Danone Drops Northeast Organic Dairy Producers

NOC is deeply troubled by a recent decision by Horizon Organic Milk (owned by French company Danone) to drop contracts for 89 organic dairy producers in New York, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Contracts with these 89 dairy producers are slated to end on August 31, 2022. 

If these dairy farms are forced to shut down, “the ripple effects on the local economy would be notable,” said Nicole Dehne, Certification Director at Vermont Organic Farmers. “Producers employ breeders, vets, and grain companies, for example. Organic farmers are also required to manage their farms so they’re hospitable to the local ecosystem. They have to improve soil health on their farms. They have to plan and manage for biodiversity. So it’s devastating to think that we might lose that acreage that’s being managed in that way.”

NOC has been working closely with member organizations NODPA, NOFA-NY, NOFA-VT, and MOFGA to respond to the crisis. We are talking with members of Congress and partner organizations to understand the situation, advocate for passage of the Origin of Livestock rules at USDA, and support the affected farmers.

In July of 2021, NOC urged USDA once again to finalize Origin of Livestock rules to eliminate loopholes that allow producers to expand herd sizes quickly by routinely transitioning conventional animals into organic dairy herds. This loophole has contributed to the oversupply of organic milk in the market, has had a devastating effect on organic dairy prices to farmers, and left many organic farmers and those transitioning to organic with stranded investments because there are no buyers for their milk. 

For the new rules to be meaningful, they must prohibit transitioned animals from being sold as organic dairy animals.

NOC will continue to keep organic advocates informed as the situation evolves so we can support the affected producers and push for changes to create fairness in organic markets.

Sign the petition here: https://www.nationalorganiccoalition.org/blog/2021/9/20/demand-danonehorizon-stand-with-northeast-organic-dairy-farmers