![]() exploring co-investment solutions to address some of the systemic challenges related to Northeast organic dairy infrastructure. ![]() providing access (at no cost to the farmer) to farm financial consultants that specialize in providing support for the agriculture community, and Ĥ. providing a transition payment of an additional amount per hundredweight on the milk purchased from these producers (during the last six months of the agreement) ģ. extending their current contract an additional six months, for a total of 18-months, ending on FebruĢ. In response, Danone announced in a December 13 letter that the company would provide additional support to the affected farms, including:ġ. The Mills Administration specifically requested that Danone: 1) commit to paying milk producers their premium payments in the final year contract and for their most recent contracts where premiums may not have not been paid 2) make a substantial monetary donation to the Northeast Dairy Innovation Center (NDIC) to support farm transition, business planning, and investment and 3) make a substantial monetary donation to the company in Maine that will be fundraising to stand up in-state organic dairy processing. This is progress, but more work is left to be done.”Īfter Danone, the owner of Horizon Organic, notified 14 Maine organic dairy farms in August 2021 that the global brand intends not to renew contracts for milk with them and other farms across New England, Governor Mills and Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Commissioner Amanda Beal pledged to assist the impacted Maine farms. ![]() “We have been clear about what these farmers need and how we should be working collaboratively to develop the intrastate response needed to get this market on track in Maine and New England. “We thank our Maine partners and those located across the Northeast and in Washington, DC for joining us in urging Danone and Horizon Organics to do more for these farms,” said Amanda Beal, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. We will continue to work closely with Maine dairy farmers and our other partners to develop long-term solutions to our infrastructure issues that will help us stabilize this industry and secure its future in Maine.” “While I appreciate the company’s extended support of our hardworking dairy farmers, I know there are still many challenges ahead as a result of Danone’s decision not to renew its contracts. “This is a modest but welcome development in a still very difficult situation for the families of our impacted dairy farms who are worried about their future,” said Governor Janet Mills. Governor Janet Mills issued the following statement today on Danone North America’s “four part Northeast organic dairy transition plan.” The new plan comes in response to pressure from Governor Mills and officials who urged the company to provide financial support and other resources to organic dairy farms hurt by its sudden August 2021 decision not to renew milk contracts. The office of Governor Mills has put out a statement in response to this announcement:
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