Neutral
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Portland, OR |
| Products | Fluid milk |
| Website | www.eatneutral.com/ |
| Market Area | Nationwide |
| Total Score | 1260 |
We obsessively measure the entire carbon footprint of our products — from field to fridge and beyond. Our chief science advisor Dr. Greg Thoma, a faculty member at Colorado State University, advises us in calculating each of Neutral’s product footprints. Dr. Thoma has dedicated the past 12 years to quantifying the carbon footprint of U.S. dairy, including a groundbreaking study of the emissions associated with consumption of a gallon of milk based on data from more than 500 American dairy farms.
We work with farmers to sponsor projects that profoundly reduce their overall footprint. These changes benefit local and global ecosystems by keeping methane and other pollutants out of the atmosphere. And because Neutral makes capital investments on farms, we’re helping farmers tackle projects they have been wanting to do—in some cases for years—but have not yet been able to because of money, time, and risk. Reduction opportunities include improved forage production and grazing management, nutrient and manure management, and conservation practices, such as reducing tillage or planting cover crops. Neutral’s Head of Carbon Reduction, ex-NASA-funded climate scientist from a ranching family, Ann Radil, leads this effort.
Finally, as our reduction efforts are a work in progress, we guarantee that every product is 100% carbon neutral by investing in carbon offsets from dairy projects across the country. Pioneering dairy farmers are turning cow manure into renewable energy right on the farm—and in doing so, are significantly reducing the amount of methane emissions along the way. We know not all offsets are created equal. Neutral only acquires offsets from U.S. dairy farmers that are verified by Climate Action Reserve (CAR), American Carbon Registry, and VERRA. Verifying our offsets through accredited auditors ensures the projects we support are real, additional, permanent, verifiable, and enforceable. It also minimizes any risk of invalid creation or double counting of Climate Reserve Tons.
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1600 plus extra credit) | 1260 | 4-Cow Rating | Excellent |
Farmstead dairies earn the most points. Corporations that have a history of skirting the organic rules receive the fewest. Ownership structure | 60 | Investor-owned LLC |
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Farms that produce 100% of their milk receive the most points. Milk from "open market" or known confinement dairies receive the fewest. Milk Supply | 70 | Purchases outside milk from highly rated suppliers |
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100% organic farms receive the most points. Split operations with conventional dairy on the same property receive the fewest. Organic Production | 70 | Brand markets both organic and conventional dairy products from dedicated operations |
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Farms that completed the survey in detail received the most points.
Disclosure of Information for Verification | 100 | Good transparency |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier. Organic Certification | 75 | Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) |
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Animal Welfare Approved and Biodynamic certifications receive the most bonus points. Producers are not penalized for not having additional certifications beyond organic. Other Labels/Standards | 30 | SCS Carbon-neutral |
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100% grass-fed with independent verification of standards Grass-fed | 70 | Exceeds minimum standards for grazing |
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No points are given for this but the information may be useful to certain consumers looking to avoid soy. Soy Free Ration? | No | |
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Sliding scale based on policies, enforcement, acreage/cow, days/year on pasture, and permissible exemption. Pasture | 90 | Excellent pasture compliance using rotational grazing |
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One time/day receives the most points. Two times per day is standard. Times Milked | 90 | Milk twice a day (standard organic practice) |
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Lower cull rate scores better, with under 10% receiving the most points. Cull/death Rate | 80 | Moderate cull/death rate. |
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Farms with closed herds receive the most points. Farms that sell organic calves and buy conventional replacements receive the fewest. Replacements | 100 | Closed herds |
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Standard practice is removing calves shortly after birth, with extra points given for unique ways of managing calves
Calves | 75 | Removed shortly after birth (standard practice) |
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Farms that prohibit antibiotics receive the most points. Farms that allow young stock to receive antibiotics (under one year), receive the fewest.
Antibiotic Use | 100 | No Antibiotic use |
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No hormones is the standard, however some farms do use oxytocin for therapeutic purposes. Hormone Usage | 100 | No hormone use |
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Farmstead dairies (owner lives on-site) receive the most points. Fewer points are given as oversight declines. Farm Support | 60 | Depends on trusted third-party for supervision |
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All ingredients sourced from inside the organization or on the farm receives the highest points. Ingredients from confinement factory farms and/or imported ingredients receive the fewest. Procurement of Ingredients | 90 | Outside ingredients from trusted sources |
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Various levels of extra credit given for 1) providing full organic systems plan, 2) providing details on all farms (multi-farm brands, details on largest five required), and 3) sourcing feed on-farm or domestically. Extra Credit | 0 | None |
