Apply to be appointed to the Co-op Council by August 19 

In addition to the three council positions that are open because of terms expiring, we have two additional seats to fill, due to resignations from council members who are moving away or no longer have the time for the position. The council is looking for people to appoint to fill approximately one-year terms, until after the election held in connection with the 2027 Annual Meeting. If you’re passionate about co-op governance and want to help steer our food future, please apply by August 19. Know someone who should? Encourage them to apply too. 

There are three candidates to be elected to the positions open because of terms expiring, two incumbents (Steven Farnham and myself) and one former council member (Katie Michels); voting will begin at the September 24 Annual Meeting.  

Vote for a primary candidate whose stance on food and farming you support 

August 11 is the last day to vote in Vermont’s primary election. Hunger Free Vermont, Vermont Foodbank, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT), along with partners in achieving food security for all, sent a food and farm security questionnaire to all legislative and statewide candidates for the 2026 primary election. You can find the candidates’ responses here. 

Hunger Mountain Co-op does not endorse political candidates and did not participate in this effort. 

Note for those who haven’t voted yet: Secretary of State Sarah Copeland-Hanzas advises against mailing your ballot after July 29 due to potential USPS delays. You can vote in person on August 11 or return an absentee ballot to your municipal clerk’s office or drop box by the local deadline. Check with your clerk for details. 

Tell Sen. Peter Welch about your vision of the food and agriculture future 

The Farm Bill renewal is in the Senate, scheduled as of this writing to be marked up starting the morning of Thursday, Aug. 6. By the time you read this, the Senate Agriculture Committee may or may not have finished that work. In any case, Vermont Senator Peter Welch sits on the committee; you can contact his office and let him know what you’re interested in seeing in the bill. NOFA-VT and Rural Vermont have outlined their priorities here and here. Your voice helps shape national food policy. 

Learn about the reasons behind food prices—insights a co-op revealed to the New York Times 

When the New York Times went to report on what’s affecting food prices, corporate grocers gave them the runaround. But at a Pittsburgh food co-op, General Manager Tyler Kulp shared the real story: the careful work co-ops do to balance fair pricing, quality, and sustainability while operating on thin margins. Listen to the July 13 episode of The Daily podcast to hear the full conversation. You can listen for free through your favorite podcatcher; a Times subscription is required to listen via the linked web page and view the transcript. 

I think you’ll be impressed by the amount of work a co-op does to keep prices fair and reasonable for its shoppers while remaining profitable in a competitive market.  

The Wrap 

l’ve started investing in stocks: beef, chicken, and vegetable…. 

One day I hope to be a bouillonaire!  🍲