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Dear Editor,
Following some on-line discussion and volunteer recruitment, myself and a group of other Mineral Point residents have begun the process of organizing a food cooperative.
The need became apparent following the closure of Point Foods.
The void has left Mineral Point in the designation of a "food desert". Most residents now travel to Dodgeville or further for most of their basic food needs. This is an additional cost, exposes everyone to potential traffic accidents and contributes to unnecessary carbon pollution.
The lack of a local grocery store has been compounded by the hyperinflation in the cost of basic food. Bottom line is there is obvious food security stress in our fine city.
I and my fellow volunteers believe a food co-op can address both the need for a local store and some insulation from food inflation by closing the food distribution loop and negotiating with local vendors.
Settling on a location is down the road a bit, but our discussion so far would favor utilizing an existing site close to the downtown. Would this store look like the hippie era stores in the big city - probably not. We will need to cater to the needs of the greater population and the selection should include both organic and non-organic products with an emphasis on locally and sustainably grown.
The coolest part of the co-op model is that the store will look and feel like how the members want it to look and feel. (Incidentally, shopping is open to non-members, but a discount for members is usually included.) The hope is that the store would also appeal to shoppers outside of Mineral Point.
This is going to be a long-term effort. It could take two to three years, or even more, to have a store up and running. The first step is in organizing a steering group which met for the first time this week.
The critical step will be the membership drive, which will hopefully kick off later this year. Membership fees constitute the nucleus of the co-op's capital fund. Unlike a Costco membership, the co-op membership is an actual ownership stake in the business.
Our aim is to make this process as transparent as possible. Minutes from each meeting will be shared with the public and one or more whole community meetings or events will be scheduled along the way to provide even more opportunity for input. We also welcome comments, suggestions and offers to volunteer to our email pointfoodcoop@gmail.com.
Dean Dickel
Mineral Point, WI