I am almost positive he did, and that he had a fallout with the other farmers over something related to the Co-op, which is why he sold the land to a conservation entity.
See page 20 and 21 of this:
http://www.agmrc.org/NR/rdonlyres/A0647B22-F7A5-4103-A461-EFE93B623DA5/0/oceanspray.pdf