OTA Members

In the beginning: The first family farms were bought back in 1934 by my great-grandfather, Gustav Sasse, who migrated to the USA from Mecklenburg region of Germany. Gustav arrived from Hamburg through Boston harbor. Gustav bought and then sold one quarter of land in Nobles County, MN, to each of his sons. Edward Bernard Sasse, Sr., his 2nd oldest son, farmed 160 acres of row crop, 30 head of beef cattle, and 40 hogs until his death on 27 April 1992. On 26 April 1942, Edward Sr. married Verla Drake at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Worthington, MN. Their first son, Edward Jr. (my dad), was born on 25 Oct 1944, and passed away on 17 Nov 2014. He married Patsy Jean Mitchell (my mom) at St. Matthew Lutheran Church on 9 April 1966, and their first daughter, Angela, was born on 5 Jan 1969. Patsy Jean Mitchell was born 20 Sept 1943 and passed away on 27 Aug 2012. Both my parents are buried side-by-side at the Bluff View Cemetery in Vermillion after being together for 46 years. My dad helped us on the new SD farm up to his passing in Vermillion, and previously on my former 20 acre farm in Woodbury County, IA.

But it doesn't end there. Angela and her husband, Glenn Pulse, continue farming small-scale in Clay County, South Dakota. Angela is alumni of The University of South Dakota and has made a career in the organic agriculture regulatory field and adult & higher education. The farm today includes greenhouse, row crops, livestock, and pasture on 15 acres 1 mile north of Vermillion, SD, and is certified organic by MOSA. Glenn Pulse owns Pulse Contracting in Vermillion and is a licensed plumber and HVAC installer by trade. There are 5 children between Glenn and Angela: Ryan, Leanna, Jennifer, Rebecca, and Brittany.

2017 brings an exciting new venture for the family as we move into on-farm poultry processing in a new Plant in a Box concept design by David Schafer. Please follow us on our YouTube Channel for upcoming exciting videos.

We are members of the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, Practical Farmers of Iowa, South Dakota Local Foods Coop, and Dakota Rural Action.

Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence is a natural, national & independently owned broker, poised to compete in today's rapidly growing market. Over the years we have successfully built sales and partnerships within the natural and conventional grocery channels. Our many years of experience in the industry, coupled with our high energy, strong standards and vision, allows us to help you build and maintain a strong market position through a myriad of retail, wholesale and manufacturer services. We are highly selective about the products we represent, dedicated to the principles of the natural products industry and committed to sustainable business.

Primal Essence is an ingredient/flavor company that produces certified organic water-soluble oils and oleoresins in liquid and powdered forms via a proprietary technology, without the use of any chemicals or anything artificial. This unique process, combined with raw materials extracted using only the safest and most advanced extraction technologies primarily CO2 without the use of harsh chemical solvents, results in the purest, most powerful extracts available today. Our technology can be applied to any oil or oleoresin, so the range of extracts we offer is as extensive as there are oils or oleoresins available. Primal Essence manufacturing facility is organic and kosher certified, operating under the strictest QA Program.

n 1994, PrimusLabs began its foray into auditing by developing G.A.P. manuals, and in 1996, the company became an early force in the produce industry for field level food safety plans. It was the first American company to offer auditing for farms and harvest crews and became an early and strong advocate for complete programs for farms and ranches. Over the next few years, PrimusLabs began offering food industry plans, and GMP audits and consultation for processing plants, cooling and cold storage facilities, packing sheds, terminal market and distribution centers. These audits were known as PrimusLabs Standard audits.

The firm provided extensive expertise in the form of “guides” used throughout the industry and by governmental food safety agencies. Thus, Primus Laboratories advanced the concept of preventing contamination at the earliest point in the production chain, rather than limiting the focus to downstream packing or processing operations, a concept not acknowledged by the FDA until 2011 with the passage of FSMA.

Marrone Bio Innovations makes pesticide a little less poisonous. The company's biopesticides are made from eco-friendly ingredients such as plant extracts, bacterium, or fungus. Marrone Bio Innovations has three products on the market and three in development awaiting EPA approval. Its pesticide Grandevo contains bacteria that repels plant-eating insects and kills them if ingested. The company's plant extract-based fungicide Regalia is also used as a seed treatment for corn, cotton, and soybeans, and Zequanox kills mussels found in water pipes. Its products are primarily sold to vegetable growers as alternatives to conventional agricultural chemicals. Marrone Bio Innovations went public in 2013.

Pro-Cert was founded by Wallace J. Hamm over a quarter-century ago. Now his son Byron works alongside him, running the day-to-day operations together at Pro-Cert as Byron’s daughter learns to follow in her father’s – and grandfather’s – footsteps.

Pro-Cert’s certification program is recognized globally providing international access to the products and brands we certify.

NOP (USA)
COR (Canada) andBIO (Quebec)
JAS (Japan)
Bio-Suisse
KOC (Korea)
Our program is accredited to by IOAS – a globally recognized accreditor and member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

Established in 1943, Producers Rice Mill Inc. is a farmer-owned cooperative that has been a significant supplier in the rice industry for over 75 years. With established customers worldwide, Producers Rice Mill Inc. focuses on the benefits of rice and rice ingredients in multiple market segments including food service, retail, and industrial. Producers Rice Mill’s full ownership of Producers Rice Ingredients has enabled our teams to leverage our extensive knowledge and experience in the rice industry to expand our reach across developing markets.

PRI manufactures a diverse offering of rice products that are utilized by multiple segments of the food industry. Through a combined effort working closely with our customers on innovation and new product development, we seek to maximize the natural and beneficial qualities of rice as an ingredient. With a focus on the future, we continually look for options to improve our current product offering in support of our customers’ demands.

Alliance of natural products retailers, manufacturers, brokers, distributors, consultants, organizations and individuals addressing such issues as food safety, ethical business practice, sustainable agriculture and environmental integrity, communications, networking and advocacy.

At Next Gen Pet Products we have built our business by searching the world for truly unique pet products. Many of the products from Next Gen have been in the international market for a number of years, and now Next Gen brings them to you in North America. Next Gen partners with many of the largest pet product manufacturers and distributors around the world to develop innovative pet products based on well established and market proven ingredients and formulas.

Reliable Products Inc./PureFarms Organic is a family-owned and operated company in operation since 1973. Our CEO and founder, Ashish Lakhani, born and raised in city of Rajkot, in the state of Gujarat in India, was raised in family business where he learned to work with a farmer/processor and organic farmer group. For three generations the Lakhani family has been a part of organic farming and trade and currently maintains their own farm back home in India. In 1997 Ashish came to the U.S and in 2003 with the knowledge and expertise of his father Vipin Lakhani and brother Darshan Lakhani, founded Reliable Products, Inc. as a quality wholesale distributor of Non-GMO and certified organic raw food ingredients. His family has converted and funded organic farming methods from conventional farming methods which has brought a richness of expertise and quality to the Reliable Products and PureFarms Organic brand.

Reliable Products Inc./PureFarms Organic is a leading food ingredient processor and provider of raw seeds, grains, nuts and gluten-free ingredients. We have capabilities to create custom seed & spice blends used for topping mixes with custom packaging. Reliable Products Inc./PureFarms Organic is a supply chain management solution provider to major food manufacturers, distributors, food service companies, co-packers and contract manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada. We have strategically-located food grade, organic-certified distribution facilities across the U.S. for our customers’ convenience.

Our facility uses the most advanced technologies available in the world as far as seed processing is concerned. Our products are examined and monitored right from the farm level, through each stage of processing, and through product delivery to our customers. Reliable Products/PureFarms Organic is involved in every step of the supply chain process. We follow and maintain,GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), GAP (Good Agricultural Practices), US Food Safety Standard. Our facilities are GFSI SQF or BRC certified. We implement and adhere to the highest quality food safety standards of ABA, AIB, ASTA and FDA-FSMA. We are also a USDA/Custom bonded and FDA Registered Food Facility and are working towards SQF Level 2 certification

Pure Ground Ingredients was founded by our vision of a world where growers, manufacturers, and consumers all came together in the name of better ingredients, sustainable practices, and a happier, healthier planet. After a family health scare, our founder Kevin Lindseth and his family studied and began practicing Chinese Medicine. As a way to share their story of healing through herbs, the family founded an organic tea business. Kevin traveled the globe and developed relationships with growers. This paved a lifelong appreciation for the integrity of organic ingredients. As the market for organics began to grow, Kevin began importing and processing ingredients for other manufacturers.

PURIS cultivates a spectrum of pure, plant-based foods and ingredients from USA organic non-GMO sources. Our end-to-end USA organic non-GMO pea protein manufacturing system ensures a wholesome sustainable food system from seed to solution.

Purity Organics produces, processes and markets certified organic almonds.

After three decades of producing almonds, we decided to enter the organic food market.

Our first offering is an organic almond. Not just any "organic" almond. Our almonds are 100 percent Certified Organic.

We maintain the integrity of the Certified Organic label by controlling the entire growth, harvesting and processing phases.

We farm the land. We water the trees. We monitor their growth and quality. We harvest the tree nuts. We process them in our processing facility. We oversee the packaging and distribution.

We are diligent in all aspects of the process, from planting to harvest to packaging.

When you choose an organic food partner, choose one committed to their products. Choose one who serves them to their own family. Choose Purity Organics.

QAI, global leader in organic certification services, verifies that growers, processors and handlers of organic products worldwide meet all applicable standards and regulations. Offering international accessibility and streamlined, professional client services.

Organic certification services.

Wholesaler-distributor of organic, natural and specialty products serving grocery and natural food retailers, restaurants, foodservice including schools, colleges and universities, national parks, guest ranches, and sporting lodges in the Northern Rockies region.

Inspired by farmers, built for all producers. Tools to streamline production and simplify your organic certification paperwork.

Quick Organics was born in early 2020 with a diverse team ranging in expertise- software design, client success managers and a group of subject matter experts.

In 2013, motivated by a boyhood dream, our founder Greg Schreiner purchased a set of certified organic farms located in Wellington, Colorado. The properties had been organic for over 30 years. Intending to keep the farms legacy organic, Greg soon discovered the daunting process of organic certification and paperwork. Overwhelmed and flooded with questions, Greg and his team went to work organizing records and building spreadsheets to track data. He hired an office administrator whose sole job was to create a system to track all of the required data and keep all farm records.

Throughout the years, Greg often wondered how he could help other organic operations with this intimidating year-round process. In late 2019, he started to envision building a cloud-based software program to be used by other producers to maintain the organic integrity of their operations.

Processes were established to record field level data, input documentation and their use, harvest and planting records, fertility plan data, pest and weed control methods. Over the years, the system grew into a complex network of multiple spreadsheets, files and documents and their records became impeccable. The annual renewals and on-site inspections weren’t just manageable, the trust and reliance on the data made this process quick and painless.

The program would also help in establishing processes that would assist them in maintaining sufficient documentation so that their certification process would be easier.

Our program will be the answer to all your frustrations. Enjoy the process, we look forward to working with you!

Wild River is a grower/shipper of kiwifruit, stone fruit, and citrus.

The farm has been downsized from 4,000 acres to 4 acres. It also includes a vastly reduced research project and small orchard.

The Research Center strives to explore cutting-edge ideas on the high plains of Montana. It is located on the Quinn Organic Farm in Big Sandy, Montana, within the famed Golden Triangle. The experiments are conducted on small acreage in an effort to determine how a farm family can make a comfortable living on fewer acres. Current experiments include oilseeds for fuel and lubricants, storage and fresh vegetables, crop rotations, green manures, and weed management.