Straus Family Creamery

Rating
Products	Fluid Milk, Cream, Ice Cream, Kefir, Sour Cream, Butter
Website	https://www.strausfamilycreamery.com/
Market Area	National, CA
Total Score	875

They say: “Based in Northern California, Straus Family Creamery was the first certified organic creamery west of the Mississippi when it launched in 1994, and today it is known for its commitment to sustaining family farms, protecting the environment, mitigating climate change, and crafting the highest quality premium organic dairy products. Its line of all organic, minimally processed milks and cream, slowly-cultured yogurts, European-style butters, ice creams, and more is made with organic milk supplied by family farms in California’s Marin and Sonoma Counties. To learn more about the Straus difference, visit StrausFamilyCreamery.com.”

Rubric	Points	Comments and Notes
TOTAL (possible score is 1100 (plus extra credit))	875	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	80	Straus Family Creamery contracts with local milk suppliers, maintaining a close, supportive relationship with suppliers that surpasses industry standard. Relationships include regular visits to farm suppliers.
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	100	Superb commitment to organic label, including fighting for label at regulatory level
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	80	Dedicated pasture management even in a sometimes-challenging climate, typically including rotational grazing, native pasture species, monitoring soil and water, etc.
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	Exceeds 40% DMI at all suppliers
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	75	Most feed produced locally to CA. A small amount of raw organic cream sourced from known high-ethics source for some products.
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	Raised with mothers 1-3 days, then individual housing for a few months, then 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	50	Cull rate above 10% for supplier farms but below 15%
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	100	Goes above and beyond to address environmental considerations for dairy. For example, all Straus network farms are required to develop and implement a Carbon Farm Plan.
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	Strong attention to animal welfare
This category is non-scoring and provided for information. Organic Certifier (Informational)		California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), Oregon Tilth, and 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)		Non-GMO Project
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 and medium
Brands may receive extra credit for practices and polices not reflected in the scorecard (see notes for details). Extra Credit	50	Environmental policies and practices push the dairy industry as a whole toward better standards, including tracking their own sustainability and doing “continuous improvement” (see the Straus website for details).
The adjustment section is where any notes and adjustments to the score are indicated, such as penalties for non-compliances. Adjustments & Notes	0	None