At Cornucopia, we like to say that we go deep so you don’t have to. This is particularly true with organic dairy, a complex marketplace impacted by changes in organic regulations and shifts in dairy production practices.
We’ve studied both to bring you our Organic Dairy Scorecard refresh. What you’ll find:
- An entirely new scoring mechanism reflecting updates to the organic regulations (more on that below)
- A deeper look at the environmental impacts of dairy production practices
- As requested, a more intentional consideration of animal welfare
- Details on what the cows ate and how their feed is sourced, an important lens into organic integrity
- Products in your market area, including those that are nationally available and those with specific attributes, such as A2
Our advice: Do the best you can with your budget and what’s available to you. Any brand listed on our scorecard provides meaningful benefits over conventional (non-organic). Purchasing organic is a vote for a food system that doesn’t rely on toxic chemicals. Top-rated brands on our scorecard go above and beyond the organic standards. Purchasing authentic organic is an investment in healthy systems and a rejection of the industrialization of organic dairy.
Whatever you buy, we hope you walk away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the complex path your dairy follows from the barn doors to your refrigerator. May the knowledge you and your fellow organic advocates accumulate lead you to the next step on your very personal food journey. Your collective impact is why we do this work.
Backdoor to Improving Organic
Did you know? The Organic Foods Production Act and the organic regulations dictate that organic dairy must meet certain requirements to carry the “certified organic” seal. The organic regulations were meant to change over time, and the National Organic Standards Board was created to recommend appropriate updates to the rules with input from the public and emerging science. Any proposed changes are thoroughly debated. This kind of transparency is entirely absent from conventional agriculture, which leaves consumers in the dark.
This type of continuous improvement can be agonizingly slow. Industrial operators typically fight to keep things as they are or roll back regulations; any changes to rules can be expensive for their massive operations.
Cornucopia’s Unique Strategy
Cornucopia champions authentic organic food, grown and raised in deep consideration for soil, animals, and human health. Our nonprofit mission is rooted in rigorous research and investigation into the organic marketplace. Scrutinizing the organic brands available at retail has given us a front row seat to the evolution of organic farming — both the improvements and the industrialization.
Over more than two decades, Cornucopia has pushed the industry toward better, clearer, and more enforceable regulations that meet consumer expectations for organic food. In organic dairy, Cornucopia’s efforts were instrumental to regulatory improvements, including the “Pasture Rule,” Origin of Livestock, and Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards.
While we invest in the long, slow process of improving regulation, our Organic Scorecards give you the information and invitation to support the best organic farms right now!
