Why Organic Dairy?
Growing for Sustainability
With New Hampshire’s farming heritage, a new generation is counting on sustainable agriculture to meet the demands of a growing population of organic consumers
- An investment in New Hampshire’s health and economy
- An investment in quality of life for communities, families, farmers
- A commitment to support small farms in the region
- An opportunity to expand research capability in organics
- An investment toward growing demand for organic knowledge and products
Dairy Farms
New Hampshire will always have small dairy farms. Organic farming emphasizes methods that take advantage of on-farm resources, natural biological cycles and controls. Such methods are often more affordable to smaller farmers than are more capital-intensive methods. Marketing methods of organic dairies link producers to consumers and return a larger share of the consumer dollar to farmers.
While small and medium-sized farms account for less than 25 percent of the value of all agricultural products sold in the U.S., the long-term viability of these farms is critical to the prosperity of rural people and places as these farms account for approximately 92 percent of all farms in the U.S.
~USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service; Small Farms Program
Options through Education and Research
Dairies are a fifty-one million dollar industry for New Hampshire. Over 40 million gallons of milk are produced each year on 190 New Hampshire dairy farms and purebred dairy cattle are sold all over the world. With a growing number organic dairy farms in the Northeast, farmers want to know the pros and cons of transitioning to organic.
~New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food, Sept 2003
