Working Cows Dairy
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Slocomb, AL |
| Products | Butter, cream, fluid milk, vat pasteurized, grassfed |
| Website | www.workingcowsdairy.com |
| Market Area | AL |
| Total Score | 1610 |
Working Cows Dairy has tested a significant percentage of their cows for A2 milk but does not have a 100% A2 milk herd. They vat pasteurize their products (at a low temperature).
They write: “In 1985, we, Jan and Rinske de Jong, came to the land of opportunity with a dream to start a dairy of our own. We started “Working Cows Dairy” in October 1985. We milked 180 cows for a dairy farmer in Cottondale Florida and for that we could use his barn and 40 acres. We leased 55 cows, with the $5,000 we had saved in Holland, and started milking about 20 hours a day. In the spring of 1986 Jan planted watermelons on part of the land and had a fruit stand on Hwy 231. We stayed on this place for 2 years and left with 29 cows to a rented place in Grand-Ridge Florida. There we had three boys Jonny, Mendy, and Ike. We worked our way up from 29 cows to 220 cows four years later. We moved again to the place we are now located in June 1991.
We do not homogenize our milk so the cream still comes to the top. We sell Whole, 2%, 1%, and Fat Free all in gallons and half gallons. We have half gallons of cream and chocolate milk too. Please visit our website for more information on our family farm.”
| Criteria | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1600) | 1610 | 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 | Family farm |
| 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 | 100 | Single farm |
| 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 dairy products |
| 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 | 75 | California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) |
| 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 | 100 | Animal Welfare Approved & American Grassfed Cert. |
| 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 | 100 | 100% grassfed, certified by AGA |
| 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 | Excellent pasture compliance |
| 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 | 90 | 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 kept with mothers or nurse cows for at least 12 weeks |
| 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 | Single farm |
| 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 | 75 | OSP submitted, very transparent |