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Department of Natural Science
Edgewood College
Madison, Wisconsin

Organic Cheese versus Conventional Cheese: "The True Costs"

As students at Edgewood College, we have been involved in a watershed/foodshed project. Our part in the project was to determine the differences between organic and conventional cheeses and their environmental impacts.

Something to think about: Do you consider where dairy products are made when purchasing? Do you take into consideration whether it's organic, locally grown, the price, or color?

What is Organic?
Cedar Grove Cheese Company uses the following criteria to make their cheese organic:

Organic foods are produced without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and are minimally processed to maintain food's integrity and without artificial ingredients or irradiation.
Cows that produce organic milk are fed organic feed and aren't treated with antibiotics.
Cheese is made from pasteurized whole organic milk, and other ingredients include non-animal enzymes and salt.
The organic certification is obtained through OCIA (Organic Crop Improvement Association).
No color is added to organic cheese.
The wash water used for daily washing of the milk trucks and the wash water used during the cheese making process is all treated in the "living machine."

Price Tags

Cheese Price Tag
Average price of 1 pound Organic cheese- $4.89
Average price of 1 pound of Conventional cheese- $3.34

Cheese Cost Tag
Transportation: Many organic cheese factories receive milk from local/nearby dairy farms. Conventional cheese factories ship their milk from all over the nation.

Environmental Impact
Organic farms conserve fossil fuels by reducing the milk transportation. Some organic farms also recycle waste by purifying it with ecologically designed “Living Machines.”

Chemical Usage
The usage of pesticides on conventional fields creates low mineral availability to plants and animals. The EPA considers 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides, and 30% of all insecticides as potentially cancer causing. Organic farmers don’t use pesticides on their fields used for cow grazing therefore there are no pesticide health risks.

Animal Health
Unlike conventional cows who are given antibiotics and hormones, organic cows are only given antibiotics, never hormones. Conventional cows are only used for milk for 18 months, and organic cows are used for up to 15 years. Conventional cows can be kept in poor conditions and are usually kept in small stales and aren’t given the chance to move around or graze, as organic cows are able to.

Human Health
By having cows whom have not been exposed to hormone supplements such as BGH, organic cows produce milk that is healthier for humans. Because organic cows are able to graze on land that has not been treated with chemicals, the milk they produce is less likely to be a potential cancer causer.

What can you do?
Find out where your cheese is coming from. Support companies who receive their milk from local/nearby dairy farms. Consider all the costs of conventional cheese, not just the sticker price. Buying organic cheese will be healthier for you and your family!

*Created by Stacy Brondtad, Adrienne Johnson, Carlie Massnick, & Kristin Davidson, Introduction to Natural Science

Edgewood Student Survey Results
A high percentage of the 33 respondents to a student e-mail survey indicated a strong interest in health and environmental aspects of the food they eat. 97% said both health and environmental considerations should be important in Edgewood's purchase of food, with over 50% saying they should be "very important."

0 = Not Important
1 = Somewhat Important
2 = Very Important

Monetary Prices of Conventional and Organic Cheese

Environmental Costs

Aspect	Conventional Dairy	Organic Dairy
Chemical Use	The use of pesticides on conventional fields creates low mineral availability to plants and animals Many conventional cheese factories use pesticides on the farms that the cows get their grain from. The EPA considers 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides, and 30% of all insecticides as potentially cancer-causing. There is growing evidence that children are far more sensitive than adults to the effects of pesticides.	Organic farming can reduce water pollution by eliminating the use of toxic persistent chemical pesticides and fertilizers maintaining soil fertility. Organic farming can reduce farm ground soil pollution that maintains soil fertility. Organic farmers don't use pesticides on their farms used for cow grazing, therefore there are no pesticide health risks.

Energy and Transportation	Conventional cheese plants ship their milk from all over the nation. Conventional cheese plants use petroleum to transport milk and cheese, creating more air pollution and using more fossil fuels.	Many organic cheese plants receive milk from local/nearby dairy farms. Organic farms use less petroleum for transportation of milk, therefore there is less air pollution. Organic farms conserve fossil fuels by eliminating the milk transportation.

Animal Health	In conventional farms cows can be kept in poor conditions. They are usually kept in small stalls and aren't given the chance to move around or graze. These cows are kept 'constantly pregnant' and their calves are taken away from them so their extra milk can be given to humans. These cows are also given antibiotics and hormones. Conventional cows are only used for mile for 18 months, and organically farmed cows are used for up to 15 years.	Cows from organic farms are given antibiotics but never hormones. These cows are given large fields to graze on and are usually not kept in stalls.

Human Health	Hormones and pesticides are used in conventional farming, which can have detrimental effects on humans. The BGH hormone (given to 3 million dairy cows a month, to increase milk production) might contribute to breast and prostate cancer.	No hormone supplements such as BGH are used in organic farming. No chemicals used on land organic cattle graze on. No mineral supplements used on organic cattle. No acid-based fertilizers used on the land producing grain for organic cattle. No penicillin drugs used on organic cattle.

Waste and Ecological Health	Not all wastes from dairy production are treated. Farming is responsible for seventy percent of waterway pollution, outstripping sewage treatment plants and pollution deposited from the air. Waste in waters reduces oxygen in water and endangers aquatic life. When left to seep into the ground, the ground water quality is jeopardized.	Organic farming promotes soil diversity. Organic farming recycles and purifies the water from dairy production so that it's safe to be used again. Therefore, less waste is produced.

Cedar Grove Pictures (broken link)