BROOMFIELD, Colo. – Horizon Organic, the nation’s leading organic dairy
brand, is pleased to announce its support of the Pasture Rule published by the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
We are grateful to the Administration for helping usher through this critically
important rule clarification, said Kelly Shea, Vice President of Government and
Industry Relations for WhiteWave Foods. We have long believed in the need for
universally enforceable pasture regulations that hold all organic dairy
producers to the same high standard.
Since the brand’s beginnings in 1991, Horizon has been a leader in the organic
dairy movement and played a key role in helping develop the National Organic
Standards and the USDA Organic Seal. As part of its commitment to organic
leadership and helping grow and support the organic industry, the brand has long
been working with non-governmental organizations such as the National Organic
Coalition, the Organic Trade Association (OTA), the Federation Of Organic Dairy
Farmers (FOOD), and the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA) to
petition for stronger and more enforceable regulation around pasture.
The new rule highlights the following:
- Animals must graze pasture for at least 120 days during the grazing
season; - During the grazing season, animals must obtain a minimum of 30 percent dry
matter intake from grazing pasture; - Producers must have a pasture management plan and manage pasture as a crop
to meet the feed requirements for the grazing animals and to protect soil and
water quality
The final rule becomes effective 120 days after publication, June 17, 2010.
Operations which are already certified organic will have one year to implement
the provisions. Operations which obtain organic certification after the
effective date will be expected to demonstrate full compliance.
In anticipation of these new regulations Horizon has already been operating its
company-owned farms in accordance with these new standards, as outlined in the
brand’s Standards of Care document. The Standards of Care govern the
management practices used on the two company farms as well as set the
expectations for the 492 family farmer partners that supply the brand with
nearly 90 percent of its milk. These standards are the result of collaboration
with organic agriculture and livestock experts and almost 20 years of collective
experience in organic dairy farming.
We are very pleased that this new rule clarification will help ensure that
consumers can count on and trust the integrity of organic dairy products, said
Ron Schnur, Vice President of Dairy Supply Chain. As we have always done since
our earliest days as an organic pioneer, we will continue to work with our
almost 500 family farmers to ensure that all Horizon milk is produced in a way
that meets or exceeds the high standards as set by the National Organic
Program.
ABOUT HORIZON
Horizon believes the choice for a healthy family and a healthy planet should be
an easy one. Horizon offers a delicious variety of certified organic dairy
products and innovative natural dairy offerings to satisfy a broad range of
consumer needs. Horizon’s commitment to a healthier planet includes offsetting
the energy used to produce its products with clean, renewable wind power.
Founded in 1991, Horizon was a pioneer in the organic industry, the first
company to supply organic milk nationally, and remains committed to providing
great-tasting dairy products that make it easy for moms to provide nutritious
options for her kids. For more information about Horizon’s organic and natural
dairy products, visit www.horizondairy.com.
Source:
Horizon Organic