Organic Valley Family of Farms, America’s largest cooperative of family farms and one of the nation’s leading organic brands, recently recognized 396 of its farmer-owners, nearly 24 percent of its total members, with quality awards.

Organized in 1988, Organic Valley represents 1,652 farmers in 33 states and four Canadian provinces with the mission of saving family farms through organic farming. Approximately 300 of its farmer-owners descended upon La Crosse, Wis., last week to attend their annual meeting to discuss the cooperative’s current direction, issues and goals for the year ahead.

Organic Valley dairy, produce, soy, egg, juice and feed crop farmers and Organic Prairie beef, poultry and pork farmers were recognized for 2009 quality achievements during an awards banquet on Friday of the annual meeting. Organic Valley honored its dairy farmers in Gold, Silver and Milk Quality Recognition categories. To achieve these honors, Gold Award recipients needed an average Somatic Cell Count (SCC) of less than 150,000; Silver Award recipients an average SCC between 151,000 and 200,000; and Milk Quality Recognition recipients an average SCC between 201,000 and 250,000. In addition, all levels had to achieve a Standard Plate Count average below 25 and a Preliminary Incubation Count averaging less than 30. All of the gold and silver winners received a plaque and the quality recognition winners received certificates for their accomplishments.

The following farmers received the top milk quality Gold Award, the “Cream of the CROPP,” in each region:

• Eastern Region: Meyer Family, North Hardwick Dairy LLC, Hardwick, Vt.
• Midwest Region: Kevin and Mary Jahnke, Jahnke Family Farm Limited Partnership, Lancaster, Wis.
• Western Region: Greg and Marci Bingham, Bingham Farms, Weston, Idaho

The following farmers received Organic Valley’s Top Egg, Produce, Feed Crop, Juice and Soy Quality Awards:

Egg Pool

• Midwest Region Omega-3: Michael Miller, M&M Organic Farms, Wonewoc, Wis.
• Midwest Region: Chuck Voehl, Voehlganic Farm, Westby, Wis.
• East Region: Aaron Lapp, Allenwood, Penn.
• Kalona (Iowa) Pool: Marcus and Grace Kauffman, Kalona, Iowa

Produce Pool: Jonathan and Wilma Bontrager, Hillsboro, Wis.

Feed Crop: Greg and Teresa Brawner, Brawner Farms, Hannover, Ind.

Juice Pool: Roper Growers, Fla.

Soy Pool: Quality Organic Producers Cooperative (QOPC), Iowa

The following farmers received Organic Prairie’s Top Beef, Pork and Poultry Quality Awards:

Beef Pool: Fred and Linda Pedretti and Jason and Courtney Pedretti, Genoa, Wis.

Pork Pool: Chuck Cornillie, Black Oak Farm, Byron, Mich.

Poultry Pool: Clint, Gary and Bill Welsh, Welsh Family Organic Farm, Lansing, Iowa

“Our Annual Meeting of all the farmer owners of Organic Valley is a gathering in which our family farmers across the country determine their future, have a say in their livelihoods and celebrate our collective success as a cooperative and for organic,” said George Siemon, one of the founding farmers and chief executive officer for Organic Valley. “As such, it’s the right time and place to present quality awards to recognize our strengths as individuals and as a whole. We’re pleased to honor nearly 400 of our dedicated farmers who consistently went above and beyond to produce the best quality organic products possible last year.”

Organic Valley also awarded the Ray Hass Organic Pioneer Award to Jerome McGeorge for his pioneering spirit and visionary work in the organic community. The Ray Hass Organic Pioneer Award is an annual memorial award given to an individual who is a pioneer in the organic movement and in the Cooperative. The award is named after Ray Hass, a founding member of Organic Valley and one of the very first organic dairy farmers in the United States. Ray’s vision of a farmer-owned organic cooperative and his tireless work advocating for family farmers were important and critical aspects to the success of the cooperative.

Farmers, by state, receiving Organic Valley’s Gold Dairy Quality Awards for 2009:

California

Bill and Michelle Van Ryn, Gawne Organic Dairy, Stockton

Idaho

Greg and Marci Bingham, Weston

Kyle and Marie Knapp, H&S Dairy, Inc., Preston

Iowa

Monroe and Lydia Ann Herschberger, Bloomfield

Indiana

Roger and Lisa Garland, Vevay

Mervin Hochstetler, LaGrange

Alvin Shrock, Middlebury

Harley Shrock, Topeka

Kentucky

James Huber, Mount Hermon

Maine

Steve Morrison, Charleston

William and Sandra Osborne, Farmington

Lewis and Loretta Nuite, Atikinson

Paul and Michele Philbrick, Knox

Garin and Sarah Smith, Skowhegan

New Hampshire

John and Beth Haynes, Claremont

Kathy Harrington, Stonewall Farm, Keene

New York

Steven Bartlett, Earlville

Cliff and Patti Brunner, Sunny Slope Farm, Cooperstown

Richard and Lisa Bruno, Twin Farms, Cazenovia

Kevin Fuess, O’Riskany Falls

Siobhan Griffin, Raindance Farm, Schevenus

Irene Hurst, Locke

Les and Marge Miller, Richfield Springs

Vaughn and Sue Sherman, Dryden

Benjamin and Katherine Whitemore, Dead End Farm, Candor

Nick and Erica Wood, Woodhaven Jersey, Dundee

Robert and Rachel Yoder, Morrisville

Ohio

Dave Colvin, Creston

Steve and Pat Gamby, Mt. Victory

Elmer Graber, Millersburg

Simeon and Laura Kanagy, Sunset Meadows, Shreve

Mark and Geneva Miller, Millersburg

Leroy and Rose Meyer, Ft. Loramie

Jerry L. and Mary Miller, Elm Grove Acres, Fredricksburg

Amos Jr. and Nora Nolt, Shiloh

Ron Pohl, Coldwater

Paul and Carol Schmitmeyer, Versailles

Mark and Linda Weaver, Dundee

Raymond Yoder, Jr., Dundee

Joseph and Martha Yoder, Butler

Oregon

Thomas and Diana Brown, Myrtle Point

Devin and Elena Johnston, Spring Valley Farms, Tillamook

Ilene Knight, Bennett’s Acres, Boring

Gary and Connie Moore, Boring

Richard and Jill Smith, Hermiston

Pennsylvania

Henry and Emma Beiler, Spring Mills

Todd Swartz, Broad Acres, East Waterford

James and Janet Byers, Mercersburg

Clellen and Rhoda Leh, Towanda

Wayne and Esther Weaver, Gray Stone Farm, Loysville

Bobbie and Harvey Wood, Mansfield

Vermont

Alice and Laurance Allen, Wells River

Scott and Randy Bidwell, Morrisville

Stephen and Amelia Bothfeld, Fieldstone Organic Farm, Cabot

Tom and Bonnie Boutin, Newport Center

Dave and Elaine Callan, Mountain View Farm, Fairfield

Morgan and Jennifer Churchill, Fairfield

Leon and Linda Corse, The Corse Farm Dairy, LLC, Whitingham

Allen and Sandra Cutting, Irasburg

Andrew and Kathy De La Bruere, Derby

Joseph and Emily Donegan, Charlotte

Mike and Barbara Eastman, Addison

Earl, Susan and David Fournier, Swanton

Neil Fromm and Lenore Beers, Irasburg

Bob Grenon, North Troy

Roger and Patricia Le Blanc, Hazen Monument Farm, East Hardwick

Tim Maikshilo and Kristen Dellert, Coventry Valley Farm, Coventry

Mike and Teresa Menard, Fairfield

Ben Moulton and Amanda Taylor, Knox Ridge Holsteins, Troy

W. Silas Myrick, Bridport

Marcel and Gaetane Patenaude, Maple Cedar View, Derby Line

Meyer Family, North Hardwick Dairy, Hardwick

Mike and Carol Pettis, Fair Haven

Warren Rankin, Top Rankin’ Farm, East Johnson

Karl and Anita Sjolander, St. Johnsbury

Paul and Kristine Stecker, Cabot

Tyler Webb, Enosburg Falls

Cortni and Alicia Whitehead, Fairfield

Washington

Walter and Irene Abplanalp, Ethel

Jim and Janie Austin, Austin Farms, Oakville

Gerald and Delores Bishop, Bishop Dairy, Chimacum

Gary and Susan Burkhalter, Grays River Holsteins, Rosburg

Matt and Robin Eldridge, Everson

Ross McMahan, Randle

Randy and Kimberly Peterson, North Fork Dairy, Arlington

Allen and Cheryl Voortman, Pride and Joy Dairy, Granger

Andy and Linda Styger, Chehalis

Dean Wesen, Wesen Organic Dairy, LLC, Bow

Wisconsin

Daniel and Darlene Coehoorn, Rosendale

Leonard DeFere, DeFere Family Dairy, Sturgeon Bay

Robert and Jeann Farrar, La Farge

Jim and Tammy Fahey, Edgar

Marianne Hermann, Hixton

Rich and Ila Holman, Breezy Hills Farm of Baldwin, Baldwin

Martin and Wilma Hoover, Colby

Kevin and Mary Jahnke, Jahnke Family Farm, Lancaster

Ernerst L’Heureux, Fairview Farm, Iron River

John and Anna Mast, Boyd

William Morren and Patricia Laskowski, Hillsboro

Mike and Julie Petherbridge, Petherbridge Family Farm, Dresser

William Bogdonovich and Maria Stockbrand, Sunny Valley Farm, Willard

Robert, Jeanette and Caleb Winkel, Winkel Farms, Waupun

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 1,652 farmers in 33 states and four Canadian provinces, and achieved $520 million in 2009 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.coop and the cooperative’s farmer website, www.farmers.coop. Organic Valley is also on Twitter @Organic_Valley and Facebook www.facebook.com/OrganicValley.