| Cornucopia Campaign Elevates the Country's Top-Rated Dairy Producers Empowering a consumer response to the “factory-farm takeover” of organic agriculture |
| Earl Ransom (above) and Amy Huyffer of Strafford Organic Creamery, one of Cornucopia’s top-rated dairies, are committed to the guiding principles of organic agriculture. They pay close attention to building soil fertility, protecting their watershed, and managing their beloved herd of Guernsey cows with animal welfare as a top priority. (Photo by Rachel Zegerius during a recent visit to top-rated dairies in Vermont) |
| The Cornucopia Institute is launching a new campaign to showcase dairy producers who use the most ethical, authentic organic farming practices. The Organic Innovators: Top-Rated Farmers You Can Trust” Dairy Campaign will empower consumers and wholesale buyers to support hard-working farmers who are in danger of being washed off the land by a tidal wave of surplus organic milk, stemming from the rise of factory farms certified under the USDA organic label.  The campaign builds on Cornucopia’s Organic Dairy Scorecard, used by thousands of consumers monthly to make food shopping decisions that invest in responsible stewardship of environmental and human health. This consumer tool is based on up-to-date research of the organic dairy industry and rates over 160 organic dairy brands and private-label products.“Authentic organic dairies lack the multimillion-dollar marketing budgets of their industrial competitors,” says Marie Burcham, Cornucopia’s director of domestic policy. “Cornucopia aims to elevate the critical role these dairies play in the marketplace and in our communities.” The campaign will prioritize exemplary management practices that set top-rated farms apart from other organic dairy farms and provide a more nutritious, value-added product to consumers. “Your food choices matter,” Burcham says. “If you have the access, buying from our top-rated brands serves as an investment in our collective health, decentralized food production, and the future of the planet while safeguarding the livelihoods of ethical, organic dairies.” As the specter of food shortages hovers, local farms have been busier than ever and are not hobbled by the complicated supply chains of industrialized food production. Cornucopia is committed to the preservation and protection of public health; access to clean, nutrient-dense food; and the livelihoods of authentic organic farmers who contribute to the health of their communities, animals, plants, and soil. Read our profiles on Seven Stars Farm (Phoenixville, Pennsylvania), Thistle Hill (North Pomfret, Vermont), and Strafford Organic Creamery (Strafford, Vermont) on Cornucopia’s Farmer Spotlight page. Stay tuned to follow our ongoing “Organic Innovators” Dairy Campaign, which will include additional profiles and issue-specific research. See how your favorite dairy brand rates on our mobile-friendly scorecard. If your favorite organic brand isn’t on this list, please let us know at cultivate@cornucopia.org. Review Cornucopia’s complete list of science-based reports and scorecards. |
