On Tuesday afternoon, dairy farmer Jamie Bansen of Forest Glen Jerseys located in Dayton, Ore., received alarming news that the creamery her family ships milk to was on fire. Thankfully, the longstanding relationship between Organic Valley and Forest Glen Jerseys did not cause Bansen to lose too much sleep.
“I received a phone call from a friend saying the plant was on fire,” Bansen says. “I immediately went to social media and witnessed my creamery become overwhelmed with flames.”
A three-alarm fire to Organic Valley Creamery in McMinnville, Ore., started around 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday. While there was severe structural damage to the creamery, a spokesperson for the company reported that no injuries to employees or first responders occurred. “The exact source and initial location of the fire is not known at this time,” Bob Kirchoff, chief executive officer for Organic Valley reported. “A thorough investigation of the incident is being conducted, and we will not speculate on the origin of the fire. We are thankful for the actions of local emergency personnel, and we are complying fully with local authorities.”
Forest Glen Jerseys has shipped milk to that very same processing plant for more than four decades. First as Farmers Cooperative Creamery (FCC) and then as Organic Valley when they purchased that plant back in 2017.
The plant has seen several upgrades since the purchase, as Organic Valley has invested nearly $23 million in renovations and upgrades. “We cannot speculate on the dollar figure at this moment, but the damage is extensive and appears to be a total loss,” Kirchoff reports.
Nearly 500,000 pounds of milk is shipped daily into the McMinnville plant, stemming from 42 local family farms, including Forest Glen Jerseys.
Bansen represents the fourth-generation farmer in her family. In 1965, Bansen’s father, Dan, left the home farm in California and moved to Oregon with 35 cows and six kids. Today the family owns and operates two dairies, all of which are home to Registered Jersey cows and ship all of its milk to Organic Valley.
“The plant has been our livelihood for all these years. Dad was president for FCC for 10 plus years and helped developed that business, really to the point that helped make it an attractive purchase for Organic Valley,” Bansen adds.
Bansen applauds her cooperative creamery for acting immediately and working well on behalf of its farmer patrons. “They continue to keep farmers well informed by sending us an updated voice-recording text and let us know when we can expect to hear future updates,” Bansen adds. “Organic Valley quickly diverted milk to other homes.”
Field staff who live and work in the area are also making themselves available to Organic Valley farmers, Kirchoff notes.
Bansen believes quick action from her creamery saved Organic Valley members from dumping milk, as Organic Valley quickly diverted its patrons’ milk to its extensive network of co-manufactures partners. While Organic is not sure of the long-term plan, they stand behind their cooperative’s pledge to pick up its farmer’s milk.
“Continuing to pick up our farmers’ milk is one of our top priorities and we’re confident we will continue finding homes for all of it. We are grateful to have strong partners in the industry who are there for us when we need them so we can continue being there for our farmers,” Kirchoff says. “We also take pride in ensuring a stable pay price for our farmer-owners.”
2020 brought more than just a world pandemic for Forest Glen Jerseys. The Willamette Valley was engulfed by a wildfire last summer, and like other farmers in the area, Bansen was on edge. “The sky was orange and while we were one of the lucky ones that did not have to evacuate, it was still nerve-wracking to know that the winds could shift and we would be forced to find a new home for all our cows at any moment,” Bansen says.
Earlier this year, the Bansen family experienced winter storms that put them without power for a string of days, but Bansen said the farm generators kept the milk cold and the cows never missed a beat.
Like so many other dairy farmers, admittedly Bansen is exhausted. Nonetheless, she still is devoted to producing a wholesome product for consumers to enjoy. “This is our livelihood. We just keep moving one-foot in-front of the other,” Bansen says. “The cows are not quitting, neither are we. Thankfully neither is our cooperative.”
