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Number of Organic Dairy Farms on the Rise
Finding your favorite organic dairy treats has been more difficult in recent months due to a nationwide shortage of organic milk. And while the number of organic dairy farms has increased dramatically in recent months, supply and demand only had a small part to play.
The number of organic dairy farms has risen largely because of a blueberry farmer from Maine. Long time organic farmer, Arthur Harvey, incited a federal court to claim that regulations on organic milk were too lax, including those governing how a dairy farmer can convert to organic status.
As a result, the “Harvey Rule,” which took effect in June 2007, requires organic dairy farms to use 100 percent organic feed during the year long conversion process. Previously, farmers were allowed to feed their cows 80 percent organic feed and 20 percent conventional feed during the first nine months of the transition. Therefore, by converting before the rule took effect, farmers were able to save a great deal of money on feed.
Two large organic distributors, Organic Valley and Horizon Organic, reported dramatic increases in participating farms: 269 and 350 respectively.
However, even with the larger number of suppliers, don’t look for a price decrease. It is expected that the increased supply will be absorbed by increasing demand. Also, many stores, like Whole Foods Market, plan on using the additional milk to produce other organic dairy products, like yogurt and cheese.
Related Articles:
Types of Bedding for Dairy Cattle
The Push Towards Organic Farming
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