BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aurora Organic Dairy, a leading U.S. provider of high-quality private-label organic milk and butter, today announced it donated more than 28,000 gallons of organic milk and 2,540 pounds of organic butter to hunger-relief organizations in 2012. These in-kind donations represent approximately $100,000 in retail sales of these products.

“At Aurora Organic Dairy we do what we can to give back to the communities where we operate,” said Marc Peperzak, CEO of Aurora Organic Dairy. “Our milk and butter donations go to food banks and hunger-relief organizations in the areas where our employees live and work, and to the communities where we ship milk. We know these organizations serve many families who are struggling during the recession, and we are happy we can donate organic milk – a protein-rich, healthy product – for these families.” 

Hunger-relief organizations, such as Community Food Share in Boulder, Colo., the Weld Food Bank in Greeley, Colo. and Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver, Colo. receive regular donations of organic dairy products from Aurora Organic Dairy’s processing plant in Platteville, Colo. The Company also provides free organic milk and butter to neighbors living near its farms and facilities; and to the Company’s nearly 500 employees so they can enjoy the high-quality dairy products they work so hard to produce and process.

The Company also supports many community organizations, youth agricultural programs and schools in the areas where it operates its farms and milk processing plant. In addition to in-kind donations of dairy products, Aurora Organic Dairy has been providing academic scholarships to students interested in pursuing a career in organic agriculture, and has funded academic research focused on organic dairy production and processing. Since its inception, Aurora Organic Dairy has donated more than $1.1 million to fund academic scholarships and research to advance the organic dairy industry, and has hosted interns from 32 countries at its farms and facilities.

ABOUT AURORA ORGANIC DAIRY

Aurora Organic Dairy is the leading producer of private-brand organic milk and butter for U.S. retailers. Based in Boulder, Colorado, it operates a calf ranch and organic dairy farms in Colorado and Texas, as well as an organic dairy processing plant in Platteville, Colorado. Organic agriculture, the proper treatment and care of animals and sustainable production are the cornerstones of Aurora Organic Dairy’s business. Its processing facility and each of its farms are certified organic by USDA National Organic Program accredited certifiers and certified by Validus, a leading independent animal welfare auditor.

Aurora Organic Dairy is involved in overseeing quality organic standards from cow to carton. It monitors the entire product lifecycle, to ensure quality from its farms to its processing facility, focusing on organic quality every step of the way.

SOURCE:  www.auroraorganic.com