A caller took me to task for failing to credit the farmer members and directors of Organic Valley Cooperative for their role in ending the cooperative’s temporary milk purchases from a large industrial Texas dairy. I stand corrected.

Cooperatives are governed by democratic principles. As we say often in this newsletter, the key to making democracy work is informed and engaged citizens, in this case members who fulfill their responsibilities. We commend the board and members of Organic Valley for their leadership.

Several online readers took me to task for my article on health care finance reform. My article was not crystal clear on one point. The Center and Health Care for America Now are advocating universal health care coverage. That is essential. Without it, one or both of two bad things happen. People get free health care in the most expensive way possible – through the emergency room. Or they don’t get care until it is too late and, as a result, need more expensive treatment or die unnecessarily. The former is wasteful and the latter morally unacceptable.

More feedback? Send it to Chuck Hassebrook, chuckh@cfra.org or call 402.687.2103 x 1018.