Organic producers in Montana and surrounding states realized that individually they’d soon be swept up into an “organic commodity” system not dissimilar to the existing commodity model. In the current commodity system, farmers have virtually no control over the pay price they can receive for their agricultural products, regardless of what their cost of production may happen to be, or what their individual circumstances are. So, after several years of development, a number of these producers got together to consolidate resources and start negotiating fairer prices for their production. Thus, in February 2007, the Montana Organic Producers Co-op was born.

MOPC is a member of OFARM (Organic Farmers’ Agency for Relationship Marketing) and works closely with other organic co-ops across the country sharing information, contacts, and supply to meet buyers’ demands and contractual obligations. This national and international resource is invaluable to the individual farmer who is largely cut off from these sources of information and sales contacts.

Website: www.mopcoop.org