Therefore milk coming from cows not raised on pasture, having grass (on or off pasture) as the sole (or at least primary) source of feed should not be considered ‘green’- or organic.
Cows were not meant to eat anything but grass- the fact that they are forced to eat grain in confinement is disturbing but is unfortunately only one assault of many on short lives of factory farm animals. So I keep this post and my disturbance to this issue limited to the fact that there are certified organic cows eating grain in confinement. Since if you’re already choosing to pay more for organic because you are, like me, appalled that ‘there are no federal animal welfare laws regulating the treatment of the billions of animals raised for food while on the farm’ (read more) and should at least be getting the processes you’re paying for.’Grass-fed’ and ‘pasture raised’ are not easily identified qualities of dairy products. It is getting somewhat easier with beef since the benefits of leaner red meat have been acknowledged and there are grass-fed options in some super markets. But these phrases have no certification process associated with there hasn’t been the kind of demand for labeling, like with the growth hormone. But I believe the time for the ‘pasture raised, 100% grass fed’ label has come.
So, who would get this lable? All organic milk? As most would correctly assume, no. Before being able to buy Organic Pastures‘ raw milk I bought a glass bottled, non-homogenized milk that was almost as delicious. Before access to these I bought Organic Valley. I always wondered about them. Especially after reading Omnivore’s Dilemma and realizing the truth to Pollan’s observation that organic food comes with a story- a narrative about the food’s creation- that isn’t always honest.
So what is the story behind these organic milks? Some are organic in name only and squeeze through loopholes to receive their certification and rely on only a few truths, no growth hormones or antibiotics or pesticides, with which to spin their happy cow tales.
The Cornucopia Institute created a comprehensive report card that helps organic milk buyers choose brands that are true to the organic certification and live up to the creation stories on their cartons. I also highly recommend reading the full report to understand how the brands like Horizon have developed the oxymoronic organic factory farm, and thus undermine the integrity of the certification:
‘At least four sections in the organic regulations, if considered together, make it quite clear that organic dairy cattle are intended to be pasture based.’
Also, on the report card, be sure to click on the brand’s name link to learn more about the score.
Organic Valley scores well and their website has good information on the benefits of pasturing. They also created this great billboard:
But besides the fact that a cow’s purpose is to eat grass, so it should do this even when we make its purpose to be produce milk, and that confined feeding has overwhelming waste streams to the surrounding environment, there is a direct personal health reason to choose a brand of organic milk that raises its cows on grass- better milk for your body:
‘Grass fed dairy products contain an increased amount of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Nearly six times as much. CLA is a naturally occurring “good” fatty acid produced in cows and found in their milk. According to Positive Health studies have also shown CLA to promote muscle growth and fat burning in the body. This means CLA, found in increased quantity in milk from grass fed cows, may help you lose unwanted fat and build a leaner body. Consider this: since cows manufacture CLA from grass in their stomachs, commercially-raised cows that only eat soybeans or corn meal produce little, if any, CLA.’
(more here)
This report found that
“grass-fed beef and milk contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, the so-called beneficial fats. Grass-fed milk tends to be higher in an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) that scientists have demonstrated reduces the risk of heart disease. Both grass-fed milk and ground beef are also higher in CLA, a fatty acid shown in animal studies to protect against cancer…”Raising cattle on pasture is essential to maintaining higher levels of good fats,” said Clancy. ‘Even partially replacing grass with grain can reduce the levels of beneficial fatty acids in meat and milk.’”
The natural healthfulness of organic, grass-fed milk (even without being raw) are, I think, unknown to the general public- because all the “Got Milk?” campaign could tout is calcium and protein- because that campaign comes from the IDFA, primaryily concerned with conventional dairying, which does not produce the beneficial fats of milk from grass.
This lack of information allows Horizon milk to market a product that wouldn’t need to exist if they followed the true spirit of the organic regulation and produced milk that is pasture based. They have made a line of milk with added DHA, omega 3, failing to mention in their information page on the benefits of Omega 3 that if they fed their all their cows less grain and more green, they could leave get their milk supplement-free from truly happy cows.
Horizon is certainly better than choosing conventional, but when choosing organic- grass is always greener.
Post a Comment