Local Organic vs Conventional and Grass-fed Milk

At Harmony Organic Dairy we are passionate about the quality of our Organic Milk, our cows, our customers and the environment. As supporters of the Ontario Dairy Industry we feel that this is best done through accurate communication of information and tangible facts. It is with this spirit that we wish to reach out to all consumers of fluid dairy in Ontario.

Over the past several months “new” conventional products have been showing up on the dairy shelves of your favorite local markets, frequently if not always placed adjacent to or in the midst of Organic Dairy. These brands are available in glass bottles and (most recently) in cartons, with claims designed to distort the facts and blur the lines as to what is organic and what is conventional milk. Words like “grass-fed”, “fresh milk”, “farm fresh”, “minimally pasteurized”, “as close to raw as legally allowed”, “our cream rises to the top” or “cream top milk” are all phrases that state the obvious, but are cleverly crafted to influence and make you believe that what’s being purchased is better and healthier for you. The contrary is true. Conventional milk in any form is just that, conventional. All conventional milk in the province of Ontario, no matter how diligent the farmer or dairy may be, is affected by GMO’s, either through the feed, the seeds, or the transportation, as milk is pooled on route to the processing plant. This is not the case for organic milk as it is always kept segregated.

In reality these “new” brands are simply very nicely packaged, marketed, presented and expensive conventional milk. Yes they are all local, yes they may come from small farms or herds, and yes cows eat grass. However stating the obvious when half-truths are involved are problematic especially when a little logic is applied to these claims. Milk will separate and cream will rise to the top of any unhomogenized dairy product, always has, always will. Cream rising to the top occurs the way that nature intended it. Our Natures Whole Unhomogenized Milk has been available for over 13 years… there is nothing new about this process. And yes, Unhomogenized milk is the most easily digestible product as it is minimally processed and is as close to the cow as you can get.

Claims of “grass-fed” and “milk from cows fed grass year round” have been recently appearing on store shelves within the GTA. Again, designed to sound new, fresh and novel. These statements are not accurate at best and are very misleading. By definition “grass-fed” means that the animal grazes on fresh green grass during its lifetime, a title that was meant and approved for beef cattle in Canada, and was not ever intended to be associated with the dairy industry.

This is a claim that we will not make, as it is very much misleading and would be in our eye’s false marketing and advertising. The fact is, our cows are grazing on organic pastures as long as Mother Nature allows, meaning they are "grass-fed" from spring to fall. During the winter months they are fed organic hay and grains, as fresh grass simply does not grow in winter. No dairy can make the claim that “our cows are grass-fed year round”, as this is impossible in Canada, and simply isn’t the truth.

All Harmony Organic milk is produced by 14 local family farms adhering to the Canadian Organic Standards. The welfare of our cows is of primary importance to us. “Cows treated with love and respect” and “We care about you and the environment” are not just slogans; it is our mandate, our commitment to you, that you are purchasing the best quality organic milk.

In closing we make no false claims, no blurring of the lines, and offer complete transparency to our customers. Why compromise your health, taste, social responsibility and quality of the milk you drink? As to the question of choosing locally produced Organic Milk versus locally produced conventional milk, to us the choice is naturally clear. At Harmony Organic we produce over 10 varieties of products in 33 SKU’s or formats offering the widest range of premium organic milk for you and your family to choose from.

 

 

 


Harmony Organic Nurse Cows
Harmony Organic Nurse Cows
This is the way we raise our calves at the Harmony Organic Home Farm!
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