How to Join

Thanks for your interest in becoming a member-owner of Open Harvest! Your participation in the co-op is a wonderful opportunity to support natural foods, local economy, and democracy in your community.

You do not need to be a member-owner of Open Harvest to shop at the co-op, but becoming a member-owner has never been easier.

Join anytime at the store. Membership is $25 annually per household. Stop in at the store and tell a cashier that you want to join, and we'll sign you up! Or, send a $25 check with your name, address, phone number and zip code to Open Harvest, 1618 South Street, Lincoln, NE 68502 (Attn: Membership Coordinator).

We'll issue you a card with your member-owner number on it that identifies you as a member-owner of Open Harvest Co-op. You become eligible for all member-owner benefits. Tell the cashier your member-owner number every time you shop at Open Harvest. Your investment accumulates in your equity account. If you move away from the area, or choose to withdraw your membership for any reason Open Harvest will refund your investment, at the Board's discretion.

Terms of Membership

1. By making a $25 equity investment I am purchasing one share of voting stock in Open Harvest Cooperative and becoming a member-owner of this cooperative corporation.
2. I have the responsibility of supporting my cooperative through my patronage (shopping at the Co-op) and showing my member-owner card at the register.
3. As long as I maintain my membership and patronize the Co-op, I have voting rights and the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors and/or its committees.
4. I am eligible to receive membership benefits for one calendar year immediately after making this $25 investment. Benefits include, but are not limited to, receiving the newsletter in the mail, member-only discounts, a vitamin card, and voting rights.
5. Each year I will be notified at the register and/or through a renewal letter for my next annual membership fee. If payment is not received by the due date, I give up my member-owner benefits (including voting rights) until the membership is reinstated.
6. My member equity credits are only refundable at the Board of Director's discretion as set forth in the By-Laws, a copy of which I have received.
7. My membership equity will be held for one year if I miss my renewal date, after which my membership is considered inactive and the equity will be considered abandoned to the cooperative (if the conditions set forth in the By-Laws are met).
8. The amount of any patronage distributions which are made in written notices of allocation (as defined in 26 U.S.C. 1388), and which are received by me from the Cooperative, will be taken into account by me at their stated dollar amounts, in the manner provided in 26 U.S. C. 1385(a), in the taxable year in which such written noticed of allocation are received by me. In other words, I understand that I am liable for paying taxes on any patronage allocation according to the bylaws of the cooperative and federal tax code.