Organic Valley bans raw milk sellers- Time for a boycott?

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

Well said!!!


Jean

 

[redhen]

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X2! Good job Quail...

 

[Reinbeau]

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Hear, hear! Awesome post, QA

 

[Katy]

I am a family farmer. My husband's family at one point had a dairy, but they sold out years ago. We do however belong to a cooperative that we market our grains thru. When you become a member of a coop you know what you're agreeing to....or at least I hope you read the agreement that you're signing. If their contract states that all milk must be sold to OV the farmers knew that going in to it. I seriously doubt that they are going after the farmers who are drinking their own milk......I'm sure it's the ones who are selling a lot of their product in violation of the agreement they signed, while continuing to get the benefits that the coop provides for them that they are going after. A contract is a contract and is it really fair to the farmers who are living up to the contract rules? They have the choice to not renew their contract I would think.

 

[redhen]

But if OV has the monopoly on co-ops in the area... where else could the farmers go to??
Maybe theres no other co-ops in their area?? (i dont know.)
When a company knows that they have the little guys by the gonads... they always use it to THEIR advantage...
Sometimes if people want to survive... they HAVE to sign contracts that they really dont want to..

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Thankfully for me, I do have the option of getting a milk cow.

 

[freemotion]

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Jamie, I just have to say clearly that we are not stupid and that is a load of bull-muck. It is clearly mafia-like tactics to strong-arm the competition of raw milk sales. A blind eye was turned for years because there was essentially no competition. We all know that corporate decisions are based on profits and losses.

Until that part of the contract is REMOVED, I will continue to boycott OV products and use my influence on others as well. I would reverse my position if OV gets some ethics and truly supports farmers. That a bit more than half your "farmer" board members are uneducated as to the benefits of raw milk and the rights we are supposed to have as to freedom of choice and the ability of farmers to run their own farms matters not to me.

I don't care if it is a signed contract. The contract needs changing. That line is unethical and infringes on the farmer's freedom. I thought I should repeat that, since OV PR ignores that concept in all the replies I've read.

I am continually insulted by OV's replies. Double-speak that ignores the real issues.

Jamie, do your own research on the benefits of raw milk and the plight of the family farm. You may want to consider getting a job that does not require your personal involvement in such outrageous stomping on other people, all for money. OV could solve that problem by marketing a line of raw milk. Then I would personally and whole-heartedly support and promote OV's products. You don't need to be another pawn. You also have rights and choices.

 

[Katy]

They may have to make the choice of being a member or going without the safety net the cooperative provides and going only direct sales. I'm sure they want the best of both worlds tho and sometimes you can't have that.

Cooperatives are owned and run by the farmers/dairymen who make up the membership. It is the board members who have been elected from among the members who make these kind of decisions. I'm sure it was not an easy decision since it was their neighbors and probably friends in some cases that this decision was going against.

 

[Reinbeau]

Jamie, try to recognize, we're paying attention now. More and more consumers are becoming educated, and we're making sure others are also becoming educated. We will turn the tide away from the corporate food system that has developed while all of you were making money - but it developed without the proper attention being paid to the health and wellness of the consumer. The scale has tipped towards a complete breakdown of the general public's health to the point where we have to change course. We will change course. We are mothers, we are fathers, we are parents of the next generation and we want them healthy and well, not dealing with the health issues so many are now dealing with as the result of bad food being foisted on us all in the name of corporate profits. We are onto it, and we will not be ignored.

I'm doing my part in telling the owners of local health food stores about this issue and asking them to stop carrying your products (and they are very sympathetic to my cause, two are now investigating alternatives, and they do exist). I will continue to do so until you change this boneheaded decision. Organic Valley has a choice here, listen to their consumers, or continue to pander to the dairy industry. The ball is in your court.

 

[Wifezilla]

According to news reports, that "all or nothing" stipulation has been part of the contract for a long time. The only thing is it was never enforced. For years it was common practice for these farmers to sell raw milk on the side. Also many of the board members are raw milk drinkers themselves.