Richard Hampton said the partnership was "the next step" in the cooperatives' relationship.
Two of the leading organic farmer cooperatives in North America and Europe have announced that they are to team up, “with benefits for both cooperatives, their farmer-owners and consumers around the globe”.
The partnership between the Organic Valley/CROPP cooperative from North America and Europe’s Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo) will see the two organisations take a membership in each other while retaining their independence, they said. It will provide international opportunities and domestic flexibility, offering access to new markets, products, technical expertise, and sharing of best practice in organic dairy farming.
Wisconsin-headquarter CROPP owns and operates the Organic Valley and Organic Prairie brands, while UK-based OMSCo is described as “the largest exclusively organic dairy cooperative in Europe”.
OMSCo managing director Richard Hampton said: “OMSCo and CROPP are the two largest dedicated organic dairy pools in the world, with a combined organic milk supply of almost 1bn litres. 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.”
Organic Valley vice-president Eric Newman added: “This is an important development for cooperation in organic agriculture on a global scale. Both cooperatives 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 cooperatives are doing what we know best: we’re cooperating.
“This partnership will offer farmers in both cooperatives 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.”
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