Editor:
Re: Steinman discusses food co-ops in Grand Forks (story in the Feb. 22 issue of the Grand Forks Gazette)
The idea of food secure communities is not a new idea by any means, in fact it plays on a time before globalization when communities were self-sufficient.
In the article, “Steinman discusses food co-ops in Grand Forks,” the people of Nelson will be replacing the Extra Foods store with a food co-op. Is Grand Forks willing to take a step back from progress of the modern world and get rid of all the big grocery stores?
These aren’t just grocery stores but big box stores that provide food, furnishings, pharmacy and much more. Will people be willing to go without foods like oranges from California, bananas from Ecuador, and pre-packaged TV dinners from who knows where? I don’t think so.
There are plenty of farmers’ markets in the Boundary area that focus on locally-grown produce that co-exists with the chain grocery stores.
Will this solve things if people make longer trips to larger centres such as Castlegar to still shop at these big box stores to get specialty groceries?
Again, it seems contradictory to the food co-ops. If locally grown foods are to make a complete comeback, they must be comparably priced and in sufficient quantities.
Don’t get me wrong, food co-ops sound like a fantastic idea, they just don’t seem like a viable option to overtake the large corporate powerhouses that have become an integral part of our industrialized food system.
Lindsay Howes, Edmonton, Alta.
