On Wednesday we ventured into Wisconsin to visit Organic Valley. Organic Valley is a marketing co-op that was founded in 1988. One of the main goals of the co-op is to save family farms. Organic Valley is a leader in the development of organic standards. They have zero tolerance for antibiotic use. They pride themselves on representing the needs of farmers. The co-op is run by a board made up of farmers. Although the board plays an important role in the organization, the real power is in the hands of the members Every farmer in the organization has one vote no matter the size of their operation. They make sure every everyone has an equal say in how the co-op is run. Organic Valley is a large organization that makes up 13.8% of all certified organic farms.

I really loved Organic Valley. The office building had a really nice atmosphere. My first impression was that everyone was dressed very causally. This sounds like a weird thing to notice but I don’t think I have ever been to a place of work where I saw people wearing leggings or t-shirts with beer jokes on them. As we continued the tour, I was impressed at how the building incorporated sustainable practices. I also liked how they put the power in the hands of the people that know the business best, the farmers. Overall, I was very impressed with the organization.