Support for a Niche Market
Areas with expanding organic production open opportunities for the ag retail community.
Central Valley Ag (CVA) cooperative, based in York, Nebraska, established an organic division in 2018 in response to interest from its member-owners in eastern Nebraska, northwest Iowa and north-central Kansas.
“Ninety-nine percent of the cooperative’s business is in conventional agriculture. But a lot of growers are either trying organic or looking at the price premiums and wanting to try it,” says Tim Mundorf, CVA director of soil management. “We believe both farming methods have a place. Our job is to provide value to our growers, whether organic or conventional.”
Mundorf advises organic growers on inputs that meet Organic Materials Review Institute certification. Tools include natural fertilizers, biologicals, plant growth regulators and plant stimulants that help plants build natural defenses against disease. The co-op also offers organic grain storage and marketing services.
“Ninety-nine percent of the cooperative’s business is in conventional agriculture. But a lot of growers are either trying organic or looking at the price premiums and wanting to try it,” says Tim Mundorf, CVA director of soil management. “We believe both farming methods have a place. Our job is to provide value to our growers, whether organic or conventional.”
Mundorf advises organic growers on inputs that meet Organic Materials Review Institute certification. Tools include natural fertilizers, biologicals, plant growth regulators and plant stimulants that help plants build natural defenses against disease. The co-op also offers organic grain storage and marketing services.
U.S. #agriculture embraces a diverse food system with roles for both conventional and organic #farming.
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