![]() Kempner said it points to a loophole in organic regulations that allow large-scale organic farms to produce milk more cheaply. NOFA-VT is part of a task force aimed at saving the farms that the Vermont Agriculture Agency has put together, in which farmers, organic buyers and the congressional delegation will take part, Tebbetts said.ĭanone's decision to end its contracts in the region is another hit to the overall dairy industry in Vermont, which each year loses farms, as conventional operations struggle with low milk prices paid to them and farms gets bigger. "So we're doing our best to make sure we're seeking solutions for alternative markets for their milk but also make sure the farmers feel as individually supported as possible." "Not having a buyer for your milk is a really severe position to be in for these farmers," Kempner said. Currently, there are three other buyers getting organic milk from Vermont farms. Late last week, 27 Vermont dairy farms received letters from Danone, owner of Horizon Organic, notifying them that their contracts will be terminated in. It will be a challenge for the 28 Vermont organic farms to find another buyer because "the organic market currently is not in a position to take on more milk or farmers," Tebbetts said. The raw milk travels an average of 776 miles to the plants. Footprint: Raw organic milk is collected from Horizon Organics farmer partners and trucked to one of 10 milk processing plants that Danone owns. It's devastating to these farm families but also has implications for the state economically and the organic dairy industry in Vermont, said Maddie Kempner, policy director for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont. Transporting milk from farm to the processing plant9 of total carbon footprint. Where do you get your facts my flower friend Horizon milk is indeed an organic product and uses only organic dairy from small family owned organic farms. The company plans to stop buying milk in the Northeast by Aug. ![]() "They will buy milk from larger farms and drop farms in our region," he said. The company told Vermont officials that it did not want to transport milk from the region to its plant in New York and will focus their business on larger farms in Midwest and West, Tebbetts said by email. It will be removed from our top 5 Silk ESL Soy and Coconut beverages by Q2 2015 and remaining Silk Aseptic and other ESL products by end. "Growing transportation and operational challenges in the dairy industry, particularly in the northeast, led to this difficult decision." Carrageenan will be removed from Horizon flavored milk in Q1 2015, and from all other Horizon items by Q2 2015 (eggnog, Tuberz, heavy whipping cream, regular and lowfat cottage cheese and lowfat sour cream). "We greatly value our relationships with our farming partners and did not make this decision lightly," Danone North America said in an emailed statement late Thursday. Organic Valley, a cooperative of family farms around the country, does not yet know if there’s any way it can help the farmers in the Northeast, said CEO Bob Kirchoff in a written statement.(AP) - Nearly 90 organic dairy farms in the Northeast, including 28 in Vermont, will lose their contracts with an organic dairy company when it stops buying milk in the region by the end of August of next year, Vermont's agriculture secretary said Thursday.ĭanone, parent company of Horizon Organic, notified farmers last week, including a total of 61 in Maine, New Hampshire, and New York, according to Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts. This undercuts dairy farmers who operate with integrity,” according to the National Organic Coalition. ![]() “Over the years some operations have used a lack of specificity in the rule to continually transition conventional animals in and out of organic production. Cornucopia Institute Score: 0/5 Ethically Deficient. NOFA-VT is part of a task force aimed at saving the farms that the Vermont Agriculture Agency has put together, in which farmers, organic buyers and the congressional delegation will take part, Tebbetts said.ĭanone’s decision to end its contracts in the region is another hit to the overall dairy industry in Vermont, which each year loses farms, as conventional operations struggle with low milk prices paid to them and farms gets bigger. Owned by Dean Foods (a multi-billion dollar company that owns brands like Meadow Gold, Land O’Lakes, and Silk, amongst others.) Uses no artificial growth hormones, no antibiotics and no pesticides.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |