Nearly 90 Northeast organic dairy farms to lose their market

By LISA RATHKE
Associated Press

Vermont’s agriculture secretary says 89 organic dairy farms in the Northeast will lose their contracts with an organic dairy company when it stops buying milk in the region by the end of August of next year. Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts says Danone, the parent company of Horizon Organic, notified farms last week. He says 28 in Vermont and a total of 61 in Maine, New Hampshire, and New York will be affected. Danone did not respond to an email seeking comment. Tebbetts says Danone told Vermont officials that the company will focus its business plan on larger farms in Midwest and West.