Organic Valley

Organic Valley
Agricultural cooperative
Industry Organic food
Founded 1988 (1988)
Headquarters La Farge, Wisconsin, United States
Area served
 United States, 25 countries
Key people
 George Siemon, founding farmer, "C-E-I-E-I-O"[1]
Products Butter, cheese, eggs, milk, produce, soy, yogurt
Revenue Increase $1.04 billion[2]
Increase $36.8 million[2]
Members Increase 1,850 farmer-owners[2]
Number of employees
 Increase 850[2]
Website organicvalley.coop

Organic Valley (OV) is an independent cooperative of organic farmers based in La Farge, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1988,[3] it is the largest organic farmer-owned cooperative in the world with over 1,800 farmer-owners across the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.[4] Organic Valley markets its products in all 50 states and exports to 25 countries. In 2015, growing annual sales topped $1 billion for the first time in the cooperative's history.[2][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 1,800 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]

The "modern barn." Organic Valley's global headquarters in Wisconsin with solar trackers.

Products are marketed in all 50 states, Canada, China, Japan, and 22 other countries.[9] 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 $972 million in 2014.[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.[10]

As of 2016, the Cooperative employed over 800 people; 400 at its La Farge headquarters and several hundred more at its Cashton, Wisconsin distribution center and offices.[11] In March 2016, construction was complete on a second 200,000 square foot office building on the Cashton campus in order to accommodate continued growth of the Cooperative.[2]

Ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics, Organic Valley announced its sponsorship of Team USA cyclist Kristin Armstrong, one of the most decorated women cyclists in the world.[12] The Cooperative also created new packaging for its white milk half-gallons and Good to Go single-serves featuring the Milk Life Team USA logo.

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."[13]

Management

George Siemon, one of the founding farmers of CROPP, is the CEO of Organic Valley.[14] Once a member of the National Organic Standards Board,[15] 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."[16] With a low profit margin, the company's income returns to the farmers, employees and farming communities in which the crops are grown.

Sustainability

In 2015, Organic Valley announced that 81% of the cooperative's combined on-site power consumption was generated by renewable energy.[17] On-farm sustainability efforts and sustainable operations at the coop's offices and warehouses include solar, wind, biodiesel, and more.[18] These efforts have placed the organization in the Top 30 On-site Generation list by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.[19]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.organicvalley.coop/?id=688
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Organic Valley celebrates surge to billion-dollar year, with even greener pastures on horizon". LaCrosseTribune. 2016-04-08. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  3. ↑ Brett Nelson. "Dean Foods To Street: Green Is Good". Forbes, September 14, 2004.
  4. 1 2 Tighe, Mike (2014-04-04). "Organic Valley nears $1 billion in sales". Wisconsin State journal. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  5. ↑ "Organic Valley Farmer-Owners Convene at Co-op's Annual Meeting to Celebrate 2015 Milestones and Strategize for Future Generations". PRNewsWire.com. 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  6. ↑ "Organic Valley – The Truest Meaning of Organic". United Natural Foods, Inc. June 2004. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
  7. ↑ "Organic Valley - History". Organicvalley.coop. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  8. ↑ "Why Organic Prairie". Organicprairie.com. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  9. ↑ "Organic Valley posts record sales, 193 percent profit leap". Lacrossetribune.com. 2015-04-10. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  10. ↑ http://www.organicvalley.coop/newsroom/about-organic-valley/
  11. ↑ "Organic Valley: Big business in tiny towns". Lacrossetribune.com. 2013-05-19. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  12. ↑ http://www.groceryheadquarters.com/Whats-New/MilkPEP-Sponsors-Team-USA-and-Taps-Organic-Valley-to-Create-Special-Packaging/
  13. ↑ "Organic Valley - Goals". Organicvalley.coop. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  14. ↑ http://www.organicvalley.coop/about-us/our-cooperative/our-leaders/c-e-i-e-i-o/
  15. ↑ Martin, Andrew. "How to Add Oomph to ‘Organic’". New York Times, 19 August 2007.
  16. ↑ http://www.organicvalley.coop/about-us/our-cooperative/our-co-op/
  17. ↑ http://issuu.com/organicvalley/docs/cropp-2014-sustainabilityreport-fin?e=7846503/12192823
  18. ↑ http://www.organicvalley.coop/newsroom/press-releases/details/article/organic-valley-and-gundersen-health-system-break-ground-on-cashton-greens-wind-farm-wisconsins-fi/
  19. ↑ http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/top30onsite.htm
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