FDA Proposes New Rules for Homeopathy

Homeopathic treatments are a staple of many people's medicine cabinets. Since the passage of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, they have been lightly regulated by the U.S. Government. Over the ensuing decades, the once-small homeopathic industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar business. In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was going to begin the process of creating new rules for regulating certain homeopathic products.

Late last year, the FDA released their proposed new draft rules for regulating the marketing and sale of homeopathic products. They are currently soliciting feedback from consumers on the proposed regulations. 

We here at the Co-op encourage all of our shoppers and owners to be informed and engaged about issues that confront us all. Follow the links below to learn more about these proposed new rules, and how you can contact the FDA about them.

FDA press release on proposed new regulation can be found here.
The proposed new regulations can downloaded here (PDF).
Offer commentary to the FDA on the proposal here.

We want to thank the concerned Co-op owners who brought this news to our attention. We admire and appreciate all the people in our community who are working to make our area, and our world, a better place.

March Ownership Drive

This March, the Co-op is running an ownership drive. If you've been thinking about investing in Chico's only community-owned grocery store, there is no better time than the present! 

For the month of March, new owners will receive a gift bag full of amazing local products. New owners who sign up right now receive gifts from the following local producers:

Pacific Culture: A pint of free kombucha on draft!
Lavender Ranch: A bar of locally made, refreshing soap
Llano Seco: A pack of their new chanchito sticks
Tender Loving Coffee: A bag of one-of-a-kind Co-op blend coffee
Bread Itself: A loaf of locally baked, unbeatable bread
Stone Soup Permaculture: A dozen duck eggs, OR
Duivenvoorden Farms: A pint of locally raised raw milk.

The contents of these all-local gift bags will change throughout the month. What won't change is that there is no better time to go all-in on Chico's Co-op. Sign up today!

Holiday Hams!

The Co-op is proud to offer locally raised, naturally treated Llano Seco Holiday Hams for sale this month. Whether you're hosting your extended family, or bringing a dish to a late Friendsgiving, there's no better ham to bring than Llano Seco. A typical holiday ham is roughly 8.5 lbs. and will feed 12-13 people.  Get tips from the experts on how to cook it here.

You can save big on our already excellent ham prices (as well as on turkeys and Tofurkey Holiday Feasts) at the Co-op! When you buy $75 worth of other items from your community grocery store, you'll save an extra 25% off your ham (or Tofurkey or turkey). This fantastic sale has already started, and runs until Christmas.

Feed your people right with food from the Co-op!

Patronage Refund Donation

Every year, the Co-op offers its owners the option of donating their Patronage Refund to a selected non-profit. Just like last year, we are once again directing donated and unredeemed Patronage Refunds to our Cooperative Community Fund, managed by the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation. We have an exciting new development this year: three fantastic national cooperatives will be matching your contribution to the Twin Pines Community Fund!

Up to $1,000 worth of donated Patronage Refunds will be matched by three of the finest cooperative businesses in the country. Frontier Co-op (source of many wonderful spices, herbs, and teas), Organic Valley (a dairy farmers' cooperative), and The National Cooperative Bank have all worked together to pledge up to $1,000 to our Co-op Community Fund. CNFC will also match up to $1,000 in donated Patronage Refunds. That means that $1,000 in owner donations will result in $2,000 of additional investment!

You can turn in your Patronage Refund voucher with the “Donate” box marked to contribute to our Community Fund. You can also not do anything! All unredeemed vouchers will be automatically donated at the end of the year. If you prefer to cash out your voucher or apply it to a purchase at the Co-op, you have until the end of the year to do so—on January 1st we will donate the untouched Patronage Refund amounts to the Cooperative Community Fund.

If you have any questions about Patronage Refunds, please contact our Ownership and Outreach Coordinator, Joey. He can be reached by phone or email: 530-891-1713 ext. 110 or jhaney@chiconaturalfoods.coop.