What’s the difference between organic milk and regular milk?
Nothing. The products are the same. If you have a glass of organic milk and a glass of regular milk, there’s no test that says – yes, this is one, and this is the other. They have the same nutrients, neither of them have antibiotics, and neither of them have added hormones. They are both GREAT.
It’s not just me saying it. There have been many studies – like by the USDA and the American Dietetic Association – that show organic and regular milk are equally nutritious and safe.
(Please see articles about how there are
no antibiotics and
no added hormones in your milk. There are none in organic milk or regular milk.)
The difference is in the process, not the product.
Organic farms produce organic milk. This means:
-The cows must eat organic feed, except minerals and vitamins.
-The cows must not be treated with antibiotics or added hormones or during their lifetimes.
-The cows must be allowed outdoor access for at least 120 days a year.
(You can read the regulations from the USDA
here.)
Conventional farms produce conventional milk. This means:
-The cows eat feed that benefited from technology, including fertilizer and weed and pest control.
We grow corn and alfalfa and sudax, plus we have our cattle on pasture, and we take pride in our crops! It takes a lot of work to grow food for hundreds of cows.
-The cows are treated with antibiotics in the rare occasion one is sick.
The milk from a cow treated with antibiotics never goes into the tank, and there are many, many safeguards to prevent this from happening. NO ONE wants antibiotics in the milk. Read about it
here.
-The cows can be indoors or outdoors.
We personally have our cows on pasture as well as indoors, but lots of farms have their cattle indoors in well ventilated barns, using all the latest technology on how to keep your cattle comfortable. (Sand bedding, misters, fans, waterbeds.) Conventional farms also adhere to strict government regulations and frequent inspections. There's a small sampling
here.
So the result is … milk!
Some organic and some regular milk have longer expiration dates, and the reason why is because they are ultra pasteurized. This isn’t because it’s organic, but instead because heating it up hotter for longer makes milk shelf stable for a longer period of time. You can read all about that
here. Some is more expensive, but don't feel like you have to pay more.
Again, the milk that comes from farms, both organic and regular, is the same. It still has nine essential nutrients. It has the SAME amount of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. It still has no antibiotics and no added hormones. And most important to me … it tastes great.
If you’re one of those people who doesn’t like milk, please enjoy cheese, ice cream, or yogurt! Or just pick some up for me. We buy skim, 2%, and whole and right now we’re out of ALL THREE.
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