Why consume organic dairy products?

According to market researchers, there are six underlying factors which influence consumers deciding between organically certified and conventional dairy produce. By a considerable degree, the most important of these is a concern for product safety. This is demonstrated by our instinctive desire to be reassured that exacting standards have been met to minimise the risk of modern food contaminants, particularly those suspected of creating preventable health problems. Fair enough. We live in a technologically complex age with many benefits and advantages. All the same, there are lots of people who feel uncomfortable with agricultural chemicals and genetically altered proteins in the food chain.

Optimal nutrition

Closely related to the concern for safety is our desire to locate food items which provide important nutrients for health and vitality. It is a fact that many food resources are now terribly degraded by processing and the inclusion of food additives. The goal of conventional food production is often to deliver high volumes of standardised and cost efficient products. Medical authorities are beginning to warn parents about an increased prevalence of affluent malnourishment which is caused by an abundance of low nutrient, calorie dense snacks, and the relative scarcity of wholesome, natural foods in the diet.

Some of the dairy products marketed to children may well contribute to the problem. Consider the popular range of flavoured milk, smoothies, and the nondescript dairy foods which stack alongside custard puddings and flavoured yoghurt. Instead of fresh ingredients, these products are likely to contain processed milk which was cooked at high temperatures to kill bacteria along with many of the natural vitamins. They are thickened with gelatine, sweetened, flavoured and packaged in cheerfully attractive colours. Some are fortified with additional nutrients.

Once familiar with these products, children may find it difficult to appreciate a plain glass of fresh milk, or organic yoghurt sweetened with bush honey. While organic certification provides no additional assurance of an items nutritional status, consumers report that it does encourage the selection of healthier items and eliminates many poor choices.

Animal welfare

The next factor considered by consumers is the welfare and rights of the animals which are farmed to provide dairy products. Organic dairy farmers are guided by standards which control important aspects of animal husbandry and management. They include references to feed, accommodation, veterinary treatment, routine inspections, and the safe introduction of new animals to the herd.

Compared with the intensively scaled operations of many conventional dairy operators, organically raised cows are usually maintained in small herds. This reduces the risk of disease and enables pastures to be selectively rotated. Since organic standards prevent the use of growth hormones, young animals mature slowly, building their natural resistance against parasites and disease.

Sustainable practices

Consumers choose organic dairy products because they want to support a sustainable agriculture which helps protect the environment for their children and grandchildren. Conventional dairy farmers depend on significant volumes of inexpensive and readily available stock feeds like corn, barley, and soy meal. The feed grains are commercially grown on an enormous scale with the assistance of synthetic fertilisers, selective herbicides, and pesticides. Their continued production and use contributes to soil erosion, groundwater contamination, and the reduction of biodiversity whenever they replace mixed cropping.

Since certified stock feed can be prohibitively expensive and difficult to source, most organic dairies concentrate on developing their own feed supplies, primarily a range of summer and winter pasture. They are raised with natural soil additives which can even be recycled from cow manure. All of these practices conserve energy which might otherwise be required to transport agricultural resources over distance.

Reputation

While the widespread demand for organic produce is a recent trend, reputable organic brands have been around for several decades. In the same way that brand loyalty is developed for conventional food items, many consumers favour the organic products offered by certain companies in preference to others. In terms of organic dairy produce, most consumers are looking to support local companies supplying a range of standard and specialty items. Trust is rapidly developed when organic dairy producers are open and honest about their practices and can demonstrate a genuine commitment to the industry. Even the smallest operators can build a foundation for brand loyalty. In southern Tasmania, David Hagarty produces approximately two hundred litres of premium quality goats’ milk each week. His attitude is simple. “I love when people visit and ask questions”, he says. “When we started out, that’s how it was. I’d contact some organic people and make appointments to visit their farms”.

Affordability

The sixth factor to influence consumer decisions regarding organic products is their cost relative to conventional items. This is certainly relevant for dairy produce since many organic items will be twice or several times the price of conventional brands. So how does a family on a tight budget afford to continue eating organic dairy produce? Unfortunately, in some cases this won’t be feasible.

Organic dairy operations are labour intensive and usually generate less output than conventional ones. To remain commercially viable, organic producers must include their additional costs in the final price of their products. The cost of many organic products is also influenced by their limited availability. When a scarce product is widely sought after, retailers have an opportunity to add an additional premium.

Many people find this frustrating, particularly the organic producers who find themselves catering to an elite group of wealthy consumers. Some time in the future, the hidden costs of conventional agriculture may be revealed through an environment tax. In the meantime, informed consumers will purchase organic products when they can afford to and support those reforms which open the industry to a wider group of consumers.