DEERFIELD, Mass., April 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After meeting
with organic dairy farmers in Maine, New York and Vermont, HP Hood LLC
refused to increase the price they get paid for their milk (pay price) and
then demanded immediate repayment of an overpayment of 17 cents a gallon
for one month of production. As part of their winter payment program to
have organic milk year round for their consumers, HP Hood pays an extra 17
cents a gallon to farmers for the months of December, January and February
to assist with higher winter costs. Because of a clerical error they also
paid the extra amount for March as well.
Maine organic dairy farmer Mark McKusick explains that farmers need
every cent possible to cover their expenses, "This action by HP Hood is
hitting us when we are the most vulnerable, with some farmers losing 60
cents for every gallon they produce, and now they are looking for us to
return 17¢ per gallon because of their error. Organic dairy farmers are
returning to conventional production at an unprecedented rate because they
are losing so much money. This demand by HP Hood shows their lack of
concern for family farms. We appeal to consumers to demand that HP Hood pay
their farmers a sustainable price!"
Maine organic dairy farmer Richard Lowry understands that everybody's
costs are rising but, "If farmers aren't able to pass some of those costs
on, family farms will disappear in the Northeast, and leave the consumer
with no choice but to buy organic milk that is shipped from across the
country.
Organic farmers have appealed many times to HP Hood to increase farmers
pay and have received less than a 4% annual increase since January 2006.
They appealed to Gary Hirschberg, CEO of Stonyfield Farm, to intervene on
their behalf but have received no reply. Stonyfield Farm licenses their
name to HP Hood LLC, which markets its product as Stonyfield Farms Organic
Milk.
The three major purchasers of organic milk set the price they pay
farmers differently. Company executives at Horizon Organic and HP Hood set
the farmer price after meeting with their farmers. Organic Valley farmer
pay is set by the Midwest based farmer board of directors and company
executives after consulting with the Dairy Executive Committees for each
region.
As New York farmer, Kevin Englebert writes, "The problem comes back to
the same old story - (organic) dairy farmers are not receiving enough money
for their efforts. The best, long term solution remains receiving a fair
price for our organic milk." Kevin Englebert is an Organic Valley
member-owner, and member of the National Organic Standards Board.
Contact: Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director: (413) 772-0444,
http://www.nodpa.com ednodpa@comcast.net
SOURCE Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance
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Related links:
http://www.nodpa.com
CONTACT:
Ed Maltby, Executive Director of NODPA,
+1-413-772-0444, ednodpa@comcast.net
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