By WisBusiness Staff
The Organic Valley co-op has announced plans to build a new distribution center in Cashton in Monroe County.
Headquartered in La Farge, in Vernon County, Organic Valley will occupy 40 acres of the new Cashton Greens Industrial Park with anticipated employment of 50 people when the distribution center is complete.
The co-op currently employs 204 full-time people in La Farge and 26 at the Chaseburg butter-making plant, plus additional part-time employees. It reached sales of over $200 million in the past year.
Cashton Development Board President Scot Wall credits Organic Valley and their forward-looking vision to fiercely protecting the environment and maintaining rural America as a key reason the Cashton region could witness potential growth in the very near future.
Organic Valley was established in 1988 when a group of seven farmers joined forces in belief that the agricultural industry needed a new sustainable approach if family farms and rural communities were going to survive in a tough economic society.
Organic Valley has 758 active farming operations in 22 states with 225 producers in the 608 telephone area code region. In 2004 the average price paid to Organic Valley network farmers for utilization of their products was $20.79. Profits remain strong in 2005 despite increased costs associated with freight, transportation and milk hauling expenses.
The co-op opened a new headquarters in La Farge last year. Before completing its new facility, Organic Valley rented 22,000 square feet of building space out of seven buildings in and around the village of La Farge.
The new Cashton Greens Industrial Park fit perfectly with Organic Valley’s mission plan for future growth while preserving the natural environment, according to coop officials.
Organic Valley hopes to have the new Cashton distribution center operational by the spring of 2007. The distribution center, being constructed by Weiser Bros. of La Crescent, will provide cooler, freezer, dry storage divisions, staging areas and office space.
The Cashton location is close to the interstate, making distribution of the organic product line profitable while benefiting a rural community looking for future growth through agriculture.
