Now, that said in support of organic, as an organic producer myself I think Horizon abides by the letter of the law (barely) rather than the spirit. Either way i'm switching brands. Thank you Dan, I was going address the same issue. I found some stuff that you might want to check out: I don't know much about the OCA. They think that looking at blogs and just looking at webpages constitutes research. I had discovered many similar stories in my research, but the part that blows me away is  how many more animals are culled due to the hypocritical regulations of the USDA, which is really there to serve big business as you so rightly say. I know I'm REALLY late into this conversation, but the bring-home point to this whole article, as far as I'm concerned, is the fact that Horizon is being advertised as milk which is produced from grass-fed animals. What about crackers, chips, pretzels, snacks, margarines, chocolate, and countless other foods that contain hydrogenated oils??? People insist on taking pictures of them not on pasture say...on 95 degree hot July days. (very tasty). The key word here is 'access.' #1 thing with organic, realize that regulation in the United States is very lax/poor. There's enough balogna in this blog to make sandwiches for the whole world! I think milk Co-ops by their nature are a problem waiting to happen - especially for the hapless Consumer. Everything is truely certified organic. Even USDA may say they didn't check out any pesticide in other milk, it doesn't mean what's used to be pesticide can't exist in another still harmful form! While I wouldn't take OCA's statements at face value, I definitely wouldn't take what HorizonOrganic.com has to say at face value, either. Don't see your question? This is again comforting to me since pesticides can be inadvertently consumed by cows and end up in their milk. For example, I buy from Picket Fences Creamery in central Iowa, just a few miles from my home. The real difference isn't in the health of it, but the fact that it isn't processed using animal bone char, which is pretty disgusting. Horizon cows are hard workers. It's interesting to me that a "teacher/professor" would be patronizing to someone writing a blog. And as the guy above said the first amendment protects my speech. Interesting article. A huge difference between Horizon and generic milk that I have noticed is that organic milk literally lasts for a month and a half, whereas generic expires in a week. The production is almost double the US' while US' cows produce 1.5X of European's and maybe 2x or more to India and Chinese. You really need to select a company that is an honest organic producer before you do your analysis. I'm saying it because I too am a teacher and am upset that so many people are running around without thinking. The actual organic certification is less important than keeping small farmers active on the land, which has a number of benefits including preservation of open space, contribution to a local economy, maintenance of families in rural communities, conservation of wildlife habitat, to name a few. Then you proceeded to correct him without citing YOUR references. Description. They are treated with NOP approved products first and if that does not work they are then treated with whatever it takes to make them well. The Eastern Union and Canada have both banned rBGH. If they were, then they wouldn't get there yards treated with chemicals, or use blue chemical sprays to clean their windows, or get the inside sprayed with pesticides for pest control. Who can say the same for "regular" milk? Ethical and environmental rankings for 31 dairy milk brands. Children for obvious reason will carry he pesticides with them for longer periods and the usage of pesticides has greatly increased fro when todays adults were children. You will then forget why you even worried about horizon milk to begin with. The movement is slowly spreading in the US. They actually have a very informative website. Hydrogenated oils are silent invitations for heart attacks and strokes. There are quite a few "facts" from this article that get under my skin, but I will address only the first for time's sake (and since I think other commenters also addressed them). Lets be sensible. With an afternoon and some effort, you could probably source a good portion of your food. Horizon's organic milk contains animal fat and cholesterol, dioxins, and bacteria. Fifth, the most productive cows are not necessarily the most hard working ones! These are just a few of the ridiculous claims twisted by this article. If they're selling organic produce but spraying their grass . Afer the cow is no longer producing enough milk, its the slaughterhouse for her. 1b "The organic movement represents a spectrum of practices, attitudes, and philosophies. It's just not a claim. In return, our cows give us great-tasting organic milk. As I read through that ariticle I was not impressed with the lack for creditability. The Pediatrician said she would grow out of it and so as a toddler she could have regular milk. They also refrain from pumping their cows with hormones. I don't know about you guys, but I don't believe television/news. WRONG. i'm pretty sure that all the studies i've heard referenced to are studies where they found significant differences between organically grown and non-organically grown.  the fact is that pesticides kill a lot of good bacteria that helps plants and chemical fertilizers are based on the idea that plants only need 3 basic nutrients to grow (i can't remember which three), but they don't take into account all the other things growing in the soil that all work together.  for example, pesticides kill the bugs that naturally eat the plants.  but plants naturally create defense mechanisms to avoid being eaten.  these defense mechanisms produce certain vitamins and minerals. Since the USDA has become involved in Organic,the Consumer is less safe not more safe. It works for me. I think they're refering to what the cows are treated with, not the milk itself. Raw milk is the only way a human will benefit from the wonders of dairy. Hydrogenated oils have just as much, if not more, to blame. I a negative opinion of Organic because I know better. Most of the copy is in fact disingenuous. [1] Prior to being acquired by (now former parent company) Dean Foods, Horizon was a public company and owner of the organic dairy brands: Juniper Valley Farms, The Organic Cow of Vermont and United Kingdom brand Rachel's Organic. I suggest you purchase milk and fruit juice imported from China, It is inexpensive. They just get to look at it, cooped up in the usual factory-farming warehouses. I am spreading the word to my friends. I also worked in a natural foods store, but I also worked in the dairy industry for 4 years, and am currently an environmental scientist. Go and buy some regular eggs, the kind you usually get. That's why choosing Horizon Organic is a wholesome and nutritious way to help reduce your exposure to added chemical. Many of these dairies are in deserts--they may have access to pasture, but there's not a green blade on them. The majorit… Buy local, support the small guys who need their farms to make a living and who need to make a living to keep their farms. I can tell that you at least know what organic farming is about. Which makes it even more difficult for these poor cows to step outside. I highly recommend it to everyone reading this blog post. I read your site because I am a mother of 7, and am always on the alert for frugal tips. That being said, the fact to know is the most milk productive countries are India, China and US, but the most productive cow is in Israel (said by their government pages). Sigh. She is beginning to question whether organic food is worth the extra cost. This from 1972…, "Food grown without pesticides; grown without artificial fertilizers; grown in soil whose humus content is increased by the additions of organic matter, grown in soil whose mineral content is increased by the application of natural mineral fertilizers; has not been treated with preservatives, hormones, antibiotics, etc.". You might not save a ton of $$ buying direct from the farmer, but you would be getting a much higher quality product for about the same cost. And here’s the punch line, taken directly from the USDA…. hi, if you have a healthy well mineralised soil, it also has abundant biota that produce the needed nutrients by breaking the available minerals down for the plant. To me, this says it all. Generally, it is agriculture produced through a natural as opposed to synthetic process. In the past, Horizon has and used and supported local area farmers. The original author somehow mistakenly state the milk was treated with anti-biotic and pesticide, um, why? HORIZON ORGANIC — A Choice You Can Feel Good About. These calves will go for veal, of which the end result will be death. It can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 7: Agriculture Part 205: National Organic Program. I can start buying the 365 milk brand again. Perhaps a bit more research on your part before you start spouting out your "facts" and scaring people into drinking that sludge they call regular milk. Third, the most dangerous park of lying in milk is the "fat" stuff. Maybe everything they say on the label is indeed true and we have a great new milk that's healthy and tasty. Now the question is how good is USDA's standard? About two years ago I started buying organic milk for my family after a friend recommended it. When making ethical decisions, no one stands outside a social and cultural world. The government can't be trusted (i.e. It is what it is...believe it or not. I would think that's pretty obvious...but apparently not. What is more, I would not subject my animals to often arbitrary and ridiculous regulations. I could actually taste the grass. If you or your children drink a lot of milk you are better off with milk that produced by cows which are grass fed. I have been buying Horizons for a year thinking I was giving my child the best Organic milk out there. Lastly although I am stunned at your inaccurate screed against Horizon, I would recommend horizon anyway. According to the USDA Organic Standards the ewe I helped is now worth only what she'll bring to me at the sale barn or by private treaty. I was shocked at the level of corruption and cronyism. My son was having a hard time with regular 2% milk. If they really cared, then there wouldn't be anymore sicknesses and diseases. I think that's another claim we can't make judgements about just by reading the label. Yo Chingy Chang. Since the "organic" label is so important, do you feel a need to challenge Horizon's practices in order to protect the overall integrity of the "organic" label? You Rock! The mass doses of milk production inducing hormones given to non organic cows are not called growth hormones. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors. I don't even buy the milk for the organic fact...But the sheer fact that it last upto a month and it the fat free milk tast great. The author of this piece is extremely ignorant, but I am not going to waste my time with a retort. Places like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's move into to small neighborhoods and take over and are the reason why some small family owned health food stores have to close down. . They have a commitment to natural healthcare for the animals. Wow~ like I didn't have enough to worry about! Maybe because I never had "reduced-fat" milk before. Now of course there are some hormones in the milk, after all it does come from a living being, but the fact that additional growing hormones are not added is a comfort to me. At the other end of the spectrum, organic farmers espouse a more flexible approach. :-) The issue is mass doses of hormones given to non organic milk cows. The "whole" milk is merely 3% of fat, "reduced" is 2% or 1%. When I was at the Expo West trade show recently, I came across Horizon Organic Milk with DHA Omega-3 and was impressed at first glance. I have spent about 40 hours researching this in the last week and was so riled up about some things that I started my own blog about it. The USDA standards and what they say publicly is always to be taken with a pinch of salt. http://sites.google.com/site/integrityinbusiness/. Do you have a some kind of degree in anti-organic products? (though Annie's is getting pretty close.) Stores that were actually making a difference in the community and the world. Similarly, the same can be said of the other claims, regarding pesticides and hormones. Yet the way those psuedo-scientific papers were written was exactly the way these posts were written. Under commercial production, antibiotic residues do show up in milk. First of all, I would like to say that I wholeheartedly agree with Naro-"horizon milk". What are you quoting? Hm... it doesn't say "hormone free" though, right? Do your own research and look for *at least* one source that isn't on the internet. I can't name it right now but the only study I have ever heard of comparing organic produce to traditional produce concluded that there is no reliable nutritional difference between one and the other. No. Keep up the research though, it really is valuable information and hopefully we can continue to make our best efforts to change this system. have been pushed to the edge of the envelope and benefit the large producer. The average Horizon organic cow produces almost double the amount of milk of the national average. Just ask us. It is as if to say there is never mercury in our body, but we do have silver tooth filler in our mouth! Thanks for looking into this! In this guide we investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 36 vegan milk brands. Organic Valley is known as the only company to ever willingly pull their products out of Walmart. The expiration dates on the organic milk cartons are often double compared with those of the conventional form. But in 1980 a team of USDA scientists concluded there was in fact no universally accepted definition for organic farming. Remember, every purchase we make is a small voting booth and we choose what goes on the shelves. They were not locked in barns or stables staring out at the green pastures as you say they are, they were actually grazing, imagine that! Horizon Organic Milk. Every once in a while I'll get a carton of Horizon, and sometimes my family won't even drink it because they think it "tastes like grass." So why don't you take a vacation, go to a Horizon Farm and ask to see how it's done before you make up your mind that Horizon Milk is just a fake alternative to the milk that we digest nowadays, because you might surprise yourself, and I would love to see your blog entry, apologizing to all your readers. this is a pretty ridiculous and misinformed blog. I completely agree. In my area, none of the 20 or so health food stores carry anything made by Horizon and all prefer Organic Valley. For cows to produce milk, they have to be pregnant, either by artificial incemination, or rape. The highest pesticide dosed foods are corn (especially corn destined for livestock -- and nowadays farmed fish), grapes, broccoli, strawberries and leafy vegetables. You have to find brands and farmers that YOU TRUST. Uh huh. I'm sure they will always have a glowing story to tell. Yes, I agree with you! "UHT means that milk is heated to about 280 degrees for … He could tell a difference and I don't know if that difference is good or bad for us health wise. Organic is a label that means almost nothing and exists primarily to benefit the big producer. To cull a young and genetically safe ewe because she needed a shot to save her life is insane. [6][7] In August, the Cornucopia Institute filed a complaint with the USDA alleging that Horizon Organic violated National Organic Program standards in reference to the amount of time their dairy cows should spend in pasture. Now most of the feed that Horizon buys is shipped in on massive railroad cars, processed by a giant corporate agribusiness and then given to the cows. Occasionally, when the press drops in, the cows may be allowed out for 20 minutes to make a good showing, but this is a rarity. 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