Growing economically, cooperatively

This is the last week of National Co-op Month, the annual opportunity to consider the importance and potential of cooperative businesses. The theme this year, “Co-ops Build Economic Power,” is, sadly, more hope than reality for co-ops, their member owners and our communities.

It is definitely true that specific co-ops here in the Skagit Valley are economic powerhouses. The Puget Sound Food Hub, Skagit Valley Food Co-op, Skagit Farm Supply and credit unions such as BECU and North Coast are thriving, growing opportunities for their member owners. But the number of co-ops locally and nationally are few and far between.

It is a good thing that here are more than 30,000 co-ops in the United States providing nearly two million jobs and 350 million memberships. But, consider that in Washington state over 630,000 businesses exist. If all the co-ops in the U.S. were in our state, they would make up less than five percent of businesses. How many thousands of businesses exist in Skagit County? Few are cooperatives. Hard to build economic power when the base is so small.

Small but mighty, though. Co-ops can be among the strongest and most resilient businesses in any locality. Because they are either worker-, producer- or user-owned and operate for the benefit of their owners, they are first meeting the needs of their staffs, their customers and their communities. They put their people – the business owners – ahead of profits, but as businesses they must be profitable to grow.

Ownership is equal for every member. Governance is democratic. Values, framed by seven internationally agreed upon principles, are at the core of every co-op. Operating for their members, they are future oriented. Operating for their members, they are committed to place, to where their members live and to the communities where they do business.

And those owners live in the community. Co-ops do not move overseas. They do not merge with conglomerates that close them down. A successful co-op is rooted in its owners’ hometown. Those owners are your neighbors. Their business might be your business.

The only way we are going to make progress is cooperatively. Best that we take a lesson, take to heart and make these co-op principles real: Yes to education, training and information; cooperation among co-ops and concern for community.

Those last two principles are hard to bring to life, to enact. Whatever our business model, concern among workers and owners alike is typically within the four walls of their building or within the confines of their field or boat. Our economic power remains limited as long as the “ours” is singular. Yet that is the hardest stretch for any group to make, to reach out to others.

In communities and society-wide people have not succeeded in large ways to get beyond the bonding of school colors or sports colors or skin color. The hope of working together cooperatively is a hope championed by too few too seldom. That is why National Co-op Month is needed, for its yearly theme, this year of building economic power.

We are reminded every October that co-ops are a critical and successful social and economic component in communities across the United States. People are making that true in Skagit County. We can build on that.