Samish Bay Cheese Farm

Rating
Products	Cheese, Yogurt, Milk, Labneh
Website	https://samishbay.com/
Market Area	WA, OR, Online
Total Score	575

Samish Bay Cheese brand received a Snail of Approval award from @slowfoodusa.

Samish Bay Cheese Farm did not participate in Cornucopia’s survey and investigation, which impacted the information we provide here along with their score. If you are a customer of this brand, please reach out and ask them to cooperate with Cornucopia’s investigation!

They say: “We use our milk to make our Cheese, Yogurt, and Labneh. Samish Bay Cheese is Certified Organic. We have Beef, Pork, and Veal as well, all raised on the farm. We have wine/cider/beer, juice, honey, jams and a host of local artisan and complementary products in our shop.

Our products are available here on our farm, at a few farmers markets, and at a growing number of retail stores. We can take orders for pickup at our farm, at farmers markets, at a couple of drops in the Seattle area, and for mail order shipping at www.samishbay.com/store.”

Their dairy is located at 15115 Bow Hill Road, Bow, Washington 98232.

Rubric	Points	Comments and Notes
TOTAL (possible score is 1100 (plus extra credit))	575	3-Cow Rating | Very Good
Transparency and Disclosure	75	Did not participate in Cornucopia’s investigation, however some reasonably reliable information was still gathered in the investigation.
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	100	Independant organic brand that exclusively uses milk from their own animals.
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	75	Appears dedicated to the organic label, details are unconfirmed.
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	50	Pasture management appears to be good, but details are unconfirmed.
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	75	Likely exceeds minimum required by organic standards.
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	Unknown supplemental feed and ingredients, but much of the cattle diet is localized.
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	50	Calves are not housed individually and may get other benefits.
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	0	Unknown
Lower cull and death rates receive more points (with some exceptions), as it is one indicator of high animal welfare. Deaths & Culls	0	Unknown
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	50	Appears to take steps to protect and foster local environment but details unconfirmed.
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	50	Cattle appear in good health without public records of neglect, but details unknown.
This category is non-scoring and provided for information. Organic Certifier (Informational)		[OTCO] Oregon Tilth Certified Organic
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)		Unknown
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)		Unknown
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