Interview with Cornucopia Institute Co-Founder Mark Kastel (Part 2)

Here's the second part of my email interview with Mark Kastel, co-founder of The Cornucopia Institute. In Part 1 of the interview we focused on the current dairy crisis; in the second part I asked some more basic questions about consumer choices and government oversight.

Organic Nation: Why should consumers choose buy organic milk from family farmers, instead of factory farm operations, in the first place?

Mark Kastel: Well, I'll give you two reasons. First, one of the reasons consumers have felt comfortable with paying higher prices for organics is that they have assumed that in addition to getting a superior quality product for their family that the extra costs under wrote a different kind of environmental ethic, a more humane animal husbandry standard and economic justice for family farmers. When folks find out that factory farms that endanger the environment, create short, stressful and unhealthy lives for their cows and that cheat family farmers out of a decent living are producing their milk, they feel betrayed.

Secondly, there is a growing body of scientific literature that indicates legitimate organic milk, from cows that graze on pasture, provides a nutritionally superior product for consumers. Higher in antioxidants, cancer preventing compounds, and beneficial fats like omega-3 fatty acids, real organic milk an excellent investment.

ON: How much of the organic dairy industry is actually factory-farmed and unsustainable?

MK: We estimate that, currently, 30-40% of the nations organic milk supply is coming from giant factory farms. Consumers who want to make sure they're getting real organic milk, with all the benefits, can check out the organic dairy scorecard, that rates 110 different organic brands, on The Cornucopia Institute website.

ON: My grandmother has been drinking Horizon Organic milk -- a company that has received especially low ratings from the Cornucopia Institute -- for years. Why should I tell her to switch brands?

MK: Encourage her to read our comprehensive report on this issue, also available on our website, Maintaining the Integrity of Organic Milk. If she hopes the extra money she pays for organics equates to better environmental stewardship, a long and healthy life for the cows, and fair treatment for the people involved, I'm sure she will want to seek out one of the highest rated brands in our scorecard. And the benefit to her, personally, will be superior nutrition.

The good news is that no matter what market someone is in there are dozens of great choices for organic milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, etc. to choose from. Approximately 90% of all name-brand organic dairy products in our scorecard are produced with high integrity! I want to emphasize that because even though they are large the Aurora and Dean Foods are bad aberrations.

If we don't concentrate on the "good news," in terms of the promise of organics, and just fixate on the bad actors, we will help hurt the reputation of the organic label and all those ethical practitioners that have worked so hard to grow this movement.

ON: At a recent talk in Chicago, USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said that USDA was about to enter an era of enforcement. Where should they begin?

MK: Well, certainly beginning with the improprieties in organic dairy would be a great place to start with. We have met with Dr. Merrigan and corresponded with her extensively on this issue. Thousands of organic farmers have written to President Obama and USDA Secretary Vilsack requesting "Change at the USDA." The time is now. People's livelihoods are at stake. The future of this industry is at stake. Competitors can be driven out of business. None of this will benefit consumers who want to choose nutritionally superior and authentic organic food. We need a new administration to step up and take immediate action.

The president has populated the USDA with political appointees with strong backgrounds in support of family farmers. This gives us optimism. But we need them to immediately react to this crisis.