Soured Economy Spoiling Organic Milk Market

Petaluma Egg Farm is a top producer for Organic Valley label

(NEWSER) - Organic eggs: The phrase brings to mind chickens roaming in a pasture, foraging for food, and scratching the ground. But at California's Petaluma Egg Farm, which provides eggs under the Organic Valley label, hens are confined to screened porches with a roof and a floor. Technically, the eggs meet the organic standards' requirement of allowing hens outdoor access, but a watchdog group says the farm is misleading consumers. More»

USDA says small farms are becoming more popular even as large farms grow

(AP) - Most evenings, Gary Mithoefer can be found at the end of a long gravel driveway off a busy highway, tending two garden plots filled with white sweet potatoes, squash, cabbages, and a dozen other vegetables still thriving in early fall. The 62-year-old, who gardens after his workday ends at his state highway job, is one of a growing number of Americans rolling up their sleeves and digging into the dirt to raise crops or livestock on a small scale. More»

Semen-sorting technology bolsters herds, depressing already depressed prices

(NEWSER) - Times are tough everywhere, but dairy farming, never the industry of millionaires, is reeling from a double-whammy of its own making. Three years ago, new semen-sorting technology allowed farmers to ensure nine out of 10 calves born were female (bull calves largely end up in McDonald's wrappers and the like). Now, that glut of heifer calves is finally entering milk production—and running smack dab into an existing milk glut that's driven prices down about 40% since last July. More»

800,000 gallons in Belgian field after recession takes big toll

(NEWSER) - European farmers today dumped 800,000 gallons of milk in a Belgian field, AFP reports, in a protest against a dramatic dive in prices. The group behind the scene says three French farmers committed suicide in the past week over prices, which have fallen by as much as half as the recession dampens demand. The European Commission has promised a limited aid package. More»

(NEWSER) - A new study suggests that children who eat more dairy products live longer lives, the BBC reports. Researchers followed up a 1930s study of childhood diets and found that those who had diets rich in milk, butter, and cheese had lower mortality rates from strokes and other causes. The children with high dairy intakes were not likelier to suffer heart disease, despite their higher fat and cholesterol intake. More»