Why we Need an Organic Hay & Feed Buyer's Cooperative

by Sara Grusky, Green Uprising Farm

I believe we need an Organic Hay Buyers Cooperative now, right here, for the growing small farmer community in Willits, Laytonville, Redwood Valley, and Anderson Valley.

Here are the top four reasons:

1. Pool our purchasing power and influence the choices of local feed stores and hay brokers. With an organized Hay & Feed Buyers Cooperative we can pool our purchasing power and effectively demand organic and high quality hay and feed. Did you know that there is not a single feed store in Willits, Laytonville or Redwood Valley that sells certified organic alfalfa? The closest source of organic alfalfa is Potter Valley hay broker, Paige Poulos. This is a huge obstacle for small, local, organic dairy. The FDA approved GMO alfalfa in 2011. Unless alfalfa is certified organic or unless you know the farmer and his/her practices personally you will have no control over the hay you are purchasing.
   
   
2. Reduce the price of high quality organic hay and feed. Organizing and pooling our purchasing power as a Hay & Feed Buyers Coop could be used to influence and reward the choices of our local feed stores and hay brokers. Or, we could seek direct relationships with hay growers. Either way, the prices for high quality organic hay and feed for livestock and poultry would be reduced. The Buyer's Coop could lease a conveniently located barn or warehouse where the hay and feed could be delivered and temporarily stored.
   

---

3.    Support local farmers and ranchers. Ensure the quality of local hay, compost and manure. Many small farmers and gardeners aspire to growing and making all of our own compost, but may of us don't achieve that aspiration. We may purchase hay or straw for mulching, or composted manure from local ranchers or even commercial compost. Do we really know what's in it? Unfortunately Dow and Dupont have been pushing some powerful new herbicides for pasture, grass family crops (hay, wheat, barley...) and lawns. Minute concentrations of picloram, clopyralid and aminopyralid, as low as 1 ppb (parts per billion), can be lethal to sensitive garden plants such as peas, beans, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes and potatoes. These herbicides have also been found in livestock feed and can be passed through the animal's intestinal track. For more details on the Killer Compost scandal see Mother Jones: http://www.the-compost-gardener.com/picloram.html or http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/herbicide-damage. As a large organized pool of buyers we can cultivate relationships, share information and provide incentives for local farmers and ranchers to do the right thing.


4.      Build a foundation for other cooperative ventures. Farming communities in Vermont, Canada and elsewhere have built their successes upon pooling resources, networking and farmer cooperatives. The Hay Buyers Coop could build a foundation for a much needed tool, equipment and tractor cooperative for local farmers.

The Hay Buyer's Cooperative could be a project supported by our local Granges or the Mendocino Farmers Guild. First, we need a critical mass of people who are interested in making this happen. If you are interested in this idea contact me at: homesteadingsara AT gmail DOT com and let's make it happen.