Organic dairy standards: Have Your Say!

Much has been made over the weakening of organic standards by the USDA with perhaps the greatest furor rising over the regulations that apply to certified organic dairies. As it stands, certified organic dairy producers do not necessarily have to raise their cows on pasture. A giant feedlot complete with manure lagoons is just as likely to be certified as a farm where cows mill about in the grass as they please. Given that, and all anthropomorphism aside, chances are that the illustrated cow smiling and/or frolicking on the front of your milk carton may not be the most accurate representation of where that milk came from.

Want to do something about this? You can. The USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) is currently considering amendments to its “pasture-raised” standards and, in the meantime, is welcoming public comment. Taking advantage of the 60-day comment period, the Center for Food Safety has composed a form letter that you can send to the NOP asking them to honor the original intentions of the organic movement and to only certify those producers that raise their cows on pasture. Check out the sign-up page here.