Horizon Honors Bliss, N.Y. Family at Farm Aid 2009
The Franklin family of Bliss, N.Y. was recognized as the recipient of the 2009 Horizon™ Organic Producer Education (HOPE) Award at Sunday’s Farm Aid concert in St. Louis, Mo. As part of the HOPE Program, which was created in 2001 to assist farmers with the transition to organic, the Award pays tribute to farmers and farm families who demonstrate a long-term commitment to and passion for organic agriculture.
Recipients of the Award serve as a model for conventional, transitioning and other organic farmers, communicate a positive message about organic agriculture, and are committed to regenerative farm management practices that respect and protect the natural world—soil, water, air, plants, and wildlife—as well their livestock and land.
The Franklin family represents all of these values and serves as an inspiration to other farmers who choose to undertake the challenges and rewards of organic agriculture.
The Franklin family milks about 50 cows on a Bliss farm that has been in the family since 1967. The farm is run by Ron Jr. with help from Ron Sr. and their respective families. Ron Jr. says he has always been interested in farming. “In school, people told me ‘you’re college material!’, he says, “and I told them ‘No thank you, I know what I want, and I want to be a farmer.”
The Franklins were early adopters of organic farming practices; they began experimenting with using manure instead of chemical fertilizers in the late eighties. Then, in 1999, the farm was certified organic, becoming the first certified organic farm in Wyoming County, and began shipping milk to Horizon. Ron Jr. has since helped several farmers in the area transition to organic farming.
The Franklin family is also deeply committed to regenerative farm management practices, using a water powered “ram” that pumps water to the barn and provides all of the water for the house, cows and water tanks. The ram requires no additional energy to run. And last year, they installed two commercial windmills, which generate clean, wind power that is sold to the local electric company.
As the 2009 HOPE Award recipients, Ron. Sr., and Ron Jr. attended and were honored at the 2009 Farm Aid concert in St. Louis, Mo. Since 1985, Farm Aid has raised nearly $36 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture, keep family farmers on their land, build connections between farmers and consumers, and provide immediate and effective support services to farm families in crisis.
For more information about the Horizon farmer network and how organic farming benefits farmers, animals, the environment and consumers, visit www.horizondairy.com.
ABOUT HORIZON
At Horizon, we believe the choice for a healthy family and a healthy planet should be an easy one. We offer a delicious variety of certified organic dairy products and innovative natural dairy offerings to satisfy a broad range of consumer needs. Our commitment to a healthier planet includes offsetting the energy used to produce our products with clean, renewable wind power. In addition, we work with about 500 certified organic family farms and in 2008 alone kept more than 17 million pounds of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers out of the environment. Founded in 1991, Horizon was a pioneer in the organic industry, the first company to supply organic milk nationally, and remains committed to providing great-tasting dairy products that make it easy for moms to provide nutritious options for their kids.
Contacts:
Horizon Organic
Sara Loveday, 303-635-4680
sara.loveday@whitewave.com