Why a Guild?              

A Business of Accountability

Many folks ask us, why a guild?  For a new organization that is  leading the way to a new food paradigm, why model it after something archaic and gone?  Aren’t Unions and Co-ops a more modern equivalent?  The answer, of course, is no; no they are not.

A union is a collective that negotiates on the behalf of producers, while a Co-op is a collective that negotiates on behalf of consumers.  Both assume tension between the two factions: producers and consumers.

A guild operates along different principles; it is oriented towards the craft it serves.

For producers, a guild means standards of excellence, shared expertise, and the recognition that quality is expected and that quality is measured by your peers.

For consumers, a guild means a product that meets certain standards, and a product that is crafted according to specific best practices, methods and principles—without the short-cuts so common today.

A guild is based upon accountability.  Accountability to your peers, to your craft, and to your customers.

The Northern Valley Pastoral Guild upholds the craft of pastured products by providing best practices and support to our growers and providing standards of quality and accountability to our customers.