| From: | Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org> |
| Date: | 2 Dec 2004 01:52:33 -0000 |
| Reply: | cpeo-military |
| Subject: | [CPEO-MEF] "Organic Valley Reassures Consumers on Organic Milk" |
Press Release Source: Organic ValleyOrganic Valley Reassures Consumers on Organic Milk Wednesday December 1, 2:33 pm ET Calls for United Action to Reduce Toxins in our Environment LAFARGE, Wis., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to recent concerns over perchlorate in organic milk, Organic Valley Family of Farms, the nation's leading organic cooperative, urged consumers to be reassured about the safety of Organic Valley milk and called for a united effort to reduce the pollution in our environment. "Organic Valley has a testing program in place that has consistently found our organic milk's perchlorate levels to be at or below the allowable drinking limit of 6 parts per billion. Organic Valley's Quality Assurance Program has been in place for a decade," said Louise Hemstead, Chief Operating Officer, Organic Valley. "Organic Valley tests in every region of the country. We have more than 630 farmers in 16 states. We are committed to testing and will continue to test and monitor rigorously in the future. Our consumers would expect nothing less." Referring specifically to perchlorate sample data recently posted on the FDA's website, Hemstead noted that the Organic Valley cooperative has no dairy producers in Maryland, the state where the FDA found organic milk with an 11.3 parts per billion perchlorate level. By way of comparison, Hemstead noted that Organic Valley's New England milk perchlorate test measured less than 3 parts per billion (the minimum detectable level for milk). "Organic Valley is well aware of the toxic burden humankind faces as a result of our past environmental practices. Unfortunately, perchlorate is just one of many pollutants now contaminating our environment. It's time for consumers to join with the public and private sectors in a united effort to reduce the toxic pollutants in our environment," said Theresa Marquez, Chief Marketing Officer, Organic Valley, President, Organic Center for Education and Information, and Board Member, Organic Trade Association. Marquez commended the ongoing efforts of the Environmental Working Group, Beyond Pesticides, Children's Health Environmental Coalition, Waterkeeper Alliance and other environmental organizations to educate the public about the environment. She also praised the Organic Trade Association and the Organic Center for Education and Promotion for working to heighten citizen awareness of the benefits of organic agriculture, especially for children. Organic Valley: Farming for Future Generations Organized in 1988, the Organic Valley cooperative today is made up of 633 organic farmers in 16 states. It's the only national organic brand that is 100-percent farmer-owned and proudly the only independent national organic dairy in the United States. In 2003, sales totaled $156 million, a 25 percent jump over 2002. Last year, the cooperative also brought 118 more farms into the organization; added 20,000 acres to the organic farmland system; and added 2,675 organically raised cows. This year, the cooperative expects sales to grow 36 percent, totaling a record $205 million. Stewards of the earth who use nature as their teachers, Organic Valley farmers produce 130 delicious organic products. Look for their organic milk, cheese, butter, spreads, creams, eggs, produce, juice and meats in food cooperatives, natural foods stores and supermarkets throughout the country. For further information, contact Organic Valley, One Organic Way, La Farge WI 54639, tel. (608) 625-2602, or visit http://www.organicvalley.coop. For further information about perchlorate and Organic Valley, please visit the Organic Valley website at http://www.organicvalley.coop/faq/search.php?search=perchlorate. For the original press release, see http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041201/new039_1.html -- Lenny Siegel Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041 Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545 Fax: 650/961-8918 http://www.cpeo.org
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