For the raw milk supporters....

[VickiLynn]

Since government grants require the recipients adhere to all laws, and since our governor has decided it should be illegal to sell raw milk in Wisconsin, I expect their decision comes down to $$$. Apparently they are getting help from a federal grant to encourage them to build a new facility:

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/article_ec303942-6945-11df-9bd1-001cc4c002e0.html

 

[reinbeau]

My letter to them:

A snipped from your press release regarding your dropping farmers who sell raw milk aside from their relationship with you:

" * At the request of the membership at the co-ops most recent annual meeting, the board wanted to end this drawn out raw milk debate, and they took the more conservative route, to prohibit the farmer-owners from being in the raw milk business. This decision will require all our farmer-owners who sell raw milk to choose one business or the other. This may end up being a boon for the raw milk movement in the states where it is legal. The Cooperative cannot condone the sale of raw milk in the states where it is illegal."

I just wanted to let you know that this customer is going to make a decision based on the above - I will no longer buy any Organic Valley products until this boneheaded decision is reversed. You have no right to tell people who they can sell their products to. The benefits of raw milk outweigh any arguments against it - and we all know the main problem with raw milk is the loss of processing dollars to turn it into the stunted, less healthy product that's being sold everywhere as 'whole milk', and the various lower to no fat versions. We, the educated consumers, are paying attention now to our food supply, and we are going to make sure it changes to a direction that benefits our health and that of our families - you corporations need to figure out how to please us while still making money. Pay attention, because we are!

Please consider changing your stance - the good will you'll generate will guarantee your profits for years to come.

Sincerely,

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Methinks the lady doth protest too much...
They are getting lambasted on facebook. Their response to my comment on the FB page:

Tabatha, we undertand your position. We hope you understand that raw milk sales have never been part of our cooperative's mission, and our board's recent decision to enforce the marketing tenet of the membership agreement is intended to refocus the membership's attention on providing for the collective good of the cooperative.

The fact is that our cooperative is not equipped to support on-farm or off-farm raw milk sales. We are, however, very well equipped to support the production and distribution of premium quality, pasteurized organic dairy products. And we wish to concentrate on what we're properly equipped to do rather than what we are not.

If Organic Valley dairy members decide that they would like to pursue on-farm raw milk sales to consumers, we honestly wish them the best of luck. On one hand we'll be saddened to see them move along - they are, after all, part of our family. On the other hand, we'll be gratified that our cooperative was able to provide a springboard for them to do what they feel is right for them and for you.

You've noted that you understand that we have always been proponents of raw milk choice, and you can be assured that we will continue to stand behind raw milk legalization efforts across the United States.

We're sorry that you've made a decision to forego Organic Valley products due to our raw milk policy. We sincerely hope you'll change your mind.

Thank you!

It doesn't matter whether OV as a collective is equipped to service the raw milk consumers. That is what the family farms are for. A blind eye was turned on the side sales for years, apparently with little to no ill effect on the collective. Certainly those farmers did not sell milk under the OV name? I wish I could see the minutes of all those meetings they had.

Serving their "family" with an ultimatum is a heck of a way to provide a springboard...

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Wow, this is really a stupid move by them. You may as well not even consider OV farmers "family farms" anymore if OV is calling all the shots. Pathetic.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Solution: milk cow and butter churn in every yard.

I actually hate store bought milk, and seriously miss the fresh, raw milk we got when my DH worked the dairy farm. That milk had only been filtered, and it was the best milk ever.

I don't know if any of our stores carry OV products, but I won't be buying any if they do.

Now, I need that cow....

 

[abifae]

I buy raw milk. I also bought a subscription to the raw milk association when i bought my cow share.

I also emailed Organic Valley and told them I wouldn't buy from them as long as they were not buying from my local farms that sold raw milk

I am VERY political... and I vote 99% with my pocketbook.

quail antwerp... i would LOVE a milk cow in the yard but i have no yard and auntie's is too small to support a cow honestly, i'd buy her a damned cow if she had space.

 

[abifae]

i got a reply already:

Thank you for contacting Organic Valley and Organic Prairie.

Organic Valley/Organic Prairie is a cooperative which is owned by more than 1600 family farmers. Our cooperatives mission is to save family farming culture through organic agriculture, and we have developed a business model and brand that today sustains 1,632 small and medium sized farm families.

The family farmers who own our cooperative control their destiny and receive a stable pay price for their products. When dairy farmers join the cooperative they sign an agreement that stipulates all milk must be sold to the cooperative for distribution by the cooperative.

In our cooperative, decisions are not made in a top-down fashion-instead farmer committees are formed to address topics ranging from animal husbandry practices to pasturing requirements to off-farm milk sales. In the case of our farmers selling raw milk, it was very difficult for our farmer committees, dairy farmer executive committee and farmer board to choose the path they did.

We realize that raw milk is important to you and to many other consumers, but this is not the business that we are in. Our business is selling pasteurized certified organic milk with a regional model of production and distribution.

We are not against raw milk, and endorsed a statement supporting the legalization of raw milk in the state of Wisconsin that was sent to Governor Doyle. This was in keeping with the cooperatives long standing support of consumer choice.

We appreciate you taking the time to contact us regarding this issue and we will forward your comments onto our Farmer members.

If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

[hennypenny9]

i got a reply already:

Thank you for contacting Organic Valley and Organic Prairie.

Organic Valley/Organic Prairie is a cooperative which is owned by more than 1600 family farmers. Our cooperatives mission is to save family farming culture through organic agriculture, and we have developed a business model and brand that today sustains 1,632 small and medium sized farm families.

The family farmers who own our cooperative control their destiny and receive a stable pay price for their products. When dairy farmers join the cooperative they sign an agreement that stipulates all milk must be sold to the cooperative for distribution by the cooperative.

In our cooperative, decisions are not made in a top-down fashion-instead farmer committees are formed to address topics ranging from animal husbandry practices to pasturing requirements to off-farm milk sales. In the case of our farmers selling raw milk, it was very difficult for our farmer committees, dairy farmer executive committee and farmer board to choose the path they did.

We realize that raw milk is important to you and to many other consumers, but this is not the business that we are in. Our business is selling pasteurized certified organic milk with a regional model of production and distribution.

We are not against raw milk, and endorsed a statement supporting the legalization of raw milk in the state of Wisconsin that was sent to Governor Doyle. This was in keeping with the cooperatives long standing support of consumer choice.

We appreciate you taking the time to contact us regarding this issue and we will forward your comments onto our Farmer members.

If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Is it just me, or do those two sentences contradict each other? They control their "destiny" yet signed something saying that the cooperative controls who they sell milk to? :/ Also, I'm interested to see if this is a form letter.

 

[freemotion]

Organic Valley's PR firm obviously thinks ALL consumers are stupid. It is obvious in the tone of those replies. Ticks me off.

Thanks for posting that form letter. I expect those of us who actually get a reply will get the exact same one, word for word.

That PR firm gets a D- and OV gets a resounding F from me.

 

[Wifezilla]

I never even got a reply. : sniff :

I feel so neglected