BY ETHAN WILENSKY-LANFORD
Staff Writer 01/27/2010

Staff Writer

Local organic milk has come to Maine in a big way.

MOOMilk -- Maine's Own Organic Milk -- is being distributed by Oakhurst Dairy throughout the state and in some stores elsewhere in New England beginning yesterday.

"This truly is local milk," said Bill Eldridge of Bar Harbor, MOOMilk's general manager. "Customers who buy MOOMilk will know they are supporting the Maine economy by supporting Maine family businesses."

The cows at nine farms across the state graze in pastures five or six months of the year, and are also fed organic grain and silage typically grown near where they graze. According to Eldridge, 90 percent of the profits from the venture will go to the farmers directly.

"We're a special kind of low-profit business," he said. "Under our charter, we exist to help farm families stay in business by making enough to keep their operations viable."

The farms are spread out around the state: five in Aroostook County, three in Washington County, one in Penobscot County and Windy Acres Farm, Clinton, in Kennebec County.

Initially, the venture plans to produce 10,000 gallons of milk per week and market it as whole, 2 percent, 1 percent and skim.

The milk will be available only in half gallons to start, at $4.29 in Hannaford -- a 30-cent premium over national organic milk brands shipped into the state, Eldridge said.

The national brand -- Organic Valley -- includes some milk from about two dozen farms in Maine.

"It gets intermingled with milk from all over the place," Eldridge said, adding that Organic Valley is ultra-pastureurized out of state; and organic milk produced by Hood and sold under the Stonyfield Farm brand, although often produced by cows in Maine, is ultra-pasteurized in Virginia.

MOOMilk will be homogenized and pasteurized in Maine, and not ultra-pasteurized at all.

"Ultimately, we want to supply a full line of products: butter, cream, half and half, maybe ice cream and flavored milks," Eldridge said.

In addition to Hannaford, the milk will be available this week in about half of the independent Associated Groceries/Shur-fine stores. The company is also in discussions to market milk to Shaw's and Wal-Mart.

Ethan Wilensky-Lanford -- 620-7015

ewlanford@mainetoday.com

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