Farmers Exchange:
Develop an online Farmers’ Exchange featuring listings for sale of livestock and feed, farm equipment & tools, custom farm work and farm help wanted. The Co-op would also host live auctions for livestock and equipment—potentially in partnership with the Salmon Arm Fairgrounds—supporting peer-to-peer trading, better market access, and stronger networking among rural producers.

Collaborate / Cooperate /
Advocate / Educate:
Work closely with local food-focused organizations (L2T, ZEST, SFAS, Food Banks, and others) to ensure efficiency and avoid duplication of effort. Build connections and advocate for farmers with local, provincial, and federal organizations in support of small-scale farming. Provide mentoring and partnership opportunities for farmers and help train the next generation by collaborating with groups such as Young Agrarians, Okanagan College, School Districts, and other regional educational and non-profit partners.

Create Infrastructure:
Develop the core backbone of the Co-op, including a year-round central farm retail store, multi-temperature food storage facilities, livestock feed & supplies and a farm tool library. This Co-op central hub would also provide meeting space and Co-op offices, with future plans for satellite retail outlets in rural communities. This infrastructure supports farmers and producers with year-round access to retail markets for their products, plus storage, and livestock supplies & tools, while giving consumers reliable year-round access to local farm products and value-added goods.

Productive Land:
Boost local food production by identifying and activating underused land across the region, bringing farmers with available growing areas together with those who provide skills and labor to produce and harvest food crops. The Co-op would work with other organizations, such as the Young Agrarians, to secure mutually beneficial growing agreements for the farmer and grower. The Co-op would also promote season extension through greenhouse development and support programs.