Community Food Compact

The Co-operative Community Food Compact, Inc. is a new kind of community agricultural cooperative located in Northern Columbia and Southern Rensselaer Counties, NY. between Albany, NY and Pittsfield, Ma.

The Compact brings together local farmers and other food producers, consumers, nutritionists and chefs/cooks, to form their own independent, directly marketed, local food system that supports local fair trade and sustainable agriculture.

The Compact offers a new way for local farmers and other food producers to sell their food, an easier way for consumers and chefs/cooks to buy local foods, and a community self-help setting for changing cooking and eating habits needed for better health, lower family food costs and the renewal of our local food system.

INDEX

(Click links to read)

• 1. FOOD PRODUCTS
• 2. MEMBERSHIPS
• 3. WEEKLY ORDERING AND DELIVERY
• 4. ORDER MINIMUMS, BUYING PLANS, PRODUCER CONTRACTS
• 5. NASSAU COMPACT MARKET
• 6. NUTRITION
• 7. COOKING
• 8. CONTACT US

1. FOOD PRODUCTS

The Compact offers a product list with two parts for weekly online ordering by members only:

1. A retail section of basic food staples and flavorings available in single item quantities for popular, one-stop, retail food shopping: Fruits and vegetables; Grain staples like breads, pasta and whole grains; Protein-rich foods like meats, milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, soymilk, beans and nuts; Flavorings such as salad dressings, cooking sauces, spreads.

2. A wholesale section of any foods member farms and food producers wish to offer in case-size quantities, ideal for chefs.

A one time purchase of at least 1/2 share of Compact stock for $50 is needed to join the Compact. There are no annual membership fees. This is the lowest co-op entry requirements in the NY Capital District. This investment involves risk and the value of this stock is not guaranteed. When possible, the co-op will buy back share(s)for the same amount paid from members who are leaving.

When the co-op is making sufficient profits, it will distribute monthly patronage work dividends, based upon the value of work performed during the month in co-op member worker jobs. There are no dividends for owning shares or for shopping.

The Compact is incorporated in NYS as a cooperative, a not-for-profit democratic organization that serves the needs of its members. Your membership entitles you to participate in running the co-op.

Eligible applicants will be accepted into membership if space is available. Priority is given to residents of Columbia and Rensselaer Counties. Some membership scholarships are available for low income residents.

FRIDAYS BY NOON: Member farms and food providers post their wholesale food lists for the coming week.

SATURDAYS BY 10AM: The co-op updates the retail list.

SATURDAYS 10AM TO SUNDAYS MIDNIGHT: Consumers & chefs/cooks can place their orders on weekends at any time during this order period. You may change or cancel your order before the order period closes.

MONDAYS BY NOON: Farms and other food producers receive their new orders for the week.

WEDNESDAYS 4PM TO 7PM: The Nassau Consumer Marketplace is open for members to shop and enjoy other activities together. Home and restaurant deliveries may be available in some areas. Additional fees may apply.

PERSONAL ACCOUNTS: Members have their own private Compact accounts. Your account, orders and balances can be viewed online at any time. Funds must be in your account to cover your order before it will be accepted by the online ordering system. Payments are automatically deducted from your account Sunday night when the order period closes. Deposits to replenish your account are accepted at the marketplace on Wednesdays and posted to your account before the next order period opens on Saturday.

EBT (FOOD STAMPS): The Compact will accept EBT(food stamp)payments as soon as our application is accepted, which is expected by July. EBT recipients must maintain a cash deposit in their Compact accounts to cover their orders just like other members.

Buying and selling food in the Compact differs from conventional food buying and selling because the Compact's goals are different and include providing greater security for all members and supporting our local food system and way of life.

MINIMUMS: To create a larger local market for our producers and to keep prices down for consumers, consumers agree to buy a minimum of half of their food from the Compact, based upon average food spending in the Northeast US, approximately $30/wk singles, $60/wk two people, $85/wk three people, $110 four person. (Those under 10 not counted).

BUYING PLANS: To determine if you can meet your minimum, consumers fill out a "buying plan". You simply select the foods on the product list you wish to buy and state how many weeks it will take you to finish each food before you would be ordering it again. The Compact computes your average weekly order automatically for you. You can do your buying plan over the phone and the Compact will email you a copy. Once you join you can buy any kinds and amount of food you wish online any week, so long as you maintain your average minimum buying level over time.

PRODUCERS' CONTRACTS: The Co-op adds up the buying plans of all members to determine total consumer demand. This enables the Compact to sign contracts with producers to buy a definite amount of food over a period of time, within a minimum to maximum range, that depends upon consumers' actual orders. These local food contracts provide producers with guaranteed regular business from this local community. Consumers receive the security of knowing that high-quality, safe, local food will be available for them.

A Compact Consumer Market is both a local group of Compact consumers and a physical marketplace where they get their food. The Nassau Compact Market is the founding market in the Compact, and it's marketplace is at Grace United Methodist Church, 42 Church St, (Rt.20), Nassau, NY, 12123, open Wednesdays, from 4pm to 7pm.

All of the food ordered by Compact members is brought to the Nassau Compact marketplace, where it is displayed so that consumers can shop by picking out their food. The marketplace is also a community gathering spot where food is sampled, recipes shared and other Compact programs held.

Consumer members do not have to work to buy Compact food but the market must have enough working members to fill its jobs.

The public is welcome to drop in and visit the Nassau Compact Marketplace. Sales are offered so that you can try Compact food and help the Market dispose of its surplus.

To view the Nassau Compact Market's Facebook page click on this link: http://www.facebook.com/n/?pages%2FNassau-Community-Food-Compact%2F267155767116&mid=1c59395G3f3c65e2Gf09801G49

The Community Food Compact is the first community agricultural co-operative we know that integrates nutrition serving information into its product list. The Compact's buying plans offers members a way to link their food shopping directly to their family nutrition needs to improve dietary health and save money. Nutrition Committee members offer nutrition information at the marketplace and help members place orders for special dietary food needs.

The Community Food Compact provides weekly news and recipes that helps members learn about new seasonal food offerings and cooking with local food staples. Improving our diets and enjoying a new local way of eating depends upon sharing our experiences and knowledge about local food buying and cooking. Cooking Committee members provide food samples and demonstrations at the marketplace, collect weekly news and recipes, and create opportunities for social networking among members.

8. CONTACT INFORMATION

GENERAL INQUIRIES: Email: communityfoodcompact@gmail.com, or Call: Terry at 392-7078 or Sheila at 766-2047