Farmer-owned cooperative Organic Valley is offering a market for 80 Northeast dairy farms who are losing their contracts with Horizon Organic and Maple Hill Creamery.
In Maine, Organic Valley has offered contracts to 11 dairy farms, including Faithful Ventures Farm in Searsmont. Owner Glendon Mehuren says without another supplier, he likely would have had to exit the dairy business.
"I'm grateful, not only for ourselves, but for the other organic producers within the state of Maine and the dairy industry as a whole because the dairy industry cannot afford to lose any more farms from our great state," says Mehuren.
Governor Janet Mills and state Agriculture commissioner Amanda Beal issued a joint statement applauding the offer from Organic Valley. They say they'll continue to work on state efforts to support dairy farms, including in-state processing capacity.
