"Our farmers are committed to maximizing pasture consumption by our cattle due to the economic benefits, the profoundly positive impact it has on the health of the animals and the superior nutrients that are contained in pasture-based organic milk," Camozzi explained.
Meeting with and lobbying the OMB in Washington, along with Aurora, is not the first time Albert Straus has angered other members of the organic dairy community by speaking against strict enforcement of organic dairy regulations.
"Albert has portrayed his brand as coming from his small family farm. But as his brand succeeded and grew in the marketplace, he apparently added too many cows to be grazed on the available land he owns and then he further grew his operation by buying from other area farmers," said Tony Azevedo, a San Joaquin Valley dairyman and president of the Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance. "It's a shame that he chooses not to pasture on a regular basis."
"It would be a national scandal, as some of us face losing our farms due to the industrial dairy scofflaws, if the Obama administration sides with the "bad actors' in our industry," affirmed Bruce Drinkman, an organic dairy farmer from Glenwood City, Wisconsin, who milks 55 cows. "We are in dire financial straits because of the same kind of unethical competition from factory farms that put so many of our conventional neighbors out of business. We need the President and the USDA on our side!"
MORE:
On January 8, Albert Straus, along with a representative of Aurora Dairy, met with OMB staff, along with USDA personnel, in Washington (confirmation of this meeting is noted on the OMB's webpage at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/0581_meeting_010810/)
In addition to Straus and Aurora, OMB staff met with a handful of other representatives from the organic industry, including the National Organic Coalition, the Organic Trade Association and lobbyists representing the WhiteWave division of Dean Foods (Horizon).
For a better understanding of the issue you can read the detailed backgrounder, prepared by The Cornucopia Institute, that was submitted during our meeting with the OMB Friday, January 22, 2010: http://www.cornucopia.org/USDA/PastureLivestockRuleBackground.pdf
Over 90% of all name-brand organic dairy products are produced with high integrity. A brand scorecard, intended to empower consumers and wholesale buyers, can be viewed at: http://www.cornucopia.org/2008/01/dairy-report-and-scorecard/
IF YOU WANT TO HELP ENSURE THAT ORGANIC LIVESTOCK IS PROPERLY TREATED, SEE OUR ACTION ALERT: http://www.cornucopia.org/2010/01/action-alert/
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