Organic Valley

Organic Valley

Type	Agricultural cooperative
Industry	Dairy, Produce, Eggs
Founded	1988 (1988)
Headquarters	La Farge, Wisconsin, United States
Area served	United States, 27 nations
Key people	George Siemon, C-E-I-E-I-O^[1]
Products	Butter, cheese, milk, soy, orange juice, eggs
Revenue	$972 million (2014)^[2]
Number of employees	802 employees/1,800 farmer members^[2]
Website	organicvalley.coop

Organic Valley is a cooperative of organic farmers based in La Farge, Wisconsin, United States near La Crosse, Wisconsin. Founded in 1988,^[3] its 2014 annual sales neared $1 billion. The largest organic farmer cooperative in the world,^[2]^[4] Organic Valley markets products in all 50 states including exports to Canada, China, Japan and 24 other countries.^[5]

Cooperative history

Organic Valley was founded in 1988 under the name CROPP (Coulee Region Organic Produce Pool) Cooperative.^[6] What began as a group of Wisconsin family farms selling their produce soon expanded into the production and local distribution of vegetables, and dairy products. The brand name "Organic Valley" was soon adopted, and the abbreviation "CROPP" was adjusted to Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools. The original CROPP farms were located throughout southwest Wisconsin, primarily in the Kickapoo River Basin area near the cooperative's headquarters.

Today Organic Valley comprises 1,834 farmer-owners located in 32 states and three Canadian provinces that specialize in sustainable, organic agriculture practices. Organic Valley has become the world's largest independent cooperative of organic family farmers and one of the nation's largest producers and distributors of organic produce, dairy, soy, and eggs.^[7] It also markets its line of beef, pork, turkey, and chicken products under the Organic Prairie brand.^[8]

Products are marketed in all 50 states, Canada, China, Japan, and 24 other countries.^[5] The United States is divided into three selling markets: the Western, Central, and Eastern Divisions. Each division is managed by sales staff, producers, and distributors directly associated with the cooperative. Organic Valley produces six regional milks that are produced, processed and distributed in New England, Northeast, Heartland, Rocky Mountain, California and the Pacific Northwest. Total sales in 2003 were $156 million and reached $929 million in 2013.^[4]

In 2009, Organic Valley launched a partnership with Stonyfield Farm and HP Hood agreeing to license the Stonyfield fluid milk brand, and manage sales and distribution. The deal also invited the farmers supplying that milk into the cooperative starting January 1, 2010.^[9]

As of 2014, the cooperative employed over 800 people; 400 at its La Farge headquarters and several hundred more at its Cashton, Wisconsin distribution center and offices.^[10] In late 2014, construction resumed on a second 40,000 square foot office building also in Cashton on the distribution center campus in order to accommodate continued growth in the organization.^[11]

Cooperative mission

"The mission of CROPP is to create and operate a marketing cooperative that promotes regional farm diversity and economic stability by the means of organic agricultural methods and the sale of certified organic products."^[12]

Management

George Siemon, one of the founding farmers of CROPP, is the CEO of Organic Valley.^[13] Once a member of the National Organic Standards Board,^[14] Siemon helps to set the standards not only for Organic Valley, but is best known for his leadership in organizing farmers and building market support for organic agriculture across the country.

As a cooperative, Organic Valley is primarily run and owned by the farmers that sustain it with a central mission of, "supporting rural communities by protecting the health of the family farm and working toward both economic and environmental sustainability."^[15] With a low profit margin, the company's income returns to the farmers, employees and farming communities in which the crops are grown.

Awards and recognitions

Source:^[16]

2008 – Fast Company Social Capitalist Award – Organic Valley was among 10 companies to receive the award.
2007 – Co-op America Green Business Leadership Award – Award given to Organic Valley for its commitment to innovative environmental practices and proving that being green and being successful can walk hand in hand.
2007 – Ecological Farming Association Sustie Award – awarded to George Siemon, CEIEIO and founding farmer of Organic Valley
2007 – Farm Stewardship Association Business of the Year Award – awarded to Organic Valley in recognition of the company's efforts to help conventional dairy farmers establish organic dairy farms in North Carolina
2007 – Glynwood Center Award – awarded to the farmer-members of Organic Valley
2006 – Trustee Award – awarded by the Earth Society Foundation for outstanding contribution as a dedicated Earth Trustee.^[17]
2006 and 2007 – 1st Place Blue Vein Cheese Competition at World Dairy Expo
2006 – Food and Wine Magazine Freshest Butter Flavor award
2006 – 2nd Place in Unsalted Butter and American Original/Colby American Cheese Society Competitions
2005 – Wisconsin Employer of Choice Award – awarded by the Workforce Development Board, Inc. for a businesses in the Western Wisconsin region that exemplifies best practices in workforce attraction and retention
2005 – Midmarket Manufacturer of the Year Award from Start Magazine – awarded for excellence in the manufacturing industry
2005 – 2nd Place American Cheese Society Aged Cheddar Category
2005 – Bronze Medal for Organic Valley Raw Sharp Cheddar World Cheese Awards
2005 – Best of Class from U.S. Championship Cheese Contest 2005
2005 – Top pick by Family Circle Magazine
2004 – 1st place for Sharp Cheddar by American Cheese Society
2004 – 2nd place for Reduced Fat Milk, Cottage Cheese, and Lightly Salted Butter at World Dairy Expo
2003 – 1st place for Lightly Salted Butter at World Dairy Expo
1996 and 2000 – 1st place for Sharp Cheddar by American Cheese Society

References