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Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance

FEATURED FARM: Dairy Rewind: Path to Grass-fed Milk Evening Star Ranch, Cape Vincent, NY: Owned and operated by the Aubertine and Churchill Families

FEATURED FARM: Dairy Rewind: Path to Grass-fed Milk Evening Star Ranch, Cape Vincent, NY: Owned and operated by the Aubertine and Churchill Families

By Tamara Scully, NODPA News contributing writer

At Evening Star Ranch, milk from the certified organic, 100 percent grass-fed herd began flowing in 2017. The farm is a part of the 150-plus family farms which ship milk from 100 percent grass-fed cows to Maple Hill Creamery. The Cape Vincent, New York farm is owned and operated by Paul Aubertine, his father and mother Darrel and Margaret Aubertine, and their son-in law and daughter Drew and Erin Churchill.

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posted to Featured Farms on Tue, Jan 23, 2024

New Organic Animal Welfare Rules are Now Final*

New Organic Animal Welfare Rules are Now Final*

Compiled and written by Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director

NODPA, the organic community and other organizations have advocated for almost two decades for clear animal welfare standards to be incorporated into the organic regulations. When the Pasture Rule was published in 2010, then-Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Kathleen Merrigan, said that a regulation on Animal Welfare would be published ‘soon’ followed by the Origin of Livestock Rule. Moving forward to 2023, the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) Final Rule (the Rule) amending 7 CFR part 205, was published on November 2, 2023, and will become effective on January 12, 2024. It will be enforced on January 2, 2025, with a few exceptions.

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posted to Policy in the News on Tue, Jan 23, 2024

Representatives Pingree and Molinaro introduce the bipartisan Organic Dairy Data Collection Act

Compiled by Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director

In a rare bipartisan move, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, a longtime organic farmer and member of the House Agriculture Committee, and Congressman Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) introduced legislation to support organic dairy farmers across the country on January 10, 2024. The Organic Dairy Data Collection Act would enhance data collection at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to better understand the costs associated with producing organic milk.

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posted to Policy in the News on Tue, Jan 23, 2024

Ask the Vet Column: Have You Heard of the Asian Longhorn Tick? What You Should Know About Ticks and Cattle

Ask the Vet Column: Have You Heard of the Asian Longhorn Tick? What You Should Know About Ticks and Cattle

Dr. Elizabeth Martens, DVM Valleywide Veterinary Services, Bridport, VT

I saw my first tick 13 years ago in upstate New York. Now I routinely find them on myself after hikes and I keep up with flea and tick prevention on my dogs because Lyme and Anaplasma spread by ticks are found all too frequently sickening people’s pets these days. With a changing environment, most people have noticed ticks in quantities and places like never before. What does this mean for our cattle herds?

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posted to Organic Production on Tue, Jan 23, 2024

Challenges and take-aways from summer cocktails for pasture

Challenges and take-aways from summer cocktails for pasture

By Doug Hartkopf, Hart-to-Hart Farm with contributions from Carissa Stein and Sarah Flack

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center awarded us, Hart-to-Hart Farm, an Innovation & Alternative Management grant for the 2023 growing season. This grant was a way to buffer the financial risk of implementing what can be quite costly during such high inflation and climatic swings that we and the local farming community have been enduring. Just so happens climate change was a factor that overshadowed our entire planting season.

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posted to Organic Production on Tue, Jan 23, 2024

From the NODPA Co-President

From the NODPA Co-President

By Roman Stoltzfoos

Two kinds of farmers: the one who sticks to his/her guns, and is always at home working hard with his/her nose to the grindstone. The other one takes time off to pursue other interests and more especially pursue learning opportunities about his/her chosen vocation. Never was it more important to keep a learning edge than now.

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posted to Industry News on Tue, Jan 23, 2024

Danone sells Horizon to equity firm Platinum Equity

Danone sells Horizon to equity firm Platinum Equity

Compiled and written by Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director

On January 2nd, 2024, French food group Danone announced that it had signed an agreement to sell its Horizon Organic and Wallaby companies and brands to investment firm Platinum Equity but still retain a minority share in the business. The sale of the Horizon Organic and Wallaby businesses is part of the company's portfolio review and asset rotation program the company announced in March 2022. Danone did not disclose the financial details of the deal. It’s taken Danone nearly a year to find a buyer.

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posted to Industry News on Tue, Jan 23, 2024

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NODPA is the largest grass roots organization of organic dairy producers and has remained true to its original goal of advocating on behalf of producers, regardless of who they sell their milk to, for a sustainable pay price, plus protect the integrity of the USDA Organic Regulations.

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