"Co-ops: An Alternative to Consolidation"

"In an article published in January in the online magazine Civil Eats, “As Grocery Stores Get Bigger, Small Farms Get Squeezed Out,” the author asks whether the proposed merger of major retailers Kroger and Albertson’s will “put more money in the pockets of retailers, making it even harder for small and mid-sized farms to access markets?” The short answer that, yes, the consolidation of corporate supermarkets will increase returns for investors, limit consumer choice, and exclude more family farmers. Fortunately, there are alternatives including agricultural co-ops that enable producers to build scale and compete in the marketplace, and food co-ops that empower communities to have more control over the food they buy and the impact of their choices on the wider food system and economy. "

Read More