Southern California Focus On Cooperation

Co-op Formation & Producer Group Assistance: SCFC provided assistance to minority producers, including Korean farmers in Lucerne Valley, Hmong and Laotian farmers in Fresno County, and immigrant refugees from Burma, Iraq, Somalia and other East African Countries who now reside in regions around San Diego, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. Assistance included conducting 2 feasibility studies, developing popular education approaches for cooperative development principles, and conducting education on decision making and problem solving. SCFC worked with CCCD to improve production and capacity of these producer groups. This included linking farmers to established, successful minority producer groups who cooperatively share farmland and equipment, and training in market development, food safely compliance, crop planning, and efficient production practices, including planting and packing improvements.

Cooperative Education and Outreach:SCFC provides resource information and outreach through the website of CCCD: www.cccd.coop

Assistance to Existing Co-ops:SCFC assisted an existing goat herding co-op to improve production and governance. In another project, SCFC also teamed with CCCD to provide assistance and growth strategies for a worker cooperative in Santa Barbara county.