The Genossenschaft der Ökobauern eG (Organic Farmers' Co-operative) is delighted to be celebrating its 30th anniversary: the official opening of the new warehouse and production hall in Lippborg (Soest district) marks another important milestone in the development of the company, one of Germany's largest organic producer organisations for vegetables and potatoes.
"The new warehouse and production hall is not only an indicator of growth, but also a visible sign of the innovative strength and performance that characterises our cooperative, including its organic farmers. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, it will significantly optimise production and increase capacity. This step is part of our ongoing commitment to providing first-class products and services for our customers," Axel Altenweger, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, said in his welcoming address.
Attractive marketing basis
Silke Gorißen, Minister for Agriculture and Consumer Protection of North Rhine-Westphalia: "For 30 years, the organic farmers' cooperative has stood for 100 per cent organic production, processing and marketing. I would like to congratulate them on this. The further development of organic farming in North Rhine-Westphalia requires precisely this kind of commitment. The cooperative is helping to secure and increase the production of organic food in North Rhine-Westphalia and to create an attractive marketing basis together with the farmers."
The warehouse was supported by the state with up to 551,000 euros from the EAFRD programme. The investment volume for the warehouse and production hall together totals around 8 million euros. "The organic farmers' cooperative has developed and expanded very successfully in recent years. I am delighted that the organic farmers are focussing on Lippetal as a location for the future and are producing and marketing the increasingly popular regional products here locally in an organic and sustainable manner," said Matthias Lürbke, Mayor of Lippetal, in his welcoming address.
Silke Gorißen (2nd from left), Minister for Agriculture and Consumer Protection in North Rhine-Westphalia, had travelled all the way from Düsseldorf for the opening ceremony of the new warehouse and production hall in Lippborg and wished the organic farmers' cooperative, headed by Supervisory Board Chairman Axel Altenweger (left), CEO Jochen Voß (right) and Managing Director Klaus Rauhaus (3rd from left), every success in her speech. Mayor Matthias Lürbke (centre) and Naturland Managing Director Stefan Reese (3rd from right) gave welcoming speeches. Naturland Managing Director Annette Alpers also offered her congratulations.
Storing, washing and sorting organic potatoes and onions
Around 3,000 m² of floor space is available in the new storage and production hall. In future, the organic potatoes and onions delivered as raw goods will be stored, washed and sorted by employees according to customer specifications before being packaged according to customer requirements. 80 per cent of the producers come from North Rhine-Westphalia and the south of Lower Saxony, 20 per cent from the rest of Germany and, depending on the season, from the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Spain. In addition, farms deliver regionally from a radius of 20 kilometres.
The programme, which included official welcoming speeches as well as guided tours of the new building, also provided plenty of space for discussions and networking among the guests.
Pictures: Cooperative of organic farmers eG
For more information:
Genossenschaft der Öko-Bauern eG
Industrial estate Rommersch 13
59510 Lippetal-Lippborg
Phone: 02527 9302-0
Fax: 02527 9302-20
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.oeko-genossenschaft.de