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Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


What's organic and what's 'natural'?

Monday, October 5, 2009

Organic milk producers in the United States, already under financial stress as sales flattened, went ballistic in the summer when word got out that the largest organic milk processor, Dean Foods Inc., based in Dallas, intended to set up a new, lower-priced category called "natural dairy." Organic producers charge it is attempting to pirate away organic consumers who can't tell the difference between regulated "organic" brands and unregulated "natural."

Under its Horizon brand, Dean had already switched production of its soy drinks to conventional soybeans from organic (and labelled it natural), a move organic producers believe went  largely unnoticed. Critics say Horizon, with the largest dollar-value volume of sales of any organic brand, has informed some producers it won't renew purchase contracts.

Organic dairy farmers convinced Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to attend an emergency rally in Wisconsin in mid-July. It remains to be seen what the U.S. agriculture department can do for producers.

Dairy economics in the United States as a whole continue to go sour. The price for Class III milk needs to get to $15-$16 per hundredweight to relieve financial stress on producers, says Bob Cropp, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. That might not happen until next year. In July, the Class III price was barely $10. BF

Current Issue

April 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

New Alcohol Trade Freedom in Ontario

Thursday, April 17, 2025

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has welcomed Ontario’s bold step in eliminating trade barriers and allowing direct alcohol sales to consumers. This new legislation aims to ease internal trade across provinces and support small businesses. One of the key changes... Read this article online

New board members for Ontario Pork

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Ontario Pork, an association representing the 1,898 pork farms that market 5.9 million hogs in the province, has announced its new board lineup for 2025. As a Guelph, Ontario-headquartered organization, Ontario Pork is engaged in the areas of research, government representation,... Read this article online

You know you want it…

Monday, April 14, 2025

On April 28, 2025, Aumann Auctions, Inc. is set to auction what is being called the GOAT (greatest of all time) John Deere sign of all time. This recently discovered will be one of the featured highlights of the . See... Read this article online

Health Fair Supports Migrant Workers

Monday, April 14, 2025

A community-driven Health and Information Fair dedicated to supporting migrant and temporary foreign workers was recently held in Leamington, Ontario. Organized by the Migrant Workers Community Program (MWCP), the event took place at the Roma Club on April 13th and welcomed hundreds of... Read this article online

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