Horizon Organic to stay a little longer

Horizon Organic, which plans to stop taking milk from Northeast producers, has announced it will extend contracts by six months, giving farmers more time to find new markets.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture last week said it will invest $20.2 million in the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives.

The Hescocks, who milk 325 cows at their Shoreham farm, have been producing for Horizon since 1999. It’s been about a month since they received the letter, and they don’t know what their future holds, or whether they’ll be able to continue farming at all.

Danone, a global food company and the owner of Horizon Organic, plans to terminate contracts next year with all of its organic dairy farmers in Vermont and other parts of the Northeast, leaving farmers without buyers for their milk.Other buyers in the are … (read more)

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