About CROPP Cooperative
The mission of CROPP Cooperative and its brands, Organic Valley and Organic Prairie, is to create a marketing cooperative which promotes regional farm diversity and economic stability by means of organic agricultural methods and the sale of certified organic products.
How did the Co-op get started?
In 1988, several small family farmers in Wisconsin, tired of falling prices and poor representation, discussed alternatives and formed an organic vegetable marketing cooperative — the Coulee Region Organic Produce Pool (CROPP). In July of 1988, they diversified into an organic dairy program with seven producers and 20,000 pounds of milk every other day. After a year and a half of insufficient sales, CROPP developed the Organic Valley label and began marketing its own products. Those first years taught us a great deal: We needed time to develop our marketing and business skills, our infrastructure, and our knowledge and relationships with dairy plants and the dairy industry. The cooperative diversified into organic eggs in 1993, organic meats in 1999, organic juice in 2001, organic soy beverages in 2004 and organic hay and grains in 2008.
Where is the co-op today?
- Organic Valley® and Organic Prairie® labeled products are sold in all 50 states and are exported to Japan and Canada.
- CROPP has diversified to market organic dairy, eggs, meats, produce, soy, hay, grains and juices that are produced exclusively by our cooperative members.
- CROPP has distinguished itself nationally as a leader of organic production, marketing, and farm policy. It was our strong vision and effort that led the charge which encouraged the USDA to change its policy and allow the labeling of organic meat and poultry products.
- CROPP worked with partners across the industry to guide the USDA and the National Organic Standards Board as they created and instituted the National Organic Standards, implemented in 2002. George Siemon, an original CROPP dairy farmer turned CEO of the cooperative, and Bill Welsh, a CROPP member, both served on the National Organic Standards Board and were instrumental in creating these standards.
- CROPP was a chief donor to the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, a group of organic dairy farmers committed to fair and sustainable farm gate pricing and exchange of information between organic producers. Similar models have been implemented in both the Midwest and West regions.
- Now there are more than 1200 CROPP Co-op members in 34 states of the union, including all three West Coast states. We added over 300 producers in 2007, and yet we need more to meet our customer demand. The co-op employs more than 400, mostly located in rural Southwest Wisconsin.
- The CROPP acronym now stands for Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools, which reflects our commitment to regional and local production.
- CROPP recorded a record organic mailbox pay price in 2007, averaging over $26.00 per cwt. of milk.
- We work with dozens of dairy and meat plants across the U.S. and are proud to have our own farmer-owned organic creamery, in Chaseburg, Wisconsin.
- We formed our "Grower Pool" in 2008, a new opportunity for organic hay and grain producers to join the cooperative.
What products are marketed by the Co-op?
As a cooperative, CROPP gives organic dairy farmers a unique opportunity to participate in marketing their products through their own labels, Organic Valley and Organic Prairie. Each U.S. region has its own mix of customers. We work hard to promote regional and local production.
- Our product list under the Organic Valley label includes a full line of cheese, dry and fluid milk products, cream, cottage cheese, vegetables, juices, eggs and soy beverages. We also have a substantial selection of meat (beef, pork and poultry) products under the Organic Prairie label. An organic soy beverage was introduced in 2004.
Our customer base also includes many manufacturers depending on us for milk and ingredients. These customers buy liquid milk and cream, milk and cheese powder, shredded cheese, butter, eggs, meat, and more. Our products appear in such items as organic pizza, spinach pies, ice cream, broccoli cheese entrees, and baby food.
Is there a market for organic dairy products?
There is a stable and rapidly growing market for organic products, averaging 20% growth per year. Consumers are eager to support producers who farm organically.
CROPP Co-op has experienced even faster growth. Total co-op sales reached $333.5 million for 2006 and $432.5 million in 2007, and we project to do $515 million in 2008. The organic market is consumer driven, has a strong upside, and should grow for many years.
WE ARE IN NEED OF MORE ORGANIC MILK, BEEF AND FEED PRODUCERS, NOW AND IN THE FUTURE!
We are looking for producers who believe in sustainable farming and collective bargaining. We are eager to talk with you about membership in the CROPP Cooperative Family of Farms.
Call Membership Services: 1-888-809-9297 or (608) 625-2602, Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm Central.
