Cornucopia Institute Requests Full USDA Investigation of Alleged Organic Violations at Texas Factory Dairy Farm
Friday, July 21st, 2006Contact: Mark Kastel, 608-625-2042
CORNUCOPIA, WISCONSIN: The Cornucopia Institute has filed a formal legal complaint with the USDA requesting a full investigation into allegations of multiple violations of federal organic regulations at the Aurora Organic Dairy, located near Dublin, Texas. With a herd of 3000–5000 animals, the Aurora facility, one of the largest organic livestock operations in the country, appears to have violated numerous organic regulations governing the management of its livestock at the factory-farm operation.
“We have filed this complaint following our visit to Aurora’s Dublin, Texas, operation,” said Mark A. Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst for the Wisconsin-based Institute. “From our onsite review and interviews with several parties intimately familiar with this operation, it appears that the Aurora factory farm is keeping their milk herd confined, not providing meaningful access to pasture for grazing, and might have fed their dairy cows rations treated with prohibited pesticides and herbicides,” Kastel said.