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The Cropp Sustainability Report outlines our ongoing work to serve our cooperative’s mission, guiding principles and our sustainability goals, as well as to share key learnings and accomplishments.
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Sustainability Report
25 years of serving our mission and growing the organic movementCR
OP
PC
OO
PE
RA
TIV
E
CROPP is a farmer-owned and–governed cooperative,
which produces and markets organic foods under the
Organic Valley and Organic Prairie brands.
Hello Friend,As an organic farmers’ cooperative rooted in the sustaining truths of organic agriculture, we believe that a commitment to continual improvement combined with the important concept of transparency are essentials of organic and of our business model.
Our cooperative has been a pioneering force in the organic movement for 25 years, and we’ve made much progress in raising the bar of organic standards. Organic farmers are at the forefront of effective sustainable farming techniques. We believe that the organic standards and practices of our cooperative are among the strictest standards in agriculture. However, perfection is never possible, even in organic. There is always room for improvement.
With this spirit, we are sharing this report to outline our ongoing work to serve our cooperative’s mission, guiding principles and our sustainability goals, as well as to share key learnings and accomplishments. The scope of information in this report includes benchmark sustainability information with regard to our cooperative’s impact and
contribution to our families, our earth and the wide array of communities we touch—a concept often called, “people, planet and profits.”
As an organic farmer-owned cooperative, sustainability has been ingrained in our mission from the start. We will always work to fulfill our mission in all its intentions, and continually learn as we go. This is our pledge to our members, employees, communities and future generations.
We are grateful to be on this mission and to all of you who share in this duty with us. From the farm fields to the grocery aisles, each choice is connected to the whole— organic in the truest sense.
In Cooperation,
George Siemon C E I E I O
| 1
INTRODUCTION
Cover Photo by Eric C Snowdeal III
Introductionhese days , f o lks
typically think of
sustainabil ity in
relation to energy,
but it really factors into all of life.
In fact, life itself is the pursuit of
sustainability: a sustainable life
ensures one will wake up to live
another day.
CROPP Cooperative is grounded
in the pursuit of sustainability
in every way you define the
word—environmentally as well as
socially and economically. We believe
that being good community partners
and environmental stewards are
equally as important as meeting
profit goals—that social, intellectual,
financial and natural capital are
equally valuable.
We sustain farms and the families
who steward them by paying them
a fair price for the conscientious
production of our food. In return,
farm families sustain the land
and animals, and create healthy
sustenance for all. That cycle is
embedded in CROPP’s credo
celebrating 25 years of “cultivating
goodness” in our products, on
our farms and with our people.
Looking back, we see that our
business model and commitment to
organic agriculture have always
been inherently “sustainable”
and supported the “triple bottom
line” before the terms became
the buzzwords they are today. We
have been a sustainable business
since our inception in 1988. We
may be behind the curve when
it comes to data collection, but we’ve
been on track where it counts—in
our actions—for 25 years.
But the pursuit of sustainability
is always just that: pursuit. It’s
more about what’s to be done
than what is done. It is not static.
It is a minute by minute practice.
It is both spiritual and boots-on-
the-ground physical. We’re talking
about continual improvement.
Nearly 2,000 family farmer-owners
of our cooperative know this all
too well. When they go to bed
at night after working hard all
day to keep their families, land,
animals and communities safe
and healthy, they know their
rest is brief. Tomorrow brings
a whole new paradigm, a new
challenge to make it the best it
can be. The work is never done.
Since a foundation of CROPP’s
mission is continual improvement,
we know a job well done is great,
but that “doneness” is temporary.
We get up every morning because
there are always new ideas,
new technology, new bars to
set, reach and surpass. We are
happy with and proud of the
accomplishments set out in
this report, but you can bet
that we’re never satisfied.
Sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
| 3
INTRODUCTION
PROFITPLANET
PEOPLE
ENVIRONMENT
How We FarmPASTURE-BASED FARMING
asture-based farming
is the cornerstone
to producing food in
harmony with nature.
When animals graze, the land,
water, air and animals all benefit.
That’s why CROPP farmers have
had pasture requirements since
1997, twelve years before pasture
standards became a part of
organic certification.
So i l ex i s t s in a symbiot i c
relationship with plants and animals.
Soil nurtures plants, and plants
can improve soil quality. Animals
eat plants and step on them,
speeding up decomposition of
old growth and making room
for new growth. Their manure
fertilizes the plants and renews soil
nutrients. The result is grassland
that lives, dies and decomposes
in a sustainable cycle. Essentially,
plants cannot l ive without
animals; soil cannot exist without
plants; and animals need both for
proper nutrition.
Pasture-based farming fulfills
part of our mission to treat our
animals with care and respect
while producing high-quality
food. Eating grass and soaking
up vitamin D from the sun makes
our cows’ milk higher in omega-3,
more optimally balanced in omega-3
to omega-6 and higher in heart-
healthy amino acids such as
conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
Finally, pasture-based farming
has a positive impact on the global
climate. Pasture plants take carbon
out of the air and sequester (store)
it for use in photosynthesis.
Amazingly, the Rodale Institute
has shown that healthy organic
soils can sequester more than
2,000 pounds of carbon per acre
every year.
"Instead of making them [natural systems] fit into
our box, organic works with the way things are.
I can’t really see any other viable way to farm."
Garin Smith,
Maine Organic Valley
dairy farmer-owner
Most of what’s on our
tables lived or grew on
a farm before it got to
the table. It’s our job
to ensure the creation
of human and animal
sustenance is better
for you, for animals,
and for the world.
| 5
ENVIRONMENT
We Never Use:Antibiotics
Toxic Pesticides
Synthetic Hormones
GMO Feed
Synthetic Fertilizers
HOLISTIC ANIMAL CAREWhat does humane animal care
have to do with sustainability?
For one thing, keeping animals
free of toxins (in both their feed
and their environment) means
they are healthier. When animals
are well, they are stronger and
happier, their farmers spend
less money on veterinary visits,
and the food they provide us is
more nutritious.
But there’s more to this cycle
than good food for humans:
See below ...
This is a natural cycle that
sustains humans, animals and
our environment.
The efforts of CROPP farmers to sustain their
animals and their land in peak condition are
supported by a staff of professional holistic
veterinarians, animal nutritionists, humane
animal care specialists and agronomists.
• Cows grazing organic pasture are in their natural environment, eating what they’re meant to eat.
• Healthy soil retains moisture.
• Soil and water erosion and run-off are reduced.
• Ground-and-surface- water is protected.
• Organic pasture builds soil health.
• The plant roots retain soil.
2012 RAY HASS
Organic Pioneer - A W A R D -
Jim Wedeberg | CROPP’s Dairy Pool Director
The Ray Hass Organic Pioneer Award was established
in 2002—the year after Ray, one of the co-op’s founding
farmers, passed away—to recognize the pioneers and
visionaries who have made CROPP what it is today.
The 2012 award winner is Jim Wedeberg, CROPP’s
dairy pool director and one of our founding farmers.
Jim was involved in establishing the first organic
dairy standards, and he has been instrumental to
bringing more organic farmers “onto the truck” through
the past 25 years. His hard work and dedication to
making this business a success for its farmer-owners
has been an inspiration, not only to those he works
with here at CROPP, but also those he encounters
in the wider organic industry.
Jim Wedebergpast & present
Celebrating Heroes
| 7
ENVIRONMENT
(Em)Powering OurselvesReducing our dependence on fossil
fuel and creating renewable
sources of energy are cooperative-
wide priorities. Our energy efforts
are focused in three areas:
1. OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY
- energy efficiency - employee engagement
2. RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION
3. ON-FARM SUSTAINABILITY
Food businesses today target
a variety of markets—from local
farmers’ markets and direct-selling
from farm stands, to national
distribution into grocery stores.
CROPP’s brands Organic Valley,
Organic Prairie, and Stonyfield
fluid milk, are part of he latter,
shipping regionally and nationally
to distributors, large grocery
chains and small, independent
retailers. Unlike the markets
of yore that were mostly local
by necessity, today wares are
moved by many other more costly
means. While CROPP out-performs
the crowd when it comes to
exemplary, sustainable organic
farming practices, the overall
sustainability of our business
practices is a question of greater
complexity. How do we walk
this tightrope between farm
and market? As it turns out,
CROPP employees are making
a difference every day.
2012 GREEN SPIRIT
- A W A R D -
Mary Ewing | CROPP’s Master Planner
The Green Spirit Award is an annual, cooperative-wide recognition of a CROPP employee who incorporates environmental sustainability into her/his work and personal life.
Born and raised not far from CROPP headquarters, Mary Ewing walks the green walk, both at work and at home.
Seventeen years after Mary joined the co-op as a dairy program manager, she is CROPP’s Master Planner. It’s her job to match milk supply with market demand. Working with the Demand Management team, Mary’s Supply Management team must balance how much milk CROPP farmer-owners can supply with how much the market will demand. The most
challenging aspect of this balancing act is making it work within the confines of CROPP’s regional supply model.
Mary came up with a plan to increase utilization of milk produced on Organic Valley farms in the Northeast within that region. The plan significantly reduces the miles tanker trucks and semis travel, saving thousands of gallons of diesel fuel. Overall, this reduces the cooperative’s carbon footprint, saves money and reduces product waste.
Mary lives with her family on her husband’s family farm. The old farmhouse has been completely updated for energy efficiency and features a “pump-and-dump” geothermal indoor climate control
system. If Mary doesn’t catch a CROPP vanpool to work, she commutes in her trusty Honda Civic Hybrid.
As CROPP’s Chief Operations Officer Louise Hemstead points out, “Mary would say she’s just doing what anyone else would do, but I think she always adds a little more. Mary understands the value of the cooperative to the farmers. She quietly embraces the organic lifestyle at work and at home.”
Celebrating Heroes
▸ Storm water collection▸ On-site permaculture & habitat restoration▸ Parking lot lights use LED bulbs and
are designed to reduce light pollution▸ Bicycles for in-town trips▸ Priority to local, recycled building materials▸ Low VOC choices (paint, carpet, etc.)▸ Dual-flush toilets▸ Waterless urinals▸ Low-flow faucets
▸ Triple-paned windows▸ Solar cells in south facing windows▸ Solar tracking panels▸ Solar hot water▸ Solar roof panels▸ Occupancy sensors on lights▸ Natural day-lighting▸ Zero-CFC refrigerants▸ Occupant comfort surveys
| 9
ENVIRONMENT
Mary EwingCROPP's
Master Planner
Energy Efficiencies & Sustainability Features at CROPP’s La Farge Headquarters
RENEWABLE ENERGYThough our operations use an
increasing percentage of renewable
biofuels like sunflower and canola
oils, we must also use a mix of
electricity, natural gas, propane
and petroleum to keep us up and
running. We’ve still got serious
work to do in order to achieve our
goal of energy neutrality in our
CROPP-owned facilities by 2020,
but we are up for the challenge!
W h e n i t c o m e s t o e n e r g y
production, it didn’t make sense
to put all our kilowatts in one
energy basket. We believe that
“distributed energy” networks
(also known as “decentralized
energy”) are the path to future
energy independence and security.
Creating such networks means
that a community or region’s
energy needs come from that
region, make the most sense for
that region, and come from
a variety of sources.
WIND
In collaboration with local health
care provider Gundersen Lutheran
Health System, we developed
Cashton Greens Wind Farm,
Wisconsin’s first community
wind farm. The two-turbine wind
farm generates enough electricity
to power 1,200 homes each year.
Or in our case, one turbine can
power our 81,000 square foot
headquarters and additional
warehouse faci l it ies in our
hometown of La Farge, Wis.,
plus our ten-story cold storage
distribution center and its 75
offices in Cashton, Wis. overlooking
the wind farm. In the first seven
months that the turbines were
operational, we produced enough
non-greenhouse-gas-emitting
wind power in Cashton to offset
68% of electricity used by our
CROPP-owned facilities.
SOLAR
Energy use at our La Farge
facilities is offset by a suite of
tracker-mounted solar panels,
roof-mounted solar panels, solar
hot water heaters and transparent,
solar cell windows. Together,
these instal lat ions create
approximately 86,000 kilowatt
hours of greenhouse-gas-free
energy per year.
BIODIESEL
We’ve been integrating biodiesel
into our local fleet vehicles (e.g.,
van pools, grounds maintenance
vehicles, etc.) since 2002 and
growing our own oil seed crops
since 2007. Oil extracted from
the “oil crops” grown by CROPP
farmers is processed into locally-
sourced, sustainable biofuel. The
byproduct is a nutritious, high-
protein supplementary livestock
feed. We grow it. We process it.
We use it. Cows eat it.
We learned that one 2.5 megawatt
wind turbine can provide clean
electricity to power 600 homes
for one year. So we got two!
Energy neutrality by 2020:
CROPP will produce enough
renewable energy to offset the
equivalent of 100% of its
total energy (fuel and
electricity) needs for
owned facilities.
* Think of “fuel sheds” like watersheds—an area where water flows to a larger body of water in patterns according to the natural
topography. With fuel sheds, oil seed crops would be grown, pressed and used in an area that benefits the most people with the least
environmental and financial impact.
32% of diesel fuel used by CROPP’s local fleet is bio-based or straight veggie oil
GOAL ONEIncrease biofuel use to 60% by 2015
GOAL TWODevelop “fuel sheds”* in the Midwest and eventually all regions where we have farmers
GOAL THREEContinue development of organic, non-GMO oil crop seeds to further supply our growers
| 11
ENVIRONMENT
ON-FARM SUSTAINABILITY The On-Farm Sustainability
program helps CROPP farmer-
owners who are interested in
self-sufficiency. The cooperative
provides energy eff iciency
audits to farmer-owners at no
cost to help our farmers identify
areas for improvement and
renewable energy sources that
would work well on their farms.
Support is available for projects
ranging from energy efficiency,
renewable energy, biofuels and
waste agricultural plastic recycling,
to manure management and
composting. Since 2008, the
sustainability team has helped
more than 100 farmers complete
farm energy audits and more
than 50 farmers to obtain
renewable energy site assessments.
The cooperative has secured
approximately $3 million in grant
funding on behalf of our farmers
to implement various renewable
energy projects. In 2012, CROPP
facilitated an agricultural plastic
recycling program for our members
in Northern Indiana; nearly 30 farms
participate in this program. Total
cooperative-wide on-farm renewable
energy installations now generate
572,506 kWh annually.
Our cooperative defines organic as a philosophy
and system of production that mirrors the
natural laws of living organisms with emphasis
on the interdependence of all life.
2012
LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABILITY
- A W A R D -
Eric & Cathy Paris | Tamarlane Farm | Lyndonville, Vermont
The Leadership in Sustainability Award honors a farmer within the cooperative who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to sustainable agriculture by stewarding the land, knowledge and resources for the next generation.
Tamarlane Farm is a thriving 420-acre diversified farm in Lyndonville, Vermont, where an underlying respect and love for the land and animals is evident in all aspects of the farm. The Parises produce milk, beef, chickens, turkeys, vegetables and compost. They also own and operate the Freighthouse, a farm-to-table restaurant in Lyndonville. The farm supplies organic meat and vegetables to the restaurant, as well as to the local hospital and schools.
Minimizing the need to use “inputs” that come from somewhere else is what diversified farming is all about—and what used to be the norm in farming. Tamarlane Farm employs the most sustainable a g r i c u l t u r e m o d e l p o s s i b l e , implementing rotational grazing, utilizing farm-made compost as
fertilizer and growing feed on the farm for their own animals rather than purchasing from out-of-state. The farm also follows a comprehensive nutrient management plan, and they have a high tunnel for four- season vegetable production.
The Paris’ composting operation takes in 5 tons of organic waste per week from local schools, restaurants and businesses. Some of the compost is sold off farm. And as part of the farm’s continual improvement ethic, Eric is working to install a pole-mounted solar electric array to provide renewable electricity for the farm.
Eric enthusiastically shares his experiences with sustainable agriculture by speaking at agriculture workshops, local schools and during the pasture walks he hosts at Tamarlane Farm.
ENVIRONMENT
| 13
Celebrating Heroes
Paris Family (above)Tamarlane Farm
Photos on this page by Elizabeth Ferry
Freighthouse Restaurant (top)Lyndonville, Vermont
Our farmers produced
572,506 kwh through on-farm renewable energy
projects in 2012.
57
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aver
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77/100 EPA Energy Star Performance for original headquarters building
(before addition), which qualifies
for LEED EBOM certification.
The NumbersWe produced enough to offset*…41% of our total energy needs68% of our electricity needs*For CROPP-owned facilities in 2012
33 acres of oil seed planted in 2012
2009 2010 2011 2012
32%
22%18%
14%
CROPP’s organic dairy farmers kept more than
91.25 million pounds of toxins and synthetic fertilizers off the land since 1988.
water consumption reduced in 1 year thanks to a new water filtration system
at our Chaseburg Creamery in 2010,
paired with new cleaning techniques.
Change in resource use per employee from 2009-2012:
kwh less electricity gallons less water
82
% o
f co
nst
ruct
ion
was
te f
rom
bu
ild
ing
th
e n
ew
La
Far
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add
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n w
as r
ecyc
led
1st certified organic native prairie in
the country.
| 15
5 million gallons
Keep on TruckingPercentage of Biofuel Used
in CROPP Diesel Fleet
Vehicles
6,000 5,500
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
21**
Different pesticides found in babies’ umbilical cord blood at birth.
1.2 Billion*
Pounds of pesticides used annually in the United States.
DDT****
This toxic pesticide still exists in the environment, food, and Americans’ cells, 30 years after being banned.
Pesticide***
Levels in children’s urine decrease to undetectable levels immediately after switching to an organic diet.
Growing the Good Food MovementEATING ORGANIC MATTERS
ot only do you avoid
consuming antibiotics,
toxic chemicals ,
synthetic hormones
and genetically modified organisms
(GMOs), but you reduce the impact
of a “cocktail effect” on your
body, where toxins and other
unnatural ingredients in our food
combine in a real-life imitation
of a high school chemistry
experiment. Just as prescribed
synthetic medicines can interact
badly in our bodies, so can a
cocktail of synthetic chemicals,
building up to eventually surpass
our bodies’ tolerance thresholds,
resulting in allergies or even illness.
When it comes to our health
and the health of our families,
personal action is so important.
Ideally, we would grow all of our
own food, but when that’s not
possible, we can take responsibility
for learning the story behind our
food and making informed decisions.
CROPP is working hard to
bring this awareness to people—
especially parents and children.
We do this through our public
education initiatives such as
Earth Dinner (www.earthdinner.org)
and FrogTV (www.frogtv.com)
and by partnering with mission-
aligned non-profit organizations
o n p r o g r a m s a n d p u b l i c
outreach efforts.
Through this varied work,
we believe we are helping people
to make the connection between
the food we eat, the environment
and our health.
* Environmental Protection Agency. “Pesticide News Story: EPA Releases Report of Pesticide Use in the United States.” Press Release. 17 Feb 2011. http://epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/csb_page/updates/2011/sales-usage06-07.html
** Environmental Working Group. “Body Burden: The Pollution in Newborns.” 14 July 2005. www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php
*** Lu, C. et al. “Organic diets significantly lower children's dietary exposure to organophosphorus pesticides.” Environmental Health Perspectives Vol. 114, No. 2:260-263. 2006. abstract: http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2005/8418/abstract.html - Environment Programme and the World Health Organization, 2013.
**** Benbrook, C. "Simplifying the Pesticide Risk Equation: The Organic Option: State of the Science Review," The Organic Center. March 2008. www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/
† Benbrook, C. "Simplifying the Pesticide Risk Equation: The Organic Option: State of the Science Review," The Organic Center. March 2008. www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/Pesticide_SSR_2008.pdf
‡ “Pesticide Exposure in Children,” Pediatrics, Official Journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics; Nov. 26, 2012; http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2012/11/21/peds.2012-2757
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
“…the influences of low-level
exposures [to pesticides] on child
health are of increasing concern.
Children encounter pesticides
daily in air, food, dust, and soil
and on surfaces through home and
public lawn or garden application,
household insecticide use,
application to pets, and
agricultural product residues.
For many children, diet may
be the most influential source.”
(emphasis added)
The American Academy
of Pediatrics‡
If just 3% of U.S. cropland was converted to organic production, it would reduce
pesticide exposure risk by 97%.The Organic Center†
| 17
Strategic Philanthropy & PartnershipsFrom the beginning, CROPP has
recognized that part of doing
good business is giving back to
the communities who support us.
Just like organic farming, when
we give back more than we take
out, we all reap the benefits.
CROPP supports hundreds
o f g rass roo t s non -pro f i t
organizations each year that
share in our mission. Collectively,
these groups—representing
millions of people—are leading
the good food movement and
growing positive change.
ORGANIC FARMERS GIVE BACK
Farmers Advocating for Organics
(FAFO) is a phi lanthropic
organization within CROPP’s
farmer membership that is dedicated
to protecting and promoting
organic farmers by investing in
organic research, education and
advocacy. The funds are contributed
entirely by farmers, and projects
funded are chosen by farmers.
Since FAFO’s first granting cycle
in 2007, approximately $2.3 million
has been granted to support
young and transitioning farmers,
on-farm organic research and
anti-GMO initiatives—all of
which impact organic farmers
and consumers alike.
GROWING DEEP PARTNERSHIPS
We believe long-term partnerships
are the way to real change in our
food and farming system. Over
time, some of our partnerships
have evolved to be quite deep,
resulting in close friendships
as well as good mission-driven
work. For our partners like the
Rodale Institute, Environmental
Working Group, Holistic Moms
Network, Bioneers, and many more
national and local organizations,
we’re in this for the long haul.
These organizations are just a few of the hundreds
that CROPP is proud to support each year.
Photo on the next page by Mike Griffin
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Supported
1,000 organizations in 42 states with
more than $2.2 million of food or funding
Donated
403 “year of free organic product”
kits to fundraiser
silent auctions and raffles
Gave 20 f a r m e r owners
disaster relief assistance through the Art Wedig Fund
Donated $97,300 to Hurricane Sandy relief in the form of food, equipment,
trucking and people-power
Donated $300,000 to anti-GMO and GMO labeling advocacy
- IN 2012 CROPP -
| 19
Ward & Rosie Burroughs (left) dairy farmer-owners from CA
Mike Griffin (right) CA division pool manager
March to support labeling of GMO foods in California
Written by employees, the
CROPP Employee Values
Statement embodies what
the co-op values in its staff
and what drives our past
and continued success:
Common sense, commitment,
customer focus, inspiration,
remembering our roots,
and of course, fun.
CROPPieshighway clean-up
Resilience: the ability to recover from or adjust easily to change.How
We WorkWhat do employees—fondly
referred to as CROPPies—have
to do with sustainability? And
what does sustainability mean to
employees? A heck of a lot, as it
turns out. Providing meaningful,
gainful employment for folks is a
foundation of resilience. But there
should be a lot more to the
relationship. At CROPP, we believe
in supporting our employees’
growth beyond their job description.
The Employee Growth Incentive
(EGI) program encourages
employee growth, both personal
and professional. Throughout
the year, employees earn points
for participating in training,
community service, wellness and
sustainability activities. At the
end of the year, all participants
receive an accrued-points-based
bonus check rewarding them for
their efforts.
CROPP’S
WELLNESS - P R O G R A M -
This program offers educational
programming designed to provide
resources and encourage positive
lifestyle choices and participation
in self-improvement—and it goes
well beyond fitness to include the
mind and spirit as well.
CROPPiespracticing yoga
Road clean-up photo by Rhett Adams
Yoga photo by Amber Werre
MINDThe Organic and Mission Education
Program is designed to align and
engage CROPPies in the co-op’s
mission. Classes on organic food,
organic agriculture, our products,
production of the business, and
sustainability are available to all.
As part of our ongoing sustainability
educational offerings, Practically
Green is a social network that
CROPPies use to connect their
green spirits and thumbs, including
tools for developing sustainability
plans for home and work. Currently,
nearly half of our staff are members.
Speaking of green thumbs, all
CROPPies are encouraged to
grow their own food in the organ-
ic garden, just outside the head-
quarters building in La Farge
Finally, in-house trainings and
professional development
consulting are regularly available
to help CROPPies develop new skills
and meet their professional goals.
BODY To support bodily health, CROPPies
have access to free or discounted
exercise classes, gym memberships,
weight loss programs, smoking
cessation support, on-site health
risk screenings to catch health
problems early (like diabetes, skin
and breast cancer, cholesterol and
others), and on-site chiropractic,
massage and acupuncture.
You can see employees taking
walks around our campuses in
almost any weather.
As an organic food company,
CROPP wouldn’t be walking the
talk if we didn’t make organic
food available to as many CROPPies
as possible during working hours.
Our La Farge, Wis., headquarters
houses an organic café, and our
other facilities in Cashton and
Chaseburg, Wis., have daily access
to free organic dairy and sandwich
fixings. The plans for a new office
building in Cashton (to be completed
in 2014) also include a new
organic café. CROPPies can also
order organic foods in bulk directly
from a distributor through the
Buying Club, helping reduce the
cost of eating organic.
SPIRITFor truly holistic wellness, we
must feed and support our spiritual
selves, as well. The co-op offers
confidential counseling services,
as well as weekly mindfulness-
based stress reduction classes
that incorporate the easy movement
of Tai Chi with breathing exercises
and coaching. The co-op is also host
to regular Red Cross blood drives.
“Last year I decided to shed some
pounds. Using Weight Watchers
I lost 30 pounds and 2 dress/pant
sizes. My cholesterol dropped
from 214 to 173. This past May
I ran my first 5K, and in July
I completed my first triathlon
at age 59. I am in the best shape
of my life, and my energy level
is through the roof. CROPP’s
commitment to wellness inspired
me and gave me the boost
I needed for a lifestyle change.”
Mary Fleming programmer analyst II
| 21
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
BODY
MIND SPIRIT
ORGANIC FARMERS
IN THE CLASSROOM Connecting the Next Generation to Food at P.S. 41
P.S. 41, a K-5 public school, lies within the
peripheral view of Manhattan skyscrapers.
But inside the classrooms, it is all about the
farm. CROPP farmers Susan Hardy and Maureen
Knapp are visiting. Butter is churned, cream
is transformed into ice cream, and ducklings
and chicks peep in the children’s hands. Susan
and Maureen will spend all day at P.S. 41
visiting all the class sections for several different
grades. And at the end of a full day of food and
farm fun and learning, they will promise the
more than 140 children that they’ll be back soon.
CROPP’s relationship with P.S. 41 sprang from
a sponsorship in 2005 of the National
Gardening Association’s adopt-a-school-garden
program. After CROPP gave P.S. 41 a $3,000 grant
toward their rooftop garden, parent Vicki Sando
reached out to say thank you and asked if the
cooperative ever sent farmers to schools.
CROPP responded with support for Susan and
her husband, David, to visit. Since then, the
Hardys and now Maureen have been visiting the
school four times a year, twice in fall and twice
in spring. Every grade gets a different activity.
Photos courtesy of P.S. 41
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
David Hardy teaching P.S. 41 kids about gardening (left)
Susan & David Hardy, CROPP New York farmer-owners (right)
| 23
The children look forward to graduating from
butter churning to ice cream making to eventually
hatching ducklings and chicks. And they know
that “their farmers” will continue coming back
to share these experiences with them.
P.S. 41 stands as a tribute to the changes
dedicated people can make. A relatively small
commitment of time and resources has resulted
in a priceless investment—teaching the next
generation where their food comes from and
connecting the urban community to its rural
farm neighbors.
ECONOMICSTABILITY
2001
Pay Price ComparisonAverage Base Pay Price - CWT
Organic Valley*
Conventional†
For People’s Sake
here’s no point in
starting a business if
you have no plans to
make it last. In 2013,
CROPP celebrated i ts 25th
anniversary—25 years of
producing the highest quality
organic products, nurturing
health and harmony between
human and natural communities,
and supporting local economies
by striving to keep our food in
the region it was produced—from
farm to shelf. Looking at all we’ve
become in such a short period of
time is hard to believe, but our
founding farmers had a vision—
a sustainable vision—that has
served the cooperative well for all
these years.
PEOPLE COME FIRST
CEIEIO George Siemon has often
said that people are CROPP’s
greatest asset. This means we
must support our people first
in order to have a healthy,
economically sustainable business.
The business operates on a very
small profit margin so that the
farmer-owners can get the most
back for their hard work. They
are paid first (most marketing
cooperatives pay their farmers
last), ensuring that they get the
pay price they’re promised, and
the business operates on the
remainder. A fair and stable
pay price allows our farmers to
be financially secure today and
to plan for tomorrow.
LOCALE LOYALTY
Even through its recent years
of fast-paced growth, CROPP
has remained loyal to the rural
Wisconsin communities who
first accepted the “hippies” and
“back-to-the-landers” in 1988.
As the largest employer in
predominantly rural Vernon County
(one of the most economically-
depressed counties in Wisconsin),
CROPP is vital to sustaining
a healthy rural culture through
its jobs, patronage of local goods
and services, philanthropy and
community service.
For CROPPies, this stability
means no worries of being
uprooted and moved across the
country in order to keep a job.
And the co-op’s robust wellness
program and emphasis on
prevention has helped some
employees reduce their personal
health care costs: lifestyle education
has encouraged many to adopt
healthier eating habits and lose
weight, and health risk screenings
have indentified pre-illness
conditions in a few people, allowing
them to manage the condition
through diet and exercise or
get treatment before the illness
manifested, avoiding the potential
for costly medical care.
ECONOMIC STABILITY
2013 (Projected)
20122011
* Midwest base price without butterfat or quality premiums.
† Based on annual FMMO average blend price and 2013 estimate.
When profit goals are achieved,
CROPP shares with the farmers,
employees and the community.
It’s our way of honoring the
hard work of everyone involved in
making CROPP an economically
sustainable business.
| 25
$26.55
$16.90
$26.55
$24.55
$19.00
$19.81
FORWARDTHINKING
THE FUTURE IS ORGANICAmerica lost 4.7 million farmers
since 1935, and most of the 2.1
million who remain are over
55 years old. In contrast, the
average age of CROPP farmers is
much younger, with a growing
number of farmer-members
under 35 years old. They are our
Generation Organic™.
“Gen-Os” are the next generation
of stewards of the earth. They’re
the young people who wi l l
preserve and practice previous
generations of organic wisdom.
CROPP supports its young
farmers with a slate of initiatives,
from educational programs,
scholarships and regional
gatherings, to a farmer support
hotline and on-staff organic
veterinarians. And every year
we recognize a young farmer in
each region with Gen-O Awards.
Our crop of Gen-Os spread the
word about organic and CROPP
through outreach events and
conferences, and the co-op has
been a longtime sponsor of
the national Future Farmers
of America (FFA) organization
as well as numerous local chapters.
Recognizing the
importance of
s a f e g u a r d i n g
CROPP’s future,
i n 2 0 1 2 t h e
co-op’s board of
directors and management team
approved the formation of the
Generation Organic Executive
Committee (GOEC). Like other
CROPP all-farmer executive
committees, the GOEC serves as
an advisory committee for the
board of directors, providing
recommendations on important
issues affecting the Gen-O
Program and network members.
The seven representat ives
currently serving on the GOEC
have been active in CROPP and the
organic agriculture movement
for many years, some since they
were children. These passionate
young farmers are our next gen-
eration of leaders—both for our
cooperative and for the nation’s
organic future.
Tomorrow, We Begin Again
ustainability is about
h o w w e c o n d u c t
ourselves today so that
we’ll be here tomorrow
to continue the good work. Daily,
farmers are always engaged in
the moment because the natural
world in which they operate is
constantly changing around them.
But farmers are always thinking
forward, too. For example, the
question of legacy is never far from
their thoughts. After carefully
tending their land, the desire
for someone to continue that
stewardship is only natural. The
same is true of the cooperative
built by those farmers.
So it’s no surprise that we think
about legacy when it comes to the
many actions and organizations
we support and the efforts we
make to maintain forward
momentum and plan for the future.
FORWARDTHINKING
| 27
Laura Boere, CA (left)Adam Holter, MD (top)Jared Luhman, MN (bottom)Gen-O Award Winners
LONG-TERM MISSION REQUIRES LONG-TERM VISIONOur vision for the cooperative
and the world around us is
not about activism or policy or
advocacy, it’s about a culture shift.
“Mainstream culture in the
United States is dominated by
greed, self-centeredness and
materialism,” said Theresa Marquez,
CROPP’s longtime chief marketing
executive and now the cooperative’s
mission executive. “How do you
change that?”
It all comes back to the cooperative’s
ph i l o sophy o f con t inua l
improvement. CROPP is constantly
working toward new goals, reaching
them, raising the bar and doing it
again. The changes from year to
year may be incremental in some
areas and leaps in others, but it’s
all positive change, and that’s
what counts in the end.
CULTIVATING LEADERSHIPWe are a farmer-owned and-
governed business. Leadership by
CROPP farmer-owners keeps us
focused and effective. So how do
we keep this good thing going?
This question generated the
creation of CROPP’s Farmer
Leadership Symposium, an
educational and networking
summit for potential leaders
in all areas of the cooperative.
Attendees focus on CROPP history,
business operations, mission and
culture, and communication and
leadership skills. They also tour
CROPP facilities to get a better
sense of both the scope and the
intricacies of their business.
“What I hope we can do is help to shift our culture.
We don’t have to shift hugely to make a change.
We just have to move.”Theresa Marquez
CROPP's Mission Executive
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