3.18.2008 - 09:00am ET

(CSRwire) Organic Feed-Grade Growers Invited to Join; Guaranteed Floor Price, Three-Year Contracts


LA FARGE, WI - March 18, 2008 - In an unprecedented effort to provide market stability to both crop growers and livestock producers, Organic Valley Family of Farms is opening its membership to organic crop growers with the introduction of its Grower Pool.

With more than 1,200 member farms, Organic Valley is America's largest cooperative of organic farmers and is one of the nation’s leading organic brands.

Growers joining the pool will benefit from a guaranteed floor price for their crops on a long-term contract basis and will be able to enroll all or portions of their crop acreage in the pool. Organic Valley will offer contracts for feed-grade grains, beans, oilseeds and hay beginning with the 2008-2010 cycle.

Similar to Organic Valley's current dairy, meat and produce pools, the Grower Pool's prices will reflect differences in the co-op's 15 grower regions. Members will form their own executive committee to develop policy and pricing guidelines. After one production year, any member can add a year to the contract at a newly set floor price, or can opt out of the pool.

"Our objective is to establish regional floor prices for crops that are clearly profitable for growers yet still affordable for our livestock producers," said Lowell Rheinheimer, farm resources manager for Organic Valley. "Growers also will have the benefit of becoming true partners in the production of organic food with other farmers who believe in environmentally-responsible farming – rather than selling their feed crops into an anonymous and turbulent marketplace.

"A substantial number of farmers are already seeking to join the pool," Rheinheimer added.

"The hallmark of Organic Valley for its 20 years has been the price stability it offers its member farmers," said George Siemon, chief executive officer of Organic Valley. "Our Grower Pool carries that tradition. It's a good opportunity to bring two groups of farmers together to negotiate in cooperation and to ultimately provide stability to both."

Farmers interested in joining the Grower Pool may contact CROPP Cooperative at 888-809-9297.

Organic Valley Family of Farms: Independent and Farmer-Owned
Organic Valley is America's largest cooperative of organic farmers and is one of the nation's leading organic brands. Organized in 1988, it represents more than 1,200 farmers in 34 states and one Canadian province, and achieved $432.5 million in 2007 sales. Focused on its founding mission of saving family farms through organic farming, Organic Valley produces a variety of organic foods, including organic milk, soy, cheese, butter, spreads, creams, eggs, produce and juice, which are sold in supermarkets, natural foods stores and food cooperatives nationwide. The same farmers who produce for Organic Valley also produce a full range of delicious organic meat under the Organic Prairie Family of Farms label. For further information, call 1-888-444-MILK or visit www.organicvalley.coop, www.organicprairie.com and the cooperative's farmer website, www.farmers.coop.

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