Farmers' Coop Encourages First-Generation Farming and Transparency

Grass Roots Farmers' Coop, which got its start in 2014, focuses on small-batch farming and responsibly raised meat. The chickens, hogs, cattle and other livestock raised on the coop's members' farms are pasture-raised and fed non-GMO feed. The coop then sells the meat directly to customers via its website, ships it to restaurants around Arkansas and works with distributors and e-commerce companies to get the products to other parts of the country. Grass Roots Coop also uses a technology called blockchain, which allows customers to track where their purchase came from. Additionally, the coop provides support to first-generation farmers by covering upfront costs and offering workshops.