Why Organic Milk is Better

Organic diary has several positive factors that lead it to be a safer, healthier choice for you and the environment. Organic milk has no antibiotics (versus conventional milk that has some) and no pesticides. The USDA "tested 788 samples of milk in 2005 and found, on average, residues of more than 2.5 pesticides per sample. Most worrisome are residues of synthetic pyrethroid insecticides and other developmental toxins in nearly half of the samples of conventional milk." (The SCOOP Newsletter, January 2008) The USDA has also done testing that measured the level proteins and amount of vitamins- in which organic milk has been concluded to have more.

As for the environment, "organic farming builds soil organic matter more effectively than conventional farming, sequesters far more carbon, dramatically lowers the amount of nitrous oxide released from over-fertilized fields, uses less energy, does not rely on routine applications of toxic synthetic pesticides, and promotes biodiversity." (The SCOOP Newsletter, January 2008)


There is some confusion out there about the differences in milk. Below is listed the different types of milk to help clarify what organic milk is.

Organic milk
-Organic milk comes from cows that have been grazed on pasture that has no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or agrochemicals used on it.
-The producers must register with an approved organic body and are subject to regular inspection.
-Once the cows have been milked, the milk is treated in exactly the same way as regular pasteurized milk.

Raw Milk
Raw milk is untreated and has no pasteurization. It is uncommon and not widely sold.

Whole Milk
-Natural whole milk is milk with nothing added or removed.
-Whole standardised milk is whole milk standardised to a minimum fat content of 3.5%.
-Whole homogenised milk is identical in fat and nutrient content to whole milk or whole standardised milk however it has undergone a specific process known as “homogenisation” which breaks up the fat globules in the milk. This spreads the fat evenly throughout the milk and prevents a creamy layer forming at the top.

Skimmed milk
-Skimmed milk has a fat content of between 0.1-0.3 %. Skimmed milk therefore has nearly all the fat removed.
-It contains slightly more calcium than whole milk and lower levels of fat soluble vitamins, particularly vitamin A, as this is lost when the fat is removed-see nutritional composition of milks
-The lower level of fat in skimmed milk reduces its calorie (energy) content. For this reason it is not recommended for children under the age of 5 years as they need the extra energy for growth. However it is ideal for adults who wish to limit their fat or calorie intake.