[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"13322","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","style":"font-size: 13.008px; line-height: 1.538em;","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"363"}}]]October is co-operative month in the USA, an opportunity for co-ops from across the country to celebrate their co-operative identity. To mark the month, the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) is encouraging member co-operatives to use shelf tags that indicate products made by supplier co-ops. The Go Co-op! shelf tag logo incorporates the co-operative marque, which was developed by the International Co-operative Alliance to help co-operatives from across the world differentiate themselves from other business models.
NFCA is a network of 35 food co-ops and start-ups across New England working together to create a community of co-operative enterprises. Shelf tags are part of the association’s Go Co-op! initiative inspired by the sixth co-operative principle – co-operation among co-operatives.
Go Co-op! aims to stimulate co-operatives to trade with each other as well, purchase co-operative products and services and invest in other co-operative businesses. A long list of co-operative suppliers is available at www.nfca.coop/co-opproducts. The Go Co-op! website also features a map of food co-ops in the region. Members are directed to the Credit Union National Association’s website to find and join a local credit union.
The Go Co-op! portal includes information about co-operative funds that help co-ops grow and continue to serve their communities such as Cooperative Fund of New England and Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund.
Through the Go Co-op! initiative NFCA also works to inform customers about the wider co-operative economy. The website provides details on study groups and courses on co-operatives.
A number of resources and a list of ideas on how to celebrate co-operation during October and throughout the year are available at http://nfca.coop/go.
“The Co-operative marque is becoming the key identifier for co-ops all around the world and there are now more than 1400 co-ops in 105 countries registered to use the marque. This example from NFCA is one of the best we have come across and it is great that the team there are putting the marque in front of consumers so that they can make a choice between products from co-operatives and those produced by other types of business,” commented Nicola Huckerby, global marketing lead for the co-operative identity.
"The co-operative marque is our opportunity to tell our story. For our food co-ops, it also enables us to communicate that we are part of something bigger. From worker co-ops to credit unions, housing co-ops to energy co-ops, and farmer co-ops to food co-ops — across our economy, co-operatives empower people to build a better world, together,” said Erbin Cowell, executive director of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association.
