NCBA CLUSA member Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) led the way this year in securing Co-op Month proclamations from governors. In New England, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee and Vermont Governor Phil Scott each officially proclaimed October as Co-op Month in their respective states.
Governors in Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Tennessee and Wisconsin have released similar Co-op Month proclamations recognizing the cooperative sector’s economic and social contributions in their states.
A thriving cooperative economy
Across the Northeast, cooperatives span nearly every sector of the economy—from food and farming to finance, housing and energy—empowering people and communities to take ownership of their economic futures.
“The cooperative philosophy of working together for the common good has promoted community well-being and improved quality of life for the people of Massachusetts,” Gov. Healey’s proclamation said.
The state is home to many housing co-ops; members of farmer co-op brands such as Ocean Spray and the Pioneer Valley Growers Association; worker co-ops such as Equal Exchange, Dean’s Beans and Real Pickles; and numerous credit unions.
“The Cooperative Credit Union Association applauds Governor Healey for recognizing the impact cooperatives have here in our region and across the nation,” said Ron McLean, president and CEO of CCUA, which represents almost 200 credit unions in Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. “Co-ops—whether in finance, food, housing or energy—empower individuals to work together toward shared success and stronger communities. This proclamation highlights the importance of collaboration and local ownership in building a more inclusive economy.”
In Vermont, Gov. Scott’s proclamation highlighted cooperatives and credit unions as “businesses locally owned by everyday people who join together to achieve shared goals, solve a challenge, or meet a community need, together.”
The state is home to well-known co-op brands such as Cabot Creamery, farmer co-ops such as Deep Root Organic Co-op and numerous members of national cooperatives including Organic Valley. Vermont’s member-owned utilities include the Vermont Electric Co-op and the Washington Electric Co-op, and there are numerous financial cooperatives represented by the Association of Vermont Credit Unions.
“As cooperatives, and unlike for-profit oriented financial service providers, credit unions are always working to strengthen the financial lives of individuals, families and businesses in the communities they serve across our nation,” said AVCU President Joe Bergeron. “This is why credit unions embrace their part in the cooperative community by helping ensure economic prosperity and fairness for everyone.”
“Cooperatives have a big impact in Vermont,” agreed Mary Mullally, General Manager of Hunger Mountain Co-op in Montpelier and Vice President of NFCA’s Board of Directors. “In our state alone there are 15 food co-ops locally owned by more than 55,000 members, generating about $164 million in revenue, and employing more than 1,000 people. They are also engines of the regional economy, with an average of 30 percent of sales being local products.”
Putting local co-ops in a global context
“People in Vermont and across the Northeast know the difference that co-ops make in their communities every day,” said NFCA Executive Director Erbin Crowell, who also serves on NCBA CLUSA’s Board of Directors. “But many people are surprised by how important cooperatives are across the U.S. and around the world.”
In fact, one in three Americans are members of at least one co-op, and the International Cooperative Alliance estimates that globally around 1 billion people are co-op members, and 10 percent of the world’s population is employed by cooperatives.