The clear answer is an overwhelming yes. A Dutch study followed 2,500 pregnant women through their pregnancy and the first two years of their infants’ lives. Half of the group ate conventional foods and drank conventional milk. The other half ate organic foods and organic dairy products. This included the food the mother’s ate during their pregnancy and what the infants were given after birth.

The researchers found that children who were breast fed by mothers who consumed organic dairy products and who were weaned on organic milk, cheese, yogurt and other organic dairy products were 36% less likely to suffer from allergies.

The author of the published study, Dr. Machteld Huber, of the Louis
Bolk Institute, states that the difference was significant, but only for children exclusively eating organic dairy products. She and her research team believed that the results are explained by the higher concentrations of conjugated linoleic acids that are found in organic milk.

Organic dairy farms are certified and do not use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and do not give feed to their dairy cattle which have been exposed to synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Organic dairy cattle do not receive any antibiotics and are not given food containing preservatives or additives.

Organic dairy cattle have a clover rich natural diet. This results in the organic dairy cattle having 71 percent more Omega 3 essential fatty acids. These Omega 3 essential fatty acids help jumpstart a healthy lifestyle and promote healthy heart functions and are also important for joint and bone health as well.

The infants who received organic milk were significantly less likely to develop asthma and eczema. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) monitors the contents of conventional milk. Recent USDA data shows that 27 percent of milk from conventional dairy farms contained synthetic pesticides. Organic milk is produced without exposure to pesticides and without the use of antibiotics or artificial hormones. Pesticides such as synthetic pyrethroids can act as skin and respiratory allergens.

Dr. Alan Greene, a clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University’s Packard Children’s Hospital recommends organic milk for children because of the extra Omega-3s and beta-carotene it provides.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is very important for over all body health and a well functioning immune system. CLA is a fatty acid and experimental evidence in health research studies indicates that it might have an anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-diabetic and immune-modulating effect.

The major source of CLA for people is diet and predominately through dairy products and meat. Other studies have shown that organic milk has higher levels of vitamin E and antioxidants than non-organic milk.

The research also suggests that CLA can help with body fat regulation by affecting the proportion of fat tissue to muscle mass. Improving the bodies overall health and resistance to disease (boosting the immune system) helps the body fight allergic reactions as well.

In dairy operations, cows may be injected with bovine growth hormone (BGH) to increase milk production.  Although BGH is considered safe in milk, organic products cannot contain any hormones.  Dairy cows in organic operations cannot be injected with any antibiotics and their feed cannot be treated with any pesticides.  Further, the dairy cattle must have access to pastures instead of being kept in feedlots.

These strict requirements add to the cost of organic farming and organic dairy production and people buying organic milk find that it can cost twice as much as non-organic milk.  Nonetheless, the Organic Trade Association has documented increasing sales of organic food over the last 19 years.   Organic milk production is a growing dairy industry and accounts for three percent of milk sales in the United States.  The Organic Trade Association predicts that sales of organic foods and dairy products will continue to increase an average of 18 percent per year in the United States.

At one time, people looking to purchase organic milk and foods had limited choices.  Often, they had to resort to specialty health food stores.  Now, most chain grocery stores, including large chain retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart that also carry groceries, stock organic food for their customers.  Organic producers also sell their products directly to the public at local farmers markets.  The internet has provided an avenue for customers wanting organic products.  This emerging trend is followed by restaurants offering organically grown foods as well as meats from free range animals.

In spite of the growth of sales of organic food, the number of acres dedicated to organic farming and dairies is less than one percent world wide.  The United States ranks fourth in the number of farming acres managed organically.  Australia leads with China and Argentina following in second and third place.

In recent years, organic farming has become popular in the US.  However, do we really know what organic means?  According to the National Dairy Council, “organic” refers to how the farm is managed, not to the products itself.  Both organic and conventional dairy products must meet government standards ensuring the milk is wholesome, safe, and nutritious.

Organic farmers also abide by the requirements set forth by the USDA’s National Organic Program.  Dairy products can only contain the “USDA Organic” label if these additional requirements are met.  These requirements state:

1. Organic fertilizers and pesticides are used on the farm, not rbST.
2. Organic milk must come from cows not treated with bovine growth hormone (BGH).  The BGH is used to increase milk production.
3. Organic milk must come from cows not treated with antibiotics.  If the cow falls ill and must be treated with antibiotics, they are not to be returned to the herd for a period of 12 months.
4. The cows must have access to pasture.

Soy milk is another alternative to conventional milk.  It’s one that has also come into light especially in the last few years.  Soy milk, hence the name, is made from soybeans and is nutritionally close to cow’s milk.  Many of the soy products are enriched with calcium and have little saturated fat and no cholesterol.  Soymilk is a good alternative to milk for those who are lactose intolerant.

Conventional milk is held to the same standards set by the USDA to ensure quality milk that is antibiotic free, wholesome, and safe.  Conventional dairy farmers have been known to boost their cows milk production by supplementing their cows’ bST, however, extensive studies have shown that this hormone only ensures higher production, the milk that is produced is as wholesome and safe as organic milk.  Lastly, according to the National Dairy Council, pesticides in conventionally produced milk are not of a concern because pesticides can be found in low amounts in all products, organic and conventional.  Extensive tests are done on all milk products to ensure us that we are not consuming dangerous levels of anything harmful.

Now that we’ve gone over the differences in the products we have to choose from in the dairy aisle, we must now decide which one is the best product for our family.

First we must look at the price, to which you will see an increase in organic and soy products.  This is possibly because these products have higher production costs ultimately passing on the cost to their consumers.

Secondly, we must decide what is important to us individually.  Some individuals choose organic products merely because of how the animals are raised.

Some choose organic products or soy products due to safety and nutrition facts, which you will not find in this article, because no viable facts have proved that organic or soy products are more nutritious or safe than conventional milk.

Some individuals choose their dairy products based on their personal taste likes and dislikes.  All milks can have a different flavor depending on the type of cow the milk was produced from, the season, variations of the cows diet, even the brand of milk conventional, organic, or soy have different tastes.

So now that we’ve found that products do vary in taste and price, but do not vary in quality, nutrition, or safety, which will you choose for your family?

After putting more effort into my research, I found that only a small percent of farmers manage their farms using organic techniques.  Organic management techniques include: using only organic pesticides, not allowing any form of antibiotics into the farmed products (meat and dairy), no products on the farm can be treated with hormones, and cows on the farm must have access to a grazing pasture.

After researching conventional farming I found that the meats we eat are many times routinely treated with antibiotics to prevent illnesses and control diseases in animals.  Although, all products on every farm meet USDA standards and have been found to be safe, I was not convinced that I wanted my unborn child consuming these potentially unnecessary products.  Therefore, I choose to go organic.

I found that organic products were everywhere.  Not only did I purchase organic fruits and vegetables, but also I found organic milk, meats, even baby food!  Organic sales have grown 21 % and availability of organic products continues to grow.  I am confident that going organic is not only the best possible choice for me as an adult, but it’s the best possible choice for my baby as well.

Going organic is important to me and carefully considered in every aspect of my life.  I learned that although many products were more expensive, how the products were grown, harvested, and overall treated (pesticides, lack of antibiotics, etc.) put my mind at ease.  I am confident that the extra price of organic products is worth the added benefits to our health!

1. Organic Milk has no antibiotics in it. The problem with antibiotics is the possibility of producing a bacterial resistance. The cows used in the production of organic milk are not given any antibiotics.

2. The cows are not treated with any sort of growth hormone to stimulate milk production. Synthetic hormones can be very harmful to human beings. I know I have heard people wonder why high school girls look different then they did 10 years ago. Some people say it is the synthetic hormones in the milk they drink. A school in boulder Colorado thinks that organic milk has an added nutritional value so it has switched all its milk to a local organic supplier. Other people are concerned about the adverse affects of growth hormones for cancer related illnesses.

3. Pesticide Free. Cows are fed food that was not grown with the use of pesticides. This presents a rather significant added cost as growing hay for the cows without the use of pesticides is very expensive. Pesticides are everywhere. Even trace amounts have been found in raindrops, snow, and even fog.

4. High in Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLAs). CLAs are good fats. They come from hay fed animals. Animals that are fed hay have a much higher concentration of CLAs then grain fed animals. CLAs have been found to reduce tumors and may also lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in men.

5. If you want strong bones, you gotta drink milk. It is an excellent source of calcium. Kids need a range of calcium, depending on their age, from 800 mg to 1300 mg. A normal 8 ounce sized glass of organic milk has 300 mg of calcium. There are also different flavors of milk to entice the children to drink it. Adults seem to know that milk has calcium and we need that. I drink 2-3 glasses of milk each day.

6. Organic Milk is just all around good. It doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients of other chemical that are bad for you like other juices and drinks do. Some so called health drinks are not so healthy after you read all of the chemicals you are drinking. Why not just stick with something that is all natural.

7. Be nice to the cows. Cows on organic farms are treated better. They are allowed to graze in the open air. Most cows in non-organic plants are more like machines than animals. Support your organic farmer. It is a lot more work doing it organically, but they do it because they care.