Horizon Organic
Encyclopedia
Horizon Organic®, founded in 1991 in the United States , is a USDA National Organic Program certified dairy
that produces and supplies organic milk
products. Horizon Organic is owned by Dean Foods
and its products are distributed by WhiteWave Foods.
in North America. Its products are sold in supermarkets and grocery stores. Horizon produces organic milk
on a 4,000-cow dairy in Idaho (2,400 milking cows) and an 800-cow dairy (475 milking cows) in Maryland. The company also purchases the majority of its organic milk
(more than 90 percent) from more than 550 dairies in 22 states.
Prior to being acquired by Dean Foods, Horizon was a public company and owner of the organic dairy brands: Juniper Valley Farms®, The Organic Cow of Vermont® and United Kingdom
brand Rachel's Organic
®. Horizon Organic's products are said to be free of antibiotics, growth hormones and pesticides. Their milk products are UHT-pasteurized for shelf-stability.
organized a boycott of Horizon Organic (and Aurora Organic Dairy
), alleging that the company was not following organic standards. Horizon Organic maintained that it was in full compliance with the USDA's organic regulations, and ultimately was found by the USDA to not be in violation of the organic regulations -- although their largest corporate-owned dairy, which has managed as many as 8000 head of cattle in arid desert-like conditions of Idaho, was never inspected by the USDA. It was alleged that Dean Foods’ strong lobby presence in Washington, and prodigious federal campaign contributions, help isolate them from the same investigation that identified major improprieties at Aurora Dairy (another organic factory farm operator started by the same entrepreneurs that launched Horizon).
In August, 2006, the Cornucopia Institute
filed a complaint with the USDA alleging that Horizon violated National Organic Program
standards in reference to the amount of time their dairy cows should spend in pasture.As a result of the boycott, one of the largest natural food cooperatives, PCC Natural Markets
in Seattle, decided to discontinue Horizon Organic products from their customer offerings.The USDA found Horizon Organic's operations to be in full compliance with the USDA organic regulations.
In March 2007, Horizon Organic published its "Standards of Care" guidelines for company-owned dairy farms in an effort to educate the public about its organic dairy practices in collaboration with Shannon Horst of Holistic Management International. The standards went beyond what was required by the USDA, and were put in practice nearly two years before new regulations regarding livestock regulations were introduced.
Horizon Organic says they are in compliance with the USDA requirements for organic certification.
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
that produces and supplies organic milk
Organic milk
Organic milk is defined by the USDA as milk from cows that have been exclusively fed organic feed, have not been treated with synthetic hormones, are not given certain medications to treat sickness. [Citation Needed]- Comparison with regular milk :...
products. Horizon Organic is owned by Dean Foods
Dean Foods
Dean Foods is an American food and beverage company with two operating divisions: Fresh Dairy Direct and WhiteWave-Morningstar. The company maintains plants and distributors in the United States and the United Kingdom. Dean Foods products are sold throughout the USA.-History:In 1925, Samuel E...
and its products are distributed by WhiteWave Foods.
Current status
Horizon Organic® is the largest supplier of organic milkOrganic milk
Organic milk is defined by the USDA as milk from cows that have been exclusively fed organic feed, have not been treated with synthetic hormones, are not given certain medications to treat sickness. [Citation Needed]- Comparison with regular milk :...
in North America. Its products are sold in supermarkets and grocery stores. Horizon produces organic milk
Organic milk
Organic milk is defined by the USDA as milk from cows that have been exclusively fed organic feed, have not been treated with synthetic hormones, are not given certain medications to treat sickness. [Citation Needed]- Comparison with regular milk :...
on a 4,000-cow dairy in Idaho (2,400 milking cows) and an 800-cow dairy (475 milking cows) in Maryland. The company also purchases the majority of its organic milk
Organic milk
Organic milk is defined by the USDA as milk from cows that have been exclusively fed organic feed, have not been treated with synthetic hormones, are not given certain medications to treat sickness. [Citation Needed]- Comparison with regular milk :...
(more than 90 percent) from more than 550 dairies in 22 states.
Prior to being acquired by Dean Foods, Horizon was a public company and owner of the organic dairy brands: Juniper Valley Farms®, The Organic Cow of Vermont® and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
brand Rachel's Organic
Rachel's Organic
Rachel's is an organic dairy products company based in Aberystwyth, Wales. Founded by local farmers but now a subsidiary of French company Lactalis, it was United Kingdom's first certified organic dairy.-Background:...
®. Horizon Organic's products are said to be free of antibiotics, growth hormones and pesticides. Their milk products are UHT-pasteurized for shelf-stability.
Development
In 2006, the Organic Consumers AssociationOrganic Consumers Association
The Organic Consumers Association is a consumer protection and organic agriculture advocacy group based in Finland, Minnesota. It was formed in 1998 in the wake of the mass backlash by organic consumers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture's controversial proposed regulations for organic food...
organized a boycott of Horizon Organic (and Aurora Organic Dairy
Aurora Organic Dairy
Aurora Organic Dairy is an American company, based in Boulder, Colorado, which operates large factory farms, each with thousands of dairy cows, in Colorado and Texas...
), alleging that the company was not following organic standards. Horizon Organic maintained that it was in full compliance with the USDA's organic regulations, and ultimately was found by the USDA to not be in violation of the organic regulations -- although their largest corporate-owned dairy, which has managed as many as 8000 head of cattle in arid desert-like conditions of Idaho, was never inspected by the USDA. It was alleged that Dean Foods’ strong lobby presence in Washington, and prodigious federal campaign contributions, help isolate them from the same investigation that identified major improprieties at Aurora Dairy (another organic factory farm operator started by the same entrepreneurs that launched Horizon).
In August, 2006, the Cornucopia Institute
Cornucopia Institute
The Cornucopia Institute is a non-profit organization headquartered in Cornucopia, Wisconsin, with the mission of "Seeking economic justice for the family-scale farming community."...
filed a complaint with the USDA alleging that Horizon violated National Organic Program
National Organic Program
In the United States, the National Organic Program is the federal regulatory framework governing organic food. It is also the name of the organization in the Department of Agriculture responsible for administering and enforcing the regulatory framework. The Organic Food Production Act of 1990 In...
standards in reference to the amount of time their dairy cows should spend in pasture.As a result of the boycott, one of the largest natural food cooperatives, PCC Natural Markets
PCC Natural Markets
PCC Natural Markets is a food cooperative based in Seattle, Washington. With over 45,000 members, it is the largest consumer-owned food cooperative in the United States.. Both members and non-members may shop at the retail locations, but members receive certain discounts. The organization...
in Seattle, decided to discontinue Horizon Organic products from their customer offerings.The USDA found Horizon Organic's operations to be in full compliance with the USDA organic regulations.
In March 2007, Horizon Organic published its "Standards of Care" guidelines for company-owned dairy farms in an effort to educate the public about its organic dairy practices in collaboration with Shannon Horst of Holistic Management International. The standards went beyond what was required by the USDA, and were put in practice nearly two years before new regulations regarding livestock regulations were introduced.
Horizon Organic says they are in compliance with the USDA requirements for organic certification.