Butterworks Farm
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Westfield, VT |
| Products | Yogurt, A2 milk |
| Website | www.mycadia.com/subcategories.php?p=Food&c=Dairy |
| Market Area | VT, NH |
| Total Score | 1455 |
Jack and Anne Lazor are two longtime heroes in the organic farming community. In addition to manufacturing Vermont’s “most popular yogurt,”for decades, they’ve helped educate younger farmers and dairy producers transitioning to organic. They write:
“Butterworks Farm is a real farm, located in the mountains of Vermont’s pristine and unspoiled Northeast Kingdom. We are unique among New England organic dairies and yogurt makers for a number of reasons. We’ve been farming organically for 25 years and are always willing to share our knowledge and experience… We grow all the food our cows eat, including corn, oats, barley, soybeans, and alfalfa. All of our cows were born here on the farm. We have a closed herd, which means we don’t buy cows from other farms. Since 1975, during our first days as homesteaders with just a family cow, we have made our yogurt right here on the farm. We use only our own milk to produce this delicious yogurt. Our soils are sweet and mineralized. The extra special “nutty” flavor of our whole yogurt begins with the land we farm.”
Butterworks Farm products can be found at co-ops, health food stores, smaller grocery markets and a few chain stores near their farm location in Vermont and neighboring New Hampshire. Black River Produce of Springfield, Vermont does some Vermont distribution for us as well. Some of their products are sold to and distributed around the Northeast by UNFI (United Natural Foods). Also find them in most Whole Foods Markets in the North Atlantic region.
| Criteria | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1600) | 1455 | 5-Cow Rating | Top-Rated—Beyond Organic |
 Farmstead dairies who live on-site (or work their own dairy daily) receive top points for this category. No transparency and/or no answer receive no points. Ownership structure | 100 | Farmstead dairy |
| Farmstead dairies and well-managed cooperatives with only their own patrons get top points in this category. Fewer points go to brands that have less control over their milk supply. Milk Supply | 95 | Gets some milk from another farm with matching practices |
| Brands that do not also market any conventional products receive top points in this category. Brands that are less dedicated to organics receive fewer points. Organic Production | 100 | Brand only markets organic |
| The best transparency toward Cornucopia investigators is rewarded by full points. Disclosure of Information for Verification | 100 | Full disclosure |
| If a top-rated organic certifier certifies this brand they receive full points. Certifiers with questionable practices receive fewer points. Organic Certification | 100 | Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) |
| If this brand has other third-party labels, particularly animal-welfare labels, that will provide them extra points in this category depending on the particular label and its standards. Other Labels/Standards | 0 | None |
| 100% Grass-fed with independent verification or independent standards to ensure compliance will receive full points in this category. Other points are attributed to how much forage composes the dairy cows’ diets. Grass-fed | 90 | 100% grass-fed |
| No point value – this information is offered for buyers interested in milk from cows without soy in their diets. Soy Free Ration? | Yes | |
| Rating based on (a) policies of brand, (b) enforcement/oversight (c) acreage available per cow, (d) average days on pasture (e) investigative actions. Pasture | 100 | Respected leaders in rotational grazing |
| Where cows are milked one to two times per day they receive top points. It's standard organic protocol to milk two times a day. Dairies that milk three-to-four times a day is one indicator of factory-organics. Times Milked | 90 | Two times a day (standard protocol on legitimate organic dairies) |
| A cull and/or death rate under 10% annually receives full points. Cull/death Rate | 100 | Very low cull rate |
| Closed herd (meaning the brand raises all their replacement cattle) receives full points. If conventional animals are purchased, the brand receives fewer points. Replacements | 100 | Closed herd |
| If this brand has a unique way of managing calves they receive more points. If they remove the calf shortly after birth (the standard practice) they receive 70 points. Calves | 80 | Calves spend the first week spent with mothers |
| When the brand prohibits all antibiotic use they receive full points. No answer receives no points. Antibiotic Use | 100 | No antibiotic use |
| When no hormones are used on farm(s) this brand receives full points. When the brand uses hormones therapeutically post-birth the brand receives 50 points. Hormone Usage | 100 | No hormones used |
| Farmstead dairies (lives on site) get full points and cooperative/corporations that set standards and have staff that visit the supplying dairies also receive top points. No direct supervision and/or personal relationship with farm(s) gets low or no points. Farm Support | 100 | Lives on premises |
| Full control of any added ingredients (100% come from within organization) receives top points. Dairy ingredients purchased from a number of different vendors (with less direct control) receives fewer points in this category. Procurement of Ingredients | 100 | No outside ingredients used |
| Several questions were asked in addition to the original survey questions that would ultimately give producers “extra credit” points. Look for details in individual brand explanations. Extra Credit | 0 | None |