MOO Milk farmers disband, will seek individual contracts
PHOTO / COURTESY MOO MILK
Maine's Own Organic Milk, the company better known as MOO Milk that was founded in 2009 after 12 organic dairy farms lost their contract with Hood, announced on Monday that its farmers will pursue individual agreements for the sale of their organic milk, rather than staying together as a team and contracting with one entity.
"Each farmer has their own geographic challenges, set of priorities, and values," MOO Milk CEO Bill Eldridge said in a release announcing the abandonment of a long-term group contract for the majority of its farms. "It simply made sense for each farm to form their own relationships going forward."
In the two months since Eldridge announced MOO Milk would discontinue milk production due to the high likelihood of catastrophic failure of antiquated equipment used by its processor, the company has been working with a variety of businesses to develop a long-term contract for the majority of its farms. Eldridge said at that time it was the company's goal to ensure that all MOO farms had the best options and had arranged a short-term agreement with New Hampshire-based Stonyfield Farm, whereby the yogurt-maker would purchase all milk produced by MOO farms for at least 90 days.
MOO Milk's farmers immediately began discussions with Stonyfield, Portland-based Oakhurst Dairy and Wisconsin-based Organic Valley to reach long-term contracts for their organic milk. Last week, several of those farmers told the Portland Press Herald that wholesale deals had been presented by both Oakhurst and Organic Valley, raising hopes that the MOO Milk brand would soon be on grocery shelves again.
Tom Brigham, Oakhurst' co-president, in a two-paragraph statement sent by email to Mainebiz, pledged the Portland dairy would continue discussions with the affected organic dairy farmers:
"Oakhurst has a historic commitment to local Maine dairy farmers that goes back almost 100 years. Oakhurst was an early supporter of the MOO Milk brand and its farmers. Our gentle pasteurization process is the same as MOO Milk and we support fresh local milk from Maine farms. Our former CEO Stan Bennett supported the fledgling operation in 2009 and we've continued distribution on Oakhurst trucks since the introduction of MOO.
"While we are disappointed that an agreement could not be reached with all the MOO milk farmers, and keep the MOO brand on the shelf, we remain committed to supporting local Maine dairy farms and hope Maine consumers will as well. We wish all these Maine farms well as they make their decisions in the coming weeks."
Eldridge said currently there is no plan to revive the MOO Milk retail brand and reiterated his hope that the short-term arrangement with Stonyfield would help the organic dairy farmers achieve long-term solutions.
"In 2009, when Hood discontinued the contract with each of these organic farmers, there were few opportunities for these farms," he said in the release. "Five years later, this is not the case. MOO Milk appreciates each organization that stepped up to present potential opportunities that might have supported these Maine farmers. It may be that all of these entities sign deals with individual farms."
He closed on this note: "On behalf of all of MOO, I want to say 'Thank You" to all who support our mission and to our customers who purchased our milk. We hope you will continue to support local, organic farming."
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