Horizon Family Farmers Honored With Annual Awards
Horizon Organic® today announced the 2014 recipients of two annual awards that honor its family farmers. Andrew and Saraetta Batdorf of McVeytown, Pa., received the Horizon Organic Producer Education (HOPE) Award for being advocates for organic agriculture. Steve, Paul and Hope Galens of Clifton Springs, N.Y., won the National Quality Award, which recognizes the Horizon farmer who produces the highest quality organic milk in the entire Horizon milk supply. In addition, Dean and Terri Conant of Randolph Center, Vt., and Jimmy and Tina Spaulding of Bethel, Vt., were named as honorable mentions for the HOPE Award. This year's recipients will attend the annual Farm Aid concert in Raleigh, N.C., on Sept. 13 and be honored at a Horizon awards dinner today."The success and growth of Horizon is made possible by the hard work and commitment from our nearly 700 family farmers nationwide, and their passion for organic agriculture," said Mike Ferry, Horizon president. "It is a pleasure to honor the Batdorf family with this year's HOPE Award for their continued strong leadership and support of organic dairy. We are also pleased to recognize the Galens family with this year's National Quality Award, a true testament of their commitment to producing high-quality organic milk."
HOPE Award: Andrew and Saraetta Batdorf
Andrew and Saraetta Batdorf have shipped their milk to Horizon since 2008, and received the HOPE Award for their commitment to regenerative farming practices that respect and protect the environment, wildlife and livestock. "I am proud to tell people what I do that I'm an organic dairy farmer from Pennsylvania," Batdorf says. "It is an honor to receive the HOPE Award, which is about organic stewardship and advocacy. This way of life makes for long days and a lot of constant, hard work. It takes time and commitment to help contribute to a cause that's much larger than our day to day livelihood, and it's worth it to educate and help people understand what we do."
Andrew has been dairying for most of his life, and conservation is second nature for him and his family. "Organic is an important part of our lives out here on the farm. We're here on this earth for a short time, but we can make a lasting impact. We are stewards of the land," he says. "People care where their food comes from and are concerned about keeping family farms alive."
Andrew transitioned to organic in part because he wanted his four children to be able to stay on the farm and make a good living. The Batdorf family's conservation practices include improving the farm's existing contour strips into lanes so that cows can more easily walk to and from the pastures. They've also installed a solar-powered pump and 40-foot windmill to help supply water to their 50 cows without using electricity.
The Batdorfs are actively involved with Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO) where Andrew is president of the board. Andrew also helped launch PCO's mentoring program to help educate farmers about organic production. The Batdorf family helped establish a farmer's market in Lewistown, Pa., in an area designated by the USDA as a food desert, to help bring fresh fruits and vegetables to local residents. The family has hosted numerous community farm tours and crop walks at their dairy to help educate families and other farmers about organic agriculture and sustainable practices.
HOPE Award: Honorable Mentions
Horizon also announced two honorable mentions for the 2014 HOPE Award at Farm Aid. Dean and Terri Conant of Randolph Center, Vt., and Jimmy and Tina Spaulding of Bethel, Vt started shipping organic milk at the same time in 2007, and collaborate to share organic farming techniques with other Vermont farmers. The Conants have hosted numerous farm tours, and shown cows at the Tunbridge Fair for more than 50 years, winning awards including herdsmanship, grand champion, and the Anne Burke Memorial award. "The transition to organic made me a better farmer. I started focusing on prevention rather than reacting to problems," Dean says. "I definitely feel honored about being recognized. My family deserves a lot of credit. I'm proud to be involved with Horizon because they have such a good product line, and it's an incentive to ship a good product."
The Spauldings influenced Jimmy's uncle to transition to organic, and the family also focuses on educating local youth about organic farming techniques. The family is active in their local community, showing their cattle at the Vermont State Fair and Tunbridge Fair. The Spaulding's philosophy can be summed up as "If you respect the land and cows; the land and the cows will be good to you." Both Jimmy and Tina grew up on dairy farms and transitioned to organic when they purchased their own farm in 2007. Respect for the land continues to be an important focus for the family, and they work with the Vermont Land Trust and Vermont Land Use to follow a forestry plan to better manage their land through rotational grazing and erosion prevention.
National Quality Award: Steve, Hope and Paul Galens
Steve Galens, his wife Hope and brother Paul won Horizon's 2014 National Quality Award for consistently delivering the highest quality milk of all of Horizon's producers. The family also won the award in 2012. Steve has milked cows since he graduated from high school, and today milks 21 cross-bred cows on the 160-acre farm where he grew up. He farms in partnership with Paul, who raises organic heifers and all of the organic feed for the farm.
The Galens started shipping organic milk to Horizon in December 2010, though Paul had started using some organic farming methods on his crops prior to starting the transition to organic because the brothers felt that it was better for the land. Producing organic milk has had a major impact on how Steve views farming. "Organic gives me purpose to make a product that people want. My heart and soul is in it. There are no silver bullets to making high quality milk, but if you observe closely, you too can get similar results," Steve says.
Each year, Horizon also recognizes the top 10 percent of Horizon farmers in each state whose milk is the highest quality within the network. For consideration, farmers must ship organic milk to the company for one full calendar year, and the average test results for each shipment must be among the best in their respective states.
The Batdorfs, Galens and Spauldings will be among the attendees at the Farm Aid concert at the Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Raleigh. America's longest running concert-for-a-cause, Farm Aid is held annually to help further its mission to keep farm families on their land. Horizon Organic has been a sponsor of Farm Aid since 2003.
About Horizon
Horizon believes the choice for a healthy family and a healthy planet should be an easy one. Founded in 1991, Horizon was a pioneer in the organic industry and was the first company to supply organic milk nationally. Today, Horizon offers a delicious variety of certified organic dairy products to satisfy a broad range of consumer needs. Horizon works with nearly 700 active and transitioning organic family farmers across the U.S. to supply 99 percent of the milk used to make its organic dairy products. Families can also enjoy pantry staples such as Mac & Cheese, Snack Crackers, Sandwich Crackers and Snack Grahams from Horizon. These products are available in certified organic and made with organic options, all of which fall on the organic spectrum and are regulated by the USDA's National Organic Program. Horizon's commitment to a healthier planet includes offsetting the energy used to produce its products with clean, renewable wind power. Horizon believes in providing great-tasting products that make it easy for moms to provide nutritious options for their kids. For more information about Horizon's products, visit www.horizondairy.com.
About Farm Aid
Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $45 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.
9.12.2014