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Dropped by Hood, Dairy Farmers Start Own Organic Brand

October 26, 2009 - WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Three Washington County farmers hope that a new venture focused on local production, a buy-local campaign and ownership by the farmers will help ensure a sustainable future for their farms.

"There's something special about saving dairy farms," said Aaron Bell of Tide Mill Farm in Edmunds. "The dairy industry is highly visible, and people want to support that."

The last dairy farm had disappeared in Washington County in 2001, but nearly four years ago, three farmers in the county were courted to produce organic milk by HP Hood, which was willing to truck the milk for free more than 800 miles to upstate New York.

With the demand for organic milk growing, Tide Mill Farm was featured by HP Hood on promotional brochures for the Stonyfield Farm organic yogurt and milk brand.

Then last February, Hood told Bell and Carly DelSignore, who run the farm, that their contract would not be renewed in November. Nine other Maine dairy farms, including two in Washington County, were also being dropped by Hood because of the downturn in the economy.

Now, after months of planning, those 10 organic dairy farms, joining with the Maine Farm Bureau and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, have formed Maine's Own Organic Milk Co., a special form of limited liability corporation. The new organic milk brand should be on store shelves Nov. 30.

– The Quoddy Tides, October 23, 2009


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Regions: Downeast


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