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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, please contact:
Luana Hancock
Communications Manager
Horizon Organic/WhiteWave Foods
(303) 635-4448
Horizon Organic Joins with Senator Clinton to Announce Company's New Statewide Initiative to Help More New York Farmers Transition to Organic
BOULDER, Colo. (Jan. 27, 2006) -- Horizon Organic joined with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today in a show of support for New York farmers, announcing an initiative dedicated to helping more state farmers transition to organic, and processing more milk locally, to meet the ever-increasing demand for organic milk in New York and the region.
Horizon Organic currently works with 119 certified organic dairy farmers in the state of New York - more than any other state in the country. Its Horizon Organic Producer Education (HOPE) Program seeks to encourage many more family farmers in New York to convert to organic farming by offering comprehensive support services. Additionally, HOPE underscores the company's commitment to improve the environment, communities and local economies in which it operates by transitioning as many farms as possible to organic. Today, Horizon Organic is working with an additional 79 New York farmers as they make the transition to organic farming, providing technical assistance and personalized organic certification support, including on-site visits from Horizon Organic producer relations team members that live in the regions where farmer partners are located. The program also provides financial support, which means that dairy farmers in transition to organic have the ability to purchase more expensive organic feeds and convert their farms to meet the organic standards.
Coupled with the HOPE program, Horizon Organic is also expanding its organic milk processing capabilities in-state. Horizon Organic is investing $5 million in a planned $18 million expansion of Steuben Foods of Elma, New York (near Buffalo) that will help increase Horizon Organic's in-state processing capabilities. This means Horizon Organic can more efficiently process milk produced by local farmers and bring the state's consumers more delicious, nutritious organic milk faster.
Last year Senator Clinton and Horizon Organic co-hosted an organic dairy roundtable with farmers from Western New York to address the benefits of transitioning to organic. In making the announcement today, Horizon Organic and Senator Clinton said the initiative underscores a continuing collective commitment to strengthening the organic dairy industry, and its opportunities, in the state.
"The New York organic dairy community is vital to Horizon Organic and the national organic milk supply," said Jule Taylor, Director of Milk Supply for Horizon Organic. "Of our more than 300 family farmer partners across the U.S. who supply milk to Horizon Organic, more than a third of them are in the state of New York. But we need to continue to grow that number to supply the region and the nation's ever-increasing demand for organic dairy products. We'd like nothing more than to find more New York partners to fill this demand and enjoy the economic opportunities converting to organic agriculture provides."
"I am so pleased that companies like Horizon Organic recognize the strength and value of New York State assets, including its farmers, established distribution infrastructure and state-of-the-art processing
facilities. Horizon's decision to support our farmers and to invest in Steuben Foods in Buffalo is indicative of New York's strong and vibrant agricultural sector. Organic agriculture has the potential to
be an economically viable 'value-added' opportunity for upstate New York family farms and we need to continue to work together to provide the necessary information and incentives to help producers interested in the organic transitioning process," Senator Clinton said.
Horizon Organic currently infuses an estimated $35 million into New York's local communities. From its New York farmer partners to local milk haulers, laboratory testing facilities, dairy cooperatives, processing plants, warehouses, brokers and retailers, Horizon Organic manages all of the operations for its New York supply locally, which positively impacts the state's economy.
The organic dairy industry continues to see annual growth rates of 20-30 percent; and without more farmers transitioning to organic, this demand will not be met. Horizon Organic's New York milk supply currently falls short of meeting the regional demand. It estimates needing an additional 30,000,000 pounds of organic milk annually from New York dairymen to meet the demand. This demand continues to spell opportunity for New York Farmers.
About HORIZON ORGANIC
Horizon Organic, founded in 1991, was the first certified organic dairy to distribute products nationally in the United States. The company remains true to its vision for a more organic planet, purchasing milk from more than 300 certified organic dairy farms and providing certified organic dairy products to supermarkets and natural foods retailers across the country. Horizon Organic products are produced without the use of harmful pesticides, antibiotics or added growth hormones and always will be. That's the organic promise from our farmers to consumers. For more information on the growing world of organic, visit www.horizonorganic.com
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Food produced without antibiotics, added growth hormones or pesticides means better health and a cleaner environment.
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