New Generation Co-op
GFBRAS requested White Oak Consultants to do a business, feasibility study to insure the Mobile Processing Unit would be successful. The society had determined a MPU would not be viable alone. The only way to be insure a long lasting, viable solution to the current imposed Meat Regulations was to have a local butcher shop to process the animals from the MPU and supply marketing for the local products. This was seen as a way to help local consumers to support local year round. The idea was put forward to include local farm fresh ground crops and as well a cannery to assist in allowing local consumers to preserve local products and enjoy them year round.
The business plan has been completed and the consultants have done a great job!
See Executive Summary! Click here
A New Generation Co-op (NGC) would create many opportunities for producers and consumers from our entire regions.
Producers could enter into a supply quota and know their produce would be sold!
The NGC would know that they have produce that they can sell and actively market that product in our region.
Consumers would have a year round choice to support local farm fresh products.
This would be a learning experience for all involved!!
Producers would have to be found and grown locally to supply products grown to a standard, expectable to all involved. This alone will require a lot of work to ensure quality, and year round production to supply the markets need.
Consumers can be assured that quality, food safety and security has not been over looked. Products will be available for purchase year round and each product has been produced in our region. Not having to travel thousands of km.
Will this mean change!! You bet!! With the support of our entire region this could be a reality!! Supporting our communities, providing economic opportunities and becoming:
The Region That Feeds Its Self!!!!
Doug Zorn
Download Business Plan Click Here
Web sites of interest for researching Co-ops
www.bcics.org
University of Victoria based – BC Institute of Co-operative Studies – lots of case studies – check out the BC Galleria Project – get the story on some well known and established Co-ops from around the province.
http://www.bcca.coop
This is the BC Cooperatives Association – lots of background on how co-ops operate and why.
To find the BC Co-op Act – see http://www.bcca.coop/content/legislation
This is a link within the BC Coop Association web site to the actual Act.
www.coopscanada.coop/
This is the Canadian Coop Association web site – Again TONS of information and links to more!! This is the organization that has funded our incorporation process
Thursday March 5th in the evening - 7pm. at the College -- we will have an informal meet and greet with any of you that can make it -- we will invite all of the Agricultural Society.
Friday March 6th from 3:30 to 5pm - Selkirk College Room 8----Community meeting -
George Alkalay will present:
Cooperatives- Sustainable Business Building Strong Community
this will be where George covers many of the basic principles to co-operatives so would be good for all of us to attend this as well.
