I was unsure of your use of the “democratic” word. Like “free will and choice” – we mostly have “democracy” here in Australia, compared to many other places. Although, peoples’ greed is really stuffing the “free will, decision making and democracy” up for large numbers of simple living folk who are largely just living their lives.
Rather than focus on the constraints, see them as opportunities.
Local organics networks can spread across any number of cultural and sub cultural localities.
The very nature of small and local, medium and regional contrast healthily to large and global
concepts, when it comes to agricultural and horticultural production in an uncertain future.
However….. Whilst many organic growers “know” that local and regional organics makes sense,
they also know that the Australian population is in the cities and urban / semi-rural sprawl. It is mostly there that the population is tele marketbrainwashed
as they chase FREE lifestyles dependent on non-organic mono-cultured, high energy corporatised production. They unwittingly, and often just from plain survival mode… support large economies of scale. These high energy input, habitat destroying “food” and “textile” non environmentally sustainable production systems will eventually destroy themselves.

My own experiences with Organic Growers Groups/ Co-operatives largely came about through the 80′s, 90′s onward.
Watching the formation of National Standards, i saw the enthusiasm to embrace new, authentic national organic guidelines.
Various individuals and groups interfacing with beaurocracy and political powerplays and spin.
This is the same as it ever was, and to me, staying small, under the radar, like a bluecray, so to speak,
can lead you to the wonderful world of organic growers that are just doing their thing…. no groups, no fads,
no stringently signed guideline strings attached.
Healthy regional agricultural and horticultural industries,
based on localised marketing and authentic Environmental Stewardship (obviously that would include “ORGANIC” Growing).
These industries and their networks face the most fierce competition from the economies of scale mainstream, high energy producers and marketers.

Forums and knowledge/ideas exchange is a valuable service of the internet. But also somewhat of a red herring. Blogs can be valuable mechanisms to promote discussion, and use of the various directories and search engines can help.

Exchange of information is fantastic on the internet, and this is a strength for ORGANICS.
Regarding local and regional organic produce marketing and cooperative sharing –
well, i think it is just the beginning , as more networks evolve
meanwhile… the plants and animals keep thriving in those organic gardens scattered about the Mt Warning Caldera and beyond.
All the best, Al P.