Maine Farmers To Launch Own Organic Milk Brand

[ccharles000]

BAR HARBOR, Maine -- A group of organic dairy farmers in Maine has formed its own company with its own brand of milk.

Shoppers soon will be able to buy MOOMilk -- short for Maine's Own Organic Milk -- at stores in Maine and Massachusetts.

The Bangor Daily News reported the dairy farms -- from Aroostook, Penobscot, Kennebec and Washington counties -- formed a cooperative after not having their contracts renewed with the H.P. Hood milk company.

They then launched their own company, Maine's Own Organic Milk Co.

MOOMilk's general manager, Bill Eldridge, said the milk should start appearing in stores in November.

http://www.wmtw.com/news/21270273/detail.html

[valerief]

1. Thanks! Good to know! nt

[icnorth]

2. Two thumbs up!n/t

[ellaydubya]

3. If In Texas

I would buy it in a heartbeat!!! Good for them!!!!!!!!!!

[ccharles000]

4. kick

[defendandprotect]

5. k

[glitch]

6. Awesome. K & R. Let's hope more organic producers follow suit and band together.

I think Organic Valley is doing well. And cooperatives seem more difficult to co-opt by the mega-agribusinesses.

[gratuitous]

7. This won't last long

The big dairy concerns will put the screws to the Maine legislature to ban the labeling of milk as "organic," because that will imply that milk that isn't organic or can't be labeled organic isn't as good. And they'll have a busload of bought-and-paid-for "scientists" come to the capital to testify that there's no difference. A little money spread around amongst the usual suspects, and MOOMilk will be labeled JOBMilk (JOB = Justin Other Brand).

[janet118]

8. Glad to see Oakhurst Dairy is helping out . . .

Stan Bennett, Oakhurst owner, was the guy who was sued by Monsanto because the label on his milk cartons stated all their dairy farmers had signed a pledge not to use artificial growth hormone (a Monsanto product). The suit eventually settled with an agreement that the Oakhurst label could remain with a disclaimer saying, in effect, "Not that there's anything wrong with that." Bennett said it was too expensive for him to keep the suit up without damaging his company.
Mother Jones

And now Oakhurst is helping out with MOOMilk.
Bangor Daily News

But this is rural Maine, and with true Yankee ingenuity, the 10 farmers banded together to find a solution. Through a cooperative agreement among the farmers, private investors, Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, Oakhurst Dairy in Portland, the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, the Maine Farm Bureau and the Maine Department of Agriculture, a new company has been launched: MOOMilkCo., short for Maine's Own Organic Milk Co.

--snip---

Smiling Hill Farm, which was processing milk only twice a week, is making significant investments in it facility, putting in a whole new processing line and ramping up to bottle MOOMilk four days a week. Oakhurst has agreed to put MOOMilk on its trucks and distribute it throughout Maine and Massachusetts. Hannaford supermarkets have offered to put MOOMilk on the shelves of all their Maine and Massachusetts stores. Jason Shoppee, who previously had picked up the milk at each of the orphaned farms, is picking it up again.

Go Maine!!

Now dump Snowe and Collins and vote against the stupid ban on gay marriage.