Grassmilk® Cheese | Organic Valley (2024)

FAQs

What is grassmilk cheese? ›

Description. This Organic Valley Grassmilk Raw Organic Cheddar Cheese block is a semi-hard white cheddar with flower petal top notes and a complex, buttery finish. Beginning with unpasteurized milk from pasture-raised, grass-fed cows, this organic cheddar cheese is aged a minimum of 60 days to develop its flavors.

Studies show that grass fed dairy has higher concentrations of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart and brain. In fact, grass fed dairy may even boast a better Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio (4:1 or less, compared to 7:1 or more), according to this article at The World's Healthiest Foods.

Grassmilk takes its name from what the cows eat. This specialty milk comes from cows that eat 100% organic grass and dried forages and are never fed grains or soybeans. As a result of the cows' grass diet, Organic Valley Grassmilk has more naturally occurring nutrients than milk from cows that mostly eat grain.

So while a significant number of Organic Valley farmer-owners around the country do not feed grain, there are several reasons why all Organic Valley milk is not 100% grass-fed. Some farms' soils are not ready for full conversion to pasture. Cows must be transitioned slowly from a grain diet, to less grain, to no grain.

Dairy consumers perceive "grassmilk" as healthier. And studies have shown that it is. Grass-fed dairy and organic dairy cows provide milk significantly higher in beneficial fatty acids and lower in omega-6. Farmers can lower production costs by switching cows to grass and legume-based diets.

The goodness of grass-fed milk lies in its nutritional value, the long shelf life in the fridge, and its rich, creamy taste. It's an easy swap that adds a little extra nutrition to your daily routine, making it a choice that's both delicious and beneficial to your health.

Grass-fed dairy products, for example, have been shown to have higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are well known to be anti-inflammatory, so adding more of these types of these high-quality dairy products to your diet could increase the anti-inflammatory effect even further.

Grass-fed milk has a higher production cost — partly because grass-fed farms have to maintain far more acreage to sustain each cow. Depending on the brand you choose, grass-fed milk may be three times more expensive than regular milk.

Cheese produced with milk from pasture-fed or grass-fed cows is noticeably different from cheese made from conventional milk: It has a “grassy” note, a golden color, and a unique fat composition. The yellow or golden color comes from the high amount of beta carotene in grass.

Making sure cows are fed 100% certified organic food is another big expense for organic dairy farms. While at least 30% of the cows' diet must come from pasture, which must adhere to USDA-certified organic farming guidelines, organic grain feed can cost as much as 50% more than conventional grain feed for cattle.

What is the Organic Valley milk scandal? ›

The controversy revolves around the fact that this 7,200-cow dairy does not provide pasture for their cows and they expanded their herd with year-old heifers raised on conventional feed that was produced with pesticides. The heifers were also given antibiotics and other drugs banned in organic milk production.

Is Organic Valley Grassmilk milk pasteurized? Use this field to document the answer to the question discussed in the Knowledge Article. All Organic Valley milk is pasteurized because it is required by law in most states.

Pasture-raised animals graze certified organic pasture whenever weather permits and receive supplemental grain rations. 100% grass-fed animals receive only fresh pasture and dried forages, like hay. They may consume supplements as needed, but never receive grain rations.

Drinking organic milk – high in omega-3 – can help balance the ratios of omega-3 and -6 and suppress these diseases! Organic milk has been found to have higher concentrations of nutritional minerals and antioxidants – like iron, vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids – than non-organic milk.

Grass-Fed or Pasture-Raised? It depends on the animal. For ruminant animals – cattle, bison, sheep, goats – it's always best for them to be grass-fed because they aren't designed to eat grain. In fact, grain can lead to health problems for these animals, along with a less nutritious end product for consumers.

It derives from ruminal degradation of β-carotene and could be a key-aroma molecule of milk from grass-fed cows, in which the mother molecule is more abundant than in other feeding systems. Hydrocarbon and heterocyclic compounds are other molecules that could contribute to the peculiar taste of grass-based milk.

Do dairy products from grass fed cows contain additional benefits? Research on Irish cheddar cheese has found that grass-fed dairy has several nutritional benefits compared to thatfrom grain-fed cheese⁸. Higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids compared to non-grass-fed cheese.

In reality, Tillamook sources up to 80 percent of its milk from the largest dairy feedlot in the United States. Located in the desert of eastern Oregon, the facility that provides the majority of Tillamook's milk keeps 32,000 dairy cows (and more than 70,000 cows total) in inhumane, industrialized conditions.