| Farm Name | Radiance Dairy | |
| Rating |
(5)
|
 |
| Location | Fairfield, IA | |
| Products | Fluid milk products | |
| Market Area | Fairfield, Iowa | |
| Web Site | None | |
 Operated
by France's Thicke, a widely respected pioneering organic dairy
producer, and his wife Susan, this truly sustainable farm markets in a
very intimate geographic area. Its connection with the marketplace
truly exemplifies the organic ideal.Radiance Dairy is an organic, grass-based dairy located near Fairfield, Iowa, with on-farm processing facilities in which cream-line milk (whole, 2%, and skim), whipping cream, yogurt, and cheese are produced. All of the products made on the farm are sold locally through three grocery stores and about a dozen restaurants in Fairfield. All milk produced on the farm is processed by Radiance Dairy, and no milk is brought onto the farm from other dairies. Radiance Dairy began in 1980 with two cows. Over the years it has grown to the current milking herd of 65 cows. Owned by Francis and Susan Thicke, it is operated by them and several employees. |
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| Criteria | Points | Comments |
| Ownership Structure | 100 | Family Farm |
| Milk Supply | 100 | Single Farm |
| Disclosure of Information for Verification | 100 | Full and open disclosure |
| Certifier farms | 100 | Certified Organic |
| Certifier processing | 100 | Certified Organic |
| Cows on pasture time/acreage provided | 100 | <.5 cow/ac (110 cows/236 ac) 10/mo |
| Health and longevity of cows | 100 | |
| Replacement animals only from organic farms | 100 | Extremely low cull rate |
| Antibiotics used on young cattle | 100 | Never |
| Reproductive hormones used | 100 | Never |
| Farm support oversight | 100 | Owner-operator |
| Outside dairy ingredients purchased | 100 | None |
| TOTAL SCORE | 1200 |
FIVE COWS (Outstanding)
|