Organic meat and dairy farmers are being hit hardest by the California drought, forcing many farmers to sell cows for hamburger meat or just bow out completely. This is the subject of FERN’s latest report on Medium.com by reporter Kristina Johnson.
“Organic livestock farmers are in a unique bind in this drought, because to qualify as organic meat or milk under USDA regulations, their cows must only eat organically produced feed. At the same time, they must graze their animals on pasture at least 120 days a year—a requirement absent in conventional dairy operations.” writes Johnson. “With pastures drying up and organic feed costs skyrocketing, organic farmers in California are facing tough choices in feeding their animals.”
Currently the USDA’s National Organic Program is considering a request by organic dairy farmers for a temporary variance in these pasture rules, so that producers can maintain their certification during the drought, the worst since the state began keeping records in 1849.
The report also details how this will affect the nation’s food and milk supply, including Darrel Wood of the organic grass-fed beef company, Panorama Meats, in Vina, California who thinks he’ll have to raised the price on his grass-fed beef by 20 percent. Others believe that the one to lose out in this situation will not be the consumer, but the farmer, who will have to take a lower price or get squeezed out.
You can read the full report here on our Web site or on Medium.com.