Vegan cheese giant – Miyoko’s has partnered with Farm Sanctuary to help California dairy farms transition into plant agriculture.

Miyoko’s Creamery has been dishing out plant based dairy products since 2014. Its cashew derived cheese and butter alternatives are popular nationwide.

The brand sells its products in over 12,000 retail locations across the US, including Target, Trader Joe‘s, Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods, Sprouts, and many other stores in the US, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong.

Miyoko’s is now looking to launch a new line of cheese alternatives produced from potatoes and legumes and is seeking out interested dairy farmers for a partnership.

As part of the deal, the company will invest in the land and lend its technical expertise, while using the acquired land for research and development purposes, as well as growing its products’ raw materials.

Speaking on the initiative, Miyoko Schinner, Founder and CEO of Miyoko’s said: “Farmers are struggling, farms are closing, livelihoods are threatened, and we want to help the American farmer stay true to the land.

“We can’t truly move to a compassionate food supply without the support and participation of the farming community. They are integral to our ability to eliminate animal agriculture and lead us to a compassionate and sustainable food supply.”

Schinner also went on to say that a collaboration of this sort would be a ‘win -win opportunity’ for both the company and the farmer to source and sell supplies.

She said: “We think it’s the responsibility of industry to provide solutions for hardworking people. So yes, there are farms that are doing it on their own. But we need them, and hopefully they need us.”

Gene Baur, co-founder of Farm Sanctuary- an animal welfare organization will be on board in an advisory role.

“We share Miyoko’s vision for a compassionate food system and are looking forward to working with them to help farmers become part of a cruelty-free, more sustainable, plant-based food future,” he said.

Dwindling dairy profits

Dairy farmers nationwide are struggling to remain in business and many have either switched to more profitable alternatives or downed their shutters.

Recently California’s Giacomazzi Dairy, known as one of the oldest dairy farms operating in the Rockies region shut its milk pens after 125 years in the business to focus on expanding its almond groves.

• Read: Cow farmers switch to growing almonds: “You’re better off putting your money into trees … almonds, pistachios, grapes”

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