The Continuing Saga of Organic vs. Non-Organic Milk

To continue examining the issue of organic milk versus non-organic: One of the common misunderstandings surrounding non-organic milk is that it contains foreign substances such as growth hormones and/or antibiotics. Neither is the case in Canada. It is illegal in this country to sell milk containing antibiotics or hormones, unlike the United States, where milk containing hormones can be sold to the general public. If antibiotics are given to a cow during illness, they must clear the cow's system before their milk can be sold.

What precisely is meant by organic milk? According to the Certified Organic Association of British Columbia, "it is a process of food production that avoids the use of synthetic inputs such as chemical fertilizers, chemical pesticides chemical growth regulators/hormones and antibiotics." One Canadian web site argues that as a finished product, the regulations and safety checks are the same for both organic and conventionally-produced milk. In other words, the end product is the same whether the choice is organic or non-organic milk. In other words, the only difference is price.

This web site, however, is somewhat contradictory in that it also quotes a Danish study which claims that organic milk contains 50 per cent higher levels of vitamin E, possesses 75 per cent more beta carotene as well as higher levels of omega three fatty acids when compared to its non-organic equivalent.

The next question that might occur to the socially conscious reader is which type of milk has less of an environmental impact. This is a difficult question to answer as it is impossible to generalize. In general, one might safely assume that buying locally-produced milk is better for the environment because it does not have to be transported as far to where it is sold. The bottom line: check the label on the milk that you purchase to ensure that it is locally produced. When in doubt, ask your retailer.