This will be a brief diary because I've left it to the last minute so it HAS TO be written, and yet - I have no time to write it. But here's the deal. The USDA proposed new organic rules that may have a good intent but the actual rules themselves are a friggin' mess. They have a comment period ending December 23 - in 11 days. So they need an earful from us, and quick!
Here's the short story surrounding this:
When you pay a premium for organic milk, you want your money's worth, right? Not just a lack of pesticides and antibiotics in the milk, but some environmental benefits and an extra cancer fighting nutrient in the milk called CLA would be nice, right? And when you have solar-powered cows - cows that graze on grass, converting energy from the sun into organic milk - that's what you get.
Well to date, some factory farms have been able to pose as "organic" and charge you the high price without giving you what you're paying for. Those are oil-powered cows - you get the lack of pesticides/antibiotics but nothing else from them. The rule aims to stop that - but accidentally takes out about half of legitimate organic dairies in the process.
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