| Farm Name | Natural by Nature | |
| Rating |
(4)
|
 |
| Location | West Grove, PA | |
| Products | Fluid, whip cream | |
| Market Area | East Coast, whipped cream nationwide | |
| Web Site | http://natural-by-nature.com/ | |
 The Natural by Nature brand truly exemplifies what consumers believe they are investing in when they purchase organic dairy products. It is a family-owned business that procures 100% of its milk from family-owned farmers, many of which are Amish. This dairy is widely respected nationally for upholding high standards for pasture-based production. They write:“Natural Dairy Products Corporation (NDP) was started in 1994 by Ned MacArthur and his father Norman. Ned had quit milking cows a year earlier because of low milk prices and the frustration that there was no system by which farmers could sell milk organically. Ned and Norman teamed up with four organic dairy farmers in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and created a whole system in which grass-fed organic milk could be produced, transported, processed, and packaged, independent of the huge, volume-based milk industry, under the brand name Natural By Nature. Those original four farmers have joined over the years with more than 30 other small, family farms to form LOFCO, the Lancanster Organic Farmer Cooperative, which provides Natural By Nature a high-quality, grass-fed organic milk supply in strict adherence with organic principles. Our Mission: To promote and support organic farming and the sustainable use of our natural resources. To produce foods that benefit consumers and farmers alike. To use the principles of grass-based dairy production as a means to improve the quality of our products, maximize the health of our cows, and protect our watersheds. To make a living for our families, based on these strongly held principles." |
||
| Criteria | Points | Comments |
| Ownership Structure | 80 | Family business |
| Milk Supply | 90 | LOFCO |
| Disclosure of Information for Verification | 100 | Full and open disclosure |
| Certifier farms | 100 | Most PCO |
| Certifier processing | 75 | QAI (PCO cheese) |
| Cows on pasture time/acreage provided | 100 | 1.25 cows/ac - some years 250-300 days |
| Health and longevity of cows | 100 | Very low cull rate! |
| Replacement animals only from organic farms | 100 | Closed herds |
| Antibiotics used on young cattle | 100 | Never |
| Reproductive hormones used | 100 | Never |
| Farm support oversight | 90 | All dairies and visited regularly by staff |
| Outside dairy ingredients purchased | 50 | Purchases are from various vendors |
| TOTAL SCORE | 1085 |
FOUR COWS (excellent)
|