Member Patrick shares with us why he chooses the Coop:
I feel much better purchasing food from local producers who openly disclose their farming practices. I am not just a consumer of meat, eggs, and vegetables. I want grass fed beef, range fed chicken eggs and organic, non-GMO vegetables. Before placing my order with a new producer, I review the information they provide about their products and decide what to buy based on their farming practices.
I do this first of all for my own good health. I’m convinced that the practices used by concentrated animal feedlot operations result in inferior-tasting products that are also polluted with antibiotics, synthetic hormones, residues of GMO toxins and pesticides. Non-organic fruit and vegetable producers are allowed a certain “safe” level of pesticide residue in their products, but I’ve yet to see a food label that provides information about what specific pesticides they used. I would rather not assume the risk to my health by consuming these products. Thanks to Iowa Food Co-Op, I don’t have to.
I’m glad to support producers who have invested time and effort to make grass-fed, range-fed, organic, non-GMO products available; because without them, what choice would there be?