Strømmen Farm wins agricultural award

'This is the first time I have had the honour of presenting the Business Development Award for agriculture, and I am particularly impressed that this year's winner has won medals for cheese at both the Norwegian and World Championships. They are also among the very few producers in Northern Norway to have their own bricks-and-mortar shop selling local food,' says Anne Berit Figenschau, our Regional Director for the Arctic, adding:

'Strømmen farm is undoubtedly a champion and role model for small-scale producers across the country.'

The award winner is proud to receive the 2024 BU Award:

'It’s wonderful to be recognised and appreciated,' says Morten Risto from Strømmen farm.

Strømmen Farm in Nordreisa municipality is home to one of the world's leading cheese producers. Guided by the motto 'happy goats produce quality ingredients', this small-scale producer won gold at the Norwegian Cheese Awards and later a bronze medal at the World Cheese Awards for its Strømmen Chevre.

The award winners have attended cheesemaking courses around the world, and have always had a strong desire to produce this kind of local food.

'Building competence pays off,' says Morten of their many trips and courses.

The award winners continue to develop the farm. They are now expanding the goat barn, and this summer they established Reisa Lokalmat AS. They also took over retail premises in Storslett, where they now sell local food from small-scale producers spanning from Gudbrandsdalen in the south to Nordreisa in the north.

The award winners say that developing the farm would have been difficult without help from their children, Jean Kasper, Siri Mari and Ine Kristine. Together with the Ukrainian relief worker on the farm, they help out in both the barn and the shop, as well as with social media and accounting.