According to recent market research, many consumers want to purchase dairy products from farms that adhere to higher standards of animal and environmental care. A Whole Foods Market nationwide survey reports that 48 percent of consumers believe humane animal treatment is important.

Thorp, Wis.-based Grass Point Farms, a new dairy manufacturer that offers pasture-raised dairy products, hopes to become the market leader by offering consumers the first national line of certified-humane, pasture-based dairy products.

The number of supermarkets asking for so-called humane products is also increasing. In fact, a year and a half after the first certified-humane products hit store shelves, New York-based D’Agostinos Supermarkets is encouraging all of its livestock, poultry, dairy and egg suppliers to seek the “humane-raised and handled” certification through Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC). The 23-store D’Agostinos chain now carries five Grass Point Farm cheeses and plans to carry the company’s milk products in the future.  

Nick D’Agostino, president of D’Agostinos Supermarkets, says his company learned about HFAC from a supplier. “A lot of people would enjoy meat and dairy more if the concern about how the animal was treated is taken away,” he says. “That is why we were looking for a way to be certain the products we sell have truly earned the right to call themselves humane. We spent some time evaluating HFAC. The fact that the organization uses third-party certification, and is supported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was important to us. Its credibility and Grass Point Farms products bring many benefits to the marketplace.”

Grass Point Farms is comprised of nine family farms that graze dairy cows on Wisconsin’s rich grasslands, employing traditional rotational grazing methods used by the region’s original farmers. Successful “graziers,” as they are sometimes called, spend years creating an ecosystem in which soils, plants, wetlands, woodlands and cows coexist in a balance that supports the cows’ natural behavior.

Chad Pawlak, president of Grass Point Farms, says grassland grazing greatly enhances a cow’s health and vitality. A typical dairy cow takes 6,000 bites of grass each day, he says, and for each bite the cow harvests for herself, consumers benefit from reduced costs associated with the farmer harvesting the grass, processing it into bale form, storing the grass and then delivering the grass as a meal.

Pawlak argues conventional dairy farming takes a toll on animals. “Too many cows spend their entire life on cement, never even seeing sunshine for years. Feed on some lots is so dense that it literally blows the cows up and makes them physically uncomfortable. Many are milked several times a day which is hard on an animal,” says Dave Wilson, whose family farm in Antigo, Wis. is one of Grass Point Farms’ producers and investors. “I would like every consumer to know that buying pasture-raised dairy products is the only way to be sure where the milk comes from, how it is produced and how the animals are treated.”

To meet Grass Point Farms’ standards, farmers must graze their cows when it’s in season in the spring through October; the rest of the time, herds rely on harvested grasses and some organic grain. As part of the grazing requirement, the company’s producers must abide by written grazing standards. “This is the first set of written grazing standards,” Pawlak says. “On top of that, there are 23 pages of ‘certified humane’ standards a Grass Point farmer must agree to follow.”

Tail docking is not allowed, he says, nor is the routine feeding of antibiotics. “Farmers wanting to ship milk to Grass Point Farms are not allowed to use bovine growth hormone (BGH) either.”

Grass Point Farms also includes a farm labor requirement. Its producers must have “more than 50 percent” of the farm labor provided by the family. The idea behind that requirement, says Pawlak, is to assure people who buy Grass Point Farms dairy products that the milk was not produced on large-scale corporate farms.

Four Wisconsin processing plants are under contract with Grass Point Farms. Its current offerings include 11 varieties of cheese in both retail as well as deli packaging, along with milk and butter. In the fall, Palak says, the company will add sour cream and cottage cheese to its product line.

These products are being sold at lower prices than organic dairy products, but for more than so-called “conventional” dairy products. “It lets consumers decide what’s important to them,” Pawlak says.

For more information, visit www.grasspoint.com.

Roth Käse USA Ltd., Monroe, Wis., captured four awards at the 23rd annual American Cheese Society (ASC) Competition, held July 21 in Portland, Ore. This is the third consecutive year the company’s GranQueso has claimed first place in its category, after taking its second consecutive gold at this year’s World Cheese Awards in June. “GranQueso is now one of our most decorated cheeses, with seven top honors to its credit. It won its award — a first place at the 2004 ACS Awards — in its first year of production,” says Fermo Jaeckle, chief executive officer of Roth Käse. “GranQueso is truly an original, unique creation for us, and is becoming one of our most popular cheeses. It joins our Grand Cru Gruyère and MezzaLuna Fontina as the cheeses we are the most proud of.” Roth Käse cheeses are hand-crafted by master cheesemakers according to traditional techniques. With roots in Switzerland, the company is now a leading manufacturer and marketer of award-winning specialty cheeses. For more information about Roth Käse, visit www.rothkase.com.

Between this year’s American Cheese Society (ACS) Competition and the 2006 Wisconsin State Fair (WSF), Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese LLC., Waterloo, Wis., captured top awards in the competitive world of cheesemaking. At this year’s Wisconsin State Fair, Crave Brothers’ Petit Frère earned 1st Place honors. Raised on a 40-cow dairy farm near Beloit, Wis., the Crave brothers began farming together in 1978 in Mount Horeb, milking 57 cows on a rented farm. They purchased their Waterloo dairy farm in 1980 with the goal of building a successful agribusiness. The brothers soon began milking 100 cows and farming 300 acres. Over the years, the company has concentrated on increasing the efficiency and productivity of our now 600-cow dairy farm. The brothers say they are proud to produce and promote high-quality milk and cheese. Through the dairy farm and cheese factory, they enjoy telling the story of modern dairying that emphasizes cow comfort, quality milk and working in harmony with the land to produce quality milk and cheeses. For more information about Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, visit www.cravecheese.com.

PADRES Contra El Cáncer (PADRES), a non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for Latino children with cancer and their families, named Chicago-based Tampico Beverages the title sponsor of the organization’s annual El Sueño de Esperanza (Dream of Hope) Gala. “We are so excited to have Tampico Beverages as the title sponsor of this year’s Tampico Beverages El Sueño de Esperanza Gala,” says PADRES national spokesperson Eva Longoria. “Tampico is an iconic Hispanic brand that has been a part of many of our families’ lives for generations. It is only fitting that Tampico Beverages is playing a major role in this wonderful event benefiting the same families who support their brand.” Held September 6, the Tampico Beverages El Sueño de Esperanza Gala was the first public event held on the “Desperate Housewives” Wisteria Lane set at Universal Studios Hollywood.  In addition to honoring individuals and corporations who have made a significant impact on the lives of children with cancer and their families, this black-tie fundraiser benefiting PADRES Contra El Cáncer, featured red carpet arrivals from celebrities and elected officials, a cocktail reception, a seated dinner, the opportunity to bid on a variety of live and silent auction items as well as entertainment from a popular recording artist.

Denmark, Wis.-based BelGioioso Cheese Inc. received a first place blue ribbon “Best of Class” award for its Parmesan cheese in the Italian-Style Grating Types Category, and a third place award for their Fresh Mozzarella cheese in the Italian-Style Fresh Mozzarella Category at the 2006 American Cheese Society Awards (ACS). “This is a high honor for everyone at BelGioioso,” says Gianni Toffolon, BelGioioso master cheesemaker, specializing in parmesan for more than 25 years. “We are very pleased that our parmesan and fresh mozzarella cheeses have been recognized with such prestigious awards. Our entire team of cheesemakers works hard to produce consistent and superior cheeses and these awards prove that our efforts are appreciated.” The annual contest positions cheeses from all over the country against each other to give positive recognition to those cheeses which are of the highest quality in all aspects — flavor, aroma and texture, as well as technical evaluation. The highly sought after ACS ribbon is a mark of cheesemaking excellence.