Webinar Series Planned on Co-op Innovation in the Food System

Webinar Series Planned on Co-op Innovation in the Food System
Cooperative Development Specialist, Nebraska Cooperative Development Center
Cabbage field.

Kallie Jo Coates/realagstock.

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The Nebraska Cooperative Development Center is hosting a winter webinar series focused on cooperative businesses in the food system. During the Co-op Innovation in the Food System series attendees will hear from a wide range of businesses and learn how they use the cooperative model to address issues such as land access, infrastructure needs, fair prices, and the land stewardship. Interested producers, community members and service providers are encouraged to register for these free sessions, one-hour virtual sessions.

Session 1. December 6, 2022 / 12-1pm CST via Zoom
Co-ops, Small-Scale Livestock Producers, Fair Prices, and Big Impacts.

A conversation and Q&A session with Cody Hopkins CEO of Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative, a cooperative based in Arkansas whose members are small-scale livestock producers across the country using soil regenerating practices on their farms and raising their animals on pasture. They own and operate processing facilities that are centrally located to their producers, and ship pasture raised chicken, pork, turkey, lamb, bison, and beef nationally.

A core part of their mission is to grow the next generation of farmers in America. Learn how they are fulfilling their mission through the cooperative business model.

Session 2. December 13, 2022 / 12-1pm CST via Zoom
Unique Land Access, Worker-Cooperative Farm and Perpetuating Community Generosity.

Hannah Breckbill co-founder of Humble Hands Harvest in Decorah, Iowa will join the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center for a conversation about their unique land access story, how their "commons" project aims to make it easier for the next generation of farmers to get started, and the benefits of organizing their highly diverse farm as a worker-cooperative.

Learn how Humble Hands Harvest is creatively using the cooperative model to address current needs, involve their supportive community in the business and plan for the transition of the land and business to the next generation.

Session 3. January, 2023
TBA – More info coming soon!

Want to learn more about how cooperatives in the food system address challenges and improve the quality of life for farmers and ranchers?

Register at: https://go.unl.edu/coopfoodsystem

For more information, contact:

Margaret Milligan, Cooperative Development Specialist, mmilligan2@unl.edu or (402)472-5273

The Nebraska Cooperative Development Center (NCDC) is located within the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. NCDC programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture. NCDC is funded in part by the USDA RCDG Grant Program.