Ferndale Organic

Rating
Products	Fluid Milk, A2
Website	https://www.ferndaleorganica2a2.com/
Market Area	CA, UT, TX, HI
Total Score	730

They say: “At Ferndale Organic A2/A2 Milk we believe no one should mess with what Mother Nature intended. As generational dairy farmers we raise our families and our animals naturally by being good stewards of the land and not adding to or altering what nature intended. Our milk is sourced from a select group of family farmers who share our beliefs and whose cows naturally produce 100% A2 milk. Ferndale Organic A2/A2 cows are free from growth hormones, GMOs or chemical fertilizers and are also free to roam and graze throughout their pastures, unless it’s milking time!”

Rubric	Points	Comments and Notes
TOTAL (possible score is 1100 (plus extra credit))	730	4-Cow Rating | Excellent
Transparency and Disclosure	100	Superb transparency
Brands that rate highest have a close relationship to their milk suppliers. Those that buy milk from industrial or unknown organic suppliers rate lowest. Milk Supply and Ownership Structure	50	Sources organic milk primarily from organic co-op, Western Organic Family Farms, most of which do not have split operations
Brands that only produce organic products make the biggest investments — in time and money — in the organic systems that benefit us all. Commitment to Organic Label	50	Brand has only organic products with unknown amount of split operations
Pasture management refers to how outdoor areas are managed, with top-rated brands utilizing multiple strategies to maintain high quality pasture, providing environmental and animal welfare benefits. Pasture Management	75	Organic farms have good pasture management exceeding minimum standards for main suppliers
The grass-fed percentage category reflects diet, with top-rated brands far exceeding the minimum requirements laid out in the organic pasture rule. Grass Fed Percentage	40	Suppliers confirmed to meet at least 40% DMI, and some exceed this amount during the grazing season
This category focuses on the sourcing of feed, supplements, and any added ingredients in the diet. The category also accounts for brands that source organic dairy from other operations. Top-rated brands produce all feed on farm or buy inputs locally. Supplemental Feed and Ingredients	50	Brand sources feed and extra ingredients that likley originate exclusively from a domestic source
Industry standard is to immediately remove calves from their mothers and individually house them. High scores in this area show that brand suppliers use group housing or otherwise promote calf socialization. Calves	25	Suppliers use single calf hutches before moving to group housing
High scoring brands milk only once or twice per day, allowing maximum time for cows to be outside exhibiting natural behaviors. Times Milked Per Day	100	2x daily
Lower cull and death rates receive more points (with some exceptions), as it is one indicator of high animal welfare. Deaths & Culls	75	Moderate cull and low death rates for main suppliers
Brands that closely monitor environmental factors, including soil and water quality, native species, and wildlife, receive the most points. Brands with specific policies and programs to boost environmental sustainability also receive high points. Environmental Impacts and Stewardship	90	Good attention to environmental sustainability on most supplier farms, including doing regenerative audits on-farm, high percent vegetative cover (avoiding bare ground), support wildlife, re-using manure, etc. A member of the Dairy Methane Action Alliance and makes efforts to do sustainable packaging.
Brands with specific policies and practices to support animal welfare score best. Brands may lose points in this category if they have a history of animal welfare concerns. Animal Welfare	75	Good attention to animal welfare without history of concerns with closed herds
This category is non-scoring and provided for information. Organic Certifier (Informational)		Organic Certifiers
Third-party labels carried by individual brands or product lines are listed here for more information. These are not scored, but some third-party labels may receive extra credit. Add On Labels (Informational)		Supplier farms Certified Humane and Non-GMO Project; working on regenerative certification
Herd size refers to the number of adult cows in the milking herd. The general denotation for herd size (large, medium, and small) is based on the legal definition of “Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation”. Herd Size(s) (Informational)		Small, medium, and large farms
Brands may receive extra credit for practices and polices not reflected in the scorecard (see notes for details). Extra Credit		None
The adjustment section is where any notes and adjustments to the score are indicated, such as penalties for non-compliances. Adjustments & Notes		None