Inner Southeast’s People’s Food Co-op contributes to growing cooperative movement

By Merry Mackinnon

The Bee, Mar 5, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Merry MacKinnon / THE BEE

Magan Holme and Todd Wallace served Italian appetizers and wine at a February 9 talk on Northern Italy’s village agriculture, at Inner Southeast’s People’s Food Co-op – presented by David J. Thompson, author of “Weavers of Dreams: The Origins of the Cooperative Movement”.

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David J. Thompson, author of “Weavers of Dreams: The Origins of the Cooperative Movement”, spoke at People’s Food Co-op just north of the Brooklyn neighborhood on February 9th, following some socializing outside on the deck of the store’s renovated second story, where Italian wine, cheese, fruit and crostinis were served.

“It’s amazing what a little wine can do for people,” Thompson said, having been warmly welcomed by the audience. The expert on co-ops spoke about the strong cooperative movement in Northern Italy’s Emilio Romagna.

An agricultural region famous for its food, in Emilio Romagna 25 to 35 percent of the economy is done by co-ops of all kinds, according to Thompson.

“In Emilio Romagna local food production is driven by co-ops,” Thompson reported, adding that the region, which produces one third of Italy’s milk, has 10,000 village dairies, averaging 12 cows per herd. And it has over 700 cheese co-ops.

“This is where ‘supporting and buying local’ has an impact,” Thompson said. “People work and live in the villages. They are highly paid. The quality of life is so good, no one leaves.”

Thompson also noted that all co-ops in Italy must contribute three percent of net profits to a cooperative development fund, as a way to self finance their own growth. “They don't need to go to banks,” he said. “And though they operate in a market economy, they don't need the stock exchange.”

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