Emily Stewart, NCF Associate Director, presenting on the USDA Rural Development panel.
Last week, Northcountry Cooperative Foundation’s (NCF) Associate Director, Emily Stewart, participated as a panelist in the first of a series of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development hosted meetings that focus on connecting a diverse array of private sector cooperatives with government partners to increase collaboration and effectiveness. Focusing on housing cooperatives, the event was a part of the Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development’s efforts, established by US Congress, to “foster cooperative development and ensure coordination with federal agencies and cooperative organizations.”
The meeting featured USDA Rural Development leadership, a panel of private sector representatives within the housing cooperative industry, and other Federal government officials who administer current cooperative programs. The sessions intend to spur discussion between the public and private sector, with an emphasis on crafting solutions that meet the needs of cooperatives across the country. Following the June meeting on housing cooperatives, the USDA will host monthly meetings focusing on food chain cooperatives, childcare cooperatives, real estate cooperatives, and a discussion on envisioning an equitable cooperative ecosystem.
