“In the past, most organic milk sold in Alberta came from B.C. or from one organic dairy in Alberta, Vital Green Farms, near Picture Butte. Often demand exceeded supply,” the advocacy group said in a release.
With eight more producers in the market, Alberta organic milk will be available at Safeway stores under the O Organic label and at locations across the province under the Saxby Creamery label.
The involvement of Edmonton-based Saxby Creamery was an essential part of getting the local product into stores, the group said.
For producers to get certified, a specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development assisted in the transition with workshops, networking, and providing access to experts from other regions.
Citing the benefits of organic milk, Organic Alberta quotes a recent study from the Journal of Dairy Science that found organic milk has different proportions of fatty acids from regular milk, including much higher levels of beneficial polyunsaturated fats such as conjugated linoleic acids and some types of omega-3 fatty acids.
The group says organic cattle are fed a high proportion of forage in their all-organic diet, resulting in a healthier animal, and it also touts the environmental benefits.
“Organic production doesn’t add herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides to the land and therefore it doesn’t contribute these chemicals to the pollution of air and water either. Local organic production also doesn’t contribute genetically modified organisms, synthetic hormones or antibiotics,” said the release.
Stores listed by Organic Alberta that carry the Saxby Creamery brand include Nutters, Pure Earth Organics and AG Foods in Red Deer and Community Natural Foods, Blush Foods and SPUD in Calgary.
