I couldn't get the Salon article to open up. Could you quote a few lines in your next post about organic milk? thanks, Kim

I don't know what the word is in Canada about that but I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same deal. I hate to be treated by a company as if I was stupid, patted on the head and told that they "hear our requests and will provide us the best as requested" Then they slip us some of the same toxic sludge with pictures of happy hoofed animals on the package and think we are fooled. Sad part is, some of us are! Why is it right to let the company win at all costs and *&^%! the customers to do it?
But at least this is fixable by one means, if widespread... boycott the bastards!

I have been writing nontop and have had several emails with Costco, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods to name a few to get them to take Horizon off their shelves. Unfortunately they are defending Horizon, this is the PR smooze that I got from Horizon via Whole Foods on my request to boycott them. Feel free to let Michael know how you feel via his email here.

From: michael.kerbs@whitewave.com [mailto:michael.kerbs@whitewave.com]
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 12:24 PM
To: David Lafferty (PN RSF)
Cc: Kerri Hunsley (PN RSQ); PN RSQ ASTL; Robert Perrins (PN RSF)
Subject: RE: Customer WFM-CRM: Product question, concern, or suggestion.


David,
There have been two enforcements coming from the USDA for violations against the NOP standards that I know about. One was Vander Eyk Dairy in Southern California for insufficient access to pasture and other violations. They have been effectively shut down from producing certified organic milk. The other was Aurora Dairy, which the customer if referring to. Aurora has been cited for violations of the NOP standards and has been given a year to come into compliance with the standards under what would normally be called a plea arrangement, (USDA call it's a consent agreement). Aurora,under pressure from the organic community, has already made a lot of changes to their operations since the complaints were lodged against them but it is excellent that the USDA NOP are enforcing the standards no matter what size
of operation or level of political influence.

As for Horizon, we operate two company owned farms, one in Idaho and the other in Maryland. The Maryland farm milks about 500 cows on approximately 500 acres and we have documented proof of over 230 days of grazing for all cows on that farm. We also raise all our calves organically from birth and do not transition cows into the heard in order to ensure organic integrity.

The Idaho farm is a large scale organic dairy that has been a point of contention for some advocacy groups. On this dairy we milk approximately 4,000 cows and graze them on 3,500 acres of organic pasture. The total farm has over 7,800 acres in organic production to support the heard and we also raise ALL of our calves organically from birth to ensure their organic integrity. Raising calves organically from birth is not a requirement from the NOP and we are proud to lead this cause and lobby the USDA and NOSB to adapt this method as a means of ensuring herd integrity. Not all organic dairy companies raise calves organically from birth, Horizon does.

We have documented 175 days of grazing for all cows in Idaho in 2006 and we will repeat at least the same number of days in 2007. Furthermore, we have implemented the NOSB recommendation of 120 minimum days of grazing and 30% dry matter intake. The 30% DMI(dry matter intake) policy is another example of how Horizon is exceeding the NOP standards. 30% DMI ensures that all cows recieve at least 30% of their nutrition from pasture, forcing farms to comply with the access to pasture regulations. We provide 30% DMI and well over 120 days pasture on our company owned farms and our policy is "frost to frost" grazing.

Well Care Care-We take a holistic, preventative, and natural approach to animal welfare. This includes proper nutrition, stress management, and homeopathic health care remedies. Neither our calves nor our cows are given antibiotics, rBST or rBGH growth hormones, or synthetic/harmful pesticides.

Both farms have recently been evaluation by QAI and are not out of compliance to any NOP regulations. Additionally, the Idaho Farm is responsible for elimating over 2.3 Millions pounds of fertilizers and pesticides being applied to the land in and around the farm. There is an additional 30,000 in organic production to support the farm and Horizon nationally converts 2 acres per hour to organic production. We also offset our carbon imprint on all products through wind energy, similar to what Whole Foods does to eliminate their carbon imprint.

I'm attaching the Horizon Standards of Care which details specific information on our standards for raising calves, animal care and welfare, nutrition, grazing, pasture managment, freedom of movement, environmental stewardship, sourcing inputs and management and accountability.

The critics and some advocacy groups are very astute in lumping in Horizon with Aurora or other large dairies that have questionable practices. They just can't believe that Horizon can do organic dairy on a large scale, but we have verified proof that we can and that we are even exceeding the standards by raising cows organically from birth and adopting the 30/120 NOSB recommendation. Or they may view these large scale operations as a threat to family farmers, and being raised on a farm I would have the same concern as I had a front row seat to what has transpired in agri-business. To that point, Horizon contracts with over 500 family farmers including 9 in Washington State and 19 in Oregon who produce over 80% of Horizon's total supply. So I'm very comfortable stating that Horizon has done a lot to help family farmers convert to sustainble organic production and proud that we have provided a life line to many farmers to help them financially and leave their legacy in place.

Please let me know if I can be of any further service.

Mike Kerbs
Region Business Manager
Natural N. Cal/NW
WhiteWave Foods
360 573 3589-Office

I had to write a persuassive essay for school so I chose to do the topic of factory farming. Here is my essay, please email me your thoughts. thanks!

Eating factory farmed animals

Did you know that 10,000 animals are abused a day? 15,000,000 animals are dying from abuse! "Why are you a vegetarian?" This question usually comes when I am eating dinner with a friend. It is really annoying. I'd really like to ask people, "Why are you still eating meat?" Most people think meat is too good to stop eating. If you saw all the places your meat comes from, I bet you would think twice before you eat your lovely feast of steak and potatoes. Animals are absolutely tortured, abused, then slaughtered and cooked. The worst part is that people actually eat this! You love animals right? Animals get caged as soon as they are born an almost never see their parents again. Imagine if that were you and you were to be caged, what would you think? Many animals are being brutally murdered. “Were does all this happen?” You might ask. Well it happens in factory farms. This makes animals physically damaged, unhealthy, and die appalling deaths.

First of all, factory farming makes animals physically damaged because the farmers are not treating animals as they should. They get thrown in piles of animals by arms and legs, and slaughtered by a machine. This is not a gentle process. The people who produce inexpensive meat, eggs, and dairy products have started to treat animals as objects and commodities instead of real animals who have real lives. The new worldwide “trend” is to replace small family farms with factory farms—large warehouses where animals are isolated in small crowded cages, pens, or in restrictive stalls. This is wrong. Animals should be able to roam free and not constricted.

Second, factory farmed animals are unhealthy animals. Animals are treated with so many chemicals and hormones that they are pretty much not considered animals anymore but food producing machines. These constricted cages cause animals to suffer from boredom, frustration, and stress, which leads to unnatural behavior, including unnatural aggression. Many of the buildings only get cleaned out once every two to three years!
Ammonia and other gases also build up, creating an extremely unhealthy and stressful environment for these animals. Some cows though are lucky enough to go to lots which hold thousands of cows at one time. These also are only completely cleaned out once—or at the most, twice—a year, the filth just keeps building up. These conditions are not only extremely stressful for the cows, they also lead to the spread of diseases. Would you really want to eat something that has had all those sicknesses exposed to it?

Finally, we have the ghastly brutal deaths of these poor animals. Did you know that most chickens are slaughtered by machine? Getting hung by their feet and then get getting their head hacked off


So if you really care you should stand up for what you think! Some ways are…
What You Can Do
1. Don't contribute to animal suffering. You can do this by choosing a vegetarian diet. Eat healthy plant-based foods instead of animal meats.
2. Teach others about cruel factory farms.
3. Try to find grocery stores that provide vegetarian products.