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 one of very few producers in Northern Norway to have their own physical shop selling local food,' says Anne Berit Figenschau, Regional Director of Innovation Norway Arctic, adding:

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

The award winner is proud to receive the 2024 Rural Development 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. With the motto 'happy goats produce quality ingredients', the small-scale producer has 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 expertise pays off,' says Morten of their many trips and courses.

The award winners are continuing to develop the farm. The goat barn is currently being expanded, and this summer they established Reisa Lokalmat AS. They also took over retail premises in Storslett, which 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 farm relief worker from Ukraine, they help out in both the barn and the shop, as well as with social media and accounting.