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m Removed the hyphen in the word Co-operative as the company no longer uses the hyphen. Also changed the language about being owned by 800 farm families to now ready owned by hundreds of farm families because the number sadly keeps decreasing at an unfortunate pace.
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{{promotional tone|date=March 2023}}
{{short description|American dairy cooperative}}
{{short description|American dairy cooperative}}
{{Multiple issues|
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{{promotional tone|date=March 2023}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2023}}
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{{use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name = Cabot Creamery Cooperative
| name = Cabot Creamery Cooperative
| logo =
| logo = Cabot Creamery logo.png
| type = [[Retailers' cooperative]]
| type = [[Agricultural cooperative]]
| foundation = 1919
| foundation = 1919
| industry = [[Food processing]]
| industry = [[Food processing]]
| location_city = [[Cabot, Vermont]]
| location_city = [[Waitsfield, Vermont]]
| location_country = United States
| location_country = United States
| homepage = [http://www.cabotcheese.coop/ cabotcheese.coop/]
| homepage = https://cabotcreamery.com/
}}
}}


The '''Cabot Creamery Cooperative''' is an American [[dairy]] agricultural [[marketing cooperative]], which is owned by hundreds of <ref></ref>farm families throughout New England and upstate New York, and Agri-Mark Family Dairy Farms, Incorporated.
The '''Cabot Creamery Cooperative''' is an American [[dairy]] agricultural [[marketing cooperative]] owned by [[Agri-Mark]].<ref name="WPTZ">{{cite news|last=Kabot|first=Courtney|url=https://www.mynbc5.com/article/cabot-creamery-renovating-facility-in-waitsfield/3309249#|title=Cabot Creamery renovating facility in Waitsfield|date=May 15, 2013|publisher=[[WPTZ]]|access-date=March 30, 2023}}</ref> The cooperative has a plant in [[Cabot, Vermont]], but its administrative headquarters is in [[Waitsfield, Vermont]].<ref name="WPTZ" />

Agri-Mark dates back to 1916 with the formation of its predecessor, the New England Milk Producers Association. The cooperative flourished during the twentieth century and in 1980 became Agri-Mark. A dozen years later Agri-Mark merged with Cabot Creamery Cooperative, thereby ensuring that Northeast dairy farmers would continue their ownership of a valuable, time-honored consumer brand -- Cabot. Naturally aged Vermont cheddar cheese and fresh creamery butter top the list of Cabot's best known products. In 2003, Agri-Mark merged with the Chateaugay Cooperative in Upstate New York and acquired the assets of McCadam Cheese, including a plant located in Chateaugay. McCadam manufactures award-winning New York Cheddar, Muenster and European-type cheeses.


==History==
==History==
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}}</ref>]]
}}</ref>]]


The original plant had an investment of $3,700 in total, which was paid by 94 farmers in proportion to the number of cattle which each owned. The cooperative started out making butter with the excess milk produced, and began shipping its products south. In 1930, it started making cheese. By 1960, the cooperative had 600 member farmers, though the number of farms in Vermont and across the nation was steadily shrinking.
The original plant had a total investment of $3,700 ({{Inflation|USD|3700|1919|r=-2|fmt=eq}}), which was paid by 94 farmers in proportion to the number of cattle which each owned. The cooperative started out making butter with the excess milk produced, and began shipping its products south. In 1930, it started making cheese. By 1960, the cooperative had 600 member farmers, although the number of farms in Vermont and across the nation was steadily shrinking.


Following a decline in membership, the Cabot Farmers Cooperative Creamery merged in 1992 with Agri-Mark, a cooperative of 1,800 farm families in [[New England]] and [[New York (state)|New York]],<ref>{{Cite web
Following a decline in membership, the Cabot Farmers Cooperative Creamery merged in 1992 with Agri-Mark, a cooperative of 1,800 farm families in [[New England]] and [[New York (state)|New York]],<ref>{{Cite web
|url = http://www.agrimark.net/public/cabotcheese.php
|url = http://www.agrimark.net/public/cabotcheese.php
|title = Cabot Cheese
|title = Cabot Cheese
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In 2008, there were about 400 Cabot farms in Vermont belonging to Agri-Mark.<ref>{{cite news |title = Agri-Mark to halt use of BST | work = [[The Burlington Free Press]] | date = January 27, 2009}}</ref>
In 2008, there were about 400 Cabot farms in Vermont belonging to Agri-Mark.<ref>{{cite news |title = Agri-Mark to halt use of BST | work = [[The Burlington Free Press]] | date = January 27, 2009}}</ref>


The Cabot Farmers' store is located at 2657 Waterbury-Stowe Road in [[Waterbury, Vermont]].
Cabot has facilities in numerous locations, including [[Cabot, Vermont]], [[Vermont Route 100|Route 100]] in [[Waterbury, Vermont]], and also has an official Cabot "sampling station" at the Quechee General Store located at 5573 Woodstock Road in [[Quechee, Vermont]]. Samples of Cabot products are also available at the Waterbury location as well as the Cabot Farmers' Village Store located at 3075 Main Street in Cabot, VT.


In addition to the Cabot brand, Agri-Mark also owns McCadam Cheese, headquartered in [[Chateaugay, New York]]. Established in 1876 by William McCadam in the small community of [[Heuvelton, New York]], the company first gained national recognition winning the first medal at the [[World's Columbian Exposition]] in Chicago in 1894. In 1934, during the midst of the "Great Depression" McCadam expanded its cheese manufacturing to a facility in Chateaugay, which is its primary cheese manufacturing facility today. McCadam merged with Agri-Mark/Cabot in 2003.
In addition to the Cabot brand, Agri-Mark also owns McCadam Cheese, headquartered in [[Chateaugay, New York]]. Established in 1876 by William McCadam in the small community of [[Heuvelton, New York]], the company first gained national recognition winning the first medal at the [[World's Columbian Exposition]] in Chicago in 1894. In 1934, during the midst of the Great Depression McCadam expanded its cheese manufacturing to a facility in Chateaugay, which is its primary cheese manufacturing facility today. McCadam merged with Agri-Mark/Cabot in 2003.


{{As of|2012}}, about 1,200 members were located throughout New England and upstate New York. Faced with a multitude of challenges ranging from low milk pricing, labor shortages and increased operating costs over the past decade, the cooperative lost nearly 400 farms. As of 2021, there are approximately 800 farms in the co-op. The [[Rochdale Principles]] remain a part of the cooperative.<ref>{{Cite news
{{As of|2012}}, about 1,200 members were located throughout New England and upstate New York. Faced with a multitude of challenges ranging from low milk pricing, labor shortages and increased operating costs over the past decade, the cooperative lost nearly 400 farms. As of 2021, there are approximately 800 farms in the co-op. The [[Rochdale Principles]] remain a part of the cooperative.<ref>{{Cite news
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}}</ref>
}}</ref>


Cabot entered into a partnership with Dankin Farm in 2012 for [[e-commerce]] and other reasons.<ref>{{cite news |last=Morter |first=Darcey |url= https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2015/08/21/dakin-farm-history-tradition/32058355/ |title= Dakin Farm: A history of tradition |date= August 21, 2015 |newspaper= The Burlington Free Press |access-date= March 30, 2023}}</ref>
Cabot markets its products nationally through regional supermarket chains, big box stores, and online through a relationship with Dakin Farm.
<!--[[File:Cabot Creamery.png|thumb|The Cabot logo (discontinued in 2011)]]-->


==Awards==
''[[Wine Spectator]]'' listed Cabot cloth-bound cheddar as one of "100 great cheeses" of the world in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World of Cheese: 100 Great Cheeses |url=http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,6709,00.html |work=Wine Spectator | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2009-06-10 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119053617/http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,6709,00.html | archive-date=November 19, 2008 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Also in 2008, Cabot Monterey Jack received an award from the [[American Cheese Society]].<ref>{{cite news | author = Pasanen, Melissa |title = Vermont cheesemakers win a variety of honors | work = [[The Burlington Free Press]] | date = August 20, 2008}}</ref>
''[[Wine Spectator]]'' listed Cabot cloth-bound cheddar as one of "100 great cheeses" of the world in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World of Cheese: 100 Great Cheeses |url=http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,6709,00.html |work=Wine Spectator | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2009-06-10 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119053617/http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,6709,00.html | archive-date=November 19, 2008 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Also in 2008, Cabot Monterey Jack received an award from the [[American Cheese Society]].<ref>{{cite news | author = Pasanen, Melissa |title = Vermont cheesemakers win a variety of honors | work = [[The Burlington Free Press]] | date = August 20, 2008}}</ref>


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[[Category:Cheesemakers]]
[[Category:Cheesemakers]]
[[Category:Cooperatives based in Vermont]]
[[Category:Cooperatives based in Vermont]]
[[Category:Vermont culture]]
[[Category:Dairy products companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Dairy products companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies based in Vermont]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies based in Vermont]]

Latest revision as of 20:23, 29 September 2024

Cabot Creamery Cooperative
Company typeAgricultural cooperative
IndustryFood processing
Founded1919
Headquarters
Waitsfield, Vermont
,
United States
Websitehttps://cabotcreamery.com/

The Cabot Creamery Cooperative is an American dairy agricultural marketing cooperative owned by Agri-Mark.[1] The cooperative has a plant in Cabot, Vermont, but its administrative headquarters is in Waitsfield, Vermont.[1]

History

[edit]
The Cabot village creamery was built in 1893.[2]

The original plant had a total investment of $3,700 (equivalent to $65,000 in 2023), which was paid by 94 farmers in proportion to the number of cattle which each owned. The cooperative started out making butter with the excess milk produced, and began shipping its products south. In 1930, it started making cheese. By 1960, the cooperative had 600 member farmers, although the number of farms in Vermont and across the nation was steadily shrinking.

Following a decline in membership, the Cabot Farmers Cooperative Creamery merged in 1992 with Agri-Mark, a cooperative of 1,800 farm families in New England and New York,[3] and was reincorporated as Cabot Creamery Cooperative Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Agri-mark. In 2008, there were about 400 Cabot farms in Vermont belonging to Agri-Mark.[4]

The Cabot Farmers' store is located at 2657 Waterbury-Stowe Road in Waterbury, Vermont.

In addition to the Cabot brand, Agri-Mark also owns McCadam Cheese, headquartered in Chateaugay, New York. Established in 1876 by William McCadam in the small community of Heuvelton, New York, the company first gained national recognition winning the first medal at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1894. In 1934, during the midst of the Great Depression McCadam expanded its cheese manufacturing to a facility in Chateaugay, which is its primary cheese manufacturing facility today. McCadam merged with Agri-Mark/Cabot in 2003.

As of 2012, about 1,200 members were located throughout New England and upstate New York. Faced with a multitude of challenges ranging from low milk pricing, labor shortages and increased operating costs over the past decade, the cooperative lost nearly 400 farms. As of 2021, there are approximately 800 farms in the co-op. The Rochdale Principles remain a part of the cooperative.[5][6][7]

Cabot entered into a partnership with Dankin Farm in 2012 for e-commerce and other reasons.[8]

Awards

[edit]

Wine Spectator listed Cabot cloth-bound cheddar as one of "100 great cheeses" of the world in 2008.[9] Also in 2008, Cabot Monterey Jack received an award from the American Cheese Society.[10]

Ownership

[edit]

As a co-op, Agri-Mark is a membership organization incorporated in Delaware on April 21, 1980. The members of the Agri-Mark cooperative, who supply Agri-Mark's equity capital and directly elect its directors, are not stockholders of record, so have no right under Delaware statutory law to inspect the corporation's books and records.[11] Only the directors hold a share of stock, so are owners under Delaware law.

The co-op retains much of the excess profit, up to $150,000 per farmer, as equity in the form of noninterest bearing loans. For farmers departing the co-op, this equity is repaid over seven years. Dividends in excess of the retained equity are returned to the members.[12]

The Delaware stock corporation signs yearly marketing agreements with the farmers who produce milk. They can decline to resign any producer without reason at the end of the contract.

Operations

[edit]

In 1994, when the two companies merged, they had $30 million in sales. This reached $350 million in 2008.[12] and combined Agri-Mark sales (for all products across all brands) reached nearly $1 billion in 2020.

[edit]

On several occasions, Cabot has been penalized for pollution incidents by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. In 2000, Cabot was cited for a "minor violation of [its] indirect discharge permit and land use permit."[13] In 2007, Cabot paid a $50,000 fine with an additional $50,000 funding of a Supplemental Environmental Projects.[14] In 2007, Cabot also pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act after an ammonia spill killed thousands of fish in the Winooski River, in July 2005. The spill destroyed all aquatic life for 5.5 miles (8.9 km).[15]

In 2011, the Vermont Attorney General's office alleged that some Cabot products made in 2009 and 2010 could not be certified as free of rBST, a hormone that causes cows to produce more milk. Cabot settled with the state, agreeing not to make such representations, to pay a $65,000 fine, and to donate $75,000 worth of dairy products to local food banks.[16]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Kabot, Courtney (May 15, 2013). "Cabot Creamery renovating facility in Waitsfield". WPTZ. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  2. ^ "History". Cabot Creamery.
  3. ^ "Cabot Cheese". Agri-Mark. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008.
  4. ^ "Agri-Mark to halt use of BST". The Burlington Free Press. January 27, 2009.
  5. ^ "About Us". Cabot Creamery.
  6. ^ "Land Spreading". Cabot Creamery.
  7. ^ "FAQs". Cabot Creamery.
  8. ^ Morter, Darcey (August 21, 2015). "Dakin Farm: A history of tradition". The Burlington Free Press. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  9. ^ "The World of Cheese: 100 Great Cheeses". Wine Spectator. September 30, 2008. Archived from the original on November 19, 2008. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
  10. ^ Pasanen, Melissa (August 20, 2008). "Vermont cheesemakers win a variety of honors". The Burlington Free Press.
  11. ^ "Shaw v. Agri Mark Inc". Findlaw. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  12. ^ a b Dunbar, Bethany (March 18, 2009). "Farmers upset about Agri-Mark report". Barton, Vermont: the Chronicle. p. 13.
  13. ^ "State site". Archived from the original on May 23, 2007. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  14. ^ "State Enforcement". Archived from the original on August 17, 2007. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  15. ^ "Times Argus". Archived from the original on October 4, 2008. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  16. ^ "State of Vermont, Superior Court, Washington Unit, in re Agri-Mark, Inc., d/b/a Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Docket No. 489-8-11 Wncv" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
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