But an investigation from the Cornucopia Institute shows that “organic” milk and eggs might not actually be organic after all. This winter, Cornucopia, a watchdog institution that strives to protect the economic wellbeing of small family-run farms, filed legal complaints with the FDA, arguing that 14 dairy farms and egg-laying producers were in violation of the organic standard because their animals were not given proper outdoor and pasture access. MORE: Meet the Milennials Behind the Best Online Farmers Market Part of Cornucopia’s proof:A series of aerial photos showing these massive organic farms with none or only a few animals outside. To those in the know, the images aren’t exactly surprising: Most commercial farms, organic or not, are a far cry from the smiling cows and rolling green hills you see on product packaging. Both the accused farms and the Organic Trade Association, an industry group that represents producers, responded immediately to the photos, saying an image captures only a moment in time and is not proof of a violation of organic law. Yet others say the incident exposes a larger problem: highly flexible interpretations of the federal organic standard. “[Farmers] have to pay the organic certifiers,” says Alexis Baden-Mayer, political director of the Organic Consumers Association. “So it’s not unlikely for a farm to shop around and find a certifier who is going to accept their interpretation of the rules.” In other words: Organic isn’t a black-and-white designation. While some farms aspire to meet and even exceed organic standards, others get by with the bare minimum (or less), but are still certified organic because they found a willing certifier. MORE: 10 Sneaky Sources of GMOs So will the USDA take action on Cornucopia’s complaints? Probably. The group’s past investigations have proven successful, but they’ve taken a damn long time to resolve. For example, in 2005, Cornucopia filed a complaint against Aurora Dairy, alleging the farm didn’t give cows pasture access and improperly transitioned cows from the conventional herd to the organic herd. Two years passed before the USDA found the operation in “willful violation” of 14 organic laws. And though the farm never lost its organic certification, it was required to scale down in size and address the problems brought forth by Cornucopia. The worst part: During these long periods of waiting, the farms in question continue to sell products labeled organic. “It’s a shame that Cornucopia has to be doing this,” Kastel says. “We’ve already paid for this because you and I have paid our taxes. The USDA should be doing this work.” MORE: Nine Ridiculously Cheap Organic Dinners So what to do if you really want to make sure the $7 you pay for a carton of organic milk is actually organic? Get these scorecards from Cornucopia that rate major brands in terms of their compliance to the organic standard. And if you live in or near a rural area, seek out some local farms before your next trip to the grocery store—because somewhere out there, there really are smiling cows on green fields.
