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Take Action: Keep organic dairy cows out of feedlots
I just took action on this issue and I thought you might be interested, too:
From the Organic Consumers Association (February 12, 2010):
The USDA National Organic Program finally published a final rule to enforce the long-standing requirement in the organic law that cows graze on pasture.
This is a great victory for organic consumer activists who have been boycotting brands like Dean Food's Horizon that have been getting some of their milk from massive dairies where feedlots were the norm and cows were rarely on pasture.
But, there's still work to be done. The rule has an exception to the pasture requirement that would allow beef cattle to be "finished" for four months. This is a euphemism for being kept in factory farm feedlots and fed grain instead of grass.
This would have negative effects on the nutrition, safety and environmental benefits of organic beef. Take Action: tell President Obama and the USDA National Organic Program that you don't want organic beef cattle to be kept in factory-farm-style feedlots for the last four months of their lives.
Re: Take Action: Keep organic dairy cows out of feedlots
I had no idea. I should really lurk here more often.
Thank you for this. I took action too.
I tried to only feed my cows grass...
but then it snowed. For 5 months.
I can't really get behind this.
The farmer we buy our 100% grassfed beef from feeds hay in the winter. But...the topic at hand here is whether the cattle have to have access to pasture or pasture foods (hay or grass) at all times. It doesn't mean their diet has to consist solely of it. The measure is to prevent them from being removed from a pasture environment and placed in a feedlot type setting without access to pasture at all.
Mrs. Manners is correct, this is issue here. Massive dairies without access to pasture is not what people think of or want when they pay the premium for organic dairy products. We need to speak up to ensure corporations aren't just following the letter of organic law (no pesticides or homones), but that they follow the spirit as well (free-range, pasture fed, environmentally responsible food).
I completely agree. A "local food" store in my town only has feed-finished beef available, and I've made clear my opinion on the matter plenty of times... especially when I can get completely pastured-raised beef just down the road. And this is Wisconsin... they do make corn available to their cows, but also provide hay and a pasture area cleared of snow. I'd much rather the premium amount I pay go to people who diligently strive to provide the most honest, most organic food possible.
There's no requirement for cows to be fed grass. Grass-fed and organic are entirely different and unrelated things.
Organic cattle must have access to grazing during the growing season and the majority of their diet must come from this.
These regulations do not, of course, require you to make your cattle sit out in the snow and poke about for frozen grass stems while starving.
Thanks for the heads-up SG! If I do buy beef again I know my producers don't use outside feedlots, but still, I hate this exception. It goes against both reasons to buy organic -- if its not finished on organic feed, it doesn't comply with why many buy organic, to avoid chemicals, and same with those who do so for humane reasons.
I'm disappointed in this exception.