Food Co-Op Update: A Solid Start

By Dan Nygard
Staff Writer

As I downed my Atomic coffee in preparation for my meeting with Cass-Clay Wholesome Food Co-op reps Zac Echola and Reba Mathern-Jacobson, questions began buzzing through my mind: the press release in my hands said the initial fundraising goal of $5,000 had been met, so why didn’t we have a storefront yet? What was the holdup? When would Fargo finally step up and join Grand Forks, Sioux Falls, St. Cloud, St. Peter (!) and many other cities as truly progressive places with an active food co-op, dammit?

I am impetuous by nature, and the caffeine only helps things, so it was all Echola and Mathern-Jacobson could do to keep me from leasing retail space myself. However, that this article is finished is a testament to their success; due to their efforts, a true crisis was averted.

Echola, chair of the Communications Committee, talked me off the proverbial ledge by explaining that the group wants to do things the right way (not, thankfully, the Nygard way). For one thing, Echola explained, “we want to be big enough to survive.” Point well taken; if it doesn’t meet its operating expenses, the co-op will close just like any other business. Also, as Mathern-Jacobson explained, the co-op wants to make sure they are providing only the best local and organic food, while at the same time giving “quality of life for the employees that work there.”
I hadn’t thought of those things. I shivered a little bit; maybe these people knew more than I did about this.

Filing that concept into “things to bring to my therapist,” I continued the conversation, learning more about just where this project was as of today. While definitely happy to have come this far, and very thankful to the approximately 90 donors who combined to give the $5,000, the co-op members know there is still much to do. Not resting on their laurels, the group has completed a grant application to the North Dakota Department of Commerce’s Agricultural Products Utilzation Commission (APUC). On July 22, they will be presenting their case (and it’s a solid one), to the APUC board. In early August, we will find out if they were successful (mark your calendars!)

With this grant money, the co-op can begin finding a tangible storefront location. And in this writer’s opinion, if the APUC board denies North Dakota’s largest city a place where local growers can sell their products, and a place where healthy, quality foods can be purchased by its citizens, those citizens need to figure out how those board members can be replaced (I’ll step down from my soapbox now).

In addition to that work, the arduous legal/beaurocratic process of incorporating has begun. Committee members are training up for that as you read this, with the goal of being a legal entity by October.

And, as always, they are recruiting new members.

Now, Echola acknowledged that this may seem like a bit much for those of us who wait for this grand idea to become something tangible. “With excitement comes frustration,” he said, patting me on the shoulder, handing me a napkin to wipe away the tears. However, as there is still a lot to do, there is a lot that members of the community can contribute. Donations are still sought (tax-deductible via their listing at http://www.areafoundation.org/page26576.cfm), and this money will be used to fund operating expenses, application fees, and perhaps a web presence beyond the Facebook and Blogspot pages. Also, those willing to volunteer their time can serve on a committee, or just help out in any way needed.

And both Echola and Mathern-Jacobson wished to reiterate how grateful they are to those that have helped out so far; “It’s wonderful we met our goal in the time we had,” added Mathern-Jacobson. This project is becoming more and more “real” every day, and the end result, I predict, will be worth the wait.

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