Our History: Born in a Barn!

We began in 1988 as a small, organic farming cooperative, the Coulee Region Organic Produce Pool (CROPP).

CROPP began with just seven farmers who shared a love of the land and a belief that a new, sustainable approach to agriculture was needed if family farms and rural communities were to survive. With more and more family farms threatened with extinction, these farmers set out to create a solution. That solution has grown into the largest farmers' cooperative in North America.

We started with organic vegetables, but soon moved into organic dairy products. Our customers were concerned with food quality and environmental issues and wanted to purchase more natural, nutritious food grown without pesticides, herbicides, or artificial fertilizers. With their encouragement, we developed our own brand name and expanded our product line. Marketed under the Organic Valley™ label, the co-op soon became the largest source of organic milk in the nation.

We have become an established leader and pioneer in an industry growing at over 20 percent annually. We deliver high quality, strictly organic products throughout America and overseas, to consumers, schools and other institutions, and to a variety of manufacturers looking for organic ingredients.

At our helm is one of those original seven farmers, George L. Siemon, our Chief Executive Officer. A lifelong farmer, George and his family have operated an organic farm since 1977, and he is a leader in the campaign to establish effective national standards for organic certification.

Organic Valley will continue to bring new products to the organic marketplace and to build a future for sustainable family farming.