What is Hudson Valley Fresh?

• We are a non-profit – and dedicated to showcasing our proud agricultural heritage in the Hudson River Valley, promoting us as the premier food region that we are, and producing a living wage for our farmers and their families.

• We are sustainable agriculture – by ensuring a fair price for our farmers’ goods, we keep those farmers in business, which means preventing the loss of their land to development. Consider this - in the 1970s, there were 275 dairies in Dutchess County, the highest number of dairy farms in New York State -- and now there only 26. Our Hudson Valley Fresh farms are currently preserving 5,000 acres of open land. Now that’s sustainable agriculture!

• We promote only quality local food products - members include farmers from New York State’s Dutchess and Columbia Counties, selling dairy, cheese, beef, and pork.

• Our main business is premium quality milk – whole, skim, low-fat and chocolate. We formed a dairy cooperative in 2004 to provide a sustainable future in agriculture for participating cooperative members by stabilizing market prices.

• Locally sold – we sell our milk throughout Mid-Hudson Valley , Long Island and New York City.

• Award-winning - our farms have won awards for the quality of their products like the National Dairy Quality Award and NYS Environmental Stewardship Award.

How does drinking Hudson Valley Fresh help the environment?

• Save land from development – HVF is currently preserving 5,000 acres of open space by supporting sustainable agriculture practices. In the 1970s, there were 320 dairies in Dutchess County, now there only 26 left.

• Smaller carbon footprint - all HVF dairy farmers live within 15 miles of the processing plant at Ronnybrook Farm in Ancramdale, NY (conventional milk usually travels hundreds of miles before it reaches the processing plant.)

• Good stewardship - Several HVF member farms have received awards for their stewardship of the land.

• Good soil - farming prevents erosion. And carbon dioxide, a known greenhouse gas, is reduced through proper rotation of different crops.

• Protects the future - Local farmers grow a much wider range of varieties of produce and meats than agricultural giants. This ensures biodiversity for future generations.
   

How does Hudson Valley Fresh support the community?

• Eating local – Buying locally produced foods puts the money back in the community, instead of sending it to China, New Zealand or other far off places.

• Supports local businesses – By keeping farming economically feasible, the farmers in turn spend their income on local goods and services. Studies show that farmers put most of their income back into the local economy, i.e., by buying feed, farm machinery, veterinary services, hiring plumbers, electricians, and using all the services in their community.

• The economic multiplier factor ranges from 1 1/2 to 4 times. This means the $32 million estimated farm product sales per year from Dutchess County farms puts any where from $50 to $120 million back into the local economy.

• Builds trust - you feel better knowing where your food comes from.