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CABOT HONORED FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION

HISTORIC COOPERATIVE ALSO NAMES 1st SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR

Ottawa, ON (September, 2008) – The Association of Cooperative Educators (ACE) honored Cabot Creamery Cooperative at its 2008 ACE Institute conference in Ontario. Cabot was recognized with the “Outstanding Contribution to Cooperative Education and Training Award.” In presenting the award, ACE highlighted Cabot’s long-standing tradition of leadership among cooperatives and an ongoing commitment to developing publications and training materials in support of cooperative education.

As an organization representing leaders from across cooperative sectors and national borders, ACE (www.ace.coop) singled out Cabot’s ground-breaking partnership with the Girl Scouts of America in creation of a “Co-ops for Communities” patch. This collaborative effort between the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) and Cabot Creamery teaches youth about cooperatives as an important and unique business model. “Cooperatives, with their principle of one-member-one-vote and profits shared among members, are truly the most democratic form of business,” notes Roberta MacDonald, senior vice president marketing for Cabot Creamery.

The focus of this year’s ACE conference was “Sustainability and Cooperatives.” Underscoring its own commitment to sustainability, earlier this year Cabot named Jed Davis to the new, full-time position of Director of Sustainability. Davis, a 17-year Cabot veteran, was present in the Canadian capital to accept the ACE award on behalf of Cabot Creamery.

Cabot’s “farm-to-fork” sustainability approach engages the cooperative’s dairy farmers as well as Cabot’s employees. The scope of its efforts extends from the co-op’s farms to its creameries, right through to customers and consumers. “The principles of cooperation and ideals of sustainability are closely knit,” states Dr. Richard Stammer, Cabot’s president, “and we are proud of our ongoing efforts to create social, economic and environmental opportunities.”

“Whether in developing a national dairy agriculture scorecard to help farmers assess their on-farm programs, or in working on specific conservation and efficiency programs in our creameries, Cabot strives to be a genuine leader in the sustainability field,” said Davis.

Cabot is working with two key sustainability partners, one each on its farm and brand activities. The Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (www.manomet.org) is helping to develop the dairy agriculture scorecard in conjunction with Cabot and Dairy Management, Inc., a leading, national dairy industry group. Meanwhile, Mark McElroy, executive director of the Center for Sustainable Innovation (www.sustainableinnovation.org), is working with Cabot on a variety of efforts related to Cabot’s award-winning products and to the Cabot brand.

Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919 and is best known as makers of “The World’s Best Cheddar,” as honored twice now at World Championship Cheese Contests. Cabot is owned by the dairy farm families of Agri-Mark, the Northeast’s premier dairy cooperative. For additional information on Cabot Creamery, you are invited to visit www.cabotcheese.coop