Luther College student honored by organic farming group

A Luther College senior has been honored by Organic Valley, the nation's largest cooperative of organic farmers.

Ross Bansen has been presented with the coop's "Generation Organic" awards, which is given to young organic farmers, aged 16 to 35, who represent a new generation of sustainable agriculture leaders.

Bansen has implemented sustainability systems at his family's farm that have helped it conserve water and energy.  At Luther College Ross led the fundraising efforts for the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. He also spent time in Arusha, Tanzania, helping schools build chicken pens and gardens to alleviate their community's food shortage.

Bansen is scheduled to graduate from Luther this spring with degrees in business and biology.  Ross will be the fourth generation in his family to embrace the dairy business.  First, however, he will take part in an apprenticeship in New Zealand, where he will study organic dairying practices.

The Gen-O Awards were created in 2008 to recognize individual young Organic Valley farmers who have chosen organic farming as a career path, demonstrated an outstanding commitment to organics, and are preserving the family farm and rural community through leadership, stewardship and innovation.  The award comes with a $1,000 cash prize to help further their farm development and leadership.  Finally, Organic Valley will also donate $500 to a non-profit of each of the winners' choice.  Bansen was one of three young farmers chosen for the award.