Before the Agricultural Revolution, some 10,000 years ago, hardly anybody drank milk—unless it was from their own mother. As our ancestors domesticated grains and animals, all began to change. By the 5th century in western Europe, milk from both cows and sheep became quite popular.
But it wasn’t until the 20th century that we embraced milk like a stampede of heifers. My father drank a glass of milk with every meal, my grandmother churned butter, and we enjoyed a brimming bowl of ice cream every night.
It was a paradigm shift in thinking—drinking milk became a symbol of nutrition and safety, thanks to Louis Pasteur’s revolutionary pasteurization process.
Today we drink far less milk than we did in the middle of the last century—in fact, the dairy industry is in udder ruins. Small dairies are closing because of changing consumer trends, trade tensions, and, most importantly, a century-long industry consolidation.
Organic milk offers a drop of hope for dairy farmers and consumers alike.
Continue reading “Organic Milk is a Better Choice and a Path to Change”
