
To Tinker or Not to Tinker
A small part of the overall picture it might be, but organics continue to be a strong growth area for dairy.
Demand continues to outpace supply, major retailers have launched ambitious organics programs, and manufacturers — like our Processor of the Year, Stonyfield Farm — are expanding to accommodate growth in the segment.
A step or two back from “pure” organic,
processors are shunning artificial growth hormones in greater numbers. Hood
plants in New England announced they’ll no longer accept milk from
rBST-treated cows; Dean is doing the same there and in Texas.
Companies going rBST-free — some are calling it
“organic light” — say they’re responding to
consumer demands. I’ve said often that processors would be foolish to
ignore their consumers, regardless of what science has to say about
organics, hormones and the like. And regardless of science, there will be
folks on both sides of the debate claiming they’re right. A lot of
people don’t like what they perceive as science tinkering with their
food, even if the FDA says there’s no difference between conventional
and organic or rBST-free milk.
But a new endeavor in the dairy stronghold of
California looks like a bold, “in your face” move by the
“milk is milk” proponents. Blue Ribbon Cheese Co. has announced
plans to construct a new mega plant in the San Joaquin Valley promising to
take in nearly 7 million pounds of milk every day to turn into 250 million
pounds of cheddar and mozzarella a year. To meet those high expectations,
the company says it’s “crafting an incentive program for dairy
operators who are committed to and use new cutting-edge herd-health and
FDA-approved technologies,” part of its commitment to “producer
freedom of choice.”
And then we have Stonyfield Farm, which has ridden the
crest of the organic wave to new heights. Its simple message and devotion
to a mission are now heading overseas. The message to the dairy industry
for the past year has been to “think globally,” and Stonyfield
is poised to establish new beachheads around the globe, a testament to U.S.
dairy’s strengths.
Meanwhile, Montana has elected an organic farmer to
the U.S. Senate as part of the new management swept into office this month.
We’ll be watching how dairy policy will be impacted by the new
Congress.
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