Our Idaho dairy is home to 4,000 milking cows. We are proud to be investing more than $10 million to expand and improve our Idaho facility, which was certified organic in 1994 and helped pioneer organic dairy farming. When the improvements are complete, we will split the herd into two herds of approximately 2,000 milking cows each. The cows will enjoy 3,700 acres of organic pasture every day during the growing season. Our Idaho farm also supports an additional 30,000 acres of organic land on 80 nearby farms that provide our supplemental feed. As a result, two million pounds of pesticides are kept off the land and out of the Snake River.

The Organic Rule does not limit the size or scale of organic farms. In fact, from the beginning, Horizon Organic's founders focused on the potential of organic agriculture to convert as many acres as possible to safe, sustainable organic practices. Cows on our farm enjoy the same compassionate treatment and attentive daily care as a tiny family herd – and they reap the same benefits. We're very proud of our exceptional herd health record in Idaho, which we credit to the dedicated, experienced staff who care for the cows each day.

We have a 500-cow farm in Kennedyville, Maryland. Like our Idaho farm, the Maryland operation has encouraged neighbors to seek organic certification, because they've seen first-hand the benefits of organic dairy farming.