"ORGANIC"
FACTORY FARMS?
The Cornucopia Institute has filed a formal complaint with the USDA
National Organic Program against an "organic" dairy farm in
Colorado. The industrial sized feedlot, Aurora Dairy, claims its milk
is organic, despite the fact the facility houses 5,600 dairy cows in
a factory farm setting with no access to pasture (which is required
by the National Organic Standards). A similar factory farm in Idaho
supplies Horizon with "organic" milk. Mark Kastel, Cornucopia’s
Senior Farm Analyst, said that such factory style operations go against
the spirit of the organic standards and threaten the livelihood of truly
organic family farmers. Almost immediately following the complaint submission,
the USDA issued an internal memo, asking the National Organic Standards
Board to develop strict policies on the pasture requirements.