Certified-organic hogwash?

Eco-foodies lit up the Web this week with news about Aurora Organic Dairy’s run-in with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Aurora has supplied Safeway, Wal-Mart, Costco and Target with “organic” milk and butter, but several of its farms may not be measuring up to National Organic Program standards. According to a USDA news release, Aurora has promised not to renew organic certification for its Woodward, Colo. facility. Aurora agreed to improvements at its Platteville, Colo. farm, which include allowing daily access to pasture during growing season, not stocking more cattle than maximum stocking densities allow, not labeling the milk of “improperly transitioned” cows as “organic” and following NOP standards when adding new cattle to the herds. If the changes are not met over the next probationary year, the organic plug could be pulled. According to Clark Driftmier, senior vice president of Aurora Organic Dairy, the company always complied with certified organic standards.