Got (any better ideas for a title) milk?

 I have just enough time to post this cute cow picture and tell all of you to check out the efforts being made to change the rules about labeling milk ‘organic.’ Check out this NPR story with a link to a government website where you can post your comments in support of this movement.

In short, it would require that dairy cows be able to graze and roam on plenty of fresh grass (making healthier cows and happier milk, or vice versa) in order to get that organic stamp of approval. Like most parents of young kids, we power through gallons of the stuff every week—delivered by Dan the milk man who must get up astonishingly early because I’ve actually never seen the man drop it off on our doorstep. And I think making it to 6:30 is sleeping in. Hence the short post. It’s bedtime.

What was I talking about again? Ah yes. The current standards are shockingly not that dissimilar from a factory farm situation. Some milk producers have more integrity than others, of course. But this would force everyone to step it up. 

We’ve got until the 23rd to show our support for this so get cracking.

p.s. Want to know more? www.nationalorganiccoalition.org 

p.p.s Cut and paste this letter drafted by foodandwaterwatch.org into your comment to make it super easy.

“I am writing to support the agency’s proposal to require strong pasture requirements for organic dairy and beef operations.  The controversy over organic milk has been undermining the credibility of organic for too long and I urge the agency to issue a rule clarifying the pasture rule as soon as possible.

I strongly support the provisions of the rule that would not allow certified organic beef and milk to come from animals raised in confined animal feeding operations because I expect organic animals to be kept on pasture for as long as the weather allows good pasture management and good animal health.  Therefore, I support the rule’s requirement of a minimum 30 percent dry matter intake from pasture for a minimum of 120 days.
  
But the rule does need some improvements to make it workable for farmers.  I support the detailed changes proposed by the National Organic Coalition and the Federation of Organic Dairy Farmers to address some overly prescriptive language that could cause problems for=2 0animal welfare and the environment by requiring animals to be outside on pasture even when bad weather or the season makes this inappropriate.

I think the proposal could be even stronger with the following changes:

- The rule should be changed to substitute “grazing season” instead of “growing season” to take into account the reality of the grazing season in different parts of the country.

- To protect pastures from damage and to ensure the health and safety of livestock during bad weather conditions, cows should only be required to be kept on pasture during the grazing season.  

- The rules should also allow for clean, well-managed barnyards that enable exercise and outdoor access during the non-grazing season.

As a consumer, I have always expected that organic livestock were kept on pasture for as long as the weather allowed and that a substantial portion of an organic cow’s diet came from grazing.   I urge the agency to establish strict standards for organic milk and meat as soon as possible.”