b'in ways that go far beyond finan-cial investment. By investing in the farmers, the soil and the community-building dynamic, we are creating a more viable future for the whole system. Newly formed Maine Harvest Federal Credit Union (Unity, Maine) is the only fully regulated financial institution focused on growing a healthy, local food system through government- guaranteed deposits. 12 jodar farms/Poudre Valley Community Farms (Fort Collins, Colorado)Local Stock Exchanges. Local stock exchanges are an old idea that has a few folks poking around anew. Discussion. In 1930, there were 24 local stock exchanges in the United States. In Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Hawaii, the feasibility of new local stock exchanges has recently been explored. Michigan has passed legislation to facilitate the purchasing of stock of local companies by nonaccredited individual investors. Although the legal and strategic issues confronting the formation of local stock exchanges are legion, and although the advent of crowdfunding has diverted some energy in this regard, the core idea remains fascinating: Could new forms of regional financial intermediation unleash latent local investor interest, increasing regional economic vitality and community resilience? In his 2007 Schumacher Lecture, Michael Shuman reviewed in considerable depth the subject of local investing and local exchanges, offering the following as kind of cultural bottom line: If I walk into a casino, which I can do in almost any state in this country, does anyone say, Excuse me, Mr. Shuman, can you prove that you are an accredited gambler? That never happens.Or does someone give me a thick book and 12 https://maineharvestfcu.coop/27'