Food matters
Chris Brown
I remember from my school days the economics teacher explaining to the class about the different kinds of trading systems. Starting with the smallest, a sole trader, operations got steadily larger: a partnership, a private limited company, public limited companies, and so on. However, one type of trading stuck in my mind, one that didn’t quite fit neatly into the list – a co-operative.
The teacher went on to point out the difference between a co-operative (co-op) and a standard business organisation that’s run for investors: regular businesses pursue the objectives of making maximum profits for shareholders, whereas co-ops strive to maximize the benefits they generate for their members. This usually involves a zero-profits operation, with any surplus monies left over from the year’s transactions shared out in some way amongst the members.
I asked “Surely a co-op is the best system?”, to which the teacher replied: “It should be, but most enterprises like the idea of making a profit and don’t really want to share the proceeds with others.” How right he was! (Though it saddens me to say it.) The idea of sharing profits seemed the best option to me back then, and it still does. And I’m even more convinced it offers the best hope we have for the future of food.
Historically, the first agricultural co-ops were started in the 19th century and the aim was to band together to obtain goods that were otherwise unaffordable. This was the case with ‘The Rochdale Equitable Pioneers,’ for example, whose 28 members pooled together £1 sterling per person, to open a store to supply basic food items and a few candles. However, a co-op that’s able to meet the needs of the 21st century is certain to be a bit more complex than this, as big business will aggressively try to stop any initiative that threatens its profit making. Making yet more currency (sterling/euros/dollars or whatever) for their numerical trading system is still the main aim of ‘the corporates’ – the biffs!
A working example
During my visit to the Basque country in February, I found an agro-ecologist co-op, UZTARO (which means harvest time), that was working well. Without using chemicals, top-quality food is produced, enough to feed around 300 people on a weekly basis while supporting three full-time jobs.
Those entrusted with the responsibility of turning up with the goods were young, enthusiastic farmers, a credit to their profession, and they were kind enough to spend some time showing me round the vegetable fields and explaining how they were able to supply local food to the towns and cities below. As you’d imagine UZTARO’s success relies on customers that care where their food comes from!
Each family that is a member pays €66 per month and agrees to supply four hours labour, usually harvesting, in each month. The cash goes to pay the three full-time wages and meet other costs. Each week, at one set location in five different towns (five drop-off deliveries), the very finest vegetables, salads and some fruit is delivered for the members to share out amongst themselves. My friend Ibon, who is a customer, said this of the initiative: “We are building a project together so that both growers and customers can live better.” Speaks for itself.
Seemingly, and easy to imagine, the one afternoon per month when customers (who often bring their children along with them) travel up the valley to carry out their four-hour labour obligation, is a great occasion that often finishes with a meal shared up over some charcoal, a meal that sets a standard using food that didn’t cost the earth. Nice one lads.
Could this work in Mayo?
Next Time Fattening chickens
Chris Brown is a food producer in Louisburgh. He has a particular interest in food miles and buying local.
