Lawsuit over Target’s milk raises bigger issue: Are large production farms ‘organic’? | MinnPost (2024)

FAQs

Where does target brand milk come from? ›

Walmart (Great Value), Safeway (O Organics), Target (Good & Gather) and Costco (Kirkland)milks all come from Aurora Dairy which has been shrouded in controversy. Any milk from Aurora is suspect because of this. Worth noting: Aurora dairy was founded by the same guy who started Horizon.

Organic milk is pasteurized using ultra-high temperature (UHT) processing, in which the milk is heated to 280˚F (138˚C) for 2-4 seconds. Conventional milk is pasteurized using the standard method in which the milk is heated to roughly 160˚F (71˚C) for at least 15 seconds.

To produce milk that the USDA certifies as organic, cows cannot be given hormones that stimulate milk production. Any feed they are given must be grown without synthetic pesticides. And throughout the entire growing season, organic-milk farmers are required to put cows out to pasture.

Organic milk is also better for the environment. Organic and regenerative agricultural practices such as rotational grazing and composting improve soil health without toxins, pesticides or compromised natural resources.

If you look beyond the pictures and nutrition labels on all Organic Valley products, you will see the USDA Certified Organic seal. The organic seal guarantees the food you are eating was produced without antibiotics, synthetic hormones, toxic pesticides or GMOs.

This product is certified organic and, therefor...

Synthetic preservatives and artificial colors are not allowed in processed foods. Meat and dairy ingredients must be produced without antibiotics and artificial growth promoters or hormones.

By choosing organic milk, you can get the nutritional benefits of milk without exposing your family to chemical contaminants. Numerous studies have found that organic milk has a higher nutritional content, and even more healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and more disease-fighting antioxidants than non-organic milk.

Organic milk lasts longer because producers use a different process to preserve it. According to the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, the milk needs to stay fresh longer because organic products often have to travel farther to reach store shelves since it is not produced throughout the country.

Organic dairy farming ensures cows have access to pasture grazing in the grass growing season and encourages better welfare and better breeding in dairy cattle to reduce problems like lameness, mastitis and poor fertility.

Summary. Organic cow's milk is higher in polyunsaturated fatty acids than conventional milk, although both have comparable levels of calcium, potassium, and sodium. Organic milk is lower in iodine and selenium and slightly higher in calories.

Why is there no organic milk? ›

To begin with, organic cows cannot be given hormones to stimulate milk production. And any feed or pasture for the cows must be organic — that is, grown without most synthetic pesticides. Second, to be considered organic, cows must obtain a certain percentage of their diet from grazing.

Grassmilk provided by far the highest level of omega-3s (0.05 grams per 100 grams of milk), compared to 0.02 g/100 g in conventional milk; a 147 percent increase in omega-3s. Grassmilk also had 52 percent less omega-6 than conventional milk, and 36 percent less omega-6 than organic milk.

While comparing several vegan milks, Niranjan explains, “The research shows that soy and oat milk have the smallest environmental footprint. They take little water to grow and have low emissions.” That said, he emphasizes, “compared to cow's milk, the differences between these vegan milks are pretty small.

Low- or non-fat dairy — Skim or 1% milk contains all the protein, vitamins and minerals that whole milk contains, but it has much less saturated fat. This type of milk is typically more heart-healthy than full-fat milk.

Organic farming is better for the environment because its practices involve less pollution soil erosion, and energy. Eliminating the use of pesticides in farming also benefits nearby birds and animals and people who live close to farms.

Aldi milk comes from the U.S dairy farms located across the country. All the name-brand milk also come from these farms. Aldi buys this milk wholesale, packages it under their private brand, and then distributes it to their stores. Aldi gets all their milk locally in the United States and not China.

Wal-Mart and Costco are particularly known for their major milk supplier, Aurora Organic Dairy, but it turns out that the company was found to violate rules of organic food policy in organic milk production for one obvious reason. Their cows aren't organic either.

Costco does something similar with its Kirkland brand “organic” milk. It adds “refined fish oil” to the milk and boasts of high-levels of Omega-3 fats. But Costco acquires much of that milk from Aurora, a mega-dairy of 15,000 cows in Colorado.

The ability to label a product “certified organic” is a tightly controlled federal regulation. All milk contains hormones (including growth hormone) that is naturally produced by the cow. So the key word to look for is "added." Organic milk comes from cows that have never received added hormones of any type, ever.

Does organic milk have pesticides? ›

Organic dairy means no use of antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, GMO's or conventional pesticides. In organic dairy the health and natural behavior of cows are prioritized with holistic and preventative care practices as a primary management strategy.

Because hormones like estrogen are fat-soluble, the level of hormones is higher in whole milk than in skim milk. Organic milk, however, contains about the same amount of hormones as conventionally produced milk.

Organic milk, however, is ultra-pasteurized; it goes through a process called ultrahigh temperature (UHT), where the milk is heated to 280 degrees for two seconds, long enough to kill off both the harmful bacteria in regular milk and any other microorganisms or spores that might promote spoilage.

Spoiled milk has a distinct sour odor, which is due to lactic acid produced by bacteria. Other signs of spoilage include a slightly yellow color and lumpy texture (15). Signs that your milk has spoiled and may not be safe to drink include a sour smell and taste, change in color, and lumpy texture.

If milk is left out of the fridge for an extended period of time it can become a food-safety issue. Bacteria start to grow and replicate when the temperature of your milk reaches 40°F, and those bacteria are how you end up with a gallon of nasty, rotten milk or, at worst, contract an illness.

Organic farming is widely considered to be a far more sustainable alternative when it comes to food production. The lack of pesticides and wider variety of plants enhances biodiversity and results in better soil quality and reduced pollution from fertilizer or pesticide run-off.

Milk from hobbyists and backyard animals

Extracting a small amount of milk and dairy from backyard cows, goats and sheep without forced breeding is the most ethical option.

The reason organic milk is healthier comes down to its ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which is lower than in regular milk. A diet containing too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3s has been linked to heart disease, as well as cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases.

Organic milk differs from conventional milk in three specific ways: it must come from cows that aren't treated with antibiotics, it must come from cows that are not given any hormones for growth or reproduction, and it must come from cows that receive at least 30% of their diet from pasture.

Why is organic milk so much more expensive? ›

Organic milk costs more than conventional milk because organic production is more expensive for the producer (increased animal feed prices, certification costs, and lowered milk yields).

According to the USDA organic guidelines, organic milk comes from a cow that has not been given antibiotics. If a cow at an organic dairy farm does have to be treated with antibiotics, the farmer can no longer use her milk. That's it.

However, the overall governing principles that guide organic dairy standards are: Antibiotic Free: Organic dairy cows are raised without the regular use of antibiotics, vaccines or other veterinary treatments.

1. All USDA Certified Organic milk is grass-fed to some extent. USDA Organic standards require that, during the grazing season, all organic dairy cows spend a minimum of 120 days on pasture and receive at least 30% of their diet from fresh pasture grasses.

Product Description: Trader Joe's Organic Milk from Grass Fed Cows is higher fat milk from cows who only eat grass.

It's better for the cows

Organic standards ensure that dairy cows live outside during grazing season, are fed a healthier diet and are housed in well-ventilated, straw-bedded sheds so they live healthier and longer lives.

The most significant difference between organic milk and organic A2/A2 milk is the presence of A1 beta casein in organic milk. A2 beta-casein is the main protein found in human milk. Organic A2/A2 milk tastes just like the milk you're already familiar with but is more naturally absorbed and easily digested.

Pasteurized, Non-hom*ogenized, Whole Milk (from Grass-Fed Cows) This is the type of milk that we've determined to be the least processed milk available here in North Carolina, and what we started drinking sometime last year.

When it comes to environmental impact, soy milk and oat milk are the winner in this comparison. Both use the least water of all milk alternatives, with only slightly higher emissions than almond milk.

“Furthermore, plant-based milks can be low in calcium, iodine, and vitamin B12, nutrients that are normally found in cow's milk, so have a look at the label to see if they are fortified.” In addition, some plant-based alternatives, such as almond milk, may have a negative impact on the environment.

What is the best milk to drink to lower cholesterol? ›

The best dairy milk for people with high cholesterol is fat-free or skim milk. Plant-based milks, such as soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk, are cholesterol-free alternatives to cow's milk.

AHA Recommendation. We recommend that adults and children age 2 and older use milk that's low in dairy fats. This includes fortified fat-free (skim or nonfat) milk, fortified nonfat milk powder, and 1/2 percent and 1 percent low-fat milk.

Whole Milk

It's also the purest form of commercially available cow's milk because, aside from being pasteurized and hom*ogenized to meet food safety standards, whole milk isn't processed or altered in any way.

Organic systems have lower land-use efficiency than conventional systems. As discussed above, organic crop yields are lower than conventional yields on average. In addition, organic crop rotations typically include crops that are not suitable for human consumption.

Other recent research has also concluded that organic farming produces more climate pollution than conventional practices when the additional land required is taken into account.

Methods like irradiation, sewage sludge, and genetic engineering are all expressly prohibited from being used when growing or processing organic foods.

Perrigo is the private label manufacturer behind all U.S. store brand infant formulas. Since 1997, store brand formulas have been trusted by pediatricians, parents, and leading retailers, including Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, and Target.

Value-added milk brand fairlife LLC, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola, has surpassed $1bn in retail sales, breathing new life into the sluggish fluid milk category.

Fairlife is a product that currently comes from the USA as they are currently building a plant in Canada. Once the plant is built, the milk will be sourced from Canadian dairy farms. (Learn more about Canadian milk quality and how to identify Canadian milk.)

Target Brands, Inc.

What is the name of the company that makes Enfamil? ›

Mead Johnson & Company, LLC is an American company that is a leading manufacturer of infant formula, both domestically and globally, with its flagship product Enfamil. It operates as an independent subsidiary of Reckitt.

Now, parents of injured babies are focusing on the Abbott and Mead Johnson companies that make cow's milk-based formula (Similac and Enfamil). Instead of filing medical malpractice cases, parents are now filing product liability lawsuits involving toxic baby formula. There are a growing number of these cases.

Kirkland Signature ProCare Non-GMO Infant Formula is a generic formula available only at Costco. The Costco representative we corresponded with said its policy is to not disclose the company that manufactures its formula, but Perrigo lists the Kirkland formula on its website.

A dairy that provides milk used in Fairlife dairy products stands accused of animal abuse, prompting some major retailers to stop selling the popular brand. The allegations against Fair Oaks Farm in Fair Oaks, Ind., came to light following a months-long investigation by Animal Recovery Mission, an animal-rights group.

Fairlife Dairy products pulled from store shelves amid animal abuse controversy. Due to the shocking footage, Fairlife has received backlash from animal rights' groups across the country.

Unlike in the U.S., by law, all milk produced and sold in Canada is artificial growth hormone (rbST) free. Compared to the U.S., hormone free fluid milk is actually cheaper in Canada. Dairy products made using U.S. ingredients cannot be guaranteed to be rbST free, unlike those made with all Canadian milk ingredients.

A wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, fairlife, LLC has been recognized by both Fast Company and Nielsen for its industry leading innovation.

If it's milk, why doesn't it need to be refrigerated until it is opened? Our ultra-pasteurization process and aseptic packaging allow Core Power to be shelf stable for up to 9 months on Elite products and up to 12 months on 26g products.

Target's parent company, Dayton Hudson Corp., purchased legendary Chicago-based department store Marshall Field's, making Dayton Hudson the largest department store chain in the Midwest.

Is Target made in China? ›

org's sample found that the items are made in whole or in part from a variety of countries, including China, Malaysia, Korea, Indonesia and Germany.

Market Pantry, introduced in 2001, offers quality family-friendly food items that satisfy both budget and taste. Market Pantry products are 10 to 30% less expensive than national brand equivalents, ensuring the best value each and every day.