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In mid-August, we invited folks to comment
on the recent organic certification of a large 4,000-cow dairy
operation in Colorado. We asked:
“What do you think? Does
the certification of Aurora Organic's dairy and bottling
facilities represent a bright new dawn for the U.S. organic
dairy sector, bringing organic milk to millions of regular
American consumers nationwide and prompting the conversion
of thousands of acres of farmland to organic production?
Or does it herald a tough new era for small, family-owned
organic dairies, in which the premium for organic milk will
erode and the difference between organic and conventional
foods will become less meaningful?”
We got dozens of thoughtful responses. Here are a few of
them. (By the way, columnist Mary-Howell Martens asked us
who certified Aurora in Colorado—we neglected to mention
it in our piece. The answer? The Colorado Department of Agriculture.)
P.S. Have an issue you’d like to comment on? Send your
thoughts to info@newfarm.org.
Dear New Farm,
I am an organic inspector who inspects certified
organic dairy farms in the Midwest. I would have to reserve
judgment on this until more detail is provided, as "access
to pasture" is a very slippery phrase. It could mean
having the cows out on ground with poor forage and only for
a couple of hours daily; that, in my estimation, is not acceptable.
Ideally, and this ideal is achieved on many small organic
dairies in the Midwest (despite a short growing season), the
pasture is intensively managed, with fertility and forage
quality monitored, and with the herd out all day and night
(except during severe weather or muddy conditions). Pasture
should make up a significant percentage of the ration. I notice
that these articles contain no details of the Aurora dairy
pasture plan, like the number of acres per animal, the forage
types, and the pasture-ration percentage.
Mary Wilson
Ed. Note: Thanks
for the thoughtful comment, Mary. We’ll try to get answers
to your questions about the Aurora pasture plan.
* * *
Dear New Farm,
It seems clear to me that if we are going
to offer a more healthful product than the conventional dairies,
we need to focus on quality. Almost any situation in which
we are selling milk by the hundred weight to a large conglomerate
by its very nature demeans the product we have worked so hard
to produce. Economics, quality of life and the product are
all improved by focusing on pasture and local marketing. This
system also provides benefits to the community, because the
farm becomes a pleasant place to be and the money stays in
the community longer. Here in Connecticut, a number of 30-cow
dairies are getting $6 to $7 a gallon for raw milk, and not
one of them needs to be certified because the customers come
to the farm to buy the milk. It will be a fantastic day when
each community can have a farm like this and everyone can
have access to delicious, high-quality milk.
Daniel Duesing
Sol-e-Terre Farm, Llc.
Suffield, Connecticut
* * *
Dear New Farm,
I have been an organic farmer for 20 years, with a small family
farm, and when the USDA got involved with organic farming
I pretty well quit using the "O" word to describe
my products. I would just about bet that Aurora dairy uses
migrant labor (legalized slavery, in my opinion), no pasture,
and probably has enough money to buy any legislation they
need to capitalize on the hard work that many of us have done
for many years to create a more just and sustainable food
system here in the U.S. I really think the best thing small
family farms can do to change the industrial model is to push
for local food and relationship marketing, as this is the
one thing that industrial agriculture, including industrial
organic, can't take from us. I would like to see more information
about Aurora Dairy’s environmental plans put in a public
forum (do they compost? how much land base do they have for
manure? are they pulling huge amounts of ground water out
of the Ogallala aquifer like all the other huge dairy and
beef operations in Colorado?). Many complex issues here, but
I am afraid that without a huge protest, ‘certified
organic’ will soon become completely meaningless.
Sincerely and sadly,
Cindy Dutcher
* * *
Dear New Farm,
I am writing in response to the New Farm article,
“Organic dairy sector takes another big step toward
big business.” I think a large-scale dairy operation,
as long as it continues to meet organic standards, is a good
addition to the organic industry. Price premiums remain a
barrier for many consumers to make the transition to organic.
If prices can be lowered (via private-label products such
as Aurora), this will help increase consumer demand and market
growth, thus benefiting not only large corporations but the
industry as a whole. Larger operations usually mean better
safety, efficiency and quality. They can help put organics
‘on consumer radar screens,’ helping the entire
industry to grow. Thanks so much for your time.
Jenny Dean, MS, RD
* * *
Dear New Farm,
Hi. My opinion is that if Aurora wants to
be organic, they had better have a couple of thousand acres
for those cows to be chewing on. Trust me. I don't have anything
against being big. Money is money, and we are all trying to
make it, Lord knows. I would like to be a big time farmer!
But I'm just a little guy trying to start a full-time farm.
It makes me a little mad to hear that the USDA is giving away
one of few ways ( i.e., organic) that a small farm has to
make a living. I think if Aurora wants the organic label,
the cows should get pasture. It would also be really bad for
the organic industry to start finding out about loopholes.
Sincerely,
Brian Farber
western Pennsylvania
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