On March 8, 2012, Organic Valley announced the launch of Organic Valley Grassmilk™, an organic specialty milk produced from cows that are 100% grass-fed. Organic Valley is the only national brand to produce 100% grass-fed milk.
If you've read our article Rating Organic Dairy Brands, than you understand that not all organic milk brands are created equal. In that article we talked about the Cornucopia Institute's and how they published an Organic Dairy Ratings Scorecard which rates the various organic dairy brands on a number of different criteria. In that report, brands like Horizon and Aurora fell to the bottom of the list while Organic Valley scored near the top.
We applaud this latest move by Organic Valley whose products have a reputation for meeting and often exceeding the USDA National Organic Program's standards. By launching Grassmilk, Organic Valley takes their organic dairy product one step further to ensure the cows are 100% grass-fed. While the milk is pasteurized, the product is non-homogenized (aka "cream on top") which is another plus because it means the milk is minimally processed.
According to a 2011 Organic Valley survey, more than 76% of organic milk consumers want milk from grass-fed cows and we understand why. As we talk about throughout our site, the quality of the meat and dairy products we consume all start with the diet of the animals. Organically managed soils that support high quality pasture grasses which the cows eat produce healthier, high quality food for us to consume. Nutritionally, milk from 100% Grassfed cows is richer in healthy Omega-3 and CLA fats.
We repeatedly say, information is power and you vote with your wallet. Educate yourself on why not all organic dairy brands are created equal, then vote with your wallet by buying products from those brands that strive to meet the standards we strive to uphold. You owe it to yourself to read the labels, do the research and continuously stay educated.
