By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

It’s nice to see companies start putting their money where their mouth is.

Organic Valley, America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and a leading organic brand, today announced details of the first-of-its-kind community solar partnership launched last year. The project enables Organic Valley to share the benefits of solar energy with its rural neighbors and become the largest food company in the world to be 100 percent renewably powered.

In October 2017, the company ambitiously committed to achieve 100 percent renewable power at its corporate facilities. Since pioneering this new model of community solar development, Organic Valley has unlocked solar beyond its needs.

In the spirit of cooperation, 13 communities across the Midwest will also benefit from this partnership, including six in Organic Valley’s project portfolio. Beyond the company’s 12.3 megawatt (MWdc) project portfolio, an additional 19 MWdc will be constructed, resulting in over 31 MWdc of new solar in the region, including a 33 percent increase in the state of Wisconsin. Partners for the remaining renewable energy credits will be announced later this year.

The six communities within Organic Valley’s portfolio that will benefit directly from the community solar partnership include Arcadia, Cashton, La Farge, Merrillan, and Viola in Wisconsin; and St. Charles in Minnesota. When the projects begin generating power next year, the Arcadia array, sized at 6.78 MW, will be the largest solar array in the state of Wisconsin.

Every member of these communities will benefit from stable and low electricity rates and the environmental benefits of renewable power for decades to come. Nearly 10,000 residents in these communities will soon have access to the power of the sun.

“Organic Valley is a farmer-owned cooperative with deep roots in the rural Midwest, so it makes sense that we would work together to create new sources of energy right here at home that can be shared by all,” said George Siemon, CEO and a founding farmer of Organic Valley. “We are committed to achieving 100 percent renewable electricity for our cooperative, but also sharing the bounty of solar electricity with rural communities where we live and work.”