Aurora Organic Dairy
Encyclopedia
Aurora Organic Dairy is an American company, based in Boulder, Colorado
, which operates large factory farms, each with thousands of dairy cows, in Colorado
and Texas
. The company supplies and packages private-label, store-brand, organic dairy products for many of the country's largest grocery chains, including Wal-Mart
, Safeway, Target
and Costco
.
The company was founded in 2003 by Mark Retzloff as a combined farm and bottling plant situated on a sloping plain north of Denver. In 2005, this had 5300 cows. At this time, the organic standards of the new company were already causing squabbles with other organic producers.
The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group representing organic and family-scale farmers, complained to the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service
about their livestock management and organic practices. In particular, it was alleged that their cows were not allowed to graze upon pasture
and were instead kept in feedlot
s or buildings. This was said to be contrary to the National Organic Program
which the AMS administers.
In August 2007, Aurora was sanctioned by the United States Department of Agriculture
after the agency's investigators found 14 wilful violations of federal organic law. The agency considered decertification and then placed Aurora on a one-year probation. The company agreed not to sell as organic milk from cattle that may not have been raised organically. An agreement was reached by the USDA and Aurora which resulted in Aurora agreeing to reduce the size of its herd and provide cattle with pasture grazing during the growing season.
In June 2009, a court dismissed lawsuits against Aurora, grocery chains that sold Aurora's milk, and QAI
, a certification body.
Cornucopia filed additional legal complaints against Aurora in 2009, claiming that Aurora does not provide sufficient grazing for its cattle, as required by regulations. According to Cornucopia, Aurora planted "substandard crops that are planted on an annual basis," not providing sufficient year-round grazing for cattle. Aurora responded by saying that Cornucopia's new claims were identical to those that were brought up in 2007, and were summarily dismissed.
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
, which operates large factory farms, each with thousands of dairy cows, in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The company supplies and packages private-label, store-brand, organic dairy products for many of the country's largest grocery chains, including Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, Safeway, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
and Costco
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
.
The company was founded in 2003 by Mark Retzloff as a combined farm and bottling plant situated on a sloping plain north of Denver. In 2005, this had 5300 cows. At this time, the organic standards of the new company were already causing squabbles with other organic producers.
The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group representing organic and family-scale farmers, complained to the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service
Agricultural Marketing Service
The Agricultural Marketing Service is a division of the United States Department of Agriculture, and has programs in five commodity areas: cotton and tobacco; dairy; fruit and vegetable; livestock and seed; and poultry...
about their livestock management and organic practices. In particular, it was alleged that their cows were not allowed to graze upon pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
and were instead kept in feedlot
Feedlot
A feedlot or feedyard is a type of animal feeding operation which is used in factory farming for finishing livestock, notably beef cattle, but also swine, horses, sheep, turkeys, chickens or ducks, prior to slaughter. Large beef feedlots are called Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations . They...
s or buildings. This was said to be contrary to the National Organic Program
National Organic Program
In the United States, the National Organic Program is the federal regulatory framework governing organic food. It is also the name of the organization in the Department of Agriculture responsible for administering and enforcing the regulatory framework. The Organic Food Production Act of 1990 In...
which the AMS administers.
In August 2007, Aurora was sanctioned by the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
after the agency's investigators found 14 wilful violations of federal organic law. The agency considered decertification and then placed Aurora on a one-year probation. The company agreed not to sell as organic milk from cattle that may not have been raised organically. An agreement was reached by the USDA and Aurora which resulted in Aurora agreeing to reduce the size of its herd and provide cattle with pasture grazing during the growing season.
In June 2009, a court dismissed lawsuits against Aurora, grocery chains that sold Aurora's milk, and QAI
QAI
QAI is a global management consulting and workforce development organization. Set up in 1980 in Orlando, Florida, it caters to Operational Excellence across organizations worldwide.-QAI Global Services:...
, a certification body.
Cornucopia filed additional legal complaints against Aurora in 2009, claiming that Aurora does not provide sufficient grazing for its cattle, as required by regulations. According to Cornucopia, Aurora planted "substandard crops that are planted on an annual basis," not providing sufficient year-round grazing for cattle. Aurora responded by saying that Cornucopia's new claims were identical to those that were brought up in 2007, and were summarily dismissed.