Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership

Thank you to Organic Valley for connecting us directly to our farmers today! What a treat to be in the fields with the farmers and cows.

We spend most of our time working with retailers to increase sales for organic dairy from the Northeast, so getting on the farm is a real treat! Congratulations to Butterworks Farm - we're thrilled to see this beloved brand entering a new chapter. Exciting times ahead!

Did you know that Amy at Strafford Organic Creamery hand-separates 2700 eggs per batch of organic eggnog? Or that Amy and Paul at Sidehill Farm are causing quite a stir with new packaging for their yogurt cups (stainless steel and paperboard!)? Do you know which breed is the gold standard for dairy cows? Is it Guernsey, Jersey, or Normandie? These are just a few topics covered in our Webinar with Elise Gilchrist from Myers Produce yesterday. Thanks to Erica Wilson and Anthony Calderaro from Butterworks Farm, pete miller of Miller Farm, Amy Klippenstein and Paul Lacinski from Sidehill Farm, and Amy Huyffer from Strafford Organic Creamery for taking time away from the chores to share with buyers. Time well spent! #organicdairy #realmilk #buylocal #cows #grazing #organic

Major shout out to the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op for being an outstanding Retail Partner in the Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership! When visiting their store this week, we found an A-frame sign advertising a $3 coupon for any NOFFP brand product. Inside, we found a wonderful sign explaining some of the nuances of how small family farms get their milk to market. Our food co-ops have always stepped up first when farmers need help. They are invaluable as merchandisers, educators, and advocates for our regional food system. Thank you, MNFC, for your partnership in this important work! And thank you, Neighboring Food Co-op Association, for your help bridging our work with the amazing co-ops in the Northeast. #organic #buylocal #realmilk #drinkmilk #grazing #Vermont

Thanks to Senator Peter Welch's office for putting this field trip together. Good to remind the Senator about the good work of the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center and our hard-working organic dairy farms. Now, let's get whole milk in schools! Stonyfield #organic #milk #farmtoschool

We're hiring! The Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership is hiring a Field Coordinator to execute the on-the-ground and virtual recruitment process of independent and co-op grocers and institutional cafeterias. Do you love organic brands and Northeast dairy? Do you have experience in grocery, distribution, or sales? We'd love to share a conversation. We're also hiring Brand Ambassadors to host organic dairy product demos throughout the Northeast. Are you outgoing and an advocate for local agriculture? We'd love to hear from you! Learn more and share with your networks: https://lnkd.in/eBmCmXp3

A wonderful clip of School Nutrition Director Harley Sterling addressing the Vermont Senate Agriculture Committee about his pilot of serving local organic milk to six of his K-12 schools. "The waste reduction has been profound." Even with the increased cost of organic, "we are projecting to save money this year..." We couldn't ask for a better spokesperson for the value of local and organic foods in public schools! It's a great watch. Especially the part where the legislators ask if we can serve whole milk...:) #organicmilk #local #dairy #vermont #northeastdairy #farmtoschool

Big news! Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership Announces $1.2 Million in Funding to Strengthen Organic Dairy Sector NOFFP is in the first round of USDA's Organic Market Development Grant program awardees, receiving over $640K from the USDA and another $640K from partners. Our three-year project will focus on increasing the participation of retailers and institutions promoting local organic dairy, improving market opportunities for small and medium processors, educating young consumers about the benefits of organic dairy, and introducing new products to meet institutional demand. We are grateful to our sub-awardee partners, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of VT (NOFA-VT), Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and the Neighboring Food Co-op Association, for helping expand our reach to consumers and retailers throughout the Northeast. Read more here:

There's currently a shortage of milk cartons in the market. This is a great time to make a shift to bulk dispensers. Local organic milk in schools is possible!

Imagine local schools serving whole milk from their local farm providing nutrient-dense food instead of cartons of skim from who knows where... This has the potential to open up new pathways for small family farms to bring their milk to school markets. To all those farmers who have been asking for this for years - thank you for being so persistent!