Certification Yanked at Big Organic Dairy

By Samuel Fromartz

In a sign that pressure is mounting on big confinement organic dairy farms, Quality Assurance International, a major organic certification agency, has yanked certification for the Case Vander Eyk organic dairy in California, an operation with an estimated 3,500 cows.

This dairy in the central valley of California has been the subject of complaints by the advocacy group, Cornucopia Institute. But QAI's decision marks the first time a certifier has suspended a big confinement dairy, though these farms have been criticized for years.

Photo: Cornucopia Institute

"The process took quite a long time," one source with direct knowledge of the situation said, because of the review requirements under the USDA's National Organic Program.

Once certification is suspended, as it was in this case in mid-May, the operation can no longer sell its products as organic. It can, however, appeal the certifier's decision to the NOP, which then reviews the details of the case.

One source said the farm didn't comply with organic regulations in a number of areas, including pasture.

The Vander Eyk dairy was among several large-scale farms that became lightening rods in the organic  industry over the past several years as the organic dairy market expanded at 20-30 percent a year.

Several large scale farms came on line and others were looking to transition to the market. But many organic dairy farmers, consumer groups and advocates strongly objected to these confinement dairy farms that offered little or no pasture to their milking cows.

Complaints were filed with the USDA's National Organic Program and efforts redoubled to tighten up the regulatory language requiring pasture so these large-scale confinement farms would be shut down.

The Vander Eyk dairy, which had both conventional and organic operations, had been selling milk to Horizon Organic, but it was yanked as a supplier when its contract ran out in 2006, because it no longer met the company's standards. Horizon, the largest organic milk company, had come under a lot of pressure for a large-scale dairy farm it owns in Idaho. But it has since invested millions in the farm to add pasture in a process that is now nearly complete.

Horizon Organic has backed a tighter organic pasture standard, calling for cows to graze at least 120 days on pasture with at least 30 percent of the cow's nutritional needs coming from fresh grass. Organic dairy farmers nationwide are pushing for this strict language and it is currently under review by the NOP.

The Vander Eyk farm was among several, such as Aurora Organic in Colorado, which did not offer meaningful pasture access to its cows. But the language was so vague in the current regulations that it became a loophole that allowed organic confinement farms to exist, much to the dismay of many organic proponents.

"Your headline should read 'Case Closed,'" said Mark Kastel of Cornucopia Institute.

But the final chapter of these big organic dairy farms has yet to be written.

Comments

[granny miller]

I'm glad to see that their certification has been suspended.

But honestly, 120 days on pasture is NOTHING! Sounds like 120 days on pasture while Bossy is drying off.

The USDA's National Organic Program is a joke and has been altered to meet the needs of large producers. It isn't what it should be.
Typical of what happens when the USDA involves itself in anything.

I look for the bottom to fall out of "organic" milk by September.

The market is becoming saturated with it.

Too bad for the small farmer who was hanging on during the change over waiting period hoping to make the cows pay.
Such a shame.

[Sam Fromartz]

The language organic dairy farmers are pushing for requires "grazing during the growing season" but not less than 120 days and 30-day dry matter intake.

This language was agreed to by small dairy farmers who represent 99 percent of all organic dairy producers. When you say organic is a joke you are doing a major disservice to the small farmers who depend on this market for a livelihood.

If they thought it was a joke, they would not support groups like WODPA, MODPA, NODPA (Western, Midwest and Northeast Organic Dairy Farmers Alliances) nor would they support the advocacy of groups that are continually pushing for higher organic integrity. Nor would they join such cooperatives as Organic Valley, which now is made up of more than 800 family farms. Instead, they would just sell their farms to developers.

So please take the opportunity to tell those small organic dairy farmers that this market is a joke. The virulent anti-organic rhetoric plays right into the hands of those interests who are trying to undermine this market and what it has done for small farmers.

[granny miller]

If you like I won’t leave any more comments. But there are two sides to the Organic issue.

I wish I could give more encouragement to small dairies who have decided to buy into USDA Organic Standard.

But I can’t.

My experience as a small farmer here in Pennsylvania has taught me that “Certified Naturally Grown” is a better way to go for both the producer & the consumer.
Not to mention much cheaper.

Here’s an example:

The dairy where I buy my raw/real milk is not Organic but is Certified Naturally Grown.

The USDA Certification Organic fees & waiting period was too cost prohibitive. The restriction of antibiotics was also a problem.

For them it was

“ Paying money to the government to prove I’m doing everything thing right.”

I had a very similar experience years ago when I considered going Organic myself.

My personal experience was very negative and I was shocked at the level of corruption and cronyism in the program.

Milk Co-Op’s are not always a good idea for the consumer or the producer either.
The bottom fell out of the local goat dairy co-op in my area due to gross mismanagement.

It is my opinion that Milk Co-Op’s by their nature are a problem waiting to happen.
Another example:

When milk is hauled & delivered from 100 different farms and each farm has on average 50 - 200 cows, the chances of bad milk going through the line is dramatically increased.
Smaller & local is much better and safer.

I’m sorry that I have such a negative opinion of Organic.

But since the USDA has become involved in it, I really do believe it is a joke and exists primarily to benefit the big producer.

As a small family farm we too struggled with a system that is broken.

The USDA is no friend to the small farmer and that particular government agency is one of the many reasons this country is in the midst of a Food Safety Crisis.

[Sam Fromartz]

Granny, I understand your sentiments. Many in the sustainable ag world hold them, but many do not and many are still fighting like hell to keep organic real. When they throw in the towel so will I. Sam