A bottler, Suiza Foods, also bought a stake in Horizon. Horizon aims to be close to consumers and sell more organic milk products, Peperzak says. Both Peperzak and Rainwater say the two herds are profitable. But milking profit from big investor-owned dairies is a challenge, say some who have worked in them. Amy Barr, a spokesperson for Horizon, attributes losses to rapid growth.
Horizon now enjoys an organic milk market that's mostly untapped.
And all dairy producers are relieved by an upturn in milk prices driven partly by a butter shortage. That would consolidate his 8,800 cows near Jerome and leave room to grow. Idaho and central California are booming. Dairies moving from the crowded east Los Angeles basin are driving expansion north. Californians are moving to Idaho.