News Coverage
Organic Valley Reassures Consumers on Organic Milk
Calls for United Action to Reduce Toxins in our Environment
Published December 1, 2004
LAFARGE, Wis., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to recent concerns over perchlorate in organic milk, Organic Valley Family of Farms, the nation's leading organic cooperative, urged consumers to be reassured about the safety of Organic Valley milk and called for a united effort to reduce the pollution in our environment.
"Organic Valley has a testing program in place that has consistently found our organic milk's perchlorate levels to be at or below the allowable drinking limit of 6 parts per billion. Organic Valley's Quality Assurance Program has been in place for a decade," said Louise Hemstead, Chief Operating Officer, Organic Valley.
"Organic Valley tests in every region of the country. We have more than 630 farmers in 16 states. We are committed to testing and will continue to test and monitor rigorously in the future. Our consumers would expect nothing less."
Referring specifically to perchlorate sample data recently posted on the FDA's website, Hemstead noted that the Organic Valley cooperative has no dairy producers in Maryland, the state where the FDA found organic milk with an 11.3 parts per billion perchlorate level. By way of comparison, Hemstead noted that Organic Valley's New England milk perchlorate test measured less than 3 parts per billion (the minimum detectable level for milk).
"Organic Valley is well aware of the toxic burden humankind faces as a result of our past environmental practices. Unfortunately, perchlorate is just one of many pollutants now contaminating our environment. It's time for consumers to join with the public and private sectors in a united effort to reduce the toxic pollutants in our environment," said Theresa Marquez, Chief Marketing Officer, Organic Valley, President, Organic Center for Education and Information, and Board Member, Organic Trade Association.
Marquez commended the ongoing efforts of the Environmental Working Group, Beyond Pesticides, Children's Health Environmental Coalition, Waterkeeper Alliance and other environmental organizations to educate the public about the environment. She also praised the Organic Trade Association and the Organic Center for Education and Promotion for working to heighten citizen awareness of the benefits of organic agriculture, especially for children.