I actually just switched from regular to Organic Milk because of the extended shelf life of almost a month (don't drink a lot of milk but use it on my cereal) and the fact that it is better for you! I know as soon as I see this in the coolers at Hannaford I will be switching to this brand, you need to buy milk so why not support the local farmers of Maine in the process!

Excellent article! So glad to see it. :)

You can find out more at http://www.maineorganicmilk.com

This is very exciting news. I will definitely buy this product. I was under the impression that Stony Field Farm was owned by Hood. If anyone knows if this this true or not, please post.

Welcome to the world of Capitalism which beats a handout from the Federal Government by a country mile. Go MOOMilk !

We buy Oakhurst milk now, so switching to MOOMilk won't be a hard choice to make. It's nice to read some GOOD news about the economy in this State for a change.

Thank you to Sharon Mack and the BDN for helping us spread the word about this new company

Yes, this is what can happen when all members of the Maine agricultural family pull together.

From the very start it made sense that the Department, Maine Farm Bureau and MOFGA work together on this. Maine Agriculture Commissioner Seth Bradstreet III, and both the Farm Bureau and MOFGA boards are to be congratulated for giving their respective staffs the freedom to bring this project together without worrying about the politics that could have gotten in the way.

It's true that Farm Bureau, MOFGA and the Department have had their differences over the years, just as any family does, but all three are 100 percent dedicated to seeing Maine agriculture remaining a sustainable force in the Maine economy. That's what made this work, and what will keep our organizations workng together for the betterment of Maine agriculture.

At the http://www.maineorganicmilk.com web site supporters may click on the "Pledge Your Support" menu item and enter their contact information. When MOOMilkCo starts to distribute we will notify those who have signed up.

Good job. We'll buy it!

kmainer, Stonyfield milk and Stonyfield yogurt are two different companies. HP Hood has license to use the name for its organic milk.

Stonyfield Farm yogurt is supporting MOO Milk Co with a generous donation and also supports other organic family farms in Maine by purchasing milk to make their yogurt from Organic Valley Farm Cooperative.

That's nice to know about Stonyfield yogurt, as that's what I like - might have stopped purchasing it otherwise.

That's what this country needs more of... grass roots, locally owned companies. Sort of a cooperative.

It's good when one can talk to the president of the company as a friend, instead of having to go through layers of protective staffers. Best of luck to the farmers. and with local support I'm sure they will succeed!

Tom

Also involved in the project is Crown O' Maine Organic Cooperative (http://comoc.org/), which will distribute the milk to stores not reached through the Oakhurst or Associated Grocers networks.

I'll be looking for this milk too, love the name... it's easy to remember!! Good luck to the new company, I'm sure you'll do very well!!

I've been following the Maine organic milk (MOO Milk) story on FACEBOOK . Congratulation to all who have worked so hard to make this venture become a reality. I'm ready for milk and cookies:)

Looking forward to buying this in Hannaford. Support your local farmers!

Hooray for MOO Milk Company! I can't wait to see it in stores. Love the chart with the “secret codes” of where the milk was processed at http://www.maineorganicmilk.com/where-does-your-milk-come-from.shtml

I know one of these dairy farmers personally and will say that he has to be one of the hardest working people I have ever seen. Up at 400 am and feeding and milking to 1100 pm or midnight every day of the week. I will never buy hood milk again after what they put these farmers through, but you can bet MooMilk will be on my shelf. I hope this company takes off, please support these hard working men and women.

Way to Go Moo Milk Company! My family and I will switch over as soon as product hits the shelves. Good luck and good idea!

Just to inform shoppers Hannaford brand Milk is actually HOOD! Don't buy it!!! Buy Oakhurst until this MOO Milk comes to Hannaford!

Does anyone know if they'll offer raw milk?

One of the farms in the company sells raw milk in their area. Visit http://tidemillorganicfarm.com for details on where it's available.

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Follow us on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maine-Organic-Milk/59995146009

Way to go, Mark McKusick! I'm one of your neighbors in Dexter and I'm rooting for you!

I've been drinking Oakhurst when I could not get organic locally. Kudos Oakhurst! I am going to only drink MOOMilk from now on! PS, if you can't get MOOMilk, the Wal*Marts in Maine relable the Oakhurst brand as their own. Just look for the numbers, plant 23-01 on the label. But, when you can, please buy MOOMilk!

Why buy Maine products? If you live on the border of Maine and NH, and move a mile to NH, are you supposed to buy NH products?

How about we just buy the best priced, best quality product?

There is NO evidence organic milk is better for you than non organic milk. Anitbiotics are NOT detectable, in any amount, in non organic milk. It is all a hoax. I do not consume organic products by choice. I never catch cold, I am slim, I am healthy. I am in my 50s and take no medications.

For example, the difference between organic grapes and non organic grapes (besides organic grapes being all bruised) is about $5 a pound. That is all. Same for milk.

Maine, and other state dairy farmers, have been subsidized for years and will now pay the price. It is too bad really.

If people only knew how screwed up the dairy farming business has become in the past 40 years. Farmers don't even know what they've been paid for their milk until long after the mega-dairies have stolen it from them. This is a true trickle down business, with the people supplying the product and doing all the work getting the teeniest cut. Classic big business in H.P. Hood. Buy low, sell high, pocket everything. And keep the State boondoggled as to how to deal with setting milk prices, screwing the dairy farmers and enriching the mega dairies.

And jimbstion: organic grapes have never been banned from import due to septic bacteria. And you can drink all the antibiotics you want. The industry gets away with pumping animals full of antibiotics and chemicals to increase production. Cute. I'll go without the antibiotics and attendant lies. And no, I don't believe "organic" anything is much "better" for you except for the fact of the introduced pharmaceuticals and chemicals in "non organic."

The most frequent instances of e coli, salmonella and listeria contamination in the past ten yrs has been in ORGANIC bean sprouts. http://www.ri.gov/press/view/8610

I buy organic dairy products because I firmly believe that a healthy animal produces a better quality milk, Organic cows are not exposed to chemical fertilizers or pesticides and are not treated with antibiotics or synthetic hormones. I buy organic and I buy local (milk and produce) whenever I can because I believe family farms are important to local economies and landscapes. So for me, it's not just about what's in or not in the milk but also about what's best for my community, the environment and the cows that produce the milk,

Buying local is not about state borders, but about buying a fresh product from a nearby farm. Chances are... that fresh, local product is also the best and being local also makes it "green." Fewer emissions were required to get the product from the farm to you!

Ah, the myth of the "Family Farm". The family farm, or small farms, are generally inefficient and wasteful of energy and resources. Large corporate farms as one sees in the midwest are much more efficient. The large number of employees allows for more benefits, less overwork, purchasing of machinery and the like.

But if one wants to be able to sit by the fire in town and wax think wistfully of the 'family farm' living out a story book fantasy down the road, then small farms are the right choice.

If we dont' ship farm products to other towns then what about the 'family owned' trucking businesses? SOMETHING must be shipped. There is not nearly enough demand in Maine for all the milk produced. Especially since we have essentially subsidized milk production with price supports.

If you subsidize something, you get more of it. Look at cheese in the 1970s, unemployment now ( I have met two families who MOVED here for 'the benefits' of being on assistance), medical care and etc.

I will definitely try MooMilk. I already buy Oakhurst because it keeps longer than Hood or Garelick. I live in Southeast Mass. but they sell Oakhurst products at more and more stores around here.

Keep dreaming, Jim. Factory farms as efficient? Right. Like "the large number of employees allows for more benefits.." I wonder what percentage of factory farms employ ILLEGALS whom they do not have to provide ANY benefits for! Do you even LIVE in Maine? Family farming contributes to our economy. And did you even read the article? Moo Milk is being distributed to towns across the ENTIRE state. So your argument about "family owned trucking" is moot. If factory farms are so great, why don't you try go living next to one? Farming is not something that will be more efficient when industrialized. Animals suffer and QUALITY suffers. But if all you care about is the bottom line then i guess all the rest is irrelevant. What a negative *!&^#%. I don't know why people feel the need to complain about something that actually HELPS local economy.

Gee, the "mythical" family farm in my town allows two snowmobile clubs to maintain trails across it's land. That's just one way a typical family farm gives back to the community. I enjoy those scenic trails on my sled all winter long so will be happy to have the opportunity to help support them and the other 2 organic dairy farms in my area by purchasing MOO Milk for my family. How great would Maine's trail system be without the generosity of landowners?

Right now, there IS no local organic milk in my local grocery stores. I can buy Stonyfield (processed in NY), Hannaford's "Nature's Place" (processed by Hood/Stonyfield) or The Organic Cow brand (Vermont). I live in Maine. I'd like to drink organic milk from Maine. I'm glad to know that it will soon be available in Maine stores. Go, MOO Milk Company!

What I like about this new company is that 90% of the company profits go back to the farmers. This seems like it's almost eliminating the middle man. The company's goal is not to make profits for its executives but to keep the farms sustainable. The farmers around me are the hardest working people I know. They deserve to make a decent living for themselves and their families. The big milk companies have been paying the farmers too little for their milk and charging consumers too much! I'll be buying this new milk. Can't wait to see it on the shelves!

What an uplifting story. Completely consistent with the values that the organic movement was based on.

Consumers who are willing to pay a premium for their milk are also buying "the story behind the label." And although most first turn to organic milk because they want something that is safer and nutritionally superior for their families they feel good about their decision because they know they are supporting a different kind of environmental ethic, a more humane animal husbandry ethic …. and economic justice for family farmers is built right into the price. MOOMilk appears to be a model for these values.

In response to the comments by Mr. Bastion. I would say to you that you are more than welcome to your own opinions. However, you are not welcome to your own facts.

There is a growing body of scientific literature that clearly indicates the nutritional superiority of organic food in general and organic dairy products in particular. Higher in many vitamins and minerals (because the fertility of the soil is addressed very differently than in chemically-based agriculture) the dairy products also are higher in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), an amino acid that is thought to have immune system enhancing properties and protection against heart disease.

Both the USDA and Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, have done a number of studies that indicate demonstrably higher levels of agrochemical contamination in conventional fruits and vegetables. This is especially true of grapes.

And although you have championed larger, industrial scale farming operations, their legacy of horrific abuse of employees (commonly Hispanic immigrants -- both documented and undocumented) is a shameful legacy in our economic zeal to produce cheaper food. Not to mention the tragic legacy of factory farms on the environment and the short and stress filled lives of the animals involved.

So, I would encourage Mr. Bastion and anyone interested on this list in the aforementioned subjects to use Google, or the search engine of their choice, to do a little bit more research if you have any questions about the true value of organic food in your diet and in the diet of your loved ones.

Respectfully,

Mark A. Kastel

Senior Farm Policy Analyst

The Cornucopia Institute

Cornucopia, Wisconsin

It's good to see what good Maine people can do when they work together. Using existing structures within Maine, this new company is giving farmers options otherwise unavailable to them. Hooray for the little guy! This sounds like a win-win situation for everyone except the greedy corporations.

I buy local whenever I can. If I can buy an orange from Florida or an orange from Chile, I'll buy the Florida orange every time. It just makes sense. If I can buy a Maine potato, why in the world would I want one from Oregon or Idaho? If I can buy fresh organic milk from family farms here in Maine, you can bet that's what I'll buy every time.

Everyone should take a minute to read labels and know where their food is from.

"The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat, as our actions affect farms, landscapes and food businesses."

-- Professor Jules Pretty, from the University of Essex, UK.

This is good news! I want fresh, local, Maine organic milk for my family!

I'm so happy about this. It broke my heart to heard what Hood had done. I will always buy a product that is not produced in some cruel way, but on a REAL farm with cows that are allowed to live cow lives. I don't care so much about it being healthier, although it may be, I am mainly concerned with the source. I hope they make yogurt. I'm experimenting on making it myself and will use MOO when it's available. This is such great news. I was just thinking sad thoughts today about this situation when I drove by TideMill Farms on the way home from Machias.

Well done! Congratulations to these hard working farmers.

Thanks to Mark Kastel for his factual comment.

Unfortunately price will play a factor in whether this goes the distance. I'm all for supporting local farmers but I'm also for keeping my checkbook in the black.

Ah, yes, 'cow lives' on the fantasy famly farm.

Rossignol --- so you don't like the middleman getting any profit for their efforts? It is THEY that provide the store so you don't have to drive out and get it from the farm itself.

Remember, the middlemen are mostly the much loved 'mom and pop' stores. Do you want to throw 'mom and pop' out into the streets?

jimbastion, I believe it's clear to anyone who reads the article and my comment that the middleman the new company is trying to eliminate is NOT the "Mom and Pop" stores. They are not selling their new brand of milk from the farms, but in stores all over the state.

The middlemen that need to be taken out are the big dairy companies who are getting filthy rich while paying hard-working family farms less than the cost of production for their milk. Farmers are being paid prices from the 1970s right now, while producing milk with 21st century expenses. The price paid to farmers has dropped 40-50% since 2008. Have you seen milk prices drop 40-50% in stores? No, because big dairy companies like Dean Foods are posting record profits. Dean Foods earned $76.2 million in profits for the three-months ending March 31, 2009. That's up from $30.8 million in profits during the first quarter of 2008. Fair? I think not! It's time to take the greedy corporations out of the picture. I'm buying MOO Milk. Let some profits go back to the farmers. I want to see cows out grazing in green pastures all over this fine state. I don't want to buy milk from factory farms that confine their animals in filthy conditions and pump them full of antibiotics in an attempt to prevent the diseases that crop up. Believe me, the factory farms with thousands of cows that are owned by the big dairy companies won't be selling milk cheap when all the family farms are gone.

Greedy corporations are killing us all for profits! Take Kraft, for example. They don't even use real milk in some of their so-called cheese products anymore. They are importing milk protein concentrate (MPC) from unregulated countries overseas and are using that in their mac & cheese and Kraft singles. Do I wanted tainted milk byproducts from China in my food? Hell, no! MPCs are meant for glue production, not food! If Kraft bought real milk from US farms, they would have a better tasting, safe-to-eat product but Kraft is only interested in saving money. They don't care if it's safe to eat. I refuse to buy anything from Kraft since I learned of this practice. I buy other brands of real cheese and I don't buy anything that has MPCs in the ingredient list. Buy real food, not processed crap. Buy local. You're not just saving a family farm, you're saving yourself!

For more info, Google "milk protein concentrate" or visit http://www.familyfarmdefenders.org/pmwiki.php/MPC/IsThereKrapInYourKraftSingles.

Ah, yes, perhaps Mr.Bastion should buy some MOO Milk- hauled by 'family-owned' trucking to the local 'mom and pop' store- to replace all the piss that's obviously in his morning bowl of cornflakes.

This is a good story. Mainers cutting out the greedy middleman profiteers. Now if only it Maine doctors could do the same thing - figure out a way to cut out the greedy, costly middleman for their services.

Seriously, Jim? Factory farms better than Family farms? Non-Organic better than Organic? You must not know what you are talking about! Ok, first of all, everybody has proved that organic is better than organic. Of course it's better! In organic farms, there is no hormones, pesticides, or anything like that. In non-organic farms, there is TONS of stuff like that! For example, California farms uses hormones to make the cows produce more milk. Do you think that having stuff like that in you milk is better for you? Another thing is that organic milk has more vitamins, antioxidants, omega-3s, and CLA. I'm not saying you can't be healthy when you drink non-organic milk, I'm just saying organic milk is better for you.

Ok, now to factory farms vs. family farms. Ok, in a factory farm, it is all about the money. They don't care about the your health or the cows health. In most factory farms, the cows never get to go outside at all. Most of them live on bars in cramped stalls. They are extremely dirty, abused, and unhealthy. Family farms are usually clean, they cows are well cared for, and they are healthy. They are not abused and are treated very nicely. They don't live on bars and get to go outside and eat fresh grass. Ok, so if you hate animals, then you would still think that factory farms are better.

If we have local milk it doesn't mean that there will be no more jobs for family owned trucking businesses. Trust me, there are still plenty of things that can be shipped. And anyway, wouldn't you like to buy local and not across the world? You don't know how long it took for other things to get here! And you don't know where it came from either! So stop being a jerk and look at the facts! You are extremely annoying and nobody wants to here what you have to say!

Aren't rich people and rich corporations just awful?

Wait -- I have NEVER gotten a good job from a poor man. Or poor company owner. Poor companies are companies that are run poorly.

There is no such thing as an obscene profit or unfair advantage. There are ILLEGAL advantages, but no unfair ones.

Rich corporations ARE awful when they illegally monopolize an industry and make obscene profits while driving honest, hard working people out of business.

Northeast Dairy Farmers Slap Milk Processor With Lawsuit

Suit Accused Processor Of Monopoly

http://www.wptz.com/news/21249749/detail.html

Lawsuit: Farms pawns for profits

http://samessenger.com/NewsView.asp?ID=5605

There is more than one lawsuit in progress. Here's an example of their maneuverings:

"In 2003, DFA attempted to merge NDH with H.P. Hood. State attorneys general objected and instead of the merger Hood acquired a 30 percent interest in NDH and DFA acquired a 15 percent interest in Hood. The two companies also swapped chief executive officers. The next year NDH sold its Crowley milk operations to H.P. Hood, making Hood the second largest processor of milk in the northeast."

Adam Smith (for those of you who went to public school, Adam Smith wrote 'The Wealth of Nations' in the 1700s. He was one of the original - for the most part - free enterprise Libertarians) said that 'Something is worth whatever you can get for it'. Apparently the economic downturn made people think twice about the luxury of drinking more expensive 'organic' milk. It seems organic milk was not worth what it cost once it comes down to expendable income. We'll see how this cooperative goes. In my business experience cooperatives are the like a sink drain - it's the last place you hit before you go down the drain. There is a lot of cheering, and wishful thinking, and high fives. Unfortunately it reminds me much of the 'Downeast Heritatge Museum' that was balleyhooed to the point of nausea.

Actually, Maine's Own Organic Milk Company is not a cooperative. It's a company - a low profit L3C.

Organic milk sales are still growing - 12.7% last year and 6% projected growth for this year. While the growth has slowed, it's still growing despite tough economic times. That shows that eating healthy is still important to people.

I think MOO Milk will be a great option for people - fresh, local, organic milk from a family farm near you. I'll be glad to have that option when buying organic milk for my family.

Yes, something is worth whatever you can get for it. The trouble is, greedy corporations have a monopoly and the farmers are getting a very small portion of the price of a gallon of milk. I'd like to know that a fair portion is going to the farmers. I wish all the best to MOO Milk Company!

I am pleased to see almost any company do well, but growth can mean many things. Growth in just sales? What is the profit after expenses and taxes? I am not being cynical here it is just I have seen many businesses fool themselves, and then, pfft!

I admire these farmers. Seems like they very easily could have given up and thrown in the towel when they got their notice from Hood, but they didn't. I'm glad to see these farms staying in business, producing high quality milk and contributing to local and state economies. Kudos to the Maine Farm Bureau, MOFGA, ME Dept. of Ag. for working with these farmers and each other, and involving Maine businesses like Smiling Hills, Oakhurst and Shoppee's Trucking in this new venture. Maine people are tough, and Maine supports its own. Pass the MOO Milk, please!

Interesting:

Cancer Expert Counters Reckless Claims That Hormonal Milk Is Safe

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_19391.cfm

It seems that a recent report which claimed that milk from cows injected with the genetically engineered hormone rBST is safe was authored by eight paid consultants to rBST companies, including Elanco and Monsanto.

YAHOO MOOMilk!

This is how life should be- my family will buy from you- very excited, you all made this happen, I am proud to be living here in Maine with this type of solution finding.

congrats, you will prove to be an excellent example to many local businesses.

Get going!!!!!