Organic co-ops link in UK and US

The leading organic farmer co-operative in North America, Organic Valley/CROPP co-operative, and Europe’s leading organic dairy cooperative, the Organic Milk Suppliers Co-operative (OMSCo), have announced an international partnership.
The agreement, in which the two co-operatives will take a membership in each other’s organisation while retaining each co-operative’s independence, will provide international opportunities and domestic flexibility, offering access to new markets, products, technical expertise, and sharing of best practices in organic dairy farming. “OMSCo and CROPP are the two largest dedicated organic dairy pools in the world, with a combined organic milk supply of almost one billion litres,” says Richard Hampton, managing director of OMSCo. “Over recent years we have developed a close working relationship with CROPP, who is responsible for the marketing and distribution of OMSCo’s Kingdom cheddar brand – the only European organic cheese available in the US market.
“Our relationship has naturally evolved, and this alliance is the next step. This agreement will allow both cooperatives to market each other’s bulk and branded products and, by working together, OMSCo will be better prepared to satisfy the growing global appetite for organic dairy products,” explains Hampton.
“This is an important development for cooperation in organic agriculture on a global scale,” says Eric Newman, Organic Valley’s vice president. “Both co-operatives recognise that our shared values and similar missions are paramount in this agreement. In meeting the ever-increasing consumer demand for organic dairy products all over the world, our two co-operatives are doing what we know best: we’re cooperating.
“This partnership will offer farmers in both co-operatives a stable and sustainable price, greater efficiencies in distribution, greater access to a wider range of markets and opportunities to improve the balancing of our milk supplies.”
CROPP owns and operates the Organic Valley and Organic Prairie brands, and is headquartered in La Farge, Wisconsin. The cooperative has 1,800 farmer-owners in 32 states, producing organic milk and dairy, meat, eggs and produce. OMSCo, based in Somerset, UK, is the largest exclusively organic dairy cooperative in Europe and is a fast growing specialist milk pools business, which already has around 20% of sales allocated to export, including the only European organic dairy product certified by the USDA’s National Organic Programme.