More Dairy Farms Are Going Organic with Help from $1.1 Million USDA-Cornell Herd-health Study

The fastest-growing segment of the natural food market, organic dairy products, is getting a boost from a Cornell University-U.S. Department of Agriculture program that studies experiences of upstate New York milk producers as they make the transition from conventional to organic farming. The Cornell veterinarians and food scientists will analyze milk samples from herds undergoing the transition from conventional to organic methods and consult with participating dairies on farm practices, before developing intervention strategies for producers who will make the transition in the future. Findings from the study will be disseminated to the organic agriculture community through discussion groups, Cornell Cooperative Extension, newsletters, the Internet and with “pasture walks” on certified and transitioning dairy farms. To read the full release, visit: http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Aug04/organic_transition.hrs.html