operatives listed by the International Co-operative Alliance, a major index of the world's largest co-operative and mutual enterprises.

Also vital are the contributions Singapore’s credit co-operatives have made to improve the socio-economic conditions of Singaporeans. Financial co-ops like the TCC Credit Co-operative Limited and the Singapore Government Staff Credit Co-operative Society Limited have weathered economic storms and have been helping their members in financial need and providing financial security for more than 80 years. This speaks volume of the amount of social good credit co-ops have accomplished.

Co-operatives today are also attuned to society’s changing demographics. A fine example is Silver Horizon Travel Co- operative, which was set up to provide travel options and arrangements catering specially to seniors, an important demographic in our ageing population.

What differentiates co-operatives from other forms of social enterprises is that they are value-based organisations. In particular, the virtues of self and mutual help are so important in society, especially when faced with the challenges of increasing competition and stratification. Beyond economic success, we must also ask ourselves – what is the type of society that we want to build? By nurturing the formation of co-operative enterprises, we hope to offer more platforms, to foster a more caring and resilient society. Co-operatives are formed not only to help and serve its members in an economically sustainable way, but for the wider good of society.

I am pleased to share that as part of our celebrations this year, we have produced a series of children story books, or readers. The first of these readers, titled “A Very Big Storm”, teaches the value of cooperation. This book is now used in more than 250 kindergartens and childcare centers in Singapore. A mass reading of this book was organised in June this year at the Marina Barrage in the presence of our President, Dr Tony Tan. The book is now translated into Hangul, and is available to pre-schoolers in Korea.

The town of Rochdale, the birth place of co-operatives, has decided to carry this book in the Rochdale Museum, and 17 of its public libraries. In Singapore, the Seed Institute, which sponsored this book, has also submitted a proposal for the book to be translated into Chinese, under the Lee Kuan Yew Bilingualism fund.

As we celebrate the success of co-ops here in Singapore, we hope that the co-operative model can be adopted, perhaps in partnership with the Government, to address some of the social challenges that we are facing today. These include an ageing population, health care needs and costs, low birth rates, and higher expectations of a young populace aspiring to a higher quality of life.

I hope that all of us will gain insights on how social capital drives profits, growth & sustainability.

NCBA calls for small business administration lending programmes for food co-ops

Anca — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:11:36 +0000

The National Cooperative Business Association is advocating for changes to small business administration (SBA) regulations in order to enable co-operatives to gain access to SBA lending programmes. The NCBA has already raised the issue with the Obama Administration during the White House Community Leaders Briefing in May.

The co-ops association called upon the US Congress to change SBA regulations, initiating a “Call to Actions” campaign. Congressman Ron Kind supported the initiative by circulating a “Dear Colleague” letter in the House of Representatives, asking the SBA to expedite the reinterpretation of regulations that prohibit food co-operatives from accessing the SBA lending programmes. The NCBA launched an appeal to all US citizens to call their representative’s office and ask their member to sign on to the “Dear Colleague” letter.

Following the NCBA-led campaign, 25 members of the Congress signed the letter. In addition, more than 70 letters from individuals, co-operatives and co-operative organisations sent letters to the NCBA and the SBA to express their support for the proposed changes.

The letter, addressed to the Administrator of the SBA, appealed to the Administration’s commitment to removing unnecessary barriers for small businesses. The NCBA claims that a reinterpretation of the existing SBA regulation is required to secure a fairer business environment for food co-ops.

US food co-operatives bring more than 12,000 jobs and $1.4 billion in annual sales to local economies. They play a major role in boosting local economies, redistributing income and providing locally produced healthy food.

According to the NCBA, in the last three years 61 food co-operatives were created, and hundreds more are in their incipient stages. All are small businesses, with local employers in need for access to capital for growth and expansion. The NCBA estimates these small local co-ops can be the source for hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in annual sales. At present, none of these small co-ops are able to apply for SBA lending due to the current regulations.

The NCBA hopes to celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives with a public announcement by the SBA explaining that the barriers to food co-ops eligibility for SBA lending are being removed.

This is not the first legislative initiative the NCBA has put forward. In December 2011 Congressman Chaka Fattah, the Democratic representative for Pennsylvania, and three co-sponsors introduced the National Cooperative Development Act.

The legislation would establish a National Cooperative Development Center to provide capital, training and other resources to foster co-operative development throughout the US. This bill is predicted to have a 2% chance of being enacted.

NCBA Launches “The Fix” Public Awareness Campaign to Highlight Benefits of Co-ops

AnthonyMurray — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:26:24 +0000

Contact:

Colette Beyer
202.442.2303
cbeyer@ncba.coop

Laura Telander Graf
651.698.4006
ltgcommunications@comcast.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCBA Launches “The Fix” Public Awareness Campaign
to Highlight Benefits of Co-ops

Shows How Cooperatives Bring Jobs, Affordable Housing & Healthy Food Access;
Mobile App & Contests Reward Individuals Who Shop Locally & Live Cooperatively

WASHINGTON, DC (October 1, 2012) – A new public awareness campaign is highlighting how cooperatives are “The Fix” to many of the tough problems affecting the US, including job creation, worker empowerment, affordable housing and healthy food access. The campaign, developed by the National Cooperative Business Association and Cabot Creamery, will also reward consumers who learn about and utilize the nation’s 29,000 cooperatives.

“Cooperatives have a unique business model that has been successful throughout the recession by continuing to build stability and provide economic vitality in local communities around the country,” said Liz Bailey, interim president and chief executive officer of NCBA. “This campaign brings to light the many benefits that co-ops provide to consumers, while raising awareness for the tremendous growth that has occurred in the cooperative industry in the past several years thanks to the thousands of members, workers and individuals that support these values-based businesses.”

The Fix campaign launches today with opportunities for individuals to win prizes for learning about and utilizing cooperatives:

Video Contest: Individuals earn a chance to win prizes by viewing a video on CooperateUSA.coop/contest and successfully answering a question.
Check-In Challenge: Individuals earn “stamps” for downloading the CooperateUSA app and checking in with participating cooperatives. Entries in the contest are earned each time a stamp is received.

Prizes will be awarded weekly from October 1- November 30. The video contests and
check-in challenges will change every two weeks to highlight four areas where cooperatives are the “fix.” The first video contest and check-in challenge focused on healthy food access runs from October 1-16, ending on the United Nations’ World Food Day.

Three grand prizes will be awarded based on the total number of downloads of the CooperateUSA mobile app.

“The farmers who own Cabot Creamery Cooperative appreciate the heart and smarts of co-ops—cooperating in the cloud and on the ground with CooperateUSA, stated Roberta MacDonald, Senior VP of Marketing, Cabot Creamery. “We’re proud to be part of the CooperateUSA movement, making it easier than ever for consumers to live cooperatively. It's time."

CooperateUSA App and Directory Put Co-ops at Your Fingertips

The Fix campaign follows the launch of the first-ever CooperateUSA mobile app and online directory – free resources that provide access to 29,000 US cooperatives in a variety of industries, including credit unions and financial service, grocery and consumer goods, healthcare, childcare, housing, transportation, utilities and more.

The CooperateUSA app is compatible with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets, offering a variety of features, including:

Locator that makes it easy to find 29,000 US co-ops by location, industry or product type
Gaming features that tally points for cooperative activities to award prizes and discounts
Timely updates that keep you informed about cooperative news, events and local offers
Education on how co-ops are impacting job creation, affordable housing, healthy food access & worker empowerment

The CooperateUSA.coop online directory offers a co-op locator to search nearby co-ops or co-ops nationwide and provides information and web links to each cooperative. The site also provides the latest news about cooperatives, information about cooperative development and facts about cooperatives in the US. For more information, visit www.CooperateUSA.coop or www.ncba.coop.

About the National Cooperative Business Association

The National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) is the national association for cooperative businesses providing cross-sector education, support and advocacy to help start and grow co-ops across a variety of sectors, including agriculture, childcare, energy, financial service and credit unions, food distribution, healthcare, housing, retail and telecommunications. For nearly 100 years, our mission has been to develop, advance and protect cooperative businesses demonstrating that cooperatives are a better business model for advancing economic and social impact. For 50 years, we have supported cooperative development globally through our CLUSA International Program.

About Cabot Creamery Cooperative

Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919, with a full line of cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese and butter. Best known as makers of “The World’s Best Cheddar,” Cabot is owned by 1,200 dairy farm families located throughout New England and upstate New York.

About the International Year of Cooperatives

2012 was named the International Year of Cooperatives by the United Nations. A yearlong celebration of the co-op business model and its positive economic impact across the globe, reminding us that it is possible to pursue both economic viability and social responsibility.

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Benenden Healthcare brings together UK experts to discuss organ donation

AlisonGrant — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:11:09 +0000

Leading UK mutual and ICMIF member, Benenden Healthcare Society, recently addressed the issue of organ donation in the UK in its latest WebTV show.

The show was first broadcast on Tuesday, September 18, and brought together two leading experts to discuss whether the UK should adopt an ‘opt-in’ or ‘opt-out’ system of organ donation.

Lawrence Christensen, Head of Communications & Strategy at Benenden Healthcare said: “Three people die every day in the UK while awaiting an organ transplant and to tackle the problem the government is reviewing how donation works.

“A donor currently has to make it known that their organs can be used after their death – the so-called opt-in system. But now an opt-out system under which your organs can be used unless you expressly ask for them not to be is being considered. This approach should increase the availability of organs for lifesaving transplants but is the concept of presumed consent simply presuming too much?

“Benenden Healthcare discussed this as our ‘big debate’ in the last issue of benhealth, our magazine for members, and now we’re bringing the debate to a wider audience as part of our commitment to raising awareness of important health issues.”

The show will remain available to watch on demand on Benenden Healthcare’s Facebook page – click on the ‘Live WebTV’ tab.

Or non-Facebook users can visit: http://www.studiotalk.tv/show/the-big-debate-on-organ-donation

benhealth, the magazine for members of Benenden Healthcare Society, was recently announced as being in the top 25 in the list of most widely distributed magazines in the UK. The magazine is currently at the 22nd position in the UK.

Note: circulation figures from Consumer Magazines Report, June 2012, produced by the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC).

The magazine is distributed four times a year to a total of 356,089 members, with an additional 29,000 members choosing to read it in digital format.

Trying (but Failing) to Understand Arguments in Support of Fair Trade USA

Rodney North — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:06:37 +0000

I read Michael Sheridan’s reflections about the recent article in The Nation, “The Brawl over Fair Trade Coffee,”but had too many comments to respond on the CRS Coffeelands blog that he hosts. I have a great deal of respect for Michael and always appreciate his thoughtful, intelligent approach and his commitment to on-the-ground development work with farmers. However, while I applaud Michael’s attempts to be objective, I was left puzzled by some of the logic behind his critique of The Nation article and his apparent support for the Fair Trade For All initiative.

Michael’s biggest critique of The Nation article seems to be two-fold: 1) while there is near unanimous agreement that “the process by which FT4All came to be violated core Fair Trade values of transparency and dialogue” and the fact that the initiative includes elements opposed by most of the Fair Trade community, it is somehow unfair to criticize the initiative until we see the results; and 2) those who criticize “corporate” Fair Trade are not recognizing the benefits it has generated for smallholder farmers.

I tried to read Michael’s comments with an open mind, but I’m afraid that I’m still plagued by two critical issues which I just can’t overlook. They are as follows:

1. Is it possible to “empower” farmers with one hand while stripping away their power with the other? In a system whose very foundation and philosophy was built upon the principles of strong and equitable relationships, democratic processes, deep integrity and trust, can an organization take unilateral actions which fly in the face of all those principles and still expect their initiative’s results will be judged impartially? Is it even possible to evaluate results while ignoring process when the whole basis of the Fair Trade system is to create a new way of conducting trade and doing business which most of all includes respect and integrity?

In his response to Michael Sheridan’s comments, Jonathan Rosenthal makes this point beautifully. He compares Fair Trade USA’s actions to a political candidate who proposes “…to bring direct financial prosperity to women or people of African heritage along with rescinding their voting rights…” saying, “…clearly, we would focus on the loss of rights, not on the programs for financial prosperity.” I couldn’t agree more with Jonathan.

The first thing students learn in community development, planning, human services, organizing, and other fields is that you should never design or carry out an initiative, even with the best of intentions, for others, or better yet, assume which initiatives will best help others. It is crucial to have the participation of those who will be affected from the outset. Their voices and votes are critical to the project’s success and to how it will ultimately be received, assessed and judged. Yet, in taking the name Fair Trade with him and then creating a new initiative with elements that are strongly opposed by the Fair Trade community, claiming that what he is doing is best for small farmers, Paul Rice is doing just this.

Historically, even brilliantly conceived projects repeatedly fail because one person thinks he knows best. Look at the World Bank, the Agency for International Development and many other development projects conceived of by well-intentioned people who want to help the poor. Ten years ago in Boston, small farmer organizations, Alternative Trade Organizations (ATOs), and other Fair Trade activists were informed by Paul Rice about his vision to include coffee plantations in the system. Then, and for the next 10 years, these people who built the Fair Trade system have repeatedly and emphatically said no to his plan. Last year he decided to do so anyway. He did not consult when he left the international Fair Trade system to go it alone, took the name Fair Trade with him, lowered standards, included plantations and individual farmers in his new certification scheme. Unlike the certification system he walked away from which has 50% producer representation in its governance structure, Fair Trade USA has none.

How many times do we need to stand by and watch history repeat itself and not call it for what it is?

2. What do Fair Traders have against corporations? Are we just being dogmatic, or is corporate Fair Trade an oxymoron?

I understand the argument of those who believe that corporations should not be demonized simply for the sake of demonizing them. We all tire of unfounded dogmatism. So what really is the concern about market-driven Fair Trade? There is no question that corporations are adding volume into the Fair Trade marketplace, as Michael points out. To the extent that more volume equals more income (and more premiums), this is good for farmers. To the extent that more volume increases the visibility of Fair Trade for consumers, this is also a good thing. To my knowledge, no one has ever denied this fact.

The issue however, isn’t one of volume alone. The critical question is: what kind of system are we building and with what kind of long-term impact? We’re not simply talking about a higher price, or a social premium that will help those farmers who receive it. We’re talking about long-term structural change. The beauty of Fair Trade is that it has a deep, far-reaching, almost quixotic mission. Consumers were supposed to be informed, educated, and engaged so that they better understand the complexities of our food and trade systems and see how they and their actions form part of an interconnected web. In Fair Trade USA’s system, they need only “look for the seal”. They aren’t capable of reaching deeper and aren’t asked to even try. Pretty photos of happy farmers take the place of hard truths. Buy this pound of coffee and help a child go to school. No deeper education or analysis is necessary.

Granted this kind of education and engagement is difficult, time consuming, and resource heavy. Consumers don’t have the time to be inquisitive and organizations don’t know how to do this work well. Quite honestly, none of us do. But name the corporations that are trying to do this work. Does Dole want consumers to know the history of banana companies in Latin America? Does Nestle want you to know where chocolate originates and who is harvesting their cacao pods? Only the ATOs and Fair Trade organizations take on this work. Do we place a value on these efforts? If we do, forcing ATOs to compete with corporations will surely jeopardize the existence of the ATOs in the long-run; especially since the ATOs are 100% Fair Trade and can’t subsidize their purchases (or marketing budgets) with the large percent of “unFair Trade” conducted by the same corporation.

Likewise, Fair Trade was established to help small farmer organizations access markets and compete in those markets by leveling an unfair playing ground. It was created because corporations (and large plantations) already have all the market advantages. Michael Sheridan also agrees that, “…the advent of Fair Trade estate coffee has the potential to undermine the market position of cooperatives.” How then can we stand by while Transfair takes the name “Fair Trade USA” and creates an initiative which would jeopardize the ability of organized small farmers – who have finally achieved a measure of economic and political power – to compete once again with those that have every market advantage? Try as hard as I do, I just can’t fathom the logic.

In The Nation article Paul Rice is quoted as saying, “everyone is innovating. Look at Apple… It baffles me that somehow innovation in our movement is unacceptable.”

There is so much need for innovation within the Fair Trade system as it now stands. According to 2010 data, only one-third of the current small farmer organizations’ coffee sold at Fair Trade prices. Many farmers still live in poverty. Their children struggle to get a good education. Decent health care is still lacking. Bank credit, technical assistance, education and training are difficult, sometimes impossible to attain. All too frequently hurricanes and other weather-related disasters put farmers, their families and communities at risk, and wipe out their livelihoods. There is no question that the deck is still stacked against small farmer organizations.

We also need innovation in our work with consumers. We have a commitment to educate consumers, to engage them in the mission of Fair Trade, to connect them in an authentic manner to those who grow their food. We are not doing a great job. Most consumers don’t know what Fair Trade is and the campaign, “look for the seal” did not encourage them to go deeper. How are we innovating to engage consumers to help us build a more fair food system?

After all, if we can’t empower farmers and consumers, innovate and excel in best practices within the existing Fair Trade system, why should anyone believe that it can and should be done in yet another Fair Trade system (coincidentally, also called Fair Trade)? Like the story of the tortoise and the hare, it may be a slower, less glamorous path to work with small farmer co-ops and consumers, but ultimately I believe that is the work that will result in real impact.

Occupy Celebrates Birthday, Forges Ahead

AnthonyMurray — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 21:05:40 +0000

Led by a spirited brass band and waving placards decrying corporate greed, hundreds of occupiers took to San Francisco streets Monday to celebrate Occupy Wall Street’s first birthday, culminating in a ceremony where they symbolically ripped apart loan documents.

The anniversary was also celebrated in New York City and some 30 other cities around the world.

“Debt buys us all,” said Amy Oh of Occupy San Francisco, addressing the crowd before the march. “We’ve got housing debt… student debt; healthcare debt; credit card debt…. Your city, your county, your state are also in debt … to the bankers.”

Cities cut social services and the state cuts transportation subsidies to pay the debt, she said. “(Debt) is affecting all of us.”

Neighbourhood occupy groups held anniversary events during the day. On the courthouse steps, occupiers tried to outshout an auctioneer selling foreclosed homes.

At the War Memorial, they held a press conference with seniors facing foreclosure. Robert Moses is a disabled 92-year-old African American World War II veteran. “I was paying my notes – I had no problem paying my notes – but they doubled the payments on my mortgage,” he said. Moses had paid off the original loan, but refinanced to make repairs.

The banks target African Americans and Latinos, said press conference emcee Archbishop Franzo King, of the Saint John Coltrane African Orthodox Church. Banks prey on unsuspecting people, he said.

“They begin to tell you stories about…how they can create an inheritance for your children,” he said. “Then you find out that these banksters are just like Satan and they make promises that they have no intention of keeping.”

The day was joyful, with occupiers taking over streets without police intervention. The media turned out in force. Occupiers reminded the nation that they haven’t gone away.

In reality, however, the hard work goes on when the party’s over and TV crews leave. IPS talked to several activists about their day-to-day work and Occupy’s influence on it.An Occupy Anniversary Snapshot

There were Occupy anniversary celebrations across the globe, including in some 30 U.S. cities.

In New York City, 100 people were arrested when they tried to form a human chain around the stock exchange; arrests included one legal observer, according to Alternet.

The day before, two code pink activists were arrested outside the Bank of America chanting “Bust Up Bank of America” and holding bras to symbolise the “bust up” big banks message, according to a Code Pink bulletin.

Some 100 demonstrators protested near the Monsanto plant in Davis, California, to protest genetically modified organisms – similar demonstrations were in other cities around the world.

Occupy Toronto and other Occupiers have been walking across Canada since May to converge on Parliament and demand “real democracy,” according to an Occupy Toronto press release.

Refusing to be a statistic

On Dec. 6, 2011, Gayla Newsome and her daughters walked back into the West Oakland townhouse from which they’d been evicted five months before. Occupy Oakland joined forces with the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) to support the family and keep vigil at the house until they were sure the sheriff wasn’t coming back.

Today, Newsome and her children are still in their home. One of two home loans has been forgiven; the second loan is being modified.

The housing defence movement was born long before Occupy. Bill Chorneau began organising tenants in the 1970s. “I found the whole experience empowering,” he said. “It hooked me for life.”

Now he works with ACCE to address foreclosure issues and applauds the Occupy Movement’s work.

“All of a sudden protesting didn’t seem like such a marginalised activity,” Chorneau said. “The idea of the one percent vs. the 99 percent caught people’s imagination. That really helped change the dynamic; previously the borrower was getting blamed by most people.”

While the fight against foreclosure is among the most visible Occupy targets and perhaps the one that has borne the most concrete success across the country, Occupy has also injected new life into broader struggles for basic rights among the most oppressed groups, especially people of colour.

“Occupy has to reach out…”

Melvin Dickson, a former Black Panther Party member, edits the Commemorator, the newspaper of the Commemoration Committee of the Black Panther Party.

The committee, formed in 1989 after the party’s dissolution, preserves and disseminates the party’s history. But more importantly, Dickson says, it teaches about the past, in particular, the party’s 10-point programme – including the right to self-determination, housing, health care and education, ending police brutality and wars of aggression – in order to transform communities today.

Dickson compares the Panther’s goals to Occupy’s.

“Occupy came on the scene and they have a bigger picture – the 99 percent vs. the one percent – that’s what we’ve been talking about all along,” Dickson said.

“We were talking about U.S. imperialism, particularly the Viet Nam War. We came out denouncing that and took a position…because we recognise a connection between the same class of people who benefit from the wars are also benefitting from the oppression of black people, brown people, and poor whites in the United States.”

Dickson called Occupy’s work an “inspiration to us”, but cautioned that they have some differences with Occupy.

He faults Occupy for not incorporating disenfranchised communities. “Occupy has to reach out to various oppressed groups,” he said. “Every group has a special kind of oppression. The programme needs to be devised on that basis, not just, ‘we’re all in this together.’ You have to have some analysis of the oppression.

“You have to come up with solutions that address those particular problems of the particular people who have experienced that oppression. You can’t solve their problems alone. You can’t be condescending to this group of people. You’ve got to listen to them. And get behind them. Not try to get in front of them.”

Nonetheless, he praised Occupy’s work for connecting like-minded people, for letting them know “that there are many other people around the world, and many other people around the country, who have similar concerns.”

Retaking public spaces

Occupy’s most visible actions have been the occupation of public and private spaces for public benefit. They’ve occupied shuttered schools, boarded-up libraries, parks and universities.

In the small town of Albany, California, not far from the University of California, Berkeley, a group that became known as Occupy the Farm, celebrated Earth Day by marching to open space owned by the university, breaking in, bringing out rototillers and seedlings they’d stored nearby, and creating an urban farm.

The struggle to transform this land into an urban farm didn’t start with Occupy. It began 15 years earlier with a coalition of some 30 groups; the coalition was succeeded by other organisations.

Jackie Hermes-Fletcher, a former teacher living in Albany, got involved a decade ago. She said each time she drove by the land, she’d think about how it could be used for children to learn about farming.

She joined Urban Roots, the successor organisation to the coalition. Like the coalition, they tried working with the city and university to get use of the land. “We were pretty much ignored,” Hermes-Fletcher said.

They got city councilmembers elected who promised to fight for the land, but then ignored their promises, she said.

Over the years people have gotten burned out. There were just a few who would go with Hermes-Fletcher to council meetings, especially to oppose a mega supermarket now planned for part of the open space.

But early this year Hermes-Fletcher got invited to a meeting.

“I found myself– it gives me chills – in a room with all these young people,” she said, beginning to choke up. “They were going to occupy the land – it was incredible.” Some were from Occupy Oakland and the others were university graduate students.

The group, joined by dozens of community members, farmed the land for three weeks before university police evicted them. They’ve returned to harvest, then given away hundreds of pounds of vegetables.

“Occupy The Farm showed the community what an urban farm looks like,” Hermes-Fletcher said. The group is keeping future plans under wraps.

“We’ve got a huge burst of energy again, thanks to Occupy the Farm,” she said. “It’s been so heartwarming, so hopeful.”

NFCSF : Vinay Kumar on sugar production

Ajay Jha — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 03:27:27 +0000

The apex sugar cooperative federation NFCSF has estimated that sugar production in the country next year would be 24.5 million tonnes a little less than the current year’s production of 26 million tonnes.

The NFCSF Managing Director Vinay Kumar made the estimate public while talking with reporters in the capital.

However, Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) had earlier calculated sugar output for the marketing year 2012-13 at 24 million tonnes. The sugar body said its estimate factored in a possible fall in sugar production due to a reduced precipitation.

According to the cooperative body, sugar output in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s second biggest sugar producing state, is estimated to rise to 8 million tonnes from 7 million tonnes in the review period.

Production in Karnataka is expected to decline to 3 million tonne on 2012-13 from 3.8 million tonnes this year due to less rains. Inspite of all this, India would have export surplus of 2 million tonnes for the next year, the sugar association noted.

“Raise the Bar Hershey” Campaign Organizes Natural Food Stores to Pressure Hershey & Asks Whole Foods to Join

Jeff Goldman — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:57:07 +0000

Reported by Green America:

This August, a coalition of US consumer-owned grocer cooperatives and natural food retailers took a stand: In response to the organizing work of our Fair Trade Program, they signed a letter to Hershey demanding a fair supply chain.

However, one major national chain — one with a reputation for carrying wholesome foods — was a notable hold-out. Whole Foods refused to sign on to the appeal to Hershey.

Tell Whole Foods to push Hershey toward a fairer supply chain

While other major chocolate brands have agreed to make major commitments to sourcing ethical chocolate, Hershey has not. With Hershey’s higher-end products like its Dagoba and Sharffenberger lines appearing on Whole Foods’ shelves, Whole Foods is supporting a corporation that derives profits from products tainted by exploitative child labor.

We’re asking that Whole Foods join food cooperatives in taking a stand. Whole Foods’ size, scope, and buying power can add even more incentive for Hershey to improve its supply chain. And truly Fair Trade chocolate companies deserve even greater support from distributors — like Whole Foods — that style themselves wholesome fair-labor leaders.

Please send a message to Whole Foods

NCBA Launches First Cooperative Mobile App to Help Consumers Shop Locally & Live Cooperatively

AnthonyMurray — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:18:51 +0000

Andrea Cumpston
202.383.5447
acumpston@ncba.coop

Laura Telander Graf
651.698.4006
ltgcommunications@comcast.net

NCBA Launches First-of-its-Kind Cooperative Mobile App to
Help Consumers Shop Locally & Live Cooperatively

CooperateUSA Mobile App Offers Access to 29,000 US Cooperatives
Meets the Needs of Consumers Looking for Values-Based Businesses

WASHINGTON, DC (September 10, 2012) – Consumers wanting to shop locally, support values-based businesses and find affordable alternatives to for-profit businesses in their communities now have access at the touch of a button with the new CooperateUSA mobile app and online directory.

CooperateUSA.coop and the CooperateUSA app are free resources developed by the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) in partnership with Co-operatives UK and National Cooperative Bank (NCB) to provide access to 29,000 US cooperatives in a variety of industries, including credit unions and financial service, grocery and consumer goods, healthcare, childcare, housing, transportation, utilities and more.

“Cooperatives continue to outperform for-profit businesses when it comes to consumer satisfaction and now consumers have a free resource at their fingertips that will enable them to experience the co-op difference firsthand,” said Liz Bailey, interim president and chief executive officer of NCBA. “It’s never been easier for consumers to shop locally, support values-based businesses and create jobs in their local communities.”

The CooperateUSA mobile app is free and compatible with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets, offering a variety of features including:

Locator that makes it easy to find 29,000 US co-ops by location, industry or product type
Gaming features that tally points for cooperative activities and award prizes and discounts
Timely updates that keep you informed about cooperative news, events and local offers
Education on how co-ops are impacting job creation, affordable housing, healthy food access & worker empowerment

The CooperateUSA.coop online directory offers a co-op locator to search nearby co-ops or co-ops nationwide and provides information and web links to each cooperative. The site also provides the latest news about cooperatives, information about cooperative development and facts about cooperatives in the US.

“National Cooperative Bank is thrilled to be a part of the CooperateUSA mobile app,” stated Chuck Snyder, President and CEO, NCB. “Many people shop at cooperatives and purchase co-op products everyday without knowing much about cooperatives. This tool helps build awareness of this successful business model and makes it easier than ever for consumers to live cooperatively.”

CooperateUSA Meets Needs of Consumers Who Rank Cooperatives Higher Than For-Profit

Consumers rank cooperatives higher than for-profit businesses on several measures of quality and service, according to a recent study by NCBA and the Consumer Federation of America. The study found that nearly 80 percent of consumers believe cooperatives can be counted on to meet the customer’s needs and 74 percent believe co-ops have the best interests of the customer in mind.

“This survey illustrates that cooperatives remain a trusted choice for millions of Americans who appreciate organizations that put the needs of the consumer first,” Bailey said. “Now more than ever, consumers want an alternative to businesses that focus only on the bottom line.”

Cooperatives are values-based businesses dedicated to the needs of its communities and members—the people who use the co-op’s services. Good at creating local jobs, keeping wealth in our communities and weathering tough economic conditions, cooperatives have recently been in the spotlight as a more sustainable model than for-profit businesses.

About National Cooperative Business Association

About the International Year of Cooperatives

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Fair Trade USA and Progreso Join Forces to Support Small Coffee Farmers in Chiapas

Fair Trade USA — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 19:01:00 +0000

In the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, small-scale coffee producers face a level of poverty that keeps many families from accessing basic healthcare, education, clean water and the fundamental business capacity needed to thrive in competitive international markets.

Through Fair Trade, Mexican coffee cooperatives have been able to face these challenges with grace and dignity, ensuring that their members are paid fair prices and wages, work in safe conditions, protect the environment, and earn community development funds to empower and improve their communities.

To further support the social, environmental and economic development of the small-scale coffee farmers in this historically volatile region, Fair Trade USA is collaborating with Progreso on a 3-4 year program to help co-ops in Chiapas address some of their biggest challenges: market access, productivity, quality, and access to pre-harvest and export financing. The project was made possible with generous funding from the DOEN Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Rabobank Foundation.

This is not the first time Fair Trade USA and Progreso have come together to support cooperatives around the world. The two organizations are also currently working together on a project to help strengthen coffee co-ops in Aceh, a mountainous region on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

“By collaborating with other like-minded, mission-driven organizations, we can have far greater impact on the farmers and workers we serve,” said Ben Schmerler, Fair Trade USA’s Senior Manager of Coffee & Supply Chain Services. “We’re proud and honored to work with Progreso again in Mexico; it’s a prime example of innovation in action—of thinking outside the box to help small farmers access the tools they need to grow their business and become more competitive in the U.S. market.”

The Partners

Progreso has long championed improvements in living/working conditions for small-scale farmers across the globe. The group currently works with many coffee and cocoa organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America, to achieve their mission of assisting and supporting small producer organizations as they work to improve the livelihoods of their members.

For Fair Trade USA, this work is part of their Co-op Link program. Co-op Link is about developing innovative new partnerships to connect and transform the lives of small-scale farmers worldwide. Its goal is to link organizations from all areas of the supply chain to maximize impact for producers and their families, specifically through projects that help cooperatives improve quality, increase productivity, access capital cost-effectively, and become stronger business partners.

A second partnership with Progreso in Chiapas was the perfect fit for Fair Trade USA, as the two groups share a common mission and dedication to the well-being and long-term success of small-scale farming cooperatives across the globe.

“Progreso is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with Fair Trade USA in a new country,” said Marieke Rodenhuis, Progreso’s Latin American Project Manager. “By strengthening these cooperatives we are creating new possibilities for the small coffee farmers of Chiapas and around the world.”

The Plan

During a joint visit to the region in March of 2012, Progreso and Fair Trade USA met with a group of cooperative farmers to hear their ideas about the project. Based on their feedback, farmers will receive comprehensive training in the following areas:

Fair Trade Certification and Compliance: Strengthen organizational capacities needed to maintain producer certification
Improving Quality and Productivity: Provide support and technical assistance to farmers as they work to increase volume and improve potential for export of high quality coffee
Market Access: Encourage direct contact between producer organizations and their (potential) customers, specifically through key international trade events like the Specialty Coffee Association of America Symposium
Access to Finance: Focus on strengthening administrative capacity and financial organization of the participating co-ops, as well as gaining access to short and long term financing

Nine coffee cooperatives in the region will participate in the program:

FIECH, Ángel Albino Corzo
Unión de Ejidos San Fernando, San Fernando de Chiapas
Majomut, San Cristóbal de las Casas
OPCAAC, Jaltenango
ORPAE, Jaltenango
Cesmach, Jaltenango
Triunfo Verde, Jaltenang
Comon Yaj Noptic, La Concordia
Ramal Santa Cruz, Independencia

The plan also helps put at least five additional cooperatives on the path to earning Fair Trade certification, in hopes that even more coffee farmers in Mexico can begin to access the transformative opportunities and benefits that stem from participation in Fair Trade.

“We are an organization that seeks to enable the personal development of men and women, by working together and organizing. Our work is based in solidarity and respect for the environment and focused on the production of high quality products and services”-- FIECH’s mission statement, participating cooperative